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IPA : jÉ’t jɒt

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Definition of yacht noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

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Native English Speak: Yacht Pronunciation Made Easy With Effective Tips

• LLS English
• October 23, 2023
• No Comments

Are you a non-native English speaker struggling with the pronunciation of the word “yacht”? You’re not alone! The pronunciation of this word can be tricky for many English learners. But fear not, as in this blog post, we’ll break down the syllables and sounds of yacht pronunciation to help you say it correctly and with confidence. So let’s get started and make yacht pronunciation easy with these effective tips!

Yacht Pronunciation – The Fundamentals

Are you ready to tackle the fundamentals of yacht pronunciation? Let’s dive right in!

First, let’s break down the word “yacht” into its individual syllables: “yacht” is pronounced as one syllable. It’s important to note that the ‘y’ at the beginning of the word is pronounced like the letter ‘y’ in the alphabet.

Now let’s focus on the sounds of each individual letter in “yacht.” The ‘y’ sound is a consonant sound, similar to the beginning sound in “yellow.” The ‘a’ sound in “yacht” is pronounced as a long ‘a’ sound, similar to the sound in the word “lake.” The ‘ch’ sound is a combination of two consonant sounds, ‘t’ and ‘sh’, which creates a soft and subtle ‘ch’ sound.

To practice yacht pronunciation, try saying the word slowly and exaggerate each sound. Repeat it multiple times until you feel confident in your pronunciation. You can also use online pronunciation resources or language learning apps to hear the correct pronunciation.

Now that you have mastered the fundamentals of yacht pronunciation, you can confidently use this word in conversations and impress others with your English skills. Keep practicing and soon enough, yacht pronunciation will become second nature to you!

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Yacht Pronunciation – Syllables and Sounds

Now that we’ve covered the fundamentals of yacht pronunciation, let’s dive deeper into breaking down the syllables and sounds of this word. Understanding the syllables and sounds will further enhance your ability to pronounce it correctly.

As we mentioned earlier, “yacht” is pronounced as one syllable. This means that you should not pause or break the word into separate sounds. Instead, pronounce it smoothly as a single unit.

To dissect the sounds, let’s focus on the individual letters in “yacht”. The ‘y’ at the beginning of the word is pronounced like the letter ‘y’ in the alphabet, making a consonant sound similar to the beginning sound in “yellow”. Next, the ‘a’ in “yacht” is pronounced as a long ‘a’ sound, just like in the word “lake”. Lastly, the ‘ch’ in “yacht” is a combination of two consonant sounds, ‘t’ and ‘sh’, resulting in a soft and subtle ‘ch’ sound.

To practice, say “yacht” slowly and emphasize each sound. Repeat it multiple times until you feel comfortable and confident in your pronunciation. You can also use online resources or language learning apps to hear the correct pronunciation and further refine your skills.

Now that you have a thorough understanding of the syllables and sounds of yacht pronunciation, you’re well on your way to mastering this word with ease. Keep practicing, and soon enough, you’ll be able to confidently use it in conversations and impress others with your English skills.

‘ Yacht ‘ in Context: Sample Sentences and Usage

Now that you have mastered the pronunciation of “yacht,” let’s explore some sample sentences and usage of this word in context. This will help you understand how to incorporate it into your own conversations.

1. “We took a luxurious yacht trip along the Mediterranean coast.” – In this sentence, “yacht” is used to describe a type of boat or vessel. It implies a sense of luxury and elegance.

2. “He invited us to join him on his yacht for a weekend getaway.” – Here, “yacht” is used to refer to a personal or private boat used for leisure and relaxation.

3. “The couple chartered a yacht for their honeymoon cruise. ” – In this example, “yacht” is used as a verb, indicating the action of renting or hiring a boat for a specific period of time.

4. “The yacht sailed smoothly through the calm waters, offering breathtaking views.” – This sentence showcases the action and movement of a yacht, emphasizing its graceful navigation and picturesque surroundings.

By incorporating these sample sentences into your language practice, you can not only master the pronunciation of “yacht” but also understand how to use it accurately in various contexts. So keep practicing, and soon enough, you’ll be able to effortlessly incorporate this word into your English conversations.

Yacht Pronunciation Common Mistakes

While yacht pronunciation can be challenging for non-native English speakers, there are a few common mistakes that you should avoid to ensure you pronounce it correctly.

One common mistake is misplacing the stress in the word. The stress in “yacht” falls on the first syllable, so make sure to emphasize the ‘y’ sound at the beginning of the word. Avoid placing stress on the second syllable or any other syllable.

