What we learned; Tuesday 24 February
That’s all for today folks, but first a quick recap of the day’s main news:
The latest Capital Brief/DemosAU federal poll showed One Nation’s continued surge in support.
The prime minister said Australia “volunteered” support to remove former prince Andrew from line of succession.
The Victoria government said new guidelines were coming for endometriosis diagnosis.
NSW police found human remains in the search for Chris Baghsarian which they later said they suspected were those of the missing 85-year-old.
Australia is on a trajectory towards “neo-feudalism”, a leading tax expert said.
A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for a large part of Melbourne.
Anthony Albanese said One Nation was more for Gina Rinehart than working people.
Gus Lamont’s parents pleaded for “even the smallest detail” of information from the public.
The blog will be back bright and early tomorrow morning.
Updated
High-speed train ticket between Newcastle and Sydney to cost $31 for one-hour journey from 2039
Australians would pay $31 for a 60-minute high-speed train between Newcastle and central Sydney from 2039, costing taxpayers $61.2bn, according to a business case provided to the government.
The next stage of the project, which would see the rail line go to Parramatta and Western Sydney international airport, would cost an extra $32.4bn and open by 2043.
The government released the business case for the project today, prepared by the High Speed Rail Authority, which cost more than $70m. It has promised another $230m for planning and development work to get the project “shovel ready” within two years, if final investment approval is granted.
The government said the total price tag of more than $93bn would be inclusive of stations, signalling, as well as a domestic advanced manufacturing facility to produce rail parts.
Read the full story here:
Updated
Vested interest ‘cartel’ killing Aussie housing dream
A “cartel” of vested interests is stymying crucial tax reforms which could help free up more homes, a former boss of the Reserve Bank says, AAP reports.
Bernie Fraser, the only person in Australian history to have served as both RBA governor and Treasury secretary, said tax concessions for property investors should scrapped to boost housing supply.
He argued the current capital gains tax discount, which applies to properties owned by an investor for at least a year, exacerbates inequality by rewarding the top end of town. He told a parliamentary inquiry into the issue.
House ownership is a very profitable investment opportunity and a wealth-creating business for people that can afford it, but it has the effect of driving houses away from the dreams of ordinary, more modest-income people.
Fraser urged the government to stare down its critics and scrap the tax discount altogether. He said:
There is ... a cartel of people who are against dealing with tax changes.
Updated
Bad Bunny charters Qantas superjumbo to carry entourage to Sydney
Bad Bunny has chartered an entire Qantas A380 superjumbo for almost $1m to carry him and his entourage to Sydney from São Paulo, The Australian newspaper reports.
The Puerto Rican superstar is performing in Sydney this weekend.
The Australian reports:
Plane spotters called out the “unusual” A380 flight by the Qantas superjumbo registered VH-OQA, linking the service with Bad Bunny’s upcoming performance in Sydney on Saturday.
… The double decker aeroplane, which seats up to 485 passengers, took off for São Paulo on Sunday and had planned to make a fuel stop in Auckland on the return flight.
However flight radar shows the A380 bypassed New Zealand, and landed in Sydney after almost 15 hours in the air.
Qantas confirmed the two charter flights to São Paulo and back, but cannot reveal the identity of those on board for privacy reasons, or the actual cost.
Updated
Apple defends Apple Pay fees
Earlier we shared comments from the Australian Banking Association arguing against the fees Apple charges card issuers per transaction, estimated at 0.15% of the transaction value.
Apple executives, speaking before the parliamentary committee chaired by Labor MP Ed Husic this afternoon, declared the model for Apple Pay to be a “rational commercial model”. They added that banks could choose other payment methods for customers, such as using their own app, QR codes or physical cards instead.
Sean Dillon, Apple’s senior director for competition law and regulation, said:
So we look at Apple Pay and we say that we have a rational commercial model because we’re delivering this great value to the banks. We also deliver it to the merchants and then ultimately to the cardholder. So we see Apple Pay as a benefit to the entire Australian payments ecosystem.
Dillon noted Apple had not increased the fees in the 10 years Apple Pay has existed, and this pricing is standard globally, funding further investment in Apple Pay.
Updated
‘Just dreadful’: locals come to term with tragedy at Pitt Town
Back to Pitt Town, NSW. Another local who farms on the road where the body was found said they passed the site “multiple times a day” but hadn’t seen anything awry.
The farmer, who didn’t want to be named, said from their tractor:
It’s such a quiet area, nothing like this ever happens here. Maybe that’s why they chose it, because of how quiet it is. We really feel for the family and the victim, I’m sure they’ll be hurting today.
At the strip of shops in Pitt Town, life appeared normal as ever. Tradies enjoyed a knock-off beer at the local pub and shoppers wandered in and out of the bakery and supermarket.
One woman, Ellen, said she’d seen no police presence in the area until Tuesday and described the township as having a “real village sort of atmosphere”.
This is shocking, but at least the family now knows what has happened. It would be terrible not to know, and to think of how much he might have suffered. It’s just dreadful.
Updated
Federal government to comprehensively review triple-zero laws
The Albanese government will review Australia’s triple-zero regulations and legislation in the wake of the Optus triple-zero outage last year.
The communications minister, Anika Wells, told a Comms Day conference on Tuesday that in line with the recommendations of the Bean review, the government will “imminently” commence a review of triple-zero laws.
