What we learned today, Wednesday 8 July
We’re going to leave our live coverage there for today, thanks for joining us.
These were the top stories:
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Telstra has blamed an issue with a time-keeping server for a major outage in which thousands of mobile customers were unable to make calls or access data on the country’s largest network on Wednesday morning.
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The outage threw public transport services across Australia into chaos, with passengers asked to avoid V/Line trains in regional Victoria tomorrow as the network recovers.
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The shadow communications minister, Sarah Henderson, defended making two test calls to triple zero today amid the Telstra outage, saying she was “clearly concerned about the well being and safety of Australians”.
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Two investigations into complaints made against the former national anti-corruption commissioner, Paul Brereton, have been dropped after its watchdog said it could not “justify such expenditure”.
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Officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade say they are providing assistance to an Australian facing legal action in the US, coming after Australian-born Denise Nataly Migliore was arrested over allegedly voting illegally in US elections.
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Anthony Albanese announced a $250m diplomacy plan to boost rugby league participation in the Pacific.
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A high-profile Melbourne man was called a rapist and punched in the face by his former personal assistant shortly after he raped her at his home, a Victorian court has heard.
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The Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, began his first visit to Australia in three years, sparking calls for the federal government to raise human rights concerns, while excitement builds within the nation’s Indian diaspora.
Have a nice evening, we’ll see you tomorrow for another day of breaking news.
Updated
More detail on the cause of the Telstra outage
Telstra’s chief financial officer, Michael Ackland, provided more detail on the cause of this morning’s mobile network outage beyond our earlier understanding it was a time server issue.
He said it was a software fault that caused the GPS node to reset. The GPS node within Telstra tells the rest of the organisation’s systems what the most accurate time is – to the nanosecond.
The reset changed the time and synchronisation, which we know from earlier comments was then passed on to the rest of the Telstra network. If time appears wrong in the network this can cause a number of different problems, including around authentication and how the network ensures maximum speeds of data.
We don’t know yet if this was affected, but Ackland indicated Telstra was looking at its processes that allowed this issue to occur.
He said:
The fact that it occurred means that there is something in our process that we need to fix, and we change, and we are working through that. We’ll update more of that once that investigation is complete.
Read more:
Updated
More than 300 welfare checks conducted after triple-zero failures, Telstra CFO says
Ackland said Telstra is confident they have “identified a software defect” as the cause for the mass outage. He confirmed there were more than 300 failed triple-zero calls.
So we did 333 welfare calls today.
We believe we are picking up all of the calls that may have failed or didn’t connect.
Of those, six customers were referred to emergency services, he said.
Asked by a reporter whether Australians could still trust the network, Ackland said:
We let customers down today in their hour of need. There’s nothing that makes that untrue for many of those customers who are in traumatic situations, and we apologise for that deeply. We take this incredibly seriously.
Updated
Telstra rules out ‘cyber incident’ as cause of widespread network outage
Telstra’s CFO, Michael Ackland, is speaking in Melbourne. He says that as of 4pm today the telco had “resolved all of the final issues and our network issues are fully resolved”.
We know it will take some time for devices on the network to reconnect correctly …
I encourage customers still facing issues to restart their device …
We are still conducting our investigation into the root cause, but we are confident we have identified a software defect.
I want to be clear, this was not the result of a cyber incident.
We’ll hear more about this soon from our technology reporter, Josh Taylor, on the technicalities.
Updated
Passengers asked to avoid V/Line trains tomorrow as major public transport disruption continues
The effects of today’s Telstra outage are continuing to wreak havoc on the Victorian transport system, with long queues at Melbourne’s Southern Cross station for buses replacing regional V/Line trains.
The queue for coaches to replace trains on the Ballarat-Wendouree line stretches more than 100 metres.
An overhead announcement says:
We are having major difficulty getting road coaches into the station.
We are suggesting all V/Line customers try and make your own way home … with your own transport.
Apologies again for the major disruption.
Another announcement follows:
There will be a two- to three-hour delay for more coaches.
A V/Line spokesperson said in a statement:
The V/Line network continues to be impacted following the nationwide Telstra telecommunications outage, with passenger train services unable to operate.”
“This includes this evening’s and tomorrow morning’s peak services – with a very limited coach service operating.”We advise passengers not to travel on V/Line services tomorrow if possible.
We acknowledge this has been inconvenient to many people and thank passengers for their patience as work continues to safely restore services.”
Here are some pics of the peak-hour disruptions:
Updated
At least 32 calls had difficulty reaching triple zero in Victoria
Triple Zero Victoria (TZV) has been notified by Telstra of 32 calls that experienced difficulty connecting to the Telstra national triple zero emergency service.
A TZV spokesperson confirmed it has continued to receive emergency calls from the community and dispatch events to emergency services agencies.
We have been notified by Telstra of thirty-two calls that experienced difficulty connecting to the Telstra national Triple Zero (000) emergency service.
Victorian Police Communications Liaison Officers located in our communications centres are currently conducting welfare checks with these thirty-two calls as a matter of urgency.
As Telstra has also communicated, we ask the community to not test call 000.
No adverse events have been identified at this time.
A Victoria Police spokesperson confirmed it “is completing more than 20 welfare checks on impacted callers this afternoon”.
No issues have been identified by police so far.
For context, when you call triple zero in Australia, you first speak to a Telstra triple zero emergency call person who transfers the caller to the relevant emergency service in the requested state or territory.
The Telecommunications (Emergency Call Service) Determination 2019, which is enforced by ACMA, requires telecommunications carriers to ensure that emergency calls are successfully carried from each telecommunications provider to the Emergency Call Person (Telstra).
Once its network is restored, telcos are required to conduct welfare checks on people who have tried calling triple zero during a large network outage if they were unable to connect to triple zero.
Updated
Henderson says triple-zero ‘test calls’ did not break the law
Shadow communications minister, Sarah Henderson, defended her two test calls to triple zero today amid Telstra outages, saying she was “clearly concerned about the well being and safety of Australians”.
The bottom line is that I’m doing my job, and I don’t have trust in this government, and I have very low trust in our telecommunications carriers after what we saw last year.
Host Patricia Karvelas said the law is “crystal clear” and asked whether Henderson “knew it was an offence to call triple zero if you weren’t in an emergency”.
No, you haven’t read the criminal code correctly, Patricia, then, because the criminal code provides that someone commits an offence if they call triple zero where they’re making, or intending to make, a hoax call or where they are doing it in a vexatious way.
