What we learned today, Tuesday 30 September
That’s where we’ll wrap up for the day. I hope you have a lovely evening. These were the top stories today:
The Reserve Bank left interest rates on hold at 3.6% as it continues its bid to further drive down inflation. The decision was widely expected, but will still disappoint mortgage holders hoping for a bit more relief.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said Optus had failed in its handling of recent triple zero outages. The communications minister, Anika Wells, asked Optus’s parent company, Singtel, to appoint an external reviewer in a meeting in Sydney this morning.
Albanese had quite a bit more to say before he flew home to Australia from the Middle East. He urged the United Arab Emirates grocery giant Lulu to enter the Australian market and separately welcomed the Gaza peace plan, urging all parties to “engage seriously” with it.
Albanese was also sounding positive about the Aukus pact after reports this morning that the Pentagon’s review of the security deal found the massive submarine project should go ahead.
The Productivity Commission came under fire for failing to consult artists or model the impact of a key recommendation in its AI report on the creative industry, with First Nations rapper Adam Briggs urging the advisory body to protect creative workers.
A woman who was illegally strip-searched by New South Wales police was awarded $93,000 in a landmark class action that lawyers believed would “render thousands of strip-searches” at music festivals unlawful.
Victorian Labor MP Emma Vulin, who was last year diagnosed with motor neurone disease, announced she won’t recontest the seat of Pakenham at the 2026 state election.
In more Victorian news, four teenagers were charged overnight after an allegedly stolen vehicle was driven into Bourke Street Mall in Melbourne’s CBD yesterday afternoon, before it was abandoned after allegedly striking a pedestrian.
Updated
Humpback whale calf entangled in shark nets off Gold Coast beach
And in some Queensland news, another humpback calf has become entangled in shark nets off Kirra beach, making it the thirteenth whale trapped this season.
Whale scientist Dr Vanessa Pirotta said the number of entanglements this season had been “exceptionally large”, with them starting early and continuing throughout, in a situation that was “distressing for everyone”.
She said:
How many entanglements does it take for us to have more of a serious conversation?
As long as the nets are going to be in, we’re going to see entanglements. It’s been happening for years.
Is it now time for the government to sit down with experts in the field to really seriously talk about proactive ways to try and reduce this?
You can read more on this here:
Updated
Victorian opposition leader says Labor MP Emma Vulin has ‘made her community proud’
The Victorian opposition leader, Brad Battin, has issued a statement on Labor MP Emma Vulin’s decision to quit politics at the 2026 election.
It’s rare that we see this from opposing political parties – but Battin is in the neighbouring electorate to Vulin and has known her for years through her volunteer work at the CFA.
Battin said:
I first met Emma before she entered parliament, when she was already working tirelessly in her local community. Her commitment to making her community a better place to live, work and raise a family has always been clear.
He said she had “made her community proud” and thanked her for her friendship:
Her courage has shone through over the past couple of years following her diagnosis with MND. It has been heartbreaking to watch her face such a cruel disease, yet Emma has always remained positive, inspiring those around her to stay strong.
Updated
RBA governor says government housing policies won’t help affordability for two years
Back to the Reserve Bank governor, Michele Bullock has predicted government policies to boost housing supply will have little impact “in the next two years” after blaming poor affordability on supply shortages.
The RBA governor said there was nothing she could do personally about housing prices as the Reserve Bank had to focus on broader price levels and employment, repeating that supply shortages were to blame for poor affordability, as we reported earlier. She told reporters:
Governments now get that, and you are seeing some action on that, but it’s going to be slow to work its way through.
Asked about her confidence in those policies, Bullock said:
I’m not confident it’s going to make any impact in the next two years.
State and federal governments are aiming to boost supply with direct spending on construction and easing planning restrictions and red tape but building activity has been slow to pick up, even as falling interest rates make borrowing easier.
Building approvals fell for the second month straight in August, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data out today. Westpac’s Neha Sharma said the tentative upswing apparent earlier in 2025 had stalled, with the year’s approvals likely to total just 189,000
Updated
Victorian bail laws come into effect
Changes to the Victoria’s bail laws – which passed parliament last month – also come into effect today.
Under the change, bail will be refused for anyone accused of a serious offence while they are already on bail for another serious offence, unless the decision-maker is satisfied there is a “high degree of probability” the person will not reoffend.
This new test applies to alleged offenders of all ages – including youth – and covers six offences: aggravated home invasion, aggravated carjacking, armed robbery, aggravated burglary, home invasion and carjacking.
The government has said the change will increase the “likelihood that bail will be refused and prevents re-offending.”
A ban on private companies from providing electronic monitoring services for those on bail has also come into effect.
Updated
Age of criminal responsibility in Victoria increased to 12 as justice system changes come into effect
The age of criminal responsibility in Victoria has increased from 10 to 12, as part of changes to the justice system that come into effect today.
Victoria is the first state to raise the age from 10 to 12. It follows the Northern Territory, which raised it to 12 in 2023, while the Australian Capital Territory raised it to 14 in July.
While Victoria had also planned to eventually raise the age to 14 it backtracked last year amid concerns about increased youth crime. However, the Victoria Legal Aid executive director of criminal law, Kate Bundrock, said it was still important to acknowledge the “important milestone”, which she described as an example of “legislative reform driven by evidence”.
She said:
As a community we know that 10 and 11-year-old children need care and love. Children should be supported to stay engaged with their community, family, friends and education.
They should not be spending time in police stations, court rooms or custody, which only increase the likelihood of those children re-entering the justice system in the future. While we will continue to advocate for the age to be raised to 14, it is important to recognise and celebrate the significance of this milestone.
The change formed part of the youth justice bill passed by parliament in September 2024 following years of campaigning by First Nations, legal and human rights groups.
The bill also lowered the age of prosecution for recruiting children into criminal activity from 21 to 18, which also comes into effect today. At the time, the government said the change would close a “loophole” that could result in the recruitment of young people to commit crimes.
Updated
RBA governor says November rate cut still possible
Here’s some more from the Reserve Bank governor after today’s rates decision – she’s said it’s still possible interest rates could be cut in November despite a surprise pickup in inflation.
