Students at Catholic high school caught using AI in exams
Year 12 students at the Mazenod College in Mulgrave were caught using artificial intelligence in their Year 12 oral English exam.
Reports suggest up to 50 students may have used AI in the oral English exam, but when contacted by Guardian Australia, the school did not confirm this figure.
Principal of Mazenod College, Paul Shannon, said:
Following a review of the Year 12 Oral English exam process, the college identified evidence that suggested artificial intelligence tools were used by several students.
The matter was thoroughly investigated, and all appropriate processes were followed in submitting results to the VCAA. This included conversations with the students involved, and the appropriate reduction in marks for the affected assessment.
Shannon said AI tools are a “growing challenge” within schools, and they have no place in assessments and examinations.
The Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority’s handbook states: use of generative AI in an assessment may breach academic integrity, and must be investigated under the school’s policy for investigating rule breaches.
NSW electoral commission alleges two Labor officials tried to disguise donations to Chris Minns in 2015 election campaign
The New South Wales Electoral Commission has revealed that prosecutors have launched proceedings against two state Labor officials after they allegedly tried to disguise donations to Chris Minns during his 2015 election campaign.
The NSW director of public prosecution launched proceedings against Jonathan Yee and Ernest Wong last Thursday after the electoral commission commenced an investigation in 2019 into a “potential scheme to circumvent” election funding laws during the campaign to elect Minns for the seat of Kogarah. The commission said in a statement on Tuesday:
In the proceedings, it will be alleged that between 28 October 2014 and 12 August 2015 at Sydney and at other places in the State of New South Wales, Mr Yee and Mr Wong carried out a scheme to circumvent a prohibition or requirement under Part 6 of the [Election Funding, Expenditure and Disclosures Act 1981].
The commission said in the statement that it became aware of the potential alleged breach during the 2019 Independent Commission Against Corruption’s Operation Aero investigation, which in 2022 found Wong – a former NSW Labor MP – had engaged in corrupt conduct by concealing the illegal political donations.
The commission said it provided materials to the NSW DPP in between March and May 2026 after it received materials from the public accountability and works committee of the NSW parliament relating to the investigation.
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Missing Tasmanian devil spotted by home security camera
A missing Tasmanian devil has been spied on home security footage, narrowing the search after it escaped from the Paradise Country theme park on the Gold Coast last Tuesday.
The park confirmed the sighting of the devil, named Mary, on Facebook:
Following the continuation of an extensive search over the weekend and the sighting on local home security, we have triangulated the area which backs onto Saltwater Creek Reserve as a priority for the operation to locate Mary.
Lauren Mousley, Paradise Country Curator of wildlife, asked the local community to monitor their security cameras for any movements and warned:
… if they do sight Mary to not approach or attempt to capture to avoid risk of injury.
Read more:
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AFP senior executive has driver’s licence suspended for drink-driving
A senior executive for the Australian Federal Police has had their driver’s licence suspended for three months after the employee was caught drink-driving in Queanbeyan.
The Australia Federal Police said in a statement:
On Monday, 8 June, 2026, an AFP senior executive employee received an infringement notice for a low-range drink driving offence in Queanbeyan, NSW.
Their driving privileges were suspended in NSW for three months.
Per standard practice, the AFP has initiated an internal investigation in line with the AFP’s integrity framework.
The AFP is committed to transparency.
No further comment will be made.
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BoM says El Niño is ‘approaching’ but not yet locked in
The Bureau of Meteorology has said this afternoon that the tropical Pacific Ocean is “approaching El Niño conditions” but has stopped short of declaring the climate pattern is locked in.
El Niño can bring hotter and drier conditions to Australia’s east, particularly in winter and spring, and can increase the risk of bushfires, heatwaves, drought and coral bleaching.
The bureau’s long-range forecast for the winter months already shows an increased chance of below average rainfall for much of the country’s east and south west WA, as well as an increased chance of above average maximum and minimum temperatures across much of the country.
The bureau said in an update that trade winds, atmospheric pressure patterns and clouds were also “trending towards an El Niño state”.
A temperature index in a key region of the tropical Pacific was now at +0.81C, the bureau confirmed, which was just over one of the thresholds for declaring an El Niño. The bureau said:
“Some uncertainty remains in the likely strength of this El Niño event. Models indicate it will be at least moderate in strength, with the possibility of a strong event, based on the extent of warming in the central tropical Pacific.”
Experts have stressed that for Australia, the strength of an El Niño does not necessarily align with its affects.
Globally, El Niño can push up global temperatures, and some climate scientists expect the climate pattern could deliver a record hot year in 2027.
