What we learned, Thursday 11 September
Thanks for staying with us on the live blog today. We’ll leave our coverage there for the evening. Here were the day’s top stories:
ANU chancellor Julie Bishop said she intends to stay on after the university’s vice-chancellor resigned and rejected ‘each and every allegation’ made against her by academic Liz Allen.
David Pocock recommended Bishop should be “reflecting on her position”.
The finance union said Bendigo Bank plans to cut 145 jobs, in a week of swingeing job cuts from competitors.
Victoria police officers were charged with manslaughter over the death of Luke Briggs.
September rainfall records were broken as heavy rain hit south-east NSW.
Coalition frontbencher Andrew Hastie said Sussan Ley, is safe in her position.
Mike Holston, the US influencer who Bob Irwin sensationally labelled a “dickhead”, left Australia.
Liberal frontbencher senator James Paterson also said this morning the coalition was deeply concerned by Charlie Kirk’s death.
Sussan Ley said the Coalition “stands in solidarity” with those mourning Charlie Kirk as Richard Marles condemned the fatal shooting of the US right-wing commentator.
We’ll see you tomorrow for Friday’s breaking news.
Tasmanian firefighters warn of major bushfire risk
Tasmania’s fire service has warned the state could face major bushfires in the coming months after new data rated spring’s chance of bushfire as “normal”.
The services’ deputy chief officer, Matt Lowe, said the outlook was similar to that landed down last year, but still carried the threat of bushfire:
Normal means there is potential for one or two major fire campaigns in a season. Bushfires will occur, and we must be prepared.
We were rated as normal last year and that resulted in one major fire event for the season with a total of 116,000 hectares burnt out across the state.
Lowe said a dry spring after a winter with less rain than usual could raise the risk of early season bushfires.
The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast higher than usual spring temperatures and below average rainfall for the state’s west.
Updated
Environment advocate welcomes repeal of feral horse protections
Earlier we reported that New South Wales is expected to strip feral horses of special protections, after the Liberal party swung its support behind a bill for the protections’ repeal.
The repeal bill now has support of the government, the Liberals and the Greens – which will guarantee its passage, drawing praise from the chief executive of the Invasive Species Council, Jack Gough. He said:
This is brilliant news. Labor, Liberals, Greens and Independents are all united by the need to take action to protect Kosciuszko national park from being trashed and trampled by feral horses.
It is now clear there are the numbers in the NSW parliament to right a historical wrong by repealing this damaging law which has protected a feral animal over our native wildlife in a national park.
For the sake of our native animals and precious mountain streams, we are calling on Premier Chris Minns to ensure Dr McGirr’s bill can swiftly pass parliament next week.
Liberal leader Mark Speakman has shown real leadership in standing up today for science, for nature, and for the public good.
The Nationals may oppose the repeal. The 2018 legislation was championed by then Nationals leader, John Barilaro, and sought to recognise the heritage status of feral horses – known as brumbies by their supporters – because of their place in Australian literature and history.
But after the legislation was passed and aerial shooting was paused, feral horse populations exploded to over 20,000, causing significant damage to alpine environments and waterways in Kosciuszko national park.
Updated
SES crews clean up after a busy night
State Emergency Service crews are focusing on the cleanup after heavy rain and storms across NSW saw crews responding to more than 700 incidents overnight including 36 flood rescues.
Minor flooding continued in the north-west plains, central tablelands and Sydney, according to the NSW SES, and is expected to continue into Friday. Minor flooding is also possible at Sussex Inlet on the high tide Thursday evening and Friday morning.
Hazardous surf conditions caused by a large and powerful swell are expected to continue today and decrease gradually on Friday.
NSW SES Assistant Commissioner Dean Storey urged the community to remain vigilant and stay away from fallen trees and damaged properties.
We ask the community to be extra cautious on roads and stay well clear of any hazards, as the cleanup continues.
Conditions were likely to improve over the weekend, which was likely to be a good time to prepare for what authorities expect will be a very busy storm season. Storey said:
Trim trees around your property, clear your gutters and make sure you have a plan in place should severe weather impact you.
Updated
Qantas’ frequent flyer ranking rises but devalued points a downside
Qantas’ Frequent Flyer program has moved up from rank 24 to 17 in the latest annual report from an airline points analysis firm, but has struggled to beat regional competitors after devaluing its points.
The Australian airline remained outside the world’s top 10, receiving just one star for redemption rates after it devalued its rewards points in August. It also received one star for keeping award seats on hold and two stars for customer service and for change fees and policies.
Qantas’ average score of 54.57 out of 100 put it behind eight North American airlines and eight other global companies: Air France, British Airways, Emirates Skywards, Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and Colombia’s Avianca.
Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines also announced point devaluations this year but retained higher redemption rates than Qantas. The study was created by US-based firm Points.Me with a focus on US-based customers.
The chief executive of Qantas Loyalty, Andrew Glance, said:
Our members have booked record numbers of reward seats using their points in the past year, showing the value members are getting from the program and investments we have made.
This year we have unlocked more premium cabin classic reward seats with our partner airlines, introduced the lowest economy reward seat in Australia on Jetstar flights, and boosted the number of points members earn when flying with Qantas.
Updated
NSW opposition leader downplays byelection result amid possible leadership challenge
The NSW opposition leader, Mark Speakman, has been challenged on his future ahead of this Saturday’s byelection in Kiama. The seat was vacated by independent MP Gareth Ward, who resigned last month after being convicted of rape in July.
Asked this afternoon if a loss in Kiama, which Ward – then a Liberal candidate – won from Labor in 2011, would be an indictment of his leadership, Speakman says the Liberals are “clearly the underdogs”:
I have said from the outset that this is a huge task for us to win ... Kiama is a seat we have never held, except under the outgoing MP so it is, more often than not, a Labor seat, not a Liberal seat. They are the difficult circumstances in which we go to the byelection.
As Guardian Australia’s NSW state correspondent Anne Davies has written, Labor candidate Katelin McInerney is the favourite in the race. If the Liberals end up with a two-party preferred result in the low 40s or worse in Kiama, Speakman could be in for a leadership challenge, although he has sought to downplay this:
If the government wins a seat and we don’t win, that is obviously a setback. There’s no question about that. But if that happens, we just have to brush ourselves off and move forward.
