What we learned - Tuesday 10 June
Well, that was an anti-climactic end to the blog. We might not have learned Tasmania’s electoral fate but let’s recap what we did find out today:
Miriam Margolyes called on the Australian government to impose sanctions against Israel.
The NSW deputy premier, Prue Car, revealed she has breast cancer.
Accounting group issued a warning of tax scams before EOFY.
Nine reporter Lauren Tomasi said she has a ‘bloody big old bruise’ after being hit with a rubber bullet. The LAPD said it was aware and ‘very concerned’ about media getting hit with crowd-control munitions. Albanese spoke with Tomasi and has raised the incident with the US administration.
Monash IVF Group said the wrong embryo was transferred to a patient last week.
A NSW woman was charged with ‘wine-fuelled’ behaviour on an international flight, police said.
The ABS confirmed the average Australian dwelling price is above $1m.
A Burst Fremantle sewer main has caused ‘temporary odour’ in some areas.
A second Australian reporter affected by police action at LA protests.
Enjoy the rest of your evening
Updated
The premier’s office has released a statement from Rockliff:
I respect the need for Her Excellency to take the appropriate time to consider important matters of State.
I remain committed to serving the people of Tasmania.
Updated
No decision on early election in Tasmania to be made tonight
The Tasmanian governor, Barbara Baker, has indicated it could be days before she decides on whether the state will have an early election.
The premier, Jeremy Rockliff, has just met with Baker at Government House in Hobart.
The governor’s official secretary, David Hughes, has released a statement:
This evening Her Excellency the Honourable Barbara Baker AC, Governor of Tasmania, received the Premier, the Honourable Jeremy Rockliff MP, at Government House.
Following their conversation, Her Excellency is now taking the time necessary to give due consideration to all available options.
By the end of the week the Premier will meet with her excellency again.
Further statements will be made in due course.
Updated
The political situation in Tasmania as of tonight
While Tasmanian premier Jeremy Rockliff speaks with the governor it is worth briefly considering what might happen next.
As we have reported, Rockliff is not expected to speak with the media after his meeting with the governor, Barbara Baker.
The situation is fluid and that could change, but it suggests we may not get confirmation tonight on whether the state is headed to an early election.
Baker may take some time to consider Rockliff’s request. She may consider whether there are others in parliament who could win commitments on confidence and supply from a majority of lower house MPs after Rockliff could not.
That could involve exploring that possibility with the Labor leader, Dean Winter. But Labor has only 10 of 35 seats, and Winter has ruled out working with the Greens’ five lower house MPs to form a minority government.
Liberal MPs have rebuffed calls from some senior party figures that they should appoint another leader who might have the confidence of the parliament, and backed Rockliff.
It suggests an election is the only way out. But there is no set time in which a decision will be made.
Updated
Tasmanian premier at Government House
The Tasmanian premier, Jeremy Rockliff, has arrived at the state’s Government House to ask for an early election. He was driven past waiting media and through the games at Queens Domain shortly before 6pm.
He said earlier he would recommend to the governor, Barbara Baker, that the state hold its fourth election in seven years. It follows Labor, Greens and independent MPs last week backing a motion of no confidence in his leadership moved by the opposition leader, Dean Winter.
State parliament returned briefly today to pass emergency supply bills to allow government operations to run during an expected election campaign.
Rockliff is not expected to speak with the media after the meeting.
Updated
The Tasmanian Liberal premier, Jeremy Rockliff, is expected at Government House at about 6pm to meet with the state’s governor, Barbara Baker, to ask for a state election nearly three years before its due.
As we reported earlier, it’s not known how Baker will respond. She may choose to seek other opinions - including that of the opposition leader, Dean Winter - before making a decision.
Lidia Thorpe calls for PM to take action on Indigenous deaths in custody
Lidia Thorpe has called for the prime minister to meet the family of the Aboriginal man who died in custody in Alice Springs in May and take action to reduce the rate of deaths in custody.
Thorpe, an independent senator for Victoria, accused Anthony Albanese of a “shameful cop-out” after Albanese cited the failure of the referendum to establish an Indigenous voice to parliament as a factor stymieing his government’s engagement with First Peoples.
Thorpe said:
We can’t accept more excuses while our people keep dying. In my view, every death in custody from this point on is blood on his hands.
The prime minister earlier today said he was not “convinced that people in Canberra know better than people in the Northern Territory,” shying away from federal intervention over the NT’s disproportionate incarceration of Aboriginal people.
Asked about the deaths in custody of Kumanjayi White and another man, Albanese said his government had “attempted to break with business-as-usual” but now had to find new ways to listen to Indigenous communities.
Thorpe, an independent senator for Victoria, said Albanese could listen to independent experts and advocacy groups among many others:
He can listen to the families demanding justice. He can listen to the hundreds of coronial findings … He can listen to the thousands of people who rallied across the country over the weekend. He can listen to the Labor Member for Lingiari and Minister [Malarndirri] McCarthy, who have both supported an independent investigation.
Repeating her calls for an independent investigation into the death of Kumanjayi White, Thorpe said Albanese should meet with White’s family and respect their wishes.
Updated
Animal Justice MP says aerial cull of koalas a ‘national disgrace’
Looping back to Victoria’s parliament where the official number of koalas culled earlier this year was revealed to be over 1,000.
Animal Justice party MP Georgie Purcell says while she understands when animals are “suffering beyond help” that “humane intervention is often necessary”. But she says the method and the “lack of transparency surrounding” this cull has concerned her.
The minister’s response today only confirms those concerns … Blasting koalas out of the sky is a national disgrace. We need to be addressing why this occurred and doing everything we can to ensure it never happens again.
You can’t check a pouch from a chopper, but you can kill anything in sight. There was no capacity to properly check the pouches of female koalas prior to shooting, which places dependent joeys at extreme risk of being orphaned or killed.
Updated
ASX closes at record high
The Australian share market has closed at a record high amid US-China trade talks after four months of tumultuous trading.
The benchmark S&P/ASX200 ticked over to 8587 points by Tuesday afternoon, surpassing the record high set of 8555 on 14 February.