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Liberal party ‘indistinguishable these days’ from One Nation, PM says
Albanese has said “the Liberal One National party are indistinguishable these days” after being asked about Angus Taylor not ruling out joining forces with One Nation.
The prime minister said:
The Liberal One National party are indistinguishable these days, and the problem for Angus Taylor is that if he tries to out-One Nation, One Nation … then they become indistinguishable, and people more and more will go towards what they see as the real thing.
The problem is when it comes to solutions, and we certainly know that people are under pressure, but if you’re serious about government, you’ve got to come up with solutions.
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Albanese says Liberals’ plan to abolish Housing Australia Future Fund is ‘extraordinary’
Anthony Albanese was asked during the press conference in Bendigo if his government can help respond to concerns from a local housing group that there’s a rising homeless population and not enough transitional and support housing in the region.
He responded that the government can help “if the Coalition [and] the Greens got out of the way”.
He continued:
We had the Housing Australia Future Fund that was held up in the Senate for two years, and now we have, as part of that, emergency accommodation as well.
The Housing Australia Future Fund, a $10bn fund for more social housing, more emergency housing, more housing that Australians really need for workers in essential services, has all been opposed, and the Coalition is saying that they will abolish it.
It is extraordinary that in Angus Taylor’s budget reply, he wants to reinstitute the taxes that will advantage investors over first home buyers, and in order to fund that, he will abolish these programs that build social, affordable, and public housing.
The Greens agreed to support the Albanese government’s Housing Australia Future Fund (Haff) after months of bitter negotiations and securing a further $1bn for public and community housing.
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PM speaks in support of Jacinta Allan
Anthony Albanese is speaking from Bendigo right now, where he has said the Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, is “absolutely” the best person to lead the state.
Victoria needs a strong premier, they need someone who is a strong advocate.
Premier Allan was one of the first premiers to sign up to ensure that every school in Victoria, public and private, received full and fair funding from the Commonwealth government.
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Hi there, I’ll now be taking you through our rolling news coverage for the rest of today.
That’s all for me. Jordyn Beazley will take the reins for the rest of the day. Enjoy the arvo!
More on the Liberal unease over One Nation and Coalition preference deals
More on those potential preference deals between One Nation and the Coalition from my colleague, Dan Jervis-Bardy:
The Liberals and Nationals are grappling with how to respond to the surging support for One Nation, which threatens to replace them as Australia’s main conservative party.
The Liberals encouraged supporters to direct preferences to One Nation ahead of the independent challenger at the Farrer byelection, in part to avoid alienating their right-wing supporter base.
It made a similar decision at this year’s South Australian election and in several seats at the 2025 federal election, breaking from the John Howard-era position of rejecting Hanson’s candidates.
The strategy has caused unease among moderate Liberals, who fear that associating themselves with Hanson will make it harder to reclaim city seats lost to teal independents and Labor.
Read more here:
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Key event
Albanese: Tim Cook says Apple’s new safety controls are inspired by Australia’s social media ban
Anthony Albanese says the Apple chief executive, Tim Cook, has linked the introduction of new online safety controls on for children Apple platforms to Australia’s social media ban for under-16s.
In the statement, the PM said Cook called him to explain the changes, which include features designed to allow parents to more easily manage the content their children can see, who they can communicate with, and when they have access to apps.
“Mr Cook told me these changes are in part inspired by Australia’s world leading social media age ban, as well as the continued research Apple is undertaking into the impact of social media on kids,” Albanese said.
I welcome this announcement, and I am proud of the world leading work Australia is doing to fight for a safer online world for our children.
We have a long way to go and we knew it would not be easy.
However we are now seeing a number of nations follow Australia’s lead and take forward their own social media age bans.
Cook invited Albanese to visit Apple next time he is in the United States.
A range of countries around the world, including France and Denmark, are already following Australia’s lead on restricting social media use for children.
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The ‘less lethal’ weapons Australian police don’t want you to know about
Projectiles that release powder designed to burn the eyes and throat. Flashbang grenades. Teargas. Launchers that resemble semi-automatic rifles.
Often dubbed “less lethal”, these weapons can cause serious injuries or even death if misused – but they are deployed by police against crowds in Australia with little scrutiny.
“All of these weapons can kill people,” says Rohini Haar, a medical adviser at Physicians for Human Rights who has researched their health impacts on protesters around the world.
