What we learned, Friday 25 July
We will wrap up the live blog here for the evening. Here’s what made the news today:
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, released a strong statement on the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, calling on Israel to end its blockade of aid and immediately comply with its obligations under international law.
The opposition said the statement was ‘one-sided’ and ignored Hamas’s role in blocking aid.
The UK and Australian foreign ministers said the deteriorating situation in Gaza was ‘indefensible’.
France’s plan to recognise Palestinian statehood led to calls from former foreign minister Bob Carr and Labor backbencher Ed Husic for Australia to follow suit.
The US president, Donald Trump, has claimed the US will “sell so much” beef to Australia following the lifting of biosecurity restrictions on the import of US and Canadian beef yesterday.
Pro-Palestinian protesters occupied the PM’s office in Sydney today.
The UK and Australia will tomorrow sign a new 50-year treaty in a move meant to deepen the Aukus pact, despite concerns over US involvement in the deal.
Businesses making more than $100m in annual revenue should face a tax hike unless they put aside money for research and development, the Australian Academy of Science has said.
The Productivity Commission issued a call to arms ahead of next month’s economic reform roundtable, saying that finding a way to lift national productivity is “essential to fulfilling” the promise that each generation will be better off than the last.
Until next time, enjoy your evening.
Updated
Here is Amanda Meade’s look at the week in media in the Weekly Beast.
Whales spotted under Melbourne’s West Gate Bridge
Whales were spotted swimming in the Yarra River under the West Gate Bridge in Melbourne earlier. Here’s a video of the event.
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France’s move ‘perfect opportunity’ for Australia to recognise Palestinian state, Husic says
Former minister and Labor backbencher, Ed Husic, has said France’s announcement to recognise Palestinian statehood was the “perfect opportunity” for Australia to follow suit.
He told ABC’s Afternoon Briefing:
This is a fairly comprehensive statement that France has put out, and I think it is one that Australia has the perfect opportunity now to stand with the French to recognise the state of Palestine.
He said the Labor party at its two most recent national conferences had reaffirmed recognising the state of Palestine, and the “brutality over the last 20 months” had led many nations to rethink their approach to this issue.
The refusal of the Netanyahu government to take into account concerns about what is happening in Gaza, and I think the other big thing critically has been moved to partition or to reframe the occupied territories and the concentration zones, so I think the time is now.
We should move to recognise Palestine now, standing alongside France, because there will be a number of countries that will do so and given our party has said we want to do this, it seems right that the time is now for us to step forward and say we will recognise the state of Palestine now.
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AI has ‘huge potential’ to boost productivity, commission chair says
The chair of the Productivity Commission, Danielle Wood, says AI has “huge potential” to improve productivity in Australia.
Ahead of the economic reform roundtable next month, Wood told ABC’s Afternoon Briefing there was “huge upside potential” for AI to improve productivity, and the government settings would need to support AI adoption. However, she said it would also need to manage risk in a way that doesn’t stifle innovation.
She said a question to be grappled with is training and skilling people in small and medium businesses on AI to get the most out of it. She said businesses shifting to AI use should consult unions and workers about the technology and how it would work, but expressed concern if unions sought to block its use.
It is a different argument if it’s a question of should a union should be able to knock out a business from adopting new technology. That is a bigger leap, and that would be something that we would be more concerned with.
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Liberal shadow minister claims PM’s Gaza statement ‘one-sided’
The federal shadow minister for education, Jonno Duniam, criticised the prime minister’s statement about Gaza as being “one-sided” and claimed Hamas was also playing a role in blocking aid in the region.
He told ABC’s Afternoon Briefing he had been in contact with representatives of the Israeli government in Australia to understand the situation, who said Hamas was preventing the delivery of aid in northern Gaza.
What I take issue with is a claim that it is Israel holding up aid and that is the pure cause and beginning and end of this issue.
He said “any party to the conflict hampering the flow of aid” needs to stop, but that the claim that it was just Israel stopping the aid was not “based in fact”.
That is what I take issue with. I don’t dispute children are starving. I have seen images myself and it breaks my heart as a father, and I would never want to see that continue. All parties need to do what they can to resolve this and do everything we as western countries expect to be the case, to protect and preserve human life especially [the] vulnerable.
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Carr says most Australians ‘outraged’ at ‘mass starvation’ in Gaza
The former foreign minister Bob Carr said there was “momentum in the western world” to recognise Palestinian statehood. He said most Australians and 99% of the Labor party base supported it.
The Australian people are now outraged with what is happening. There has not been a poll on this since the savagery of the policy based on mass starvation has been given such spirited force from Israel.
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Bob Carr says recognising Palestinian statehood would send message Australia is alert to 'terrible suffering'
The former foreign minister Bob Carr says Australia should recognise Palestinian statehood quickly to avoid risking looking like Australia is waiting for the UK to move, and “we are not confident enough” to move with France.
He told ABC’s Afternoon Briefing that it would send a message to south-east Asian countries.
Australia should move quickly and that would send a message to our friends in South-East Asia and Malaysia and Indonesia here that we are [alert] to the terrible suffering of the civilian population.