The market had shed more than $300bn in value in the two months after it hit that record, closing at its lowest level since 2023 at 7,343 on 7 April, after Trump announced tariffs, before rushing back up two months later amid growing confidence that the disruption will prove temporary.
The latest sign of easing tariffs has come from US and China trade talks in London, now into their second day, which US officials have described as “fruitful” and a “good meeting”.
Major banks NAB, Westpac and ANZ are back to where they were at the start of the year but yet to reach their February highs. The Commonwealth Bank, though, has picked up in value over the year, rising from $2.6tn to more than $3tn this month.
Health tech company CSL has had a rough 2025 though, starting with a value of $135bn and still stuck below $118bn. Mining firm BHP is also still worse off than where it started the year.
Domino’s Pizza, meanwhile, has continued its steady fall, with its share price today reaching a low it hasn’t seen since 2014. Domino’s started the year with a value of $2.8bn – it’s now worth less than $2bn.
Updated
Key crossbenchers have called for the federal government to intervene to drive reforms to state prison systems after revelations that 57 Australians died from hanging points that were known to authorities but not removed.
A Guardian Australia investigation on Tuesday revealed that inaction to remove known hanging points from 19 prisons across the country had caused a shocking death toll, more than 30 years after state governments promised to make prisons safe in the wake of the Aboriginal deaths in custody royal commission.
The revelations prompted immediate calls from crossbenchers for the Albanese government to show national leadership on the issue and pressure state governments to engage in reform of their justice and prison systems.
The independent senator David Pocock said the cases were “deeply shocking” and highlight “a widespread failure in our prison system”, while Greens justice spokesperson David Shoebridge said they showed Australia’s prison system was “fundamentally broken and killing people, even though governments have been on notice for decades”.
The independent senator Lidia Thorpe said Guardian Australia’s findings revealed “shocking negligence”. She said the federal government could not keep “pretending this is just a state issue”.
Their calls for federal action were echoed by crossbenchers Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender.
You can read more here:
More than 1,000 koalas culled in Victoria
Victoria’s environment department has revealed more than 1,000 koalas were culled in the state’s south-west early this year, which is higher than 700 publicly reported at the time.
The cull was the first time the state government used helicopters for animal welfare reasons, after a fire in Budj Bim national park that burned through 2,200 hectares, including a large area of manna gum, a key food source for koalas in the park.
The environment minister, Steve Dimopoulous, told the parliament’s budget estimates committee that the helicopters flew “very, very low” to the tree canopy and were able to do assessments before they were euthanazed.
Under questioning by Liberal MP, Nick McGowan, the secretary of the Department of Energy Environment and Climate Action, John Bradley, confirmed 2,219 koalas were assessed, including 1,128 aerially.
McGowan:
And how many were culled?
Bradley:
1,061
Only 14 koalas were recovered after the cull, the department confirmed.
The drastic action sparked outrage and received global media attention. Here’s an explainer my colleague Petra Stock wrote at the time:
Updated
Nine CEO says authorities to investigate injury to reporter Lauren Tomasi
Matt Stanton has confirmed authorities in Los Angeles have launched an investigation into the events that led to Lauren Tomasi being injured while covering protests in the US. Stanton said he would be writing to the LAPD Commissioner to offer his cooperation with the investigation. Stanton said Nine footage showing that a projectile was fired from a police officer’s weapon was “shocking”.
Our focus has been on providing all the support Lauren and our camera operator James Phillips need in the aftermath of Sunday’s incident. As 9News continues to cover these dramatic and troubling events in Los Angeles for Australian audiences, the safety of our 9News teams in the US remains the priority.
The video footage captured by our team on Sunday showing a projectile fired from a police officer’s weapon was shocking and raised concerns from around the world, with valid questions around what could in any way have justified the actions taken by the police officer.
This is why a formal investigation is so important. It is important to find out what happened and why. I plan to write to the LAPD Commissioner offering our cooperation with the investigation.
I’d like to thank the prime minister, the Foreign Minister and DFAT officials in Australia and the United States, including Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd and Consul General Los Angeles Tanya Bennett, for the assistance afforded to Lauren, James and the 9News team following the incident. The active and direct engagement of the Australian Government with government and law enforcement officials in the US played an important role in ensuring an investigation has been established in such a timely manner.
Updated
Kean wants ‘all the levers’ used to cut emissions
The chair of the Climate Change Authority, Matt Kean, has called for the Albanese government to use “all the levers we have available” to fight the climate crisis as it rewrites national nature laws for major projects.
The environment minister, Murray Watt, has come under internal pressure to make the climate crisis a factor in the assessment of projects as part of his planned rewrite of nature laws. After speaking to Guardian Australia earlier today, Labor MP Jerome Laxale told the ABC:
At the very least, the Minister should consider the impact of proposals on our emissions reductions target.
Kean, who leads the body advising the government on its new emissions reduction target for 2035, did not reject the prospect of climate considerations being added to Australia’s nature laws when asked. He told the ABC:
We should be using all the levers we have available to us to ensure we do our bit to reduce emissions. We know increasing emissions are causing dangerous climate change ….
I will certainly be making a recommendation that reflects that but is also anchored in reality.
Updated
‘Electoral oblivion’ for political parties dropping net zero: Kean
The chair of the Climate Change Authority, Matt Kean, has said Coalition politicians considering moving away from a net zero emissions target for 2050 are “weird” and pursuing “nonsense policies.”
Kean, the former Liberal treasurer of New South Wales, warned opposition MPs’ open calls for a net zero policy to be dropped was a sign the parties were “heading for electoral oblivion”. He told the ABC:
I am not anti-nuclear but I am anti-nonsense. … Those arguing away from net zero are arguing for nonsense policies.
Those Coalition MPs saying they should walk away from net zero are just weird.
Kean said the Coalition would struggle to recover from its “absolute electoral drubbing” unless it met public demand for stronger climate action:
The sooner [Coalition MPs] start talking about those policies the sooner our path back to electoral relevance.
Kean said the Climate Change Authority was “close” to making a decision on a new 2035 target for emissions reductions after last year setting a range of 65% to 75% on 2005 levels, which he warned would be affected by US president Donald Trump’s threat to repeal green energy legislation.
