AAP Rolling News Bulletin for May 25 at 1930
Brereton (CANBERRA)
The head of Australia's anti-corruption body has resigned two years before the end of his term amid long-running questions about potential conflicts of interest.
National Anti-Corruption Commissioner Paul Brereton said the ongoing focus on personal matters was drawing attention away from the agency's work.
The former war crimes investigator had faced repeated questions about potential conflicts of interest because of his ties to the military and his service in the army reserves.
"I believe that the commission's success is paramount, and not due to any single person," Mr Brereton said.
"While I will continue to resist any suggestion of impropriety, I have decided that it is time, now that the commission is established and functioning with quality staff and good processes, to step aside and allow a new commissioner to lead it into the next phase of its development into a key and respected component of the integrity architecture of the Commonwealth."
Tax (CANBERRA)
Capital gains tax carve-outs for startups won't be included in legislation set to be introduced to parliament within days.
Instead, the government will continue consultation even as it looks to pass laws through the lower house to enshrine income tax cuts and a standard $1000 deduction, abolish negative gearing for established properties and replace the 50 per cent CGT discount.
The four changes will be included in one bill to be introduced to parliament on Thursday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
A second tranche of legislation will address the details of implementation, he said.
Asked why a potential carve-out for startups would be tacked onto the legislation after it was introduced, rather than included from the outset, Mr Albanese said that was the "normal way" tax reform was usually implemented.
Sci China Space (BEIJING)
Three new astronauts have reached China's Tiangong space station, footage published by state media shows.
The Shenzhou 23 spacecraft had blasted off from the Jiuquan Space Centre in northwest China on Sunday night, local time.
On board were the three astronauts - known in China as taikonauts - Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan and Li Jiaying.
According to the Chinese space agency CMSA, Li is the first person from Hong Kong to take part in a Chinese space mission.
The crew is set to replace the current three-person crew at the space station and, for the first time, one of the astronauts is set to remain in space for about a year.
During the mission, a decision will be made about which member will be selected.
Iran (WASHINGTON)
US President Donald Trump says he has told his representatives not to rush into any deal with Iran, as his administration plays down hopes of an imminent breakthrough in the three-month-old war that had been raised a day earlier.
The US blockade on Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz would "remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed", Trump wrote on Truth Social.
"Both sides must take their time and get it right," he added.
Trump pushed back on critics who said details of a possible US-Iran agreement offer little beyond the 2015 nuclear deal negotiated by former president Barack Obama.
"If I make a deal with Iran, it will be a good and proper one ... So don't listen to the losers, who are critical about something they know nothing about," Trump said in a Truth Social post on Sunday, US time.
Antisemitism (SYDNEY)
There's no evidence that any intelligence agency suspected a terror attack would take place before the Bondi Beach massacre, a high-level probe into the attack has been told.
After hearing first-person accounts of rising anti-Semitism within the community, a royal commission on Monday began looking at potential failures of security agencies to stop the December 14 mass shooting, which left 15 people dead.
The first witness giving evidence is ASIO director-general Mike Burgess, followed by senior officers from the Australian Federal Police and NSW Police.
Two representatives from Jewish security organisation CSG NSW are also due to appear.
Before witnesses were called, counsel assisting the royal commission Richard Lancaster outlined what was expected to come from the evidence, including that the massacre was a "surprise attack".
Ebola (DAKAR)
The Congolese government says suspected Ebola cases in the nation have passed 900.
Since the start of the outbreak, 904 suspected cases have been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo, of which 101 were confirmed, the Congolese Ministry of Communication said in a post on social media platform X.
The ministry revised the number of suspected deaths to 119, down from 204 a day earlier, with 10 Ebola deaths confirmed in laboratory tests.
The Ebola epidemic remains active in the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, the ministry said on Sunday, local time.
In neighbouring Uganda, five confirmed cases were reported in connection with the outbreak in eastern Congo. Uganda does not publish figures for suspected cases.
Legal: Freeman (MELBOURNE)
The alleged sexual assault of a child has been revealed as the reason for a search warrant against Dezi Freeman that ended with him shooting dead two police officers.
Fresh details into the killings of Senior Constable Vadmin de Waart-Hottart and Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson in August 2025 at Freeman's property in Victoria's High Country were detailed in a Coroner's Court directions hearing on Monday morning.
Counsel assisting Linsday Spence said in his opening summary police had executed the warrant after receiving disclosure of an alleged sexual assault involving a child under the age of 16, as well as an attempt to involve a child in the production of child abuse material.
"The purpose of the search warrant was for the locating and seizure of electronic devices that were to be interrogated for the potential presence of child abuse material," he told the court.
Federal (CANBERRA)
The teal independents are mulling forming a new political party to present voters with an alternative to the major parties, as polling shows surging support for One Nation.