Inflation hit 3% in the year to August, on the less reliable monthly measure, up from 1.9% in June. AMP has predicted underlying inflation could stop falling as a result, holding at 2.7% in September on the RBA’s preferred quarterly measure.
Economists had warned the RBA would be less willing to cut if inflation stopped falling to 2.5% and the bank’s board’s warning today that inflation was “persistent” has seen market predictions of a cut this year fade, from 71% chance to 54%.
But Michele Bullock said inflation had risen but was not “running away”, meaning more cuts were possible. She told reporters:
We’ll make that decision in November about whether it’s down again or maybe it’s hold again and, if the economy is continuing to recover, that’s really good news.
Bullock said the RBA could cut rates even if inflation was at 2.7% and not falling, adding such a scenario could equally justify a longer hold and:
That could mean a couple more reductions. It might not, I don’t know at this point, and we’ll look at all this again in November.
Updated
Optus board expresses confidence in chief executive
The chair of Optus, John Arthur, has said the board, including the Singtel chief executive, Yuen Kuan Moon, is confident CEO Stephen Rue and his executive team will “undertake the critical reforms to continue to transform the business and strengthen the Optus mobile network, restoring the confidence and trust of the Australian public.”
After the meeting with the communications minister, Anika Wells, on Tuesday, Arthur said the company would appoint independent experts to provide additional oversight of the mobile network – something Wells had requested.
Global consulting firm Kearney has been appointed to begin immediate oversight, quality assurance and verification as Optus “uplifts its mobile network management and services consistent with required standards”, Arthur said.
Kearney will report regularly to Rue and the Optus board.
Arthur said:
The Optus board, which includes Singtel group chief executive officer Yuen Kuan Moon, is confident that Optus CEO Stephen Rue and the management team, supported by the best external expertise, will undertake the critical reforms to continue to transform the business, and strengthen the Optus mobile network, restoring the confidence and trust of the Australian public.
The board’s highest priority is ensuring that Australians can rely on triple zero when it matters most, and we would once again like to apologise to all those impacted by the 18 September outage.
Updated
S&P Global Ratings affirms Australia’s top AAA credit rating
S&P Global Ratings has affirmed Australia’s top AAA credit rating, pointing to our country’s “sound fiscal metrics” and relatively low debt levels against overseas peers.
A day after official figures confirmed that the budget tipped back into a small deficit in 2024-25 after two straight surplus years, S&P provided a tick of approval for the national finances.
S&P said it expects the general government deficit (which includes the states and territories) “to steady at 1.5-2% of GDP over the next few years, as commodity prices normalise from highs over 2023-2024”.
It also said:
Net general government debt is lower than that of most advanced economy peers and will likely remain below 30% of GDP.
The New-York based organisation pointed to “sagging” productivity but said it expected economic growth to pick back up as lower interest rates flow through to the increased activity.
S&P don’t think US trade tariffs will have much of an impact on our economy.
They also have some nice things to say about the country more broadly:
National institutions are stable and provide checks and balances to power. Australia has strong respect for the rule of law, free flow of information, and open public debate on policy issues.
Updated
Reserve Bank governor says there’s ‘nothing I can do personally’ about housing prices
Bullock has acknowledged that Australians who are facing the prospect of never breaking into the housing market are in a “very, very difficult situation”, but downplayed the Reserve Bank’s role in guiding property prices.
She has said:
As an individual and as a citizen, I think it’s we’re in a very difficult position with the property market and I don’t actually think that most reasonable people think that this is a good outcome.
Having said that, there’s nothing that I can do personally about it.
Can we impact housing prices or should we impact housing prices? No. We have to focus on our mandate, which is inflation. I’ve said a number of times before, the problem in the housing market is a structural deficit of supply. That is the problem.
So the bottom line is that all I can do is make sure I keep inflation low and stable, and I keep employment as strong as possible because that gives people the best opportunities to get jobs and be able to possibly get into the market.
Updated
Bullock has been noncommittal when asked by journalists about the potential for future rate cuts based on different inflation indicators, saying she doesn’t want to give forward guidance.
She has said:
I’m not going to predict what the interest rate is going to be in the next three to six months.
What I’m saying is that we have got a situation now, which is actually quite a positive situation. We have inflation back in a 2% to 3% band, both in underlying and headline.
Updated
Reserve Bank governor says RBA aiming for ‘low and stable inflation’
Bullock has been asked about her previous statements that, in general, the price of things will never go back to what they were before the pandemic and the massive spike in inflation that followed it.
She’s reiterated that “the fact is that prices have risen and they’re staying up there permanently” but said the Reserve Bank is trying to maintain “low and stable inflation” rather than getting prices to go deflate or go backwards.
Bullock said:
Deflation is not good for businesses. It’s not good for making investment decisions.
That’s why low and stable inflation is best when it’s in the background and it isn’t influencing decisions.
But I just want people to understand that when we’re lowering inflation, that doesn’t mean we are lowering the price level.
We’re lowering the rate at which prices are increasing.
Updated
Michele Bullock says ‘price level isn’t coming back down’
The governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), Michele Bullock, is holding a press conference in Sydney to shed some light on why the bank decided to keep interest rates steady at 3.6%.
Bullock has said monetary policy works with a lag, so the full effect on the economy of the three interest rate cuts the bank has agreed on this year “are yet to be seen”.
She’s also said that, while inflation remains within the Reserve Bank’s target range, recent data “indicate there could be a bit more upward pressure than we thought”, and that:
We know that high inflation has pushed up prices across the board over the past few years.
While inflation has fallen a lot, the price level isn’t coming back down and this higher price level affects everyone.
And it’s been especially tough on people of lower incomes and the more vulnerable. This is why it’s so important to keep inflation low and stable and unemployment as low as possible.
Updated
Coalition’s Ted O’Brien blames government spending for RBA rates decision
The opposition’s Treasury spokesperson, Ted O’Brien, has been speaking live in Brisbane where he criticised the government after the Reserve Bank’s cash rate decision.