Updated
A third Australian jurisdiction will consider reforms to fix an “accountability gap” allowing institutions like the church to avoid liability for the actions of child abusers.
Last year, the high court delivered a landmark judgment ruling the Catholic church could not be held vicariously liable for the actions of a parish priest who abused children, because he was not a formal employee.
The standing council of attorneys-general - a body consisting of attorneys-general from the Commonwealth and every state and territory - is currently considering whether legislative reform is required. But crossbenchers in three states - Victoria, New South Wales, and now the Australian Capital Territory - have introduced legislation seeking to address the issue.
ACT Greens leader Shane Rattenbury said on Tuesday:
Institutions like churches, sporting groups and scout groups have an obligation to protect the children in their care. And that obligation must extend to those acting on their behalf. The bill I’m introducing will remedy this in the ACT so that children who were abused by those people can receive justice. It will mean that institutions can be found vicariously liable for crimes committed by volunteers, those carrying out a role within the organisation and those who are carrying out activities for the benefit of that organisation.
The move is supported by legal experts and the Grace Tame Foundation, which said institutions were continuing to “exploit every legal loophole they can find to evade their corporate responsibility for the decades of harm inflicted on children in their pastoral care”.
Supply bills have passed Tasmanian parliament, Rockliff off to governor
Tasmania’s parliament has completed its work for the day, passing two emergency supply bills needed to ensure government operations and services will be paid for during an election campaign.
The premier, Jeremy Rockliff, is now expected to visit the governor, Barbara Baker, to recommend an early state election, possibly on 19 July.
Turnbull has advice for Albanese on how to handle Trump
Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has called for Anthony Albanese to “get on the front foot” and pressure Donald Trump for tariff reductions rather than give away greater access to critical minerals.
Turnbull said the tariffs were an “affront” and there was “not much” Australia should be willing to negotiate on for tariffs. He told the ABC Albanese should not give away access to critical minerals and instead warn the US that Australia could cut back on favourable defence spending and access:
No deal is better than a bad deal. Mr Albanese has got to be prepared to actually get on the front foot with Trump.
Hopefully, we are not giving [critical minerals] to him. Australia has always been prepared to get involved but the Americans have not been prepared to make the investment.
The former prime minister, who criticised Trump’s first tariff s in March, predicted Trump would welcome a warmer relationship with Albanese after the US president’s public disputes with other world leaders. Turnbull said:
Trump is alienating so many people that I would be surprised if he wants to alienate and pick a fight with Anthony Albanese. He picked a fight with Canada and the only results was … [a] prime minister of Canada who got elected on an anti-Trump ticket.
Rather than rush for a tariff deal with the US, Australia should expand its free trade values with other countries, Turnbull said.
Updated
Second Australian reporter impacted by police action at LA protests
The ABC’s North America correspondent Lauren Day has become the second Australian journalist to allegedly be impacted by police action against the protesters in LA.
Day and her crew were caught in the middle of a teargassing by LAPD as they tried to disperse the crowd around Little Tokyo in LA, the ABC has reported.
Day’s incident came after Anthony Albanese said footage of the Nine correspondent Lauren Tomasi being shot by a rubber bullet live on air is “horrific” and he has expressed his concern to the US government. Day said:
In a sign of just how quickly things can escalate, after a long standoff with protesters, all of a sudden we heard large bangs and the crowd started running.
I then felt the unmistakable burn of teargas – first in my eyes, then in my nose, lips and throat.
It really stings your entire face and makes it difficult to breathe, until the point you almost want to throw up.
You can see why this is such a popular crowd dispersal method because it’s extremely unpleasant.
Updated
Push within Labor to include climate impacts in environmental assessments
The environment minister, Murray Watt, will face internal pressure to make the climate crisis a factor in the assessment of projects as part of his planned rewrite of national nature laws.
Under the existing Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC), the minister is not required to consider a proposal’s impact on climate change in the approvals process.
The absence of a so-called “climate trigger” or “climate considerations” was again brought into focus after Watt provisionally approved a 40-year extension to Woodside’s North West Shelf gas processing plant – a project that scientists estimate could be linked to 6bn tonnes of greenhouse gases in the coming decades.
Greens and environmentalists have long advocated for the inclusion of some form of climate trigger in nature laws as a vehicle to block or limit new fossil fuel projects.
Without referencing the Woodside project, the Labor MP, Jerome Laxale, said the impact of global heating should be a factor in the decision-making process.
Speaking with Guardian Australia, Laxale said:
Commentary always highlights how narrow the scope is for the environment minister to consider when making an assessment. My electorate and I would like to see climate change as one of the considerations that the minister has in new environment laws.
We’ve got a 43% emissions reduction target by 2030 and we will have a new emissions reductions target for 2035. I think we should have laws that reflect our ambition to meet those targets, and environmental law should give consideration to our emissions reduction here in Australia. Currently, they don’t.”
Laxale is a patron of LEAN – Labor’s grassroots environmental action group.
The Albanese government currently has no plans to legislate a climate trigger as it believes the safeguard mechanism is the appropriate scheme to regulate emissions from heavy polluting facilities.
Updated
Footing the bill at tax time
As tax time rolls around, many of us turn to the Australian Taxation Office for guidance.
This year, the ATO has taken to social media, captioning a Facebook post about tax and the gig economy:
Selling your feet pics as a side hustle? Make sure you report ALL income from ALL of your jobs!
In the comments, one questioned the desperation of tax collectors stooping to need “foot pic money taxes”, saying “I knew y’all were broke but cmon”.
Updated
The Albanese government’s decision to extend the North West Shelf gas project to 2070 has been top-of-mind over the last week. The Guardian’s Adam Morton digs into the PM’s commitments to address the climate crisis while supporting a major fossil fuel project. Read more below:
That’s all for me. Natasha May will guide you through the rest of today’s news. Have a good one.
An update on the goings-on in Tasmanian parliament
For those wondering what has been happening in Tasmania’s parliament as the state edges towards a likely election, the answer is: not a great deal.