The Guardian’s Ariel Bogel and Nino Bucci have an investigation into such weaponry, and it’s worth your time. Take a look here:
Angus Taylor hints Coalition could work with One Nation to defeat 'rotten Labor government'
The opposition leader, Angus Taylor, has alluded to the possibility the Coalition could work with One Nation to “get rid of a rotten Labor government” when asked about swapping preferences with Pauline Hanson’s party.
Taylor spoke to journalists during a doorstop this morning, saying Australians were “angry” after polls showed a rise in support for One Nation. When asked about the potential of swapping preferences with Hanson, Taylor had this to say:
[Australians] they’ve had enough of this rotten Labor government that’s taking this country in the wrong direction. We’ll work with others to get rid of this rotten Labor government.
So, obviously, these are decisions that will, ultimately, be made by party organisations over time.
When asked later about the Western Australia Liberal leader leaving the door open to working with One Nation to form government in the state, Taylor went on to say the Coalition would work with “whoever we can” to defeat Labor.
It’s got to go. It has failed Australians. This prime minister has failed Australians. This treasurer has failed Australians, and we’ll work with whoever we have to get rid of this toxic Labor government and their toxic taxes.
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Budget changes loom large over next rate decision
Top of mind is also the impact of the budget tax changes on the housing market and other investments, which has tightened financial conditions and so done some of the RBA’s work for it.
For example, banks have slashed the borrowing capacity of housing investors by about 20% in response to the planned changes to capital gains tax and negative gearing.
“Given that 40c in every $1 of mortgage lending flows to investors, this is a sizeable decline in borrowing capacity in aggregate,” Auld writes.
Homebuilding might only account for roughly 5% of GDP, but the knock-on effects to the rest of the economy “are likely to be much larger”:
For this reason, we are wary that a larger cycle in the housing market represents a downside risk to economic activity in coming quarters.
For now, NAB is pencilling in a rate cut in the June quarter next year.
In summary, we have greater conviction that the next move in rates is down, but less conviction on the timing.
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NAB predicts next interest rate move will be downward – in 2027
Here’s some potential good news for mortgage holders: NAB economists reckon the next interest rate move will be down, not up.
But before you break out the champagne, we could be waiting a year for the rate cut, according to the bank.
Still, it’s a change in view by Nab’s chief economist, Sally Auld, who had previously predicted the Reserve Bank would hike its cash rate at the August board meeting.
A sharper-than-expected economic slowdown in early 2026 is the backdrop for Auld and her team’s change of mind.
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ABC began an international search to replace its news director without his knowledge
Earlier this morning we reported some comments from the ABC managing director, Hugh Marks, following the resignation of the broadcaster’s head of news, Justin Stevens, last month.
My colleague Amanda Meade has more, with Marks saying Stevens “did not know” he had begun an international search for his replacement. Marks said it was a necessary move because they “couldn’t get agreement on the way forward”.
A 19-year veteran of ABC News, Stevens was forced to resign last month after Marks told him he had hired a top news executive from Reuters, Simon Robinson, to replace him.
Read more here:
Cold front brings heavy rain and strong winds to parts of southern WA
A cold front in Western Australia is dumping rain on the southern part of the state, bringing storms and cooler temperatures.
From 9am Monday to 8am this morning, parts of south-western WA have seen heavy rainfall totals, including 68mm at Dingo Road near Harvey; 54mm at Sandy Road; 53mm at Samson Brook Dam; and 49mm at Mandalay.
The Bureau of Meteorology said the cold front also brought strong winds with gusts of up to 106km/h at Cape Leeuwin and 83km/h at Busselton. The BoM said:
As of Tuesday morning, the leading front is pushing eastwards, into the interior of WA. This is being followed by a pool of cold air, ensuring a day of showers and cool winds for most southern parts of WA today, with small hail possible along the coast.
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How could the Socceroos actually win the 2026 Fifa World Cup?
The Socceroos are heading to the 2026 Men’s World Cup, which means it’s time for Australia to start caring about soccer, sorry, football once again.
But if you’re a little rusty on how the tournament works, never fear. Matilda Boseley and Jack Snape are here to break down everything you need to know before the green and gold take the pitch.
Pocock: ‘yet another’ inquiry calls for gambling ad ban after ACT report
The Australian Capital Territory is considering further restrictions on gambling advertisements as an inquiry into men’s suicide rates recommends a total ban.
The Canberra parliament’s social policy committee last week handed down its report saying reduced gambling promotion could “play an important role” in lowering men’s suicide risk.
Its independent, Liberal, Labor and Greens members made 25 other recommendations, including for increased mental health supports, improved health system referrals and public housing provision.