Reiterating her recently released media statement, Henderson said she was “not going to apologise for doing my job”.
Updated
Is it a federal offence to call triple zero without an emergency?
As we previously reported, the shadow communications minister, Sarah Henderson, was criticised after she admitted to testing triple zero twice.
The host of Afternoon Briefing, Patricia Karvelas, suggested it could be a “federal offence” when speaking to the ABC’s chief digital political correspondent, Clare Armstrong.
Here’s what the criminal code says:
474.18 Improper use of emergency call service
(1) A person commits an offence if the person:
(a) makes a call to an emergency service number; and
(b) does so with the intention of inducing a false belief that an emergency exists.
Penalty: Imprisonment for 3 years.
(2) A person commits an offence if:
(a) the person makes a call to an emergency service number; and
(b) the person makes the call otherwise than for the purpose of reporting an emergency; and
(c) the call is a vexatious one.
Penalty: Imprisonment for 3 years.
(3) In determining whether a call by a person to an emergency service number is a vexatious one, have regard to:
(a) the content of the call; and
(b) the number, frequency and content of previous calls the person has made to emergency service numbers otherwise than for the purpose of reporting emergencies; and
(c) any other relevant matter.
Updated
Shadow communications minister ‘not going to apologise for doing my job’ after testing triple zero twice
The shadow communications minister, Sarah Henderson, says she is “not going to apologise for doing my job” after she tested the triple-zero number herself twice today, amid Telstra outages.
Henderson said she called triple zero twice and when those calls didn’t connect, she notified Telstra.
… it is my job to hold the government and the telecommunications carriers to account on critical services such as the operation of the Triple Zero network.
After learning about the outage, my first concern was for the safety and wellbeing of Australians. I called Triple Zero twice initially, and when these calls did not connect, I immediately notified a senior Telstra representative.
After Optus’s failure to act when first advised of the Triple Zero outage last September, access to information about the operation of the emergency call network is critical.
On behalf of the Coalition, I initiated the Triple Zero Senate inquiry because, like many Australians, I have very little trust in our telecommunications companies and the Albanese government’s management of the emergency call network.
I am not going to apologise for doing my job and it is time Anika Wells focused on doing her job a lot better than she is right now.
Updated
Australia falls further behind housing supply target
Australia is more than 112,000 homes behind its target of 1.2m by mid-2029, new building data shows, AAP reports.
The nation’s builders have completed 307,635 homes since the commencement of the national housing accord in the third quarter of 2024, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported on Wednesday.
While the number of homes under construction has been trending steadily higher, the industry remains far below the required rate to meet the target.
Assuming a steady pace of dwelling completions, Australia should have already built 420,000 homes by now.
To catch up by the end date of 30 June 2029, Australia needs to build more than 274,000 homes each year, or about 69,000 each quarter.
A 0.4% fall in dwellings completed in the March quarter to 43,816 won’t help.
Updated
Diplomats assisting Australian woman charged over allegedly voting in US elections
Officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade say they are providing assistance to an Australian facing legal action in the US, coming after Australian-born Denise Nataly Migliore was arrested over allegedly voting illegally in US elections.
A Dfat spokesperson told Guardian Australia:
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to an Australian facing legal action in the United States of America. Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment.
Originally from Sydney, Migliore is a resident of Franklinton, Louisiana. She allegedly voted in two elections, in 2022 and 2024, despite being ineligible.
In a statement, the acting assistant secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security, Lauren Bis, said the FBI had been involved in the case.
Bis said:
Our message to aliens who vote in American elections is clear: we will find you, arrest you, and you will face the consequences, including criminal charges and deportation. Only Americans should be electing American leaders.
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Australian woman arrested after allegedly voting in US elections
The US president, Donald Trump, has posted on social media about an Australian woman arrested after allegedly voting illegally in multiple American elections.
Denise Nataly Migliore, 51, was arrested after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigation into allegations she made false statements to register to vote, before casting ballots in 2022 and 2024.
As a lawful permanent resident and not a US citizen, she is not eligible to vote.
“Australian alien arrested after investigation finds she illegally voted in two federal elections,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
The ABC reported the Australian was arrested at a federal courthouse in New Orleans on 1 July. Originally from Sydney, Migliore is a resident of Franklinton, Louisiana.
Trump has railed against alleged illegal voting in US elections, despite data showing the practice is vanishingly rare.
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Albanese announces $250m Pacific rugby league partnership, hails ‘one Pacific family’
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, spoke in Brisbane a short time ago where he announced a $250m diplomacy plan to boost rugby league in the Pacific.
Albanese has been meeting with the heads of Tonga, Samoa and Papua New Guinea, prior to heading along to the final match of the NRL’s State of Origin clash this evening (I will be interested to see what colours he is wearing).
He gave a shout-out to the NRL chair, Peter V’landys, describing him a “tyro” who is “absolutely determined that rugby league will make a difference, not just what happens on the field, but importantly, what happens off the field as well”.
Tonight, we’ll see an example of that. A game that is faster than it’s ever been, a game that brings people in and brings people together … I am delighted to join you as we launch the Pacific Rugby League Partnership. This has been years in the making. This has required hard work and diligence, a partnership between nations, leagues, clubs, and schools, but above all, it’s a partnership between peoples.
A partnership built on the Pacific’s deep shared passion for rugby league. For all of us, more than the sport, a language, a culture, a connection, that is both family and faith. Something that is so important …
This specific partnership will inspire the people of these fantastic nations, and together, of course, we’re all one Pacific family.
Updated
Continued from previous post:
The shadow attorney general, Susan Carter, a member of the committee, went on to defend its work.
She told the ABC:
We spent a lot of time reviewing the submissions that we received and we invited a number of those people to attend and give evidence, but of course, we’re a bit hamstrung at the moment because we can’t compel witnesses to attend, and the times that we had available were unsuitable for those witnesses to attend …
The big question that is unanswered, that Michael Daley glossed completely over is, why did the DPP or the office of the DPP, why was the decision made to leak information about a young Indigenous offender to a radio station?
As previously reported, Dowling has admitted her office pitched the story but denied under oath that she had authorised it.
Updated
NSW attorney general says inquiry into top prosecutor ‘won’t be happening’
The NSW attorney general, Michael Daley, says an inquiry into whether the state’s top prosecutor should be removed from office, the recommendation of a controversial inquiry report, “won’t be happening”.
