What we learned; Wednesday 18 June
And with that, we are going to put the blog to bed. Before we go, let’s recap the big headlines.
Aanthony Albanese was at the G7 summit in Kananaskis, in Canada’s Rocky Mountains, meeting with world leaders and talking about renewable energy and artificial intelligence. The PM made an intervention on critical minerals, telling the summit single countries should not be allowed to control supply.
He also held talks with senior members of the trump administration at the G7 summit in Canada, a day after the US president left the meeting. Albanese may meet Trump at a snap meeting next week.
Researchers at Charles Darwin University estimated Australia’s LGBTQI+ population doubled between 2012 and 2020, increasing from 3.3% to 5.8% of adults over 15.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said nearly 2,000 Australians had registered to leave Israel and Iran amid a growing conflict between the pair over the past week.
Australian Red Cross Lifeblood said it would soon remove sexual activity wait times from its eligibility rules, opening up blood and plasma donation to most gay and bisexual men.
Western Sydney University ranked first in the world for the fourth consecutive year in the Times Higher Education rankings on community impact.
Virgin Australia confirmed some flights between Brisbane and Melbourne and Bali were cancelled today due to the eruption of Mount Lewotobi in eastern Indonesia.
The CFMEU failed to overturn the Albanese government’s move to force the union’s construction division into administration in the high court.
Optus will pay a $100m penalty after it admitted to engaging in “unconscionable conduct” by selling customers phones and contracts they did not want.
Qatar Airways was named as the world’s best airline in the World Airline awards. The new partner of Virgin Australia kept the top spot from last year, followed by Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Emirates and ANA All Nippon Airways.
Thank you for spending part of your day with us. We will be back tomorrow to do it all again.
Updated
New ‘bendy’ buses will hit Sydney’s streets
Addition to the fleet a first in 12 years, but some locals are sceptical more than $450m in funding is enough to fix a broken network, AAP has reported.
While a bigger fleet will ease some pressure on commuters, new measures to address longstanding driver shortages are yet to be flagged ahead of next week’s NSW budget.
Independent Pittwater MP Jacqui Scruby said:
It’s wonderful there’s a demonstrated commitment in this budget for the bus network.
(But) there’s no point having lots of buses in the fleet if there’s no one to drive.”
Her comments followed Labor announcing $452m to boost services, accelerate the rollout of new buses and meet rising costs for local bus operators.
The bus union welcomed the funding but remains frustrated about driver retention and privatisation.
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NSW Police statement on alleged gang-rape of 17-year-old girl
Acting NSW Police Commissioner Peter Thurtell has released a statement after police accused four males – aged 14, 16, 18 and 19 – of attacking a 17-year-old in her car in Liverpool in city’s south-west.
Thurtell said:
An alleged horrific crime of this nature drives our investigators to be meticulous in gathering evidence in order to get an irrefutable conviction.
Detectives worked tirelessly and have done an outstanding job bringing these people before the courts.
If there is anyone who is a champion of public and community safety in this regard, it is the head of the Sex Crimes Squad Detective Superintendent Jane Doherty and her team.
More here:
Updated
Melbourne’s Northland shopping centre lockdown
In Victoria, Northland shopping centre was put into lockdown this afternoon after a car drove through the centre.
In a statement, Vic police said:
Police were called to reports of a stolen vehicle at a shopping centre on Murray Road, Preston on Wednesday 18 June.
Police attended and attempted to block in the white Landcruiser, outside the shopping centre about 4pm.
The Landcruiser, with one male occupant on board, has taken evasive action to avoid the police and driven through the middle of the shopping centre.
Thankfully, no one was struck by the car and there are no reported injuries.
One woman is being treated at the scene for shock.
The vehicle left the shopping centre and was last seen travelling towards Wood Street.
The vehicle remains outstanding.
Updated
Australian embassies in Israel, Iran and the West Bank have been closed since Friday for safety reasons as the deadly conflict between Israel and Iran escalates.
Earlier today, the United States said it will close its embassy in Jerusalem until Friday as speculation mounts about possible American intervention.
Embassy staff have continued to work remotely where possible and calls to the embassies can be diverted to an emergency line in the Consular Emergency Centre.
As of Wednesday morning, 872 Australian passport holders in Iran had registered on the foreign affairs department’s crisis portal as wanting to leave while there were 1,027 within Israel.
A spokesperson for foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, said the safety of Australians is a “priority”:
DFAT’s consular team is working to assist Australians to safety, via land and air when it is safe to do so.
Australians in need of emergency consular assistance can contact the Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 (if you’re overseas) and 1300 555 135 (in Australia).
Allegra Spender hails treasurer’s tax reform comments as ‘a really positive sign’
Independent MP Allegra Spender has said it “is a really positive sign that the Treasurer has recognised the importance of tax reform”, while appearing on the ABC this afternoon.
Spender said:
Even actually achieving revenue neutrality right now is difficult with our tax system because we have a tax system where things like fuel excise is dropping tobacco excise is dropping, GST as a proportion of our tax system is dropping, and we have fewer working aged people as part of our proportion of community.
Asked how to get voters to embrace tax change that would slow international unfairness, Spender said:
It is hard, but it comes back to why is tax reform important?
When I talk to people in my community, people really worry their kids and grandkids are not going to be able to meet the same milestones as previous generations and that is really motivating.
Updated
Civil liberties group critical of high court ruling against union leaders
The NSW Council for Civil Liberties (NSWCCL) has released a statement after former CFMEU leaders lost their high court challenge against the government putting the union into administration.
