What we learned, Friday 20 June
And with that, we are going to put the blog to bed. Before we go, let’s recap the big headlines.
The Minns Labor government is arming itself with new powers to terminate the public-private partnership (PPP) with bankrupt Northern Beaches hospital operator Healthscope in the event that it cannot reach an agreement.
Israel’s deputy foreign affairs minister said her country’s war with Iran is an “Israeli mission” and that the country is capable of fighting Iran without America’s direct involvement.
Australia’s embassy in Tehran has suspended operations and the government is ordering officials to leave Iran, Penny Wong, has said.
Wong said it will be extremely difficult for Australians to leave Iran because the country’s airspace is closed. There are about 2,000 Australians and their family in Iran and around 1,200 in Israel who want to evacuate. Wong said the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is sending a response team to Azerbaijan to help Australians who can get to the border.
Anthony Albanese will not attend the Nato summit, with the defence minister and deputy PM, Richard Marles, likely to attend instead.
NSW Health said Sydneysiders should be on alert for signs and symptoms of measles after a confirmed case travelled through Sydney international airport.
The former Coalition minister Simon Birmingham has been appointed the head of Australia’s influential banking lobby group.
The committee for the inquiry into the NSW government’s handling of information about the caravan “fake terrorism plot” has agreed to seek arrest warrants for five Minns government staffers in a bid to force them to appear before an inquiry.
The education minister, Jason Clare, has launched an “unprecedented” intervention into the leadership of the Australian National University by writing to the vice-chancellor and referring governance and management concerns to the higher education regulator.
Thank you for spending part of your day with us. For those having one, enjoy your weekend!
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Australia National University to request Clare and Pocock provide clarity on compliance act concerns
The vice-chancellor of the Australian National University (ANU), Prof Genevieve Bell, says she is “disheartened” by concerns raised by the education minister and independent Senator David Pocock over the university’s governance.
Both Jason Clare and Pocock have written to Bell taking issue with the university’s restructuring process and alleging ANU of giving wrong information to the Senate in a breach of the Public Interest Disclosure (PID) and Public Governance, Performance and Accountability (PGPA) acts.
Bell said the allegations were something the university took “very seriously”.
To date, no allegations of any breach of ANU’s responsibilities under either the PID Act or the PGPA Act have been made to the university.
We are particularly disheartened to hear a public assertion that we have breached our obligations under the PID Act. This is something that the University and the team involved take extremely seriously, not least because a breach of that act can attract significant penalties, including imprisonment.
Bell said ANU would be writing to Pocock and Clare today requesting clarity on the issues and would work with the regulator on addressing any compliance concerns.
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Public services union says buck stops with ministers as committee seeks warrant for staffers who did not appear before caravan inquiry
The public services union has said its members shouldn’t be “pawns in parliamentary parlour games” after a parliamentary committee agreed to seek a warrant for the arrest of five Minns government staffers in a bid to get them to appear before an inquiry.
Stewart Little, the general secretary of the Public Service Association, said in a statement:
If upper house MPs want to know the facts they need to concentrate on getting the premier to appear before them, or the relevant ministers.
In a parliamentary democracy it’s the elected members who call the shots and the responsibility lies with them, the buck stops there. They are accountable to the public through the electoral process as are departmental heads and senior bureaucrats.
Pulling in staffers is the pits, drag in ministers or the senior departmental heads by all means, but junior public servants and parliamentary staffers have no bearing or consequence or meaning on the political process.
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International law expert says Israeli attack on Iran cannot be justified under UN charter
Following on from an earlier blog post: and international law experts argue Israel’s actions against Iran cannot be justified under the UN charter, which allows for a state to defend itself against armed attack.
Donald Rothwell, a professor of international law at the Australian National University, argued that Israel’s actions were illegal.
My own position is that on all the available evidence, Israel is not exercising a right of self-defence, but arguably has engaged in an act of aggression.
Rothwell said under a “very generous” interpretation of article 51 of the UN charter it could be argued Israel was engaging in a form of “anticipatory” self-defence.
“That [anticipatory self-defence] is widely considered among international law scholars, and indeed among the practice of states, as being at the very, very outer edge of what is a legitimate exercise of self-defence,” he said.
Rothwell also argued that given Israel could not legitimately claim it was acting in self-defence, nor could the United States if Donald Trump ultimately decided to intervene to directly attack Iran.
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Greens say Marles’s comments on Israel’s right to self-defence is attempting to ‘justify the unjustifiable’
David Shoebridge, the Greens spokesperson for defence and foreign affairs, said the defence minister Richard Marles’ repeated reference to Israel’s right to self-defence when pushed on the attacks in Iran was attempting to “justify the unjustifiable”.
“Bombing nuclear reactors and nuclear storage sites is immensely dangerous to the people of Iran and the world,” Shoebridge said.
Responding to questions about Israeli’s wave of missile strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and missile sites, Marles told ABC’s Afternoon Briefing on Thursday:
We want to see diplomacy and dialogue being pursued at this moment and we are deeply concerned about the risk of escalating even more.
Now in saying that, we absolutely acknowledge Israel’s right to defend itself and we absolutely acknowledge the threat that the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile program represents to the peace and stability of the region and the world, and we’ve been very clear about.
Marles said the language – which the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has also used – was an expression of Australia’s “national interest”.
Israel has sought to justify the strikes – which began on 13 June – as necessary to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, which it said posed an existential threat to the Jewish state. Marles was contacted for comment.
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That’s all from me this afternoon. Handing over to Cait Kelly who will keep you updated with this evening’s news.
Independent watchdog says proposed Coalition budget would have caused long-term deficits – though not as much as the Greens
The Coalition’s policies they took to the last election would have left the budget a little better off in the coming few years, but substantially worse off in the longer term, according to the independent budget watchdog.
The Parliamentary Budget Office’s newly released election costings report reveals the Greens’ policy platform would have left the budget with the biggest deficits, not least the roughly $15bn a year for putting dental care into Medicare.
The PBO report said that “the Coalition’s platform improves the debt position over the forward estimates relative to PEFO (but with an increase in debt by the end of the medium term) and the Greens’ platform would increase the debt level considerably”.
(PEFO is the pre-election economic and fiscal outlook.)
The PBO did not find that the costings presented by the parties leading into the election were much different from their own estimates.