Things hit a snag when a typographical error was found in a budget supply bill that was rushed through the parliament’s lower house this morning to ensure the government stays open during a campaign. That had to be fixed.
Then there was a lunch break from 1pm until 2.30pm.
Things are now back on, with debate on the supply bills having moved to the Legislative Council (the upper house). It is unclear how long that will take, and when the premier, Jeremy Rockliff, will be able to visit the governor, Barbara Baker, to advise her there should be an election. But it is still expected today.
It’s also unclear how Baker will respond. She could choose to seek other opinions, including from the opposition leader, Dean Winter, before making a decision.
Updated
Pedestrian dies in Sydney after alleged hit and run
NSW Police said a pedestrian died in Sydney’s south west after an alleged hit-and-run this morning.
Emergency services responded to calls of a crash in the suburb of Leumeah around 10am. They were told on arrival a pedestrian had allegedly been hit by a Mitsubishi sedan while exiting another vehicle, before the sedan left the scene.
The man, 46, was treated by paramedics and was taken to the hospital. He later died.
Police began an investigation and located the sedan that allegedly hit the man at a nearby sports centre. A 77-year-old woman was arrested and taken to the hospital for mandatory testing.
More on the country’s supersized dwelling prices
The combined value of the country’s 11.3m houses and units reached nearly $11.4tn at the end of March. Every state and territory has seen its average home price rise since September, except for the Australian Capital Territory, where values have fallen consistently since June.
Nationwide averages steadied in the middle of last year amid high interest rates and poor affordability but hopeful homebuyers have started bidding higher prices as rate cuts and gradual growth in incomes increase their budgets.
NSW homes reached an average value of nearly $1.25m in March. No other state or territory has an average above $1m, but the sheer number of homes in the biggest state pushes the national figure up to seven figures.
Today’s ABS data confirms property analytics firm Cotality’s indication in May that Australia’s average home value had cracked $1m. Cotality today reported average values were nearing $1.01m.
Averages can be skewed towards more expensive homes, with Sydney’s $100m harbourside mansions dragging the national number upwards. But while the middle-of-the-pack Australian home is worth on Cotality’s median value $831,288, more than a third of homes nationally are now valued at $1m or higher – so the average isn’t ridiculously far off.
Updated
Burst Fremantle sewer main causes ‘temporary odour’ in some areas
WA’s Water Corporation is working to repair a “major burst” in a sewer main in Fremantle that has bogged a reserve used by a farmers’ market and the local football club in overflows of wastewater. The sewerage includes human waste, AAP reports.
The City of Fremantle said it was assisting with an incident, which began Friday, in the suburb of Beaconsfield, with wastewater flowing into South Terrace, South Fremantle and the harbour at Fremantle Sailing Club. The Water Corporation advised community members to keep windows closed and consider using fans or air purifiers to counter “temporary” but “strong odours”.
Water Corporation said in a statement:
While flows have been stopped, repairs are expected to take some time to ensure the safety of crews. Given the complexity of the wastewater network and the amount of wastewater backed up in the system, there remains a risk of further localised overflows. Remediation of the affected sites will start as soon as practical.
Updated
ABS confirms average Australian dwelling price above $1m
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released new data today confirming the average dwelling price in the country is now above $1m for the first time. Dwellings include houses, apartments and townhouses.
That’s a 0.7% rise over the March quarter of 2025. The ABS said the surge was driven by property prices in Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland, with the latter reaching the second-highest mean price in the nation behind NSW.
Updated
NSW woman charged with ‘wine-fuelled’ behaviour on international flight, police say
A woman is expected to appear in court in Wollongong today on allegations she assaulted an airline crew member during an international flight. Australian federal police (AFP) allege the woman, 64, consumed a bottle of her own wine on a flight from New Caledonia to Sydney on 3 June.
When the woman was told she could not consume her own alcohol onboard the aircraft, she allegedly became verbally abusive and at one point kicked a crew member in the stomach, with AFP describing the incident as “wine-fuelled”.
The woman also allegedly refused instructions to sit down during the descent, prompting crew to attempt to physically restrain her in her seat. AFP officers responded on the ground in Sydney, and she was later taken to hospital and discharged the next day.
The woman has been charged with four counts, including assaulting a crew member, offensive and disorderly behaviour on an aircraft, failing to comply with safety instructions by cabin crew and consuming alcohol not provided by crew.
Updated
PM says people need to ‘chill out’ about what’s posted on social media
The prime minister appeared to take a slight jab at concern directed at poorly-aged social media posts. He said:
People need to chill out about stuff that people will have on social media. You know, if people are held to account for what a 21-year-old has on social media in 10 years time then we won’t have anyone willing to put their hand up in public life. You know, it needs to change. …
I wouldn’t particularly appreciate everything being documented when I was in Young Labor, let me tell you!
Albanese spoke with Nine journalist Lauren Tomasi, has raised rubber bullet shot with US administration
The prime minister says he spoke with Nine correspondent Lauren Tomasi this morning and has since expressed concerns to the US government.
She’s going OK. She’s pretty resilient, I’ve got to say. But that footage was horrific. That was the footage of an Australian journalist doing what journalists do at their very best. …
We have already raised these issues with the US administration. We don’t find it acceptable that it occurred. And we think that the role of the media is particularly important.
Albanese would not comment on his plans to raise the issue with US president Donald Trump at next week’s G7 meeting, saying such discussions were between “himself and the president”.
That’s the way that I deal with people, diplomatically, appropriately and with respect. So I’ll leave the discussions with the president until they occur, rather than foreshadow them.
He went on to say there was “no ambiguity” that Tomasi was identified as a reporter.
There was no ambiguity. She wasn’t wearing a trackie. She was wearing a helmet and something that identified her as media.
Updated
Albanese says Labor will engage respectfully with First Nations people
The prime minister said the government needs to “engage directly and constructively” with First Nations people after the deaths of multiple Indigenous men in custody in recent days.
We attempted during our last term to break with business-as-usual. We attempted to do that. I think we, you know, can’t be accused of shying away from that. We did it. And we did it because we needed to engage in a different way with First Nations people.