In part, the statement said:
The NSW Council for Civil Liberties (NSWCCL) remains seriously concerned about the administration and its implications for all member-based civil society organisations, unions, and registered clubs.
The administration legislation may now operate as a legal model for the takeover of other unions and other member-based civil society organisations in the future.
Over the past twelve months there has been a worrying trend of state overreach by the federal Labor government, which threatens to undermine the rule of law, including through the passing of the Administration Act and the introductions of mandatory minimum sentencing late last year.
The NSWCCL maintains that everyone has the right to natural justice and procedural fairness, regardless of the allegations they face.
Updated
Man dies at worksite in Hunter region
In a statement, NSW Police said:
Around 9.20am, emergency services were called to a work site near Nelson Bay Road, Williamtown, following reports a man was trapped under equipment.
NSW Ambulance paramedics rendered aid to a man at the scene however, he was unable to be revived. While yet to be formally identified, the man is believed to be aged in his 50s.
Police from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District attended and established a crime scene which will be examined by specialist police.
A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.
Updated
Lab-grown meat coming to menus near you
For over a decade, lab-grown meat has been hailed as the food of tomorrow. Now, high-end restaurants in Sydney and Melbourne will start putting it on plates.
How does it work? How does it taste? Alyx Gorman has got you covered:
Updated
Netflix producing series based on My Brilliant Career
AAP reports streaming service’s creation of series based on Miles Franklin’s classic novel will create hundreds of jobs and inject a record $17m into South Australia.
Netflix is partnering with Jungle Entertainment on the fresh take on the 1901 coming-of-age tale, which resonated deeply with a generation of young Australian women who longed for the freedom to shape their own destinies.
South Australian arts minister Andrea Michaels says the production, which has started filming in Adelaide and across SA, will create 450 local jobs across key creatives, crew and extras and engage 260 small businesses.
Netflix has not revealed the budget for the series, which will stream globally, but the government says the projected economic return to SA is $17m.
You can read more here:
Updated
Study shows more Australians say they are LGBTQ+
Australians are becoming more comfortable identifying as lesbian, gay or bisexual as advocates call on policymakers to use population data to improve services and accessibility.
Charles Darwin University researchers estimate Australia’s LGBTQ+ population doubled between 2012 and 2020, increasing from 3.3% to 5.8% of adults over 15.
The data came from the Hilda longitudinal survey of 17,000 Australians, with responses from participants who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or another sexual identity. It was collected in 2012, 2016 and 2020.
Lead researcher Fiona Shalley:
Being a minority sexual identity and engaging in that used to be criminal, but Australia has come a long way.
There was also stigma and discrimination associated with being a sexual minority, so a lot of people did not disclose their identity until more recently.
If the young adults who took part in the study maintained their sexual minority identities throughout their life, Australia’s LGBTQ+ population could grow by about 3% each year.
By the time the next data is updated from 2024, the population size could be about 1.7 million people, Shalley said.
Updated
That’s all for me, thanks for following along with the day’s headlines. The great Cait Kelly will take it from here.
Qantas rebounds in world airline rankings
Qatar Airways was named as the world’s best airline in an annual rundown known as the World Airline awards this morning. The new partner of Virgin Australia kept the top spot from last year, followed by Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Emirates and ANA All Nippon Airways.
Qantas has surged in the rankings, released by Skytrax. Last year the company came in at 24th position, but jumped to 14 for 2025. Virgin Australia sits at 34 on the list, increasing its standing by nine spots.
Updated
Video footage shows massive ash plume rising from Indonesian volcano
What is rat lungworm disease and why are cases rising in dogs in Australia?
Cases of rat lungworm disease have been increasing in dogs on Australia’s east coast over the past five years, according to new research from the University of Sydney.
A very rare but sometimes deadly condition caused by worm larvae travelling up the food chain, the disease has been found in a small but increasing number of dogs in areas affected by heavy rain, and occasionally also in humans. So why are cases growing and how worried should we be?
Confirmed cases of the disease in dogs are still very low, restricted to NSW and Queensland, and have fallen since the 2022 spike identified by the researchers, although not to 2019 levels.
Updated
Women dies in north Sydney after unit catches fire
A woman died this morning after she was pulled from a unit fire in north Sydney.
Fire and Rescue NSW responded to a block of units in the suburb of Cremorne shortly after 7am, where they found the top flat in the block on fire. Rescue officials removed the woman from the unit and she was treated by paramedics for critical injuries, but she died at the scene.
The woman has not been formally identified, but is believed to be in her 60s. The fire was extinguished shortly after emergency crews arrived on scene.
A crime scene has been established and an investigation opened into the cause of the fire.
CREMORNE - FRNSW on scene at a townhouse on Allister Street. Six fire trucks and 22 firefighters on scene. Operations supported by Police and Ambulance. More to follow pic.twitter.com/1n5CXNhGCv
— Fire and Rescue NSW (@FRNSW) June 17, 2025
Updated
Qantas flights to Bali expected to leave later this afternoon after Jetstar, Virgin cancellations
Two Qantas flights are expected to leave Australia for Bali later this afternoon with short delays after several other airlines cancelled their own due to a volcanic eruption on another Indonesian island. Conditions are expected to improve later today after a 10km-high plume of ash and smoke emerged from Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki on the island of Flores yesterday.
You can read more about the travel disruptions here:
Plans to increase defence spending already ‘very substantial’, Chalmers says
The treasurer said the Albanese government’s announced plans to increase defence spending from 2% of GDP to 2.3% of GDP were already a “very substantial increase” to the budget, despite calls from the US to up that figure to 3.5%. Chalmers said:
I think that’s one of the things that’s often missed is that we are already making what would be seen in any other time to be a really substantial increase in investment in defence.
