WA news LIVE: Human Rights Commission urges action on racism after Perth rally bomb incident

The Australian Human Rights Commission has urged more action on racism in Australia following the bomb incident at an Invasion Day rally in Perth’s CBD on Monday, which one commissioner warned could have been “potentially as deadly as the Bondi terrorist attack”.

A homemade bomb was thrown from the terrace balcony of the Myer building into a crowd of protesters at Forrest Place, but did not explode, with the incident now being investigated as a “potential terrorist act” by a joint counter-terrorism team comprising state and federal authorities.

A 31-year-old man from Perth’s north, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in court on Tuesday accused of making the improvised explosive and hurling it into the crowd.

Social Justice Commissioner Katie Kiss said Invasion Day rallies were spaces for “truth-telling, cultural strength and calls for justice – not fear”, and warned no one was safe from racial hatred.

“Had the device detonated the results could have been catastrophic, and potentially as deadly as the Bondi terrorist attack,” she said.

“I call on the government and law enforcement agencies to treat this incident with the same urgency and seriousness.

“The antisemitism behind the Bondi attack shows how racial hatred can escalate into horrific violence. No one is safe until we are all safe from racial hatred.

“This terrifying incident leads First Peoples to be fearful of being targeted for who they are, and fearful that standing up for their democratic right to protest may have deadly consequences.”

Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman said: “Hate and discrimination must be addressed urgently and comprehensively.”

“The Australian Human Rights Commission’s National Anti-Racism Framework, which the federal government has yet to endorse and implement, provides a blueprint for effective action for tackling racism,” he said.

“We cannot afford to wait any longer. Precious lives and freedoms are at imminent risk.”

Here’s what is making news elsewhere today.

• Multicultural Affairs Minister Anne Aly has warned that former prime minister Scott Morrison and Liberal senator Andrew Bragg have risked inflaming community tensions and fuelling fear with remarks that target Muslim Australians following the December Bondi terrorist attack.

• Liberal challengers Angus Taylor and Andrew Hastie, the two conservatives considering a tilt against Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, will hold their first face-to-face talks in weeks today in Melbourne, where they will both attend the funeral of former Liberal MP Katie Allan. It comes at a fraught time for the party, following National Party leader David Littleproud’s decision to split from the Coalition last week.

• Littleproud is also facing turmoil in his own party, after MP Colin Boyce yesterday announced on air that he planned to move a spill motion for the leadership of the Nationals to the party room on Monday afternoon, and intended to put himself forward for the job. The embattled Nationals leader is also under fresh pressure from Ley, after she claimed Littleproud was too busy fending off a leadership threat to discuss reforming the Coalition.
• At least three iPhone models were left unable to take or make phone calls on the Telstra network last night after receiving an Apple software update intended to ensure older iPhone devices can contact Triple Zero when their primary network is unavailable. Telstra confirmed it was investigating an issue with making and receiving calls on the devices, including to Triple Zero.
• And overseas, US President Donald Trump said a “massive armada” of US warships now in the Middle East is ready to strike Iran, as he issued his most direct threat to date for the Islamic Republic to negotiate or face American military action.

Good morning readers and welcome to our live news blog for Thursday, January 29.

Making headlines today is another story from the grim landscape of Perth’s rental market, where people looking for a place to live are turning to social media listings – and finding themselves in a hive of scams.

After attending home inspections shoulder-to-shoulder with sometimes hundreds of other people and struggling to get cut through with agents in today’s “cold markets”, David – who asked his full name not be used so as not to hamper his search for a rental – decided the risk was worth the effort.

But after conversing with the would-be “private landlords” behind the listings, patterns began emerging.

Read Hamish Hastie’s exclusive story here.

Meanwhile, Western Australia’s peak environmental body claims the state government’s continued permission for seismic blasting off the coast “flies in the face” of a controversial fishing ban recently introduced to protect demersal stocks.

And a joint counter-terrorism team is investigating a bomb scare at an Invasion Day rally in Perth’s CBD on Monday as a potential terrorist act.

A 31-year-old man from Perth’s north, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in court on Tuesday accused of making an improvised explosive and hurling it into the crowd at a rally protesting WA’s Australia Day celebrations.

Rally organisers and politicians including WA Greens MLC Sophie McNeill had urged police to further investigate the incident as potential terrorism, after the man was charged with intent to cause harm and making an explosive device with suspicious intentions.

Late on Wednesday, the Western Australia Joint Counter Terrorism Team – comprising WA Police, Australian Federal Police, and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation – confirmed it was investigating the incident “as a potential terrorist act”.

Thank you again for joining us this morning. Stay tuned as we bring you more news you need to know.