Now, people voted, clearly, in the referendum against the model that was put forward by First Nations people themselves in the Uluru constitutional convention in 2017. But we need to find different ways of engaging respectfully, of listening in a different form as well.
Albanese said “all governments have not done well enough” on Indigenous affairs.
Updated
Albanese again stresses Australia will spend what is needed to keep country safe
The prime minister was just asked about his stance on lifting defence spending above what has already been budgeted. Albanese said the percentage of GDP spent on the military could go up in the future, but as with other agencies, the budget will reflect what Australia needs to keep the country safe. He said:
There is no reason why defence shouldn’t be governed by anything other than one factor: What do we need? What is the capability we need to keep us safe?
Our capability will always be supported in any submissions by myself as prime minister. Because our first order is to keep us safe.
Steven Kennedy named as secretary of the department of prime minister and cabinet, Jenny Wilkinson to lead treasury
Treasury secretary Steven Kennedy has been appointed the head of the department of the prime minister and cabinet, making the former nurse the country’s top bureaucrat.
Kennedy’s promotion makes way for his former deputy and the head of the department of finance, Jenny Wilkinson, to become the first woman to lead the federal treasury. Albanese said:
These outstanding public servants will continue to excel in their service to our nation.
Kennedy joined Treasury in 2019 and was a key architect of Australia’s economic response to the Covid-19 pandemic, including the $89bn JobKeeper program.
Albanese says there’s a ‘growing sense’ economy is ‘turning the corner’
The prime minister said the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, will convene a roundtable on growth and productivity, bringing together business leaders, unions and civil society to build “the broadest possible base” for economic reform.
Over the last three years we have all worked together to put the worst of global inflation behind us. To bring inflation down, without sacrificing people’s jobs or cutting the wages and services that Australians rely on.
With two interest rate cuts already this year, there is a growing sense that our economy is turning the corner.
Albanese said Labor’s economic plans were about Australians “earning more and keeping more of what they earn”.
Updated
Albanese will push forward promises on tax deductions, student debt and first homes
The prime minister is listing hallmark policies from his election campaign, saying the new parliament will immediately move forward on plans to cut student debt by 20%, backdated to 1 June, and a new $1,000 instant tax deduction for workers.
Albanese has also said Labor will push forward with its plan to allow first home buyers to lay down just a 5% deposit to buy property, available for homes up to the average price in every city.
The prime minister has long made those promises, but said his remarks represented the government’s commitment to delivering. He said:
Our government is focused on delivery.
We know that delivery matters for all those Australians who voted Labor for lower taxes, stronger Medicare, better education and new help with the cost of living.
Delivering these commitments matters for every Australian, regardless of who they voted for.
Updated
Albanese is speaking at the National Press Club
The prime minister is speaking at the National Press Club about his priorities for his second term in office.
Follow along.
‘High density’ area of endangered species left out of NSW great koala national park plan, advocates say
Forest advocates say an important area that is home to endangered koalas and southern greater gliders has been left out of the Minns government’s assessment for its proposed great koala national park in northern New South Wales.
WWF-Australia, the National Parks Association of NSW and community forest groups from the mid-north coast region have urged the state’s environment minister, Penny Sharpe, to consider including the 528ha area in the promised park after recent drone surveys detected a “high density” of threatened species.
You can read more about their thoughts below:
Hiker missing in Tasmania
A walker has gone missing at Cradle Mountain in below freezing weather conditions, Tasmanian police say.
They have concerns for the welfare of the 52-year-old Victorian man last seen on Sunday. In a statement police said:
Christopher Michael Inwood was last seen at Kelso, in the state’s north, on Sunday and he was reported to be travelling to Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park.
His white Toyota HiAce van was found in the carpark of the Cradle Mountain ranger station about 7.30am on Tuesday and a backpack belonging to Mr Inwood was found about 500m along the track from the station, heading to Dove Lake.
Weather conditions in Cradle Mountain overnight were below freezing and a search of the area is under way. Anyone with information on Mr Inwood’s movements, or can help police get in contact him, should call 131 444.
Updated
Cost-of-living pressures starting to ease but consumers remain pessimistic, Westpac survey shows
Australian consumers are “stuck in a holding pattern of cautious pessimism”, as they weigh the good news of falling interest rates and inflation against the daily barrage of bad news from offshore.
Westpac’s consumer sentiment measure has climbed by 11% over the past year, but households in the latest survey for June remain more pessimistic than optimistic, and are still gloomier than the historical average.
Amid ongoing fears that Donald Trump’s trade war could sink the global economy, Matthew Hassan, a Westpac economist, said the monthly survey showed Australians are increasingly aware of international news and that they see it as “a very clear negative”.
News recall on this topic has risen to a three-year high with 77% of consumers assessing the news as unfavourable – easily the most negative of the major news topics.
There were, however, signs in the survey that cost of living pressures have become less intense.
A question about whether it is a good time to buy a major household item revealed a big improvement in sentiment, with more positive than negative responses for the first time in three years. Hassan said:
That long period of deep pessimism is finally coming to an end.
Updated
Monash IVF Group shares plunge after second embryo revelation
Monash IVF Group revealed the embryo transfer incident in a letter to the ASX this morning. Shares have plummeted over the last 90 minutes.
The company’s stock is trading about 25% lower than it was when markets opened and shares are about 55% lower since the start of the year.
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LAPD aware and ‘very concerned’ about media getting hit with crowd-control munitions
The Los Angeles police department said it is aware members of the media had been likely been hit with crowd-control munitions.
Nine correspondent Lauren Tomasi was hit with a rubber bullet while covering an immigration protest yesterday. A British news photographer also said this weekend he believed he was likely hit with a non-lethal round.
The LAPD chief, Jim McDonnell, was asked how they minimise impacts on people who are “merely there, in the way… including press”. McDonnell replied:
We minimise it through training, through the equipment we use. It is a target-specific munition. That’s not to say that it always hits the intended target, particularly in a dynamic situation.
I know that situation you’re referring to, with the member of the media. We saw that, we’re very concerned about it and we’re looking into that.
It’s unclear if McDonnell was referring specifically to Tomasi in his comments.
