What we learned, 20 August 2025
With that, we’re wrapping up the blog. Before we go, here are today’s big stories:
Anthony Albanese says he won’t take Benjamin Netanyahu’s direct attack on his leadership personally and will continue to outline Australia’s criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza.
The minister for home affairs, Tony Burke, said Israel was “lashing out” as the country had against others who said they would recognise a Palestinian state.
Labor MP Ed Husic has called for more sanctions in response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Victorian premier Jacinta Allan said the state would adopt all 22 recommendations contained in a review of child safety standards, including the creation of a register of childcare workers and a new independent regulator of the sector.
The “wettest period” for New South Wales and southern Queensland is expected between now and Friday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Hundreds of workers will go on strike at Perth Airport tomorrow after rejecting a pay offer, creating chaos for passengers on long-haul flights from the busy international terminal.
Tasmanian Labor has replaced Dean Winter as parliamentary leader with the partyroom electing Josh Willie to serve as opposition leader.
Thanks so much for joining us today. We will be back with you early tomorrow.
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Charge dropped for foiled stunt at Woodside boss’s home
A conspiracy charge against a climate activist over a foiled publicity stunt protest at the home of Woodside Energy’s boss has been dropped.
Joana Partyka, 40, was accused of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence after counter-terrorism police arrested three activists at Woodside chief executive Meg O’Neill’s Perth home in August 2023.
The Disrupt Burrup Hub member wasn’t one of them and she was charged with the conspiracy offence some months later.
She was scheduled to fight the charge at trial in October but it was vacated when prosecutors withdrew the charge on Wednesday in the WA magistrates court.
Outside court, Partyka said the conspiracy charge showed the outrageous lengths to which authorities would go to silence peaceful climate protesters.
Police haven’t provided a reason for why they suddenly dropped the charges, but I think a reasonable inference to draw is that they had no case against me.
That’s enormously vindicating.
– AAP
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Details of review into Monash IVF bungle to remain a secret
An independent review into two embryo mix-ups at a leading IVF clinic has found human error and technology limitations were to blame, but the details will remain a secret.
Monash IVF revealed staff transferred the wrong embryo to a woman at a Melbourne clinic in June, after a similar mistake involving a separate Monash patient in Brisbane.
The two cases sparked an independent review headed by leading barrister Fiona McLeod, which has been completed but will remain confidential.
In a statement to the ASX today, Monash IVF confirmed the report would not be released publicly to protect the privacy of affected patients.
The company said both cases were non-standard IVF treatments and the circumstances would “not arise in the vast majority of IVF procedures”.
It provided scant detail on the mix-ups, saying human error led to a woman being mistakenly implanted with another’s embryo in Brisbane in 2023 and giving birth to a baby who had no genetic links.
– AAP
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New opposition leader, Josh Willie, says Tasmanian Labor has ‘proud history’
Tasmanian Labor has a proud history and I look forward to giving this role everything I’ve got to return Labor to government.
I’d like to thank Dean Winter for his service. He’s a proud Tasmanian with strong Labor values and he’ll continue to work to make Tasmania a better place.
I’d also like to thank Anita Dow for her service as deputy leader. She is someone the Labor team respects and can turn to for a comforting word, and she has provided great unity for many years.
I congratulate Janie Finlay for her election as deputy, and I look forward to working with her and the rest of the Labor team to return Labor to government.
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Tasmania Labor’s Dean Winter takes ‘full responsibility’ for election loss, congratulates new leader Willie
Former Tasmanian Labor leader, Dean Winter, has congratulated Josh Willie on being elected as his replacement.
In a statement, Winter took “full responsibility” for the election result and said it was “understandable that Labor has a new leader”.
I will continue to serve as a Labor member for Franklin in parliament, and to fight for those workers who the premier has callously abandoned in his clutch for power.
Thank you to my colleagues, staff and the broader labor movement who have supported me every single day. Especially Anita Dow, who has been an incredible deputy leader for our party and for me.
Finally, I’d like to thank my beautiful wife, Alli, and our kids George and Harriet for their love and support over the campaign. I look forward to spending some much needed time with them over coming weeks.
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Josh Willie elected as new Tasmanian Labor leader, Janie Finlay as deputy
Tasmanian Labor has replaced Dean Winter as parliamentary leader with the partyroom electing Josh Willie to serve as opposition leader.
The party has just issued a short statement:
After yesterday’s events in parliament, the 2025 election was declared lost, and in accordance with Labor Party rules the leadership was spilled at today’s caucus meeting.
Yesterday, Winter unsuccesfully moved a motion of no confidence in Liberal leader Jeremy Rockliff’s government. The motion failed after the Greens and crossbenchers refused to support it.
Janie Finlay has been elected as deputy leader, unopposed.
Willie will address the media tomorrow.
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Ed Husic: 'ramp up' sanctions, hold Israel decision makers ‘to account’ for Gaza
Labor MP Ed Husic has condemned the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s description of Anthony Albanese as a “weak leader” and called for more sanctions in response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Here’s what Husic told the ABC:
When Prime Minister Netanyahu talks about betrayal, the betrayal is of humanitarian law, kids and innocent Palestinians.
We have 60,000 innocent Palestinians killed, half of which are women and children. And I would suggest respectfully to Prime Minister Netanyahu, the bigger focus should be to stop seeing kids being killed or starved.
Husic has continued to call for additional sanctions to be placed on Israeli government officials.
We should be prepared to ramp up sanctions. Many of our sanctions so far have focused on activity in the West Bank.
I would say, looking at what is happening in Gaza, we need decision-makers to be held to account for what is happening.
I think that is important and we should remain open-minded about sanctions and frankly I think we will need to escalate it. [This is] because of the fact that we are still suffering starvation and the Netanyahu government doesn’t seem to want to take a change of approach.
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Court ends for the day in Lehrmann appeal hearing
The first day of Bruce Lehrmann’s appeal against the ruling in his defamation case has ended in the federal court.
Lawyers for Lisa Wilkinson spent much of the afternoon making submissions about how Justice Lee erred in his findings that criticised her conduct.
Sue Chrysanthou SC, for Wilkinson, said the reasonableness of her clients conduct included that Lehrmann was not named nor identified in the story on The Project:
It was not necessary for the purposes of the program to name and shame Mr Lehrmann.
The hearing will continue tomorrow at 10.15am, with Chrysanthou expected to resume her argument, before Zali Burrows, for Lehrmann, starts her response.
The appeal is expected to finish on Friday.
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Australia won’t respond to Netanyahu’s criticism of Albanese, acting foreign minister says
The acting foreign affairs minister, Tim Ayres, says the Australian government will not retaliate against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claim that Anthony Albanese is a “weak leader”.
Here’s what the Labor senator told the ABC:
No. We are not going to respond in terms of the public statements.
The role of the government here is represent Australia’s national interest.
The prime minister did have a quite extended meeting with prime minister Netanyahu ahead of the cabinet meeting last weekend and the announcement of Australia’s position in relation to recognition [of a Palestinian state].
You can read more on this story here:
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Disruption to international flights as WA ground workers set to go on strike
Hundreds of workers will go on strike at Perth Airport tomorrow after rejecting a pay offer, potentially creating chaos for passengers on long-haul flights from the busy international terminal.