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‘A new low’: chair of ‘fake terrorism’ caravan plot inquiry to pursue warrants for arrest of no-show Minns staffers
Rod Roberts, chair of the NSW parliamentary inquiry into the “fake terrorism” caravan plot, says “everybody else that has ever been asked to appear before a committee … have always attended” after five Minns government staffers who were summoned did not show up.
Roberts spoke to reporters a short while ago:
I just expressed to [the legislative council president] what the committee’s determination was this morning. That we believe we should be pursuing warrants for the arrest of these people, to bring them before the committee so we can obtain from them the evidence that we require.
Asked if today’s events were unprecedented, Roberts agreed:
Well it is, yes. Everybody else that’s ever been asked to appear before a committee or ministerial staffers have always attended. Some have required a summons, but when they’ve been served the summons, they’ve attended. Today is a new low in terms of politics, and these people not responding to lawfully issued summonses.
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Canavan flags review of Nationals position on net zero
Matt Canavan says he has been tasked to review the Nationals’ position on net zero, and will involve the public in a process because “Australians deserve their say” on the climate and energy policy.
It comes as the Nationals at state and federal level reevaluate or seek to dump the policy. The party’s leader, David Littleproud, had previously said the net zero commitment from the Nationals would be reviewed.
Canavan, the Nationals senator from Queensland, tweeted this afternoon: “I have been asked by the Nationals party room to help measure the REAL cost of net zero.”
While the details of this are still being worked out, I welcome your input in coming months on what you think about net zero. We will have various ways that you can be involved, so watch this space!
He shared a screenshot of an article from the Australian Financial Review which reported fellow Nationals senator Ross Cadell was also on the internal party subcommittee and others may also join.
“For too long, we have shot first and asked questions later on net zero. The Australian people never got to vote on net zero. That needs to change. Australians deserve their say,” Canavan wrote.
It comes after weeks of some in the Nationals seeking to walk back the net zero commitment. As previously reported, the NSW branch had voted to dump net zero, as has the Country Liberal party in the Northern Territory.
Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce has been regularly posting on Facebook in opposition to net zero, writing just this afternoon:
The problem you all have as taxpayers is you have not been told what the total amount of the subsidies are you have now paid, the fruits of which are butchering the Australian power grid.
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Former Neighbours actor asks to be spared conviction for alleged Nazi salute
The former Neighbours and McLeod’s Daughters actor Damien Richardson is asking to be spared a criminal conviction for allegedly performing a Nazi salute, AAP reports. Richardson, 55, faced Moorabbin magistrates court in Melbourne on Friday, charged with performing a Nazi salute on 14 September 2024.
Richardson is accused of intentionally performing the salute “whilst knowing that the symbol is associated with Nazi ideology” in a public place at Urban St restaurant in McKinnon, the court was told.
His lawyer, Peter Monagle, said Richardson was preparing material to hand to prosecutors asking he be given a diversion, which would mean he is spared a criminal conviction for the offence. The prosecution must agree to the diversion and then recommend it to a magistrate.
“The issues in dispute are legal,” Monagle told the court. “There was an action performed by my client, but there are provisions in the act that we say cover that, but the prosecution argues doesn’t cover that.”
Richardson, who is on summons, will next face court on 15 July. He starred as Gary Canning in Neighbours from 2014 to 2020, and also appeared in Blue Heelers, McLeod’s Daughters and Wentworth.
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19-year-old allegedly stabbed at bus stop outside Wynyard station this morning
A 19-year-old was allegedly stabbed at a Sydney bus stop this morning, with NSW Police appealing to the public for information.
Officers were called to the corner of George and Angel St just before 5:30am after a man was found suffering a stab wound to his abdomen, police said in a statement.
Police rendered first aid until NSW Ambulance paramedics arrived and the man – aged 19 – was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital for further treatment.
A crime scene was established and police are investigating.
The alleged stabbing happened at a bus stop outside Wynyard Station on Carrington St in Sydney’s CBD around 5am, police believe.
Another man was seen in the area at the time of the incident, described as of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern appearance with facial hair, and was last seen wearing a beige-coloured hooded jumper and light-coloured pants.
Police are urging anyone with information about this man to contact Sydney City Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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Thank you to Nick Visser for rolling the day’s blog! I’ll keep you posted from here.
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That’s all for me. Rafqa Touma will take the reins from here. Enjoy the weekend.
Greens say it’s time to ‘actually do what First Nations people have been asking of us’
Greens leader Larissa Waters said earlier today the party welcomed a meeting of the joint council on Closing the Gap, which the Albanese government said would discuss Aboriginal deaths in custody. But Waters said the recent deaths of two men in custody in the NT reflected a lack of progress on the issue, challenging the new parliament to embrace “a real opportunity to take action”.
Waters said in a statement:
If the government is serious about closing the gap in health, education and incarceration rates, it’s time to actually do what First Nations people have been asking of us for decades. Healing starts with telling the truth and the Greens continue to call on the government to take urgent tangible steps towards Truth and Treaty in the 48th parliament.
It’s time to fund real action on closing the gap and properly resource community led solutions, and the Greens are ready to work with Labor to get it done.
Read more here:
Coalition frontbencher Julian Leeser on why a closer alliance with the US is necessary – podcast
In a year shaped by rising global tensions and growing concerns over social cohesion at home, the shadow attorney general, Julian Leeser, presents his views on Australia’s place in the world.
Higher education union calls for new laws to address managerial ‘crisis’ facing universities
The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) has called for new legislation to fix a “governance crisis” hitting public universities after the education minister’s intervention into the Australian National University (ANU).
The president of the NTEU, Dr Alison Barnes, said it was a “watershed moment” for the embattled sector. The commonwealth holds special powers over ANU due to its establishment under federal legislation, however other universities were created under state or territory acts.
Barnes said new national and state legislation was “urgently needed” to address managerial failures across other institutions:
The situation at ANU has sparked an unprecedented ministerial intervention. Unfortunately, the problems at ANU are being replicated all around the country.
The ANU branch president of the NTEU, Millan Pintos-Lopez, said “a lot of staff are doing it tough at the ANU and will welcome this development”.
The expert council on university governance, newly established by the federal government to improve governance and performance in the sector, will provide recommendations around the makeup of university boards to education ministers in October.
The ANU was approached for comment.
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Education minister intervenes to address crisis unfolding at ANU
The education minister, Jason Clare, has launched an “unprecedented” intervention into the leadership of the Australian National University (ANU) by writing to the vice-chancellor and referring governance and management concerns to the higher education regulator.