• This post was amended on 10 June to clarify that it was unclear which incident of a member of the media being shot McDonnell was referring to.
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Minns says Courtney Houssos ‘right person’ to cover Prue Car’s portfolio while she is treated for breast cancer
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, said both he and Prue Car agreed Courtney Houssos was the “right person” to take over the education portfolio as Car seeks treatment for breast cancer. Minns said during a media briefing:
It’s a massive portfolio, a big part of the budget and employs tens of thousands of people, and obviously we’re responsible for the education of a large number of people in the state.
I know Courtney’s worked really closely with Prue in the past … They’ve got a good relationship. I’ve got no doubt Courtney will check in with Prue whenever she’s able to, it might even be up to once a day.
Minns said Car was a “selfless teammate” and would remain in the role of NSW deputy premier.
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Tasmania election seems near-certain as parliament passes budget supply bills
The Tasmanian parliament kicked off what is likely to be a final session before the state embarks on a fourth election campaign in just seven years.
The premier, Jeremy Rockliff, plans to advise the governor, Barbara Baker, that the state should go to the polls after the lower house narrowly passed a vote of no confidence in him on Thursday. Before that, parliament has reconvened to pass budget supply bills to ensure services and staff continue during a campaign for an election that could be held on 19 July.
Those bills have just passed the lower house. They now move to the Legislative Council before Rockliff can visit Government House.
Tasmanian politics is often unpredictable, but an election now seems near-certain. The Labor leader, Dean Winter, argues the Liberals could avoid an election by choosing another leader. The Liberal party has locked in behind Rockliff, arguing the Labor leader does not decide who leads them.
Liberal MPs are also conscious that another leader might win the confidence of the parliament today but would have no guarantee how long it would last. The Greens have offered to talk with Labor about offering it support on confidence and supply. Winter has rejected this, saying their values do not align.
As things stand, the Liberals have 14 seats, Labor 10, the Greens five and there are six other crossbenchers.
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Monash IVF Group says wrong embryo transferred to patient last week
Monash IVF Group said it mistakenly transferred the wrong embryo to a patient last week at its laboratory in the Melbourne suburb of Clayton. The company said a patient’s own embryo was “incorrectly transferred to that patient, contrary to the treatment plan which designated the transfer of an embryo of the patient’s partner”.
Monash IVF has extended its sincere apologies to the affected couple, and we continue to support them.
The company said it would immediately put in place temporary additional verification processes and confirmation safeguards “over and above normal practice”.
Monash IVF, which operates across the country, apologised in April after a patient at one of its clinics in Brisbane had the wrong embryo, from another woman, transferred to her. She later gave birth to the other woman’s child. Monash said the situation was the result of “human error”. Experts said at the time the incident was a legal and ethical “nightmare” without precedent in Australia.
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Lauded Sydney Morning Herald cartoonist John Shakespeare dies at 63
Newspaper cartoonist John Shakespeare, who drew illustrations for the Sydney Morning Herald for 39 years, has died from cancer. He was 63.
Shakespeare was a prolific artist, drawing front-page illustrations and pocket cartoons on the letters page, but still found time to do a caricature of nearly every departing Herald staffer over decades. Knowing “Shakes” was terminal, his former colleagues held a big party for him last month at a pub in the city and lined up to tell him how much they loved him.
A video from the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, was played at the event.
One of the things that really characterises all of your remarkable work, is that you can be incisive without being cutting, your cartoons are generous, they show people’s character … that says a lot about the nature of your spirit.
Bevan Shields, the editor of the Herald, praised Shakespeare as a “master of his craft and a beautiful friend and colleague”. Shields said:
We are all devastated by this loss.
It’s hard to think of many people in the media who are universally adored. Shakes was one of the rare few. There was just not one bad thing you could say about him. He was kind, he was funny, he exuded empathy and warmth, he was collaborative, wildly talented and hugely generous.
Shakes said in a recent interview he had accepted his death. He said:
Once I know that something is irreversible, I have no choice but to accept it. There is a certain sense of peace that comes from acceptance. It eliminates the need to ask ‘why me?’ and ‘if only’.
The Brisbane-born artist is survived by his partner, Anna-Lisa Backlund, and their son, Lukas.
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Everything you need to know about Australia’s new home battery subsidy
The Guardian dug into the subsidy last month, from eligibility to cost, and how households and businesses can take advantage of the program. You can find out more here:
Australians could save hundreds on power bills each year if more households embrace solar batteries
Australia could slash $4bn a year off power bills by the end of the decade if households embrace solar batteries in larger numbers, a report forecasts.
AAP reports the Climate Council issued the prediction on Tuesday, finding the savings were possible if half of all homes with solar panels installed added batteries by 2030.
The report comes amid heightened demand for home batteries after the announcement of a $2.3bn federal government scheme to subsidise their purchase by 30% from July. Electricity bill savings could rise from $1,500 with solar panels to $2,300 a year after installing a battery, the Climate Council said.
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Tasmanians face another election: How did we get here?
After a week of drama, the political future of Tasmania could look starkly different by the end of Tuesday. So how did we get here?
On Tuesday last week, the state opposition leader, Dean Winter, surprised many by moving a motion of no confidence in the Liberal premier, Jeremy Rockliff. The motion was tabled at the end of a budget supply speech.
Could an election be avoided? Potentially. The governor, Barbara Baker, is not obliged to accept Rockliff’s request. She could adopt two alternatives.
Read about them here:
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No update so far on the entangled whale, but rescuers on the lookout
The Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans (Orrca) said they have not yet spotted the humpback whale entangled in a drumline that has been dragging a buoy along the NSW coastline.
Orrca said its members and other volunteers were trying to spot the whale this morning in hopes of providing aid.
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Tomasi says she doesn’t want to be part of the story in LA protests
Tomasi says she feels a bit embarrassed becoming part of the story while covering the US immigration protests. She told Today:
I feel embarrassed, quite frankly. I really don’t want to be the story as part of this. We were just on the ground trying to do our job. I was there, you know, Jimmy and I were doing our best to bring to Australia what is unfolding on the streets of LA.
