Melbourne Victory hit with $550,000 in sanctions over pitch invasion
Football Australia is announcing sanctions for Melbourne Victory over the pitch invasion incident on 17 December.
James Johnson, the chief executive of Football Australia, tells a press conference that “the scenes at the Melbourne derby were the worst witnessed in Australian football during the A-League era”.
We cannot let this happen again in our game. So we believe that a strong sanction, both financial and also sporting, is warranted and justified in these circumstances.
These sanctions are reflective of our desire to remove this behaviour from the sport, and in particular those that act in such a way, and we want them out of our sport, as we have shown in our individual bans that have been issued.
Melbourne Victory has been fined $550,000 but avoided an immediate points deduction following the pitch invasion that caused the pre-Christmas Melbourne derby to be abandoned. Victory fans will be banned from sitting behind the northern end at home games, which is the area where the fans spilled on to the ground.
They will also be banned from attending away games for the rest of the season.
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James Johnson confirms last year’s A-League Men Melbourne derby will be replayed this April.
Football Australia has also determined with competition integrity at the heart of our decision-making that the 22-23 a league men round of eight match between Melbourne city and Melbourne Victory that was abandoned will be replayed in April 2023.
Furthermore, the match will be replayed from the 22nd minute. And it will start with the scoreline being 1-0 to Melbourne city, which was the score and the exact minute, the 22nd minute, that the match was abandoned.
On how Melbourne Victory will be able to handle the $550,000 fines, chief executive of Football Australia James Johnson says “it will hurt”:
It is a hefty fine, and it is something that we need to be an independent regulator.
That is what occurred during the unbundling and we need to look at it with independent eyes and we acknowledge it is significant.
But it is one that we hope changes culture. We hope it drives change, because it will hurt.
James Johnson, the chief executive of Football Australia, closes off his announcement of sanctions for Melbourne Victory:
We believe that these sanctions are fair. We think they are reasonable, we think they are justified to keep our community happy.
We also think that they have been focused specifically to ensure that the individuals that we target ensure that the rest of the 2 million supporters of Australian football are not tainted with the same brush, and we do ask the community that, given the strength of both these sanctions and also the individual bans that are in place that will continue, that we get focused on what 2023 will be for Australian football.
Melbourne Victory hit with $550,000 in sanctions over pitch invasion
Football Australia is announcing sanctions for Melbourne Victory over the pitch invasion incident on 17 December.
James Johnson, the chief executive of Football Australia, tells a press conference that “the scenes at the Melbourne derby were the worst witnessed in Australian football during the A-League era”.
We cannot let this happen again in our game. So we believe that a strong sanction, both financial and also sporting, is warranted and justified in these circumstances.
These sanctions are reflective of our desire to remove this behaviour from the sport, and in particular those that act in such a way, and we want them out of our sport, as we have shown in our individual bans that have been issued.
Melbourne Victory has been fined $550,000 but avoided an immediate points deduction following the pitch invasion that caused the pre-Christmas Melbourne derby to be abandoned. Victory fans will be banned from sitting behind the northern end at home games, which is the area where the fans spilled on to the ground.
They will also be banned from attending away games for the rest of the season.
Two men charged over death of prison escapee
Two more men have been charged over the alleged murder of an escaped prisoner found outside a Hobart home after an apparent shooting, AAP reports.
The body of Nicholas Aaron Scott was discovered in the early hours of 3 January in the northern suburb of Granton following reports of a gunshot.
The 26-year-old had escaped custody several hours earlier while being treated at the Royal Hobart hospital.
Tasmania police last week charged 20-year-old Granton man Brock Callum Davey with murder.
Another two men, a 44-year-old from Moonah and 21-year-old from Collinsvale, have since been charged with murder and will face court on Tuesday.
A police investigation into how Scott escaped custody at the hospital remains ongoing and the Tasmanian prison service is conducting a separate probe.
Scott borrowed a phone from an unwitting member of the public at a restaurant after leaving the hospital, police said.
He had a lengthy criminal history and was sentenced to jail for three-and-a-half years in February 2021, backdated to 2020, on seven offences including aggravated burglary.
Scott was granted parole later that year, and it is unclear how he ended up back in custody.
The sentencing judge noted he had an “extensive history” of offending but was no longer drug dependent and was motivated to recreate a relationship with his son.
Daniel Hurst
Ambassador reiterates China’s opposition to Aukus
Xiao Qian reiterated China’s opposition to Aukus, suggesting it will cost vast sums to Australian taxpayers and not serve Australian interests.
The Chinese ambassador said there was no reason for China and Australia to be “confrontational in nature”.
He said the security arrangement – which includes plans for nuclear-powered submarines – was not going to serve the interests of Australia but “maybe” would serve the interests of “other countries” – an apparent reference to claims that Australia would be increasingly dependent on the US.