Ground and passenger service workers employed by the Dubai National Air Travel Agency (dnata) at the airport have voted overwhelmingly to take protected industrial action between 5.30pm tomorrow until 10.00 am on Friday AWST, after rejecting a pay increase of 4% in 2025, 3.5% in 2026, 3% in 2027 and 2.5% or CPI for 2028.
It comes after a federal court decision on Monday saw Qantas fined a record $90m for illegally firing 1,820 baggage handlers and other ground staff in 2020, with Justice Michael Lee ordering $50m of the penalty to go to the Transport Workers Union (TWU).
TWU Western Australia assistant secretary Shane O’Brien said Perth ground workers were among the lowest paid in the country:
Outside of Western Australia, all ground staff are covered by an agreement that’s … between eight and 20% more currently than the workers in Perth doing the same job.
A spokesperson for Perth Airport said it was aware of the action but did not know what the impact on flights would be at this stage. The TWU expects flights with carriers including Emirates, Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines – as well as some freight services – will be affected.
In a statement, a spokesperson for dnata said the increases in its offer aligned with market conditions and were designed to “ease cost-of-living pressures”, but said it would continue to engage with the TWU “in good faith to reach a mutually acceptable agreement”.
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NSW toll reform not expected to cut operator revenue, Transurban reassures investors
Tollway giant Transurban has reassured investors it still expects to earn billions of dollars in revenue even if New South Wales reforms cut tolls for commuters.
The NSW government is pushing for lower toll costs, setting up a new government agency to run tollways and offering reimbursement for weekly costs over $60 until the end of this year.
It’s yet to announce more substantive mooted reform. Asked about the changes’ scope and effect on revenue, Transurban chief executive, Michelle Jablko, said:
It’s not just about price; there’s a network efficiency impact of any change and so all of that’s been taken into account.
The government’s been very clear … that they respect the value of contracts, that they respect revenue.
Sydney’s commuters should expect toll road reforms to be revealed before the end of the year, Jablko said.
It’ll be up to the government to choose when they make an announcement … I expect they’ll have something more to say over the coming months.
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Australians still spending on lottery tickets, despite fall in size of top prizes
Australians have continued buying lottery tickets despite a tough economic climate and “below average” jackpot outcomes, the head of the Lottery Corporation has told investors.
The Lottery Corp, which was created after a demerger with gambling giant Tabcorp, reported revenue of $3.75bn in the 2024-2025 financial year, down 6.2% from the previous year.
According to its FY24-25 financial results, released today, the Lottery Corp earned $365.5m in net profit, down 11.7% from $414m recorded the year before.
In a presentation to investors, the Lottery Corp’s CEO and managing director, Sue van der Merwe, said the company’s executives were confident about its future success.
Van der Merwe said the company’s businesses, which include Australia’s lottery and Keno brands, performed well.
She said there was still “healthy underlying participation” in its core games, despite a 13% reduction in top prize offerings in its two jackpot games, and economic pressures that she acknowledged meant some consumers were more careful about how they spent their money.
Investors appear to have been reassured – the Lottery Corp’s share price on the ASX had risen 7.84% to $5.70 as of 1.39pm today.
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Heaviest east coast rain on its way, with BoM forecasting more than 150mm in some places, including Sydney
The “wettest period” for New South Wales and southern Queensland is expected between now and Friday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Miriam Bradbury, senior meteorologist at the BoM, says persistent rainfall is expected to accumulate over the coming days, and could reach totals of between 60 and 120mm, with some places recieving in excess of 150mm.
Some of those higher accumulations include places like Sydney [and] all the way up to around the Gold Coast in Queensland.
Rain on already saturated ground is expected to lead to riverine flooding.
A major flood warning has already been issued for the Namoi River with a moderate flood warning for the Peel River.
The BoM has issued widespread flood watches across NSW, including parts of the Mid North Coast, Hunter, Nepean and North West Slopes.
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Judgment in Brittany Higgins defamation case brought by ex Liberal senator due in WA supreme court, next week
Western Australia’s supreme court is expected to deliver its judgment next week on the defamation trial against Brittany Higgins brought by her ex-boss, former Liberal senator Linda Reynolds.
The five-week trial, which began in Perth in August 2024, heard from more than 20 witnesses brought by Reynolds’ legal team as part of her case against Higgins over three social media posts she alleges damaged her reputation.
The case is one of a number of legal battles to stem from Higgins’ decision to publicly allege in 2021 she had been raped in Reynolds’ office by a colleague, Bruce Lehrmann.
Lehrmann has always vehemently denied the allegation and he pleaded not guilty at the criminal trial, which was aborted due to juror misconduct. A second trial did not proceed because of prosecutors’ concern about Higgins’ mental health.
As part of his failed defamation trial against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson, a federal court in April found that, on the balance of probabilities, Lehrmann raped Higgins. His appeal is now before the courts.
In the WA case, the court heard a number of claims from Reynolds, including that Higgins and her now husband, David Sharaz, had schemed to “ambush” the former senator by concocting a “fairytale” of “political cover-up” to damage her.
Higgins did not appear as a witness but her lawyer argued the then-young Liberal staffer felt professionally and personally isolated after the alleged incident in Parliament House and stayed quiet about it in the lead up to the 2019 federal election out of fear of losing her job.
The judgment will be delivered next Wednesday, at 10am AWST at Perth’s David Malcolm Justice Centre.
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Sally McManus: don’t assume everything will be better with AI
Sally McManus, the ACTU’s secretary, says she will be pushing for a worker-centric approach to regulating artificial intelligence, in this afternoon’s roundtable session.
Speaking on the sidelines on day two of the parliament house summit, McManus says she expected to feel a “bit lonely on AI this arvo” when it came to warning of the risks of the technology.
The final roundtable session today is on “AI and innovation”. Here’s what McManus told the ABC:
We shouldn’t just say automatically we are all going to be better off because of AI; we’ve got to make sure we are.
The union boss says she isn’t advocating for “over-regulating” AI, but says there is a “doomer” view of the technology that comes with the fear of a “Trump-billionaire, let-it-rip” approach to regulating the technology.
It may boost productivity, it may also just boost profits. So we shouldn’t just say automatically we are all going to be better off because of AI – we’ve got to make sure we are.
That’s why you need governments.
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Thanks for sticking with me through a busy Wednesday. Henry Belot will take the reins from here and guide you through the afternoon.
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Judge erred in finding Lehrmann was reckless about consent during rape, court told
Court has resumed in Bruce Lehrmann’s appeal against the federal court decision that he was not defamed by Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson.
Sue Chrysanthou SC, for Wilkinson, is speaking about a notice of contention, which is also being raised during the appeal. This relates to the fact that she argues that Justice Lee erred in how he characterised Lehrmann’s rape of Brittany Higgins.
Chrysanthou said Lee should have found that Lehrmann was not just reckless about Higgins’ lack of consent, but knew she was not consenting. “Intentional rape”, she said, was proven: Lehrmann knew about the lack of consent, as opposed to being reckless about consent.
Lee made several comments in his judgment, Chrysanthou said, which underlined this.
She said Lee described Lehrmann as “a person so bent on gratification”, and said he was “not caring”. Lee also accepted Higgins was “like a log” and used what Chrysanthou said was “an old-fashioned term, unfortunate perhaps in this context” that Lehrmann “went ahead willy-nilly” with the rape.
The hearing continues.
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Rising east coast traffic increases Transurban toll revenue
Traffic is on the rise across the east coast, driving up revenue for toll road giant Transurban.