O’Brien has said his heart goes out to mortgage holders and young Australians wanting to get into the housing market, and blamed the bank’s decision not to cut rates on the Albanese government’s economic management.
He’s noted that the Reserve Bank pointed to inflation in the September quarter being higher than expected when it decided to keep rates steady at 3.6%, and claimed this is a “direct consequence of the Albanese government’s spending spree”.
He said:
This government is spending $160bn extra … this financial year compared to when the Coalition was in government.
Clearly, the RBA has very little wriggle room. The market is estimating that there might perhaps be just one more rate cut now [this year].
If that comes to fruition, while welcomed, it means that the average mortgage holder will be paying $1,700 more every single month in interest payments rather than today’s $1,800.
Updated
Chalmers acknowledges RBA rate decision disappointing for mortgage holders
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers is addressing reporters from Melbourne after the Reserve Bank held interest rates steady at 3.6%.
The bank’s decision was widely expected, but mortgage holders will still be disappointed that their repayments won’t fall at least until later this year.
Chalmers acknowledged that was disappointment, saying:
This is not the outcome that millions of Australian homeowners would have wanted but it’s certainly the outcome that markets and economists were expecting.
The treasurer has been repeating some of his classic lines – emphasising the bank’s independence, saying that he doesn’t pre-empt its decisions and declining to comment when asked if he’s concerned it won’t bring rates down further.
He said:
I don’t engage in that kind of commentary. We’ve seen interest rates cut three times already this year.
When we came to office, interest rates were already rising. Inflation was around double what it is now and rising fast.
We’ve been able to get inflation down. We’ve seen interest rates cut multiple times. As a consequence we’ve got real wages growing. We’ve kept unemployment low.
Updated
Good afternoon, I’ll take you through the rest of today’s news.
That’s all from me! Catie McLeod will be your shepherd for the rest of the arvo. Take care.
Markets bet against rate cuts after RBA warns inflation higher than expected
The Reserve Bank board has said inflation could be higher than it predicted as the economy picks up speed faster than expected, dampening hopes for another rate cut in 2025.
The bank’s interest rate board unanimously voted to leave rates at 3.6%, saying there were signs prices were still rising too fast. In a statement accompanying its decision, the board said:
Inflation in the September quarter may be higher than expected …
With signs that private demand is recovering, indications that inflation may be persistent in some areas and labour market conditions overall remaining stable, the Board decided that it was appropriate to [hold].
The board judged household consumption was strengthening and taking over from government spending as the main driver of Australia’s economy, alongside business activity. It believed interest rates were low enough for those who needed to borrow.
Private demand is recovering a little more rapidly than expected … Credit is readily available to both households and businesses.
The Australian dollar rose above 66 US cents in the wake of the announcement and the Australian share market slipped, in a sign markets expect a longer wait for rate cuts.
Updated
Albanese says telco giant Optus has failed over its handling of recent triple zero outages
The government has asked Optus’s parent company to appoint an external reviewer to hold the company to account and to address the “serious lack of confidence” Australians have in the telco.
The communications minister, Anika Wells, met Singtel’s chief executive, Yuen Kuan Moon, the Optus chair, John Arthur, and its chief executive, Stephen Rue, in Sydney this morning.
Albanese spoke before leaving Abu Dhabi, saying:
We’re not satisfied with any of Optus’s behaviour. Optus has let down its customers, and it has let down the nation.
And there will be, of course, an investigation into how exactly this has occurred, and Minister [Anika] Wells has been very strong, as is entirely appropriate here for what is an unacceptable failure of service by Optus to its customers and to the nation.
Updated
RBA leaves interest rates on hold
The Reserve Bank has left interest rates on hold at 3.6%, in a widely expected move.
Economists were confident the bank would hold today and are now parsing the RBA board’s statement for signs a fourth rate cut could still come this year.
The board has cut interest rates three times in 2025, most recently in August. Inflation has been on the rise in recent months but remains within the bank’s 2-3% target range.
We’ll bring you market reaction and more in a moment.
Updated
Albanese optimistic about Aukus amid reports Pentagon will stick to pact
Anthony Albanese is sounding positive after reports the Pentagon’s review of Aukus this morning said the massive submarine project with the US and UK should go ahead.
The Japan-based Nikkei Asia reported the Trump administration would retain the original timeline for the $368bn program, which includes the US selling three Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines to Australia from 2032.
The reports come before the prime minister’s meeting with US president Donald Trump in Washington, next month.
Speaking before flying from the Middle East to Australia, the prime minister said:
Well, the Aukus review remains ongoing, but we’ve been participating very constructively with it, and Aukus has been meeting its milestones.
That is why, in discussions I’ve had with the United Kingdom and with the United States, there has been support for it.
We know that Aukus is in the interests of Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. It is about a partnership which is in the interests of all three nations, which will make peace and security in our region so much stronger.
Updated
Australian artists urge government not to adopt data mining exemptions for AI models
Fair licensing deals are the only way for Australians to get paid fairly for their work that’s used to train AI models, Australian creatives say, calling on the government not to adopt text and data mining exemptions for generative AI models.
Over at the Senate inquiry into national cultural policy (where the productivity commission copped a flogging a bit earlier), several Australian artists and musicians have been calling for better protection for creators and their work.
Musician Holly Rankin known by her stage Jack River, told the committee copyright laws haven’t slowed creativity, but “enabled” it.
A text and data mining exception to the copyright act is not a technical tweak or small change; it would be a fundamental dismantling of our copyright system legalising the theft of Australian culture at scale.
Some of the largest companies in the world are asking for handouts from the Australian government; they want access to Australian culture and creativity for free.
Rankin said companies like OpenAI and Google have already signed licensing agreements with news organisations including NewsCorp, the Guardian and AAP.
The truth is simple, technology companies are able to pay for licenses, they just don’t want to.
First Nations rapper Adam Briggs said it would be “hard to get genie back in the bottle” if Australia allowed companies to access Australian creativity without fair pay.
Why is it a radical notion that artists should be compensated for their work?