Another mistake to avoid is pronouncing the ‘a’ in “yacht” as a short ‘a’ sound, like the ‘a’ in “cat.” Remember that the ‘a’ in “yacht” is pronounced as a long ‘a’ sound, similar to the ‘a’ in “lake.” Additionally, be careful not to pronounce the ‘ch’ in “yacht” as a hard ‘ch’ sound, like in “church.” Instead, remember that it is a soft and subtle ‘ch’ sound, created by combining the ‘t’ and ‘sh’ sounds.

To ensure you are not making these mistakes, practice saying “yacht” slowly and exaggerate each sound. Repeat it multiple times until you feel comfortable with the correct pronunciation. By avoiding these common mistakes and practicing consistently, you’ll soon be able to confidently pronounce “yacht” like a native English speaker.

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How to Pronounce Yacht? (A Step-by-Step Guide)

Do you know how to pronounce yacht correctly? Yacht is a word that is used frequently by many, but many people dont know how to properly say it.

To give you a better understanding of yacht and learn how to say it properly, this article will provide an easy step-by-step guide on how to pronounce yacht.

Well cover the correct pronunciation of yacht, the phonetic pronunciation of yacht, common mispronunciations of yacht, when yacht is used, and why it is important to know how to pronounce yacht correctly.

Additionally, well provide some tips to remember how to pronounce yacht.

By the end of this article, youll be confidently able to pronounce yacht correctly in any situation.

Table of Contents

Short Answer

Yacht is pronounced with a long “a” sound, like “yawt”.

It rhymes with “bought”.

The word is typically pronounced with a soft “ch” sound at the end, like “yacht-ch”.

It is also sometimes pronounced like “yaw-cht” with a hard “ch” sound at the end.

What Is a Yacht?

A yacht is a luxurious boat or vessel, typically used for recreational purposes such as sailing, cruising, or fishing.

Yachts are typically quite large and are usually powered by either sails or motors.

They are usually equipped with a variety of features and amenities that make them perfect for leisurely activities and entertaining large groups of people.

Yachts range in size from small, personal boats to large, more elaborate vessels that can cost millions of dollars.

Yachts are often associated with wealth and status, as they are often seen as a symbol of luxury and privilege.

What is the Correct Pronunciation of Yacht?

The correct pronunciation of the word “yacht” is “yot”.

It is pronounced with a soft “y” sound, followed by a short “o” sound, and ending with a hard “t” sound.

This pronunciation is the same in both American and British English.

It is important to note that the word is not pronounced with a long “a” sound like some mistakenly believe, but rather with a short “o” sound.

When saying the word, it is important to be careful not to elongate the “o” sound, as this often leads to mispronunciation.

For example, some people mistakenly pronounce the word as “yahcht” or “yawcht,” which are incorrect pronunciations.

Additionally, the “y” sound at the beginning of the word should be soft, and not pronounced as an “ee” sound like in the word “yell.

” To practice the correct pronunciation of “yacht,” it may be helpful to break the word down into its individual sounds.

Start by saying the soft “y” sound, followed by the short “o” sound, and finally the hard “t” sound.

Once you have the individual sounds down, practice stringing them together to form the word.

It may also be helpful to listen to the word being said by a native speaker, which can help you to develop your pronunciation skills.

The Phonetic Pronunciation of Yacht

The word is often used to refer to a luxury boat or vessel, typically used for recreational purposes.

In phonetics, the “y” sound of “yacht” is known as a palatal approximant, which is a sound made by bringing the front of the tongue near the roof of the mouth without creating any friction.

The “o” sound is a close-mid back rounded vowel, which is made by rounding the lips and raising the back of the tongue towards the soft palate.

Finally, the “t” sound is a voiceless alveolar stop, which is made by pushing the tongue against the roof of the mouth and releasing the air quickly.

When pronouncing the word “yacht,” the emphasis should be placed on the “t.

” The “y” and “o” sounds should be relatively short and soft, while the “t” should be strong and pronounced clearly.

Additionally, the “y” sound should be drawn out slightly longer than the other two sounds.

In addition to the phonetic pronunciation of the word “yacht,” there are also several other ways to pronounce it.

Some people pronounce the word with a “ch” sound instead of the “t,” while others pronounce it with a “j” sound.

However, the traditional and most commonly accepted pronunciation is with the “t” sound.

Common Mispronunciations of Yacht

When it comes to pronouncing the word yacht, many people get it wrong.

There are several common mispronunciations, including yawt, yotch, yachtch, and yak.

Each of these pronunciations is incorrect, and can make it difficult for others to understand what you are saying.

To make sure that you are correctly pronouncing the word, it is important to understand the proper way to say it.