Sydney experienced the biggest increase in average daily trips on the company’s tollways , up 2.7% over the year to June, while Melbourne saw 1.2% increase and Brisbane 1.5%.
Sydney had a bigger increase in weekday traffic, while Melbourne and Brisbane’s increase was weighted towards weekends. Higher working from home and lower office occupancy could be playing a role, according to Transurban’s chief executive, Michelle Jablko:
That’s evidence of evolving work and lifestyle habits, so there has been a shift in travel patterns as a result of that.
Unlike the other two east coast capitals, most of Brisbane’s increase was from large vehicle traffic, up 4.1%, which Jablko attributed to Queensland’s economic growth.
Congestion is set to ease in Melbourne’s west with the opening of the West Gate bridge but has grown in Sydney’s north west as populations increase near the M7 and M2 roads, the company says.
Higher toll prices boosted Transurban’s proportional revenue by between 4% and 5% for each city.
Combined with a 20% jump in revenue from its North American operations, Transurban’s proportional revenue rose to $3.7bn. However, its profits halved to $178m, as financing and operating expenses rose.
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Just to recap some of today’s blooming algae happenings
As well as the national testing centre mentioned earlier, there will also be $4m in grants for local governments to help their communities, a bit over $4m for scientific research support, monitoring and data collection, on top of $28m previously announced joint funding.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese also faced down some local outrage over whether the bloom should be declared a national disaster. There’ll be a new stream of funding available through the Regional Investment Corporation for those affected by the bloom, which is different to bushfires and floods, Albanese said:
We will create a new stream, a significant ecological event program in order to ensure that longer term support is put in place. It is very clear that slow onset events like marine heatwaves and algal blooms will continue to impact our natural environment, communities and businesses.
Victorian minister for children calls for national reform
Of the report’s 22 recommendations, 11 urged action by the federal government. The state’s minister for children, Lizzie Blandthorn, says she will be taking them to the meeting of education ministers on Friday in Sydney.
The review highlights that the actions of Victoria alone cannot fix these problems. We need to have significant national action to ensure that we reform the whole of the system. To that end, we will be advocating to the commonwealth … on a number of recommendations that you can see in the report.
She says this includes reinstating commonwealth funding for the state’s regulator, rethinking ratios so there are “four eyes” on children at all times and stronger action on poor quality training courses.
The Victorian attorney general, Sonya Kilkenny, says she will introduce urgent legislation to parliament next week to immediately suspend an individual working with children’s check when an investigation is under way.
At the moment, in some situations, a person is entitled to a period of 28 days in which to appeal a review of their working with children’s check. It doesn’t happen in all situations, but in some it does.
Next week, I’ll be bringing in legislation that will remove that so the … screening unit can immediately suspend a person’s working with children’s check. This is the first part, but it is urgent, and it is an immediate step that we will be taking as an important part of the reform and the overhaul of the child safety system.
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Was notorious backpacker killer Ivan Milat involved the Wanda Beach murders of 1965?
Marijuana party representative Jeremy Buckingham thinks so and has produced a comparison of a photo of a young Milat alongside the Identikit drawing of the suspect in the Wanda beach murders at an estimates committee inquiry in NSW parliament this morning.
“Yes, I am concerned they are incredibly similar”, the premier, Chris Minns, said in response.
Buckingham wants a parliamentary inquiry and believes there are dozens of victims of Milat’s unsolved crimes.
Minns said he would consider a parliamentary inquiry into the possible additional murders. He will also consider Buckingham’s request that the government release Milat’s employment records with government agencies, including the Department of Main Roads.
Milat worked as a road worker in regional NSW and in possibly other states. He died in jail in 2019, where he was serving a life sentence for the murder of seven backpackers whose remains were found in the Belanglo state forest outside Sydney.
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Victoria will adopt all 22 recommendations after review of childcare sector
Victorian premier Jacinta Allan said the state would adopt all 22 recommendations contained in a review of child safety standards, including the creation of a register of childcare workers and a new independent regulator of the sector.
The review, written by former South Australian premier Jay Weatherill and senior bureaucrat Pam White, was released in full by the state government on Wednesday. Guardian Australia’s Benita Kolovos has more:
Allan said during a press conference:
Parents must be able to have confidence that when they drop their kids off to their local childcare centre, where they are going to be educated to learn, they must be able to trust they will be safe. As we have seen, that trust has been horribly broken.
To every family who has been hurt by these most horrific of allegations, I am truly sorry. I cannot imagine unbearable pain and hurt those families must be experiencing, particularly as a mother.
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Rare earths miner wants price floors after profits slide
Iluka, a federal government-backed rare earths company, has called for a fixed price floor after sliding critical minerals prices cut profits by nearly a third.
Lower global demand for the rare minerals cut prices and volumes of sales in the first half of 2025 from the same period in 2024, taking Iluka’s half-year profit from $133m to $92m.
Production of rare earth oxides, used in advanced manufacturing of magnets, batteries and other devices, is dominated by China and leaves smaller producers vulnerable to global price pressure.
The US government in July underwrote a minimum price for some products for miner MP Materials. Iluka’s managing director and chief executive, Tom O’Leary, said governments needed to wake up to the risks posed to global supply chains by China’s dominance in rare earths. He told investors:
The MP deal with the US government is a recognition that higher prices are essential to establishing a rare earths industry.
The Australian government has not underwritten prices but it has funded Iluka in an effort to challenge China’s dominance in rare earths. Its under-construction Eneabba refinery received a $1.25bn loan from the Morrsion government in 2022 and another $475m from Labor in December. O’Leary said the project was on track to help grow domestic capacity when it arrives in 2027:
That was a very important piece of the government’s support … that this refinery facilitates the development of a broader Australia rare earths industry with value addition occurring here in Australia.
Read more about the industry here:
Mark Butler lays out new program meant to divert hundreds of thousands of kids from the NDIS
The federal government has announced it will provide $2bn to fund a “Thriving Kids” program designed to divert hundreds of thousands of children with mild to moderate developmental delays or autism from the NDIS by mid-2027.
In a speech to the National Press Council on Wednesday, the health minister, Mark Butler, said many children had been placed on the NDIS – designed for permanent disability – and were being “over-serviced”, straining the scheme’s financial sustainability.
Butler said it wasn’t parents’ fault; the NDIS was “the only port in the storm”:
They are desperate – absolutely desperate – to get their children diagnosed because we’ve made it the only way they can get help … The NDIS model just doesn’t suit their needs.
The program is due to roll out from July next year and will be equally funded by the states and territories, the minister said.
Access changes to the NDIS will begin from mid-2027 once the Thriving Kids program has been fully rolled out, with work under way to deliver a separate foundational support program for adults with severe and complex mental illness.
Butler said the 8% growth target for the NDIS by mid-2026, agreed to by national cabinet, was “simply unsustainable” in the medium and long term, proposing it could be lowered to 5 or 6% in coming years.
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NSW SES knows community is ‘tired’ after run of major weather events
NSW SES deputy commissioner, Deb Platz acknowledged that the community across New South Wales was tired after facing a run of significant weather events, which had caused significant flooding and a lot of damage. She said earlier:
We know that the community is tired, our volunteers are tired, but it’s important that you do a few simple steps to stay safe.
We know that this system will also cause some riverine flooding. So it’s important that you stay away from low lying areas, in particular with flash flooding that can happen very quickly unexpectedly.