It would be appropriate for us to move and to move without giving the impression we are waiting for Britain to do it.
He said it would also send a powerful message to Israel about its “appalling behaviour” and a message of hope to Palestinians.
Right now, we’re looking at [a] bigger fact and that is that little babies are having their bodies collapsed in on them. They’re talking about boys who had been sent to pick up food to bring back to their families who have been shot, and it seems to be an orderly process of shooting kids being sent out to get food.
I don’t know how people can pretend to be part of our species [that] can calculate such cruelty.
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NSW Liberal leader responds after Gareth Ward found guilty of sexual abuse
The NSW opposition leader, Mark Speakman, has released a statement after MP Gareth Ward was found guilty of sexually abusing two young men.
Speakman said:
I respect the verdict and the robust process which delivered it. What any victim of sexual abuse endures is appalling and their strength in coming forward can’t be overstated.
There is no excuse for the criminal behaviour which the jury has found occurred beyond reasonable doubt – a complete abuse of power which has no place anywhere, let alone by those entrusted by the public to represent them.
Ward, who has held the seat for Kiama since 2011, left the Liberal party in 2021 after it was revealed the police were investigating him over the allegation. He ran again as an independent in the 2023 state election.
More on the verdict here:
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Foreign ministers questioned on Palestinian statehood and support
The UK foreign secretary, David Lammy has been asked what practical outcomes of meetings with Germany and France about Gaza could result in, such as airdrops or a pier.
Lammy says airdrops are in discussion with partners in Jordan, and the UK has increased funding to support medical needs in Gaza, but there needs to be a sustained ceasefire to allow trucks into Gaza.
He didn’t directly comment again on whether the UK would support Palestinian statehood alongside France.
The Australian foreign minister, Penny Wong, said Australia had provided $110m in humanitarian aid to the region so far, and was working with Jordan and others to deliver aid that “we are able to”.
So we do all of those things, recognising that ultimately what is required is an immediate ceasefire, release of hostages and aid to flow unimpeded in relation to two states … I responded to your colleague previously. We are committed to making a two-state solution a reality, and committed to working with other countries to making that happen.
I’ve outlined the challenges associated with that. But, ultimately, we end up where David has outlined where is the prospect of peace for both peoples, for Israelis and Palestinians, unless the international community and the parties can find a way to two states.
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Australia-UK treaty to underpin Aukus, Marles says
When asked whether there was the potential for Australia and the UK to go it alone if the US opts to pull out of the project after its review, the defence minister, Richard Marles, said there was “a lot of speculation” in the question but reiterates the bilateral treaty between the UK and Australia to be signed tomorrow underpins the trilateral agreement with the US.
But as others have said, as John very eloquently said earlier, what this does is underpin 50 years of co-operation between our two countries in what will be the biggest industrial endeavour that our nation has ever seen and will give rise to the biggest leap in military capability that our nation has had since, frankly, the establishment of the Navy back in 1913. It is a profoundly important treaty that we will sign tomorrow.
It forms part of a trilateral agreement that we have, and we are really confident about the progress of all three countries in bringing that to fruition.
His UK counterpart, John Healey, said the review was a chance for the new US administration to renew their commitment to Aukus, and “any sort of hypotheticals that you suggest simply aren’t part of the picture”.
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Australian and UK foreign ministers call deteriorating situation in Gaza ‘indefensible’
The UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, and the Australian foreign minister, Penny Wong, were asked whether the two countries would recognise Palestinian statehood at the UN general assembly alongside France.
Lammy said the deteriorating situation in Gaza was “indefensible”:
The sight of children reaching for aid and losing their lives has caused consternation over much of the world. And that is why. I repeat my call today for a ceasefire. A ceasefire that can see hostages released who’ve now been kept for so long away from their families and loved ones, and a ceasefire that would alleviate the suffering that we’re seeing in Gaza. The belief in a two-state solution is steadfast in both of our countries, that is the only solution to the longstanding issues that we see in the region.
He said the UK remains steadfast in the ambition for a two-state solution, and the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, will speak to partners in France and Germany later today to coordinate efforts in Europe.
Wong said what is happening in Gaza with the lack of aid and the deaths of civilians seeking to gain aid is “indefensible”, and a two-state solution is the only hope of peace and breaking the cycle of violence.
I also talk then about a number of challenges, including no role for Hamas in a future Palestinian state. We know Hamas continues to hold hostages. We are also seeing signs. And I think President Macron has spoken about this of the Palestinian Authority seeking to play its part as a partner of peace. So these are, these are good steps. But what we need are is a ceasefire. We need the hostages released and we need aid to flow urgently.
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UK defence secretary says Aukus to benefit ‘all three nations’
The UK defence secretary, John Healey, said the UK also welcomed the US review of Aukus and that it would bring benefits for all three nations.
Healey said:
It also underlines the fact that both Australia and the UK are increasing our investment, not just in defence, but in this advanced capability. We are doing so in the Aukus partnership is one that does not cost the US taxpayer any more. Indeed, we are putting more in Australia and the UK.
And finally, it is a partnership that will bring hundreds of new jobs, thousands of new jobs to all three nations, skilled work, high-paid work that will help drive the economy. As in all three nations. So we’re welcome.