Read more here:
Updated
Prominent academics urge education minister to reform ANU Act
A coalition of academics at the Australian National University (ANU) have urged the education minister to reform the university after the resignation of the vice chancellor, Prof Genevieve Bell.
The ANU Governance Project Working Group said the news was an “important moment for reflection” at the university. The group is comprised of around 30 academics, including emeritus Prof Bruce Chapman and newly departed historian, Prof Frank Bongiorno.
They said:
It is critical to be clear: the challenges facing ANU extend beyond any single individual. The governance structures of ANU, as set out in the ANU Act 1991, concentrate power in ways that shield the university’s leadership from accountability to the very communities the university exists to serve.
This lack of accountability has contributed to crises of trust, poor institutional culture, and decisions that put financial and reputational considerations ahead of education and public responsibility.”
The Working Group urged Jason Clare to reform the act alongside the ANU community in order to ensure “structural change” occurs:
This is a moment to build a genuinely democratic and transparent university — one that lives up to its national mission.
Updated
Pocock says ANU chancellor should be ‘reflecting on her position’
David Pocock has suggested Julie Bishop should step down as chancellor of the Australian National University, saying the institution has “a lot more to do” on governance.
Bishop today announced Genevieve Bell would resign as ANU’s vice-chancellor but defied calls to join her, saying she would see out the remaining year of her term.
Pocock, the independent senator for the ACT, said Bell’s resignation was “a great first step” but more was needed. He told the ABC:
There is still a question about governance at the university. These sorts of issues do not happen overnight. .. I think, personally, [Bishop] should be reflecting on her position but that is obviously not my call.
There just isn’t the faith that the VC and chancellor can turn this around.
Updated
Take a look at the bubble curtain that will protect giant cuttlefish from the algal bloom
Behold, the bubble curtain that will protect the eggs of South Australia’s giant cuttlefish from the deadly algal bloom!
It’s been tested, but “we remain hopeful that it may be unnecessary”, environment minister Susan Close said this morning.
You can read all about the curtain here.
Also this morning, Butson Fisheries owner Bart Butson told a senate committee inquiry into the algal bloom that fishing should be paused. “I think we should give them a break,” he said.
But Close said there are no changes being contemplated. She said:
The reason for that is that it’s not clear that any of the fish that are regularly fished either recreationally or commercially have seen a diminution in their species count as opposed to in particular locations.
Mike Steer, the SA Research and Development Institute executive director, said they’re gathering data on any changes or trends in fish stocks associated with the bloom. He also said the impact was largely on species in shallow coastal water while those further offshore are unaffected.
Labor MP calls for ‘ambitious’ emissions target
Jerome Laxale, a Sydney Labor MP, has called for the Albanese government to set an “ambitious” target for emissions reductions and then beat that target.
Guardian Australia has reported Labor’s grassroots environmental action network wants the Albanese government to adopt a 2035 emissions reduction target of at least 70%. Read about that here:
Laxale, who was given special endorsement by the grassroots network as an “environmental champion” this year, said the government needed to set a big target:
I’m pushing the government as hard as I can to make sure it is not only ambitious but also achievable … There is an expectation on us to do both.
Let’s bring it on, let’s set this target, let’s reach it – let’s beat it, why not?
Laxale made the comments on a panel on ABC’s Afternoon Briefing, where he was contested by the Liberal frontbencher Paul Scarr, who said an “achievable” emission reduction would be “really hard”.
Scarr said the Liberals’ Peter Dutton-era nuclear power policy “needs to be looked at further in the future” and declined, when asked, to call for the party to remain committed to net zero emissions by 2050.
Updated
Liberal immigration spokesperson says Australia not facing ‘mass migration’
Paul Scarr has said Australia is not facing mass migration, rebuffing the term used by Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, Tony Abbott and other leading conservatives to describe Australia’s immigration intake.
Scarr, the shadow minister for immigration and multicultural affairs, was asked whether he believed the term “mass migration” was an appropriate description on the ABC’s Afternoon Briefing. He said it was not:
I do not think it is correct. I think when we consider mass migration, as a term, we are talking about huge movements of people from one geographical location to another, so mass migration from my perspective would include what happened in India and Pakistan into the 1940s, when there was a huge movement of people.
Scarr also denied suggestions that Ley would not have sacked Price for her failure to apologise for remarks about Indian immigration and only asked Price to step down for her failure to show confidence in Ley’s leadership, saying:
I do not agree with that and if you have a look at Sussan’s statement which she released following the termination of Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s appointment, it refers to [both issues].
Updated
Liberal frontbencher says Price will return to frontbench
Jonno Duniam, the Liberal party’s shadow education minister, has said he expects Jacinta Nampijinpa Price to return to the opposition frontbench.
Liberal politicians including the shadow finance minister, James Paterson, have told reporters they do not expect Price to spend the rest of her political career on the backbench, after the party leader, Sussan Ley, asked her to step down on Wednesday.
Duniam has joined those voices, telling the ABC of Price:
She’s an amazing contributor. There are few politicians in federal political life that have captivated the community in the way she has.
I honestly, fervently, believe she will be a massive contributor moving forward [and] I don’t think it is the last time we have seen her on the frontbench.
Duniam said Ley had his full confidence, something Price failed to do on Wednesday, and also endorsed Alex Hawke, a shadow frontbencher who led internal Liberal public criticism of Price’s remarks about Indian migration.
He also declined to endorse Price’s use of the term “mass” migration and suggested he would have apologised had he been in Price’s position:
If I put myself in those shoes, when we muck up we should apologise and own up to whatever problem may have arisen and move on.
Updated
NSW expected to strip feral horses of special protections
A law preserving a “heritage herd” of at least 3,000 wild horses in Kosciuszko national park looks set to be ditched.
The NSW Liberal party said it would not oppose the repeal of the controversial Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act introduced in 2018 by the former Coalition government.
But the move, announced by state opposition leader, Mark Speakman, on Thursday threatens to be another flashpoint between the NSW Liberals and their Nationals partners.
The Guardian understands the Nationals are likely to oppose the repeal bill and seek permanent recognition of the cultural and heritage significance of the wild horses in the alpine regions.
The matter will come to a head next week when a private members bill from independent MP for Wagga Wagga, Joe McGirr, to repeal the Heritage Horses Act, is debated.
Speakman said:
We will not oppose the bill when it comes to the floor of parliament.
As environment minister, I saw the extraordinary damage that feral horses do in the Kosciuszko national park. It is one of the most important natural environments we have in this country, and we have to preserve it.