The move follows continued backlash over the university’s leadership decisions, including an ongoing restructure that would shed more than 600 jobs to make savings of $250m.
In March, more than 800 ANU staff passed a no-confidence motion in the leadership of the vice-chancellor, Prof Genevieve Bell, and the chancellor, Julie Bishop.
Clare said following “significant concerns” raised by Labor colleagues he had written to ANU on 6 June “seeking assurances that they are managing these issues appropriately”. He had also forwarded criticisms raised by independent senator David Pocock to TEQSA.
At a town hall meeting held by Pocock on Wednesday, he accused management of “trashing” the university over its handling of the restructure, including breaching its enterprise agreement, and giving wrong information to the Senate.
The ANU was approached for comment.
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NSW budget unlikely to allocate extra funding for long-promised great koala national park
The long-promised “great koala national park” is not expected to get any additional funding in next week’s New South Wales 2025-26 budget despite being a centrepiece of the state government’s environment policy. The state treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, told Guardian Australia:
When it comes to the great koala national park, people will see that we’re making progress on it. We have put money aside in the last budget [$80m over four years] to allow a bit more than just planning work to be done – what we call the first stage of the park.
Mookhey said when the government was ready to make an announcement about the plan “the budget will reflect that decision”.
In March conservation groups implored the premier, Chris Minns, to declare the full 176,000 hectares to be assessed and included as part of the park in northern NSW to protect it from logging.
Read more here:
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Caravan plot inquiry chair says body will seek warrants for staffers to be arrested
The committee for the inquiry into the NSW government’s handling of information about the caravan “fake terrorism plot” has agreed to seek arrest warrants for five Minns government staffers in a bid to force them to appear before an inquiry.
Earlier today, three of premier Chris Minns staffers and two of police minister Yasmin Catley’s staffers were due to appear before the inquiry. But they did not appear, despite a summons for them to do so. Given they are not members of parliament, declining to appear before a committee after being summoned can risk arrest.
Independent MP Rod Roberts, who chairs the committee, has confirmed that the committee has agreed to seek warrants for the staffers to be arrested, and then escorted to appear at the inquiry. However, it’s not yet clear on how likely the warrant will be approved.
Roberts will meet with the president of the legislative council, Nationals MP Ben Franklin, to present the case for why he thinks arrest warrants should be sought.
If Franklin agrees, he will then need to present the case to the NSW supreme court who will have the final say.
The staffers that were summoned to appear include: Chris Minns chief of staff James Cullen, and two of his deputy chiefs of staff, Edward Ovadia and Sarah Michael.
Police minister Yasmin Catley’s chief of staff, Ross Neilson, had also been summoned, and so had her deputy chief of staff, Tilly South.
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Chalmers pays tribute to ABC’s Peter Ryan after 45 years in journalism
Treasurer Jim Chalmers paid tribute to ABC senior business correspondent Peter Ryan, who is retiring today after 45 years in journalism, 35 of them at the ABC. Chalmers said:
Peter Ryan is an absolute legend. Every day as you wake up and you think about what’s happening in the economy, if you only needed to listen to one voice to be sure that you got its essential elements, it would be Peter’s.
ABC news director Justin Stevens said Ryan has metastatic thyroid cancer and is moving to palliative care and focusing on his wife, Mary Cotter, and daughter Charlotte.
Recognised with the Order of Australia medal in 2022, Ryan has reported for flagship radio programs AM, The World Today and PM and his roles have included Washington bureau chief, head of TV news and current affairs in Victoria, executive producer of Business Breakfast and founding editor of Lateline Business. Ryan recently gave advice to colleagues:
Work closely with top people – shut up and absorb like a sponge. Maintain a fastidious contact book – some low-profile contacts could soon move into higher powered roles or more importantly work in back rooms where the big decisions are often made.
Show up to work early and prove that you’re ready to take on the big story of the day. Try to have a Plan B in your back pocket just in case your original brilliant idea doesn’t go anywhere and the EP comes walking your way.
Finally: Be kind and caring to people who need it.
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Court case of Molly Ticehurst’s accused murderer delayed
The man accused of the domestic violence murder of Molly Ticehurst was due to face court today, only for his case to be delayed for another two months, AAP reports.
Daniel Billings, 30, was due to face Parkes local court charged with the domestic violence murder of Ticehurst. It would have been the first time Billings has appeared since June 2024.
But as Ticehurst’s parents and a large group of relatives and friends watched on from the small public gallery, the court was told Billings would not appear and the matter was adjourned until August.
Ticehurst, a 28-year-old childcare educator, was found dead in her home at Forbes, in the NSW central-west, in the early hours of 22 April 2024. Billings, her former boyfriend, is charged with her domestic violence murder, along with 16 other offences. He was also charged with four counts of stalking and intimidating Ticehurst, destroying her property and aggravated animal cruelty against her 12-week-old dachshund puppy in 2023.
Four more serious charges, including one count of aggravated sexual assault, were laid last December.
Legal documents before the court accused Billings of threatening to cause Ticehurst further physical harm during the alleged aggravated sexual assault.
Billings has not entered pleas. The case returns to court on 15 August.
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Sydney Trains working with NSW police after vandalism prompts rail cancellations
Critical cables were cut by vandals at Guildford, suspending all trains between Cabramatta and Granville, a Transport for NSW spokesperson said. Signalling failures were detected in the area around 3am today, the spokesperson said, noting:
Incident response teams were dispatched and found that critical cables had been cut by vandals.
Sydney Trains are working closely with NSW police, who are investigating the matter.
Repair teams are on site, and once the cables are repaired signalling engineers will test the signalling system.
Transport for NSW expect services to be restored for the afternoon peak.
Buses are replacing trains on the T2 Leppington and Inner West and T5 Cumberland lines.
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More from McCarthy’s call on states to remove hanging points from Australia’s prisons
The minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, says she has raised the presence of hanging points in prisons “directly” with her colleagues after a Guardian Australia investigation last week.
In a five-month investigation of 248 hanging deaths spanning two decades, the Guardian found that 57 inmates had died using hanging points that prison authorities and state governments knew about but failed to remove.
The hanging points often remained despite repeated suicides and explicit coronial recommendations that they be removed, in one case allowing 10 hanging deaths from a single ligature point at Brisbane’s Arthur Gorrie prison over 20 years.