I understand the risks and the threats. I think it’s a really important, warranted thing that we are doing as a government and it’s substantial. Now, of course our partners would like us to spend more on defence. It’s not unusual.
Chalmers says still finalising invitation list for reform roundtable
The treasurer wouldn’t say if the Coalition would be on the list of invitees for the economic reform roundtable, but said he was genuinely interested in working with all constructive parties. He told the National Press Club:
We’re finalising the invitation list. I say that very genuinely. …
There will be opportunities for the opposition to be constructive, whether they’re inside the room or not inside the room. I think regardless of the final invitation list, it would be a very good thing for Australia if we all did take a constructive approach to it.
Updated
Chalmers says he wants to lean in to appetite to be ‘bold and ambitious’
Chalmers was asked about the “level of boldness” when thinking about economic reform at the National Press Club. The treasurer said he believes there is an “appetite to be bold and ambitious,” adding:
This is about testing the country’s reform appetite and I don’t see it in personal terms but I am personally willing to grasp the nettle, to use an old saying. I am prepared to do my bit.
The government is prepared to do its bit and what we’ll find out in the course of the next few months is whether everyone is prepared to do their bit as well.
Chalmers responded to a question about any economic reform leading to “losers in the tax system”. The treasurer said the government would need to consider “trade-offs”, some of which would probably be difficult. He said:
Let’s see how far we can go together, recognising those trade-offs, having an appropriate high level of ambition, being upfront with people along the way and explaining why those trade-offs are important and why they might be necessary.
Updated
Wong latest to downplay Trump’s early departure from G7
Penny Wong also downplayed the significance of Trump cancelling the Albanese meeting, saying she regularly had meetings rescheduled. She told Sky:
I think we all need some perspective here. I understand why this is a focus of the media. We are at a point where the conflict in the Middle East is at a very grave and perilous point. That is what is occupying the minds of global leaders, and so it should, because what we want to see is this situation resolved by Iran’s actions.
Iran must come to the table. Iran must stop any nuclear program. That is the fastest way out of danger for the globe, for the region and for the Iranian people.
Wong said she and others were concerned about “regional escalation” in the Middle East, and urged a return to dialogue between countries.
Wong says PM ‘carefully’ considering travelling to Nato meeting to reschedule Trump discussion
Penny Wong said earlier Anthony Albanese is “considering carefully” the potential to travel to the Nato conference next week amid growing turmoil in the Middle East, and was hoping to reschedule his meeting with Donald Trump.
The foreign minister also called on Iran to “come to the table” and stop any nuclear program, to avoid further conflict with Israel. As Tom McIlroy brought you earlier from the G7 in Canada, Albanese said he may travel to the Nato meeting – next week in The Hague – with increasing concern about the Iran-Israel conflict. He may also get a chance to meet Trump there, after the US president abruptly left the G7 conference, which meant the cancellation of meetings with Albanese and other world leaders.
Wong told Sky:
I think that these are the issues that are weighing on the Prime Minister’s mind. We all understand we face a very grave moment as a globe, and we have to work together.
The prime minister obviously engaged closely with other world leaders. Because of the Middle East crisis, president Trump did depart early. We understand that, and we look forward to rescheduling the meeting.
[Travelling to Nato] is a decision for the prime minister, but I think he made clear to the Australian people this was a matter that he is considering carefully.
Jim Chalmers: Media’s ‘rule-in rule-out game’ on tax reform has ‘cancerous effect’ on policy debates
The treasurer will say Labor has a “responsibility” to move beyond its election mandate as he argues the nation’s future prosperity depends on designing an ambitious agenda centred on creating a more productive economy and tax reform.
In a speech at the National Press Club in Canberra, the treasurer will say a three-day reform roundtable from 19 August would be “a genuine attempt to find common ground if it exists, in the service of our shared national economic interest”.
Chalmers will recognise the need to “lower” the tax burden on Australian workers and said the country needed to prepare for a day when fossil fuel profits were no longer a major source of federal revenue.
Read more here:
Updated
Employment minister welcomes high court decision on CFMEU suit
Employment minister Amanda Rishworth welcomed the high court’s decision to uphold the government-appointed administration of the CFMEU. She said the administrator would remain in place at the union “until the job is done”, saying:
The Albanese Labor government welcomes the decision made by the high court today, upholding our legislation and scheme of administration, which appointed an Administrator to the CFMEU Construction and General Division.
This government will not tolerate criminal behaviour, corruption or violence in the construction industry. We need to focus on shifting the culture in the construction industry and ensure the bad actors we have seen infiltrating this sector are kept out.
Rishworth was commenting after the high court handed down its decision around 10am today. She said in a statement:
Construction workers deserve a union free from criminality, corruption and violence. The administrator and his team can now move forward with confidence and continue their essential work in cleaning up the construction and general division of the CFMEU.
We are committed to the Administrator remaining in place until the job is done, and we will continue to provide him and his team with all necessary support as they undertake their challenging and crucial task.
Updated
Ando the AFP sniffer dog retires
High-risk explosive detection dog Ando will perform his last sniff and search this week at Cairns Airport, the AFP has said in a statement.
Ando, seven, started his AFP career in 2019, working at Sydney Airport. Since then, he has performed thousands of explosive sweeps.
Since relocating to Queensland’s tropics in late 2022, the canine’s day to day has involved patrolling Cairns Airport.