As we reported yesterday, a NSW upper house inquiry voted 4-3 to find that the state’s director of public prosecutions (DPP), Sally Dowling SC, authorised pitching a story to radio station 2GB about a sentencing hearing involving a young Indigenous person, and “falsely denied having done so in her evidence to the committee”.
It recommended Daley establish a formal inquiry to investigate if there are grounds to remove Dowling from office. Dowling has admitted her office pitched the story but denied under oath that she had authorised it.
Daley, who described the report yesterday as a “stitch-up”, told ABC Radio Sydney today the inquiry “won’t be happening”.
They [the committee] were not entitled to find that on the evidence before them. I don’t know what evidence they might have conjured up in their own minds, but if you have a look at the minutes and proceedings and transcripts, not only was there no evidence put before the committee to support a finding like that, they actually ignored the only sworn evidence coming out of the meeting where that media issue was discussed, and that was the evidence of sworn evidence of senior counsel Sally Dowling and of her senior media adviser.
Continued in next post:
Updated
National Anti-Corruption Commission says there’s ‘work to get on with’ after watchdog drops two investigations into former chief’s conduct
The National Anti-Corruption Commission vows to get on with the job after news this morning its watchdog is dropping two investigations into conduct by the former chief.
In a short statement this afternoon, the commission said it appreciated the Nacc inspector’s decision to cease the investigations and that she found no ongoing “systemic issues to address”.
The acting Nacc commissioner, Kylie Kilgour, said:
The commission respects the Inspector’s oversight role. As acting commissioner, I am committed to maintaining an open and constructive relationship with the Inspector. We have a range of prevention and education activities underway, as well as a number of important investigations. There’s lots of work to get on with.”
Read more:
Eighth case of H5 bird flu in Australia confirmed
South Australia has confirmed its second H5N1 bird flu case and two more suspected positive cases in migratory seabirds have been detected on the state’s coast.
The SA government said CSIRO testing had verified a giant petrel found at Hardwicke Bay on the state’s Yorke Peninsula was positive for the deadly disease.
Two more giant petrels, one found at Port Vincent on the Yorke Peninsula and the second from Emu Bay on Kangaroo Island, are suspected to have H5 bird flu and samples have been sent to the CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness in Geelong for further analysis.
Eight cases have now been confirmed nationally.
The SA government said it had also completed the largest aerial survey of SA’s coastline, islands and reefs in 40 years and found no widespread evidence of deadly H5 bird flu in wildlife.
Primary industries minister Clare Scriven said:
The results from the rapid surveillance operation are reassuring, across around 600 survey locations, including 86 islands, islets and reefs, no widespread evidence of sick or dead seabirds or seals were observed.
While this does not remove the risk of further detections, it gives us a strong and timely picture of what is happening across some of our most important coastal and island environments.
Updated
Anika Wells says telcos 'least trusted industry' after Telstra outage
Wells said “it is on telcos” to improve their systems, calling it “the least trusted industry in Australia”.
… Australians expect a baseline of service when it comes to their telcos, there is a reason that telcos are the least trusted industry in Australia, it’s days like today.
It is on all telcos to improve their systems to make sure that Australians can rely upon them when they need them most.
There are some improvements to the system. This is different [in] nature [to] the Optus outage in September …
I look forward to working with the triple-zero custodian and the chair of Acma, as they complete more fulsome and thorough investigations, but at the moment, the priority is getting everybody back online, getting to the bottom of all of those welfare checks that are still being carried out across seven jurisdictions.
Updated
'You shouldn't make stuff up': Wells dismisses speculation over foreign interference causing Telstra outage
Wells said you “shouldn’t make stuff up” in response to claims made earlier today by One Nation’s Barnaby Joyce, who suggested foreign interference could be a factor in the Telstra outage. The communications minister said:
As a general principle, I think when it comes to matters of national security, you shouldn’t make stuff up.
You’ve heard from the Telstra acting CEO, that there is currently no evidence to suggest that those things are the case, so I think it’s irresponsible.
Updated
McBain said she thinks it is “absolutely outrageous”, that the shadow communications minister has been making test calls to triple zero:
At a time where we need to make sure that we are doing as many welfare checks as possible and making sure that that network is open to people in emergency situations.
Updated
McBain: It will ‘take some time’ for network to safely resume
Emergency management minister, Kristy McBain, also addressed the media, acknowledging today’s outage disrupts local businesses and coincides with school holidays.
McBain said that once communications are restored it will “take some time” for the network to safely return to normal operations.
The outage has had significant impact on transport networks, particularly in Victoria, where V line regional services are currently unable to operate. Emergency communications on our national freight network are down.
So the Australian Rail Track Corporation has paused freight train operations.
In New South Wales, the Southern Highlands line and the Hunter line services, which operate on the ARTC network have also been impacted.
McBain also confirmed she has asked the National Emergency Management Agency to convene another national coordination mechanism meeting this afternoon.
Updated
Wells said it is “very important that people do not make test calls to triple zero”.
Please only call triple zero if it is an emergency.
The communications minister said the key priority for today is to get “people and small businesses back online and to ensure any welfare checks are completed urgently”.
She confirmed the Australian Communications and Media Authority (Acma) will conduct a full investigation, and Telstra will need to “account for how and why this outage has happened”.
Updated
Core triple-zero system operational but some welfare checks in progress, Anika Wells says
Communications minister, Anika Wells, has addressed the Telstra outage, confirming services have “largely returned to business as usual, with only a small number of devices now still experiencing issues.”
Speaking at a Canberra press conference, Wells returned from leave to address today’s Telstra outage. She said:
Importantly, the core triple zero system remains operational, with connected calls flowing as expected, from carrier networks to the emergency call person (ECP), and on to state and territory emergency services dispatchers.
However, the triple zero custodian has advised that some callers were unable to connect to the ECP and that these are being now investigated by Telstra and welfare checks are now in progress, as is required by the law.
The triple zero custodian is in regular communication with Telstra to receive updates on the progress and outcomes of these checks.
A reminder, if you do need to call 000 and you can’t get through, it is recommended that you use another device, a landline, or wifi calling.
Updated
Union movement accuses Bleijie of ‘tanking the Olympics’, ‘attack’ on union movement
Queensland Council of Unions’ general secretary, Jacqueline King, said Jarrod Bleijie’s latest announcement was one of a series of recent policy decisions that represented an “attack on workers’ rights”.