Read more from Guardian Australia’s Christopher Knaus and Ariel Bogle here:
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Should Australia get serious about recycling more bottles and cans? Double the 10c refund, campaigners say
It’s a block of text almost ubiquitous on every bottle or can of drink that Australians buy: “10c refund at collection depots in participating state/territory of purchase.”
More than 7bn bottles and cans were returned under the schemes last year but conservationists and the recycling industry have told Guardian Australia that, on an individual level, the schemes are underperforming. Some blame the 10c refund rate and argue it should be doubled.
Analysis carried out by organisations in the recycling industry shows that “return rates” – the percentage of eligible containers returned for recycling – are well below successful schemes in Europe.
Read more here:
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PM won't attend Nato summit, Marles likely to instead
Anthony Albanese will not attend the Nato summit after all, with defence minister and deputy PM Richard Marles likely to attend instead.
The prime minister had flagged he was considering going to the Nato conference, next week in the Netherlands, amid growing concern over the Middle East conflict – with the added benefit that Albanese may have had another chance to meet with US president Donald Trump at the conference too.
After his scheduled meeting with Trump at the G7 was cancelled this week as the president went back to Washington early, Albanese was asked if he might attend Nato instead. “Yes that is being considered,” Albanese replied on Wednesday.
But government sources said on Friday afternoon Albanese would not attend the conference, with plans under way for Marles to represent Australia instead.
The Coalition’s shadow finance minister, James Paterson, had told Channel 7 this morning Albanese should go to the Nato meeting even if he wasn’t able to lock in a rescheduled chat with Trump, as the PM could speak with European counterparts about the war in Ukraine and the growing conflict in the Middle East.
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Nine charged over ‘wood-hooking’ after alleged theft of Tasmanian timber
Tasmania police have charged nine people on allegations of stealing timber for firewood, a practice known as “wood-hooking”, saying an estimated 200 tonnes of wood had been illegally removed from the state’s central highlands.
The nine individuals from the town of Queenstown have been charged with a combined 141 counts of trespassing and stealing. Tasmania police senior constable Jessica Weston said:
Police will be paying close attention to anyone suspected of being involved in illegal wood collection and will intervene where appropriate. Anyone caught engaging in illegal wood collection may be proceeded against for breaches of legislation including stealing, unlawful possession, trespass and relevant traffic offences.
Officials noted that to collect firewood in Tasmania, you must do it on your own land, have permission from the landowner, or have a permit from Sustainable Timber Tasmania. Permits must be carried, but in all other cases it is classified as stealing.
Police say reputable firewood dealers should be able to provide you with assurances of where the wood came from.
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Caravan plot inquiry chair says staffers’ failure to appear ‘extremely serious’
The five Minns government staffers who were summoned to appear before an inquiry into the NSW government’s handling of information about the caravan “fake terrorism plot have not shown up.
The chair of the committee, Rod Roberts, conducted a roll call for the second time, but the seats set out for them remained empty. Roberts told the committee their failure to comply with the summons was extremely serious. He said:
For any witness, not a member of parliament, to decline to appear before a committee, having been properly summoned to do so, is an extremely serious matter.
I am disappointed in the government’s continued efforts to hinder and frustrate the work of this committee and, ultimately, the role of the legislative council to scrutinise the actions of the government.
Leading up to the hearing, there was much focus on the fact that if the staffers failed to appear and comply with the summons, they could risk arrest.
Roberts did not indicate before closing the hearing for the day whether or not he would be seeking permission from the president of the legislative council, Nationals MP Ben Franklin, to seek warrants for the staffers’ arrest.
The staffers that were summoned to appear include: Chris Minns chief of staff James Cullen, his deputy chief of staff Edward Ovadia and Sarah Michael, who works in Minns office.
Police minister Yasmin Catley’s chief of staff, Ross Neilson, has also been summoned, as has her deputy chief of staff, Tilly South.
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ADF deployed to Middle East to help evacuate Australians
Wong also stressed the Australian defence force was being sent to the region to help Australians get out, not to fight.
The foreign affairs minister said:
ADF personnel and aircraft are being deployed to the Middle East as part of the operation – to help Australians but not for combat.
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Wong urges Iran to return to negotiations
Wong says Iran should come to the table:
We want dialogue, diplomacy and we want de-escalation and we want Iran to return to the table. We want Iran to stop any nuclear weapons program. That is the call we have made and that is the call the other countries have made.
Iran has the opportunity, the president has given them the opportunity to engage in diplomacy, and they should take it.
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Dfat sending crisis team to Azerbaijan to help Australians who can reach border
Wong says the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is sending a response team to Azerbaijan to help Australians who can get to the border:
We are seeking to – in the process of getting a crisis response team into Azerbaijan and the purpose is to [get] the Australians back into that border, and that is the border crossing [that is] most vitally exit from Tehran.
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Wong says overnight bus to Jordan had almost 40 Australians
Wong:
That is what we seek to do, we are putting people on the ground in Azerbaijan, we are involved in assisting Australians and providing advice to Australians in Israel. We had another bus overnight go to Jordan, with I think some 38 people, in addition to the small group the day before.
Obviously it is a challenging situation on the ground. We will seek to provide and assist people to safety in the weeks and days to come.
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Wong says evacuating Australians difficult amid Iran airspace closure
The foreign affairs minister says it will be extremely difficult for Australians to leave Iran because the airspace is closed. There are about 2,000 Australians and their family in Iran and around 1,200 in Israel who want to evacuate.
Wong said:
We are really conscious it is difficult. I wish it were not so, I wish that we had more capacity to assist but the difficult reality is the situation on the ground is extremely unstable.
The security situation is obviously very difficult.
Again, I emphasise the airspace remains closed.
What that means is, we cannot fly aircraft in or out because of the security situation and because of the possibility of strikes. What we can do is what we have done, which is deploy consular staff to Azerbaijan from Tehran, [which is] eight hours [away]. It’s the closest land crossing available, and we are doing that to assist Australians who get to the border.
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Wong says ability to provide consular services in Iran ‘extremely limited’
Wong:
We urge Australians who are able to leave Iran to do so now if it is safe. Those who are not able to do so or who do not wish to leave are advised to shelter in place. We continue to plan to support Australians departing Iran and we remain in close contact with partner countries.