The most common mispronunciation of yacht is yawt.

This pronunciation is incorrect because the y sound should be a soft y, followed by a short o sound, and ending with a hard t sound.

The aw sound in yawt is incorrect, and should be replaced with the correct o sound.

Another mispronunciation of yacht is yotch.

This pronunciation is incorrect because it does not accurately represent the three distinct sounds that make up the word.

The y should be a soft y sound, followed by a short o sound, and ending with a hard t sound.

The third mispronunciation of yacht is yachtch.

This pronunciation is incorrect because it fails to accurately represent the correct pronunciation of the word.

The ch sound should not be included in the word, and should instead be replaced with the correct hard t sound.

Finally, the fourth mispronunciation of yacht is yak.

This pronunciation is incorrect because it fails to accurately represent the three distinct sounds of the word.

It is important to remember that the correct pronunciation of yacht is yot.

This pronunciation is made up of a soft y sound, followed by a short o sound, and ending with a hard t sound.

This is the only way to correctly pronounce the word, and should be used any time you are referring to a luxury boat or vessel, typically used for recreational purposes.

When Is Yacht Used?

The word yacht is used to describe a variety of luxury boats and vessels, usually used for recreational purposes.

Yachts can range in size from small, privately owned vessels to large, luxury cruise ships.

Yachts are often used for leisure activities, such as entertaining guests, fishing, or even just taking a relaxing cruise.

Yacht owners may also use their vessels for business, such as chartering them out to other individuals or organizations.

Yachts are also used in competitive sailing and racing events.

Yacht racing is a popular sport, with a number of international events taking place each year.

Yacht clubs are also popular, providing owners a place to store, maintain, and sail their vessels.

Why Is It Important to Know How to Pronounce Yacht Correctly?

Knowing how to pronounce the word yacht correctly is important for a variety of reasons.

For starters, using the correct pronunciation shows respect for the people who own or use yachts.

Yachts are expensive luxury vessels, and mispronouncing the word can be seen as a sign of ignorance or disrespect.

Additionally, knowing how to pronounce the word correctly can help you communicate more effectively with people who are familiar with yachts and sailing.

It is also important for avoiding confusion when discussing the topic with others.

For example, if you are discussing the correct pronunciation of the word yacht with someone, it is important to be able to pronounce it correctly in order to avoid any misunderstanding.

Finally, knowing how to pronounce the word correctly can help you feel more confident and knowledgeable in conversations related to yachts and sailing.

Tips to Remember How to Pronounce Yacht

When it comes to pronouncing the word yacht, there are some helpful tips to keep in mind.

First, as mentioned, the correct pronunciation is yot.

The y sound should be soft and the o sound should be short.

The t should be pronounced with a hard sound.

To help you remember how to pronounce the word, think of the phrase yacht club .

By saying the two words together, youll be able to remember the correct pronunciation.

You can also try saying yacht in a sentence to help you remember.

For example, you could say, Im going to join a yacht club.

Another helpful tip is to practice saying the word yacht out loud.

This will help you get used to the correct pronunciation and help you remember it.

You could also try writing out the word and saying it aloud as you write it.

This will help you become more familiar with the pronunciation and make it easier to remember.

Finally, if youre still having trouble with the pronunciation, you could try listening to audio recordings of people saying the word yacht.

Listening to the word being said by native English speakers can be a great way to get used to the pronunciation and make it easier to remember.

Final Thoughts

Now that you know how to properly pronounce the word yacht, you can confidently use it in conversation.

Whether you are discussing luxury boats or other recreational vessels, you can be sure that you are saying it correctly.

Remember to pronounce it with a soft y sound, followed by a short o sound, and ending with a hard t sound.

With these tips in mind, you can be sure to pronounce yacht correctly and confidently!.

James Frami

At the age of 15, he and four other friends from his neighborhood constructed their first boat. He has been sailing for almost 30 years and has a wealth of knowledge that he wants to share with others.

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How to pronounce yacht

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yacht example in a phrase

The America's Cup is a yacht race which was first held in 1851

Definition of yacht

• an expensive vessel propelled by sail or power and used for cruising or racing
• travel in a yacht

Can you pronounce it better? Or with a different accent? Pronounce yacht in English

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Translation of yacht

Can you pronounce it better? Or with a different accent? Pronounce yacht in German

• bateau de plaisance, peut être à voile ou à moteur

Synonyms of yacht

• vaurien pronunciation vaurien [ fr ]
• bateau de plaisance pronunciation bateau de plaisance [ fr ]
• voilier pronunciation voilier [ fr ]
• navire pronunciation navire [ fr ]
• barque pronunciation barque [ fr ]
• bâtiment pronunciation bâtiment [ fr ]
• cargo pronunciation cargo [ fr ]

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IPA : /jɑːt/

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yacht - transcription, translation and pronunciation online

Transcription and pronunciation of the word " yacht " in British and American variants. Detailed translation and examples.

