What we learned today, Friday 26 September
And that’s where we’ll leave you this evening. Here’s a snapshot of what happened today:
Australian medical companies, including struggling global biotech company CSL, have lost billions in value after Donald Trump announced 100% tariffs on pharmaceuticals entering the US.
The health minister, Mark Butler, said the government promises to do “everything” it can to protect the pharmaceutical benefits scheme.
Butler said the tobacco black market is punching a “very serious hole” in Australia’s public health goals and the government’s revenue.
The Trump administration’s move to impose 100% tariffs on pharmaceuticals is “shocking but unsurprising”, says the Coalition, opposing the decision.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, arrived in London on Friday morning (AEST) before the Global Progress Action Summit, a gathering of some of the world’s progressive leaders and policy experts.
The Australian mining giant Fortescue will partner with four Chinese companies to wipe out its 3m tonnes of direct emissions by 2030
In a speech to the United Nations Security Council, Penny Wong said that while AI has extraordinary potential, it also presents significant dangers if it isn’t kept in check.
An Australian doctor is among participants from 10 countries across the world sailing a motor-cruiser to Gaza in a bid to send humanitarian aid to starving Palestinians.
A new report says anti-Palestinian racism has become widespread in Australian schools and is being used to “prevent and silence” the discussion of the war in Gaza.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has recalled two more sunscreens for making SPF claims that may be inaccurate.
A Qantas flight from Sydney to Auckland landed with emergency services on standby this morning after reports of a fire onboard.
Thanks for your company today. Look after yourselves and have a lovely weekend.
Updated
Advanced Skin Technology responds after sunscreens pulled from sale
Advanced Skin Technology has responded to the news we brought you earlier that the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has recalled two of its sunscreens due to doubts about their SPF claims.
The company confirmed it was pulling the Aspect Sun Physical Sun Protection SPF50+ and Aspect Sun Tinted Physical SPF50+ products from shelves.
A spokesperson said:
While we are awaiting the full completion of independent testing, initial results suggest that the SPF level of the two products ... is unlikely to meet the labelled SPF rating.
As a brand committed to sun safety and skin health, we are not satisfied with these outcomes and wish to act swiftly. No other products in the Aspect Sun range are impacted, and these remain available for sale.
We will continue to work closely with the TGA and provide updates as our investigation progresses.
Updated
Bullets and drugs seized after man arrested near Newcastle
A 28-year-old man has been charged with drug and firearms offences after police attended a property near Newcastle following reports a man had been seen with a firearm.
In a statement on Friday, NSW police said they had arrived at a unit at about 10.15pm on Thursday night when the man allegedly “fled from the balcony of the second-storey unit into a laneway below”. He was arrested a short time later.
A search allegedly found the man to be carrying a knife, while a rifle and travel bag containing drugs, cash and ammunition was allegedly found in the laneway, police said.
Upon executing a warrant at the address, police allegedly seized $8,500 cash, 1.172kg cannabis, 15.94g methamphetamine, 58.2g cocaine, and 68 bullets.
The man was charged with nine offences, including drug supply offences, firearm offences, and dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was refused bail and will appear before Newcastle local court on Thursday 16 October 2025.
Updated
Greenpeace: Nauru pushing ‘fallacy’ about benefits of deep sea mining
Greenpeace has accused Nauru of “peddling a dangerous fallacy” and greenwashing over the environmental impacts of deep-sea mining.
In a speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Nauru’s president David Adeang defended his country’s commitment to deep-sea mining – the mining of critical minerals from the seabed floor.
He said:
As both a small island developing state and a sponsoring state for deep seabed mineral exploration, Nauru has invested significantly through our sponsored entity to access minerals essential to powering the world’s transition away from fossil fuels and advancing the common heritage of humankind.
We have consistently advocated for robust regulations that balance responsible mineral recovery with effective environmental protection.
But Rae Bainteiti, Pacific political coordinator at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said it was untrue to suggest that deep-sea minerals were “essential” for a green energy transition:
Nauru is peddling a dangerous fallacy by echoing the greenwashing claims of the deep sea mining industry. If it goes ahead, deep sea mining could destroy our oceans, livelihoods and cultural heritage of millions of people in the Pacific, and have irreversible permanent effects on the seabed and all life that depends on it. Deep sea mining will not solve the climate crisis.
A just transition means using the resources and minerals we already have in circulation, not digging, drilling and extracting more. The more we extract, the more we consume. It’s a myth that we need to sell our seabed for our future – deep sea mining isn’t for our future, it is selling out our future. We must protect the sea and not sell it to the highest bidders.
He said Pacific island nations should back a moratorium on deep-sea mining until the International Seabed Authority has finalised a “robust, science-backed and enforceable mining code”.
Updated
NBN outage in WA’s Goldfields-Esperance area may affect calls, including triple-zero
An NBN outage is affecting connections in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia and may interfere with the ability to make phone calls, including triple-zero calls, from NBN landline services, according to WA Police.
In a statement this afternoon, police said the locations known to be affected were Bandy Creek, Castletown, Chadwick, Esperance, and West Beach.
They encouraged NBN customers to check the NBN website for more information.
The statement said:
If you have a vulnerable family member, friend, neighbour or co-worker, you may consider offering them support until the outage has been resolved.
If you are an NBN customer, your service is impacted, and you have no alternative mobile phone access, police recommend you make arrangements with a neighbour, family member or friend, so you have access to a working telephone in the event of an emergency.
Police communications are unaffected.
Updated
Builder of Sydney’s new fish market sues NSW government
The contractor building the new Sydney Fish Market is suing the New South Wales government for alleged breach of contract over reported cost blowouts.