Unfortunately at this stage our ability to provide consular services is extremely limited.
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Penny Wong is speaking now about the situation in the Middle East.
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Simon Birmingham to lead Australian Banking Association
The former Coalition minister Simon Birmingham has been appointed the head of Australia’s influential banking lobby group.
The Australian Banking Association (ABA) represents the country’s largest lenders, as well as smaller players, and the former senator replaces the retiring Anna Bligh, a former Queensland premier.
Birmingham said in a statement he would always “put trust in Australia’s banking system first, pursue a competitive regulatory environment and work to ensure innovation in banking strengthens Australia’s financial interests”.
Birmingham retired at the recent election after 17 years in parliament as a senator, during which time he served as education minister and foreign affairs minister.
The banks have largely escaped political attention over recent years, after performing as part of the so-called “Team Australia” moment during the pandemic, and as other segments such as the supermarkets and energy retailers have taken the spotlight.
Jim Chalmers said the ABA was “fortunate to be bringing in someone of Simon Birmingham’s calibre as its new CEO”.
“I’m looking forward to engaging with him on the big issues shaping Australia’s banking sector,” he said in a statement.
Since his exit from politics, Birmingham had taken a senior role with ANZ, and will start his new role on 18 August.
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Government staffers tell NSW caravan plot inquiry they have just cause for no-show
We have another update on the inquiry into the NSW government’s handling of information about the caravan “fake terrorism plot, which was just adjourned for 30 minutes after the staffers summoned to appear were not yet there.
The committee conducting the inquiry has published a letter that the five NSW government staffers sent to the chair of the committee, independent MP Rod Roberts, on Thursday.
They have argued against being summoned to appear, saying they have reasonable excuse and just cause for not attending.
They wrote that giving evidence at the inquiry “would be at odds with the principles of ministerial accountability and comity between the Houses of Parliament”.
In the letter the five staffers – which include three of premier Chris Minns’ staff members and two of police minister Yasmin Catley’s – wrote:
There is an outstanding inquiry by the Legislative Assembly’s Standing Committee on Parliamentary Privilege and Ethics (Standing Committee) as to the implications of the Select Committee’s inquiries on the exclusive cognisance of the Legislative Assembly, principally as a consequence of the Select Committee’s inquiries into the information that was before members of the Legislative Assembly at relevant times.
In light of recent events, we anticipate that the Standing Committee’s inquiry will consider whether the compulsion of ministerial staff to give evidence about the information before members of the Legislative Assembly infringes parliamentary privilege, or otherwise offends principles of our Westminster system of government.
In these circumstances, and particularly while the Standing Committee’s inquiries are ongoing, we consider that there is a reasonable excuse or just cause for us to not attend the hearing, and we propose not to do so. Given your comments on breakfast radio yesterday as to the motivation for issuing the summonses – which make it clear we are ‘proxies’ because our respective Ministers cannot be compelled as witnesses to the Select Committee – we also consider that they have not been properly issued.
The letter also pointed out that one staffer summoned to appear, premier Chris Minns’ deputy chief of staff, Edward Ovadia, had already informed the committee he was away for the duration of the period being looked into.
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Vandalism prompts Sydney train suspensions
In Sydney, trains are suspended in both directions between Cabramatta and Granville.
Buses are replacing trains between these stations on the T2 Leppington and Inner West and T5 Cumberland lines.
The failure is due to vandalism of a signal wire at Guilford.
Currently, there are 14 rail replacement buses running, with more on the way. Passengers should allow extra travel time and also consider using a local bus services instead.
Transport minister John Graham said:
Sydney knows through bitter experience how badly a single track failure can affect services across the network.
Sydney’s train system is complex enough without adding a failure due to one idiot vandalising a signal wire.
Sydney Trains is working as fast as possible to rectify this incident.
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Minns staffers a no-show at inquiry into NSW caravan plot despite threat of arrest
More on the inquiry into the NSW government’s handling of information about the caravan “fake terrorism plot, which has just started. Independent MP Rod Roberts, who is chair of the inquiry, has just done a roll call of the five Labor staffers who were summoned to appear.
They have not arrived, and the inquiry has now been adjourned for 30 minutes.
Roberts said:
Well, it appears obviously that those witnesses are not in attendance. However, to ensure procedural fairness to witnesses, I ask a member of the committee to move a motion to adjourn the hearing for 30 minutes to allow witnesses who may be running late, stuck in a lift, can’t find this room in particular, giving them the opportunity to attend.
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NSW government staffers due to appear at caravan plot inquiry
We will soon learn whether an inquiry into the New South Wales government’s handling of information about the caravan “fake terrorism plot” will descend into a deeper saga. Due to start in a few moments, five of the government’s staffers have been summoned to appear after declining to do so.
But it’s unclear if they will. If they don’t comply with the summons, they risk being arrested.
Yesterday premier Chris Minns reasserted that the staffers would not appear, saying the inquiry was based on a “conspiracy” that he and senior cabinet ministers deliberately misled parliament before passing controversial hate speech and protest laws.
The staffers summoned to appear include: Chris Minns chief of staff James Cullen, his deputy chief of staff Edward Ovadia, and Sarah Michael, who works in Minns’ office.
Police minister Yasmin Catley’s chief of staff, Ross Neilson, has also been summoned, and so has her deputy chief of staff, Tilly South.
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Program helps hundreds of refugees settle in Australia
Launched in 2022, Crisp has helped more than 650 refugees from all around the world settle in Australia so far, under a model that has seen more than 1,000 Australians form some 140 groups to support a refugee family for a year.
The community sponsorship program is delivered by Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia (CRSA) with funding from the federal government. People first must be officially accepted as refugees by the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, qualifying them for resettlement under Australia’s humanitarian program.
In February, the federal government announced Crisp – the community refugee integration and settlement pilot – would become a permanent feature of Australia’s overall humanitarian program.
Lisa Button of the CRSA said:
As we mark World Refugee Day this week, we applaud the work of Australians who are laying out the welcome mat and preparing to do all they can to welcome and support the settlement of refugee newcomers.
In the face of feeling helpless at a time of global uncertainty, conflict and unrest, everyday Australians have told us this program helps them feel empowered. They can do something direct and meaningful and help people in need.
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Refugee families set to come to Australia among those trapped in Middle East
About a dozen refugee households who were set to arrive in Australia within weeks under a community refugee sponsorship program are among those trapped across the Middle East, trying to find flights to Australia.