Career highlights for the highly respected canine include providing safety and security at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in March 2024, and the official Royal visit of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in 2024.
Handler Const Joel Preston said Ando was good at remembering patterns and learned best through self-reinforcement.
All of our dogs are superstars, and we are proud of Ando’s hard work over the years.
Dogs conducting detection work sniff between five to 10 times a second, inhaling with one nostril and exhaling through the other.
Updated
Smartraveller issues official advice regarding cancelled flights due to volcanic eruption in Indonesia
Some flights between Australia and Bali have been cancelled or postponed due to volcanic ash from Mt Lewotobi Laki-Laki, Smartraveller has announced.
In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade-operated site said:
If your flight is affected, contact your airline and insurance provider for alternative travel and accommodation arrangements.
Updated
Optus to pay $100m fine after selling customers phones and contracts they did not want
Optus will pay a $100m penalty after it admitted to engaging in “unconscionable conduct” by selling customers phones and contracts they did not want.
The telco has reached an agreement with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) arising from unconscionable conduct and inappropriate sales practices that occurred between August 2019 and July 2023.
Under the agreement, it is proposed that Optus will pay a penalty of $100m and will enter into an enforceable undertaking, which includes the remediation of impacted customers.
Affected customers are receiving refunds as part of a remediation approach which is informed by financial counsellors and industry partners to make sure it is fair and reasonable.
The Optus CEO, Stephen Rue, said the misconduct was inexcusable and unacceptable:
I would like to sincerely apologise to all customers affected by the misconduct in some of our stores.
Optus failed these customers, and the company should have acted more quickly when the misconduct was first reported.
I am leading the implementation of extensive changes across the company with active responses to the issues raised well under way.
However, there is much more to do as we work to regain our customers’ trust and improve support and protections for them, especially for those who are vulnerable.
Here were the ACCC’s allegations at the time:
Updated
High court dismisses CFMEU challenge to government takeover
The CFMEU failed to overturn the Albanese government’s move to force the union’s construction division into administration in the high court, AAP reports. The federal government intervened in August 2024, after allegations of bikie and organised crime figures infiltrating the scandal-riddled union in addition to other claims of criminal activity.
Controversial leader John Setka said the allegations against the union were false, but confirmed he would step down to stop the intense media coverage. Former CFMEU officials challenged the government’s legislation that removed the union’s leadership and placed it into administration.
The plaintiffs, sacked CFMEU officials, argued the law was invalid on four grounds, including that it breached their implied freedom of political communication. The full bench of the high court found all four arguments were unfounded.
Victoria Police last September said Setka would not face criminal charges over visits to government work sites, after it looked into 20 allegations of “potential criminal activity”.
Updated
Air New Zealand also cancels flights in and out of Bali
Air New Zealand confirms it, too, has cancelled flights in and out of Bali’s airport in Denpasar. Two flights today – between Auckland and Bali, and from Bali to Auckland – have been cancelled. The company said:
Safety is always our first priority and we will only operate into and out of Denpasar when it is safe to fly.
If conditions mean we need to make any changes to your travel plans, we will contact you directly via email or SMS using the contact details in your booking as soon as we can.
Updated
Virgin Australia, Jetstar cancel flights to Bali after Indonesian volcano erupts; Qantas keeping ‘close eye’
Virgin Australia confirmed some flights between Brisbane and Melbourne and Bali were cancelled today due to the eruption of Mount Lewotobi in eastern Indonesia. Jetstar also cancelled four flights from Australia into Bali this morning, while Qantas said it was keeping a “close eye” on the situation with flights scheduled to leave later this afternoon.
The volcano, one of the nation’s most active, spewed a stream of ash and smoke more than 11kms high yesterday evening. Indonesian officials raised its volcano alerts to their highest level after the eruption.
There are no immediate reports of damage or casualties. AFP reports Mount Lewotobi erupted several times in November, killing nine and forcing thousands to evacuate. Those eruptions also let to many flight cancellations.
A Virgin Australia spokesperson said:
Virgin Australia is closely monitoring ash cloud activity following last night’s eruption of Mount Lewotobi. The safety of our guests and crew remains our highest priority.
As a result of the eruption, some flights have been impacted today. Guests travelling to or from Bali are encouraged to check the latest updates on their flight status via the Virgin Australia website or app.
Updated
More on Australian university rankings on sustainability measures
Circling back to the annual Times Higher Education (THE) impact rankings, Australian universities have performed strongly across the board on their sustainability measures.
Western Sydney University, which outranked around 2,300 international universities to be named the world’s best for delivering community impact, was singled out for its efforts partnering with the local community and globally including locations in Indonesia and Vietnam.
The University of Newcastle was ranked second in the world for climate action, pointing to its innovations to advance printed solar technology, find innovative uses for hydrogen and its collaborations with the Pacific, including to protect ecosystems in Samoa.
Flinders University was ranked second in the world for reducing inequalities and fifth for gender equality. Its vice-chancellor, Prof Colin Stirling, said its values of “fairness, inclusion and equity of opportunity are not new – they’ve been the foundation of Flinders for nearly 60 years”.
Updated
NSW Police charge four over alleged six-hour sexual assault of teen girl
NSW Police’s sex crimes squad have now charged four males on allegations they sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl over a six-hour period in Sydney’s west last year.
