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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Kayla Osborne

New evidence brings new hope of a resolution

The three-year-old was last seen wearing a Spider-Man suit in the garden of his foster grandmother's home in Kendall in 2014.

William Tyrrell is a name that most Australians would be very familiar with.

For many of us the image of the smiling three-year-old boy in a spiderman costume is etched into our memories - never too far from our thoughts.

Well, little William's image was again splashed across Australian media today as NSW Police announced that new evidence in the seven-year investigation would result in a series of "high intensity" searches over coming weeks.

It was also the first time in the long investigation that police have acknowledged that William, who vanished from his grandmother's property in 2014, is most likely deceased.

NSW Police Detective Chief Superintendent Darren Bennett said the searches would last two to three weeks and some would be "subterranean", AAP reported today.

"It's highly likely that if we found something it would be a body," Det Ch Supt Bennett told reporters.

"We are looking for the remains of William Tyrrell, there's no doubt about that."

With Anthony "AJ" Elfalak and Cleo Smith found alive and well after going missing this year, the news about the investigation into William's disappearance is just that bit more devastating.

Here's hoping recent wild weather events don't hamper police search efforts.

We've had floods, strong winds and rain across many states and territories - some have even had snow.

And we are supposed to be just a few weeks out from summer? Insane.

It looks like the ABC is also caught up in its own storm with PM Scott Morrison stating that the public broadcaster was "not above the scrutiny for how they conduct themselves using taxpayers' money".

The PM has backed calls for Senate probe into how the ABC deals with complaints.

ABC chair Ita Buttrose told ABC Radio that the national broadcaster's relationship with the government was strained.

She wanted the Senate inquiry scrapped or at least put on hold until an ABC-commissioned independent review of its complaints process was completed.

"It would be much better if the government and the national broadcaster had a better relationship," Buttrose said.

"We are not the enemy."

Another of Australia's droughts was broken yesterday after our cricket team scored an eight-wicket win over New Zealand in the Twenty20 World Cup final.

It's the first time the Aussie men's team has won the cup.

There was also a win for travel-ready residents with the opening of the Queensland border announced.

It does come with some pretty tough terms and conditions - but it's looking pretty good for people wanting to visit the sunshine state in the new year.

I am already mentally packing my bags.

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