Boat - pronunciation: audio and phonetic transcription

American english:, [ˈboʊt] ipa, /boht/ phonetic spelling.

British English:

[ˈbəʊt] ipa, /boht/ phonetic spelling.

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(English pronunciations of yacht from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus and from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary , both sources © Cambridge University Press)

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Decades after a boat arrived in Australia, the government suddenly found itself with an immigration detention system in disarray

The message arrived with lawyers in the early days of December last year. 

Sent to the federal government and the representatives of the Rohingya man known publicly as NZYQ, the High Court was contacting those who appeared in court to inform them it had made corrections to a landmark ruling. 

Weeks earlier, the court had shocked the government, human rights activists and the legal community by making a snap decision that ruled indefinite immigration detention was unlawful.

In doing so, the court overturned two decades of legal precedent and set in motion a months-long headache for a government desperately trying to control not just who came to Australia but who was able to stay here. 

The changes the High Court made to its ruling, which the ABC independently learned and verified, were minor but have left some wondering if the highest court in the land too had felt public pressure from the fallout of its November 8 decision. 

It's also left the government facing questions about why it was caught so flat-footed given the court had given clear warnings about how it was likely to rule. The Coalition too is facing criticism for blatantly rejecting the law of the land in its bid to score political points. 

Inside the government, as the months have dragged on, there's been no shortage of ministerial offices briefing against each other amid fears this saga could ultimately cost some their frontbench careers. 

In the meantime, the government will face more tests, both legislatively and in the High Court, in the coming days, weeks and months. Understanding how we got here will potentially explain what's likely to come next. 

The case of NZYQ

The case relates to a Rohingya man from Myanmar, who is known in court as NZYQ.

Born somewhere between 1995 and 1997 in a village in Rakhine State, he arrived in Australia by boat on September 17, 2012 . 

Detained in immigration detention, within a year Labor immigration minister Tony Burke, five days into the role, granted him the right to live at a specific place in Lakemba, New South Wales, on July 6, 2013 . Burke's successor, Liberal Scott Morrison, released NZYQ from immigration detention, issuing him with a bridging visa on September 18, 2014 . 

But just four months later, police would arrest and charge NZYQ with raping a 10-year-old boy. Within a week, on  January 16, 2015 , the government cancelled his bridging visa. 

NZYQ pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years' prison. Authorities released him on parole on May 8, 2018 , and he was immediately detained as an unlawful non-citizen. While the government recognised NZYQ was a stateless refugee and unable to be sent back to Myanmar, it refused to issue him a visa on character grounds. 

In the years that followed, NZYQ made a series of appeals, including to the new Immigration Minister Andrew Giles in July 2022 . But Giles would ultimately decline to intervene in February 2023 . 

It left NZYQ facing an indefinite future in the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre in NSW.

That was until his case reached the High Court, where his lawyers were tasked with convincing the seven justices that their predecessors had made a wrong call two decades earlier. 

The case of Al-Kateb

That case is known as Al-Kateb vs Godwin. It centred on Ahmed Al-Kateb, a Kuwait-born Palestinian man who hadn’t inherited Kuwaiti citizenship at birth. 

He arrived in Australia by boat in December 2000 , unaware that decades later his arrival would help tear down a central pillar of the nation's immigration detention regime.

Upon arriving in Australia, authorities placed Al-Kateb in immigration detention, a policy made mandatory under Paul Keating's Labor government in 1992.

Back then, Keating's government initially planned to cap detention at 273 days (nine months) but when the legislation passed parliament it did so without any limit on detention . 

Like NZYQ, Australia accepted Al-Kateb was stateless but refused to issue him a visa. 

A divided High Court, in a 4-3 ruling , deemed it was lawful for a stateless person to remain in immigration detention indefinitely, and for decades that remained the law of the land. That was until 2023, when everything changed. 

The scramble to delay going to court

It's fitting that the first hearing of NZYQ's case in the High Court would be before Justice Jacqueline Gleeson on June 2, 2023 . 

Gleeson had joined the court two years earlier but her family's connection to the highest court in the land stretched back much further.

Her father Murray Gleeson was a former High Court chief justice, who  found himself in the minority on that 4-3 Al-Kateb case . 

The hearing before Gleeson junior would go on to haunt the government.

