What we learned, Sunday 20 July
And that’s where we’ll leave you this afternoon. Here’s a recap of what we learned today:
The Tasmanian Liberal leader and incumbent premier, Jeremy Rockliff, says he has been speaking to cross-benchers and believes they will allow Liberals to form government, after neither the Liberal party nor Labor won enough seats in the state election to form government in their own right.
The Tasmanian opposition leader, Dean Winter, says his party won’t do a deal with the Greens, but has not conceded defeat, despite the party receiving its worst-ever election result in the state.
Controversial MP Mark Latham says he has “broken no law” as he publicly responds to a former partner’s allegations of domestic violence.
Queensland health authorities fear the number of hospital staff potentially exposed to a rare strain of mpox could grow after the condition was detected in an overseas traveller.
A man has died after being taken into police custody overnight in Gippsland in Victoria’s east.
New South Wales police have declared a critical incident and launched an investigation after a man died in a crash during a police pursuit in the state’s Lake Macquarie region on Saturday night.
A sweeping search is under way for a 56-year-old fisher missing on the NSW south coast since Saturday.
Thanks so much for your company today. We’ll be back with you bright and early tomorrow with more live news coverage. Look after yourselves until then.
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Why Mildura is demanding its moment in the sun
The banks of the Murray are sandy and broad as they wind around the city of Mildura in Victoria’s far north-west. They are beloved by locals and visitors – and were also the feature of a recent, much maligned tourism campaign, fronted by actor Shane Jacobson and surf life-savers, likening the inland river city to the far north Queensland coast.
The $390,000 campaign, which bills Mildura as “tropical north Victoria”, has been widely panned by locals since it launched a year ago. But it’s not the first time the city has taken the loud and brash approach to putting itself on the cultural map in the last few years. American rock band Kings of Leon played there in 2022, then earlier this year, Lenny Kravitz announced he would take in the Murray on his national tour.
So what’s going on in Mildura? Why is it trying so hard to grab the nation’s attention – and is it working?
Read the full story:
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Hikers rescued in Tasmania after being stranded overnight by heavy snowfall
A family of six hikers, including three children, were rescued from a Tasmanian national park on Sunday morning after being stranded overnight due to heavy snowfall and taking shelter in a hut.
Tasmanian police said they received a distress call from the family shortly after 4.30pm on Saturday, after snow meant they could no longer access the walking track.
Search coordinator Callum Herbert said the hikers were advised to return to a nearby hut and wait for a rescue crew. Rescuers were dispatched on foot due to extreme weather conditions preventing helicopter access to the area.
Herbert said:
The rescue team reached the walkers at the hut shortly before midnight, finding them all safe, but cold and wet.
Given their condition and the hazardous environment, including strong winds and nearly one foot of snow, we determined it was unsafe to walk them out during the night.
Medical assistance, food and sleeping bags were provided overnight to ensure everyone could remain safely sheltered.
The helicopter was sent in once conditions allowed this morning, and the group was safely returned to the visitor centre about 10.30am.
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Jeremy Rockliff is asked what he would do differently to ensure he can collaborate with the crossbench, given the crossbench supported the vote of no confidence that forced the election.
Rockliff says:
We are here because Dean Winter forced an election … I work with the crossbench and there are a number of crossbenchers that actually did not support the very personalised no-confidence motion ... and a number that did. And you know, Mr Garland has said he would approach things a little differently. So I’m looking forward to working with the crossbench, whoever is elected, in a very mature, measured, of course, a good, engaging way because Tasmanians expect this parliament to provide four years of certainty, stability, and that’s exactly why I’m committed to getting on with the job.
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Voters would ‘look very poorly’ on Labor if it formed government with Greens, Rockliff says
As we reported earlier, the Tasmanian Labor party has said it will not do a deal with the Greens to form government. Rockliff avoids directly answering a question about whether he would consider a Labor government illegitimate, but he says:
I would believe that, you know, Tasmanians would look very poorly on, on a premier that made key commitments not to do any deals with the Greens and reneged on that deal and that commitment.
And I think and I believe very strongly that with the lowest primary vote for over a century, no increase in seats – but also a government that has increased its vote in terms of the Liberal party, with at least the same number of seats. And as [Dean] Winter said, he will give me the opportunity first to form government. And that’s exactly what I intend to do.
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Rockliff says MPs should not ‘hold parliament to ransom’
Asked about how he was going to work with independents or other members of parliament with differing positions on very strongly felt environmental issues like salmon farming and logging, Jeremy Rockliff doubles down on his support for mining and the salmon industry.