David Pocock, the independent ACT senator, said on Facebook on Monday:
Yet another parliamentary inquiry recommends a full ban of gambling advertising. What will it take for [governments] to put people first, act on the evidence and reduce harm?
A separate report on the ACT’s plan to reduce the number of poker machines in the territory in May warned stronger ad regulation was “central to addressing underlying drivers of harm”. The territory’s government has previously found four in five residents want a total ad ban and the gaming minister, Marisa Paterson, has said reducing young people’s exposure to ads is being considered.
The federal government has declined to introduce a national ad ban despite an inquiry recommending it do so three years ago, instead planning for partial bans.
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Pets will soon be allowed on some Virgin flights
Some pet owners will soon be allowed to take their furry friends into the cabin with them on Virgin flights between Adelaide and two other Australian cities.
Virgin Australia’s first Pets in Cabin flight will take off from Adelaide bound for Melbourne on 23 June. The service will be available on flights between Adelaide and Melbourne and also Adelaide and the Gold Coast from that date.
It comes after Virgin flights from Melbourne to Queensland began allowing small cats and dogs in cabins from October last year.
In 2021, Australia’s air regulator, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, changed its rules so that airlines no longer require its explicit permission to carry animals. While other airlines still require pets to travel in the cargo hold, Virgin has led the charge, now allowing them to ride topside, in the cabin.
Virgin’s Pets in Cabin network is currently available on the below routes:
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Adelaide > Melbourne
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Melbourne > Adelaide
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Adelaide > Gold Coast
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Gold Coast > Adelaide
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Melbourne > Gold Coast
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Gold Coast > Melbourne
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Melbourne > Sunshine Coast (Maroochydore)
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Sunshine Coast (Maroochydore) > Melbourne
The service is currently limited, with Adelaide and Melbourne pet flights available to book until 31 January 2027, and all other services available to book for travel until 30 September this year. However, the airline is seeking final airport approval to make the service a standard offering on eligible flights from next year.
The Virgin Australia chief marketing and customer operations officer, Libby Minogue, said:
We’ve seen an overwhelmingly positive response to the Pets in Cabin service, with almost 1,500 pets travelling on Virgin Australia flights since the program launched in October.
Pets are part of the family and we know how important it is for many Australians to be able to travel with them interstate.
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Survey shows cost-of-living pressures ‘back with a vengeance’ in June
Household confidence has slumped back to around 50-year lows as the cut to the fuel excise provided only a temporary reprieve and homeowners were unsettled by falling property prices.
Westpac’s latest monthly consumer sentiment survey showed a big jump in pessimism around family finances, with “budget and taxation” and “inflation” at the top of respondents’ minds when it came to news topics.
With no immediate end to the Middle East conflict in sight, Matthew Hassan, a senior economist at Westpac, said “responses in June showed particularly high recall for news on ‘budget and taxation’ and ‘inflation’”.
He said:
While most assessed the news as unfavourable, there was a stronger consensus on ‘inflation’ news which 85% of consumers read as negative, compared to ‘budget and taxation’ which closer to 70% viewed as unfavourable.
Cost-of-living issues came back with a vengeance in June. Australian consumers are clearly bracing for more bad news on the financial front.
Respondents said just 4.5% of respondents said investing in real estate was the “wisest place for savings” – the smallest share since the survey began in 1974, and against the 24% long-term average.
Hassan said this reflected “a mix of price declines in some markets, actual and expected interest rate rises, and the major tax policy changes affecting investor housing announced in the federal budget”.
Financial markets are pricing in an effectively zero percent chance of a Reserve Bank rate hike next Tuesday, but a nearly 50% chance by the following meeting in August.
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Allan: ‘Hanson chooses to barrack for the bullies, I choose to fight them’
Allan also responded to Pauline Hanson, who – asked about the truck-mounted billboard featuring the premier alongside the phrase “ditch the witch” – said the premier should “suck it up, sweetheart”.
Allan said:
Pauline Hanson chooses to barrack for the bullies. I choose to fight them.
On Sunday, one of the AI-generated images from the billboard was published in the Herald Sun, alongside a story about a possible leadership spill against Allan. This prompted the premier to release a statement saying “sexism has no place in our political debate, full stop”.
The billboard drew condemnation from several high-profile figures including Julia Gillard and Anthony Albanese.
When asked if calling out the billboard had drawn more attention to it, Allan said:
I have spent my entire life committed to fighting for equal opportunity and equal representation for women, and I’m not going to stop now. And in fact, having the privilege of standing here as premier and having the opportunity to call out sexism against women in all its forms, it actually in positions like mine it demands that response.