There is no logical reason to continue with mandating a particular number. … This is one of our most important national parks. It has to be protected. It has to be preserved, and that’s why we won’t oppose the bill when it comes to parliament.
Updated
Victoria police officers charged with manslaughter over death of Luke Briggs
Two police officers have been charged with negligent manslaughter over the death of a man in custody, AAP reports.
Luke Briggs was arrested in a convenience store car park at Hoppers Crossing, in Melbourne’s south-west, in July 2024. The 35-year-old became unresponsive at the scene and died eight days later at Royal Melbourne hospital.
The two male Victoria police officers involved, a constable, 29, and sergeant, 45, were suspended after the incident. They were charged on Thursday and will face Melbourne magistrates court on Friday.
Victoria police deputy commissioner, Wendy Steendam, said she was aware news of the charges would be concerning and difficult for many in the community:
I want to reassure them that Victoria police does not shy away from taking action to uphold community trust and confidence in our organisation.
It was vital that such incidents were investigated thoroughly regardless of an officer’s rank, adding the overwhelming majority of police did the right thing, Steendam said, adding:
Our thoughts today are also with the Briggs family and we will ensure they continue to have a range of support services in place as the matter progresses.
The incident was investigated by the homicide squad and overseen by Professional Standards Command, an internal police branch that examines officers’ conduct.
Briggs’ family said he died in an intensive care unit wearing his favourite Bunnings jumper, beer by his side and surrounded by his loved ones. They said in a statement at the time:
In his final hours, we shared stories and reminded Luke how much we loved him while his favourite songs played in the background. … We will miss you, Luke. We don’t know how we can go on without you.
Updated
Brisbane teen charged with terrorism offences granted bail
A Queensland teenager charged with terrorism offences has been granted bail in a Brisbane court this afternoon.
Max Belter, 18, appeared in Brisbane magistrates court on Thursday, charged with two counts of possessing and controlling violent extremist material obtained or accessed using a carriage service.
The court heard he also allegedly possessed a range of books of a racist and extremist nature, including Mein Kampf, the Anarchist Cookbook, a collection of anti-semitic writings published by Henry Ford and the Unabomber Ted Kaczynski’s Industrial Society and its Future. He also allegedly possessed a video produced by the Islamic State instructing people how to stab a person to death, demonstrated on a live victim, the court heard.
A raid by AFP and Queensland police earlier this week also discovered a number of precursor chemicals required for bomb-making, including potassium nitrate and potassium hydroxide, the court heard.
Magistrate Rosemary Gilbert said Belter had successfully demonstrated “exceptional circumstances”, the condition required to grant bail under the federal legislation. She took into account factors including his age, lack of prior offending and the fact that he hadn’t been engaged in preparations for an attack.
Belter will return to court next month.
Updated
Better offer alerts on energy bills to come by late 2026
Energy retailers will have to alert customers if they can get better deals on their electricity after a new regulator ruling.
Households and small businesses are already entitled to notification of better offers inside their energy bill but nearly half of all customers never even open their bill, potentially missing out on hundreds of dollars in savings each year, according to the Australian Energy Market Commission.
Energy providers will have to make it obvious in communications to customers if they can save money by changing plans under the new rule, which comes into effect in 2026, on 30 December.
Improve visibility should help customers consider switching and push those on pricier plans swap out, Anna Collyer, the commission’s chair, said:
Energy bills can be complex, and many customers are busy, leading large numbers to disengage and potentially miss out on better plans. This final rule is like placing important price information on the shopfront, making it clear, upfront and hard to miss.
The nation’s energy ministers have been pushing to add to consumer protections, with retailers prevented from hiking contracts more than once a year in another recent ruling
‘No grounds for me to stand aside,’ Julie Bishop says
Julie Bishop said the Australian National University’s council still had confidence in her leadership and there were “no grounds” for her to quit as chancellor.
Bishop’s term as chancellor began in 2020 and will conclude at the end of 2026 – a seven-year term. She said she would see out her term and help select a new vice-chancellor, replacing Genevieve Bell:
Council have confirmed that they have confidence in me to lead this period of transition.
Bishop spoke to a turbulent town hall of ANU staff and students earlier today. Asked whether the crowd reaction demonstrated the broader community lacked confidence in her leadership, Bishop said:
I’m not an expert on crowd emotion but there were varying emotions expressed today and it’s understandable. This is a hard day for any university. And I felt that people were of course emotional. I feel very emotional about it. A number of people do.
She denied responsibility for the ANU’s financial struggles and rejected allegations of bullying made a month ago by Liz Allen, a prominent ANU academic, at a parliamentary inquiry. Bishop told reporters neither constitute grounds for her to step down with Bell:
I reject the allegations that I heard for the first time on the 12th of August that I have treated any staff at ANU with anything other than the greatest respect and civility and courtesy. …. There are no grounds for me to stand aside.
Updated
Bishop declines to say whether she told Bell to resign
Julie Bishop, the Australia National University’s chancellor, has declined to say whether she told the vice-chancellor, Genevieve Bell, to resign from her post.
Bell’s resignation was announced today and Bishop said she would return to her position as an academic in the ANU’s school of cybernetics. Asked if Bishop had told Bell to go, she said:
These are conversations that I’m not going to entertain. It’s a matter of respect. It was a very hard decision for her. And I think if you read her statement, you’ll see that she took a very difficult decision in the interests of the university. And we accept that decision that she’s made.
Bishop did not directly answer a question over whether she took responsibility for Bell’s removal, instead telling reporters:
As Australia’s first female chancellor, I was indeed very proud that distinguished professor Genevieve Bell became our 13th vice-chancellor.
Updated
Julie Bishop says she rejects ‘each and every allegation’ made against her by ANU academic Liz Allen
Allen made allegations of bullying against Bishop during a Senate hearing last month.
Bishop told a town hall she’s written her right of response and given it to the inquiry, but is waiting for the committee to accept it and publish it.
She also said it was the first time she was given notice of the allegations:
I reject each and every allegation that’s been made against me … These very serious allegations were raised against me at a Senate hearing.
Bishop said Allen’s “ventilation” of the allegations at the committee hearing were “compromising” to other witnesses.
As she finished, someone in the crowd shouted “solidarity with Liz”, with a group cheering in response.