Please do not go into any flooded waters. It is extremely dangerous to play, walk through, or drive through any flooded waters, and we do expect to see significant road closure during this particular event.
Izak Rankine’s fate still unknown
Izak Rankine’s finals fate remains unknown as the AFL continues to deliberate over an appropriate sanction for the Adelaide star’s alleged homophobic slur during last weekend’s match against Collingwood.
A verdict was expected to arrive earlier in the week, but an outcome has been delayed as the Crows mounted a defence in a bid to minimise the length of any ban, which could potentially rule him out for the rest of the season.
“We are having ongoing discussions with the AFL as part of the due process,” a Crows spokesperson said on Wednesday.
Similar previous cases suggest Rankine is looking at between three and five matches out – the latter would preclude him from playing again this season and seriously impact the club’s aspirations of winning a first premiership since 1998.
The case has become something of a test case for the AFL’s zero tolerance policy on the use of such language. If a ban is meted out as expected, it will be the sixth time in the past 16 months an AFL-listed player has been sanctioned for using homophobic language.
Breville working to move machine production out of China amid Trump tariffs
Breville is rapidly accelerating its strategy of shifting manufacturing away from China as the ASX-listed home appliance company seeks to counteract the financial hit of the Trump administration’s tariff regime.
The Australian manufacturer, which is based in Sydney but sells its appliances around the world, this morning unveiled a 10.9% rise in sales to $1.7bn in the 12 months to June 30, and a 14.6% increase in net profit to $135.9m.
The growth was led by Breville’s coffee products in all of its three global markets: the Americas; Europe, the Middle East and Africa; and the Asia Pacific.
Breville started moving the production of its 120V coffee machines out of China soon after last year’s US election, and sent additional inventory into the US early as a “hedge against potential tariffs”.
The company’s results for the past financial year, released this morning, show these tactics appear to be paying off.
In a presentation to investors, Breville confirmed it was still manufacturing its 240-volt products – which are sold everywhere except North America – in China.
The company revealed it was now making about 65% of its US profits from products manufactured in Europe, south-east Asia and Mexico, up from just 15% at the start of its “manufacturing diversification program”.
By the end of the year, Breville expects non-China production to make up 80% of its US profits and the company says it will continue diversifying its manufacturing until at least the end of 2028.
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ANU will not slash any more jobs as part of university overhaul
The Australian National University (ANU) will not introduce any more involuntary redundancies after reaching $59.9m in savings towards its salary reduction target of $100m.
On Wednesday afternoon, the university informed staff that six additional change proposals with further savings were expected as part a bid to reduce costs by $250m, but they would cut no further jobs.
Since last year, 139 people have left the university through a voluntary separation scheme (VSS) and 83 people have been made redundant through change plans. ANU’s vice-chancellor, Prof Genevieve Bell, said it had been a “challenging period of change in our community”:
We have farewelled good colleagues, and we have had to have hard conversations where it has tested our values about respect and collegial dialogue.
The ACT division secretary of the National Tertiary Education Union, Dr Lachlan Clohesy, said the announcement was a “win for ANU staff, students, and the broader community who have been appalled by this process and the way it has been managed, and have actively opposed it”.
We still have eight processes in place, with more than 100 people currently facing the prospect of having their jobs cut. This announcement gives no comfort to those facing the axe.
It might not seem like it, but Sydney’s trains are starting to run on time
Yesterday, passengers on some of the city’s busiest lines faced delays after a track fault in the CBD left some trains at a complete standstill, with the knock-on effects continuing into peak hour.
But data from Transport for NSW has actually shown a recovery in the punctuality of services in recent months. About 87% of CBD services and 88.8% of suburban services have arrived on time so far in August, down slightly on July figures, but close to August 2024 levels.
That’s a significant improvement since late last year, when punctuality on CBD services dropped from 90.3% in October to 75.2% in November amid industrial action by rail unions. The punctuality of services dropped again during renewed action in January.
The NSW government reached an agreement with the unions in May, but that month also saw the proportion of trains arriving on time return below 80% after a series of faults – including a high-voltage wire falling on a train, trapping hundreds of passengers and causing widespread delays during the evening peak hour.
Sydney Trains has a target for at least 92% of peak services to arrive within five minutes. It has only hit that target across CBD and suburban services in two months across the last three years, September 2023 and January 2024.
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Dozens of dead and sick sea turtles found in NSW
The NSW national parks service is investigating after reports of dozens of dead and sick sea turtles in the state’s Port Stephens region.
At least 32 green turtle deaths have been reported in the area in recent weeks. Symptoms in some of the affected turtles have included bleeding eyes and weight loss.
Ryan Pereira, co-founder of Sea Shelter in Anna Bay, said they had seen an increased number of sick or dead turtles since recent flooding in the area and had sent tissue samples to Taronga zoo for further investigation, but there were “too many possibilities at the moment” to say what the underlying cause might be.
A Taronga spokesperson said the zoo’s Australian Registry of Wildlife Health had undertaken necropsies on two turtles and was conducting diagnostic testing on samples from a further 15 turtles from Port Stephens to understand their cause of death.
“It’s too early to establish a definitive diagnosis,” they said. “A thorough multifaceted investigation is under way and it may take some weeks to determine the factors contributing to the event.”
Factors being considered included the effects of fresh water and increased nutrient loads coming into the bay as a result of flood waters, or the presence of a virus or bacterial infection.
The NSW environment department said anyone who spotted a sick, injured or dead turtle in the Port Stephens area should contact the National Parks and Wildlife Service on 1300 072 757 or Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters/Sea Shelter on 02 4982 2476.
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Lehrmann appeal breaks for lunch. Here’s a rundown so far
The full court of the federal court hearing Bruce Lehrmann’s appeal against his failed defamation case has broken for lunch. Lawyers for Lehrmann, Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson have made submissions.
Here’s how the morning played out:
Lehrmann’s lawyer Zali Burrows says he can’t afford a senior counsel;
Burrows argues it was unfair to Lehrmann that judge found “non-violent” rape; and
Dr Matt Collins KC, for Network Ten, says it’s an “astonishing admission” that Lehrmann may have changed his evidence in the case if he knew what Justice Lee would find about the rape.
The hearing will continue after lunch at 2.15pm and is expected to conclude on Friday.
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NSW SES calls for people to 'stay ready and stay safe' amid intense rain and flood risk
New South Wales State Emergency Service has called for residents to “stay ready and stay safe” as the state prepares for intense rainfall into Thursday with the risk of flooding.
NSW SES deputy commissioner Debbie Platz said:
Once again, we are urging communities, particularly those along the east coast, from the south coast all the way up to the Queensland border and those communities in the north-west part of the state, to be prepared for some significant intense rainfall. We know that this rainfall could cause flash flooding, and it will also cause renewed river rises.
We know that our catchments are saturated, depending on where this rain falls and how much of it falls, the flooding from this weather system is likely to commence overnight and tomorrow.
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Mining companies must pay for unleashing ‘catastrophic’ fire ant outbreaks, group says
Mining companies should foot the bill for efforts to contain a “catastrophic” outbreak of fire ants, the Invasive Species Council says.
One of the world’s worst animal invaders, the ants had been confined to biosecurity zone in south-east Queensland but were detected about 800km from the closest known infestation zone in the state’s centre for the first time in history in July, with a major outbreak at a BHP Broadmeadow coalmine that arrived on pallets of bricks.