Multiplex has filed a claim in the NSW supreme court against the government agency Infrastructure NSW, alleging it breached its contract and mismanaged the construction of the new Sydney Fish Market on Blackwattle Bay. The Sydney Morning Herald has reported that the amount named in the lawsuit is $250m, which would bring the total bill for the project to more than $1bn.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Infrastructure NSW said it would be defending the claim, which includes a cross claim against Sydney Fish Market, and:
Given this matter is now before the courts, it is not appropriate to comment any further.
A spokesperson for the market confirmed the company would also be defending the claim. A spokesperson for Multiplex said delivery of the Sydney Fish Market had been a “complex journey” and:
We hope this matter can be resolved quickly.
The company entered into a contract to build the new fish market in 2020. Completion was originally scheduled for last year but has now been pushed back until the end of this year after various setbacks, including the impact of the pandemic, record wet weather, and the collapse of a crane in 2023.
Updated
TGA recalls more sunscreens over SPF concerns
Two more sunscreens are being pulled from shelves for making SPF claims that may be inaccurate.
Earlier today, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) issued a recall for two of Advanced Skin Technology’s mineral sunscreens, both sold under the Aspect brand name.
The medicines regulator said Advanced Skin Technology was recalling four batches of the Aspect Sun Physical Sun Protection SPF50+ and four batches of the Aspect Sun Tinted Physical SPF50+.
The TGA says the decision “follows preliminary testing evidence indicating that the SPF levels of their products may be lower than what is claimed on their labels”.
The Aspect sunscreens are the latest in a string of mineral-based sunscreens that have been recalled or “paused” due to concerns about their efficacy, including Ultra Violette’s Lean Screen Skinscreen, which an investigation by consumer group Choice found had greatly overstated its SPF rating.
Advanced Skin Technology has been contacted for comment.
You can read more here:
Updated
Investigations into whether police insignia used during Sydney home invasion
Investigators are looking into whether police insignia was used to gain entry to a home after a family were allegedly restrained and assaulted in Sydney’s south-west overnight.
In a statement, NSW Police said officers were called to an address at about 12.15am today in Sunny Place, St Johns Park, after reports of an alleged home invasion.
There they were told that four people – men aged 29 and 21 and women aged 56 and 27 – were at home when up to six men allegedly forced their way in and restrained them. Police allege the men stole jewellery and an amount of Australian currency before leaving the scene in two vehicles.
Police allege the 21-year-old man was assaulted, suffering minor facial injuries. He was treated by paramedics, while the 56-year-old woman was taken to hospital as a precaution.
Acting inspector Benjamin Morgan confirmed that while the alleged offenders were not wearing police uniform, investigators were looking into whether they may have worn “T-shirts or shirts with a police logo on it”. He could not confirm if any weapons were used during the alleged attack, and if it was targeted or opportunistic. He said:
It is a traumatic event for anyone to go through. You’ve seen the CCTV footage that is out there, that would have been scary.
I hope the community can take solace in the fact that the police are out there, we are actively engaging with the community, and out in force to try and prevent further incidents like this occurring.
Updated
Rare weather phenomenon could deliver abnormally hot days to Australia’s south-east
A rare rise in stratospheric temperatures over Antarctica could influence weather into summer, with previous events driving hotter and drier conditions for south-east Australia.
The phenomenon – called sudden stratospheric warming – is extremely unusual in the southern hemisphere. It only previously occurred in 2002 and 2019, the latter contributing to a worsening of the black summer bushfires.
In early September this year, air temperatures 30km above the Southern Ocean and Antarctica began to climb, and are now sitting about 30C warmer than average.
Read the full story here:
Updated
With that, I will pass the blog into the capable hands of Stephanie Convery. Have a great weekend, and happy Grand Final Day eve for all those who celebrate.
Updated
Thunderstorm asthma warning issued in New South Wales
NSW Health has issued a thunderstorm asthma warning as the weather continues to warm up across the state.
The peak risk period in NSW is between October and December.
Senior staff specialist in allergy and clinical immunology, Prof Connie Katelaris, said specific thunderstorm conditions related to moisture and airflow could increase people’s exposure to high concentrations of very small fragments of pollen.
This exposure can trigger symptoms [such as] wheeze, chest tightness, breathing difficulty and cough. Symptoms can escalate very quickly and may become life threatening. Even if you don’t have asthma, pollen is at its highest throughout spring and could spark problems in people with allergies like hay fever or those who have undiagnosed asthma.
Updated
Trump tariff announcement wipes $1bn from CSL value
Australian medical companies, including struggling global biotech company CSL, have lost billions in value after Donald Trump announced 100% tariffs on pharmaceuticals entering the US.
Trump on Truth Social said companies building manufacturing plants in the US would be exempt from the tariffs, due to take effect on 1 October.
CSL initially lost $3bn in market value on the news but has pared its losses to $1bn, a 1% fall in its share price, after rushing to reassure investors it expected to avoid the tariffs. A spokesperson said:
We have a very significant United States manufacturing footprint. We are already expanding our US capabilities to meet the growing demand for our therapies … As per previous market guidance, we do not expect any material impact from these tariffs.
The announcement is the latest blow to the market heavyweight. It lost about $20bn in market capitalisation in August on the day it released disappointing financial results but has continued to slide, now $35bn smaller or three-quarters the size it was two months ago.
Trump’s announcement also wiped hundreds of millions from the values of other pharmaceutical companies, with Soul Pattinson down 2.5%, losing $400m from its market capitalisation. Neuren fell 3.6% or $100m, Telix lost 2.6% or $130m and Pro Medicus fell 2.5%
The broader health sector fell 1.5% of its value on the news, although rising values for the big banks and miners have kept the all ordinaries and the benchmark S&P/ASX200 from falling.