Bleijie sacked all workers’ representatives from the state’s WorkCover board last Friday, which insures employers for workplace accidents. They had been replaced by employer representatives, King said.
The deputy premier has also announced reviews into a series of industrial relations legislation, she said.
King said the new code would create confusion and delay in the state’s construction sector.
What do we actually need to do to get on and build the Olympics, and pretty much tell the deputy premier to grow up.
King said the government was “embarking on a blind agenda of ideology towards unions” and an “unacceptable … concerted attack on worker rights here in Queensland”.
The executive of the state’s council of unions joined King for the Wednesday press conference, including representatives of the Australian Workers’ Union, Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union, the nurses union, teacher’s union, and the maritime union.
“We are here to say that we will stand united with construction workers. We will stand united across the union movement to fight these changes,” King said.
The Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union’s state secretary, Rohan Webb, said:
I say to Jarrod Bleijie, it’s time to take a Panadol, have a lay down, and reconsider this tanking of the Olympics. These ideological attacks on working men and women of the state is wrong.
Updated
AI not taking jobs from Australian graduates (so far)
Artificial intelligence is not making it harder for Australian university graduates to find work, according to a new government report that suggests the release of ChatGPT in 2022 is yet to seriously affect jobs.
There is a widespread community concern that AI will decimate a whole swathe of skilled, white-collar roles.
There is evidence in the US that firms are replacing graduate intakes with AI, but the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations in a recent report said “we do not see this in the Australian data”.
In fact, youth employment has increased more quickly than the broader population since 2022.
Further: “There is no evidence to date of broad labour market upheaval driven by artificial intelligence in Australia.”
That said, there was some evidence that AI – and in particular the introduction of ChatGPT nearly four years ago – was having an impact.
“Occupations more exposed to potential automation by generative AI have grown more slowly than other occupations,” the report said.
Between November 2022 and February 2026, employment in the most-exposed fifth of occupations grew by 5.6%, compared with 9.5% in the least-exposed fifth.
The evidence is an early indication of some modest slowing in employment growth in some highly exposed occupations, not proof of large AI-driven job loss.
The report notes that it’s not making any predictions about the future – separate government data shows only 38% of Australian businesses are using the technology.
“[Jobs] displacement is not an inevitable consequence of the ability of AI to perform productive tasks that have traditionally been undertaken by humans,” the report says.
Updated
Queensland deputy premier denies reports of a plan to ban CFMEU firms from Olympics
Queensland’s deputy premier has denied media reports the government plans to ban contractors with existing workplace agreements with the CFMEU from any Brisbane 2032 Olympics-related construction projects.
Jarrod Bleijie didn’t take questions from media today about the announcement.
In a statement he said:
There will be site specific agreements that do not involve BPICs [best practice industry conditions] and will likely involve multiple unions for 2032 and beyond venue sites.
Bleijie, who is also minister for industrial relations, state development and planning, eliminated the former government’s BPICs, a set of minimum safety and workplace standards for large state projects on taking government last year.
But the state’s productivity commission said that would have little effect because many of the rules would still be contained within agreements between unions and industry. It argued for a “broader industry reset” of workplace agreements industry wide.
On the weekend, Queensland’s CFMEU commission of inquiry proposed a new construction code – which would be legislated – banning a set of conditions, like fixed rostered days off, paying employees to take part in union activities, and prohibiting non-working union representatives from work sites, among others.
It also recommended creating a state industrial relations regulator.
“The Crisafulli Government will consider any recommendations made by the CFMEU Commission of Inquiry,” Bleijie said.
Updated
NSW health minister says ‘too early to tell’ impact of outage
The NSW health minister, Ryan Park, says it is “too early to tell” the impact of this morning’s Telstra outage on patients calling for ambulances in the state.
Park, who was asked about the outage this morning, said:
I’ve been in contact with the acting chief executive … Clare Beech from NSW Ambulance. They’re working with Telstra, they’ve been able to continue to receive triple-zero calls and respond to triple-zero calls, but it’s just too early to tell yet whether there has been any impact in terms of individual patients.
We need Telstra to continue to explain throughout the day what happened, that’s what the public expect when something like this occurs. I know when I left Wollongong at about 5.45am this morning, phone services were out. I think it took a few hours for Telstra to come online and explain to the public what happened … We’ve stood up a management centre in our ambulance division, just to make sure that we are triple checking and monitoring any dropouts or … call backs.
Earlier, the Telstra acting CEO, Michael Ackland, said the company was conducting welfare checks on customers who attempted to dial triple zero during the outage.
Updated
Former NSW Liberal minister charged four years after Icac finding
Former NSW Liberal minister John Sidoti has been charged with misconduct in public office, four years after the Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) found he had engaged in “serious corrupt conduct” to benefit his family’s property interests.
Sidoti stood aside as sports minister in 2019 pending an Icac investigation into allegations he used his parliamentary role to influence City of Canada Bay Liberal councillors in relation to several properties in Five Dock between late 2013 and early 2017. He left the Liberal party in 2021 when public hearings were announced but remained an MP until 2023.
Last month, he was charged with one count of “holder of public office misconduct him or herself” and will make his first appearance at Downing Centre local court on 16 July. The court attendance notice, seen by Guardian Australia, alleges that as state member for Drummoyne, Sidoti “wilfully misconducted himself without reasonable cause or justification by seeking to unduly influence the Liberal party councillors” in order to achieve planning outcomes that would favour his and his family’s property interests around Five Dock town centre.
In a statement, Sidoti’s legal team said:
Mr Sidoti has consistently denied the allegations made against him and maintains his innocence. He welcomes the opportunity for the matter to be properly tested and looks forward to the opportunity to clear his name. As the matter is now before the courts, Mr Sidoti will not be making any further comment at this time.
The charge comes as the NSW Liberals face another Icac inquiry, Operation Rosny, which may be damaging for the state election campaign of opposition leader, Kellie Sloane, who is not accused of any wrongdoing.
Before last month’s charge, a senior staffer in Sloane’s office welcomed Sidoti to a Drummoyne campaign fundraising event in April as one of the “esteemed luminaries of the Liberal party”. A spokesperson for Sloane, who attended the event, told Guardian Australia at the time Sloane had been unaware of Sidoti’s presence prior to her arrival.