He says:
I will never resile from the fact that I support our traditional industries when it comes to our mining industry, of course, our salmon industry, farmers, foresters in an on a very sustainable basis. The Labor party also, I would hope, would stick to their commitments they made to those key sectors as well.
Again, not every single member of parliament can have 100% of what they want, 100% of the time. And Tasmanians would look very poorly on any individual member of parliament, whether that be in a political party or not, that held the parliament to ransom.
We need to listen to everyone’s views and have a very sensible conversation in a very measured way about exactly the key policies that Tasmanians and key areas that Tasmanians care about.
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Rockliff says election shows ‘resounding’ support for AFL stadium
In response to a question about how he now sees the issue of the Tasmanian AFL team playing out, Rockliff claims two-thirds of Tasmanians voted for pro-Devils and pro-stadium candidates.
Rockliff continues:
That is resounding. We’ve always made it very clear our position when it comes to the stadium, the Devils, but also the economic flow-on benefits from such infrastructure investment, and two-thirds of Tasmanians voted, if you like, yes stadium and yes team. And so again, we need to get on with the job.
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Rockliff says he expects crossbenchers will allow Liberals to form government
Jeremy Rockliff says he’s reached out to potential collaborators in the crossbench today.
Rockliff:
My view is that the crossbench, in the cold, hard light of day, will recognise the party – being the Liberal party – with the most number of seats are able to, of course, form a cabinet and they recognise that over the course of the last 16 months, since the March 2024 election, that I have reached across the chamber, I have listened – yes, I’ve learnt a lot as well of course – and my resolve to working collaboratively with crossbenchers has only been enhanced and strengthened by my experience over the course of the last 12 months.
He says he’s had “good conversations” with independent Craig Garland and spoken to Peter George. He says he’s “reached out” to Kristie Johnson and to Carlo Di Falco from the Shooters and Fishers party.
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Rockliff says election shows Tasmanians ‘expect parliament to last four years’
The Tasmanian Liberal leader and incumbent premier, Jeremy Rockcliff, is speaking in Tasmania, reiterating that he intends to go to the governor and seek the recommissioning of the Liberal government.
Rockliff says:
What Tasmanians clearly voted for yesterday was an end to the political games. They expect a parliament to work together and they expect the parliament to last four years. That is my commitment as premier, to ensure that we have a four-year parliament to provide that certainty and stability for the Tasmanian people – a strengthened team of an already strong team with people such as Gavin Pearce and Bridget Archer joining our team as well. So thank you to Tasmanians.
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Coalition flags more ‘sensitive’ approach to international students
The Coalition has walked away from its call for Australia to slash 80,000 international students from higher education institutions, with the opposition’s education spokesperson promising a more “sensitive” approach after the party’s crushing election defeat in May.
During the federal election campaign, the then opposition leader, Peter Dutton, claimed that cutting foreign student numbers would free up more housing and rental opportunities. Dutton said students were “taking up accommodation that should be occupied by Australian citizens”.
The approach was heavily criticised by the university sector and described by tertiary bodies as “isolationist” and akin to the “Donald Trump anti-migration card”.
Jonathon Duniam on Sunday conceded the policy under Dutton wasn’t “as constructive as it could have otherwise been” as the Coalition continued to review its platform.
Read more on this story:
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Four killed in two-vehicle accident in central Queensland
Four people have been killed in a traffic crash in the Queensland central highlands, between the remote coal mining towns of Comet and Blackwater.
Police say all four died at the scene of the two-vehicle accident, which has closed the Capricorn Highway in both directions. It is expected to remain closed “for some time”.
Two more people were taken to Emerald, where they are being treated in hospital for serious injuries.
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Tasmanian Labor leader maintains he won't do deal with Greens to form government
The Tasmanian opposition leader, Dean Winter, says his party won’t do any deal with the Greens, as the state’s political leaders pick over the carcass of Saturday’s election.
The poll, brought on after a no-confidence motion in the premier, Jeremy Rockliff, appears to have barely shifted the status quo.
The Liberals remain the party with the most seats, and saw a small swing, but will probably have to govern in a minority.
Labor does not appear able to form government without the support of the Greens and others on a large crossbench.
Winter spoke to reporters this afternoon and, while he hasn’t ruled out attempting to form government, he maintained the position that Labor would not make concessions to the Greens.
Winter said:
What I do want to reiterate is that Tasmanian Labor will not do deals with the Greens.