It demands calling out sexism in all its forms, because it’s not just against women politicians and women political leaders, it’s women in all workplaces, in all works of walks of life. And I’m also not going to stand back and let young girls see this sort of material, and think that it’s normal, because no one chooses to call it out. I’m going to call it out. I’m going to keep calling out.
On Gillard’s response, Allan said:
It made my heart sing to see Julia’s response, and also to see the response from so many other women and men in our community, because we’ve got to draw the line … There’s too much division, too much hate, I don’t have a problem if people have a different view, that’s democracy, but what is wrong is when difference is used, is weaponized in a sexist, misogynist, hateful way, and I’ll always call that out.
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Victoria premier says she remains ‘all in’
When asked what her message was to MPs who had been “expressing frustration” via the media, Jacinta Allan said:
We don’t need polls to necessarily tell us that the old rules of politics, they’re changing, and we’ve seen how global economic shocks are really hitting people hard. We hear that, we see that.
We also see how One Nation is cannibalising the Liberal party vote, the National party vote, and I will also acknowledge it is taking a slice out of the Labor vote as well. We have to see that, hear that, understand that, keep listening to Victorians, but more importantly, take action to help people right now with those pressures that are real.
Asked whether any of her MPs had asked her to stand down, she said “no”. She went on:
I just want to make this clear too – when the going gets tough, the tough get going, and I am all in.
Allan dismisses leadership concern at press conference
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, held her first press conference since Labor MPs revived conversations about a possible leadership spill against her late last week.
Following a tough week at parliament, continued poor polling, the premier’s weak personal ratings and rising support for One Nation, Labor MPs last week said Allan’s leadership was again at risk, despite a seeming lack of a viable candidate who could unite the party’s left and right factions.
Flanked by nurses, Allan told reporters on Tuesday she had seen the reports but dismissed them as “navel gazing” at a time most Victorians were struggling with cost of living pressures:
I’ve seen these reports. Can I make it clear that people are looking for help, and navel gazing doesn’t help people with those cost of living pressures that are so real right now. What does help is 20% off your car reggo.
What does help is half-price public transport all the way through to the end of the year. Working from home also helps, and that’s what I’m focused on, because that’s what Victorians tell me that they want their government to be focused on.
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Imagining Australia’s path to World Cup glory: who stands in the Socceroos’ way?
The Socceroos knocked on their ceiling at the last World Cup when reaching the round of 16 for the second time in their history. Four years later, and with an exciting new crop of talents emerging, there is reason to dream that Australia can match that – and perhaps even go further.
Since taking the reins little more than 18 months ago, coach Tony Popovic has helped the Socceroos chart a new course. Most crucially, the veteran of the celebrated 2006 World Cup squad has set out to build a belief that the time is now for Australia to “go very far” at a global tournament.
We gaze into a crystal ball to predict the routes the Socceroos could take to meet those great expectations.
ASX slumps amid global volatility
Australian shares opened sharply lower this morning, after a sharp selloff in technology stocks in South Korea and the US caused a broader slump in global markets.
The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 was down 1.5% to 8,500 points in early trading this morning. Australian shares have not traded since Friday due to Monday’s public holiday.
Global markets were sold off heavily late last week, amid concerns over valuations and elevated inflation, before Wall Street recorded a partial rebound on Monday.
Oil prices have been rising after renewed conflict in the Middle East dampened hopes that the strait of Hormuz would soon reopen, which has weighed on equities.
Chris Strazzeri, dealing manager at trading platform Moomoo, said Monday’s lead from Wall Street was “constructive rather than convincing”.
He said:
The technology sector’s rebound should provide some support, but with geopolitical risks still lingering and investors looking for greater clarity, today’s session may be characterised by cautious optimism rather than a broad-based rally.
The Australian dollar is trading at about US70.4 cents, near two month lows.
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Australia secures more diesel and fertiliser
Australia has secured more fuel and more fertiliser amid ongoing instability surrounding the strait of Hormuz.
The Albanese government said it has secured shipments of 31,000 tonnes of urea (a fertiliser) and 50m litres of diesel, which is says will provide more certainty for farmers “as they make planting and growing decisions for the current and upcoming season”.
The trade minister, Don Farrell, said in a statement the move showcased “practical steps to secure essential supplies to keep Australia moving”. The climate change minister, Chris Bowen, added in a statement:
We’ve now got 740m litres of diesel arriving which would not otherwise be on its way, because of the action the government took early, and you can expect that figure to keep growing.