Updated
Qld corruption commission blocks release of advice about Townsville mayor, local government minister says
Queensland’s local government minister says she has been gagged from releasing advice from the state’s corruption commission about former Townsville mayor Troy Thompson.
Ann Leahy issued Thompson a show cause notice last week, after a briefing from the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission. Today she said he did not respond to the notice until resigning on this morning:
Clearly, the people of Townsville would want to know that information before they go to the polls, and it is my view that they deserve that information.
So this morning, I have taken advice from the CCC. The CCC has specifically restricted me from releasing that information. The avenue for the release of the information sits with the CCC.
Leahy confirmed that he remains eligible to run again.
She was repeatedly asked if she could issue an additional show cause notice to Thompson if he was reelected. She said:
I don’t make decisions for Mr Thompson, but I would encourage every candidate to be open and transparent with the voters of Townsville in the lead up to this election. So that’s potentially a question that’s better asked to Mr Thompson.
Updated
Fortescue CEO says China’s reduction plan no ‘soft target’
The chief executive of Australian miner Fortescue has dismissed criticism of China’s emissions after inking deals with four Chinese companies to support the company’s carbon reduction plan.
Dino Otranto, Ceo of Fortescue’s mining arm, says China’s target of reducing its emissions by between 7% and 10% of their peak by 2035 will benefit Australia as both countries move to renewable energy. He told Guardian Australia:
[Reduction] is well within reach. There’s no excuses any more, and we want everybody to get on with it.
China accounts for nearly a third of the world’s total emissions. Its targets have attracted criticism from climate scientists for being well below an achievable and necessary 30% reduction.
Asked whether criticism of China’s target as too low was unfair, Otranto says it is.
You lot have responded that it’s a bit of a soft target, but … China is leading the way in renewable energy deployment. It has done so for the last few years, and it will continue to do so … [and] they will probably beat the target.
China added more than 300GW of solar and wind energy in each of the past two years and would only need to add 180GW a year to reach its new target of 3,600GW by 2035, announced on Wednesday by China’s president, Xi Jinping, at the UN general assembly.
As Guardian Australia’s Graham Readfearn writes, China’s target has made it harder for opponents of Australia cutting emissions to argue against smaller nations’ climate action.
Updated
Fortescue announces Chinese partnerships to eliminate emissions
The Australian mining giant Fortescue will partner with four Chinese companies to wipe out its 3m tonnes of direct emissions by 2030, defying scepticism of its haul truck and hydrogen plans.
Heavy mining machinery including trucks were responsible for about 1.3m tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions under Fortescue’s direct control in 2024-25, out of a total 3m. It plans to move to a fully electric fleet and hit zero emissions by 2030.
The government’s Climate Change Authority last week warned supply constraints of electric mining equipment could hold up Australia’s emission reduction and competing iron miners BHP and Rio Tinto have avoided aggressive electric truck uptake.
Fortescue today announced it would source up to half of its electric fleet from China-based XCMG. Dino Otranto, chief executive of the company’s mining operations, dismissed industry hesitance to adopt electric heavy equipment, telling Guardian Australia:
I am the face of a lot of that criticism amongst my peers, certainly, in the mining industry [but] we’re deploying it … and we wouldn’t be doing it if it wasn’t profitable.
Fortescue will also use batteries from BYD, solar panels from Longi and wind turbines from Envision, under new agreements with the China-based companies, and buy out Spain’s Nabrawind to build wind energy capacity.
Fortescue has championed the use of green hydrogen despite shelving two projects this year. Otranto defied scepticism of the clean fuel’s role in decarbonisation, pointing to the forthcoming opening of Fortescue’s green iron plant at Christmas Creek:
Our aspirations have certainly not wavered whatsoever.
Updated
Australian shares on track for fourth week of losses
Australia’s share market is trading flat after a lacklustre start to the session, as the mining sector continues to counterbalance broader weakness. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 was flat at 8,773, as the broader All Ordinaries lost 1.9 points, or 0.02%, to 9,061.5.
The move followed a lacklustre session on Wall Street overnight, and as US and Australian economic data prompt investors to rethink the outlook for the two nations’ interest rate cutting cycles.
While no monetary easing is expected at next week’s Reserve Bank meeting, ANZ and Westpac economists have held their expectations for a November rate cut but stressed the importance of incoming jobs figures in any upcoming decisions.
Six of the 11 local sectors were trading lower by midday, and again it was materials enjoying relatively lonely success with a 0.8% rise.
Large cap miners BHP (+1.5%) and Rio Tinto (+0.9%) continued to perform after a recent rally in copper prices.
Healthcare stocks tumbled 1.4% after the White House announced 100% tariffs on medicines entering the US, with exemptions for companies building manufacturing centres there.
The Australian dollar is buying 65.33 US cents, down from 65.93 US cents on Thursday at 5pm.
- Australian Associated Press
Updated
Mark Butler says government ‘working through’ US pharmaceutical tariff announcement
Circling back to the press conference in Adelaide, and Mark Butler says the government is still trying to understand the scope and impact of the tariffs, promising to do “everything” it can to protect the pharmaceutical benefits scheme.
The US administration announced this morning that it will impose 100% tariffs on pharmaceuticals.
Butler says the government is talking to companies who might be affected, and noted that there are some qualifications to the US administration’s announcement.
More than two thirds of Australia’s exports to the US are blood and plasma products, and Butler says the government is trying to determine if those exports will be hit with tariffs.