Police allege a male followed the girl to her car last December in the suburb of Liverpool, where she reluctantly let him. Once inside, police allege the male began sexually assaulting her and held a video call with others who authorities allege became his co-conspirators. After the alleged assault, police then allege the woman tried to get the male to leave her vehicle. He refused and convinced her to drive to a park, where two other males allegedly entered the vehicle, where she was allegedly further assaulted.
A fourth male then entered vehicle as well, police allege, before the group took control of the car, driving around Sydney for six hours while continuing the assault. When the alleged assault ended, the victim called a friend and reported the allegations to police.
A boy, 16, has been charged with 24 offences including nine counts of sexual intercourse without consent and eight counts of aggravated sexual assault. Another boy, 14, has been charged with 10 offences, including seven on aggravated sexual assault. Two other men, aged 18 and 19, were arrested this week and face multiple charges of aggravated sexual assault each.
Det Supt Jayne Doherty alleged the following at a news conference:
The four of them acted together, creating fear on the victim, degrading her whilst the others offended against her and at times there was more than one person offending against this poor young girl. …
As I said this morning, this will impact the rest of her life. She’s supported by family, who are very strong and supportive of her. They realise the journey that she will have for the rest of her life and they are supporting her.
• Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html
Updated
Man charged in Victoria on allegations he fooled family in million-dollar scam linked to fake cancer diagnosis
Police in Victoria have charged a man for allegedly fooling his family into thinking he had cancer and convincing them to hand over more than $1m.
Police said this morning the man, 30, was arrested earlier this month over the alleged scheme. Officials detailed allegations the man used the profits of a family home sale without telling his partner and attempted to hide the missing money by claiming he made an investment that would pay out a $2m profit.
When the money did not appear, the man allegedly made up a fake story he had cancer and was a victim of fraud. He later allegedly deceived family members into handing over an additional $1.2m, creating fake emails and impersonating lawyers to back up his claims.
The man was charged with 28 offences, including 10 counts of obtaining property by deception and 13 counts of making a false document. He will appear before court on 25 June.
Updated
PM could make snap visit to Europe to see Trump next week
Anthony Albanese could make a snap visit to Europe next week to meet Donald Trump, days after their first talks at the G7 summit were abruptly cancelled. Nato leaders will gather at The Hague on 24-25 June. Albanese said he could join the talks, during which he could meet face-to-face with the US president.
“Yes, that is being considered,” he said ahead of his departure from Canada.
Trump and Albanese had planned discussions on Australia’s defence spending and the Aukus nuclear submarines agreement this week in Kananaskis, but Trump left the summit a day early to return to Washington to deal with the Middle East war.
They are also due to discuss punishing trade tariffs imposed by Trump.
Albanese instead met the US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, as well as the US trade representative, Jamieson Greer, and the director of the US National Economic Council, Kevin Hassett.
Albanese said he was “mature” about Trump’s early departure but the prospect of a Nato visit suggests the government is eager to lock in a meeting before long.
Updated
Albanese says he’s ‘pleased’ with new EU security partnership
The prime minister said Australia’s partnership with the EU will focus on areas including the defence industry and cyber- and counter-terrorism. He said during a press conference:
I’m pleased to announce today that we will commence negotiations on a security and defence partnership with the European Union.
We see this as an important framework for our current and future cooperation in areas like defence industry, cyber- and counter-terrorism. And we will have our respective ministers progress that over coming weeks. But we hope to conclude those discussions pretty quickly.
Albanese announces new security and defence partnership with EU
Anthony Albanese says he has accepted the European Union’s offer of high-level negotiations on a new defence and security pact. The prime minister met the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, and the European Council president, António Costa, on the sidelines of the G7 summit here in Kananaskis in the past hour.
Albanese says he will task the foreign minister, Penny Wong, and the defence minister, Richard Marles, with leading work on the agreement. The EU already has similar deals in place with countries including Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.
It is not legally binding and would not include troop deployment, but is designed to strengthen cooperation on global security challenges.
It comes amid renewed talks on a possible Australia-EU free trade agreement. The deal could be used in areas including foreign interference, cybersecurity, counter-terrorism, defence industries and critical technologies. Negotiations on the new agreement were first proposed at the inauguration mass of Pope Leo XIV in Rome last month.
Australia was initially cool on the idea, but it has picked up serious momentum at the G7 summit in Canada.
Updated
Albanese says Trump’s departure ‘perfectly understandable’ amid Israel-Iran conflict, will reschedule
The prime minister said he hasn’t spoken to US president Donald Trump since he cancelled their meeting, meant to be held today. Albanese said:
I spoke with key advisors to the president. The president has been engaged, obviously, with the circumstances around Iran and Israel. It’s perfectly understandable the decision that he made.
The prime minister noted Trump had cancelled meeting with other leaders, including those of India and Ukraine, adding:
But we’re all mature about that. We understand the circumstances which are there. And we have agreed through our American friends that we’ll reschedule the meeting.
Albanese says he had a ‘good’ chance to address tariffs with senior US economic officials
The prime minister is speaking from Canada and said he had a meeting with the US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, and other American economic officials. Albanese said he and Bessent discussed tariffs and free trade, adding:
I had a meeting this morning with US secretary of the treasury Scott Bessent which was a good opportunity to put forward Australia’s position on tariffs. …
We made the point very clearly to the American trade representative and to [other officials] that the [free trade agreement] has delivered for both Australia and the United States for a couple of decades now. And that the United States has 21 trade surplus in the US as favour since the 1950s.
Updated
Albanese expected to speak from G7 shortly
The prime minister is expected to hold a brief news conference from the sidelines of the G7 in Canada. His last press briefing aired just minutes before US president Donald Trump said he would leave the meeting a day early to deal with the fallout from the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict.