Updated
Telstra share price plunges after network outage
Telstra shares have noticeably fallen on the ASX today.
At the time of writing Telstra’s share price had tumbled nearly 3%.
The telco has a market cap of about $56bn, so a drop of 3% would mean a loss of more than $1.5bn in value.
It is worth noting that the company hasn’t actually lost $1.5bn from its bank accounts. It’s a loss based on what the market is willing to pay for a share at this exact minute.
Updated
Chalmers won’t block sale of large Tasmanian dairy farm to overseas interests
The foreign investment review board has signed off on the sale of the massive Rushy Lagoon property, the biggest farm in Tasmania.
It will be bought by the British investor Gresham House and turned into a tree plantation, despite local opposition concerned about the loss of productive, irrigated farmland used for dairy, beef and sheep.
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, said on Wednesday he would not overrule the decision, describing the sale as in the national interest.
“The proposal is expected to create over 190 jobs over the life of the project and create economic benefits for the region,” Chalmers said.
This was a very difficult, on balance call and it follows a rigorous process and extensive consultation that took account of all relevant considerations including economic, environmental and other national interest issues.
My decision is entirely consistent with the advice of the foreign investment review board that the proposal is not contrary to the national interest.
Chalmers said he received clear advice that Rushy Lagoon is already decommissioning its dairy farming business, the sale of the property was advertised through an extensive sale process, and the Tasmanian government classifies the land as marginal agricultural land.
Updated
Some Telstra customers couldn’t connect to triple zero, minister says
Communications minister Anika Wells says the federal triple zero custodian has advised the Telstra outage meant some callers were unable to connect to emergency services.
In a statement, Wells – who is on leave – and acting communications minister Kristy McBain said welfare checks were being conducted on people who had been unable to reach triple zero, and that they would be demanding Telstra explain what happened.
The ministers said there were strict requirements for telco providers ensuring connections to triple zero remained accessible. The ministers said the outage was “widespread” and had caused “significant disruptions across the country”, with “intermittent issues” still ongoing despite 90% of the affected services being restored.
“The core Triple Zero system remains operational, with connected calls flowing as expected from carrier networks to the Emergency Call Person (ECP), and on to state and territory emergency services dispatchers,” Wells and McBain said.
However, the Triple Zero Custodian has advised that some callers were unable to connect to the ECP, and that these are being investigated by Telstra.
All telcos, including Telstra, have strict requirements in relation to welfare checks for disconnected Triple Zero calls, and the Triple Zero Custodian is in regular communication with Telstra to receive updates on the progress and outcomes of these checks.
The ministers recommended that people needing to call triple zero, who couldn’t get through, use a different device, a landline or tried wifi calling.
“It is very important that people do not make ‘test’ calls to Triple Zero – please only call 000 if there is an emergency,” they said.
The key priorities for today are to get people back online and ensure any welfare checks are completed urgently. The Australian Communications and Media Authority will then conduct a full investigation, and Telstra will need to account for how and why this outage occurred.
Updated
Regional rail services in Victoria and NSW remain affected by outage
In addition to the suspension of Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) services, regional services in Victoria and NSW continue to be affected by this morning’s telecommunications outage.
In Victoria, all V/Line services remain suspended as of an update at 10.20am this morning, with the operator advising of “very limited” replacement coach services and advising passengers to defer travel where possible.
In NSW, buses are now replacing trains between Campbelltown and Moss Vale/Goulburn on the Southern Highlands line, and Newcastle Interchange and Maitland on the Hunter line.
A spokesperson for Queensland Rail said its services remain unaffected, as do Adelaide Metro and Transperth services.
Updated
Details of Nacc inspector’s incomplete investigation to remain hidden over concerns for complainant’s safety
Following on from the previous post on the National Anti-Corruption Commission (Nacc) inspector’s statement just now …
Details of another incomplete investigation into the conduct of former Nacc chief, Paul Brereton, will remain largely hidden over concerns about the complainant’s safety and that it was contested.
The Nacc inspector, Gail Furness, said the complaint referred to her in December 2025 related to the conduct of Brereton on one occasion relating to two separate Nacc operations.
Furness said she decided to commence the investigation after receiving Brereton’s response to the allegation after April this year. She said lawyers for Brereton “contested the validity of my decision to conduct this complaint investigation and prepare or publish a report”.
She added that “individuals associated with the occasion have told me of their concerns about their and their families’ safety if details of the allegation and surrounding events were disclosed publicly”.
On that basis, Furness said the publication of a final report into the matter would be “significantly curtailed” and that was a “strong factor in not continuing the complaint investigation”.
The Nacc inspector concluded that Brereton’s resignation meant the Nacc would no longer be “unnecessarily hampered by continued scrutiny of [Brereton’s] actions” and that both investigations should cease.
Furness said:
I cannot justify such expenditure in circumstances where Commissioner Brereton has resigned and, in my opinion, the systemic issues which had been identified have been satisfactorily addressed.
Brereton said via a statement in May:
While I will continue to resist any suggestion of impropriety, I have decided that it is time, now that the commission is established and functioning with quality staff and good processes, to step aside and allow a new commissioner to lead it into the next phase of its development into a key and respected component of the integrity architecture of the commonwealth.
Updated
Nacc watchdog ends complaint investigations into Brereton after his resignation
Two investigations into complaints made against the former national anti-corruption commissioner, Paul Brereton, will discontinue after its watchdog stated it could not “justify such expenditure”.
In a statement released on Wednesday morning, the Nacc inspector, Gail Furness, said she has decided to end the ongoing investigations due to Brereton’s resignation and her belief that the “systemic issues which had been identified have been satisfactorily addressed”.
Brereton, the Nacc’s inaugural commissioner, announced he would step down from the role three years into the five-year posting during a Senate estimates hearing in May.
The anti-corruption chief said two investigations into his conduct in the role were “drawing attention away from the commission’s core purpose of strengthening integrity”.
One of the Nacc inspector’s investigations into Brereton arose after it was revealed the commissioner, who was once the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force (IGADF), had not appropriately declared conflicts of interest in defence-related referrals as well as his ongoing role with the new IGADF.
Furness said many of the details relating to the actions were publicly known and a legal issue regarding whether Brereton had contravened public governance laws was moot following his resignation.
The Nacc inspector added that though she had received 98 defence-related referrals made to the Nacc from its establishment until Brereton made the conflict of interest declaration in October 2025, she had not completed her analysis of them.