Updated
That’s all from me, Luca Ittimani will be your blog shepherd for the rest of the day. Take care.
Sydney’s rain moves on but warnings of large surf remain
The Bureau of Meteorology says the low pressure system that caused rainy havoc across NSW over the past few days has now moved over the water, and the state is in for a much nicer Friday. The BoM said:
For Friday and the weekend, fine, calm and sunny weather will set in across the state.
Officials are still warning of hazardous surf conditions until midnight tonight, with surf and swell expected to be dangerous for coastal activities including rock fishing, boating and swimming from Batemans Bay up to the Macquarie coast.
The low pressure system responsible for the wet and #stormy weather over #NSW in the past few days has now moved over the water.
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) September 11, 2025
For Friday and the weekend, fine, calm and sunny weather will set in across the state.
Latest forecasts: https://t.co/jlOoTZLz8d pic.twitter.com/Kc2bpNZiGr
Updated
Four people including police officer taken to hospital after being bitten by dogs in western Sydney
Emergency services treated three people after they were reportedly bitten by two dogs during an incident in the western Sydney suburb of St Marys this morning. Three people, a man in his 50s, a man in his 30s and a woman in her 70s, were treated at the scene and taken to the hospital in a stable condition.
NSW police said an officer responding to the incident was also bitten by the dogs and taken to an area hospital in stable condition. Police said they were told the dogs belonged to one of the men bitten during the episode.
The dogs have since been secured and police have begun an investigation into the incident.
Updated
ANU chancellor Julie Bishop says she intends to remain in post for rest of her term
Bishop and interim vice-chancellor Rebekah Brown addressed a town hall earlier on the ANU campus, after the resignation of Genevieve Bell.
There was hardly an empty chair in the theatre, and there were plenty of questions for the two.
As Bishop addressed the crowd and announced Bell’s resignation, there were shouts and cheers.
The leaders wouldn’t provide any guarantee that the controversial Renew ANU program will continue or be paused, but Bishop said the university is undertaking more consultations:
There are a number of pathways to achieving our goals, and I assure you that I and council will work with you to find options that will help us find the best way forward, which will balance our need for financial stability with care and compassion for our people.
Brown said:
I can’t make any statement today. What I can say is that we will be giving this very serious consideration, very careful consideration.
Updated
Labor senator says Julie Bishop has questions to answer after ANU vice-chancellor’s resignation
Labor senator Tony Sheldon says the resignation of vice-chancellor Genevieve Bell from the Australian National University (ANU) raises “serious questions” about governance at the institution and the leadership of the chancellor.
Sheldon has been a vocal critic of the sector since his time as inaugural chair of the Senate inquiry into university governance. In a statement on Thursday, Sheldon said Bell’s resignation was a “result of the catastrophic failure of governance in our universities”:
The responsibility doesn’t stop with her. Chancellor Julie Bishop led the ANU council during this period, and ultimately the buck stops with her. Under her leadership, the council signed off on sweeping restructures, oversaw rising dissatisfaction among students and staff, including senior academics, and failed to provide transparency around serious governance concerns.
Universities are public institutions … but too often, they’ve been run like personal empires by executives and governing bodies who believe the rules don’t apply to them. This must be a turning point – not just for ANU, but for the entire sector.
Bishop said she would be “encouraging council to engage in open and constructive dialogue” with members of the ANU governance project on their recommendations to improve the university.
Addressing staff at a town hall meeting on Thursday afternoon, she said she intended to remain chancellor of ANU until the end of her term and received the backing of the council to work on the university’s transition phase.
Updated
Finance union says Bendigo Bank to cut 145 jobs
Bendigo Bank is restructuring its technology division, according to the Finance Sector Union, with the regional bank to cut 145 roles.
The anticipated job losses come in the same week that National Australia Bank confirmed plans to cut more than 400 jobs, while ANZ plans to slash 3,500 jobs over the next year.
Last week, Bank of Queensland (BOQ) announced cuts to 200 roles while offshoring half of its contact centre.
A spokesperson for Bendigo Bank said:
The bank reviews all parts of the business regularly and continues to prioritise investment in innovation that supports our business and meets the evolving expectations of our customers.
Bendigo Bank remains committed to consulting with our people whenever changes are identified that will impact them and ensures those impacted have the support they need.
The regional bank did not comment on the union’s claim there would be 145 job losses.
The FSU national secretary, Julia Angrisano, said:
Three banks in less than a week have cut jobs – ANZ, NAB and now Bendigo. Add BOQ last week and it’s clear this is a tidal wave of cuts hitting workers across the sector.
Across the sector, workers are being asked to do more with less while fearing for their jobs.
While Australia’s major banks have routinely denied any link between recent major job restructures and artificial intelligence technology, thousands of jobs have been lost at the same time as AI use soars in their back-office operations.
Updated
RBA hearing surcharge ban concerns from business ‘loud and clear’
The Reserve Bank is listening to criticisms of its card surcharge ban plan and will meet with businesses and banks but will reserve the final say, its payment boss has said.
Industry players have unleashed on the RBA’s plan to eliminate card surcharging in submissions published today.
Ellis Connolly, the RBA’s head of payments, said the RBA had heard “loud and clear” some businesses’ fears a surcharging ban would lump them with unbearable costs. Businesses put a surcharge on card payments to cover the cost of fees charged by payment services, which in turn pay fees to banks and other services to move customers’ money around.
Banks and other industry players are split on whether a new cap on those underlying fees could up costs for banks, businesses or consumers.
Connolly pushed back at suggestions card surcharging should be banned without changing those fees. He said that would leave businesses to make up the cost, pushing prices up, telling a panel hosted by payment system Stripe:
If you just get rid of surcharging of itself, you’re simply [moving costs] separately identified to the customer as being built into the price.
The RBA will meet with those raising concerns but Connolly said its regulator board would make the final call:
We want to tease out some of the arguments, better understand the evidence, hear views on some of the other proposals … [then] the [RBA’s] payment system board will be the final decision maker here.
Updated
Greens say university governance ‘broken’ after ANU vice-chancellor’s resignation
The Greens have welcomed the resignation of the vice-chancellor of the Australian National University (ANU) but said more needed to be done to address “failing” corporate governance in the university sector.
Deputy leader and higher education spokesperson, senator Mehreen Faruqi – alongside independent senator David Pocock, the union and sectors of the academic community – has been lobbying for Prof Genevieve Bell and the chancellor to resign.