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Marles says US Aukus review a ‘very natural step’
The Aukmin ministers are asked about the US review of Aukus. Marles said he welcomes the review, and says it is a “very natural step” and “work on Aukus continues apace”.
And so the answer to the question is we continue to work very closely together, but very closely with the United States in progressing the optimal pathway to Australia, acquiring a nuclear powered submarine capability.
He said Australia had made two contributions of US$500m each this year to the project for a total of US$1bn, and there were around 120 Australian tradesmen and women in Pearl Harbour working on the sustainment of the US Virginia class submarines for the US navy.
So all of that work continues, and we are really confident that the production rates will be raised in, in America, which is very much part of the ambition of Aukus and the sustainment rates will be lifted in the US and all of that continues at a pace. And in respect of the review, as I said, we very much welcome it and we’ll make our contributions to it.
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Wong says new measures around critical minerals discussed with UK
The foreign minister, Penny Wong, says there have been other measures discussed that are being announced today, including around strengthening economic resilience, deeper cooperation on critical minerals, building on our critical minerals strategic reserve and our initiative with the quad, the expansion of climate finance to south-east Asia, recognising the clear links between climate development and regional stability and the strengthening of cyber security capacity in the Pacific, supporting regional sovereignty in a much more contested digital environment and responding to the request of the Pacific.
Wong also thanked the UK counterparts for their “leadership and participation” in response to the crisis in Gaza.
Wong said:
So can I say we will continue with the UK to call for press for a ceasefire, for hostages to be released, for aid to flow and for international humanitarian law to be upheld.
Updated
Aukus treaty between Australia and UK to be signed tomorrow
Following a meeting with their UK counterparts in Sydney today, the defence minister, Richard Marles – joined by the foreign minister, Penny Wong – says that a treaty will be signed tomorrow in Geelong for Aukus for Australia to acquire a nuclear-powered submarine.
Marles said the treaty will “give expression” to the trilateral treaty signed between the US, Australia and the UK last year, and will underpin the development of Aukus.
We are seeing an increasing engagement of the United Kingdom in the Indo-Pacific, which we really welcome, and we’ve spoken about that today. That’s perhaps given greatest expression in the 3000 servicemen and women from the UK armed forces who are participating in Exercise Talisman Sabre. And on Sunday we will be in Darwin and we will visit His Majesty’s ship, the Prince of Wales, the UK aircraft carrier, which is participating in Exercise Talisman Sabre.
Marles said Australia will also extend its contribution to Exercise Kudu, the training of Ukranian armed forces in the UK for a further year, to the end of 2026.
Right now we are seeing the Australian Abrams tanks being delivered to the Ukrainian armed forces. A month ago at NATO, I announced that there would be another rotation of our E-7 aircraft, which carries a significant number of Australian personnel who are there supporting it. Today we announce that E-7 rotation will be jointly staffed by Australian and UK personnel.
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That’s all for me, thanks for sticking with us this morning. Josh Taylor will guide you through the rest of Friday’s news. Take care.
Economic roundtable right time to discuss raising jobseeker after Vinnies report, Greens say
Greens senator Penny Allman-Payne responded to a new analysis from the St Vincent de Paul Society calling for a welfare reform package that includes raising jobseeker to 90% of the age pension.
Allman-Payne, the Greens’ spokesperson for social services, said the party is calling for all income payments to be above the poverty line and said treasurer Jim Chalmers’ upcoming economic roundtable was the chance “to get this done”.
She wrote on social media:
Any politician who thinks jobseeker is adequate should try to pay rent, eat, and live on $20k a year. We need to raise jobseeker. The Vinnies report backs calls from the Greens and others including Labor’s own economic advisory committee, that this must happen.
While millions in this country struggle in poverty, one in three big corporations pay $0 in tax. The Greens want all income payments above the poverty line, ensuring nobody is forced to live in poverty. Labor’s upcoming economic roundtable should be the chance to get this done.
(To be clear: even the age pension is a poverty payment & we need to raise all payments above the poverty line. That even a modest increase like Vinnies’ proposal has been out of bounds for Labor for the past 3 years tells you how behind Labor are.)
(To be clear: even the age pension is a poverty payment & we need to raise all payments above the poverty line. That even a modest increase like Vinnies' proposal has been out of bounds for Labor for the past 3 years tells you how behind Labor are.)
— Penny Allman-Payne (@senatorpennyqld) July 25, 2025
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More on the PM’s strongest statement on Gaza yet
In the Australian government’s strongest condemnation of Israel yet, the prime minister said the actions of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in denying access to aid “cannot be defended or ignored”.
But Albanese made clear Australia was sticking with its stance on Israel and the Palestinian territories, saying the country was still committed to a two-state solution.
Global condemnation and outrage of Israel’s actions in Gaza have sharply increased in recent weeks and days. International humanitarian organisations have pleaded for attention on starvation and malnutrition concerns for civilians still remaining in Gaza.
At least 45 people have died of hunger in the last four days. The UN and aid groups blame Israel’s blockade of almost all aid into the territory for the lack of food. Images of skeletal and starving children have been published on newspaper front pages worldwide.