Nevertheless, Furness concluded changes to the Nacc regarding conflict of interest declarations left her satisfied there were no lingering systemic issues.
Read more:
Updated
Cross-country rail services suspended after Telstra outage
The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), which operates national freight and passenger rail services across the country, has suspended all services on its 9,500km network.
ARTC operates interstate services like the Ghan between Adelaide and Darwin, as well as XPT services which connect Sydney to the ACT, Melbourne and Queensland, and the Indian Pacific, which runs all the way from Sydney to Perth.
The operator has made the decision to suspend all services after this morning’s Telstra outage, which has left its field teams without the ability to make or receive emergency calls.
In a statement, a spokesperson for ARTC said:
A nationwide telecommunications outage affecting Telstra’s 4G network is impacting communications used across the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) rail network.
As a safety precaution, ARTC has implemented established emergency protocols and safely brought rail services on the network to a stand while the telecommunications outage is resolved. ... At this stage, there is no confirmed timeframe for restoration of telecommunications services. Once communications are restored, it will take some time for the network to safely return to normal operations.
Updated
Taylor questions ‘connection’ between Telstra outage and China missile test
Angus Taylor has demanded the government “front up” and explain the Telstra outage to Australians.
At the same time Taylor is at a press conference in Darwin, Anthony Albanese is speaking in Brisbane, taking numerous questions on the issue.
The opposition leader has also questioned whether there was any “connection” to the Chinese missile test in the Pacific this week. Telstra and Albanese have said they have no evidence of malicious activity related to the signal outage, and Taylor did not offer any.
Taylor said there were “many questions” about the Telstra incident, and called on Anika Wells – the communications minister, who is currently on leave – to return from her time off.
“They need, the minister needs to explain. The government needs to explain what has gone on here, why has this happened, what they’re going to do to make sure it’s fixed and never happens again,” Taylor said.
Taylor claimed that among the “many questions Australians are asking” was any link to China.
We saw a provocative and unwelcome missile launch from the PLA yesterday, and I can understand why Australians are drawing that connection. Now, I don’t know whether there’s any connection or not, I have no idea. But it’s no wonder Australians are starting to ask questions like that, including questions about triple zero and what’s going on there.
Updated
PM says Telstra has indicated outage is not malicious
Anthony Albanese said Telstra has indicated there is no evidence of today’s outage being malicious.
In a press conference this morning the prime minister acknowledged the outage is “deeply concerning” and “disruptive”. He said:
Telstra are investigating but we’re working closely with them.
The triple-zero custodian is in constant contact with Telstra [and] with emergency services. And investigations are under way at this stage.
What Telstra have indicated to the government is that they don’t see this as being, there’s no evidence of it being malicious, but those investigations are under way.
Updated
RBA navigates new era of global supply shocks
The Reserve Bank is attempting to thread a path between not overreacting to what could be a temporary oil supply shock while guarding against the risk that a high inflation mindset does not take hold, the central bank’s chief economist says.
Speaking at the Australian Conference of Economists this morning, assistant governor Sarah Hunter explained the difficult trade-offs facing the monetary policy board, which has hiked rates three times this year.
The global oil shock has pushed up prices – and inflation – while also weighing on demand. This type of situation put the RBA’s dual mandate of full employment and low and stable inflation “into conflict”.
All else equal, a persistently higher outlook for inflation suggests that interest rates should be raised. But at the same time, weaker economic activity … suggests that interest rates should be cut, all other things equal.
Some supply shocks can be “narrow and short-lived” – such as the surge in banana prices after Cyclone Larry in 2006, and so require no policy response.
But the Covid-19 shock and the more recent global oil disruption threatens more persistent and wider effects
“Some types of economic disturbances, or shocks, will put our mandate outcomes into conflict by pushing up inflation while also weighing on demand and activity,” Hunter said.
This trade-off cannot be avoided. A central bank can only decide how to balance the impact on inflation and activity, while ensuring that temporary shocks do not become persistent inflation.
The bank’s inflation-fighting credibility – through its actions and rhetoric – were important weapons in the fight to avoid inflation expectations getting out of control, she said.
Financial markets are placing a less than 50% chance of a fourth rate hike by the November meeting.
Updated
Have you been affected by the Telstra outage?
Tell us how. Contact: jordyn.beazley@theguardian.com
Updated
NSW Fire and Rescue still operating during Telstra outage
A spokesperson for Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) has confirmed it is still receiving and responding to triple-zero calls during the Telstra outage. They said:
FRNSW crews are communicating through our Connected Firefighter program’s ‘vehicle as a node’ satellite technology, where necessary.
We are liaising with Telstra and monitoring the situation.
Updated
Audit finds 44% of released prisoners return to Queensland jails within two years
Queensland jails lack an effective approach to rehabilitating prisoners, with 44% of released detainees returning to jail within two years, according to an audit.
The statistics are included in a report by the state’s audit office tabled in parliament yesterday.
Queensland Corrective Service “does not effectively plan for and facilitate the rehabilitation and reintegration of its prisoners (into society)”, it found.
It pointed to a lack of an effective approach to case managing prisoners, a process of individual assessment of a prisoner to identify supports required to prevent them reoffending.
The service developed a framework for case management in 2019 but it has only been rolled out in nine of 20 correctional centres, representing fewer than a quarter of prisoners.
“While QCS sought to fully implement case management across all centres, it has been unable to do so due to factors such as prisoner numbers, resourcing, and funding constraints,” the audit said.
The audit found that less than half of all prisoners that left custody in 2024–25 received prerelease support, such as help setting up bank accounts and support accessing services and legal advice.
The audit office recommended the department should ensure “all prisoners get a risk and needs assessment on entry to custody to inform their rehabilitation and reintegration support”.
The Department of Corrective Services said it accepted all the report’s recommendations.
Updated
Man arrested after woman found stabbed to death at Melbourne home
A man has been arrested and is in hospital under police guard after a woman was found stabbed to death at a Melbourne home.
Police were called to a property on a leafy residential street in the outer-eastern suburb of Vermont just before 10pm on Tuesday after reports a woman had been stabbed inside a home.
When officers arrived, a 39-year-old woman was found dead at the scene.
A man of the same age was arrested and treated by ambulance paramedics before being taken to hospital under police guard. Police believe the man and woman know each other.
“The investigation into the circumstances of the incident is ongoing,” Victoria police said in a statement.