Days earlier, on May 30 , 2023, the government agreed in a special case that it was unable to deport NZYQ. Speaking on June 2 , Gleeson asked the government's lawyers if there was "any prospect of his release into the Australian community".

Remember, NZYQ was being held in detention pending his removal from Australia. 

Acting on the government's advice, the Commonwealth barrister agreed it wasn't readying him for removal from detention. 

With that, Gleeson referred the matter to be heard by the full court. 

As the court case loomed, panic looks to have set in within the federal government . Phones were picked up and last-minute pitches were being made to the Five Eyes security partners (New Zealand, UK, Canada and US) to take NZYQ. 

Court records show there was some interest from the US but the effort ultimately failed. 

The government still won't say why it was only in September, and not before May, that it called the Five Eyes countries, Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia seeking a new home for NZYQ. 

Lawyers inside the government had seen the High Court warnings coming down the pike and knew how consequential losing this case could be.

Had the government not agreed that NZYQ was unable to be deported, he likely would have faced a Federal Court hearing that would have tested the prospect of his deportation. 

Who knows how long this could take in a court system clogged with immigration cases.

Irrespective, it's all but certain the High Court would have made the same ruling whenever it heard NZYQ's case, or another like it, but if nothing else, delaying the matter in a lower court would have bought the government more time to be better prepared for what came next.

New court finds new approach

November 6, 2023 , proved a momentous day in the history of the High Court. It saw the swearing-in of the nation's 14th chief justice, Stephen Gageler, who'd joined the court 11 years earlier. 

Momentous that might have been, what came next would prove far more memorable. 

Gageler's court spent the next two days hearing oral arguments in NZYQ's case.

A former federal solicitor-general, it was one of Gageler's successors in that office, Stephen Dongahue, who on the second day led the government's argument.

Donaghue warned that a cohort as big as 340 people could be released from long-term detention if the court ruled in NZYQ's favour. 

With the Commonwealth's argument over, the court briefly adjourned for 16 minutes. 

It would take just three more minutes for the High Court to dismantle a 20-year legal precedent.

Gageler told the court: "[What] I am about to pronounce is the order of the court with which at least a majority agrees."

It wasn't a shock that the court ruled against the government. What was stunning was how quickly it decided the case. Typically, the court would adjourn and then release its rulings and reasons at a later date. 

But not today. Instead, the court ruled that NZYQ's indefinite detention, imposed by the executive government, was unlawful as of May 30, 2023 . That date is important because it was the moment the government agreed NZYQ, who was being held pending deportation, was unable to be removed from Australia.

The court ordered NZYQ's release and set a new test for how long people could remain in immigration detention: 

Is there a real prospect of removal from Australia becoming practicable in the reasonably foreseeable future?

In other words, is the person going to leave detention, be it into the Australian community, returned home or sent to a third country, in the foreseeable future? If not, they can no longer be detained. 

Rapid response to shock ruling

Within an hour of the court ruling, the ABC contacted the offices of Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil and Immigration Minister Andrew Giles seeking their response to the landmark decision. 

"The government is currently considering the judgment delivered by the High Court today," a spokesperson said in a written statement.

Two days later, on November 10, Giles's office issued a written statement confirming NZYQ had been released.

"We are considering the implications of the judgment carefully and will continue to work with authorities to ensure community safety is upheld," he said. 

"The plaintiff has been released — as ordered by the High Court. Other impacted individuals will be released and any visas granted to those individuals will be subject to appropriate conditions."

By the day, more and more detainees would be set free from detention,  at least a dozen of whom were initially released without any visas . Ultimately, 149 people were let out. 

The Coalition was quick to slam the government, accusing Labor of putting community safety at risk by releasing more detainees than just NZYQ.

Legal experts have dismissed the Coalition's critique and argued the government had no choice but to release all the people affected by the ruling. Remember, the solicitor-general had warned in the court there could be hundreds more released. 

Having initially argued that it had to wait for the High Court to publish its reasons in order to fully respond, the government suddenly started announcing new legislation without waiting, sensitive to the political attacks it was facing following the release of convicted murderers, rapists and drug traffickers. 

"If it were up to me, all of these people would be back into detention," O'Neil repeatedly said at the time.

On November 16 , Giles introduced emergency legislation into the parliament that would update bridging visas to offer greater surveillance of the released detainees.

The new laws imposed curfews, the use of electronic monitoring devices and obligations to report to authorities. They also made breaching visa conditions a criminal offence which could be punished by up to five years' jail.

The laws gave the minister discretion to allow some of the cohort to not have to wear ankle bracelets. 