He says:
We’re still working through the latest announcement from the president this morning, Australian time. Obviously we have been aware of the administration’s intention to take action against pharmaceutical imports into America and we have been engaging with them, and making the case why we should continue with the tariff-free trade ...
We buy more pharmaceutical products from the US by quite a distance than they buy from us ... It is not in the American consumers’ interest to impose a higher price on the export from Australia to America.
Updated
Rise in deaths in Australia due to ageing population, new data shows
Registered deaths rose by 2.3% in Australia last year, new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows, but the increase is reflective of our ageing population.
The number of deaths registered grew to 187,268 in 2024, up by 4,137 deaths, the ABS found.
ABS head of demography, Beidar Cho, said 68% of all deaths occurred in people aged 75 years and over.
This is higher than it was 10 years ago. A similar trend can be seen in the proportion of deaths that occurred in people aged 90 and over. This age group accounted for 24% of all deaths in 2024 and 2023. This is up from 21% in 2014.
The median age at death was 79.6 years for males, the same as 2023, and 84.7 for females, up 0.1 years since 2023.
The standardised death rate was 5.078 deaths per 1,000 standard population in 2024, down from 5.471 in 2014.
Updated
Illicit tobacco has ‘exploded’ in Australia, health minister says
The tobacco black market is punching a “very serious hole” in Australia’s public health goals and the government’s revenue, says the health minister, Mark Butler.
At a press conference in Adelaide, Butler says the illicit tobacco market has exploded, but Australia isn’t alone, countries like the US are also trying to crack down on a significant black market.
Butler calls it the “biggest threat” the Australia’s tobacco control programs:
The explosion in illicit tobacco was a product of significant oversupply in the world, dumping of this product on every single country around the world by the gangs controlling this traffic, and essentially the stranglehold that some criminal gangs in Australia have got over the market to bank roll their other criminal activities ...
We’ll track you down, we’ll start to prosecute you in much greater numbers, confiscate the profits you’re making from this illicit activity and you won’t get away with what you’re doing.
Butler says just less than 10% of adults in Australia now smoke - with the government aiming to get that down to zero.
More than $2m worth of illegal vape products allegedly seized in Sydney
A man will face court next week after around $2.1m worth of illegal vape products were allegedly seized in Sydney’s inner west on Thursday.
In September, officers in Penrith began an investigation into illegal vape products allegedly being supplied in the Petersham area.
Following inquiries, about 10.45am yesterday detectives executed a search warrant at a storage facility in Petersham, where they seized around 60,500 vapes from three storage units. Police allege the estimated street value of each vape was $35, amounting to $2.1m in total.
Following inquiries, police arrested a 24-year-old man at a home in Sydney Olympic Park. He was charged with possess more than 100 times to less than 1,000 times commercial quantity of vaping goods and possess 1,000 times of commercial quantity or more of vaping goods.
He was granted conditional bail to appear at Burwood local court next Tuesday.
Updated
Return of patrolling NSW lifesavers comes at ‘important time’ amid unseasonable warmth
Returning to the start of Surf Life Saving Patrol season in New South Wales, the premier, Chris Minns, has joined surf lifesavers to raise flags at a beach in Newcastle this morning.
Surf Life Saving NSW says more than 21,000 volunteer lifesavers are expected to return to the state’s beaches tomorrow.
The organisation says the return of patrolling lifesavers “comes at an important time”, after unseasonably warm weather over the past week. There have been seven coastal drownings in NSW since the start of the financial year in July, all at unpatrolled locations, including the death of a man on Wednesday on the Central Coast.
In an effort to curb similar incidents, the NSW government has invested in new jet skis, which will be rolled out at Surf Life Saving clubs across the state this month in the leadup to the season. Minns said:
Surf life savers and volunteers are everyday heroes and we’re proud to be supporting them as they continue to this essential mission.
Updated
Teens caught with knives and drugs in police crackdown
Teenagers have been caught with drugs, knives and scissors in a crackdown on street violence and antisocial behaviour during Queensland’s September school holidays, the Australian Associated Press reports.
Police have ramped up patrols on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast through Operation X-ray Sorcerer to stop and search young people aged 11-17 for weapons under Jack’s Law.
Four weapons were seized, along with drugs and utensils, during the high-visibility police patrols that intercepted teens in parks, shopping centres, and riding e-scooters. Teens as young as 14 were found armed with knives and carrying drugs during the crackdown.
Detective inspector Chris Toohey said when young people are found in possession of a weapon, police attempt to work with the family to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
Legislation dubbed Jack’s Law, which allows police to search people for weapons using handheld metal detectors randomly, was made permanent in June. It was introduced after the fatal stabbing of NSW teenager Jack Beasley during a night out on the Gold Coast in 2019.
- Australian Associated Press
Coalition opposes ‘shocking but unsurprising’ tariffs on pharmaceuticals
The Trump administration’s move to impose 100% tariffs on pharmaceuticals is “shocking but unsurprising”, says the Coalition, opposing the decision.
In a statement, the opposition says it will help the government to protect Australia’s pharmaceutical sector and pharmaceutical benefits scheme.
The tariffs are due to take effect on 1 October, with the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, set to hold a face to face meeting with Donald Trump at the White House on 20 October.
Despite the meeting being now locked in, the Coalition takes a swipe at Albanese in its statement, and says that a direct relationship with the US president is “critical”.
It is deeply concerning that Australian pharmaceutical exporters will be subject to harmful tariff arrangements from 1 October. The 100% tariff announced today puts this critical trade at risk …
This is a shocking but unsurprising development and it is moments like this when a strong direct relationship with the president of the United States is critical to help save Aussie jobs. While other leaders are able to pick up the phone to the president, Anthony Albanese has not established such a relationship.