Trained dogs then sniffed out fire ant nests at five mine sites in Central Highlands and Isaac Council regions between 12 and 14 August. ISC’s Reece Pianta said the discovery showed how “one breach” of fire ant laws could “unleash an outbreak across an entire region”:
This is a catastrophic breach – shipments from just one infested site have triggered a major regional outbreak. But every dollar and every drone we have should be focused on wiping out fire ants at the frontlines near Brisbane, not cleaning up after corporate carelessness.
Updated
Monash IVF finishes independent review after bungled embryo implants
Monash IVF said today it has completed an independent review after two bungled embryo implants, saying both were the result of human error.
In one incident revealed in April, a woman in Queensland gave birth to the child of an unrelated woman after an incorrect embryo transplant. In the other, in June, Monash IVF said the wrong embryo was transplanted into a patient in Victoria. The embryo was meant to be that of a patient’s partner, but their own was transferred instead.
Monash IVF said the review concluded the Brisbane incident was the result of human error, and the one in Victoria was linked to a range of factors, including human error and IT “system limitations”. The company said many recommendations in the report have already been implemented, including new safeguards and protocols.
Acting CEO Malik Jainudeen said:
To the affected patients and everyone who entrusts Monash IVF with their dreams of building a family, we are deeply sorry for the distress these Incidents have caused.
The report will not be made public until “to protect the privacy of the affected patients”, Monash IVF said.
Argument that Lehrmann may have changed evidence about rape an ‘astonishing admission’, court hears
Zali Burrows, Bruce Lehrmann’s lawyer, has finished her oral submissions to his appeal, but is expected to ask questions in reply later in the hearing.
Justice Wigney, from the full court of the federal court, told Burrows she will not be able to raise new matters in these replies, and she was denied the opportunity to make final written submissions after the hearing.
Dr Matt Collins KC is making submissions on behalf of Network Ten. He said he welcomed Justice Colvin’s comments regarding the “so-called distinction between a violent and non-violent rape”.
Collins said his submissions before Lee were “as simple as this: if sexual intercourse were found, and Ms Higgins was found not to have consented to sexual intercourse, and it was accepted that Mr Lehrmann knew she was intoxicated, the ordinary person would be convinced that it was a rape”.
Collins also made clear, however, that the case was a defamation trial, not a rape trial.
Burrows’ submission made earlier on Wednesday – that Lehrmann’s evidence before Lee might have been different if it was known that he would make the finding he did about the rape – was “an astonishing admission”, Collins said.
He said that Burrows’ argument appeared to be that Lehrmann may have given evidence that he had sexual intercourse with Higgins and that she consented if he’d known Lee would make the finding he did:
That was never the way he ran his case.
Collins also said Lee found the rape was violent, including finding that Higgins woke up during the rape and couldn’t “get the words out to scream or resist”.
“Those circumstances are awful,” Collins said.
The hearing continues.
Updated
PM on Netanyahu criticism: ‘I don’t take these things personally’
Anthony Albanese says says he won’t take Benjamin Netanyahu’s direct attack on his leadership personally and will continue to outline Australia’s criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza:
I don’t take these things personally. I engage with people diplomatically. He has had similar things to say about other leaders.
At a press conference in Adelaide, Albanese was asked whether he thought the Israeli government and Netanyahu had broken international law.
Do I think too many innocent lives have been lost? Yes, I do.
What is important is that the international community thinks that as well, overwhelmingly. And also, that is what Australians see.
Australians look at their television coverage, in spite of the fact that there is limited media presence in Gaza, they look at what is happening, they look at the increasing settlements in the West Bank, and they look at the decision that Israel made in March to restrict the access of aid, food and water that people in Gaza needed, and they look at that and they think that something needs to change.
The cycle of violence needs to change. Australia is part of a global community.
Updated
Albanese declines to comment on Netanyahu tweets
Anthony Albanese has declined to directly respond to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s incendiary and personal criticism of him.
Netanyahu has described Albanese as “a weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews.”
Netanyahu also wrote a letter to Albanese on Monday, accusing the prime minister of pouring “fuel on this antisemitic fire”, and condemning Australia’s recognition of Palestine – which he called “appeasement”.
At a press conference in Adelaide, Albanese said “I treat leaders of other countries with respect and I engage with them in a diplomatic way”:
My job is to represent the Australian national interest and I think, very much, that Australians want two things to happen.
One, they want people to stop killing each other. Whether it be Israelis or Palestinians.
The second thing that they want is the conflict to not be brought here.
That is the way that I engage with other leaders internationally as well, including last night.
Updated
PM rejects suggestions government was too slow to act in response to algal bloom
Anthony Albanese has rejected suggestions his government would have acted faster in response to the algae bloom if it has been off the east coast of Australia:
No, absolute nonsense. Absolute nonsense. I have been to South Australia six times this year, I reckon.
I have been to South Australia, I reckon, more than any prime minister…
Albanese was also asked by reporters whether the federal government was too slow to respond to the algae bloom.
We are dealing with it. We have made immediate announcements. We have provided everything we have been asked to provide (…) and we are also looking at longer term issues.
Climate change is real, there is a real impact. There is nothing that has been suggested to us by any of the scientific community saying if government had done this, the bloom would not have occurred.
Updated
Albanese outlines funding to combat algal bloom
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is holding a press conference in Adelaide. It’s his first chance to publicly comment on a personal attack by Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who has described him as “a weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews.”
But we’ll get to that in a moment. For now, the focus of this press conference is on the algae bloom off parts of the South Australian coast. Albanese has outlined more funding for ecological research into the bloom:
Clearly this is an event that has occurred because of the run-off, firstly, from the Murray [River], the flooding events that have occurred in other parts of Australia, flowing through and the combination of nutrients flowing into water, which is hotter than usual.
That is why we take these immediate measures including the funding that has been provided for this work to be conducted here. It is part of our $28m funding jointly from the South Australian government and the commonwealth going forward.
Updated
Israeli opposition leader criticises Netanyahu’s verbal attack on Albanese
Israel’s opposition leader, Yair Lapid, has criticised Benjamin Netanyahu’s attack on Anthony Albanese, labelling the Israeli leader as “the most politically toxic leader in the Western world”.
Netanyahu labelled Albanese as a “weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews” after the home affairs department cancelled the visa of far-right Israeli politician, Simcha Rothman, on Monday.
In a post on X overnight, Lapid said:
The thing that most strengthens a leader in the democratic world today is a confrontation with Netanyahu, the most politically toxic leader in the Western world. It is unclear why [Netanyahu] is rushing to give the prime minister of Australia this gift.
Updated
South Australia to get new national algae testing lab
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is in Adelaide today, inspecting the disastrous algal bloom that has afflicted the state since the start of the year.
He and the state premier, Peter Malinauskas, have announced a new national algae testing lab for Adelaide – some algae produces brevetoxins, which can affect shellfish and has forced the closure of oyster and mussel businesses.
Samples are sent to New Zealand for analysis, which can delay results for up to a week.
Albanese said some of the best seafood comes from South Australia:
The ability to monitor and test for brevetoxins here in Adelaide will speed up the necessary processes to ensure food is safe and allow more shellfish on more plates more quickly. My government is committed to working with the SA government to mitigate the worst effects of this significant ecological event on industry and the environment.
Malinauskas said:
This new national facility will ensure test results can be turned around more quickly – meaning shellfish businesses which endure temporary closure can be back in business sooner when brevetoxin levels drop.