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Unclear if newest US tariffs will overlap with existing tax on imports, Farrell says
The trade minister, Don Farrell, says Australia is unsure whether the latest round of potential Trump tariffs will replace or overlap the US president’s first tax on Australian imports.
Farrell has protested against the latest announcement from Washington DC – a 12.5% tariff on countries supposedly not doing enough to combat modern slavery. But his talks with US trade representative, Jamieson Greer, last week in Paris has failed to provide any further clarity for Australia.
Asked this morning if the new tariff would be in addition to the 10% baseline rate included in Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff regime, or if it would replace that rate, Farrell conceded he did not know.
“That was the first question I asked my counterpart, Jamison Greer, and I think, based on his answer, there is a possibility that for a couple of days the tariffs might overlap, but they don’t intend to enforce that lap,” he said
Our position to the Americans is it should be zero. We have a free trade agreement with the United States, which we honor. We don’t apply tariffs to any goods that come in from the United States. We expect the United States to do exactly the same and honor our free trade agreement and apply no tariffs to Australian goods.
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Australians have lower life satisfaction now than during height of Covid pandemic, analysis finds
Growing financial pressure is causing lower life satisfaction levels among Australians today than during the lockdowns at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to KPMG analysis of ABS data.
Overall life satisfaction – based on asking people to rate their own satisfaction on a scale of 1-10 – has fallen to 7.1 in 2025, down from 7.2 in 2020, when lockdowns and widespread restrictions were in place. This marks a notable decline from the pre-pandemic level of 7.5 in 2019 and a broader easing from the relatively stable levels observed between 2014 and 2019 (7.6–7.5).
Terry Rawnsley, an urban economist with KPMG urban economist, said:
Unlike the pandemic lockdowns, this isn’t a temporary disruption, it’s sustained pressure on living standards. Real wages have gone backwards, declining 4.1% between 2019 and 2025, while median household wealth has stalled at $700,000.
These factors have left many average Australians in a precarious financial position for the better part of five years and is undoubtedly affecting how they feel about their lives.
Improving life satisfaction is not something that can be fixed overnight. It will require a sustained focus on factors closely shaping how Australians experience the economy, including real incomes, housing affordability and financial resilience.
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Australia has until 6 July to ask for exemption from tariff regime
When asked whether Australia would be prepared to strengthen its modern day slavery laws in order to avoid potential tariffs by the US, Don Farrell said he didn’t “see the two as being linked as such” but insisted Australia had effective mechanisms to deal with it already.
The announcement from the Trump administration comes as the deadline approaches for the end of temporary trade sanctions imposed after the US supreme court struck down Trump’s 10% global tariffs.
Farrell said:
I think we’ve got a piece of legislation that deals with [it]. We have criminal sanctions for people who breach it. We have an anti-slavery commission. So I think when you look around the world at those countries that are doing something about modern slavery, we’re one of those countries that is doing that.
Australia will have until 6 July to press for an exemption.
Farrell says Australia ‘absolutely disappointed’ in new US tariff proposal
Don Farrell says he told the US’s top trade official “how absolutely disappointed” Australia is to be included in potential tariffs against countries allegedly failing to prevent imports of goods made by slave labour.
In a press conference this morning, the trade minister said he met with the US trade representative, Jamieson Greer, last Wednesday in Paris to convey the strong opposition to the proposal:
I’ve expressed to him how absolutely disappointed we are to have been included in this category, and said to him that … we do not believe that it’s appropriate to have Australia classified in this group. The final decision has not yet been made by the American administration, that will be some weeks away. In the intervening period, we’ll be processing our argument very strongly that we should not be in this category.
Read more:
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No reports of Australians affected by deadly quake in the Philippines, minister says
Matt Thistlethwaite, the assistant foreign affairs minister, said there are no reports of any Australians affected by the quake in the Philippines.
He told Sky News this morning:
According to the reports from Australia consular officials on the ground there, thankfully there are no Australians involved at this stage. Obviously, we just saw the shocking and terrifying footage of those buildings coming down. …
Our consular officials will continue to monitor the situation.
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Death toll climbs to 35 after magnitude 7.8 earthquake rocks the Philippines
At least 35 people have died after a magnitude-7.8 earthquake shook part of the Philippines early on Monday, collapsing buildings and triggering tsunami alerts.
The quake hit early in the morning about 20km (12.4 miles) off the coast of Sarangani province, with tremors felt strongly across Mindanao and 420km away in the city of Manado on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.