Albanese and Trump were meant to meet today.
Australian university rated first in the world for community impact
Western Sydney University (WSU) has ranked first in the world for the fourth consecutive year in the Times Higher Education (THE) rankings on community impact.
The rankings, published today, placed WSU ahead of 2,526 universities worldwide. Australia also had more universities (three) in the top 10 than any other nation, with Griffith University and the University of Tasmania coming equal fourth. Ten Australian universities were in the top 50.
The THE university impact rankings are the only global performance tables to assess universities against the United Nations’ sustainable development goals which measure efforts to address the climate crisis, to supporting peace and justice.
THE’s chief global affairs officer, Phil Baty, said universities in Oceania were “leading the way on helping the world to a more sustainable future”.
The vice-chancellor of WSU, Prof George Williams, said universities around the world were “being urged to return to their primary role as public sector organisations delivering public good”. He said:
Unlike other rankings, the impact rankings measures universities on the practical measures they take to improve lives and deliver outcomes in communities. Western is showing the world the way.
Updated
Lifeblood’s chief medical officer says change to blood and plasma donation rules ‘very exciting day’
Dr Jo Pink, Lifeblood’s chief medical officer, said the group is very excited by the changes to its blood and plasma donation rules. She told ABC News this morning:
Every time a male donates at the moment, we ask them whether they have had anal sex with another man. That will cease, and instead, we are moving to gender-neutral rules. You asked me at the beginning why these rules were in place, and they did stem from the HIV period, which was a very difficult and sad period. And those rules were important to have in place to protect the safety of the blood supply. But as you know, things have changed now. So it’s a very exciting day for us.
Dr Pink went on:
I know that our LBGTIQ + community is very keen to donate. So I’m really hoping that they’ll blast that number out of the park and we will get heaps of donations.
The change related to the blood donation questionnaire still needs “a little bit of work” and will be implemented sometime in 2026.
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Murray Watt ‘personally lobbied’ Unesco over barring of WA rock art from world heritage list
Australia’s environment minister, Murray Watt, has lobbied national Unesco ambassadors in a bid to overturn a recommendation that ancient rock art in Western Australia’s north-west should not receive world heritage listing unless nearby industrial facilities shut down.
Delegations from the Australian government and the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation, a body established to represent five traditional Indigenous language groups, plan to attend a Unesco meeting in Paris next month to argue for an immediate world heritage listing for the Murujuga cultural landscape.
The ramped-up lobbying campaign follows the UN body last month finding facilities – including Woodside Energy’s controversial North West Shelf gas processing plant – needed to be removed from the region if Australia wanted to win world heritage listing for more than a million petroglyphs, some nearly 50,000 years old.
Read more here:
Lifeblood to change sexual activity rules, opening up blood donation to gay and bisexual men
Australian Red Cross Lifeblood said today it would soon remove sexual activity wait times from its eligibility rules, opening up blood and plasma donation to most gay and bisexual men.
Current donor rules prevent many men who have sex with men and transgender women who have sex with men from giving blood or plasma if they have had sex in the past three months. But those wait times for plasma will be removed from 14 July, allowing donations for those who meet all other current criteria.
Research and modelling shows there will be no impact to the safety of the plasma supply with this change. Lifeblood’s chief medical officer, Dr Jo Pink, said:
With more than 600,0000 people estimated to be covered by the previous wait times, we now anticipate an extra 24,000 donors and 95,000 extra donations of plasma to be made each year.
Lifeblood has been working with the Therapeutic Goods Administration to also remove questions specifically aimed at gay and bisexual men from its eligibility questionnaire. All donors will soon be asked the same questions about sexual activity, regardless of their gender or sexuality, under the plan and most people in a sexual relationship of six months or more with a single partner will be able to donate blood. People with new or multiple partners will be able to donate blood if they have not had anal sex in the last three months.
Dr Pink said:
This is a significant milestone in being able to safely reduce wait times and make it easier for more people in the LGBTQIA+ community to donate.
Blood safety is and always will be our top priority, but we know the current donation rules have been very difficult for many people in the LGBTQIA+ community. While they were put in place to ensure a safe blood supply in the past, we know that they’ve contributed to the stigma faced by the community.
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More on Travis Lovett’s 468km walk to Victoria parliament
More on that 468km walk by Travis Lovett, from Portland in western Victoria to the state’s parliament in Melbourne, to mark the final report of the Yoorrook Justice Commission – the county’s first formal, Indigenous-led truth-telling process.
Lovett, a deputy on the commission, says he has been joined by hundreds of people on his “walk for truth”, underlining the desire to reconcile the state’s painful colonial past. He said:
We want to move forward, but it needs to be underpinned by truth and by justice.
Read more from our Indigenous affairs reporter Sarah Collard:
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Albanese meets with senior members of Trump administration to talk about tariffs
Anthony Albanese held talks with senior members of the Trump administration at the G7 summit in Canada, a day after the US president left the meeting.
Donald Trump’s early exit from Kananaskis took some of the momentum out of the talks between world leaders in the Rocky Mountains, but in the past few hours Albanese met with the US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, as well as the US trade representative, Jamieson Greer.
Also in the talks was the director of the US National Economic Council, Kevin Hassett. The talks focused on Australia’s treatment in Trump’s tariff regime, talks the prime minister had hoped to have with the president directly.
One option for the pair’s first formal meeting is a September visit to the White House after the United Nations general assembly in New York.