Almost immediately, lawyers started challenging those conditions  to the High Court, arguing they were arbitrary and punitive.

While not everyone was fitted with an ankle bracelet initially, by January it had emerged that three challenges to the High Court over the use of ankle bracelets had been discontinued after the government agreed to remove their curfews and monitoring devices. 

If it wasn't clear enough earlier, it certainly was now: The last thing the government wanted was another High Court case over this cohort. 

The High Court's warning signs

After the shock of the immediate ruling, both the government and lawyers expected it could be months before the justices released the reasons for their decision. 

But as this saga has shown time and time again, twists are never too far around the corner.

Nineteen days after hearing the case, the court confirmed on social media that it would publish its reasons the following day — at 2:15pm on  November 28 . 

Unlike Al-Kateb, in NZYQ the ruling was unanimous, with the reasons showing it was a 7-0 decision.

In overturning Al-Kateb, the 2023 court found the 2004 ruling was "incomplete and, accordingly, inaccurate" in suggesting that indefinite detention was lawful because it made someone available for deportation at some later stage.

The judges said the principle could not apply if other countries were not prepared to accept someone Australia wanted to deport.

In other words, it was a punishment rather than an administrative delay. 

The Coalition, in arguing that the government only needed to release NZYQ and no-one else, showed it hadn't been paying attention to what the High Court was now screaming from the rooftop.

The court made clear that indefinite immigration detention was unlawful because it was a punitive punishment being imposed by ministers (as the executive branch of government), not the courts. 

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton need have only looked at a High Court ruling earlier in November, which found it was unlawful for him to have stripped convicted terrorist Abdul Nacer Benbrika  of his Australian citizenship. 

The court is clearly telling politicians  it is for the courts, not ministers, to dole out punishments. 

Two days after releasing those warnings, the court quietly sought to correct its ruling in two places. One change was to correctly name the Department of Home Affairs. The other, likely more consequential, was to insert the word "executive", which when added is a crucial addition to the sentence:

"The purpose of a law which is concerned with  executive  punishment in this sense would be illegitimate," the updated paragraph reads.

The High Court is renowned for meticulousness in its rulings and the processes of checking them.

Despite the changes being minor, within government (looking like a chook running around with its head cut off) there was a sense that the court too might have felt the public pressure, in response to the intense scrutiny of the fallout, to issue reasons much faster than it otherwise might. 

Immigration detention saga far from over

The release of the rulings prompted Clare O'Neil, just hours later, to announce the government was finalising a preventative detention regime. 

Labor crafted new laws based on similar terrorism powers that were used to keep Benbrika detained after his 15-year prison term ended in 2020. 

Rushed through the parliament with Coalition support, the  new community safety detention orders  allow a court to order a member of the NZYQ cohort to be held for up to three years in prison.

Only former detainees previously convicted of a serious violent or sexual offence, punishable by more than seven years in prison, can be considered under the new laws. 

The government insists it's still working on applications to the courts under this new regime but won't confirm how many. 

The new year offered little relief for Labor as it continued to contend with the High Court ruling. 

In March , it emerged that an immigration bungle resulted in former detainees, who had committed crimes since being released in November, were likely to escape conviction for breaching their visas . The government insists it is an issue that dates back to when the visas were created in 2013 .

Even more cases loom. This week, the High Court, at the request of the federal government , will consider the case of an Iranian man known as ASF17.

The 37-year-old Christian bisexual man arrived by boat in July 2013. His requests for protection have been denied but he's refusing to cooperate with deportation.

Still licking its wounds from NZYQ, the government hasn't been sitting back and waiting this time.

Instead, it has sought to rush extraordinary powers through the parliament , which would allow the Commonwealth to jail people refusing to cooperate with deportation. The legislation would also allow the immigration minister to outright ban people from coming to Australia from countries that don't cooperate with deportation efforts, such as Iran, Iraq, South Sudan and Russia. 

The Coalition had initially blocked those efforts but looks set to ultimately give the immigration minister those powers . 

The man who would inherit the country-banning powers is Andrew Giles, whose life has changed considerably since Al-Kateb arrived by boat in December 2000. 

At the time, Giles was a lawyer for asylum seekers and refugees, seeking their protection in Australia. Decades later, he's found himself on the opposite side of that equation.

Al-Kateb, for his part, didn't have to wait for the NZYQ ruling to be released. Years earlier he quietly received a bridging visa  to live within the community. 

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Joel Cauchi: who was the Queensland man who carried out the Bondi Junction mass stabbing?