Authorities were verifying preliminary reports of 35 people killed and 144 injured across Mindanao, mostly from falling debris and landslides, according to civil defence officials. They told people not to enter damaged homes and other infrastructure because of the threat of aftershocks.
The Guardian has approached Dfat for comment.
Read more here:
Minister calls proposed US tariffs on Australian goods ‘completely unjustified’
Matt Thistlethwaite, the assistant foreign affairs minister, said Donald Trump’s proposed 12.5% tariffs on Australia would “obviously” have an effect on Australian goods sold in the US.
The White House said this month the tariffs could be laid on imports from dozens of countries, claiming the listed nations – Australia among them – had failed to prevent imports of goods made by slave labour.
Thistlethwaite spoke to ABC News Breakfast this morning, saying:
We reiterate our call that these tariffs are completely unjustified and unwarranted. They’ve been put in place because of the US’s perception around anti-slavery and forced labour provisions.
Australia has some of the most stringent and strongest anti-forced labour and modern slavery laws in the world and they require the largest corporations in Australia to check their supply chains and ensure that they’re not using forced labour or slavery-based practices in their production of their goods and services.
He added Australia would continue to negotiate “and work with the United States to have them removed as quickly as possible”.
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‘If Australian datacentres are going to power the AI revolution, we deserve a fair return’ – David Pocock
Independent senator David Pocock has published an opinion piece about the growth of AI datacentres in Australia and how the gold rush should benefit Australians. He writes:
Huge investment in this space is pouring into Australia. In the past year, Microsoft has announced $25bn will go into Australian datacentres and Amazon Web Services has committed another $20bn.
The prime minister has posed for photos with the CEOs of both companies, welcoming the investment with open arms despite a growing backlash by communities against AI and datacentre construction. At a time when economic growth is sluggish, the government sees billions of dollars in investment as making for a good headline.
But we need to ask a bigger question:
What is this all for and how do the Australian people benefit from it?
Take a read here:
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Marks: Pickering comments ‘not a breach’ of code
Hugh Marks was just asked about Grace Tame’s four-part podcast for the ABC about autism, which has sparked some criticism due to her comments about Israel and Gaza in an ABC interview.
Marks said the podcast was engaged “some time ago”, adding:
I think if you look at the programme itself, it’s a great podcast that she’s done a great job on a topic that I’m sure will be of real interest and real importance to many Australians who suffer from those conditions, and particularly young Australians and young Australian women.
So there’s a balance in all these things … for the ABC to be ensuring that we bring great content to air and also acknowledging that, you know, with some of the people that we work with, sometimes there will be controversy.
Marks went on to speak about Charlie Pickering, who told a rightwing livestreamer in off-the-cuff remarks he believed Tame’s role was “problematic” as a matter of “personal opinion”. Marks said:
Obviously we’ve looked at Charlie’s comments. I think he did express that they were his own view. They weren’t represented at the ABC. It was a little bit on the hop and a little bit not. So I think we felt comfortable that we were able to accept that his comments weren’t a breach of the ABC code of conduct.
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ABC managing director details changes in top news role
Hugh Marks, the ABC’s managing director, is speaking about changes at the public broadcaster after the director of news, Justin Stevens, resigned last month.
Marks spoke to RN Breakfast, saying the pair possibly felt “there were different directions to pursue” as the ABC considered the future of news. He went on:
I think there are a couple of key problems we’ve got really deal with. One is a lot of people, particularly in the live news area of the ABC, I think feel stretched and pressured, and that’s because we’ve added services to what we do. And more work obviously leads to more pressure. Sometimes that leads to having to spread our resources more thinly. And that’s a problem that I know I’ve got to solve. …
We’ve got to go through some changes. And I guess we can have different views on what those changes should be and how we go about implementing them.
Reuters executive Simon Robinson will replace Stevens in September. Marks said he has “deep journalistic experience”:
He’s worked as a reporter across many regions, including conflict regions, and he’s managed a team of 2,000 people creating journalism for Reuters for a number of years.
I think he has a lot of deep experience with the tasks that are going to be necessary to take that business forward.
New cost of living index shows jobseeker recipients can’t afford basics
Anglicare Australia is calling on the federal government to urgently raise the rate of jobseeker and other income support payments, after new research found people on Centrelink payments cannot afford basic living costs.
The 2026 cost of living index finds that:
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A single person on jobseeker falls behind by $251 a week after paying for rent, food and transport
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A single parent on a parenting payment falls behind by $174 a week
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A couple with two children on jobseeker falls behind by $428 a week.
Anglicare Australia’s executive director, Kasy Chambers, said:
These figures show that Australia’s cost of living crisis is hitting people on the lowest incomes the hardest.