I repeated that hundreds of times during the election campaign, and I will not change that. Tasmanian Labor believes in Tasmania. Labor believes in jobs safe, secure, well-paid jobs, and we support traditional industries that have been supporting Tasmanian regional communities.I’ve already been speaking to the business community this morning to reassure them that Tasmanian Labor won’t be changing from our support for those things, but we will seek to collaborate better with the crossbench, where we can find common interests that Tasmanians want to see.
Tasmanians want to see their parliamentarians behaving maturely like adults and working together towards a Tasmania that’s better.
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Contact tracing under way after man diagnosed with rare mpox strain in Queensland hospital
Queensland health authorities fear the number of hospital staff potentially exposed to a rare strain of mpox could grow, after the condition was detected in an overseas traveller, Australian Associated Press reports.
At least 19 community members and 40 staff at a hospital have been exposed to the man, who recently returned to Australia from Africa.
The patient was diagnosed with a rare strain of Clade 1 mpox after he presented to Logan hospital, south of Brisbane.
He was not contagious during his journey to Australia, health officials say.
“Those close contacts that he has been in contact, including at the emergency ward and in other locations, are being contact traced right now and identified at this stage,” health minister Tim Nicholls said on Sunday.
“At the moment his family are asymptomatic, that is, they’re not showing any signs of the Clade 1 mpox, but they are isolating.”
The man’s family includes children at high school, primary school and childcare centres and those institutions are being identified, Mr Nicholls said.
Health officials do not expect the number of community contacts to increase, but the number of hospital contacts could grow.
Mpox is a viral infection that typically displays mild symptoms of fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes or fatigue, followed by a skin rash or lesions.
“The contagion window we define as being four days before the onset of symptoms, until after the skin lesions have crusted over,” Dr Geoffrey Playford from Metro South Hospital Service said.
There have been 135 cases of Clade 2 mpox in Queensland over the past year.
Only once before has Clade 1 been detected in Australia, after a returning traveller tested positive for the virus in NSW in May.
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Banks cutting interest rates for deposits faster than the RBA’s official cash rate
Leading banks are racing to cut interest rates offered to savers, despite the Reserve Bank leaving the official cash rate on hold this month, as households flood banks with deposits.
Major lenders have cut the rates offered to savers faster than the RBA has cut its own key interest rate since the start of 2024 – narrowing returns paid to customers and boosting bank profits.
Rates have fallen further for standard or online accounts, which have no conditions, though conditional bonus account rates are also sliding as banks cut their losses. Only four banks are now offering widely accessible accounts with interest rates of 5% or more, Canstar’s database shows.
The slide is a sign banks are taking advantage of Australians’ high demand for savings accounts instead of competing for deposits, a Canstar analyst says.
Read the full story here:
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Queensland police detail rescue of ducklings from Brisbane storm drain
Queensland police rescued eight ducklings from a storm water drain while conducting routine patrols near an inner-city busway on Tuesday, AAP reports.
The duckling rescue occurred after two constables spotted a baby duck on the road at Spring Hill before chirping led them to a drain which contained eight other baby ducks.
The ducklings were retrieved and placed into a Woolworths cold bag, before being taken to the RSPCA to recover.
The duckling rescue, and Queensland police’s press release about it, comes just days after the acting commissioner, Shane Chelepy, said “social issues” including domestic violence case management and mental health response were not the “core business” of policing.
You can read more about Chelepy’s comments here:
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Man dies in police custody in Victoria
A man has died after being taken into police custody overnight in Gippsland in Victoria’s east.
Police attended a home in Traralgon, a regional city in Latrobe Valley, about 12.50am on Sunday after reports of a man behaving erratically, Victoria police said in a statement.
Police attended and arrested a man out the front of his residence.
Shortly after being taken into custody, he became non-responsive.
Despite the best efforts of emergency services to revive the man, he died at the scene.
The exact circumstances surrounding the man’s death are yet to be determined.
The homicide squad will investigate the death with oversight from the professional standards command, police said.
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Mark Latham says he has ‘broken no law’ after former partner alleges DV
Controversial MP Mark Latham says he has “broken no law” as he publicly responds to a former partner’s allegations of domestic violence.
The former federal Labor leader and NSW One Nation leader has described recent reports involving former partner Nathalie Matthews as “false, reckless and irresponsible”.
Latham has been the subject of Matthews’ reported allegations of a “sustained pattern” of abuse and manipulation as she seeks an apprehended domestic violence order against him.
He told reporters on Saturday:
I have broken no law. The police did not involve themselves in the AVO matter.
I have breached no standing orders of the Legislative Council. The NSW parliament has stringent processes about inappropriate behaviour, and in my six years there, I’ve never been notified of a complaint against me.