Updated
Mixture of ‘trepidation’ and ‘relief’ among children over social media ban
Some Australian children have “trepidation” about the government’s under-16s social media ban, communications minister Anika Wells has admitted, saying there will be some support for them once their access is revoked.
The new laws, which will restrict children under 16 from platforms such as Facebook and TikTok, will come into effect in December, but there are still major questions looming about exactly which services will be affected and how age assurance technology will affect all Australian internet users. Wells has been in New York City this week, spruiking Australia’s reforms.
Speaking to CNN, Wells admitted the new laws wouldn’t be “perfect” but would be a start in reducing online harms for kids:
We think it was too important for us not to have a crack at this, even if we’re the first to do it, and even if it’s not perfect, it’s too important not to try and make a meaningful difference. We have statistics now that one child in every classroom has been the victim of a deepfake image or deepfake image abuse, and that’s too horrifying not to act.
Asked about reactions to the ban, she said there had been “a mix”, claiming she had heard from some children, saying “they’re relieved and they wish it had happened earlier for them”.
Some kids have said to me they’re relieved that they’re not on social media yet so this won’t be a problem for them, and some kids who are caught in that 13 to 16 gap who have a social media account that will be deactivated – look, there is some trepidation around that, I won’t lie – and we’re looking at ways that we can support them and their families when this happens.
Updated
Qantas flight from Sydney lands in Auckland after reports of fire onboard
A Qantas flight from Sydney to Auckland has landed with emergency services on standby this morning after reports of a fire onboard.
A spokesperson for Qantas said the pilots on flight QF141, which left Sydney about 7.00am, began to receive an intermittent indicator warning of a fire in the cargo hold around an hour out of Auckland.
The spokesperson said pilots issued a mayday call to authorities, landing at Auckland airport just before midday. The passengers have been disembarked and engineers are investigating whether there was a fire, or a fault with the indicator. Flight staff reported there were no signs of smoke in the cabin.
A spokesperson for Auckland airport confirmed emergency services were on standby earlier this morning for the aircraft. They said:
The aircraft has now landed safely. The airfield is now returning to normal but there may be some slight delays for departing and arriving flights.
Updated
AFL grand final parade in full swing
Thousands of footy fans have gathered in Melbourne for today’s AFL grand final parade, decked out in their Lions and Cats gear.
The event kicked off at 10.30am, beginning at Melbourne Park in the city’s sports precinct.
At around 11.30am, the utes carrying players and coaches are expected to arrive at the MCG where there will be a presentation followed by a light captain’s run.
A mild and cloudy afternoon is forecast for Saturday’s Grand Final, with the match expected to stay dry from the first bounce.
Updated
Sydney man charged with possessing child abuse material and firearm offences
The New South Wales sex crimes squad have charged an 18-year-old eastern Sydney man with possessing child abuse material and firearm related offences as part of an investigation into child internet exploitation.
About 7.45am yesterday, strike force detectives executed a search warrant at a home in Matraville, eastern Sydney, where they allegedly found a phone containing child abuse material.
Police said they also discovered two gel blasters, two imitation firearms, a slingshot, two rounds of ammunition and some cannabis.
The 18-year-old man was arrested and taken to Maroubra police station, where he was charged with two counts of possess child abuse material, three counts of possess unauthorised pistol, possess unauthorised firearm, possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit, possess ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority and possess prohibited drug.
He was refused bail to appear in bail division local court 6 today.
Updated
Penny Wong tells UN AI’s potential use in nuclear weapons ‘challenges the future of humanity’
The rise of artificial intelligence could potentially endanger the world if the technology were used to control nuclear weapons, the foreign minister has warned.
In a speech to the United Nations Security Council, Penny Wong said that while AI has extraordinary potential, it also presents significant dangers if it isn’t kept in check.
Of particular concern was the use of AI in wartime settings, which she said posed a real risk of catastrophic consequences due to a lack of human oversight. She told the council on Friday AI’s potential use in nuclear weapons and unmanned systems “challenges the future of humanity”.
Nuclear warfare has so far been constrained by human judgment, by leaders who bear responsibility and by human conscience. AI has no such concern, nor can it be held accountable.
These weapons threaten to change war itself, and they risk escalation without warning.
Wong also used her speech to call for tougher standards to ensure the use of AI was safe and ethical.
- Australian Associated Press
Updated
Surf Life Saving patrol season kicks off in New South Wales as volunteers hit the beaches
It’s official, New South Wales: swimming season is here. The Surf Life Saving patrol season will begin this weekend with the symbolic raising of the red and yellow flags at Dixon Park Beach in Newcastle.
From Saturday until late April next year, Surf Life Saving volunteers will be patrolling on weekends and public holidays, helping to keep swimmers safe during the warmer months.
Over the past year, the state’s volunteer membership has risen by 5% to a record 83,000, while Nipper numbers grew by 4.5% to almost 30,000.
In a joint statement, the NSW premier, Chris Minns, said addressing coastal deaths in unpatrolled and isolated locations was a key priority.
There were 52 coastal drownings in 2024/25, slightly down from 61 fatalities the previous year.
Minns said there had been “too many tragedies” in remote beaches.
Every summer, the red and yellow flags become a symbol of safety and community across our state. The dedication of thousands of Surf Life Saving volunteers, alongside our professional lifeguards, gives families the confidence to enjoy our world-class beaches.
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Controversial Townsville mayor resigns
Controversial suspended Townsville mayor Troy Thompson has resigned.