Read more here:
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Aussie shares fall as volatility set to continue
The Australian bourse has moved lower despite tech industries spurring the US market to modest overnight gains, AAP reports.
Near noon on Friday the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 0.52%, while the broader All Ordinaries had dipped by 0.5%. Overseas, the US market lifted after Google’s parent company, Alphabet, spurred the technology sector, securing a $1.5bn deal with software firm ServiceNow.
In Australia, nine of the ASX’s 11 sectors were down near midday, lifted only by energy climbing 1.17% and with health care almost flat.
With a few hours of trading left, the ASX200 was on track to fall 1.1% for the week after breaking records multiple times the previous week.
Volatility in the local market looks set to persist as traders eye upcoming inflation data and the local earnings season, experts say.
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Fortescue axes two green hydrogen projects after Trump administration’s shift on renewables
The iron ore magnate Andrew Forrest’s Fortescue company has cancelled two major green hydrogen projects, laying some of the blame on the Trump administration’s shift away from renewable energy.
Fortescue’s decision to cancel the two ventures in Queensland and Arizona are the latest in a run of canned hydrogen projects in Australia and elsewhere that will raise further questions about the future of the clean fuel.
Gus Pichot, the chief executive of growth and energy at Fortescue, said a “shift in policy priorities away from green energy” in the US had “changed the situation” for its reported US$550m green hydrogen production plans in Arizona. Pichot said:
The lack of certainty and a step back in green ambition has stopped the emerging green energy markets making it hard for previously feasible projects to proceed.
Read more here:
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Opposition echos Albanese’s concerns on Gaza, but places blame on Hamas
Michaelia Cash, the shadow foreign affairs minister, said the Coalition shared the prime minister’s strong concerns about the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. But Cash said the opposition was disappointed Anthony Albanese hadn’t directed his outrage at Hamas. Cash said in a statement:
Any moral outrage about the situation in Gaza should be directed at Hamas. Hamas and its allies have tried to disrupt the flow of aid into Gaza and have stolen humanitarian aid for their own purposes.
This war began because of Hamas’s abhorrent attack on Israeli civilians, where over 1200 were murdered in cold blood, and they bear responsibility for the continuation of this conflict. …
Hamas could end the suffering of the people of Gaza by freeing the remaining Israeli hostages and laying down their weapons.
Cash went on to say the Coalition “acknowledges” the delay in aid entering Gaza is “unacceptable and that the Israeli government needs to urgently work with international bodies to allow aid to flow freely to those that need it”.
However, the right system must be in place so that it can be distributed without Hamas intervening in the process.
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Protesters who occupied the PM’s office have left
A pro-Palestine protest at Anthony Albanese’s Sydney office has dispersed after police issued a move-on direction.
More than a dozen people had occupied the prime minister’s electorate office and were banging pots and pans to draw attention to their demands for the government to sanction Israel in response to the starvation of civilians in Gaza. A protester who was part of the demonstration, which began at 10am, told Guardian Australia that around 30 protesters had also gathered outside the office.
NSW police said in a statement that the group was issued a move-on direction to exit the office. The order was complied with and no arrests were made.
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Albanese’s statement follows French pledge to recognise Palestinian state
Overnight, French president Emmanuel Macron said his country would recognise a Palestinian state in September at the UN general assembly, a major move by a world power.
The French president announced the decision on X on Thursday evening, saying he hoped it would bring peace to the region. Macron published a letter sent to the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, confirming France’s intention to become the first major western power to recognise a Palestinian state. The French president said:
True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognise the state of Palestine.
Read more:
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PM says ‘every effort’ must be made to safeguard innocent life
Albanese also condemned Hamas and said Australia would continue to call for the immediate release of all remaining hostages. He went on:
We continue to support all international efforts to facilitate a ceasefire, recognising that an immediate and permanent ceasefire gives the best hope of bringing hostages home and easing the agony of their loved ones.
Australia is proud to have strongly supported the creation of the modern state of Israel. Then, as now, the global community envisioned two states: the state of Israel and the state of Palestine …
Australia is committed to a future where both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples can live in peace and safety, within secure and internationally recognised borders.
Until that day, every effort must be made here and now to safeguard innocent life and end the suffering and starvation of the people of Gaza.
You can read his statement in full below:
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) July 25, 2025
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Albanese calls on Israel to heed international law
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, just released a strong statement on the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, calling on Israel to end its blockade of aid and immediately comply with its obligations under international law. He said:
The situation in Gaza has gone beyond the world’s worst fears. The position of the Australian Government is clear: every innocent life matters. Every Israeli. Every Palestinian.
This conflict has stolen far too many innocent lives. Tens of thousands of civilians are dead, children are starving.
Gaza is in the grip of a humanitarian catastrophe. Israel’s denial of aid and the killing of civilians, including children, seeking access to water and food cannot be defended or ignored.
We call on Israel to comply immediately with its obligations under international law.
The number of people dying of starvation in Gaza continues to rise, with the UN and aid groups blaming Israel’s blockage of almost all aid into the territory for a widespread lack of food. The head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency said yesterday his frontline staff are fainting from hunger while trying to help Palestinians in Gaza.