Matthews’ private application will be heard before a court on 30 July, but no documents have been released to detail her untested assertions. Police have not laid any charges against Latham.
However, messages reportedly sent by the politician to Matthews from the floor of parliament have been published. The messages feature photos and derogatory comments about female MPs.
Latham said on Saturday he had apologised to Liberal member Susan Carter and Greens MP Abigail Boyd.
Some of Latham’s parliamentary colleagues claimed the MP would be sacked if he worked anywhere else, while others acknowledged they would still collaborate politically with him.
– AAP
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Hope raised in search for missing fisher as seas remain calm off NSW south coast
Sea conditions off the south coast of NSW are favourable this morning, giving rescuers hope they may be able to find a missing fisher.
As we reported earlier, the man, 56, did not return last night after heading off for a day’s fishing from Batemans Bay marina at 8am.
Marine Rescue NSW Inspector Stuart Massey said the search, which began last night, continued until nearly 1am this morning before being temporarily halted, AAP reported.
Massey said:
The Marine Rescue Batemans Bay and Bermagui crews said sea conditions were favourable last night, but it was quite dark with little assistance from the moon, and they had to navigate around numerous whales.
The search resumed on Sunday with dozens of volunteers, six boats, aircraft and Surf Life Saving NSW deployed to help find the man.
Massey said sea conditions were favourable again on Sunday morning with good visibility for the volunteers.
They are searching an area offshore from just north of Narooma to south of Bermagui under the direction of Marine Area Command and will continue to do so until otherwise instructed.
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How using the internet in Australia is about to fundamentally change
As the old adage goes, “On the internet, nobody knows you’re a dog”. But in Australia, it might soon be the case that everything from search engines and social media sites to app stores and AI chatbots will have to know your age.
The Albanese government trumpeted the passage of its legislation banning under-16s from social media, which will come into effect in December. But new industry codes developed by the tech sector and the eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, under the Online Safety Act will probably have much larger ramifications for how Australians access the internet.
Measures to be deployed by online services could include looking at your account history or using facial age assurance and bank card checks. Identity checks using IDs such as drivers licences to keep children under 16 off social media will also apply to logged-in accounts for search engines from December, under an industry code that came into force at the end of June.
Read the full story here:
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Anti-salmon campaigner’s election a win for Tasmanians who believe major parties are ‘out of touch’, Climate 200 says
The election of former journalist and anti-salmon campaigner Peter George to the Tasmanian parliament has been hailed as a reminder that independents are “a force to be reckoned with” by key backer Climate 200.
A longtime ABC reporter and producer, George went to the election as an independent advocating for fiscal responsibility, anti-corruption, and environmental repair – particularly around salmon farming, after more than a million salmon died in a bacterium outbreak at south-east Tasmanian fish farms earlier this year.
His campaign was the first backed by the fundraising body Climate 200 to target Franklin, a seat held by a federal Labor minister. He was considered only an outside chance to win.
Byron Fay, the executive director of Climate 200, said in a statement on Sunday:
Peter George’s victory is another reminder that community independents are a force to be reckoned with.
His victory is a win for the many voters who believe the major parties are out of touch and demonstrate that Tasmanians want genuine representation and stronger action on climate change, integrity and gender equality.
Climate 200 thanks the many members of our community who dipped into their pockets so soon after the federal election to support Peter George’s campaign.
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Investigation launched after motorcyclist dies in crash during police pursuit
NSW police have declared a critical incident and launched an investigation after a man died in a crash during a police pursuit in the state’s Lake Macquarie region on Saturday night.
In a statement early Sunday morning, police said they attempted to stop a motorbike on King Street in Hamilton about 7.30pm on Saturday, as it did not appear to have number plates.
When the vehicle did not stop as directed, a pursuit commenced, police said.
The statement said:
The pursuit travelled south on the Pacific Highway at Charlestown, where the male rider came off the bike a short time later.
The rider – a man believed to be aged in his 20s – was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics but died at the scene. He is yet to be formally identified.
The investigation will be subject to an independent review by the Professional Standards Command and oversight by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission, police said. A report will be prepared for the coroner.
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Why young Australian families are turning away from foster care
Robyn and Nick Lloyd have been foster carers for a decade, welcoming more than 30 kids into their home. There’s a financial and emotional toll to being a carer, but also joy attached to providing a safe environment for some of society’s most vulnerable members.
Some of the foster children stay with them a few days, others for months. They cared for one little boy for two years.
The Sydney couple, who have three biological daughters, have drawn on support networks during their time as foster carers, including their local Anglican church members and an older fostering couple down the street who were fill-in grandparents for some of the younger foster kids.