Read more here:
Updated
Unfair to Lehrmann that judge found ‘non-violent’ rape, court hears
Zali Burrows, for Lehrmann, continues with her submissions to his appeal. She is elaborating on the argument that Lee found in his decision that Lehrmann committed a “non-violent rape”, compared to the evidence of Brittany Higgins which she said described a different version.
Justice Colvin says of Lee’s decision: “I’m not sure he found a non-violent rape, and I’m not sure that’s a concept I understand.”
Burrows then outlined a number of matters in evidence that she says Lee did not find in his decision, including in relation to Higgins saying she felt a pain in her thigh during the rape and was pinned to the sofa while it occurred.
Justice Wigney questions how this was procedurally unfair to Lehrmann, given he had been able to make submissions and to refute this version of events in cross-examination.
There was little prospect of him arguing against the violence of the rape given Lehrmann denied that any sexual intercourse occurred, Wigney said.
“His case was clear, there was no sexual intercourse,” Wigney said.
Burrows reiterates that the evidence before the court about the rape was different to the version found by Lee.
“I don’t understand the logic of this submission,” Colvin says.
Burrows is now moving through her second and third grounds of appeal.
Updated
Eddie Obeid released from jail on parole
The NSW government is considering legislative changes to claw back the $30m that former Labor minister Eddie Obeid extracted from his corrupt conduct involving a coal deal.
Obeid – who was in jail after being found guilty of misconduct while in public office – has been released from jail today on parole.
In NSW estimates today, opposition MP Damien Tudehope asked what the government is doing to get Obeid’s “ill-gotten gains” back.
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, said the crime commission’s report on Operation Jasper – the investigation into allegations against Obeid – highlighted some of the challenges that the commission faced when it came to the evidentiary burden for recovery of criminal assets. Minns said:
We’ve had deep discussions with the crime commission, and we’re anticipating potentially legislative changes soon to strengthen their position.
In relation to this matter, we’re very serious about what I would regard as the public’s confidence that incidents of proven corrupt public conduct does meet the reason for having the New South Wales crime commission.
So it’s an area of the law that I think is ripe for change. Recent examples indicate that that’s absolutely the case, and you’ll hear more soon.
Updated
Daryl Maguire sentenced to 10 months in jail for misleading Icac
Former NSW Liberal MP Daryl Maguire has been sentenced to 10 months in jail after he was found guilty of misleading a corruption inquiry in June.
The former member for Wagga Wagga, who had a secret relationship with former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian, initially gave evidence to the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) during a hearing in July 2018. At the time, he denied knowing he would benefit from a $48m property development deal.
Magistrate Clare Farnan said:
The misleading evidence was given deliberately while Mr Maguire was the sitting member of parliament … he has not demonstrated any remorse and maintains his innocence. A significant sentence is required to deter others who might give misleading evidence to the Icac.
A term of imprisonment is required.
Farnan said Maguire would serve five months of the sentence without parole. His legal team said it would appeal the sentence.
Updated
Lehrmann’s lawyer tells court her client can’t afford a senior counsel
Bruce Lehrmann is appealing against the ruling that he was not defamed by Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson, and that on the balance of probabilities he raped former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins in Parliament House in 2019 before the full court of the federal court.
Zali Burrows, for Lehrmann, starts the appeal hearing by apologising to the court for the absence of a senior counsel, which she says her client couldn’t afford. Burrows says Lehrmann had hoped to be able to afford Guy Reynolds SC.
Justice Wigney assures her she is well qualified to continue, and mentions her detailed written submissions.
Burrows also checks with the justices that Lehrmann is permitted to sit at the bar table, a slightly unusual occurrence, given this table immediately before the judges is generally reserved for lawyers. Wigney has no issue with this.
Burrows says Lehrmann appeals on four grounds, and starts by outlining the first of these grounds: that the judgment of Justice Lee in the federal court was found outside the pleadings, denying Lehrmann procedural fairness and natural justice.
She said that Lee reached his decision outside the evidence led by Higgins.
The hearing continues.
Updated
Ley says ‘respect goes both ways’ amid Israel-Australia row
The opposition leader Sussan Ley just spoke at a press conference in Sydney, where she said the prime minister needs to explain how he plans to get Australia’s relationship with Israel “back on track”.
Ley is continuing her criticism of Albanese this morning. She said:
Respect goes both ways, and the series of events we have seen in relationship between Israel and Australia are regrettable. And that relationship has been and is being mismanaged.
It is a strong relationship, an enduring relationship that dates back to 1947 … Of course, along the way there have been disagreements and there have been a robust conversations. That is normal.
But what we are seeing now is something different. We are seeing a relationship that has deteriorated and the consequences of that are not good and they are spilling over into our relationship with the US, our most important ally. The prime minister needs to explain how he is going to get this relationship that he has so badly mismanaged back on track.
Updated
Bruce Lehrmann appeal begins
Bruce Lehrmann’s appeal against the federal court ruling that he was not defamed by Network 10 and Lisa Wilkinson has started.
The appeal against that finding will be heard over three days before the federal court’s full court of justices, Michael Wigney, Craig Colvin and Wendy Abraham.
Updated
Bruce Lehrmann has arrived at the Federal Court in Sydney ahead of his defamation case appeal hearing – we’ll bring you all the action when it kicks off.
Perth’s water supply at ‘high risk’ from Alcoa bauxite mining, expert study finds
Alcoa’s plan to vastly expand its strip mining of forest near Perth’s dams poses a high risk to the water supply for the city’s 2.3 million people, according to global engineering consultancy GHD.
The US aluminium producer commissioned the detailed analysis as part of its bid for approval to mine an additional 67 sq km of jarrah forest for bauxite – the source material for aluminium.
GHD identified 22 pathways for Alcoa’s mining to contaminate dams inland of Perth and concluded that all but one of them presented a high risk.
The triple threats to the water supply are contamination of the dams by pathogens from sewage, hydrocarbons from oil spills (both from Alcoa’s mining) or simply excessive soil washing into the dam, which makes the water unclear, rendering water treatment plants ineffective.
Read more here:
Head of Australian Jewish group says Netanyahu’s remarks to Albanese ‘unseemly’ and ‘not the way to do it’
Alex Ryvchin, the head of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s criticism of Anthony Albanese is “not the way to do it”, saying the growing diplomatic stoush has become a mess. Ryvchin spoke to Sky News this morning, saying of Netanyahu’s remarks:
I think it’s unseemly to speak to another leader, a foreign leader of another country, an allied nation, in that way and in that forum. … If the prime minister of Israel wishes to make his views known to the prime minister in a robust fashion, our prime minister here can handle it. Doing so on Twitter in that way I think is unacceptable.
Ryvchin said recent remarks by the Australian government were “overblown as well,” urging “everyone to really calm down and think about what’s at stake here”. He went on to say that he believed Burke’s comments this morning, as reported in the blog, were also out of line.
I think both parties are acting contrary to the interests of the people they’re seeking to represent and serve. They need to find a new course and a new way of dealing with each other.
NSW SES issues warnings for possible flooding
Emergency officials are warning residents in northern and central NSW to prepare for possible flooding amid a heavy deluge of rain set to continue into tomorrow.
NSW SES said 24-hour totals near Tamworth are likely to reach 30-45mm, with isolated falls of 70mm. In the northern and Central Coast areas, rainfall totals are expected to peak Thursday with totals of 25-80mm likely.