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More on the Thailand-Cambodia border dispute: 100,000 Thai civilians evacuated
Thailand evacuated more than 100,000 people along the Cambodian border, it said on Friday, as the two countries fight their bloodiest military clashes in more than a decade.
The interior ministry said 100,672 people from four border provinces had been moved to shelters, while the health ministry announced the death toll had risen to 14.
Both blamed each other for starting a morning clash at a disputed area of the border, which quickly escalated from small arms fire to heavy shelling in at least six locations 209km (130 miles) apart along a frontier where sovereignty has been disputed for more than a century.
Read more here:
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Trump says US will ‘sell so much’ beef to Australia – but some disagree
The US president, Donald Trump, has posted on his Truth Social account that the US will “sell so much” beef to Australia following the federal government lifting biosecurity trade restrictions on the import of the meat from the US and Canada.
While the move has led to criticism from the Coalition in the past day over its “suspicious” timing, Trump praised the decision. He said:
After many years Australia has agreed to accept American Beef! For a long time, and even though we are great friends, they actually banned our Beef. Now, we are going to sell so much to Australia because this is undeniable and irrefutable Proof that U.S. Beef is the Safest and Best in the entire World. The other Countries that refuse our magnificent Beef are ON NOTICE. All of our Nation’s Ranchers, who are some of the hardest working and most wonderful people, are smiling today, which means I am smiling too. Let’s keep the Hot Streak going. IT’S THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICA!
Whether this happens in practice is another thing. As we have reported, Australia produced 2.5m tonnes of beef last year, of which just over one-fifth was consumed onshore.
In addition to that, the US beef industry has not currently been meeting its own internal demand. The US cattle herd is at a 74-year low due to prolonged drought conditions. In 2024 the US imported 525,980 tonnes of Australian beef to fill the gap.
Meat & Livestock Australia yesterday assessed the impact of the lifting of the restrictions to be minimal.
The potential for US beef to be imported into Australia in large volumes is minimal, given the high demand for beef in the US, the low US cattle herd, the strength of the Australian dollar, our competitive domestic supply, and most importantly Australians’ strong preference for high-quality, tasty and nutritious Australian beef.
It is expected the concession will help pave the way for the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, to argue Australia should be given exemptions from the US’s 50% tariff on steel and aluminium, and a potential 200% tariff planned for pharmaceuticals.
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Pro-Palestine protesters occupy prime minister’s office
Over a dozen people are occupying Anthony Albanese’s Sydney office and banging pots and pans to draw attention to their demands for the government to sanction Israel, according to a protester taking part. The protester said:
The protest is calling for sanctions on Israel in response to the starvation of civilians in Gaza.
He said about 30 protesters had also gathered outside the prime minister’s electorate office in Marrickville since the demonstration began at 10am.
The protester said NSW police, who have been approached for comment, have officers at the scene. Albanese’s electorate office was picketed 24/7 by protesters for several months last year.
43 people died from hunger in Gaza over just three days this week. There had been 68 in total before that.
On Tuesday, Greens senator Mahreen Faruqi was sanctioned by the upper house after she held up a sign urging sanctions against Israel while the governor general, Sam Mostyn, addressed parliament.
Australia has joined with 27 other nations, including the UK and France, to condemn Israel for the “drip feeding of aid” and the “inhumane killing” of Palestinians.
The prime minister’s office has been approached for comment.
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Marles says Australia-UK relationship ‘one of the most important that we have’
Defence minister Richard Marles and foreign minister Penny Wong welcomed their British counterparts a few moments ago for the latest round of talks between the ministers. Marles said:
We have said this on many occasions that this is our oldest relationship, but with Aukus and a range of other matters we have a contemporary strategic dimension to the relationship which really has not been there for a long time.
It now means that a bilateral relationship is right up there and one of the most important that we have in the world.
Wong added the group shared ‘history’, ‘values’ and ‘interest’ and deeply valued the work together to contribute to world security.
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Unicef says severe malnutrition spreading among Gaza children ‘faster than aid can reach them’
Unicef issued a strong statement overnight condemning the humanitarian crisis affecting children in Gaza, saying severe malnutrition is spreading among children “faster than aid can reach them, and the world is watching it happen”.
Edouard Beigbeder, the aid group’s regional director for the Middle East and north Africa, warned that without increased access to humanitarian relief, there will be a rise in acute malnutrition. Beigbeder said:
These deaths are unconscionable – and could have been prevented. The UN-led humanitarian response must be allowed to function fully through unfettered aid access to children in need …
To be able to reverse the catastrophic situation we face, a sustained and predictable flow of humanitarian and commercial supplies is urgently needed. Fuel must enter in sufficient quantities that allow life-saving services to function. Children must be protected – not killed, and not left to starve.
We need a ceasefire and the release of the hostages. And we need it now.
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Queensland Police roll out new bomb robots
Queensland police have five new bomb robots as part of a $2.6m investment meant to improve the safety of frontline officers responding to hazardous or potentially dangerous incidents.