Thompson has been under investigation from the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission since he was elected to the role last year, for a range of issues including allegedly misleading the electorate about his service in the defence force.
The local government minister, Ann Leahy, issued Thompson a two-week show cause notice last week.
Thompson announced the decision to stand down in a three-minute video posted on Facebook on Friday. He said he will run in the byelection.
“Let me be absolutely clear, this resignation is not an admission of wrongdoing,” he said.
It is a deliberate and principled stand to protect the democratic rights of the people of Townsville.
Read more here:
Updated
Investigation underway after woman dies in Melbourne CBD incident
Detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a woman after an incident at an apartment in the Melbourne CBD earlier this week.
Emergency services were called to a property on Berkeley Street after it was alleged a woman, armed with a knife, gained entry to an apartment on Tuesday just before 2am.
The woman allegedly made demands for items before the two residents, a man, 28, and a woman, 24, restrained her and called police.
Officers arrived and found the woman unconscious before performing CPR. The 20-year-old Point Cook woman was transported to hospital in a critical condition.
She later died in hospital on Wednesday evening. Both residents of the apartment have been interviewed by police and released pending further enquiries.
Police allege attempted copper wire theft behind Sydney commuter outage
Returning to the western Sydney trains outage, NSW police has provided an update.
In a statement, a spokesperson said police were called to Penrith train station about 5.50am today after reports of a person in the rail corridor (earlier the Sydney Trains chief executive, Matt Longland, said there were multiple alleged perpetrators).
The spokesperson for NSW police said:
Officers attached to Nepean police area command were told a man had allegedly gone on to the tracks just past the platform, damaged rail equipment and attempted to steal copper wiring.
They have begun an investigation into the incident.
Updated
PM to meet with former UK prime minister Tony Blair before global progress summit in London
Anthony Albanese is preparing to school progressive leaders from around the globe in political success after touching down in London for the next leg of his three-country visit.
The prime minister arrived in London alongside fiancee Jodie Haydon on Friday morning (Aest), before a conference of leftwing leaders.
Albanese will receive a reception at the Global Progress Action Summit, a gathering of some of the world’s progressive leaders and policy experts after his election win in May.
He will join the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, Iceland’s Kristrun Frostadottir and the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, whose plummeting political favourability is in stark contrast with the Australian leader.
Albanese arrives in the UK fresh from topping a Labor-dominated AFR Magazine Power List for another year, which included no members of the federal opposition for the first time in 25 years, revealing a command over the political landscape not seen since John Howard.
A contemporary of Howard, the former UK Labour prime minister Tony Blair, will meet with Albanese before the summit.
Gaza will likely be a key topic of discussion, with Blair reportedly top of a list to head a temporary authority as it transitions to Palestinian rule.
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Melbourne gets ready for AFL grand final parade
Melbourne Park is just an hour away from hosting the AFL grand final parade and cloudy, windy skies aren’t likely to keep away mad Cats and Lions fans.
Tomorrow’s big game will be the first time Brisbane and Geelong go head-to-head in an AFL grand final.
This blogger is coming to you from Sydney, where we do not have a public holiday, and is also a Collingwood supporter, so this post was hard to write.
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Officers investigating alleged home invasion in Sydney
A police investigation is under way after an alleged home invasion in Sydney’s south-west overnight.
NSW police said at about 12.15am today officers were called to a home at St Johns Park after a triple-zero call of an alleged home invasion.
They were told two men in their 20s and two women aged 56 and 27 were at home when a group of unknown men forced entry into the house and allegedly stole jewellery and cash before leaving the scene.
Inquiries alleged the 21-year-old man was assaulted by the unknown men. While there were no serious injuries reported due to the incident, the 56-year-old woman was taken to hospital as precaution.
A crime scene has been established and an investigation is under way.
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Sculpture by the Sea saved after ‘extraordinary’ outpour of support
Sculpture by the Sea has stopped accepting donations and will go ahead after launching a crowdfunding campaign to cover a $200,000 shortfall to run the Bondi event.
On Wednesday, a campaign was launched after organisers learned they hadn’t secured government funding to reach their budget, leaving them 7% short.
Organisers had two weeks to raise the funds in order for the cultural event to go ahead on 17 October but have met their target in just two days after acquiring a major partnership with NRMA Insurance.
Founder David Handley told ABC Radio Sydney the response had been “extraordinary”. He said, in addition to the partnership, the event received more than $125,000 in public donations within the 30 hours of launching its appeal.
We went right down to the wire, that’s why we had to do this desperate plea. We are not an organisation with cash reserves. We’re going to be able to take time to reflect on how we try to set up Sculpture from the Sea as a more sustainable operation with a future fund.
The annual sculpture walk is free to the public and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
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Nationals deputy leader says Coalition backs UN security council bid
The deputy leader of the Nationals, Kevin Hogan, says the Coalition is supportive of Australia’s bid for a seat on the UN security council.
Speaking on ABC Radio National earlier, Hogan said the opposition was in favour of “anything where we can increase our international presence”.
“Yes, we personally support that,” he said.
Hogan was also asked about noisy rumblings from Liberal MP Andrew Hastie, who is putting himself within striking distance of the party’s leadership.
Asked if these conversations should be aired publicly, he replied “yes and no”.
I think they should happen internally. But then should all of these issues be internal discussions? I don’t think so … People have different opinions on these subjects, so for him to have the conversation publicly I don’t think is necessarily damaging … What we do need to get government back is a clear, articulate position on things that are important to the Australian public.
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Key Sydney commuter service affected after alleged vandalism
No trains are running between two key stations linking western Sydney commuters to the CBD, after vandals allegedly cut and took down a section of wire.