Updated
Victoria premier says Vulin a person of ‘deep conviction’ and ‘immense strength’
In a statement, the premier, Jacinta Allan, said she was “shocked and deeply saddened” by Vulin’s diagnosis but proud of her work to raise awareness and funds since.
Emma has responded with grit, determination and her trademark sense of humour. She has brought our parliament together to raise awareness and funds for Fight MND and advocated for government funding for MND Victoria. That she would use her own experience to advocate for others comes as no surprise.
Emma is a person of deep conviction, immense strength and total selflessness. I am incredibly saddened that her health means she will not be able to stand for re-election in Pakenham next year. But I know she will continue to serve her community for as long as she is able.
Updated
Victorian Labor MP Emma Vulin not recontesting Pakenham
Victorian Labor MP Emma Vulin has announced she won’t recontest the seat of Pakenham at the 2026 state election.
Vulin was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2024. In a post on social media, she said her health meant she couldn’t commit to a another four years as an MP:
My mind knows that my body may not have the energy to give what’s required to represent the Pakenham district for a further four years. Whilst I can blame motor neurone disease for taking away that possibility, I can also reflect on the insight the disease has given me and be grateful for the friendships I’ve gained.
Vulin said it had been an honour to represent the community and her achievements included removing level crossings, opening two new train stations, three new schools, three new kindergartens and a new SES, with a community hospital also in the works.
I will continue to work until the November 2026 election and continue to fight hard for better outcomes, funding and infrastructure for the Pakenham District. I envision life after November 2026 will be quality time with my children and family and advocating from the sidelines, particularly for accessibility and awareness of stroke and MND.
We wrote this piece on Vulin earlier this year, as she pushed her party to introduce improved voluntary assisted dying laws:
Updated
RBA interest rate decision coming in an hour
The RBA will make its latest announcement on interest rates in about an hour, at 2.30pm Sydney time.
Australia’s central bank is widely expected to leave rates on hold, but we’ll bring you all the updates on that front as they happen.
Updated
Victoria opposition leader says Bourke Street mall car incident sends ‘shivers’ down parents’ spines
Victoria opposition leader, Brad Battin, held a press conference at Bourke Street mall earlier – after four teens were charged over an incident in the popular shopping precinct.
The teens were charged overnight after an allegedly stolen vehicle was driven into the CBD on Monday afternoon, before it was abandoned in the middle of the mall after allegedly striking a pedestrian. Three of the teenagers were remanded in custody, with one bailed.
Battin told reporters the community had “lost pride” in Melbourne due to increased crime. He went on:
What each and every Victorian saw yesterday during school holidays sends shivers down the spines of parents who just wanted their kids to come into what used to be a safe city here in Victoria – to come into Melbourne during your school holidays, meet under the [Flinders Street] clocks and go out with your mates in the town.
This is something that parents now fear, and what we see is empty streets because people have genuine concerns about coming into the city.
Albanese welcomes Gaza plan and calls on parties to ‘bring its vision into reality’
Anthony Albanese welcomed the Gaza peace plan, and has urged all parties to “engage seriously” with it.
In a statement – as the PM returns from an overseas trip to the UN general assembly, the UK and UAE – Albanese said the government commends the focus on Palestinian self-determination and its commitment to denying Hamas any role in the future governance of Gaza:
We commend the plan’s focus on Palestinian self-determination and statehood, and the Palestinian Authority taking back effective control of Gaza. President Trump’s plan reflects a clear rejection of annexation and forced displacement of Palestinians.
Australia urges all parties to engage seriously with the plan and to work to bring its vision into reality without delay.
Albanese added that he “welcomed the opportunity” to discuss the plan with other leaders over the past week.
Earlier this morning, the deputy prime minister. Richard Marles, said the plan “keeps the door open” to a two-state solution and represents “hope”.
Updated
Seven gets bigger boost than Southern Cross after merger news
Seven West Media’s shareholders enjoyed a much larger boost in value than Southern Cross Austereo’s after news of a proposed merger between the two.
Seven has jumped $15m in value to $230m, while the radio stable’s value is just $6m higher than it was yesterday, at $207.5m.
The companies told investors this morning they expected to get rid of up to $30m in annual costs by linking their assets, including combining their digital platforms, Seven Plus and Listnr.
Listnr has grown revenues by nearly a third annually, offsetting declining radio audiences and helping Southern Cross recover from its lows last year, when it was worth just $120m.
Southern Cross investors will see higher earnings per share under the merger, implying bigger profits and dividends, E&P Capital’s media analyst, Entcho Raykovski, said.
Seven West Media, meanwhile, reported a $61m drop in revenue in the year to June and after-tax profit nearly 20 times smaller than it recorded in 2021, with advertising revenue sliding everywhere except Seven Plus.
SWM’s share price has risen as investors weigh up the benefits of the deal to Seven against the chance they will have to sell their shares at a discount.
Seven investors would have to trade each of their shares for less than one-sixth of a Southern Cross share under the deal, which is less than their market value at current prices – a term Raykovski described as “unusual”.
Updated
Hanson-Young says commission didn’t consult enough with creative industries
Following from our last post, Sarah Hanson-Young also said the commission had “misread the value of the creative industry”.
You consulted with Mastercard, you consulted with Microsoft, you consulted with Meta, you consulted with OpenAI … you consulted with a lot of other players but you didn’t consult with all the creative industries.
I’m really interested to know who these many parties are who told you this was a problem that there needed to be an exemption, or that copyright was an issue. I’m assuming you didn’t write this report with AI itself.
Commissioner Julie Abramson, said the commission was doing “wide consultation” and had received more than 400 submissions for the final report.
She said there wasn’t a “firm view” on what approach should be taken on copyright legislation.
Updated
Senators grill productivity commission during hearing on copyright and AI
The productivity commission was hounded by senators this morning during an inquiry hearing into copyright laws, artists and AI.
Senators accused the commission of “waving the white flag” on artists in their interim report on harnessing the benefits of AI in Australia.
A key element of the report was a proposal to implement a text and data mining exemption to the Copyright Act, which would allow tech companies to use copyrighted work to train AI.