Robyn also regularly meets a group of about 20 carers living in her area. But she has noticed that the group is rarely replenished with younger members, raising concerns that the next cohort of carers has gone missing.
Australia’s living and housing costs are so extreme that younger families – mainly millennials – who would typically represent the next generation of carers have neither the time nor spare bedroom to foster. And there are extreme shortages of carers for large sibling groups, teens and children with complex needs.
Read the full story here:
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Australian GPs back government’s ‘staunch defence’ of PBS as US tariff threat looms
The peak body for Australian doctors has vocalised its support for the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and the federal government’s defence of it in the face of possible US tariffs.
The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) said in a statement on Sunday that the PBS was one of Australia’s most important programs for health access and equity.
Its president, Dr Michael Wright, said:
The PBS, along with affordable access to high-quality specialist general practice care, is a crucial part of the Australian health system and critical in ensuring everyone has affordable access to the care they need.
As GPs, we know our patients can’t and shouldn’t pay the price of US-style healthcare. The PBS means when we prescribe the treatments our patients need, we know they will be able to access them at an affordable price.
The RACGP said it supported the federal government’s “staunch defence” of the program. The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, launched the defence after US drug companies attacked it in a US government submission during trade talks earlier this year. The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, echoed his concerns at the G20 summit this week.
Wright said:
The power of the PBS to deliver affordable medicines cannot be up for negotiation. The PM and Treasurer are right to back it in the face of pressure from overseas interests.
Healthcare is a fundamental right, and we should all be steadfast in our support for the PBS.
Australia is a small piece of the global market for medicines, but the PBS means we speak with a powerful voice. Medicare and the PBS both must be strong to deliver affordable healthcare.
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Race to form minority government in Tasmania as Labor scores worst-ever result in state
To the Tasmanian election now, which has delivered another hung parliament, and both the Labor and Liberal parties facing a negotiation period to form government.
A roughly 3% swing to the Liberals secured them 14 seats to Labor’s nine – the worst-ever result in Tasmania for the Labor party, at just 26% of the primary vote.
The Labor leader, Dean Winter, said:
The result of this election is that the Liberals will have the most seats, but it is uncertain as to how they will achieve a majority. Another election is not an option, which means we need to figure this out.
The Greens have retained at least five seats, while three independents have won seats. Counting is expected to extend for up to weeks to determine the outcome of four undecided seats. Rockliff would need to work with left-leaning independents on the cross-bench to govern.
Independents Kristie Johnston and Craig Garland, who both voted for the June no-confidence motion against Rockliff that triggered the election, have been returned.
Johnston urged the next premier to be more collaborative and said she wouldn’t enter into a formal deal for confidence and supply with either major party. She told AAP:
They need to negotiate and respect the views of parliament.
Anti-salmon activist and independent Peter George has been elected after a strong campaign in the federal election.
The Greens leader, Rosalie Woodruff, has called on Winter to “have a conversation” about forming an alliance with her party. However, Winter has repeatedly ruled out doing a deal with the Greens and on Saturday night also said he wouldn’t “be trading away any of Labor’s policies or our values”.
– AAP
Updated
Man missing after fishing on NSW south coast
A sweeping search is under way for a fisher missing on the New South Wales south coast.
Emergency services were called to Batemans Bay Marina about 8pm on Saturday after a man, 56, failed to return from a day’s fishing trip, NSW police said in a statement on Sunday morning.
The man had left the marina about 6am in an 8m Arvor cruiser and was last heard from about 10am, police said. Emergency services were alerted about 7.20pm when he failed to return.
The Marine Area Command launched a search operation, which continued throughout the night, involving vessels from the command, Marine Rescue NSW and a fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter. Neither the man nor the boat have been found.
The search continues with additional assistance from Surf Life Saving NSW.
Updated
Good morning
Good morning, folks. My name is Stephanie Convery, and I’ll be bringing you all the live news and updates you could need on this Sunday, 20 July.
We’re going to start in Tasmania, where yesterday’s state election has resulted in another hung parliament. The Liberal leader and incumbent premier, Jeremy Rockliff, declared victory on Saturday night after his party secured 14 seats to Labor’s nine, but both are short of the 18 required for a majority.
Rockliff said he would ask the governor to recommission his government. However, the Labor leader, Dean Winter, didn’t concede defeat and appeared to leave the door open to governing if the Liberals couldn’t make it work.
More on that story shortly.
It’s been a frosty and cold start to the day in many parts of Australia, but hopefully some news – and a nice big mug of coffee – will start to warm you up. Let’s get stuck in.
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