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Chalmers downplays Albanese’s missed meeting with Trump at G7
The treasurer said it wasn’t “especially surprising” US president Donald Trump left the G7 meeting in Canada a day early to address the growing conflict in the Middle East, missing a planned meeting with Albanese. He told RN Breakfast the pair had spoken three times before, and would do so again:
There will be other opportunities to engage. I don’t think it’s especially surprising that president Trump left the G7 early. He missed meetings with a number of world leaders, including the leader of India.
Host Sally Sara asked about discussions surrounding the US’s tariffs on Australian goods. Chalmers said:
You know, these exchanges between Australia and the US are ongoing. They’ve been going on for some months now and they will continue. We will continue to speak up for and stand up for Australian workers and businesses and investors and interests as we have done so far. There’ll be other ways that we can do that, other opportunities to do that.
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More than 1,000 Australians register to leave Israel, 870 from Iran, Chalmers says
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said nearly 2,000 Australians had registered to leave Israel and Iran amid a growing conflict between the pair over the past week. He told RN Breakfast:
I’m told by the colleagues that there are more than a thousand Australians and family members in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories who’ve registered with us who want to get out of that part of the world, and then another 870 or so in Iran.
We’re obviously working very closely with those Australians via the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. We’re monitoring developments in that very dangerous part of the world closely. Obviously our major focus is on the human cost of this escalating conflict. …
And our focus, in an immediate sense, is working with those almost 2,000 Australians who’ve indicated that they want to get out of that very perilous, very dangerous part of the world right now.
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Findings of Victoria’s Indigenous truth-telling inquiry may be used as teaching resource
The findings of Victoria’s Indigenous truth-telling inquiry, set to be handed down by the Yoorrook justice commission in the coming days, may be used as a teaching resource in schools, parties to the state’s treaty talks say.
A joint statement by the Victorian government and First Peoples’ Assembly, who are negotiating a state-wide treaty, says the parties have discussed the significance of the inquiry’s three-year process to create an official record of the state’s history.
It says Yoorrook’s official record could be a “valuable resource for teachers to use when educating students about Victoria’s history.”
Yoorrook – tasked with documenting injustices experienced by Victoria’s First Nations people since colonisation – is preparing to hand over its final report to the state in the coming days.
The commission’s deputy commissioner, Travis Lovett, will conclude his 400km “Walk for Truth” to highlight the commission’s work, at state parliament this morning.
Lovett, a Kerrupmara Gunditjmara man, is expected to present the Victoran premier, Jacinta Allan, with a message stick he has carried along the walk.
Most Australians support under-16s social media ban, but many have concerns about privacy
The federal government is forging ahead with its age assurance trial for its under-16s social media ban, releasing survey results from late last year showing nearly 90% of Australians at the time backed the ban. But a survey of nearly 4,000 adults and children found a huge number of people concerned about privacy and security issues related to the new regime.
The operators of the trial will release some early findings later this week, with a final report to go to the government shortly. Ahead of that data, the communications minister, Anika Wells, has shared more information to make the government’s case for the change, showing a high level of support for the under-16s ban and stats from a survey of children showing many teens were worried about content they see online and how much time they spend on social media.
The survey of around 4,000 people – 3,140 adults and 807 children aged 8-17 – was conducted in October and November 2024. It found 88.9% of those surveyed were somewhat or very supportive of the age assurance change, with 80% willing to use such technology, at the time of the survey.
It also found 77% of people were very concerned about privacy issues and 76.8% very concerned about security issues related to implementing an age assurance framework. About half were also worried about accuracy, and also government oversight.
It said around 88% were willing to consider a government ID system to enforce the scheme, but only 37.7% were comfortable with biometric methods – which underpins several leading age assurance methods.
Of children, about 50% said they were worried about cyberbullying online, and 45% had been exposed to inappropriate contact, with another 49% concerned about what is showing up on their feeds.
In a statement, Wells said the under-16s social media ban was to come into effect from December and that she was engaging with the eSafety Commissioner about the rules to underpin the scheme:
This research shows Australians widely support our world-leading age restrictions on social media for under-16s and have strong expectations of platforms when it comes to data protection and security.
Our Government knows social media age-restrictions will not be the end-all be-all solution for harms experienced by young people online but they will make a significant impact.
Updated
Good morning, Nick Visser here to take over for Martin Farrer. Stick with us as the morning moves along.
Jim Chalmers links collapse in trust in liberal democracies to failure to lift living standards
Jim Chalmers will say today that his three priorities for Labor’s second term are boosting productivity, fixing the budget and making Australia more resilient in an increasingly tumultuous world.
The government does not believe it can tackle these three big economic challenges without buy-in from a wide range of stakeholders, from business to unions and, more broadly, without a mood for change among voters and the media.
After Anthony Albanese last week announced an economic roundtable in August to build a national consensus for economic reform, Chalmers will use a speech at the National Press Club this lunchtime to tie the failure to lift living standards with the collapse in trust in liberal democracies around the world.
“We have a mandate to deliver the policies and plans we took to the election, and a duty to build on them. And the best way to work out what’s next, is together,” the treasurer will say in Canberra.
The government has a “responsibility and an obligation” to revive productivity through reform, not least for the prosperity of future generations.
“That’s why productivity matters, why budget sustainability matters, why resilience in the face of global turmoil matters. It’s why reform matters,” he will say.
Treasury’s incoming government brief blamed Australia’s poor productivity performance on four things.
“Firstly, our economy is not dynamic or innovative enough. Secondly, private investment has picked up, but not by enough to make our capital deep enough. Thirdly, skills aren’t abundant enough or matched well enough to business needs.