A flood watch has been issued for parts of the mid-north coast, the Hunter and the north west slopes, with minor to moderate flooding likely from later today, with isolated major flooding possible.
Colin Malone, the assistant commissioner of the NSW SES, urged people to have an emergency plan in place, saying people should “understand their own risk and know where you will go and what you will do”.
Malone stressed flash flooding can be unpredictable, and urged residents to “never, under any circumstance, drive through flood waters”.
“If you come across a flooded road, turn around and find another way”.
Updated
‘Clear cut’ regulator decisions would help keep capital in Australia, AustralianSuper says
Speeding up regulator decisions would be the “single most important thing” that would help keep investments in Australia rather than overseas, AustralianSuper’s boss says.
The fund’s chief executive, Paul Schroder, appeared on ABC’s 7.30 program last night after speaking at the government’s economic roundtable as one of four experts on a session about attracting capital to Australia.
Given more than half of AustralianSuper investments are overseas, host Sarah Ferguson asked Schroder what would make them invest more money in Australia.
He insisted the fund needs to have a globally diversified portfolio to make the most money for members in retirement but when pushed acknowledged more still could be invested domestically if governments make financial decision making easier:
We need to be in a situation where governments of all tiers can make decisions more quickly – whether that is a yes or no – knowing that is really important. Having the right settings about the long term is really important … for example, housing. …
The single most important thing the government could do is to say at all levels of government, ‘We are going to make it much easier and much more clear-cut’.
Updated
Netanyahu sent Albanese a letter last week, saying antisemitism has ‘scarred’ Australia
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent Albanese a letter last week after Australia’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state, writing antisemitism had “scarred” cities across the nation and the move would only pour “fuel on this antisemitic fire”.
Sky News obtained a copy of the letter, dated 17 August, which accused Albanese of appeasing Hamas:
Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on this antisemitic fire. It is not diplomacy, it is appeasement. It rewards Hamas terror, hardens Hamas’s refusal to free the hostages, emboldens those who menace Australian Jews and encourages the Jew-hatred now stalking your streets.
Netanyahu went on to praise Donald Trump for protecting the civil rights of Jewish people, telling Albanese:
Antisemitism is a cancer. It spreads when leaders stay silent. It retreats when leaders act. I call upon you to replace weakness with action, appeasement with resolve.
Greens want Albanese to legislate right to work from home
The federal Greens are pushing for the Albanese government to follow Victoria’s lead and legislate the right for workers to work from home at least two days a week.
In a new policy announcement on Wednesday, Senator Barbara Pocock wants employers to be required to “positively consider reasonable requests to work from home at least two days a week, provided working from home was not at odds with the inherent nature of a workers’ role”, according to a statement from her office.
The policy would apply where WFH is “is sensible and doable”. The Greens note that the government has taken up previous ideas around establishing a right to disconnect, and that women especially could benefit from a WFH right being enshrined in law. The Greens’ leader, Larissa Waters, said:
The prime minister supports Victorian Labor premier Jacinta Allen’s push for legislating work from home two days a week. Now he has a chance to work with the Greens in federal parliament to make this a reality for those Australians whose jobs it suits.
Pocock noted that working from home “is not possible in all roles” but said that “where it is practical, workers should have a reasonable right to work from home for up to a couple of days a week.” She added:
The productivity commission has found that working from home not only reduces breaks and sick days, it can be less distracting than working on-site, which can lead to improved productivity. Similarly, OECD research shows that working from home – especially in hybrid models – can boost productivity and employee wellbeing, provided businesses invest in digital tools and smart management practices.
Updated
Burke said Israeli politician’s calls for destruction of Hamas not one of the grounds for cancelled visa
Burke was asked about the specifics behind Rothman’s visa cancellation on RN Breakfast earlier, including if the politicians calls for the destruction of Hamas were one of the grounds behind that decision.
The home affair minister said that claims were “mischievous” and “ridiculous”, saying the delegate who made the decision had included “simply descriptive” details about Rothman in the decision, including his views of Hamas, his professional qualifications and his alignment with his far-right party platform. Burke was asked if “his calling for the destruction of Hamas” was one of the specifics behind the rejection. He replied:
Of course not. Then just look at the number of people, yeah, the number of people with that exact view who we give visas to in Australia. Like, obviously, it’s not.
And some of what follows in that paragraph [in the visa decision] is simply descriptive of his views and consistent with many people who we let into the country.
And some of it is quite extreme views, which are not consistently held across the country.
Coalition says Burke has applied visa decisions ‘inconsistently’
Andrew Hastie, the shadow minister for home affairs, maintained the Coalition stance that Australia’s relationship with Israel is “now at an all-time low”. In an interview with RN Breakfast, Hastie said the decision to recognise a Palestinian state had “damaged” the relationship, adding:
I think as well, this latest visa decision, regardless of what you think of the Knesset MP who applied to come to this country, has further damaged the relationship as well. …
I think the government’s failed to recognise what this cancellation would mean. This wasn’t just any old visa. … I’m sure he said a whole range of things that I probably wouldn’t agree with. But nonetheless, he’s a member of the Knesset.
Hastie was asked again about Rothman’s views, saying while he “obviously” didn’t support them, Burke had applied the standard of visa approvals “very inconsistently”.
Burke defends decision to deny visas to far-right Israeli politicians
Burke was asked about the government’s decision to deny a visa to Simcha Rothman, a far-right Israeli politician, earlier this week, as well as that of another Israeli politician last year. The home affairs minister vehemently defended the call, saying the government had taken similar steps in the past against other controversial speakers, including US far-right commentator Candace Owens and the rapper Kanye West.
Burke told RN of the two Israeli politicians:
One of them has described Palestinian children as the enemy, and the other has described Palestinian children as little snakes. As little snakes.
Now, if anyone wanted to come on a public speech tour and they had those views publicly expressed about Israeli children, I would block the visa. And I am going to not have a lower bar for the protection of views that are bigoted views against the Palestinian people. I take the role very seriously in Australia that we have a power, or I have a power, and my delegates in the department have a power under the Migration Act, to block people from coming here if we think they will incite discord.
Burke went on to say his views on the matter were firm:
I have a strong view that no matter who you are in Australia, you have a right to feel safe and to be safe. And I also have a view that words can be bullets.
Updated
Burke addresses Netanyahu criticism, says strength not measured by ‘how many people you can blow up’
Tony Burke, the minister for home affairs, has addressed Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s criticism, saying Anthony Albanese had shown strength in standing up for Australian values on the world stage.
Burke spoke to RN Breakfast this morning, saying Israel was “lashing out” as the country had against others who said they would recognise a Palestinian state. Burke said:
Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up, or how many children you can leave hungry. Strength is much better measured by exactly what prime minister Anthony Albanese has done –which is when there’s a decision that we know Israel won’t like, he goes straight to Benjamin Netanyahu.
He has the conversation, he says exactly what we’re intending to do, and has the chance for the objections to be made person to person. And then having heard them, makes the public announcement and does what needs to be done.
Burke said he had not yet seen a letter Netanyahu sent to Albanese. But he said such criticism was further isolating Israel:
What we are seeing with some of the actions they’re taking is a continued isolation of Israel from the world, and that is not in their interests either.