Faruqi said Bell’s resignation was a culmination of “months of scandal, plummeting staff and student morale, and a governance system that is completely broken”.
The fact that almost every respondent to ANU’s staff-led governance project said the system is not fit for purpose speaks volumes. This is not just about one vice-chancellor. The entire model of top-down, corporate-style governance is failing.
We need a halt to forced redundancies, real protection of staff wellbeing, a commitment to safeguard disciplines under threat and an end to opaque decision-making and networks of privilege.
In a statement, Bell said she firmly believed in delivering the university’s national mission and doing so required “a solid financial, cultural and operational foundation”.
Achieving such a foundation has been difficult and this has been a very hard time for our community. I am grateful for all the ways that people have shown up and for all the work that has been done and the progress we have made.
Updated
Melbourne man charged over alleged criminal syndicate supplying city with illicit tobacco
The alleged ringleader of an illicit tobacco syndicate has been charged with importing products stashed inside kitchen items and clothing, as investigators warned of more imminent arrests, AAP reports.
Police claim more than seven tonnes of illegal tobacco was brought in over a 10-month period, as well as about 5 million cigarettes and more than 5,000 vapes, dodging more than $36m in excise taxes.
The Coburg North man, 49, was arrested at a home in Melbourne on Tuesday. Investigators allege he tapped into connections or criminal associates working in freight and logistics.
He was hit with a string of charges including multiple counts of importing tobacco product with intent to defraud the revenue, supplying vapes and possession of a schedule four poison.
A Meadow Heights man, 29, was also arrested and charged with conspiracy to import tobacco for allegedly moving products across Australia and Victoria.
They were set to face the Melbourne magistrates’ court later on Thursday.
Updated
Sussan Ley safe as Coalition leader, Andrew Hastie says
Coalition frontbencher Andrew Hastie says there is no move afoot against the opposition leader, Sussan Ley, after her move to sack Liberal Jacinta Nampijinpa Price.
Ley moved against Price on Wednesday, saying her frontbench position had become “untenable” after the Country Liberal senator’s comments on Indian migration.
At a press conference in Perth yesterday, Price declined to express confidence in Ley’s leadership while continuing to refuse to apologise for suggesting the federal government’s migration program favoured Indians to win Labor votes.
Hastie told radio station 2GB the matter should have been sorted more quickly, but it would not see a challenge to Ley’s fledgling leadership.
“There isn’t a spill,” Hastie said, insisting no knives were being sharpened:
What happened yesterday was Jacinta was asked three times whether she could support Sussan Ley, and she didn’t answer in the affirmative.
And the rules of being a member of the shadow ministry is that you’ve got to support the leader.
“It didn’t have to get to this point,” he added. “But what is done is done, and it can’t be undone, and we’ve just got to move forward.”
Hastie has previously spoken of his ambitions to lead the Liberal party and could be a candidate if there was a move against the opposition leader.
“People know I have a desire to lead but there isn’t a move,” he said.
Updated
Katy Gallagher says ANU cost-cutting program ‘poorly executed’ in response to vice-chancellor’s resignation
Finance minister and ACT senator, Katy Gallagher, has responded to the resignation of ANU vice-chancellor, Genevieve Bell, and says the Renew ANU program was “poorly executed”.
Renew was a controversial $250m restructure and cost-cutting program that caused an uproar among student and staff.
In a statement, Gallagher says the ANU council must reset and “reach agreement with the broader ANU community on the path forward”.
The Renew ANU program has been poorly executed and has damaged the university’s reputation, and responsibility for that cannot be placed on one individual.
I have previously called on the ANU Council to work openly and proactively to establish an independent fact base and rebuild trust with the community.
You can read the full story here:
Updated
Epic Games case against Apple and Google to drag into 2026
Australians will be waiting until early next year at the earliest to learn what changes Apple and Google will be ordered to make to their app stores and operating systems by the federal court, after Epic Games won its long-running competition case last month.
Epic Games won its competition case against the two tech giants over not being able to bypass the in-app payment systems of both iOS and Android, and in the case of Apple, not being able to download apps on iPhone outside the app store.
In an interlocutory hearing on Thursday, Epic Games’s counsel outlined that the company would need until 10 October to set out what injunctions it would seek against the two companies which would force changes to their platforms, with Apple and Google given until early November to reply.
A hearing for those proposed changes will be held from 16 December, with Justice Jonathan Beach indicating he would likely make a second judgment on relief early in the new year.
Apple and Google had both pushed for the multi-day hearings on relief to be held early next year. The companies will also need to consider whether to appeal the judgment, which would further delay any changes to be made.
The over 6,300 paragraph judgment in the case against Apple was published on Wednesday, nearly one month after Beach delivered his oral judgment.
Updated
PM hails Solomon Islands talks while Vanuatu says Nakamal delay ‘nothing to do with China’
Anthony Albanese has hailed this week’s meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum in Solomon Islands a success, welcoming progress on key issues including climate change and security in the region.
Albanese recommitted Australia to providing $100m in initial funding for the new Pacific Resilience Facility while on the ground in Honiara.
But he was unable to sign a new $500m agreement with Vanuatu this week, as the government there debates whether it will consider infrastructure funding deals with China in the future.
Talks on the Nakamal agreement will continue.
A spokesperson for Vanuatu’s prime minister, Jotham Napat, said the country’s council of ministers wanted more time to consider the deal, to ensure it reflects the country’s status as a sovereign nation.
Spokesperson Kiery Manassah hit out at Australian media reports suggesting the delay had anything to do with China. He said there were “no losers in a true Nakamal setting”.
“It has nothing to do with China, who have been friends with us since day one and will continue to remain so going forward,” Manassah said. He continued:
The government is optimistic of a good outcome once the agreement is ready for signing.
That is the typical Australian media line which is false and borders on western media narrative that seeks to undermine the values that we stand for as a nation.
Updated
Sydney light rail passengers rescued after flash flooding
Andrew Edmunds, an SES spokesperson, said crews had responded to “a large volume of incidents” with more than 850 calls for assistance in a 50-minute period at about 8:30pm on Wednesday. Crews responded to about 600 incidents.
A number of vehicles were caught in flash flooding, including a light rail vehicle getting stuck on Anzac Parade in Sydney.
He said:
Crews brought 20 to 30 passengers to safety, and also used an Ark Angel raft to ferry an elderly passenger across some of the water.