Officials described the new robots as a “game-changer” for the police force, noting the Explosive Ordinance Response Team and the Regional Bomb Response Unit have almost doubled their officer hours in the past year.
Three of the new robots have been deployed to regional areas across the state, while the other two are based in Brisbane.
Senior Sgt Andy Rowan said in a statement:
This new technology is a huge boost for community safety because we are able to zoom in and focus on the suspect object while keeping the public and QPS officers at a safe distance.
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New paper raises alarm about massive marine heatwaves
Extraordinary marine heatwaves have been described by an Australian researcher as a wake-up call and sparked concern about their long-term impacts, AAP reports.
International research published in peer-reviewed journal Science said unprecedented underwater heatwaves seen in 2023 could mean ecosystems are stressed beyond a level from which they can recover.
The paper found those marine heatwaves smashed records due to their intensity, duration and size, with scientists warning they could stress ecosystems “beyond recovery thresholds” with coral reef collapse, as well as the displacement of fish and the destabilisation of polar ice sheets.
Alex Sen Gupta, a UNSW associate professor, said the research was concerning, but cautioned against suggestions a tipping point had been reached, saying:
A tipping point would indicate that we’ve passed some threshold and we’re not coming back again, but at this point, we don’t know if that’s true. …
When these habitat-forming species start degrading or disappearing, obviously this is going to have knock-on effects for the whole ecosystem.
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Health minister did not know private hospital operator Ramsay planned to shutter most of its psychology clinics
Health minister Mark Butler spoke to ABC News Breakfast this morning after Ramsay Health Care, Australia’s largest private hospital operator, said yesterday it would close most of its psychology clinics by the end of August.
Butler said the government was not aware of the decision, which will see 17 of Ramsay’s 20 clinics close, before it was reported in the media.
He said more Australians were opting for virtual psychiatry and psychology consultations online rather than face-to-face appointments, which was placing “real financial pressure” on traditional brick and mortar models. He continued:
So Ramsey and some others as well are moving to quite different models of care. That’s what’s going to happen with these 17 clinics. They’ll still be available to support all of the patients as I understand it who have been receiving care from those clinics …
We know there’s more demand for mental health. That’s why we’re investing in training more psychologists because we don’t have enough in this country and expanding other services as well that are available free of charge to Australians who need help.
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No Australians affected by Thailand-Cambodia dispute so far
Another update for anyone travelling in or considering travel to Cambodia or Thailand.
Dfat is urging Australians in the region to subscribe to Smartraveller for updates amid increased tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border, pointing to shelling of civilian areas. The department has also advised travellers to monitor local media reports and to follow the advice of local authorities, warning the situation could change quickly.
The Australian government is not aware of any Australians impacted in the region by the tensions so far, but said anyone needing emergency consular assistance should contact the government’s 24-hour consular emergency centre.
UK and Australia to ink new 50-year Aukus treaty
The UK will sign a new 50-year treaty with Australia in a move meant to deepen the Aukus pact, despite concerns over US involvement in the deal, British news agency PA reports.
The treaty will be inked as the foreign minister, Penny Wong, and defence minister, Richard Marles, host their UK counterparts David Lammy and John Healey in Sydney beginning today for regular Australia-UK ministerial meetings. Healey said in a statement:
This historic treaty confirms our Aukus commitment for the next half century.
While the Aukus nuclear submarine partnership involves the US, UK and Australia, the treaty is between the latter two nations, as a Pentagon review into the agreement threatens America’s future participation. Marles and Wong released a joint statement saying Australia and the UK would ink the treaty to make the world a safer place:
We take the world as it is – but together, we are working to shape it for the better.
Marles shared a photo welcoming Healey before the Sydney Harbour Bridge earlier this morning:
Welcome to Australia @JohnHealey_MP 🇦🇺🇬🇧
— Richard Marles (@RichardMarlesMP) July 24, 2025
Excited to host the UK Secretary of State for Defence for the next few days as we discuss our countries’ close defence relationship. pic.twitter.com/sAaeg8Kw9Y
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Raise jobseeker to 90% of age pension and pay for it by curbing super tax concessions, Vinnies says
A welfare reform package that includes raising jobseeker to 90% of the age pension would lift 590,000 Australians out of poverty, with the $11bn price tag paid for by curbing super tax concessions in a way that still leaves the vast majority of savers better off.
A new Australian National University paper for the St Vincent de Paul Society, titled A Fairer Tax and Welfare System for Australia, examines a range of options that “are targeted to benefit persons who have the greatest financial need and would be paid for by those most able to accommodate a modest additional contribution”.
In addition to the rise in the main unemployment benefit, the “major” reform package also includes increases to commonwealth rent assistance and payments to families and single parents.
With an estimated one in 10 Australians, or nearly 3 million people, living in households experiencing poverty, the charitable organisation’s report highlights the urgent need to make the country more equitable as well as more efficient.
Read more here:
US trade representative hails end of Australian beef import restrictions
The United States trade representative has praised the end of Australian restrictions on American beef, calling them “unjustified barriers”. The federal government announced yesterday it would allow imports into Australia of meat processed in the US but grown in Mexico and Canada.