Buses are now replacing trains between St Marys and Penrith on the T1 line, due to vandalism of equipment at Penrith.
The Sydney Trains chief executive, Matt Longland, told 2GB the alleged perpetrators had cut a number of cables and rolled them up before fleeing the scene.
He said:
Once the cables are cut, it does take time to rejoin them, to test them, to make sure those signals are operating safely.
Transport for NSW has advised passengers to allow extra travel time and check announcements and information displays for updates. Trains are still running on the Blue Mountains line.
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Australia ‘confident’ about UN Security Council bid, acting PM says
Circling back to Richard Marles, the acting prime minister was up on ABC News Breakfast earlier, still buzzing on Geelong.
Marles discussed Australia’s bid for a seat on the UN Security Council, which he said was a “really important exercise” the nation had done periodically since the aftermath of the Second World War, most recently in 2012 to 2014.
He said:
It’s important to understand where there are economic opportunities for Australia that we mightn’t have otherwise have seen. Obviously important to understand what security anxieties there are beyond those that we obviously face each and every day.
As to whether Australia’s diplomatic footprint would have to be expanded as part of the bid, Marles said he didn’t have a ballpark figure on what type of budget would be allocated but it wouldn’t be a “particularly expensive exercise”.
We will, of course, have to go around the world and present our credentials, but we do so with a sense of confidence and that will be a really important exercise for Australia to undertake as a middle power and it will be an incredible opportunity if we get the opportunity.
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More images of Anthony Albanese’s arrival in London
As we brought you earlier, the prime minister has touched down in London for the next leg of his international tour.
Albanese and his fiancee, Jodie Haydon, were greeted by the Australian high commissioner to the United Kingdom, Stephen Smith, on arrival at Stansted airport.
It is looking decidedly cold there, if the coats are anything to go on.
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Anti-Palestinian racism widespread in Australian schools, says report
A new report says anti-Palestinian racism has become widespread in Australian schools and is being used to “prevent and silence” the discussion of the war in Gaza.
The findings, which have been released today by the Australian Palestinian Advocacy Network (Apan), define anti-Palestinian racism as practices which “any practice which denies, denigrates ... or vilifies the people of Palestine or their supporters”.
Its authors examined more than 80 testimonies of alleged racism and vilification in schools since October 2023, primarily in NSW and Victoria. Students and staff spoke about being verbally abused for participating in pro-Palestinian rallies or discussing the conflict on social media, while others said discussion in class had been limited.
One staff member alleged they were “screamed at” by their principal for wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh and called a “terrorist” and “antisemitic” in front of other staff.
The Apan president, Nasser Mashni, says the report highlights a “climate of fear, censorship, intimidation and punishment”.
Part of our obligation to stand against genocide, and to teach our kids the difference between right and wrong, is to encourage people to criticise systems of oppression and to help them understand what’s happening in the world.
The report makes several recommendations, including the recognition of the existence of anti-Palestinian racism in Australian schools and lessons about the significance of Palestinian cultural symbols and clothing.
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Parents need boost to lift flagging vaccination rate
Parents need practical strategies such as easier access to appointments and bulk-billing to help reverse a concerning decline in childhood vaccination rates, research has found.
The National Vaccination Insights project found out-of-pocket costs, limited appointment availability and eroding trust caused by misinformation contributed to the trend.
Vaccination rates for five-year-olds peaked at 95% in 2020 but, since the pandemic, coverage had declined to 92.7% in 2024.
Co-author Maryke Steffens from the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance said it wasn’t necessarily misinformation that was preventing parents from vaccinating.
The top barriers were mostly around ability to get appointments easily, being able to prioritise their child’s vaccination over all of the other things that they have to get done, the cost of getting their child vaccinated.
The research, published on Friday in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, emphasised the need for urgent, co-ordinated action across policy, program, health-care provider and community settings.
– Australian Associated Press
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Richard Marles says the government is ‘really confident’ about the future of Australia’s relationship with the US
The acting prime minister, Richard Marles, is doing the media rounds with a spring in his step this morning. A proud Cats fan, Marles joined Nine earlier from Geelong decked out in his AFL gear and will be appearing on ABC Radio National shortly.
“Go Cats,” he told the Today show. “I’m happy to do the whole interview on Geelong, if you like.”
Asked about Anthony Albanese’s “selfie moment” with Donald Trump and whether it would subdue the media until their meeting next month, Marles said the government had been saying “all along” that there would be a meeting between the pair.
We now know that that will be on the 20th of October. The point here is that they had spoken a number of times by phone. The relationship is conducted at many, many levels. It is going well.
We’ve got the lowest tariff rate. Aukus is happening at a pace. And so we’re really confident … about the progress of our relationship with the US.
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Australian doctor joins largest convoy in history to travel to Gaza in humanitarian aid mission
An Australian doctor is among participants from 10 countries across the world sailing a motor-cruiser to Gaza in a bid to send humanitarian aid to starving Palestinians.
Bianca Webb-Pullman, a practicing family medic, has been assigned to Family, the lead vessel in the largest convoy in history to travel to Gaza.
The “Global Sumud Flotilla” is carrying hundreds of participants from more than 40 national delegations.
Last month, two Australian activists said they were “brutalised psychologically” and treated “like criminals” by the Israeli military after a boat they were on was intercepted and detained while attempting to transport aid to Gaza as part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.
You can read more about the latest journey here:
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AFL grand final to remain dry but ‘quite breezy’, Bureau of Meteorology forecasts
Those lucky enough to nab a ticket to tomorrow’s AFL grand final can expect the match to remain mostly dry from the first bounce to full time, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has projected.