SES crews also assisted about 10 passengers from a bus, one of a number of vehicles that “came into strife with the heavy rain”.
Updated
Records broken as heavy rain ‘sets up shop’ over south-east NSW
Yesterday’s heavy rain saw several sites recording their highest daily September falls.
Angus Hines, senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, said a broad band of persistent and heavy rain “set up shop” over the south-east from Wednesday afternoon into the evening, particularly affecting Sydney, Wollongong, the Illawarra and the south coast.
The highest rainfall in the state was 181mm at Greenwell Point, 93km south of Wollongong, in the 24 hours to 9am Thursday.
In Sydney, 122mm of rain was recorded, making it the city’s second highest September rainfall on record at Observatory Hill weather station. The last time the site recorded rainfall close to this figure was 110mm in 1883.
According to the BoM, several sites recorded their highest September daily rainfall:
Collaroy (Long Reef Golf Club): 108mm.
Sydney Botanic Gardens: 116mm.
Rose Bay (Royal Sydney Golf Club): 110mm.
Randwick (Randwick St): 145.8mm.
Marrickville Golf Club: 81mm.
Peakhurst Golf Club: 113mm.
Cronulla South Bowling Club: 147mm.
Campbelltown: 99mm.
Camden Airport: 77.8mm.
Read more here:
Updated
Education minister says ANU’s future vice-chancellor a ‘matter for council’
The education minister, Jason Clare, has issued a short statement after the vice-chancellor of the Australian National University, Prof Genevieve Bell, tendered her resignation.
Clare said Bell’s resignation and the appointment of her successor were “matters for the ANU council”. He continued:
I wish Professor Bell well for the future. Significant governance concerns at ANU have been raised with me. That’s why I’ve referred ANU’s governance to TEQSA [The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency] for assessment.
TEQSA recently appointed former Public Service Commissioner Lynelle Briggs to inform that work.
The ANU will hold an all-staff town hall at 1.30pm today to discuss the changes. Following the meeting, the university’s chancellor, Julie Bishop, will hold a press conference alongside interim vice chancellor Prof Rebekah Brown.
Read more here:
Updated
Kevin Rudd says Charlie Kirk death is ‘deeply distressing’
Kevin Rudd has released a statement regarding the death of the US rightwing political activist and Donald Trump ally, Charlie Kirk.
A short time ago, the Australian ambassador to the US and former prime minister said via his X feed:
The death of Charlie Kirk today is deeply distressing. There is no space for political violence in any democracy.
My thoughts, and those of all Australians, are with his family and loved ones.
Read more here:
Labor minister says machete amnesty ‘not about trying to find people who want to break the law’
Carbines added the government never anticipated all machetes would be handed in at the bins:
Be under no illusion, it’s not about trying to find people who want to break the law, popping things in the bins. This is about law abiding citizens reducing the supply and the accessibility and the availability of edged weapons in the community … Those people who want to hang on to edged weapons and machetes face two years in prison, or $47,000 fines.
He says so far almost 500 machetes have been surrendered as well as other weapons, including nunchucks, with the bins swapped out as often as every 24 hours.
Carbines also denied claims made by Liberal MP Nick McGowan that the disposal can be easily opened with a $9 tool from Bunnings. He said police and experts say the “bins are secure” and the only people trying to tamper with them were the Liberal party:
This goes to the sheer weirdness of Liberal party, that they are actively seeking to encourage people to break into the bins, and that they are actively seeking to undermine the amnesty.
Updated
Victoria police minister defends machete amnesty
Victoria’s police minister, Anthony Carbines, has defended the government’s machete amnesty, saying it was never designed to “find people who want to break the law”.
On 1 September, Victoria enacted a ban on machetes as a prohibited weapon making it illegal to own, carry, use, buy or sell them without an exemption. The ban includes a three-month amnesty period from September to November 2025, during which people can safely surrender their machetes at bins at police stations.
Speaking to reporters outside parliament this morning, Carbines said the amnesty was designed to give people an opportunity to safely dispose of weapons before it became a crime to own one.
If you criminalise overnight, anyone who’s got one in their back shed is breaking the law. You need to give people an opportunity to comply with the law, to have an amnesty by which there’s a safe way to dispose of these weapons. Otherwise, people just throw them into any bin in the street and then they fall into the wrong hands.
Updated
Tornadoes in NSW a rare occurrence, BoM says
While New South Wales experienced a selection of “severe weather flavours” yesterday, the most notable of these was the formation of at least two tornadoes, the Bureau of Meteorology’s Angus Hines said.
At least two touched down yesterday afternoon – one near Young in the north-west, and one near Caragabal, about 400km west of Sydney.
Tornadoes are fairly unusual occurrences, Hines said. They form from supercell thunderstorms, where a column of rising air spirals northwards and can create a vortex which – when the conditions are just right – can spiral down and eventually touch the ground.
On average, Australia experiences about 60 to 80 tornadoes a year. Hines said:
A lot of those go pretty much unnoticed because they occur over very sparsely populated places. And a good chunk of them happen in the far south-west exposed coasts of Western Australia.
Getting them over in New South Wales is certainly pretty rare. I imagine a lot of people would live their whole lives out there and never see one.
Updated
Victoria Liberal MP says Nampijinpa Price should apologise to Indian community
Victorian Liberal MP Evan Mulholland also had a bit to say about Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s dumping from the federal party’s shadow cabinet.
Mulholland, who represents Victoria’s northern metropolitan region in the upper house, has been a vocal supporter of the Indian community and was among the first to condemn the racist rhetoric linked to the March for Australia rallies.
He said he “absolutely” supported Sussan Ley’s move to sack the senator after she refused to express support for the Liberal leader or apologise for her comments about Indian migrants.
Mulholland told reporters outside parliament:
The comments were deeply hurtful. I’ve been speaking to Indian community leaders over the past week, and the Indian community makes a great contribution to Australia. They’re entrepreneurial, aspirational, very decent and very, very hard working and it’s important that we show, as Brad Battin and I have shown over the last few weeks, the targeting of our Indian community will not be accepted by anyone and should not be accepted by anyone in this state.
He added that Price should have apologised:
Say sorry, because the Indian community were deeply hurt by those comments. Sorry was an appropriate word to use, and she should have used it.
