Australia news live: Hecklers interrupt Liberal candidate for Dunkley; Minns to become first NSW premier to join Sydney Mardi Gras parade 1

This year’s Mardi Gras will also have the first-ever Timor-Leste float, with around 200 people marching in it.

My colleagues Jordyn Beazley and Luca Ittimani have the story here:

WA becomes the first state to ban plastic-lined takeaway cups

Hundreds of millions of coffee cups are expected to be saved from landfills as the nation’s first ban on plastic-lined takeaway cups takes effect, AAP has reported.

Western Australia became the first state to introduce the ban on single-use, non-compostable coffee cups on Friday, with businesses who fail to comply threatened with hefty fines.

Instead, cafes can use compostable paperboard cups, which are excluded from the ban, or encourage customers to bring keep cups of their own, said WA Environment Minister Reece Whitby.

 

This is an excellent move for the environment because we know that plastic persists in the environment for decades and decades and decades.

The change is part of a wider push by the Cook government to reduce the prevalence of single-use plastics in the economy.

Also banned on Friday were unlidded disposable plastic food trays, such as sushi trays and bento boxes.

Queensland police have had to apologize after celebrating a serving officer who helped massacre a large group of Indigenous people in 1873.

The post on the myPolice Cape York Facebook Page, seen by Guardian Australia has now been deleted. It was a “Flashback Friday”, eulogizing the officer. It read: Robert Johnstone was born in Richmond, Tasmania 1843 with his family moving to Victoria in 1851.

It recounted his life, his move to Queensland, and how in 1876 he discovered and named the Barron River before his death in 1905.

It did not mention Johnstone’s own claims that he was responsible for the death of 35 First Nations people in a massacre at Mt Farquharson or other killings and beating of First Nations people during his service.

In a statement, QPS said:

This morning, a local Facebook post was published on the MyPolice Far North Facebook pages featuring historical information about a police officer from the local area in the 1800s.

Following the post, the Far North District was made aware of additional information regarding the police officer and his involvement in other historical events.

With that information in mind, the post has since been removed and an apology has been posted on the local myPolice Facebook pages.

NSW Premier Chris Minns has announced he will join a number of ministers to march in the Mardi Gras parade this evening, marking the first time in history a NSW premier has joined the celebration.

Hundreds of thousands will gather in Oxford Street for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras annual parade festivities on Saturday, AAP has reported.

Float organizer Jane O’Keefe, who has been participating in the parade for years, feels the loss of the couple but is all the more determined to give her very best for crowds. She told AAP:

 

Our community’s very used to death.

There will not be one of us marching tomorrow night that hasn’t been heartbroken and grieving, but we can be both.

We can hold both grief, trauma, and joy – and remember them in a way.

The founder of the Itty Bitty Titty Committee will be joined by lesbian community members dressed in pink utility jumpsuits with “Lesbies” written on the back in Barbie font.

More than 60 police officers will march as part of the parade in a new “no uniform” compromise reached with NSW police.

Queensland government pledges over $40m to fertility treatments

More women and girls suffering complex medical conditions like cancer will have access to cheaper reproductive care after Queensland became the latest state to announce public funding for fertility treatments, AAP has reported.

The Queensland government has pledged $42.3m, including $32.1m to fund public access to assisted reproductive technologies like IVF, to help one in six Australian couples experiencing fertility challenges plan a family.

A further $10.2m will go towards helping women freeze their eggs and embryos for the future with a statewide fertility preservation service.

Women and girls’ sexual and reproductive health are often overlooked aspects of overall wellbeing, Queensland health minister Shannon Fentiman said on Saturday.

When a significant health issue, such as cancer, impacts a person’s fertility, being able to afford access to fertility services should be the last thing Queenslanders need to worry about.

Hecklers have targeted the Liberal candidate for the seat of Dunkley as the major parties make their last-ditch pitch to byelection voters, AAP has reported.

Liberal senator Jane Hume joined opposition candidate Nathan Conroy at a primary school polling booth in Langwarrin for a press conference this morning, only to be frequently interrupted.

Conroy said as a protester interjected:

We don’t shout people down.

What we do have is a strong positive campaign.

Conroy said the rising cost of living was the number one issue for voters, while also promoting local infrastructure investment. He said:

We need to have more jobs, more business, more choice, more homes for people.

Then you look at crime, crime is on the rise and that’s because of the housing crisis and the cost-of-living crisis.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton did not make an appearance on Saturday but has previously said that while the vote won’t change the government, it could send a message to the prime minister he wasn’t doing enough.

Last night protesters clashed with NSW police over their involvement in Mardi Gras today.

Around 8 pm roughly 300 protesters turned up at Taylor Square on Oxford Street in Surry Hills. Pride in Protest organized the event, and in a statement on Instagram, called for the police contingent to be pulled from Mardi Gras given the recent deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies.

In a post on Instagram, the group said there was:

Longstanding and deep-rooted … abuse, racism and homophobia rampant within the NSW police.

In a statement, police said the protest was “unauthorized”.

About 8.30pm, the group moved onto the roadway, blocking all vehicle traffic at the intersection of Oxford and Flinders Street. With the assistance of additional police, the crowd were directed to move onto the footpath. Those who did not comply with police directions were physically removed. The crowd later dispersed, with part of the group attending the Sydney Police Centre on Goulburn and Riley Streets, where they continued to protest.” There were no reports of any property being damaged, person being injured, or any arrests being made.