People aren’t literally spending hundreds of dollars more than they receive every week. They’re surviving by skipping meals, going without healthcare, living in unsuitable housing, relying on emergency relief, turning to unaffordable lines of credit and building up debts they can’t afford to repay.
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Hanson on sexist attacks on Jacinta Allan: 'No wonder they called her a witch'
Pauline Hanson has doubled down on her comments after a “sexist” roving billboard campaign about Victorian premier that included the phrase “ditch the witch” was roundly condemned.
Listing issues Hanson said Victorians were concerned about, including “escalating” crime and renewable energy infrastructure, the One Nation leader told Sky News “no wonder they called her a witch”:
Probably stronger words might be used for her, but they feel the sooner she’s gone, the better.
Jacinta – if the shoe fits, then wear it.
On Monday, Hanson told Sky News that Allan should “suck it up, sweetheart”. She said had been called a witch “long before” Allan, including by politicians.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, told reporters in Canberra on Monday the “sexist” advertising campaign was “totally unacceptable and has no place in public life”.
“We want to encourage women to enter public life and it should be a contest of ideas, not personal attacks,” he said.
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Good morning, and happy Tuesday. The mornings are getting darker, but it’s Nick Visser here to bring you the news no matter what the sun says. Stick with us.
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Pharmacists call for broader powers to prescribe medications
Pharmacists are pushing for broader powers to prescribe medications, which they say will take pressure off GPs and the federal budget, while saving patients from having to book a doctor’s appointment every time they want to pick up a script.
Trials across the states and territories already allow chemists to prescribe medicines for hormonal contraception, urinary tract infections and skin conditions, among others.
Expanding pharmacist prescribing to asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hormonal contraception and cardiovascular risk reduction could save the health system $1bn a year, a report released by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia on Tuesday found.
It could also free up more than 10 million GP appointments and prevent 30,000 hospitalisations annually, modelling by health economics consultancy HTANALYSTS showed.
“This modelling shows that empowering specially trained pharmacists to prescribe for appropriate conditions isn’t just good for patients – it’s good for the entire health system,” the Pharmacy Guild president, Trent Twomey, said.
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NDIS cuts unfairly affect women, advocacy groups warn
Women and families of disabled Australians will be unfairly affected by a sweeping rewrite of the national disability insurance scheme, advocacy groups have warned, AAP reports.
A government inquiry into proposed NDIS changes is this week expected to hear evidence that access changes – designed in part to halt ballooning costs – will negatively impact mothers of disabled children, even if they are adults.
About $11bn of the $16.6bn savings forecast for 2029/30 will come from eligibility changes, including more detailed assessments, modelling from the Grattan Institute shows.
The changes are likely to reduce NDIS participants to 598,000 in 2030/31 – a third of the expected numbers if no changes were made.
But before changes kick in fully, the majority of cuts will be made in short-term measures, particularly social and community participation funding, which means many clients will rely on their families to help them participate in everyday activities.
“These savings won’t be achieved without shifting costs on to families and informal carers,” the Grattan Institute said in its submission to the inquiry.
Women With Disabilities Australia warned care responsibilities were likely to shift disproportionately to women, who might need to take time out of work to look after disabled friends or relatives.
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Support for Jacinta Allan declines
Dire polling showing an increasingly on-the-nose Victorian state government would be defeated in November’s election could reignite party rumblings to remove its deeply unpopular premier, AAP reports.
Victorian Labor’s primary vote has slumped to 23%, compared with the state’s Coalition’s 27%, while a surging One Nation shot to 25%, according to a Freshwater Strategy poll conducted for the Herald Sun.
If replicated at the November state election, the 12-year-old Labor government would be turfed from elected office, as it trails the Coalition 47 to 53 on a two-party-preferred basis.
Respondents believe it is time for Jacinta Allan to move on as premier, according to the pollster, but the Coalition would still need to pick up 16 seats required to form majority government.
Allan’s personal popularity has sunk lower, dropping five points for a net favourability rating of minus 37 points and trails far behind the Liberal leader, Jess Wilson, who has a positive net rating of 15.
Only 25% of respondents felt she would make a better premier compared with 49% who think Wilson will do a better job.
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Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it will be Nick Visser with the main action.
Jacinta Allan will be feeling the heat today after a poll showed her Labor party trailing the Coalition and One Nation before November’s state election. More coming up.
Women and families of disabled Australians will be unfairly affected by a sweeping rewrite of the national disability insurance scheme, advocacy groups have warned. More soon.