Independent MP Zali Steggall, who holds former Liberal prime minister Tony Abbott's old Sydney seat of Warringah, confirmed the group was discussing how they could be more effective in parliament as Australia entered a time of "political flux".
"I'm always open ... I've made my third term, and after seven years in parliament, I can see how there are many things we could do politics better and differently," she told ABC radio on Monday.
"There's huge frustration and unhappiness with the major parties.
"You see the coalition lurching to the right. The rise of One Nation is really concerning for many in our community."
In finance ...
Hack (CANBERRA)
The WhatsApp accounts of a federal parliamentarian and three staffers were hacked by a presumed foreign state actor, a budget estimates hearing has been told.
The Department of Parliamentary Services blocked the Meta-owned messaging application on all parliamentary web browsers after the phishing attack was reported on March 6, the department's chief information officer Mike Webb told an inquiry on Monday.
All four accounts were compromised in the same way, Mr Webb said.
The hackers first requested a legitimate verification code be sent to the users' devices.
They then sent the victims a request to send them the verification code, which the hackers used to log into the account.
"The next step is to link one of their devices, and they essentially become that person from a communication perspective," Mr Webb said.
Fuel (CANBERRA)
Drivers have almost a week's more petrol and diesel in reserve than they did at the start of the Iran war, as the prime minister met with state and territory leaders on the ongoing fuel crisis.
Anthony Albanese met virtually with premiers and chief ministers for national cabinet on Monday, as he confirmed Australia's fuel supply remains secure well into July.
There is 43 days of petrol in national reserves, five days more than the stockpile at the start of the war in late February.
The latest figures also revealed there was 38 days of diesel in reserve, six more than at the start of the war, and 31 days of jet fuel, an increase of two.
"There's a tail wind here as well, but it was a positive meeting and supply is looking secure into July," Mr Albanese told reporters in Canberra.
In entertainment ...
Lizzo (LONDON)
Lizzo has "never talked shit about Taylor Swift".
The 38-year-old singer has denied badmouthing Taylor, 36, insisting she has no interest in talking negatively about any other artist.
The Truth Hurts hitmaker made the comments in response to an X user, who referred to Taylor's latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, and Lizzo's 2025 mixtape.
The post read: "The Life Of A Showgirl + MY FACE HURTS FROM SMILING — 4.005M. ICEMAN + MAID OF HONOUR + HABIBTI — 683k. (sic)"
Lizzo reshared the post and asked fans to explain its meaning.
The chart-topping star wrote: "Can someone explain what this means?"
One X user then explained to Lizzo that "it means all that shit talking you did about Tay finally caught up to you".
Mandalorian (LOS ANGELES)
Baby Yoda brought crowds to movie theatres over the US Memorial Day weekend, putting Star Wars film The Mandalorian and Grogu on track to collect roughly $US165 million ($A231 million) around the globe.
The movie topped box office charts in the United States and Canada, where it was expected to bring in about $US102 million.
That would edge above pre-weekend forecasts for Friday through Monday, but rank as the smallest opening for any Star Wars film under Disney.
The new film cost much less to make than other Star Wars instalments, setting a lower bar for profitability.
Mandalorian and Grogu, the first Star Wars movie in seven years, tells the story of a helmeted bounty hunter (Pedro Pascal) and his small, green sidekick nicknamed Baby Yoda.
In sport ...
RL Abdo (SYDNEY)
Peter V'landys says only "Superman and Jesus added together" could possibly replace Andrew Abdo as the NRL begins an era-defining search for its next chief executive.
Abdo shocked the NRL world in announcing his resignation on Monday after six years at the helm, having been hired as Tennis Australia's new CEO.
"Today's a pretty emotional day for me," Abdo said at a snap press conference in Sydney on Monday.
"I've loved every aspect of being part of this sport.
"Rugby league is just getting started on its growth potential ... I will be cheering from the side."
Abdo's last day will be July 15, after which Australian Rugby League Commission chair V'landys will take charge in an interim capacity.
At that time, V'landys will take four months of leave from his post as Racing NSW boss, but the league's constitution would need to be changed if he wanted to serve as both ARLC chair and CEO beyond then.
Obit Daniher (MELBOURNE)
Neale Daniher, whose courage made him the symbol of the fight against MND, has died aged 65.
His family released a statement saying the former AFL player and coach died on Monday at home.
Daniher was diagnosed in 2013 with motor neurone disease, which is incurable and fatal.
He devoted the rest of his life to raising money for medical research and advocated for other people suffering from MND.
Daniher nicknamed the disease The Beast and was named Australian Of The Year in 2025. The Big Freeze at the annual King's Birthday match between Collingwood and Melbourne has become an important fundraiser for MND research.
"We're heartbroken to share that our much-loved husband, Dad and Poppy, Neale Daniher, passed away at home, surrounded by his family," the Danihers said in their statement.
Ends Bulletin
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