The escalating conflict between Israel and Iran has shut down most air travel out of the region, and refugees on the verge of resettlement are among those left stranded.
Friday 20 June is World Refugee Day: the UN’s refugee agency estimates more than 122 million people across the world have been forced to flee their homes because of persecution, conflict, violence or human rights violations. That represents more than one in every 67 people on Earth.
Among that number were nearly 42.7 million refugees.
The refugee households set to come to Australia were due to be welcomed by local community groups across the country as part of the community refugee integration and settlement pilot (Crisp), under which informal groups of everyday Australians are matched up with a refugee household to assist them on arrival and during their first 12 months in the country.
Lisa Button, chief executive of Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia, said several anxious Australian community groups had been preparing for the imminent arrival of refugee households of various nationalities currently residing across the Middle East.
We know this conflict is exacting a terrible toll on people in the region and that the Australian government is doing all that it can to support Australians and permanent residents on the ground.
In addition to those with family in the Middle East, there are also many Australians who have no family links in the region but who are deeply invested in seeing people brought to safety because of their involvement in the Crisp.
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NSW Health issues measles alert for Sydney
NSW Health issued an alert for Sydneysiders to be on alert for signs and symptoms of measles after a confirmed case travelled through Sydney international airport on Monday.
Officials said the case recently returned from South-East Asia, where there are ongoing outbreaks of measles.
Anyone onboard Vietnam Airlines flight VN773, which arrived in Sydney around 8am Monday 16 June, or in the international arrivals and baggage area between 8am and 9.30am that day, should monitor for symptoms.
Dr Mitchell Smith, acting director of public health for the south-western Sydney local health district, said there was no ongoing risk in those locations, but cautioned those who may have been exposed to watch for signs.
Symptoms to watch out for include fever, sore eyes, runny nose and a cough, usually followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash that spreads from the head and face to the rest of the body…
We want to remind the community to make sure they are up to date with their vaccinations. The measles vaccine can prevent the disease even after exposure, if given early enough. This should be a reminder for everyone to check that they are protected against measles, which is highly infectious.
The vaccine is safe and effective, and given for free to children at 12 and 18 months of age. Anyone in NSW born after 1965 who hasn’t had two doses can also get the vaccine free.
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Coalition urges Labor to confirm plans for under-16s social media ban: ‘Time is ticking’
The Coalition has called on the Labor government to confirm its plans for the under-16s social media ban, saying Australians need clarity on how the ban will be enforced and what verification tools all users will need to endure to get online.
Some brief preliminary results of the age assurance trial were published today, with a short document saying the trial was progressing with some promising result. But the results flagged issues with the accuracy of some of the tools, as well as some platforms seeking to gather more private data than needed.
Shadow communications minister Melissa McIntosh says the government needs to say more about how the system will work. She said in a statement:
The social media age limit is set to commence in December this year, yet the Albanese Labor government has still not confirmed what technology or verification tools will be required to protect kids and young people online.
McIntosh noted that some experts “are already raising concerns about the accuracy of potential verification processes”, adding:
The data is reflective of increasing harms with kids’ social media use, and this is why the parliament has passed legislation for a social media age limit. But time is ticking for the government to make this happen.
Australia needs confidence in the government’s choice of technology and verification tools. We are six months away from the age limit commencing and social media companies need clarity now around what requirements must be put in place to protect our children.
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The consequences of Israel-Iran conflict – podcast
As Penny Wong foreshadows high-level diplomatic talks with the US over Israel and Iran’s latest conflict, the world hangs on Donald Trump’s every word, waiting to see how he plans to intervene.
In our Full Story podcast Newsroom edition, Bridie Jabour talks to international editor Bonnie Malkin and deputy editor Patrick Keneally about how the Israel-Iran conflict erupted and what could happen next. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts:
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Queensland to repeal diversity quotas for Brisbane Olympics board
The Queensland government plans to repeal a requirement that half the board overseeing the organising of the Brisbane Olympics be women and at least one member Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
The change to the organising committee for the Olympic Games (OCOG) board is contained in an obscure clause in broad-ranging legislation sponsored by the deputy premier, Jarrod Bleijie, in May. It is not mentioned in either its explanatory speech or explanatory notes.
According to a written briefing by the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning, made during consideration by a parliamentary committee, the bill would “enhance efficiency and effectiveness” by “removing certain requirements for the appointment of OCOG board directors”.
That includes “that 50% of nominated directors be women” and “that at least one of the independent directors is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander”. The bill has yet to pass parliament but is certain to do so if all government members vote for it.
Read more here:
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Sydney’s Downing Centre courts shut after water damage
The busy Downing Centre court complex in central Sydney will be closed for at least a month after a burst water main on Castlereagh Street on Tuesday flooded the building and caused extensive damage.
Assessment of the damage was still under way, a Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) spokesperson said, but by Thursday it had already become clear that key infrastructure of the building, “including electricity, IT systems and other equipment”, had been damaged and “extensive repairs will be required, which will take a lengthy period of time.”
The chief judge of the district court had notified the NSW Bar Association that it was likely some part-heard trials would be aborted as a result of the closure, according to reports. The DCJ did not comment on this possibility.
People with matters scheduled in the Downing Centre local court or Sydney district court were advised to check the online court registry or local court website for updates, or contact the registry for further information. Those with matters scheduled in the drug court were advised to contact the court registry or their community corrections officer.
Currently empanelled jurors in criminal trials could expect to be contacted by the NSW Sheriff’s Office. The department spokesperson said:
The Department of Communities and Justice will issue further updates over the coming weeks as work is carried out to repair the damaged systems and to ensure the building is safe and fully operational prior to its reopening.
Judicial officers and court staff are making every effort to ensure matters are able to proceed wherever possible.
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SpaceX rocket explodes during test
One of Elon Musk’s SpaceX rockets has exploded during a routine test in Texas. The Starship 36 suffered “catastrophic failure and exploded” at the Starbase launch facility, according to the Cameron County authorities.
Starship, the world’s largest and most powerful rocket, is central to Musk’s long-term vision of colonising Mars.
Watch below:
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Wong vows to work ‘closely’ with Washington in Iran-Israel talks
Penny Wong committed to working “closely” with the US in achieving peace between Iran and Israel as part of talks with the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, overnight.
