Welcome, readers, to Afternoon Update.
The Victorian government has ordered an urgent review of childcare safety, announcing plans for a state-run staff register, new fines and potentially installing CCTV in all centres, as it criticised the “frustratingly slow” pace of federal reform.
The minister for children, Lizzie Blandthorn, said the review would also examine working with children checks, which the government had already committed to reforming in April.
The announcement comes after Joshua Dale Brown, 26, was charged in May with more than 70 offences relating to eight alleged victims aged between five months and two years old, who attended a centre in Melbourne’s western suburbs.
A second Victorian man, Michael Simon Wilson, of Wyndham Vale, has also been charged with multiple child sexual abuse offences, including rape and bestiality. The pair are known to each other, according to court documents.
Top news
Khaled Sabsabi reinstated as Venice Biennale representative after independent review into dumping
Trump claims Israel ready for Gaza peace deal in bid to boost Hamas ceasefire talks
NSW weather: storm brings 13-metre high waves and wild winds as BoM warns of ‘second surge’
Qantas confirms cyber-attack exposed records of up to 6 million customers
Trump administration raises possibility of stripping Mamdani of US citizenship
Ukraine launches one of its deepest drone strikes into Russia, killing three
In pictures
From the Calanais standing stones at sunset to sunlit poppies and a fallow deer fawn sticking his tongue out, Guardian readers submit their best photos. Click here to submit a picture for publication in these online galleries.
What they said …
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“I know there’s been a lot written about this, but I would say this to you – we did talk a lot about what we do together. Secretary Rubio didn’t raise Australia’s defence budget with me.”
Penny Wong met with the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, this morning on the sidelines of a meeting of Quad foreign affairs ministers. Asked if she was requested to spend more on defence, Wong says Rubio didn’t mention Australia’s defence budget – instead the pair held “positive” talks on tariffs, Aukus, the security of supply for critical minerals and rescheduling a face-to-face meeting with Donald Trump and Anthony Albanese.
In numbers
Wave data collected by the Manly Hydraulics Laboratory showing maximum wave heights reached 13 metres at Port Kembla at 5pm Tuesday. The Bureau of Meteorology expected a “second surge” on Wednesday night would bring a further burst of rain and wind to the south coast of NSW and eastern parts of Victoria.
Before bed read
Museums around the world are opening up for grownups wanting to explore by torchlight and sleep among exhibits. Clem Bastow and about 40 other adults, many of which were thrilled to live out their Night at the Museum dream, head to Melbourne Museum to try one out.
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: LID. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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