Updated
Vice-chancellor of the Australia National University resigns
The vice-chancellor of the Australian National University (ANU) has tendered her resignation after a tumultuous two years at the institution marked by redundancies, proposed course closures and allegations of a toxic work culture.
Multiple sources told Guardian Australia that Prof Genevieve Bell had advised the council of her decision on Wednesday evening, with Provost Rebekah Brown to be interim vice-chancellor until a replacement is found.
Pressure was mounting for Bell to exit after five of the six college deans advised the council and chancellor, Julie Bishop, that they no longer had confidence in her leadership, sources confirmed.
Last week, Bishop held a full day of meetings on campus with deans, council members and members of the union.
She returned to campus on Wednesday to meet with members of the ANU governance project, a group of academics and staff who formed this year amid a growing “crisis of confidence” in leadership at the university, and again met with members of the union on Thursday morning.
We are expecting a formal announcement from ANU at 11am.
Updated
US influencer who Bob Irwin labelled a ‘dickhead’ leaves Australia
Mike Holston, the US influencer who calls himself “The Real Tarzann” but who Bob Irwin sensationally labelled a “dickhead”, has left the country, Guardian Australia understands.
Holston posted two online videos of himself grappling with a freshwater and a juvenile saltwater crocodile in films he indicated were shot in north Queensland.
The state’s environment authorities described the actions as “extremely dangerous and illegal”, while animal rights and environmental advocates described them as “absolutely abhorrent” and “incredibly cruel”.
None were more colourful in their condemnation, though, than the father of the late and legendary “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin.
Irwin Sr issued a statement about Holston saying “this bloke clearly had no clue” how to handle a crocodile without putting it under dangerous stress, and was among those who said urgent reform was needed so that “nature laws to apply to social media”.
“The more dramatic, or cruel the interaction, the more money these accounts make,” Bob Irwin said, adding:
It’s like a runaway train and it sets a dangerous precedent for others to copy.
Updated
The Victorian opposition leader, Brad Battin, has declined requests to do media this morning but has issued a statement on Smith’s resignation. It reads:
Stuart Smith’s resignation was the right thing to do. His comments were unacceptable and do not reflect the standards of professionalism, integrity and inclusion that we all expect of each other. I lead a team that aspires to the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and inclusion. My focus, and the focus of every one of my MPs, is to deliver real solutions for every Victorian – safer communities, better services and cost of living relief.
Labor minister on division in Victorian Liberal party
More on the resignation of the director of the Victorian Liberal party, Stuart Smith.
The Victorian minister Danny Pearson said the messages published by the Australian proved the Liberal party was “deeply divided”. He told reporters outside parliament:
If you cannot govern yourselves, how on earth are you going to be able to govern the state? If this is how they treat each other, how are they going to treat ordinary Victorians?
Updated
Ley maintains Nampijinpa Price a ‘valued member’ of the team
Despite Ley dumping Jacinta Nampijinpa Price from the shadow ministry yesterday, the opposition leader said the senator remained a “valued member” of the team.
Ley said earlier:
Jacinta is a valued member of our Liberal party team in our Liberal party party room and has contributed much in public policy and debate in this country and will continue to do so.
Updated
Victoria Liberals respond to Smith resignation
At parliament this morning, Victorian Liberals have backed the state director Stuart Smith’s resignation, describing his comments as “inappropriate” and “unacceptable”.
Smith resigned after leaked messages were published by the Australian revealing he ridiculed the party’s women’s council and upper house MP Bev McArthur.
The party’s police spokesperson, David Southwick, told reporters the comments were “inappropriate”, the party had “acted”:
Nobody should be making inappropriate comments. The matter has been handled, and we’re moving on. What Victorians expect from their politicians is to be standing up for them and focused on them and that’s what I’ll be doing every day.
Pressed on whether the Brad Battin had intervened to force Smith’s resignation, Southwick stressed the parliamentary party and its headquarters were separate:
We, as members of parliament, leave it to our Liberal party headquarters. We don’t get involved in how the party operates, and that’s for them.
Evan Mullholland, the Liberals deputy leader in the upper house, made similar comments:
I thought they [the comments] were completely unacceptable, and it’s a good thing that he’s resigned, and the party has moved on. We’re focused on leading up into the next election, winning the next election, because Victoria needs change.
Ley apologises to Indian Australians, but won’t go into discussions she had with Nampijinpa Price
Ley said she spoke with Jacinta Nampijinpa Price yesterday, but wouldn’t go into what she called “private discussions” with the senator.
Ley told reporters her decision to dump Nampijinpa Price from the shadow ministry yesterday “speaks for itself”.
Ley also sent out an apology to Indian Australians who were hurt by Nampijinpa Price’s remarks:
May I take this opportunity, as leader of the Liberal party, to apologise to all Indian Australians and indeed others who were hurt and distressed by the comments that were made, comments that I said at the time should not have been made.
May I reaffirm my strong support for all our migrant communities for the values that they bring to this country, for the contribution they make and for choosing to come to Australia.
Updated
Sussan Ley says Coalition ‘stands in solidarity’ with those mourning Charlie Kirk
Sussan Ley is speaking from Hobart, where she just remarked on the shooting of right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk in the US. Ley said:
Can I also send solidarity to the US because of what appears to be a political assassination of Charlie Kirk. We stand in solidarity with those who mourn.
Updated
Some images from the wild weather across Sydney and NSW
Australia raises travel advice level for Nepal as Nepalese Australians express grief over unrest
Australia has raised its travel advice level for Nepal after deadly political unrest, but tourism operators say it may still be safe to visit the mountainous nation, AAP reports.
At least 19 people have been killed in anti-corruption protests in the capital Kathmandu. Demonstrators stormed the nation’s parliament and set the building on fire.
We now advise reconsider your need to travel to #Nepal due to civil unrest and the risk of natural disasters. There is widespread civil unrest in Nepal. Shelter in place, stay alert, obey curfews and follow the instructions of local authorities. (1/3)
— Smartraveller (@Smartraveller) September 10, 2025
Nepal’s prime minister has also resigned, with no clarity on who will replace him. A key Nepalese diaspora group in Australia said the crisis stemmed from “years of poor governance, corruption and a lack of accountability”.
“Watching from afar, there is a sense of grief and frustration, particularly as young lives have been lost in the struggle for justice and reform,” the president of the Australia-Nepal Friendship Society, Niraj Gauli, said.