A US embassy spokesperson confirmed the discussions related to agreed efforts to find a “path of peace” and to ensure “that Iran never develops a nuclear weapon”.
Donald Trump has been considering whether the US will support Israel in its strikes on Iran, including whether to target the Fordow uranium enrichment site. On Wednesday, the US president said he had “ideas” about the US’s involvement in Israel’s campaign against Iran but hadn’t made a final decision. Trump said:
I may do it, I may not do it. The next week is going to be very big, maybe less than a week.
On Thursday US time, Trump confirmed via his press secretary that he would be making his decision within “two weeks”.
Read more:
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Hundreds more Australians register overnight to leave Iran
The number of Australians registered as needing help to leave Iran has risen by 500 overnight as the latest escalation of conflict with Israel continues. As of Friday morning, more than 2,000 Australians in Iran have registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs’ crisis portal, up from 1,500 on Thursday.
The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, described the situation in Iran as “very complicated” and “very risky” yesterday, noting there were fewer avenues to safely evacuate Australians from the country.
Meanwhile in Israel, about 1,200 Australian passport holders, permanent residents and immediate family of Australians have requested the government’s assistance in fleeing. The Australian government arranged for a busload of registered Australians to depart from Tel Aviv across the border to Jordan’s capital, Amman, on Wednesday.
A second bus was planned yesterday and we’re awaiting confirmation on whether it was able to go ahead. The government is looking at other options for assisted departures, which could include routes through Egypt.
Australians in need of emergency consular assistance can contact the consular emergency centre on +61 2 6261 3305 (if overseas) and 1300 555 135 (in Australia).
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Coalition urges PM to visit Nato summit
James Paterson, the shadow finance minister, said Anthony Albanese should make a last-minute trip to next week’s Nato summit.
The prime minister said earlier this week he may make a snap visit to The Hague after his planned meeting with US president Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 was cancelled.
Paterson told Channel 7 Albanese should go to the Nato meeting even if he isn’t able to lock-in a rescheduled chat with Trump, as he could speak with his European counterparts about the war in Ukraine and the growing conflict in the Middle East:
If he meets with President Trump on the sidelines, that would be a bonus. But frankly, I think his approach of now waiting seven months to go and see the president and not going to see him in Washington DC, relying on a chance meeting on the sidelines of international forum, is a very risky strategy, as we saw at the G7.
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‘Suspicious’ fire at multimillion-dollar Melbourne mansion
Victoria police are investigating a “suspicious” house fire in the Melbourne suburb of Toorak early this morning.
Emergency officials responded to a large property on St Georges Road just before 12.30am to find the property in flames. The house was undergoing renovations at the time of the fire.
No one was inside the house, and investigations will continue into the exact cause of the blaze, “which is believed to be suspicious at this stage”, police said.
An arson chemist will travel to the scene later this morning.
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Guardian Australia investigation found 57 inmates died using known hanging points
Guardian Australia revealed earlier this month a staggering 57 Australians have killed themselves in the past two decades using hanging points in prisons that authorities knew about but failed to remove.
In a five-month review of 248 hanging deaths in Australian jails, Guardian Australia identified 19 correctional facilities where inmates died after governments and authorities failed to remove known ligature points within cells.
In many cases, this was despite repeated and urgent warnings from coroners to do so. Warning: the story below contains descriptions of self-harm and some readers might find it distressing.
Attorney general Michell Rowland said this week the death toll linked to hanging points was “unacceptable”, telling state and territory governments to “review their practices”.
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McCarthy says Australians need to ‘see action’ on Indigenous deaths in custody
Malarndirri McCarthy, the minister for Indigenous Australians, said the federal government, as well as all states and territories, needed to push to end deaths in custody after two men died in recent weeks in police custody in the Northern Territory.
McCarthy spoke to RN Breakfast shortly before a meeting of the joint council on Closing the Gap. She said:
The gathering today of first nations Indigenous affairs ministers … is testament to the fact that this is an incredibly important issue. And Australians need to see action, and this is what we’re doing.
Host Sally Sara asked about how the government would work to address hanging points in prisons, and if those points would be dealt with by the end of the year. McCarthy said the issue had been raised and taken “quite seriously”, but that states and territories needed to take full responsibility for the prisons they ran. She added:
I certainly have raised it directly with my colleagues. We are very serious, not just about this one issue of hanging points, Sally. We do not want to see further deaths in custody.
McCarthy said the past few weeks in the Northern Territory had been “absolutely abhorrent” when it came to deaths in custody:
No one should go to a supermarket and think that they’ll never return home. No one should try and board a plane and think they’ll never ever live. These are two incredibly difficult episodes for those families. They are still trying to come to terms with it.
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Bragg says ‘better value’ for taxpayers if Coalition part of Chalmers’ productivity roundtable
Andrew Bragg, the shadow minister for productivity and deregulation, told RN Breakfast this morning it was up to treasurer Jim Chalmers who sits on an upcoming productivity roundtable but taxpayers would be better off if the Coalition was on the invite list.
Bragg said:
As you know, we’re happy to be productive. We are doing our own policy work on productivity, deregulation, cutting of red tape. … I think taxpayers would get better value if we were able to collaborate. But ultimately, who goes to this meeting is up to the treasurer. As he says, there’ll be a role for us regardless.
But I do think that if there is an opportunity for bipartisanship on trying to improve our very anaemic productivity, which I have to say, after three years of Labor, I mean, the government have largely driven a lot of this bad productivity because of their huge commitment to red tape.
But we want to be constructive.
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Five ways Australians have changed in 25 years
Australia’s changing way of life is highlighted by five key trends in two pieces of research released today – one by the e61 Institute and another by KPMG.
Luca Ittamani finds that young people are living with their parents for longer compared with 25 years ago thanks to the housing crisis, and are less likely to be living with a partner.
Another result of expensive housing is that young families are more likely to move around because they are less likely to own their own home.
Read more:
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About 2,000 registered with Dfat as wanting to leave Iran
Further to the last post on Iran – it’s understood just over 2,000 Australian citizens, permanent residents and immediate family members are registered as wanting to depart Iran.
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Victoria Liberals bail out Pesutto with $1.5m loan to avoid bankruptcy
There was a dramatic meeting of the Victorian Liberals’ 19-member administrative committee last night at which they decided to give former leader John Pesutto a $1.5m loan so he can pay off his legal debt to Moira Deeming.