“Finally, our changing industrial base and the growth in services – where productivity is harder to find, and where traditional measures don’t account well for quality.”
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Australia ‘calling for de-escalation’ between Israel and Iran, Marles says
Richard Marles would not be drawn on the Trump administration’s policy on the conflict between Israel and Iran and any potential support Australia may lend to its ally.
Speaking with the ABC’s 7.30 on Tuesday, the acting prime minister said Australia was “deeply concerned” about the conflict broadening and was “very much calling for de-escalation”.
He said the government wanted “to see a move towards diplomacy and dialogue … implied in that, obviously, is a very clear concern that we have about the opposite – about this escalating into some broader conflict”.
When asked whether Australia would support US involvement in the conflict militarily, Marles said:
I’m not going to go down the path of speculating but we’re not a part of this conflict.
In light of Donald Trump’s early departure from the G7 meeting in Canada, Marles said he did not know whether the prime minister had been notified that the president was cancelling Wednesday’s meeting with Albanese before it became public knowledge.
In the meantime, he advised Australians to shelter in place in Tehran.
He said 650 Australians in Iran and 600 in Israel had sought an assisted departure and that preparations were being made to start departures when airspace opened “in any form”.
For more on this read Jordyn Beazley’s interviews with Australian stuck in Iran:
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Sharp rise in Australians identifying as LGBTQI+
Australians are becoming more comfortable identifying as lesbian, gay or bisexual, with experts likening it to the sexual revolution of previous decades, the Australian Associated Press reports.
Researchers at Charles Darwin University estimated Australia’s LGBTQI+ population doubled between 2012 and 2020, increasing from 3.3% to 5.8% of adults over 15.
The data came from the Hilda longitudinal survey of 17,000 Australians with responses from participants who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or another sexual identity.
The data was collected in 2012, 2016 and 2020.
During this time period there was a “burst of acceptance” of sexual minorities in Australia, particularly after the 2017 same-sex marriage vote, the lead researcher, Fiona Shalley, said.
If the young adults who participated in the study maintained their sexual minority identities throughout their life, Australia’s LGBTQI population could grow by about 3% each year.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2024 estimated 4.5% – or about one in 20 – Australians aged 16 and over were LGBTI+, based on combined data from multiple household surveys.
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German chancellor asks Albanese to wrap up negotiations over EU free trade deal with Australia
The German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has asked Anthony Albanese if he can help secure a speedy end to negotiations over a European Union free trade agreement with Australia.
The pair have met on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Kananaskis and agreed to do everything they can to finalise long-running negotiations. Progress on a deal stalled in 2023 but have gained new momentum since Donald Trump launched his tariff war.
Australia has previously offered a possible removal of the luxury car tax, but wants greater access to European markets for lamb and beef exports. Geographic indicators on products such as prosecco and feta cheese also remain a point of conflict from the European side.
“Is there anything that we can do, that I can do to speed it up a little bit?” Merz asked Albanese in their meeting.
Albanese said Australia was “very keen on getting it done quickly”.
He will meet European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen later today, along with European Council boss António Costa.
The two sides are also considering a new defence and security pact which could involve military exercises and other cooperation in areas of mutual interest including foreign interference, cybersecurity, counter-terrorism, defence industries and critical technologies.
Updated
Albanese tells G7: single countries should not be allowed to control supply of critical mineral
Anthony Albanese is at the G7 summit in Kananaskis, in Canada’s Rocky Mountains, meeting with world leaders and talking about renewable energy and artificial intelligence.
The prime minister has joined the traditional leaders family photo and held bilateral meetings with German chancellor Friedrich Merz and Japan’s prime minister Shigeru Ishiba.
He is expected to meet the British prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, later in the afternoon, local time, and has shared a hug with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In one of the main summit sessions, Albanese made an intervention on critical minerals, telling the summit single countries should not be allowed to control supply.
“Critical minerals are the new drivers of energy security,” Albanese said.
“Australia is blessed to have some of the largest critical minerals deposits on Earth.
“But we are increasingly finding that critical minerals markets are concentrated and vulnerable to manipulation. Producers struggle to remain competitive, and supply chains are affected by export bans and controls.”
Albanese told the leaders that Australia remains committed to working with international partners to build new energy industries, ensure regional energy security and advance the energy transition.
He said he was pleased that Australia had signed on to the G7’s critical minerals action plan, “which will support secure, diversified critical minerals supply chains”.
Updated
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the best of the overnight stories, and then my colleague Nick Visser will pick up the slack.
Anthony Albanese has been busy while most of us slept, with bilateral meetings (including a hug with Zelenskyy) and an intervention in a session on critical minerals. All eyes this morning will be on his upcoming chat with Keir Starmer.
Back home, Richard Marles refused to be drawn on the Trump administration’s policy on the conflict between Israel and Iran or whether Australia would weigh in on behalf of its ally. He told ABC’s 7.30 last night that Australia was “deeply concerned” about the conflict broadening and was “very much calling for de-escalation”.
Jim Chalmers will lay out his key priorities for reforming the economy when he speaks at the National Press Club at lunchtime, as he confronts “intensifying pressures” on the economy. He will say his three priorities are boosting productivity, fixing the budget and making Australia more resilient.
More Australians are identifying as lesbian, gay or bisexual, with experts likening it to the sexual revolution of previous decades. A new study claims the LGBTQI population doubled between 2012 and 2020, increasing from 3.3% to 5.8% of adults over 15.