In a somewhat rare scene, Liberal senator Sarah Henderson and Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young were on a unity ticket, attacking the commission for not modelling the impact of a text and data mining exemption in the copyright law on the creative industry and for failing consult with the creative industry ahead of releasing their interim report.
Henderson “condemned” the commission for “not having regard to our creative industries”. She said:
Why is it not realistic that we would not look at ways to protect the work of Australian creatives that is being stolen by big tech overseas?
Updated
NSW government considered cancelling metro station amid potential $2bn blowout
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, says the government considered – but decided against – cancelling one of the stations on Sydney’s largest metro line amid a potential multibillion-dollar cost blowout.
The Sydney Morning Herald has reported that confidential estimates show the cost of the Metro West line, set to open in 2032, could be at least $2bn higher than official forecasts. The blowout is reportedly due the cost of building underground stations following delays to awarding contracts, which could bring the total spend to more than $27bn.
Speaking today, Minns characterised the $2bn figure as being “at the upper end of a potential cost overrun”. He said:
Some of the ways that we’ve looked at, to be honest with you, reducing that bill and keeping it within its original envelope … is to cancel a station that we’d already announced.
And we’ve looked at all different ways of ensuring that that can come in on time and on budget, but that was a decision that we felt was too far.
But that’s what it would take to reduce the cost of that Metro.
Minns did not say which station the government was considering cancelling on the line, which will run from Hunter Street in the CBD to Westmead via Olympic Park and Parramatta, but said there were “a few options”.
Updated
Ombudsman fields hundreds of complaints of social media users locked out
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) has received hundreds of complaints from social media users and businesses locked out of their accounts, despite the office not having a role in mediating disputes between consumers and social media companies.
Guardian Australia reported in August a spate of users finding themselves locked out of their accounts on Meta platforms after they were incorrectly flagged as breaching community standards.
The TIO reported on Tuesday that in data covering before the most recent spike in reports of being block, that for 2023 and 2024, there were 500 complaints to the TIO about social media platforms overall, with 70% of these complaints linked to Meta and Google platforms. The TIO said 60% of these were regarding blocked accounts.
The TIO is responsible for mediating complaints between consumers and telecommunications companies, but is now arguing that there needs to be a digital platforms ombudsman to deal with complaints made about social media companies, and it is a role the TIO wants to take on.
Freyja McCarthy, the TIO’s executive general manager for legal, policy and
regulatory affairs said:
The TIO already hears from consumers and small businesses falling through the cracks. They are unable to get fair outcomes when internal dispute resolution offered by social media companies falls short.
We need an ombudsman to play a vital role in increasing trust and confidence in the digital economy and providing individual redress to consumers when things go wrong.
Updated
Victorian Liberals extend timeline to nominate for preselection to try to find more candidates
The Victorian Liberals have extended the timeline for nominations for preselection in four seats where sitting MPs have signalled their plans to retire at the next election.
While nominations for Liberal-held lower house seats close at 12pm today, Guardian Australia understands the party has left open nominations for the seats of Benambra, Croydon, Malvern and Rowville until a date to be fixed to allow for more candidates to come forward.
One Liberal source says there “hasn’t been a flood of nominations”, with several strong prospective candidates concerned about the impact nominating would have on their careers.
Another barrier could also be the $5,000 application fee for prospective candidates.
In early 2024, Benambra MP Bill Tilley announced he wouldn’t be contesting the election due to his ongoing cancer battle. This month David Hodgett, Michael O’Brien and Kim Wells announced they wouldn’t run again in Croydon, Malvern and Rowville, respectively.
Both Croydon and Rowville are considered target seats by Labor, on margins of 1.2% and 3.7%.
Updated
Communications minister meets with Optus owner Singtel, says triple-zero outage ‘must never happen again’
The communications minister, Anika Wells, says she has told Optus owner Singtel that the troubled telco must take full responsibility for its obligations to the community.
Wells met with Singtel group CEO, Yuen Kuan Moon, earlier today after two Optus outages in less than a fortnight, including one that blocked emergency calls for telco customers in South Australia, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and parts of NSW.
The deaths of two people in South Australia and one in Western Australia have been linked to the outages (a fourth death – an infant in SA – was found to have been likely unrelated).
In a statement, Wells restated that the government had ordered an Australian Communications and Media Authority (Acma) investigation and said she had used today’s meeting to convey the government’s “serious concern” over the triple-zero outage and “reinforce that it must never happen again”.
Wells added:
Optus and all telecommunications providers have legal obligations under Australian law to make sure calls to emergency services go through. As the parent company of Optus, Singtel is also accountable.
I have requested Optus employs external advisers to independently assess the company’s network plans to provide confidence to the Australian Communications and Media Authority [Acma] and the Australian government that these problems will not recur.
The Australian government has directed Acma to investigate, and I reiterated to Optus and Singtel they must be fully transparent as part of this process.
We have made clear that Optus is accountable for what happened, and Optus needs to take full responsibility for its obligations to the community.
Updated
Plan for troubled Brisbane childcare centre
Students at a troubled Brisbane childcare centre will be relocated to a disused classroom at a nearby school, while a dispute over its finances and management is investigated.
The community-run Craigslea kindergarten, in Brisbane’s north, made international headlines last Monday, after its management committee asked parents for $2,200 for their children’s own artwork to pay off debts. It has since been returned and the centre has gone into administration.
Education minister John-Paul Langbroek announced on Monday that all 44 children would be accommodated at the Craigslea state school until the centre could be re-established next year.
He said the department’s regulator would investigate allegations that the centre had been run by a single person, and whether any crime had been committed:
It’s a very rare situation where you have a voluntary management committee that ends up in the situation this one did …
What we’ll take from this is, following the completion of the investigation, we’ll have a look at the situation to try to strengthen procedures that happen early childhood is a completely different situation for schooling, as you’ve already mentioned. It’s the only part of our education system that has an element of private involvement in it as well, and so it’s quite complicated.