And it’s a really unfortunate thing that has happened. And I think, you know, as a journalist, we want to be there telling the story. And I think, you know, it’s a really crappy thing that’s happened. But I really don’t want to be the story.
Lauren Tomasi says she has a ‘bloody big old bruise’ after rubber bullet hit
Nine reporter Lauren Tomasi described her experience at the immigration protest in LA yesterday, saying a rubber bullet had left quite the mark on her leg. Tomasi told Nine’s Today:
I have a bit of a bloody big old bruise and it’s a little bit sore, but I am all OK …
Police started pushing their way up the street. They’d begun firing teargas canisters and those rubber bullets, and we moved on to the sidewalk, really tried to stay out of the way. What you saw that report was at the end of that live [cross] off to the side of the road … I was really focused on the camera and, you know, finishing that report, telling what was happening. Yeah, and I got hit. Jimmy scooped me up and we made our way out of there as quickly as possible.
Tomasi said she was in a group of media at the protest and had been listening to the Los Angeles police department orders during their coverage.
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Greens senator says ‘pot shot’ at Australian journalist needs to be raised ‘at the highest levels’
Greens senator Nick McKim said the Australian government needed to raise the shooting of a Nine reporter with a rubber bullet in Los Angeles “at the highest levels”, calling it “completely unacceptable”. McKim told Nine this morning:
The fact that you’ve got someone in uniform who appears to take a deliberate pot shot at an Australian journalist, that is completely unacceptable and that needs to be raised at the highest levels, whether that’s PM to president or at a foreign affairs minister level.
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Thorpe points to Guardian Australia investigation into prison hanging points
Lidia Thorpe also pointed to a Guardian investigation that found a staggering 57 Australians had killed themselves in the past two decades using hanging points in prisons that authorities knew about but failed to remove.
In a five-month review of 248 hanging deaths in Australian jails, Guardian Australia identified 19 correctional facilities where inmates died after governments and authorities failed to remove known ligature points within cells.
In many cases, this was despite repeated and urgent warnings from coroners to do so.
Read more here:
In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Indigenous Australians can call 13YARN on 13 92 76 for information and crisis support. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org
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Lidia Thorpe says PM should ‘step in’ after recent Indigenous deaths in custody
Independent senator Lidia Thorpe called on the federal government to intervene after multiple deaths of Indigenous people in police custody in recent days, saying each report had an ongoing impact on communities across the country. An Indigenous man died in police custody in Darwin on Saturday, just a week after a young Aboriginal man died after he was restrained by police at a supermarket in Alice Springs.
Thorpe told RN Breakfast the deaths required intervention from the federal government:
It’s just so real and the grief-stricken families and communities, it’s ongoing trauma, and every death in custody has such an impact on our families and communities …
We need federal leadership. We need the feds to step in here. We need the prime minister to come out. He came out on vaping. He came out on social media to stop kids from accessing social media. He called the states and territories to account for those issues. So he needs to do the same for deaths in custody.
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Some tips from CPA Australia about spotting tax scams
It’s getting harder to distinguish between legitimate and scam messages, but the group has some tips:
Look for grammatical errors or strange language, including American spellings.
The ATO does not use hyperlinks in unsolicited SMS messages – if you see one, treat it as a scam.
Check the email address sending financial messages – anything unusual is a red flag. That could include subtle anomalies like an extra letter or rogue number.
Beware of any unexpected requests for personal information, especially with a call for urgency.
You can always contact the ATO or your bank with any concerns – but call them yourself.
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Accounting group issues warnings of tax scams before EOFY
CPA Australia, the country’s largest accounting body, warned Australians to be wary of a “deluge” of scam activity in the final weeks before the end of financial year on 30 June. The biggest increase in reported scam losses this year comes from phishing scams, where scammers impersonate government agencies and financial institutions like banks.
CPA Australia warned people to be wary of messages that try to “trick individuals to click the link to see ‘official government correspondence’ or for an ‘update regarding your benefits’,” among others.
Jenny Wong, the group’s tax lead, said in a statement:
Scammers take advantage of any situation, and at tax time that means targeting unsuspecting individuals through unsolicited messages claiming to be the ATO or another reputable organisation.
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Nine reporter shot by rubber bullet in LA says she’s ‘a bit sore’ but OK
Nine News correspondent Lauren Tomasi said she is OK, albeit a “bit sore”, after she was hit by a projectile while covering immigration protests in Los Angeles yesterday. She took to social media to thank those who had shared messages of support after the incident:
Hey there. Thanks for all your messages – I’m a bit sore, but I’m okay. Important we keep on telling the stories that need to be told. Here’s our report on what unfolded in Los Angeles.
Hey there. Thanks for all your messages - I'm a bit sore, but I'm okay. Important we keep on telling the stories that need to be told. Here's our report on what unfolded in Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/S8AvjQuFA7
— Lauren Tomasi (@LaurenTomasi) June 9, 2025
You can read more about the protests and Tomasi’s coverage here:
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Tasmanian Greens leader says Labor ‘deluded’ if it doesn’t work with crossbench
Rosalie Woodruff, leader of the Tasmanian Greens, said she hasn’t spoken to Dean Winter, the state’s Labor party leader, as Tasmania looks likely to enter another election campaign following a vote of no confidence in the premier, Jeremy Rockliff.
Woodruff said she was very disappointed after the Greens offered to work on supply and confidence with Labor towards a minority government, but she said “Dean Winter hasn’t picked up the phone”. She told RN Breakfast:
It’s a bad sign from a Labor leader … If he doesn’t want to talk with the Greens or the crossbench, he’s deluded about what’s going to happen after an election because, in all likelihood, Tasmanians will not be delivering a majority Liberal or Labor government.
They have to get used to working collaboratively across the parliament with the people Tasmanians elected.
Woodruff said she believed the Greens and Labor still had a lot in common and she remained “very confident” there was an opportunity to strike a balance between the two.
These people have got to get used to talking, that’s the first step.
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Sussan Ley to be first opposition leader since 2022 to address National Press Club later this month
The opposition leader, Sussan Ley, will address the National Press Club later this month in her first major speech this term – and will be the first Liberal leader since early 2022 to front up to the major venue. As Anthony Albanese prepares for his own address to the NPC later today, Ley’s office has announced she will follow suit on 25 June, around a month before parliament returns in late July.