– AAP
Updated
Turnitin report suggests over half of uni students use AI in their assignments
More than half of university students are using artificial intelligence in their assignment submissions, a new report suggests.
The report, released by plagiarism detection service Turnitin, found 53% of higher education submissions in Australia had some AI present. One in 10 submissions were more than 80% composed of AI.
The rates were similar to the United Kingdom but lower than in the US, where 19% of papers contained more than 80% AI.
The vast majority of Australian universities use Turnitin for academic integrity purposes, including the University of Melbourne, Monash University and the Australian National University.
The use of plagiarism dropped significantly among primary and secondary students, the report found, with just three in 10 submissions containing some AI and 4.6% composed of more than 80% AI.
You can read more about how the university sector is grappling with AI here:
Updated
Telstra conducting welfare checks on triple-zero calls
Ackland said it has been conducting welfare checks on any triple zero calls that have failed.
He said:
Triple zero calls follow a different settings in our network, and therefore they were not impacted in the same way.
We have seen a small number of reports that we are investigating, and as part of our standard process, which has been operating through the night and through this morning, we conduct welfare checks when any call to triple zero fails, and we’ve been doing this.
We do ask customers not to test and try out triple zero unless you need to, unless you need triple zero.
Updated
Telstra yet to work out cause of outage
Ackland said Telstra does not yet know the root cause of the outage, which he said was national but intermittent.
He said:
We don’t yet know the root cause. We are investigating that urgently, and we’ll provide updates as soon as we get more information about the root cause. We know that customers across the whole community rely on our connectivity, and this network challenge has caused many issues, and it’s been a big disruption to many people’s days, and we apologise for that.
It has been intermittent, but it has been national, so it doesn’t matter where you’re located. It is not around particular state, it’s not about regional metro.
Updated
‘Customers who are having trouble making a call, I encourage you to try again,’ says Telstra CFO
Telstra’s CFO, Michael Ackland, is speaking to reporters now about the outage.
He said:
At approximately 4.30am this morning, we identified an issue affecting some mobile calls and data services, so the issue is impacting a number of nodes within our network that keep time across the mobile network, and when these nodes are not operating as expected, which is what has occurred, other parts of the network can be affected, resulting in intermittent issues with some mobile calls and data sessions.
We’ve been able now to restore some of these nodes, but that will take time for that to reset across all the 1000s of servers across the network.
We believe that just under 90% of calls and data services at this point are now working correctly, so customers who are having trouble making a call, I encourage you to try again, and depending on how the call is routed through the network, it may connect successfully on another attempt.
If you’re at home or in the office, and you have access to wifi, we encourage you to use that if you are connected to wifi services, such as WhatsApp messaging, or Teams, or Facebook, or Facetime.
Updated
Telstra says 90% of mobile network back online after outage
Telstra have said in a statement ahead of their press conference that about 90% of calls and data have now been restored.
We’ve made good progress restoring services, with around 90 per cent of calls and data now flowing successfully across the network.
Our teams are working as quickly as possible to restore remaining services and get all customers back online.
We know how much our customers rely on our network and understand just how much of a disruption this is to your day.
For that we’re so sorry. We’ll share further updates until all is resolved.
Updated
We’re expecting Telstra to hold a press conference in a short moment to provide updates about the mobile network outage.
Tyro Eftpos transactions hampered by outage
Eftpos machine company Tyro also reported that its transactions have been hampered without specifically naming the provider.
It said on its website:
We’re aware of an issue with a national telephone network provider and that some customers may not be able to connect to the 4G network right now to process EFTPOS transactions.
Updated
State by state: how the Telstra outage is affecting emergency services
Below is what the police have said so far about how the Telstra outage is affecting emergency services.
NSW
Triple Zero systems are not affected, but you may not be able to reach Triple Zero if you are calling from a Telstra device.
If you try to call Triple Zero and can’t get through, we recommend using another device, a landline or Wi-Fi calling.
Telstra will provide updates on the network outage as their tech teams work through a fix.
Victoria
The issue is being monitored and assessed. At this time, there is no evidence of any impact to frontline service delivery.
Triple Zero Victoria remains fully operational and continues to dispatch calls for police assistance.
South Australia
If you are in an emergency contact 000.
If you are in an emergency and have no mobile coverage, look for immediate help through neighbours, local emergency services, wifi calling or community support networks.
Tasmania
If it is an emergency situation you can call Triple Zero (000) as these calls are being re-routed via other carriers.
Only call Triple Zero (000) in an emergency, please save it for those who really need it.
If you are affected by the Telstra outage and need to call police, use a landline to call 131 444.
Western Australia
A Telstra outage is currently affecting customers nationwide, impacting their ability to make phone calls, including calls to Triple Zero from Telstra services.
If you have a vulnerable family member, friend, neighbour or co-worker, consider offering support during the service disruption.
If you are affected and do not have access to an alternative mobile or landline service, police recommend making arrangements with a neighbour, family member, or friend so you can access a working telephone in an emergency.
Police communications systems are not affected.
Queensland
The Queensland Police Service is aware of a service interruption impacting some Telstra users across Australia.
The Queensland triple zero service remains fully operational.
Impacted customers should check with their provider about what the outage means for them.
Updated
Triple zero calls still possible in Tasmania
Tasmania police have said people in the state can still make calls to triple zero despite the Telstra outage as the calls are being rerouted via other carriers.
Police said in a statement:
If you are affected by the Telstra outage and need to call police, use a landline to call 131 444.
If it is an emergency situation you can call Triple Zero (000) as these calls are being re-routed via other carriers.
Only call Triple Zero (000) in an emergency, please save it for those who really need it.
Updated
Some regional NSW trains also facing disruptions
Some regional commuters in New South Wales are also now facing disruptions after two train routes went down due to the Telstra outage.
Transport NSW have said that trains are not running between Campbelltown and Moss Vale/Goulburn on the Southern Highlands Line and there are no trains running between Newcastle Interchange and Maitland.
Replacement buses are being organised but are not yet on site.
Passengers are advised to delay travel or make alternative travel arrangements.
Updated
V/Line passengers advised to defer travel
Victoria’s V/Line has confirmed that its regional train services are unable to operate due to the Telstra outage:
Services are currently unable to operate due to the national Telstra outage affecting the network.
There is no estimated time for rectification at this stage. Passengers are advised to defer travel where possible.