Updated
Stokes to step down from Seven if merger succeeds
Kerry Stokes, Seven’s billionaire chair, will step down from the media business in February if its merger with Southern Cross Media goes ahead.
As we reported earlier, Seven West’s proposed merge with Southern Cross Media would combine the former’s TV and news stable with the latter’s radio networks.
Stokes, the 85-year-old Western Australian businessman, took a major stake in the Seven Network in 1995 and has chaired the media company since 2008.
He stepped down as chair of his industrial and materials company, Seven Group Holdings, in 2021. SGH held two-fifths of the shares in the media business and will now control one-fifth of the merger.
Stokes will be succeeded as chair of the merged companies by the sitting chair of Southern Cross, Heith Mackay-Cruise. Stokes said:
I have every confidence Heith will continue to guide the combined group successfully. Following my retirement from the Board in February 2026 I intend to continue to support the Chair and Board wherever I can add value.
Joining Mackay-Cruise on the new board will be Stokes’ son, Ryan Stokes, who has sat on the board of Seven West since 2012 and has served as chief executive of SGH since 2010.
The Seven West chief executive, Jeff Howard, will remain CEO in the merged company and will also sit on the board, along with two more Seven West directors plus two others from Southern Cross.
Updated
Australia’s Future Fund discloses huge profits from weapons manufacturers despite fierce criticisms of support for industry
Australia’s $250bn sovereign wealth fund has secured huge returns on investment in weapons and defence companies in less than two years, despite long-running criticism of its support for the industry.
The value of shares held in eight companies increased by $76m between October 2023 and June 2025 amid wars in the Middle East and Ukraine and the sharpest increase in military spending since the cold war.
The fund’s investments in Israel’s largest private defence contractor, Elbit, which is a major supplier to the Israeli Defense Forces, increased from $489,000 to $2.69m as of 30 June, according to the fund’s latest disclosures.
Elbit Systems describes itself as the “backbone” of the IDF’s drone fleet, which has been used extensively in the assault on Gaza. Its portfolio also includes systems for command and control, military aircraft and helicopters, armed remote control boats, and land vehicles.
Read more:
Updated
Singtel and Optus executives defend Optus CEO after triple-zero outages
Yuen Kuan Moon, the CEO of Singtel, just spoke to reporters and said a review of the Optus triple-zero outage would be conducted “thoroughly to make sure this will not happen in the future”. The telco appointed Dr Kerry Schott to lead an independent review into the outages last week.
Yuen told reporters the Optus CEO, Stephen Rue, had only been in the role for 11 months and was brought on to “transform” the telco, but it was still “very early days”:
It takes time to transform a company.
John Arthur, the chair of the Optus board, said the company was “committed to working with the government to do whatever needs to be done here”:
We are going to get all of the expertise and help that we need to make sure we make things right here.
Arthur went on to say the board was “satisfied” with Rue’s work:
He has been in the job 11 months, the board is satisfied that he is making progress. But it is a work in progress.
Updated
Optus CEO has a ‘lot of work to do’
Wells was asked if the Optus CEO, Stephen Rue, should remain in his job. She said:
I think he has a lot of work to do given these two outages have happened in short succession and has given rise to a serious lack of confidence in both Optus and their ability to deliver services to Australians when they need it most.
The CEO of Optus now needs to work with the parent company, Singtel on the systems and holistic change required within their own company to give that confidence back to Australians.
Wells added she had asked Singtel to appoint an external accountability partner to look at their systems.
Updated
Wells expresses ‘collective’ disappointment in meeting with top Optus and Singtel executives
The communications minister, Anika Wells, said she conveyed the government’s “collective conviction” that Optus’ latest triple-zero outages were “completely unacceptable”.
Wells just spoke to reporters after meeting with senior executives at Optus and Singtel after two outages, the latest of which took place in the Illawarra in NSW on Sunday:
I conveyed our collective conviction that this is completely unacceptable and we cannot allow this to happen again. I sought assurances from both Optus and Singtel that their upmost priority is restoring the confidence of Australians in their triple-zero system and that they are taking steps to make sure that these things do not continue to happen and impact Australians when it matters the most …
This is for Optus to take accountability for, they will take accountability for it and we will make sure, as the Australian government holds Optus to account.
Updated
South Australian police still searching for missing four-year-old last seen Saturday
The search for Gus, a four-year-old boy missing in South Australia, continues this morning.
Gus was last seen playing at his family home about 40km from the town of Yunta in the state’s mid north around 5pm on Saturday. He is described as having long blond curly hair and was last seen wearing a grey sun hat, a blue T-shirt featuring a yellow Minion character and light grey pants and boots.
Police first searched the area on Saturday night using aerial vehicles and infrared cameras. They have since conducted extensive ground searches with SES volunteers and search dogs. Water operations officers and mounted units joined the effort yesterday to investigate dams and tanks on the property.
SA police said they wished to thank the “volunteers and community members who have tirelessly assisted in the search for Gus”.
Updated
‘Aukus is happening,’ Marles says after reports subs deal is safe
The defence minister, Richard Marles, responded to the Nikkei Asia report that the Aukus submarine deal will proceed as planned after the Pentagon review.
Marles told ABC Melbourne:
Well, I mean, the review is still ongoing, obviously, and we’re not going to get ahead of ourselves. I mean, I’m aware of the reports that you’re referring to, but we’ve been engaging very well in the review.
Actually, the US has been very good in terms of giving us an indication of the process and allowing us to participate in it. But from the outset, we’ve been really clear about welcoming this review. Aukus is happening – that’s not in question.
Updated
Australian government welcomes Gaza plan, saying it leaves door open to two-state solution
The deputy prime minister, Richard Marles, says Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza “represents hope” and that it “keeps the door open” for a two-state solution.
Speaking to ABC radio Melbourne, Marles says the government wants to see an end to the hostilities, the return of hostages and flow of humanitarian aid, and says the plan “picks up all of that”:
I very much hope that they do embrace this because we need to see this come to an end. We’ve been calling for this for a long time. We obviously have been extremely critical of Hamas and their conduct throughout. We have been critical of Israel. But at the end of the day, what we need to see here is an end to the hostilities.