Police say 40-year-old was an itinerant who moved to NSW last month and had a history of mental illness

• Joel Cauchi named as Bondi Westfield attacker who stabbed shoppers

Queensland man Joel Cauchi has been named as the man who killed five women and one man at the Bondi Junction shopping centre during a horrific mass stabbing on Saturday.

The 40-year-old was shot dead by a police officer, Amy Scott , who responded to the attack at the busy shopping centre while on duty for an unrelated matter.

Cauchi was known to police in New South Wales and Queensland for mental health-related matters. Police do not believe the attack on Saturday was terrorism-related or linked to any ideology.

According to his social media activity, Cauchi had been interested in surfing at Bondi beach as well as a range of social activities across Sydney , leaving frequent Google reviews for businesses he attended.

He was diagnosed with a mental illness as a teenager and had received treatment but his mental health had declined in recent years, police have said.

Here is what we know so far.

Who was Joel Cauchi?

Cauchi was a 40-year-old man from Queensland who lived an “itinerant” lifestyle, moving throughout the state before travelling to NSW last month.

Queensland police said he was single with no children, and believed he had been living in a vehicle since arriving to Sydney.

The Queensland police acting assistant commissioner, Roger Lowe, said Cauchi had been diagnosed with a mental illness aged 17, for which he had received treatment, but his mental health had declined “in the last number of years”.

His last contact with family was in March. Police said he would “periodically text his mother with an update to where he was”.

Cauchi was a member of a number of Facebook groups related to social activities throughout Sydney. He had posted in one group as early as last week, wanting to meet others for a surf at Bondi beach.

In January he had posted in a backpackers group seeking people to carpool with and explore Sydney. He also appears to have had a keen interest in astronomy, frequently posting in groups about this.

Queensland police said he was unemployed.

The NSW police commissioner, Karen Webb, said there would be an investigation for “many days, and perhaps weeks” into Cauchi.

Police would work to identify “the movement of the offender [on Saturday and in] the hours, the days, the weeks – his life leading up to yesterday”, Webb told reporters on Sunday.

What was the motive for the attack?

At this stage, police have not identified a motive.

Lowe said Queensland police had been liaising with Cauchi’s family throughout Saturday evening and Sunday. The family viewed footage of the attack on television and “believed that may well have been their son” before reaching out to authorities.

Lowe said the family was cooperating with investigations and had released a statement expressing condolences to the families and friends of victims involved in the tragedy.

“Equally, they have sent a message to the NSW police force with respect to support of the police officer who has killed their son and expressing their concerns for her welfare,” Lowe said.

Webb said whether or not Cauchi was targeting women would be an “obvious line of inquiry”.

What were his previous interactions with police?

Webb told reporters Cauchi was known to police in NSW and Queensland.

“He is not known criminally but he has come to notice of law enforcement in this state and Queensland for mental health-related issues,” she said.

Lowe said Cauchi had never been arrested in Queensland or charged with any criminal offence, with no record in the courts for a domestic violence order.

“He has been in contact with the police, primarily in the last four to five years,” Lowe said. “During that contact we are aware here that this individual has suffered from mental health.”

The last interaction Queensland police had with Cauchi was in December 2023, when he was street checked on the Gold Coast.

At a news conference, Lowe was asked if Cauchi had a knife obsession and had ever called the police on his family for taking away his knives. Lowe responded: “We’re aware of an event in 2023 which we’re investigating.”

But Cauchi had never been charged with any offence relating to knives, or found to possess knives in an unlawful manner that would warrant prosecution, he said.

When did Cauchi come to NSW?

It is believed Cauchi moved from Brisbane to NSW in March, one month before the attack.

He rented a “very small” storage unit in Sydney’s inner city which Guardian Australia understands was only about one cubic metre in size.

Webb would not confirm its contents but said anything found would form part of the investigation. Contents found so far had not revealed any motive, she said.

According to social media, Cauchi was raised in Toowoomba. He left a review for a local restaurant 11 months ago.

Lowe said he had moved around Brisbane to Kangaroo Point and Carina, then back to his family’s residence – understood to be in Rockville, near Toowoomba – over the past few years.

In 2019 the Toowoomba Art Society welcomed Cauchi as a new member, according to a newsletter at the time.

How do people describe his character?

The owner of a knife-sharpening business in Queensland, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Guardian Australia that Cauchi was an “odd” and “strange” guy.

Roughly three years ago, Cauchi had asked the business to sharpen his two “everyday knives”.

“Which I thought was weird,” the owner said. “He wasn’t a chef or a butcher.

“He goes, ‘Oh no, I just do a bit of dabbling in the backyard with the knives and I use them every day.’”

The business owner said Cauchi had not engaged in small talk and was “very to the point”.