While Ley isn’t expected to announce any major new policies – with internal reviews and processes still ongoing after the May election loss – Liberal sources said she would outline “a new style of Liberal leadership”, promising to be more consultative, inclusive and collaborative to engage with a bigger segment of the Australian population.
The Liberal soul-searching process has at least agreed that the party must broaden its appeal. Ley said:
Addressing the National Press Club is an important opportunity to talk to Australians about the work the Liberal party will do over the next three years to reflect, respect and represent modern Australia.
Aspiration is the thread that connects every single part of Australian society and by focusing on that, the Liberal party can once again earn the trust of communities across the country.
Peter Dutton famously did not address the National Press Club in his three years as opposition leader, so Ley will be the first Liberal leader to front up to the club since Scott Morrison in early 2022. Ley has already embarked on a more publicly open style of leadership to her predecessor, promising to hold regular press conferences in Canberra in front of the nation’s political press gallery.
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Courtney Houssos will take over ministerial roles while Car on leave
Car says Courtney Houssos will act as NSW education and early learning minister and the minister for western Sydney while she is on leave.
The vital work of rebuilding our state’s education system will continue without pause.
To the wonderful constituents I represent in Londonderry, my office doors are always open to assist you with anything you need.
Good morning, Nick Visser here taking over for Martin Farrer. Let’s get into it.
Car has been deputy premier of NSW since Labor won government in March 2023, and was deputy Labor leader before that.
In 2022, the mother of one, who entered state parliament in 2015, took leave after being diagnosed with kidney cancer.
Car was a Penrith City councillor and national communications manager at MS Australia before she entered parliament.
She was also an advisor to former NSW Labor premier Bob Carr from 2003 to 2005 and a party campaign co-ordinator from 2005 to 2007.
Car, who’s in her early 40s, is not the first woman MP to hold office while facing breast cancer.
Federal Victorian MP Peta Murphy battled a recurrence of breast cancer after she entered parliament in 2019. She died in 2023 aged 50.
The premier, Chris Minns, said Car was a fighter and would face her health challenge with determination and grace.
“I fully support her decision to take the time she needs to focus on her health and recovery, and I know she will be supported by expert care and the love of her family, friends, and colleagues,” he said in a statement.
“I also echo her important message about early detection and encourage everyone to stay on top of their health checks.”
NSW deputy premier reveals breast cancer diagnosis
The NSW deputy premier, Prue Car, has revealed she has breast cancer.
In a post on social media Car said she has some news to share “that’s not so great”.
“Some recent screening has confirmed that I’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer.”
Car, who is in her early 40s and has a young son, said she will have to take time off to receive “some pretty significant treatment”.
“I’ve fought this before and I’m really confident that I can fight it again,” she said. “The prognosis is good.”
In July 2022 Car took leave after being diagnosed with kidney cancer.
Her medical team was “really hopeful” about the prospects after treatment, Car said.
She reminded women to be vigilant about breast cancer checks, as spotting it early is very important.
“Bear with me while I get this done, while I fight this off,” she said. “I’ll be taking this time to get myself well and spend time with my young family.”
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Anthony Albanese to address National Press Club today
The prime minister will tell the National Press Club today that government and democratic institutions “including a free media” can meet the demands of global uncertainty, despite growing attacks around the world and the shooting of an Australian reporter covering the Los Angeles unrest.
Read Tom McIlroy’s full story here:
D-day for Tasmanian political chaos
After a week of drama in Tasmanian politics, the premier, Jeremy Rockliff, is expected to visit the state’s governor today to request a state election.
Read our explainer on what’s going on:
Miriam Margolyes calls on Australian government to impose sanctions on Israel
Miriam Margolyes has called on the Australian government to impose sanctions against Israel.
Margolyes has recorded a video message as part of a campaign called “Jews say no to starving Gaza” run by the Jewish Council of Australia, founded to represent a Jewish voice opposed to Israel’s actions against Palestinians.
In the video, the British-born Jewish actor who lives in Australia says:
What I am begging is that the Australian government faces up to a moral responsibility to help the terrifying number of Palestinians facing complete starvation. You know and I know that people are dying – not just dying from starvation but being killed when they go to get whatever scraps of food they can find.
Please think of the children, think of the families. I do – every single day. I live my life happily in Australia. All they want is to have a happy life, just to live. And one of the duties of being Jewish is to save lives, to show compassion, to heal the world, the world is desperate now.
I’ve always felt being Jewish was a privilege because we revere life. We know our moral growth comes from our traditions. I no longer have my faith but I do actually believe in the Australian government’s power to do something specific to help these starving, terrified, homeless people. When I look at those pictures and I see what horror awaits the Palestinian people, I know that we as Australians do not want this.
I beg the Australian government. Take sanctions against Israel. End the blockade. Support the flotilla that’s waiting to bring food into Gaza that has not seen food for a frighteningly long time. Never let it be said that Australia assisted in starving a nation to death.
Anthony Albanese has recently issued some of his strongest comments on the situation saying Israel should change course, while stressing Hamas could have no future role in governing Gaza or the West Bank. He has also called for the release of remaining Israeli hostages captured during the 7 October terrorist attack.
You can read more about the pressure building within Labor’s grassroots membership for the government to impose sanctions:
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the best of the overnight stories and then my colleague takes over.
Miriam Margolyes, the British-born actor who lives in Australia, has called on the Australian government to impose sanctions against Israel. In a video message which is part of a campaign called “Jews say no to starving Gaza”, she pleaded with the government to help the effort to get food into Gaza so it could never be said “that Australia assisted in starving a nation to death”. More coming up.
Anthony Albanese will map out his second-term agenda in a key speech to the National Press Club today, in which he will say politics and a “free media” can preserve democracy as he prepares for potential talks with Donald Trump. More coming up.
From federal to state politics, and after a week of drama in Tasmanian parliament, the premier, Jeremy Rockliff, is expected to visit the state’s governor today to request a state election. We will have more shortly and will follow the story as it happens.