Updated
‘Telstra is working on resolving the issue,’ says acting communications minister
The Albanese government says the Telstra outage is affecting a large number of connections as well as Victoria’s V/Line train service.
Kristy McBain, the minister for regional development, emergency management as well as the acting communications minister, says in a statement this morning that the government “has been advised by Telstra that there is an outage affecting a large number of mobile calls and connections”.
She said:
We are also aware the issue is also affecting Victoria’s V/Line regional train services.
We understand Telstra is working on resolving the issue, and arrangements are being made for affected rail passengers. Like all telcos, Telstra must notify customers and emergency services of any major outage.
McBain says that “Australian phones are also required to fall back to other networks for 000 access”.
Updated
Hello, I am stepping in to lead you through our rolling coverage for the next few hours.
Triple zero calls affected by Telstra outage, say WA police
Western Australia police say the Telstra outage includes calls to triple zero from Telstra services.
They advise:
If you have a vulnerable family member, friend, neighbour or co-worker, consider offering support during the service disruption.
If you are affected and do not have access to an alternative mobile or landline service, police recommend making arrangements with a neighbour, family member, or friend so you can access a working telephone in an emergency.
Police communications systems are not affected.
Updated
Telstra outage reported to be cause of Victoria train stoppage
There is a long list of cancelled trains on the official V/line site, but the TL/DR is that Victoria’s regional train network has ground to a halt.
If you’re wondering whether these two big tech issues are a coincidence: they’re not.
The Age newspaper is reporting that the Telstra outage is the cause of the trains stoppage.
Updated
All regional train services paused in Victoria due to radio network fault
All of Victoria’s regional train services have been suspended due to a fault in the radio network.
Victoria’s V/Line said services are “unable to operate” for the time being, with no estimated time for rectification.
Due to a radio network fault affecting the network, services are currently unable to operate …
Passengers are advised to defer travel where possible.
Updated
Shadow minister says China’s missile test ‘completely inappropriate’
Ted O’Brien, the shadow foreign affairs minister, said he is worried about China’s test of a long-range missile earlier this week, but said he is satisfied Pacific nations had banded together to be “assertive and clear” in voicing their discontent over the action.
O’Brien spoke to RN Breakfast this morning saying:
It is completely inappropriate that, on a week especially, where we are talking about an ocean of peace in the Pacific, the Beijing regime decides to fire a missile into the region. It certainly goes to the contrast between what Australia’s view is of the Pacific family and clearly what the People’s Republic China’s view is.
O’Brien said while he had been frustrated with the Albanese government in the past on issues with China:
I am pleased that on this occasion they seem to be voicing a far more assertive position on the part of Australia, which is appropriate.
But of course, they need to also be speaking directly to their counterparts in Beijing.
Updated
‘A per capita recession is likely’
The de-escalation of the Middle East conflict and a major retreat in global oil prices have allayed fears of a recession in Australia, despite substandard growth expected in the year ahead.
Belinda Allen, CBA’s head of Australian economics, said she had never thought a recession was likely, but that “the impact of the war on energy markets and the economy were less severe than we had anticipated”.
Oil prices did not rise as much, and the cut to the excise tax blunted the impact on households.
But Tim Robinson, an associate professor at the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, warned GDP per person was set to contract for two straight quarters.
Growth is likely to be quite weak for the rest of the year, and because of that, a per capita recession is likely.
They [per capita recessions] are not as severe as a conventional recession – the changes in unemployment tend to be far less severe – but they do constitute a decline in living standards.
Read more:
Pressure on Albanese to raise human rights concerns with Narendra Modi in Melbourne
Anthony Albanese will meet with the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, at a leadership summit in Melbourne this week, with calls for the Australian leader to raise human rights concerns.
Modi’s visit begins on Wednesday evening – his third since becoming prime minister – with the leaders to cross paths at the Australia-India Annual Leaders’ Summit (8-10 July).
Amnesty International called for Australia to encourage India to ensure journalists and human rights advocates could work free from intimidation and address discrimination of religious and ethnic minorities.
Read more:
Morning, everyone. Nick Visser here to take over the blog. Let’s get to it.
Following on from last post …
The outage is apparently playing havoc with morning TV.
ABC News 24 breakfast host James Glenday just said:
A number of members of our team have been affected by this, including some of the people we’re trying to get on the show this morning.
Updated
Telstra users report widespread mobile network outage
Telstra is suffering an apparently widespread problem on its mobile network.
On social media the carrier said:
We’re looking into an issue affecting some mobile calls and data connections. If you’re having trouble connecting at first, try again as it may work on a retry. We’re on it and will share an update as soon as it’s fixed. Thanks for bearing with us.
Thousands of users have already reported problems with Telstra to the site Downdetector.com.au, starting around 4am today.
Updated
Albanese to host three Pacific leaders in Brisbane
Anthony Albanese will host a trio of Pacific prime ministers as he tries to bolster Australia’s regional influence amid the creeping threat of China, Australian Associated Press reports.
The bilateral meetings with Papua New Guinea’s James Marape, Tonga’s Lord Fakafānua and Samoa’s La’auli Leuatea Schmidt will be followed by a Pacific rugby league event in Brisbane with all four leaders.
Albanese will also host the prime ministers at the State of Origin decider at Suncorp Stadium.
The prime minister has returned from a successful trip to Fiji and Solomon Islands, during which he signed a significant defence pact with Fiji.
The Ocean of Peace Alliance, which could be expanded to other Pacific nations, makes Fiji Australia’s fourth official ally.
Henry Ivarature of the Australian Pacific Security College said continued talks, to expand Australia’s presence in neighbouring islands, signal a new era of strength for the region.
“I think Australia has learned to listen and it has learned to accept the way Pacific governments work. It has been patient,” he said.
But Ivarature said attention would now turn to sustaining trust across a long period. The Brisbane talks will likely focus on expanding military and aid work in the Pacific, as China looms as a geopolitical threat.
Good morning
Welcome to Guardian Australia’s live news coverage.
I’m Martin Farrer and I’ll bring you the morning’s news before your regular blogger takes the wheel.
We start with a look at the PM’s day of diplomacy: following his recent Pacific push – and with all eyes on China after the superpower’s missile test – Anthony Albanese is hosting the leaders of Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Samoa for talks in Brisbane (and, not coincidentally, a chance to watch the State of Origin decider).
Stay with us.