While acknowledging Aukus was a decision for the Australian government to make, he added:
We do not believe it is constructive or helpful … We have no reason to treat each other like a threat.
Low to severe heatwave and fire weather warnings may be issued across western and southern Australia this week as summer temperatures climb into the 40s.
Heat is building across west and southern Aus. this week, with temperatures soaring into the high 30s and low 40s, bringing low to severe heatwave conditions and elevated fire dangers.
Heatwave & fire weather warnings may be issued. Latest: https://t.co/xTx27ZEQrT pic.twitter.com/qKZpup6yve
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) January 10, 2023
Daniel Hurst
‘I hope a solution will come as soon as possible’: Chinese ambassador asked about detained Australians
Asked about the case of detained Australians Cheng Lei and Yang Hengjun, China’s ambassador to Australia has expressed “hope” that a solution may be found.
Xiao Qian said the legal processes were still under way.
He said the Australian government has, on many occasions, been asking China for solution in these two cases – “almost on each and every occasion” that there is an opportunity.
Xiao said the Chinese side had been “patiently explaining” to Australia that those cases were continuing, but on humanitarian basis the embassy was seeking to facilitate easier access for consular officials or even for family members to communicate with them. (He made similar comments to ABC 7.30 program a few months ago.)
Then Xiao offered this intriguing comment:
I hope a solution will come as soon as possible but we need to respect the legal procedure.
Daniel Hurst
Chinese ambassador says other countries’ Covid response measures should be proportionate and based on science
More from China’s embassy in Canberra.
China’s ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, says every country goes through a transition period as it adjusts its Covid policies:
China is no exception as we shift gear.
He argues China’s Covid situation was predictable and under control, because authorities are aware of waves and locations and the cases are “within our preparedness”.
Xiao said China understood it was legitimate for countries to take response measures “but these measures should be science based and should be proportionate”.
Entry restrictions, if they target China, are unnecessary, he said.
Asked specifically about the Australian entry requirements, he was not directly critical:
It’s for the Australian government to make its own decisions … we wish that the response would be based on science, based on facts, proportionate.
Asked about the Australian government’s call for transparency about the latest waves, including genomic sequencing, Xiao said China had been “very open” about sharing information.
He said that in his view China has “been transparent enough” but he noted that not every individual would report positive test results.
‘She just had this almighty contraction’: baby delivered on WA freeway
On a lighter note, a newborn baby has been delivered on the side of Mitchell Freeway in Western Australia.
Eager to enter the world, her parents had to pull over to deliver the baby in the emergency lane.
The father, Courtney, told 6PR radio that his wife and baby, Macy, are recovering well.
No one can prepare you for that – the missus’ water broke at home and we hustled our stuff together, threw her in the car – got onto the freeway and she just had this almighty contraction.
She said ‘I think it’s coming’, and I was like you’ll be all right, and then I looked down and I could see the baby’s head looking at me.
Barbecue accident leaves NSW man with severe burns
A barbecue blaze has left a man with severe burns following a gas leak on the NSW Central Coast, AAP reports.
The 58-year-old man was grilling a steak in his backyard when a 9kg gas bottle came loose as he dialled up the heat on the barbecue. Escaping gas ignited and caused serious burns to his face and upper body.
Firefighters were able to control the blaze and placed the man under a shower until ambulance crews arrived.
The man was transferred by medical helicopter to the Royal North Shore hospital burns unit, where he was admitted in a stable condition.
The Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent, Adam Dewberry, said people should keep a constant supply of water on hand for emergencies when using their barbecue.
He also advised the public to regularly service their barbecues to prevent accidents.
NSW government urges Australians to celebrate 26 January
The NSW government promises a full-scale program for 26 January to entice Sydneysiders to celebrate Australia Day, AAP reports.
The environment minister, James Griffin, acknowledged the day represents mourning for First Nations people but urged communities to come together.
The celebrations will provide opportunities to reflect with optimism on our successful multicultural society and a bright future in New South Wales.
Truth-telling and reconciliation will be at the core of the celebrations, the Australia Day Council of NSW deputy chair, Yvonne Weldon, said.
It isn’t just about Australia Day.
It’s about what we do every other day in between.
What we’re doing through a truth telling is actually sharing our lived experience so we can truly understand what the date represents.
The Sydney Opera House sails will be illuminated with First Nations artwork as the Australian and Aboriginal flags are raised together. There will be the WugulOra morning ceremony at Barangaroo.
Throughout the day Sydney Harbour and the foreshore will be in the spotlight with a harbour parade, ferrython, tall ships race, salute to Australia and aerial defence force displays.
The day will end with a live concert at the Sydney Opera House forecourt.
The concert will be broadcast live on ABC TV and ABC iView from 7.30pm to 9.30pm.
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