A forecaster at the BoM, Jonathan Howe, said Melburnians were in for a sunny morning and partly cloudy afternoon with a top of 19C on Saturday.
It should remain mostly dry for the entire match, from the first bounce to the halftime show and then to full time, but we will have fresh westerly winds through the day, so we’ll be quite breezy out there. There’s a slight chance of a shower in the evening but nothing more than millimetre is expected.
It’s a public holiday in Victoria today for the AFL grand final parade in Melbourne. Howe said a shower or two was expected throughout the day, which would otherwise be mild with a top of 22C.
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Agent buys cut-price home of retiree with Alzheimer’s
A real estate agent who believed she was doing the “right thing” by buying a vulnerable retiree’s property at $500,000 below market value has had her licence suspended, Australian Associated Press reports.
Rachelle Carmen Nohra took advantage of the 82-year-old with alcohol problems and symptoms of Alzheimer’s by buying his Sydney home for $600,000.
She offered this price despite knowing his property had a similar value to one sold next door for $1.1m. The 82-year-old man was promised he could remain living at the property for the rest of his life.
Nohra, who is the director of Eser Property in Greystanes, bought the man’s home at a “significant undervalue” in a personal capacity in April 2023, a tribunal decision published on Thursday revealed.
She promised that the retiree – known for legal reasons as Mr A – could remain living at the property for the rest of his life. However, their subsequent tenancy agreement allowed him to be evicted with 90 days’ notice, the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal found.
She had approached the tribunal seeking to overturn a decision by the commissioner for fair trading suspending her licence for a year, imposing a $11,000 fine and directing her to undertake further training.
She contended that she was still a “fit and proper person” to act as a real estate agent.
Instead, Bryant found she had taken advantage of the 82-year-old by buying his property without giving him the chance to get financial or legal advice.
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Good morning. It’s Caitlin Cassidy here to guide you through Friday’s news. Let’s get stuck in.
Analysis: From New York to London, Anthony Albanese plots statesmanlike course through global turmoil
Tom McIlroy, our political editor, has been travelling with Albanese and he has written about how the prime minister’s trip has “undoubtedly been a success. Next comes the challenge of making his foreign policy vision into a reality.”
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Aukus at top of agenda as Albanese heads for UK talks
Nuclear submarines, Gaza and Ukraine are likely to top Anthony Albanese’s agenda as he touches down in London for the next leg of his three-country visit, Australian Associated Press reports.
The prime minister is scheduled to arrive in London on Friday (AEST) to meet the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, with Donald Trump and the Aukus submarine deal likely to be key topics for discussion, according to Monash-Warwick Alliance international relations researcher Tom Howe.
“I think [Albanese and Starmer] will probably talk about some tactics on how to best manage Trump,” Howe said.
He said the UK commissioned the sixth of its seventh SSN-Aukus submarine for the UK Royal Navy, which will replace its Astute class boat fleet from the late 2030s.
“It was commissioned ahead of schedule, kind of breaking protocol because it hasn’t had its at-sea testing yet, but that matters for Australia ... because that submarine took 12 years to build,” Howe said.
“The UK is supposed to be deploying and rotating a submarine out of the base in Perth from 2027, so there’s quite a lot riding on that for Australia.”
Albanese will meet King Charles III at Balmoral Castle, after the monarch stressed the importance of Aukus during Trump’s visit to the UK last week.
The prime minister’s final stop on his diplomatic tour will be in the United Arab Emirates where he will meet President Sheikh Mohammmed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
There, the pair will discuss the two countries’ free trade agreement, the Australia-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
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AFL grand final could spread Queensland measles outbreak
A leading doctor has warned that a measles outbreak in Queensland could spread nationally after this weekend’s AFL grand final because of potential transmission by Brisbane Lions fans travelling to Melbourne, Australian Associated Press reports.
There are currently around 20 active cases of measles in Queensland, with the largest cluster in the Cairns area of the state’s far north.
There are also smaller clusters in central Queensland and the Gold Coast, with a single case confirmed in Brisbane yesterday.
With up to 30,000 Brisbane Lions fans predicted to travel from Queensland to Melbourne for the match against Geelong on Saturday, epidemiologists warn of the highly contagious virus spreading.
The director of infectious diseases at Brisbane’s Mater hospital, Paul Griffin, was once the No 1 Lions ticketholder and will be at the MCG among 100,000 others for the big match on Saturday.
“Fleeting contact, or even being in the same room as someone two hours after they were there infectious with measles is enough to get infected,” Griffin said.
While he admits it unlikely a person with measles will attend, he said that for every known case of the disease there are likely to be 16 to 20 unknown cases.
Measles was eradicated from Australia in 2014, but has made a comeback as vaccination rates declined.
More than 120 cases have been logged so far in 2025.
Griffin described the return of the virus as a “terrible tragedy”.
“This is our biggest [outbreak] since 2019, and with our current trajectory we could continue to break other records,” he said.
Vaccination rates against measles in Queensland have slid to 90.35%, well below the target of 95%.
Griffin put the decline down to misinformation about vaccines in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, and complacency about the severity of the illness.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then my colleague Caitlin Cassidy will pick up the strain.
Anthony Albanese will land in London this morning after a successful week of diplomacy at the United Nations in New York. He will discuss the Aukus submarine pact, Gaza and Ukraine with Keir Starmer as well as meeting Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney.
A leading doctor has warned that a measles outbreak in Queensland could spread nationally after this weekend’s AFL grand final because of potential transmission by Brisbane Lions fans travelling to Melbourne. More coming up.