I think the world wants to see an end to these hostilities, wants to see an end to this tragedy and wants to see the hostages return to their families. The plan picks up all of that.
Asked whether the government would trust Trump to govern Gaza, Marles said the deal would set up a board which would include a number of “significant” international people.
He added the plan must not involve the annexation of any territories or any forced displacement:
Our view, ultimately, is that the only way that there will be an enduring peace in the Middle East is if there are two states. The plan, as it’s been articulated, that keeps the door open for all of that. So that’s where we see that there is hope …
We do not want to see an annexation of these territories, and I know that forms part of this agreement as well.
Updated
Trump administration will move forward with Aukus deal, Nikkei Asia reports
Nikkei Asia reports the Trump administration will move forward with the Aukus submarine deal after a Pentagon review of the defence pact ends.
The Japanese news service, citing sources familiar with the deal, said the Pentagon review is set to wrap up before the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, visits the US on 20 October for a long-awaited meeting with Donald Trump.
“Aukus is safe,” one official from a member country told Nikkei.
Industrial delays may affect the delivery schedule of three Virginia-class submarines to Australia but there has been no political decision to alter the schedule.
Updated
Seven West Media and Southern Cross Media to merge
Seven West Media and Southern Cross Media have announced a merger to create a major media company with assets including free-to-air television, streaming, audio, digital and newspapers.
Southern Cross Media is the parent company of Southern Cross Austereo which owns the Hit Network, Triple M and digital audio app LiSTNR.
SWM owns the Seven Network, 7NEWS.com.au, the West Australian, the Sunday Times, PerthNow and the Nightly.
In an announcement to the ASX, Seven and SCM said they would save between $25m and $30m through shared corporate overheads and operating expenses.
Chairman of SWM Kerry Stokes said:
This is an important merger, as the combined company will be better able to serve both metropolitan and regional viewers, listeners, partners and advertisers. It will add strength to each of the combined businesses’ television, audio, digital and publishing operations across the country.
The proposed merger is subject to regulatory approval.
Updated
Cyclist dies in Sydney after being hit by a car
A cyclist has died after she was hit by a car in Sydney’s inner west yesterday, police said.
The woman, 66, was reportedly riding her bicycle in the suburb of Five Dock about 3pm when she was allegedly hit by the SUV. She was treated at the scene and taken to hospital in critical condition.
Police said she died overnight.
The alleged driver of the SUV, a 57-year-old man, was taken to hospital for mandatory testing and later taken to Burwood police station. He was released without charge pending further investigation.
Police have established a crime scene and opened an investigation into the cause of the crash.
Updated
NSW supreme court to hand down findings in class action over strip-searches at music festivals
The NSW supreme court will today hand down its findings in a class action brought against the state over allegations the vast majority of strip-searches conducted by police at music festivals between 2018 and 2022 were unlawful.
The class action was brought by Slater and Gordon Lawyers and the Redfern Legal Centre against the state of NSW in 2022.
The case was set down for 20 days of hearings in May before Justice Dina Yehia. But in the days before the hearing the state of NSW withdrew its 22 witnesses, mostly police officers, who were to contest the lead plaintiff’s version of events.
The witnesses were withdrawn after police admitted in court documents that its July 2018 strip-search of the lead plaintiff – Raya Meredith – was unlawful and unjustified, and ignored laws protecting her rights.
Meredith was at Splendour in the Grass when a drug dog sniffed in her direction but then walked on in 2018. The 27-year-old, who was postpartum at the time, was then taken into a makeshift tarpaulin, where a female police officer asked her to take all her clothes off, bend over and bare her bottom, drop her breasts and remove her tampon. At one point, a male officer walked in unannounced.
The search found no drugs and nothing else illegal.
Three thousand group members have signed on to the class action and the affected cohort is considered to be more than twice as large.
Yehia is expected to hand down her findings at 10am.
Updated
Four teens charged after police pursuit into Melbourne CBD
Four teens have been charged after an allegedly stolen vehicle was driven through Melbourne and abandoned in the city’s CBD yesterday afternoon after allegedly striking a pedestrian.
Victoria police said the car, a BMW, was driving erratically in the suburb of Doncaster about 12.30pm yesterday. Officers followed the vehicle into the CBD before a woman was allegedly struck. She was taken to the hospital for observation with non-life-threatening injuries.
The car was later dumped at the Bourke Street Mall and the four alleged occupants fled on foot.
Four boys, two aged 17 and two aged 16, were arrested and now face a slate of charges, including theft of a motor vehicle. One was bailed and will appear at children’s court at a later date and the other three will appear before children’s court later today.
Updated
McIntosh says ‘something needs to happen’ with Optus CEO
McIntosh said Australians hadn’t heard enough from Optus, saying the CEO of the telco needed to take responsibility for the outrages.
She told RN:
Australians have lost confidence in Optus and they’ve lost confidence in the CEO doing his job. So it would be logical that the person at the top needs to take responsibility for this.
That is going to be up to the Optus board, but something needs to happen.
Shadow communications minister says Australians not getting enough answers on triple-zero network
Melissa McIntosh, the shadow minister for communication, reiterated the Coalition’s calls for a full independent investigation into the triple-zero network after a series of Optus outages, including new call failures in the Illawarra region of NSW on Sunday.
McIntosh spoke to RN Breakfast this morning, saying Australians deserved more from the triple-zero network:
It is our most essential telecommunications service. People rely on triple-zero in their most needed state when it is an emergency. And there are so many questions right now about whether it is, in fact, effective, whether it can be robust and hold up in the situations where it is needed. And we’re not getting enough answers.
McIntosh went on to say that an investigation beyond the one by the Australian Communications and Media Authority was needed:
How can the regulator be the investigator when they’re part of the failed process? Acma also put a number of recommendations to the government after the outage in 2023. The minister saying that a majority of those have been implemented, but we don’t know which ones. We don’t know to which extent. So there is a question again around Acma really getting on with things and now it is an emergency.