Updated
Sussan Ley says Albanese 'mismanaging' Israel relationship
The opposition leader, Sussan Ley, has accused Anthony Albanese of “mismanaging” Australia’s relationship with Israel after Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out overnight calling him a “weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews”.
The latest diplomatic row between Australia and Israel was prompted by the visa cancellation of far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman ahead of his planned speaking tour in Sydney and Melbourne later this week. The home affairs department cancelled Rothman’s visa on the basis it was “an unacceptable risk” to order in Australia and concern he could make “inflammatory statements to promote his controversial views and ideologies”.
In retaliation, the Israeli foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, revoked the visas of three Australian diplomats to the Palestinian Authority living in East Jerusalem and working in an office in the West Bank. Sa’ar also cited Australia’s intention earlier this month to recognise a Palestinian state at the UN general assembly in September as another example of the Albanese government “choosing to fuel” antisemitism.
Ley’s statement said while the Australian prime minister deserved respect, it was a “two-way street”.
She continued:
Anthony Albanese has mismanaged international relationships to the point where he now finds himself at the centre of a troubling diplomatic incident.
This is a direct consequence of bad decisions he and his government have taken that do not advance Australia’s interests …
Her intervention comes after Netanyahu launched a blistering attack on Albanese for “abandoning” Israel.
Read more here:
As I noted in my hello earlier, rain is on the brain in Sydney, with a deluge set to continue for days.
Melbourne is cold, but lovely, and Adelaide and Hobart are both expecting sunshine today. Brisbane, Perth and Canberra are in for rain.
Here's today's forecast around Australia.
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) August 19, 2025
For the latest forecasts and warnings, visit our website https://t.co/4W35o8i7wJ or the BOM Weather app. pic.twitter.com/NnzdlsJvmw
O’Neil says housing market is ‘not functioning correctly’
The housing minister, Clare O’Neil, said the issue of housing remains the “principal problem” confronting Australians, insisting the Labor government is doing all it can to tackle a market that is “not functioning correctly”.
O’Neil spoke to ABC News this morning as politicians and industry experts gather for the second day of the roundtable, where housing is expected to be a top issue.
She said:
You and I are about the same age and I remember being preoccupied by this. I remember sitting around share house table wondering if we would ever own our own home. This reflects the fact that we have a housing market that is not functioning correctly …
We’ve got a 40-year-old crisis because, for that period of time, our country has not been building enough homes and this productivity issue may seem and sound a little bit remote to people watching at home but this is really about how can we build homes faster, more quickly. Because more housing means more affordable housing for Australians.
Updated
It’s the second day of Labor’s economic reform roundtable
The second day of Labor’s economic reform roundtable in Canberra kicks off in Canberra very soon (about 8am) with comments from the treasurer, Jim Chalmers.
On the agenda are subjects including better regulation and approvals, competition and dynamism across the national economy, and AI and innovation.
Ahead of the opening, Chalmers said:
The timing for this roundtable couldn’t be better, and the responsibility on all of us couldn’t be bigger.
Our economy is finally balanced between the progress that we’ve made on wages and inflation and living standards and the productivity that we desperately need to sustain that progress in the years and decades ahead.
When it comes to regulation, we need to make sure that it’s serving a useful purpose.
Good morning, and happy rainy day to those in NSW. Nick Visser here to take over for Martin Farrer. Let’s dive in.
Updated
Man shot dead in western Sydney
A man has been shot dead in western Sydney in yet another such attack in the city.
Emergency services were called to Regiment Grove in Winston Hills at around 7pm on Tuesday night, police said, following reports of a shooting in the street.
Officers from Parramatta police area command arrived and were told by witnesses that a man had been shot while in a car.
The man was treated by NSW ambulance paramedics before being taken to hospital but he was later declared dead.
He has not been named.
The incident followed the shooting dead of a man and the attempted killing of another as they left a pub in Forest Lodge on Sunday.
Police chiefs described Sunday’s incident as an “outrageous, brazen, callous attack” in which one of the bullets fired by the assailants “narrowly missed” a female staff member.
Albanese joins Ukraine 'Coalition of the Willing' call
Anthony Albanese last night joined a call of leaders of Ukraine’s allies – the so-called “Coalition of the Willing” to discuss additional sanctions to increase the pressure on Russia.
Following talks at the White House yesterday in which Donald Trump showed some unity with European leaders in support of Ukraine, the call was hosted by UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, and included French president Emmanuel Macron, German chancellor Friedrich Merz, Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson, Poland’s Donald Tusk and Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni.
The groups agreed that planning teams will meet US counterparts in the coming days to advance plans for security guarantees for Ukraine.
Albanese posted on X that “Australia welcomes ongoing efforts towards achieving a just and enduring peace, including yesterday’s discussions in Washington”.
Australia continues to stand with Ukraine.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) August 19, 2025
Tonight, I took part in another meeting of the Coalition of the Willing hosted by @Keir_Starmer, alongside President @EmmanuelMacron, @bundeskanzler Merz, PM @GiorgiaMeloni and other democratic leaders.
Australia welcomes ongoing…
Plibersek says increase appropriate
Plibersek said the increase was appropriate “as Australians begin to feel the positive impacts of inflation easing”.
“The government will now gradually return deeming rates to pre-pandemic settings – that is, to reflect rates of return that pensioners and other payment recipients can reasonably access on their investments,” she said.
Deeming rates also feed into the calculations for payments including jobseeker and parenting support.
Under the changes, future increases will coincide with the indexation of welfare payments and will be based on advice from the Australian Government Actuary.
Plibersek also announced the latest round of indexation would push up payments including the age pension, disability support pension and carer payments by $29.70 per fortnight from 20 September.
Updated
Labor to make changes to deeming rates
Labor will make changes to the way pension payments are calculated for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, ending a three-year freeze on deeming rates.
Deeming rates are used to calculate income from financial assets held by some 900,000 people receiving Centrelink payments, including about 450,000 older Australians on the age pension.
The social services minister, Tanya Plibersek, said overnight age pension recipients had saved about $1.8bn as a result of the deeming rate freeze put in place by the former Morrison government, but that incremental rises would begin to take place from next month.
From 20 September, a deeming rate of 0.75% will apply to financial assets under $64,200 for singles, with assets over the amount deemed at a rate of 2.75%.
Federal court to hear Bruce Lehrmann appeal
Bruce Lehrmann’s appeal against the federal court ruling that he was not defamed by Network 10 and Lisa Wilkinson is due to be heard today.
In April last year, Justice Michael Lee found that on the balance of probabilities Lehrmann raped former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins in Parliament House in Canberra in 2019, and that Lehrmann was therefore not defamed when Wilkinson interviewed Higgins about the case on The Project.
Lehrmann is appealing on grounds including that the sexual assault described by Lee was “substantially inconsistent” with the violent rape portrayed on The Project, according to submissions to the appeal filed with the court in March.
Lehrmann’s legal team say he was denied procedural fairness because the case which was found to be true was not put to him in cross-examination.
The appeal against that finding will be heard over three days in Sydney before the full court of justices – Michael Wigney, Craig Colvin, and Wendy Abraham.
The hearing starts at 10.15am and we will be blogging updates here.
Read more about the appeal here:
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the best of the overnight stories and then Nick Visser will take the wheel.
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And today sees the start of Bruce Lehrmann’s appeal against last year’s loss in his defamation case against Network 10 and Lisa Wilkinson. We’ll bring you lots more on that during the day, once it gets going.