It means he won’t go bankrupt which, among other things, would have triggered a byelection in his seat of Hawthorn. After the meeting, the party’s state president, Phil Davis, sent an email to members explaining the decision:
You will have no doubt seen media commentary about the member for Hawthorn’s request of the party to assist him in meeting the costs order by the federal court in the Deeming v Pesutto defamation matter.
The party’s administrative committee met this evening and resolved that Moira Deeming should be paid what is owed to her, and therefore the party will contribute $1.55 million directly to Mrs Deeming.
Mr Pesutto will be required to re-pay this amount to the party on a commercial loan basis, with a market-based interest rate, ensuring that the Party earns additional income from this investment.
Settling this matter once and for all is in the interests of the party, as it will see an end to the ongoing commentary that is letting Labor get away with their appalling performance.
By ensuring that Mrs Deeming has been paid, there will be no Hawthorn by-election, and the state parliamentary team can focus on the urgent needs of the Victorian community, particularly campaigning to change the government at the 2026 Election.
Victorians need a change of government. By ensuring that Mrs Deeming gets paid what she is owed, the Party will be stronger as we head towards November 2026.
Read our full story here:
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Good morning, and happy Friday. Nick Visser here to take over for Martin Farrer. Stick with us as we dive into the day’s news.
Penny Wong announces suspension of Tehran embassy
Australia’s embassy in Tehran has suspended operations and the government is ordering officials to leave Iran, the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has said, over concerns about “the deteriorating security environment”.
As alarm grows about the conflict between Iran and Israel, Wong said the Australian ambassador to Iran would “remain in the region to support the Australian government’s response to this crisis”, while consular staff are being deployed to neighbouring Azerbaijan, “including its border crossings, to support Australians departing Iran”.
The government is trying to assist Australians to leave Iran but Wong said options were limited.
“The Australian government has directed the departure of all Australian officials and dependents and suspended operations at our embassy in Tehran, based on advice about the deteriorating security environment in Iran,” Wong said this morning.
We urge Australians who are able to leave Iran to do so now, if it is safe. Those who are unable to, or do not wish to leave, are advised to shelter in place.
Wong said the government was “continuing planning to support Australians seeking to depart Iran” – but at this stage “our ability to provide consular services is extremely limited due to the situation on the ground. The airspace remains closed.”
“Dfat will also continue to provide support through the 24-hour consular emergency centre, direct contact with Australian citizens who have registered on our crisis portal and updates to travel advice,” she said.
The suspension of embassy operations is consistent with steps taken by other countries, including New Zealand and Switzerland.
Australians in Iran seeking consular assistance should call the Australian government’s 24-hour consular emergency centre on +61 2 6261 3305 outside Australia and 1300 555 135 in Australia, Wong said.
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Israel says it has 'very close collaboration' with Australia
Israel’s deputy foreign affairs minister says her country’s war with Iran is an “Israeli mission” and that the country is capable of fighting Iran without America’s direct involvement.
Speaking with ABC’s 7.30, Sharren Haskel also said Israel had “a very close collaboration” with Australia.
She said that given “such an enormous amount of bombardment and missiles and ballistic missiles” had been fired by Iran, some had penetrated Israel’s Iron Dome and two other layers of defence.
The Knesset member went on to say the war was “an Israeli operation”:
Americans are very close allies of Israel. They were informed, and they are still informed, with all of the details of the operation as well. They are working with us to defend the country but this is an Israeli mission. This is our target.
President Trump is considering Americans’ interest and I understand that. He knows how Iran is a threat to humanity … They’re doing their consideration but we had to take into account our interests and to make sure we are capable of defending our people and our children.
Haskel said Trump’s America, should it decide to “join in”, may be capable of eliminating Iran’s nuclear threat, as Israel sees it, “in a shorter time, with much more sophisticated or direct equipment, advanced equipment”. But even if it took longer, Israel was targeting what it needed to keep its people safe.
She said Israel has “a very close collaboration” with Australian security agencies. She did not elaborate, when asked, on whether that included sharing intelligence about Iran’s nuclear program with Australia.
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Unravelling the Northern Beaches hospital deal is proving very complex because the private and public hospital facilities are interwoven in the same building, which is owned by a third entity.
There are separate public and private wards but all services – from theatres, pathology, X-ray, IT, reception and cleaning to nursing support – are shared.
If a mutual agreement is not reached, the proposed amendments would give the health minister the power to issue a termination notice to Healthscope.
In addition, the treasurer would have the power to ensure that compensation negotiations occur in a reasonable timeframe and to appoint an independent person to determine compensation if agreement cannot be reached.
The alternative to this approach is for the NSW government to exercise its voluntary termination rights, the government said.
Under the PPP contract this would see compensation to Healthscope’s receivers and lenders run into the hundreds of millions of dollars.
The health minister, Ryan Park, said: “We’ve made it clear from the very beginning that we don’t support this sort of arrangement.
This is a complex contract but the community deserves certainty.
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NSW government moves to end partnership deal over Northern Beaches hospital
The Minns Labor government is arming itself with new powers to terminate the public-private partnership (PPP) with bankrupt Northern Beaches hospital operator Healthscope in the event that it cannot reach an agreement.
The government announced today it would introduce amendments to a private member’s bill brought forward by the member for Wakehurst, Michael Regan, next week so it could – if required – terminate the Northern Beaches PPP contract.
This follows the appointment of receivers to the parent entities of Healthscope, which the NSW government considers a default under the contract.
Healthscope has argued that the termination would be “voluntary” and would attract compensation as set out on the contract. The government said this would run to hundreds of millions of dollars.
“This is not a decision we take lightly,” the NSW treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, said.
But we are now in a position where the Liberals’ privatisation mess means Healthscope’s receivers are negotiating the future of the Northern Beaches hospital.
While an agreed exit from this failed PPP contract remains my preference, I must ensure the government has the right to step in and protect the Northern Beaches community from this dragging on.
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Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then Nick Visser will be in the hot seat.
Israel’s deputy foreign minister told the ABC’s 7.30 last night that her country had “a very close collaboration” with Australian security agencies. However, when pressed on the question she did not elaborate on whether that included sharing intelligence about Iran’s nuclear program. More coming up.
The Minns Labor government is arming itself with new powers to terminate the public-private partnership (PPP) with bankrupt Northern Beaches hospital operator Healthscope in the event that it cannot reach an agreement. More coming up on that too.
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