“For decades, Australia imposed unjustified barriers on U.S. beef, effectively barring U.S. market access,” the US trade rep, Jamieson Greer, wrote on X this morning. Greer added:
Thanks to @POTUS’ leadership, Australia is opening its market to U.S. fresh and frozen beef, scoring a major win for U.S. ranchers.
In a separate post, the USTR called it “a major milestone for the U.S.-Australia trade relationship” and “a historic win for U.S. ranchers”.
Today, Ambassador Jamieson Greer and @SecRollins issued statements following the Australian Government’s decision to open its market to U.S. fresh and frozen beef.
— United States Trade Representative (@USTradeRep) July 24, 2025
This decision marks a major milestone for the U.S.-Australia trade relationship and secures a historic win for U.S.… pic.twitter.com/o2FKgbY0Qm
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Wong urges de-escalation after fighting along Thai-Cambodian border, warns travellers
The foreign minister, Penny Wong, says the federal government is alarmed by the conflict along the border of Thailand and Cambodia, urging de-escalation from both sides. The federal government is also urging caution for Australians travelling to both countries. She said on X this morning:
Australia is deeply concerned by escalating tensions across the Thai-Cambodian border, including reports of injuries and loss of life. We urge both sides to de-escalate and resolve border issues peacefully.
We have upgraded our travel advice for Australians to reconsider their need to travel to border areas of Cambodia and Thailand.
The Smartraveller website, regarding Thailand, says the Australian authorities “continue to advise exercise a high degree of caution overall. We now advise reconsider your need to travel to the border areas of Buriram, Si Saket, Surin and Ubon Ratchathani provinces near the Cambodia border due to armed conflict in the area.”
Armed conflict between Thai and Cambodian forces along the Thai-Cambodian border has increased. This includes reports of military strikes, violence and landmines in the border areas of Buriram, Si Saket, Surin and Ubon Ratchathani provinces. There are reports of casualties.
Follow the advice of local authorities, monitor local media for updates and pay close attention to your personal security. Border crossing points along the Thai-Cambodian border continue to be closed at short notice.
For Cambodia, it is a similar story, but authorities “continue to advise exercise normal safety precautions overall. We now advise reconsider your need to travel to the border areas of the northern and north-western provinces of Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey due to armed conflict in the area”.
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Spender says Labor has opened door to tax reform, and you’ve got to keep the ‘momentum’
Spender was asked about the need for a separate, mini-roundtable before Chalmers’ own. She said the government’s push to open the door on tax changes had spread throughout Canberra, including to the opposition, and she felt the need to keep the “momentum” up. She told RN Breakfast:
The government has more broadly opened the door finally to tax reform. You’re starting to hear, you know, the opposition starting to engage a little bit in this area. And I think that you’ve got to keep the momentum up.
This is something that, when I look back at history, you look at the Hawke-Keating reforms, you look at the Howard-Costello reforms, and I think most Australians would say those reforms were difficult, but they set the country up for the long term.
Allegra Spender to hold tax reform roundtable today
Independent MP Allegra Spender will hold what’s being referred to as a tax reform roundtable today. She told RN Breakfast this morning reforming the tax system would help Australia “solve some of its biggest problems” like sluggish productivity and the cost of living crisis affecting young people, as well as fund the climate transition.
The goal for this roundtable is to both contribute to the treasurer’s economic roundtable, contribute to a broader push for broader tax reform, and also bring the community on board …
I think we do have an opportunity in this term of parliament and into the next election to potentially make the sort of significant reforms that can set up our community for the next decades to come.
Spender said she still has issues with treasurer Jim Chalmers’ plan to tax superannuation balances above $3m. While it will probably pass in parliament, she says she will still appeal to Chalmers to make changes to better address her concerns surrounding unrealized gains.
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Dfat providing consular assistance to family of man who died in Thailand
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat) is providing assistance to the family of a man found dead in a Thai hotel room earlier this week, one day before he was due to fly home to Australia.
The 21-year-old was found by housekeeping staff on the holiday island of Phuket on Wednesday, lying on his bed with his phone on his chest. There were no signs of assault or theft in the room, but police said he was still on a phone call with someone.
There were no drugs or alcohol at the scene aside from over-the-counter painkillers as the man had been in a motorcycle accident and injured his elbow the day before his death. A Dfat spokesperson said:
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to the family of an Australian who died in Thailand. Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment.
Read more here:
Calls come as government prepares for economic roundtable
Calls for tax changes have mounted ahead of the Albanese government’s economic reform roundtable, now less than a month away. The government’s Productivity Commission is also considering options for corporate tax reform as part of a broader inquiry to report later this year.
The proposed levy would raise between $2.14bn and $12.84bn annually, depending on the size of the levy and discounts, the AAS estimated. That revenue could then be invested via a new branch of the government’s Future Fund, the returns of which could be invested in research.
The academy has suggested two options for the levy – 0.25% of company revenue, or 0.5%. It hasn’t prescribed a spending threshold at which firms should be allowed to start claiming the discount, instead indicating firms that already spend enough on R&D to claim an existing tax offset should be eligible.