Updated
Mary Fowler walks in Paris fashion week
Matildas superstar Mary Fowler walked the runway during Paris fashion week for L’Oréal Paris overnight. The international cosmetics company said she was the first professional footballer to appear in its Le Défilé L’Oréal Paris runway show.
Fowler said she was “honored to join the L’Oréal Paris family”:
This will be my first time walking a runway, and while it’s a little outside of my comfort zone, the opportunity to walk alongside extraordinary women in a celebration of women’s empowerment, inclusion, and sisterhood is truly inspiring.
Updated
Communications minister will ‘lay down the law’ with Optus’ parent company after triple-zero outages
The federal government will “lay down the law” with Optus after two triple-zero outages on its network when the minister responsible sits down with its majority shareholder, AAP reports.
The communications minister, Anika Wells, will hold talks today with Singtel officials, who are in Sydney this week.
The meeting was confirmed by another cabinet minister, Murray Watt. Watt moved to reassure Australians about the triple-zero service, while acknowledging many are “really concerned”. He told Nine’s Today:
I’m very confident that Anika will really lay down the law to the parent company CEO. She’s obviously already had discussions with Optus themselves, but escalating that now to the parent company demonstrates how seriously we are taking this.
We want to make sure that if people want to ring [triple zero] through the Optus system, that it’s going to work and Optus has got to deliver to Australians.
Updated
RBA expected to leave rates on hold today
The Reserve Bank is widely expected to leave interest rates on hold this afternoon, as economists search for hints of whether another cut will come this year.
Risks of resurgent inflation mean mortgage holders are not expected to see any further rate relief – at least until the RBA’s next meeting in November, if not later.
Consumer price growth accelerated to 3% in the year to August, at the top of the RBA’s preferred range, according to monthly data released on Wednesday. When the bank cut rates nearly two months ago, available data put it at just 1.9%.
The RBA has warned monthly numbers are unreliable but the data’s release erased hopes of a cut today and has weakened economists’ certainty in a November cut. Commonwealth Bank, Westpac and ANZ each expect a cash rate cut in November, but economists including CBA’s Harry Ottley say it’s “not a done deal”.
Financial markets don’t have another rate cut priced in until March 2026, while NAB doesn’t expect one until May.
The RBA will confirm today’s decision at 2.30pm and we’ll learn more about when another cut could come at 3.30pm, when the governor, Michele Bullock, addresses reporters.
Updated
Good morning, Nick Visser here to take over the blog baton from Martin Farrer. Let’s jump in.
Hastie comments show 'strength of Liberals', Ted O'Brien says
The shadow treasurer, Ted O’Brien, has defended his rumoured leadership-hungry colleague Andrew Hastie, saying the latter’s spate of comments on everything from immigration to net zero shows the “strength” of the Liberal party.
Citing Hastie’s social media posts and “strategic interviews”, ABC 7.30’s host Sarah Ferguson asked O’Brien if he found it “acceptable for a member of the shadow cabinet to promote his leadership ambitions so publicly”.
O’Brien said that he rejected that, arguing it was the role of opposition to formulate policy:
Under the Labor party’s rules, you shut up, you do as you’re told. You never see Labor MPs doing what Liberal MPs do, speaking their mind – robust debate.
Ferguson put to O’Brien that Hastie had described the anonymous colleagues that denounced him as “cowards and muppets”, and asked whether the shadow treasurer was among that faceless cohort.
“Well, no,” O’Brien responded, before continuing that Hastie and others were “debating the issues that matter to Australians” under “Sussan [Ley]’s leadership”:
Remember what Sussan said upfront when she took the leadership, that’s the need for us to listen, the need for us to debate, we take our time to get policy right.
I’m in no way defensive of that. In fact, I think it’s a strength of the Liberal party.
Updated
Albanese discusses Gaza conflict with UAE president
While in the UAE, Anthony Albanese met with the president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and discussed the conflict in Gaza.
The UAE has been involved in ceasefire talks coordinated by the United States, and Albanese’s visit comes as some partner countries see cause for optimism about the possibility of ending the fighting between Israel and Hamas.
Albanese said the pair would compare notes:
I don’t want to foreshadow all of the detail, but you would expect the answer to be yes, because this is an issue for the Middle East.
Just as I had discussions with the king of Jordan, when I was there, the head of state in New York, certainly the Arab League and the role that they’re playing in pursuing peace is very important.
The prime minister said he hoped a ceasefire could be agreed, noting optimistic comments from US president Donald Trump:
He’s someone who has been an advocate for peace and we’ll await that. But the world wants to see a ceasefire, wants to see the hostages released, wants to see aid into Gaza, but they also want to talk about the day after and in that that’s why the world also wants to see progress towards a two-state solution.
Updated
Albanese urges UAE grocery giant Lulu to enter Australian market
Anthony Albanese is wrapping up his 11-day visit to the US, the UK and the Middle East, with a stop in Abu Dhabi, where he has held talks with the president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
On Monday, the prime minister celebrated the new UAE-Australia free trade agreement coming into force this week and met Yusuff Ali, the chair of the Lulu Group, a major supermarket business in the Middle East.
Lulu sells large amounts of Australian products, including grocery items, fresh fruit and vegetables and meat.
Ali is a grocery mogul and owns stores in countries including India, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Indonesia and Qatar.
Albanese said he had urged him to bring the Lulu brand to Australia, to help drive competition against duopoly retailers Coles and Woolworths:
I want to see more competition. That’s one of the things that it can bring.
This is a significant company. They are the largest throughout the Middle East. They’re the second-largest in Saudi Arabia.
We know that Aldi, of course, have come to Australia, and this is a significant player that has an engagement with Australia, and of course I want to see more competition.
Updated
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it’ll be Nick Visser to take the tiller.
Anthony Albanese has held talks with the president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on the final day of his 11-day trip taking in the US, UK and the Gulf. Discussions have included trying to persuade a big Arab grocery chain to open in Australia to encourage competition. More in a minute.
The shadow treasurer, Ted O’Brien, has defended his colleague Andrew Hastie from criticisms about his outspoken comments on policy. More coming up.
Updated