“His expressions, he was just very vague, I suppose you could say,” he said. “No real personality about him, just weird. I heard he leaves one-star reviews on a lot of people’s pages all the time, so just that sort of person”.

Some of Cauchi’s reviews included a show at the Sydney Opera House five months ago (“absolutely loved it!”), a restaurant in Elizabeth Bay seven months ago (“absolutely delicious”) and a club in Sydney one year ago (“the atmosphere is pumping”.)

On the day of the stabbing, Cauchi calmly ate a lunch of red curry chicken with rice just hours beforehand.

Rogate Sianipar, 29, served Cauchi his lunch at Saigon Noodle in Oxford Street mall , about 100m from Westfield, just after midday on Saturday.

“He came at 10am but didn’t have any money so came back at 12,” Sianipar said. “He seemed confused when he ordered. Normal but confused. He opened his wallet and paid.”

• Bondi Junction stabbings
• New South Wales
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"HELP" sign on tiny Pacific island leads to Coast Guard and Navy rescue of 3 mariners stranded for over a week

By Stephen Smith

Updated on: April 11, 2024 / 8:19 PM EDT / CBS News

Three mariners who were stranded on a tiny island in the Pacific were rescued after they spelled out "HELP" with palm leaves on the beach, the Coast Guard said Tuesday, marking the second time in four years that castaways were found on the same island. The sailors were found on Pikelot Atoll after being stuck in the Micronesian archipelago for over a week.

The men — all experienced sailors in their 40s — had embarked on a voyage from Polowat Atoll on Easter Sunday in their 20-foot open skiff, which was equipped with an outboard motor, officials said . But six days later on April 6, the Coast Guard in Guam received a distress call from a relative who reported her three uncles had not returned as expected to their home of Pikelot Atoll, which is about 100 nautical miles northwest of Polowat Atoll. 

A joint search and rescue operation by the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy was immediately launched. Despite poor weather conditions and limited assets in the area, a U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon aircraft crew based in Japan was deployed and the USCGC Oliver Henry cutter was diverted to the search area, which spanned more than 78,000 square nautical miles. 

That's when the stranded sailors' "act of ingenuity" paid off.

"In a remarkable testament to their will to be found, the mariners spelled out 'HELP' on the beach using palm leaves, a crucial factor in their discovery," said Lt. Chelsea Garcia, the search and rescue mission coordinator on the day they were located. "This act of ingenuity was pivotal in guiding rescue efforts directly to their location."

The Poseidon aircraft located the message and the three mariners on the tiny island on Sunday, eight days after they went missing. The aircraft crew dropped survival packages to the men until further assistance could arrive, and the Coast Guard cutter was deployed to conduct the rescue operation.

The next day, a Coast Guard aircraft based in Hawaii overflew the area and dropped a radio to establish communication with the men, who confirmed they were in good health, and had access to food and water. They reported their boat had been damaged and its engine was broken.

USCGC Oliver Henry finally reached the mariners on Pikelot Atoll on Tuesday morning and the ship successfully transported them home to Polowat Atoll. 

"Every life saved, and every mariner returned home is a testament to the enduring partnership and mutual respect that characterizes our relationship, making a profound impact on the lives of individuals and the resilience of communities across the (Federated States of Micronesia)," said Lt. Cmdr. Christine Igisomar, the search and rescue mission coordinator on the day they were rescued.

Remarkably, this wasn't the first time stranded sailors were rescued from the island after spelling out a distress signal on the beach.  In 2020, three men were rescued from Pikelot Atoll after writing a giant "SOS" sign in the sand. They were spotted by Australian and U.S. aircraft and safely returned home.

• Pacific Ocean

Stephen Smith is a senior editor for CBSNews.com.

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‘There’s a reason the boats come here’: Douglas Murray praises Australia

A uthor Douglas Murray has praised Australia, saying there is a lot the country has “done well” and there is a “reason that the boats come to Australia”.

“If in Australia the whole narrative is just, as you say, genocide yesterday, genocide today, genocide tomorrow, of course, people aren’t going to be brought up to be proud of their country, and of course, they aren’t going to see the good things,” Mr Murray told Sky News host Rita Panahi.

“I would just beg the people who fall into that narrative … to go somewhere else in the world, just for a week, and see the comparative rights that you have in any other country in this region.

“There’s a reason that the boats come to Australia, and they do not leave from Australia to other places.

“There is a reason.

“Why is it if this country is as bad as these people … say, why are people not fleeing Melbourne today; why is this city booming; why are people not fleeing here for the sanctuary of Communist China?

“There must be something you’ve done well in Australia – I think there’s a lot you’ve done well.”