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Scientists call for research-boosting tax hike
Businesses making more than $100m in annual revenue should face a tax hike unless they put aside money for research and development, the Australian Academy of Science has said.
The academy has proposed a new levy on business revenue that would be halved or removed if they spend enough on R&D, in a bid to boost research.
Firms with significant R&D expenditure, such as tech giant Atlassian and medical company CSL, would avoid part or all of the levy, according to the Academy’s analysis of ATO data. Firms that spend next to nothing on research, potentially including miner Fortescue and retailer Wesfarmers, could be whacked with the full levy.
Australia’s research spend is proportionally low and declining, at just 1.66% equivalent of its gross domestic product, well below the OECD average of 2.7% of GDP spent on R&D, OECD stats show.
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Good morning, Nick Visser here to take over for Martin Farrer. Let’s get into the news.
Commission says reforms across a range of areas required to sustainably lift growth
Danielle Wood, the Productivity Commission’s chair, said productivity over the past decade grew at less than a quarter of its 60-year average. She said:
Australia should be a place where children born today can expect to live better and more prosperous lives than the generations who have come before them. Productivity growth is essential to fulfilling that promise.
If we could boost growth from its current level to its historic average, adult Australian full-time workers would be at least $14,000 a year better off by 2035.
No single policy change will guarantee our prosperity – we need to make smart reforms across a range of areas to drive sustainable productivity growth.
In response to the PC’s scene-setting paper, Jim Chalmers said there was “no quick fix” to the productivity challenge.
The best way to strengthen our economy and make it more productive is to work through the issues in a methodical and considered way in collaboration with business, unions and the broader community.
Productivity Commission identifies five key areas to boost economy
The Productivity Commission has issued a call to arms ahead of next month’s economic reform roundtable, saying that finding a way to lift national productivity is “essential to fulfilling” the promise that each generation will be better off than the last.
The PC is preparing to release five interim reports from separate inquiries that will present practical reforms to tackle key aspects of the national productivity challenge.
The first on 31 July will look at how to create a “more dynamic and resilient economy”, and include options for tax changes to drive more investment.
That will be followed by reports on the clean energy transition, the digital economy, skills and training, and the care economy.
Top public schools add hundreds of thousands of dollars to house prices, research suggests
Families are paying up to $1.3m more to live in top public school catchments in major cities, Australian Associated Press reports.
Analysis from property platform Cotality shows buyers are willing to pay significantly more to access high-performing schools, even though comparable homes just outside the catchment often deliver better capital gains.
The research compared nine school catchment clusters across Sydney and Melbourne.
“In some of the most in-demand school zones, families are paying hundreds of thousands and in one case more than a million dollars, more for a house compared to similar houses outside the boundary,” Cotality’s head of research, Eliza Owen, said.
The largest price gap was in Sydney’s North Shore, where homes in the combined catchments of Killara high, Willoughby Girls and Lindfield learning village held a median value almost $1.3m more than homes nearby but outside the catchment.
Despite this, houses in the catchment recorded lower long-term growth of 126.0% over the past 15 years, compared to 150.3% in neighbouring markets.
In Melbourne, the premium for homes in the catchments of Princes Hill and University high school reached $357,000, though capital growth was weaker than in surrounding suburbs.
Owen emphasised the premiums in some school catchment zones could also reflect other factors such as proximity to train stations, or the high incomes of those living within the area.
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Aukmin meeting to occur today
Penny Wong and Richard Marles will today welcome their British counterparts – the foreign secretary, David Lammy, and defence minister, John Healey – for the latest round of talks between ministers from the two countries.
Known as Australia-United Kingdom ministerial consultations (Aukmin), the talks will take place in Sydney and will focus on diplomatic and defence cooperation to address challenges such as policy in the Indo-Pacific.
On Sunday, Marles and Wong will join their counterparts in Darwin to see this cooperation firsthand, with the deployment of a United Kingdom carrier strike group to Australia as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025.
Marles, the defence minister and deputy prime minister, said:
The United Kingdom is a critical partner for Australia. We continue to work closely together, including through the Aukus partnership, to address shared strategic challenges in an increasingly complex and uncertain world.
We are seeing a very real example of how this works, with the first visit by a United Kingdom carrier strike group to Australia since 1997.
I look forward to discussions in the coming days to advance our enduring relationship.”
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories before Nick Visser takes up the reins.
The Productivity Commission has identified five key areas where action can be taken to improve productivity as it prepares for Jim Chalmers’ much-vaunted summit next month. In the coming days, the PC will release reports on creating a “more dynamic and resilient economy”, and include options for tax changes to drive more investment. The other areas will be the clean energy transition, the digital economy, skills and training, and the care economy. More coming up.
Penny Wong and Richard Marles will be in Sydney this morning to welcome their British counterparts – the foreign secretary, David Lammy, and defence minister, John Healey – for the latest round of talks between ministers from the two countries. The so-called Aukmin talks will focus on defence and diplomatic cooperation. More coming up.
Plus, new data puts some numbers on the postcode premium – how much a sought-after school adds to house prices nearby. But there’s also a surprise: it may be a good investment in the kids, but not so much in the property. More on that soon too.