The organisation will hold a vigil in Canberra on Thursday evening, calling for “peace, accountability and genuine reforms” in Nepal.
Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu has reopened but airlines may not resume normal flight operations quickly. Do not go to the airport until your flight is confirmed. Contact your airline or travel provider to confirm travel plans first. (1/4)
— Smartraveller (@Smartraveller) September 10, 2025
Updated
Victoria Liberal director resigns over leaked messages
The director of the Victorian Liberal party, Stuart Smith, has resigned after leaked messages were published by the Australian revealing he ridiculed the party’s women’s council and upper house MP Bev McArthur.
The WhatsApp messages from the state party head office group chat include messages in which Smith says the Liberal Women’s Council – the peak body representing women in the Victorian branch – were only able to reach resolutions at a meeting “after two men told them they had to”.
In a later exchange, he shared a video of McArthur, 76, waving an Australian flag with the comment “here’s Bev with dementia”.
Smith, in a statement provided to the Guardian, said he has apologised for the comments and would resign to avoid distraction for the party ahead of the 2026 election. He said:
In the best interests of the party I have tendered my resignation to minimise distractions from the important task of winning the next election. I regret the comments and have apologised for them. I thank the party for the opportunity and wish the team well.
It’s awkward timing for the party to be without a director, just two days before its annual general meeting and ahead of preselections opening.
Updated
NSW lashed by wild weather as SES receives more than 850 calls in 24 hours
Wild weather is lashing Australia’s east coast, with heavy downpours triggering a surge in calls for assistance, AAP reports.
Multiple severe weather warnings remain in place, including alerts for damaging winds and hazardous surf across NSW. At least two tornadoes were reported across the state, including one captured on camera from a fire tower at Young as it tore through a field.
Here's your Thursday forecast, #NewSouthWales:
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) September 10, 2025
🌧️ Cool with showers in central & eastern #NSW, easing during the day & clearing later.
❄️ Snow possible above 1300m.
🌬️ Fresh to strong & gusty winds near the coast & northern ranges.
🌊 Damaging surf.https://t.co/JzTmgnK785 pic.twitter.com/s0q8Uq9dH7
The NSW State Emergency Service received more than 850 calls in the past 24 hours, mostly due to heavy rain.
During 50 minutes on Wednesday, the service received a surge of calls from across Sydney, including reports of water flooding homes and stranding vehicles on roads.
Conditions are expected to ease on Thursday, although several warnings remain in place, including for damaging winds in parts of the Hunter, Mid North Coast and Northern Tablelands.
Updated
Victoria will soon fast-track ability to subdivide land
Landowners wishing to subdivide or build a second dwelling on their properties will be able to gain approval in just 10 days from next month.
The premier, Jacinta Allan, this morning will announce changes to fast-track approvals for Victorians who want to subdivide their block and sell the land or build a second home on their land.
Currently, applications of this type take more than 60 days, but from October will take just 10 days. It is estimated the change will also save applicants more than $2,400 in fees.
Key criteria must be met to achieve the fast approval, with proposals still required to meet siting, privacy and design standards. The government said important protections – like heritage and environmental overlays – also still apply so that new homes fit well into existing neighbourhoods.
The proposal was first announced in October last year as part of a suite of policy changes the premier made to boost housing supply. Allan said in a statement:
I want to get millennials into homes – and so many people in their 30s are looking at new townhouses and homes on subdivided blocks that have a couple of bedrooms and space for the kids to run around. It works for them. Every time a new home is approved faster, a door opens for young people to live where they want – near the things they need and the people they love.
Updated
Coalition says Charlie Kirk’s death ‘absolutely shocking’
Liberal frontbencher senator James Paterson also said this morning the coalition was deeply concerned by Charlie Kirk’s death this morning.
He told RN Breakfast:
It’s absolutely shocking news, and some terrible images are coming out of the United States this morning. As I’m aware, they’ve still not apprehended the suspect or identified them, so it’s difficult to speak to their motives.
But Charlie Kirk is obviously a prominent conservative political activist and someone who’s very close to President Trump. So I think it’s highly likely that you’re right, that this is an act of political violence. And that is a very distressing thing for those of us who think fondly of the United States.
Updated
Marles says Nampijinpa Price’s remarks ‘utterly unacceptable’
Marles, the defence minister, said senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price remarks about Indian migrants were “obviously utterly unacceptable”
Marles told RN:
I really want to say from the perspective of the government that we celebrate the Indian Australian community. They make a wonderful contribution to our nation, and they are part of a multicultural diverse country that we are. We gain a whole lot of strength from that diversity.
Read more here:
Marles condemns shooting death of Charlie Kirk
Richard Marles condemned the fatal shooting of US right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk earlier this morning, saying there is no place for political violence while adding Australia is lucky in as many issues are debated “by and large in a civil way”.
Marles told RN Breakfast:
There is no place for political violence. Obviously, our thoughts are very much with Charlie Kirk’s family, but in our societies we need to see peaceful discourse as being the way in which we deal with political issues, and political violence absolutely has no place at all.
I think we are very lucky in Australia to have a culture where we do debate issues through, and we do so by and large in a civil way. Where in fact there are very significant relationships and friendships across the aisle, and that’s the way in which we should be engaging in political discourse.
Read more here:
‘When we work together, our whole region is stronger’, Albanese says from Pacific Islands Forum
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has spent the past day touting Australia’s relationship with Pacific nations during his visit to Solomon Islands for the Pacific Island Forum.
In a series of posts on social media, Albanese said Solomon Islands remains an “important neighbour” to Australia, adding that regional cooperation had made the “whole region” stronger.
The prime minister has also pointed to Australia’s contribution to a fund meant to address the threats of climate change to the region.
When we work together, our whole region is stronger.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) September 10, 2025
I’m proud to be in Solomon Islands for the Pacific Islands Forum this year, to help shape a more prosperous, and secure region. pic.twitter.com/J5L7qxdjaa
Updated
Good morning
Good morning, Nick Visser here to take you through the morning’s news. Here’s what’s on deck:
The NSW SES has received more than 850 calls over the past 24 hours amid a deluge of heavy rain and strong wind. Officials said they have responded to 34 flood rescues and storm incidents in that period, saying a number of vehicles were stuck on roads in flood waters.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said this morning he is “proud” to be in Solomon Islands for the Pacific Islands Forum, saying his role there was to help shape a “more prosperous, and secure region”.
Stick with us.