She said:
The review will draw on lessons from the 2023 and 2025 Optus outages, the 3G switchover, and recently identified device issues.
I will have more to say on the review scope and structure in due course.
But let me make it very clear. This is of the upmost importance to me, the government, and most importantly the Australian people.
We must do everything in our power to ensure triple zero remains reliable, resilient and fit for purpose – now and into the future.
It comes as Apple, Google, Optus and NSW Ambulance are set to appear before a parliamentary inquiry into the triple-zero outage. The inquiry was recently expanded to cover the issues with older Samsung devices connecting to triple zero, which was discovered late last year.
Updated
Gus Lamont’s parents plead for ‘even the smallest detail’ of information from public
The parents of four-year-old Gus Lamont, who went missing on 27 September 2025 from his family’s remote sheep station, have appealed for public assistance as police investigations continue.
His parents, Josh and Jess, say “every moment without him is unbearable” and are “pleading” with anyone out there who may have information:
We are united in our grief, and we are united in our search for answers about what happened to our little boy, Gus, who means everything to us. Our lives have been shattered, and every moment without him is unbearable. We know someone out there may have information. If someone knows what happened, we are pleading with that person – or anyone who may have seen or heard anything – to please come forward. Even the smallest detail could give us the answers we so desperately need.
We also want to express our deepest gratitude to everyone involved in the search for Gus. The tireless efforts of police, emergency services, ADF personnel, volunteers, and specialists have meant more to us than we can ever say. To the friends, family and supporters who have shown such compassion, concern, and assistance during this heartbreaking time: thank you. Your kindness has helped carry us through the darkest days of our lives.
All we want is to bring Gus home and understand what happened to our beautiful boy.
His parents have also released a video and another photograph of him to assist the investigation.
Updated
Wet weather battering parts of Australia today, in photos
Some of the driest parts of the country are experiencing their heaviest rainfall in years, with remote areas on high alert for flooding. Here are some of the images coming through from Mt Isa, the Flinders Ranges and Lake Moondarra:
Greens want Albanese to ‘cut ties with whole monarchy’, not just Andrew
Australia should seize momentum and look to become a republic, the Greens have said, following Anthony Albanese’s support for removing Andew Mountbatten-Windsor from the British line of succession.
The deputy party leader Mehreen Faruqi said “you cannot polish a rotten crown”, and added the government should go further and cut all ties with the monarchy – not just Andrew.
“The time for a republic is now. Instead of writing letters, Albanese should begin the process of constitutional change, led by First Nations voices,” she said in a statement.
Prime minister Albanese writing to the UK to support removing ex-prince Andrew from the line of succession is not leadership. It is a humiliating reminder that Australia is still shackled to a corrupt and crumbling royal family.
Rather than pleading with a foreign government to clean up its messes, Australia should be cutting ties altogether and choosing its own head of state.
Faruqi claimed ex-prince Andrew was “the product of a rotten institution built on inherited privilege, secrecy and impunity”.
Australia needs to confront the bigger truth that the monarchy is an outdated, unaccountable institution built on colonial violence and stolen wealth. The latest horrific scandal is not an aberration. It is a symptom of a broken system that is not fit to represent us.
Updated
Slashing tax investor tax breaks no fix for high house prices, Treasury says
Cutting tax breaks for property investors would likely have a “relatively small” impact on home prices, a senior Treasury official says.
“When we look at the research that’s been done on changes to the CGT and other related policies … the impact on the housing market seems relatively small,” Shane Johnson, the first assistant secretary at Treasury’s tax analysis division, told a parliamentary committee hearing.
The Treasury officials like other experts are drawing on existing modelling, often the analysis done by Peter Tulip at the Centre for Independent Studies, that the scaling back investor tax breaks would lower house prices by 1-3%.
Johnson said the modelling suggested the impact would be on “the ownership mix” of homes, in that the changes would “provide an opportunity for essentially first homeowners to have a house”.
Modelling by Michael Warlters at NSW Treasury found that abolishing negative gearing and halving the 50% CGT discount would increase home ownership rates by as much as 4.7%.
Albanese disagrees with ‘lack of respect’ on immigration debate
The conversation between Anthony Albanese and Karl Stefanovic on his podcast turns to immigration – a topic the Coalition and One Nation has been eager to put at the forefront of national conversation.
Stefanovic asks about comments made by Barnaby Joyce on his podcast previously.
Stefanovic:
Barnaby Joyce, a couple of weeks ago, said to me that if you come from a shithole, you come out here and you don’t abide by Australian values or want them or desire them, then you should go back to the shithole. Do you agree with that sentiment?
Albanese:
I don’t agree with the lack of respect in that sentiment. You know, I think, we have a non discriminatory policy, and one of the things that people from war torn places, who’ve come here, is for a better life. You know, take our Vietnamese migrants that were pilloried for a while by some people, you know? They’re incredible successes, you know.
Albanese said current immigration projections are already down on previously forecast figures following the spike after Covid-19 shut the border for a period.
Updated
Albanese takes a swipe at David Pocock
Anthony Albanese has taken a swipe at the ACT senator David Pocock, describing him as someone who “seeks to promote grievance” in similar language he’s used for Pauline Hanson.
Live on Karl Stefanovic’s podcast from the Lodge, Albanese was asked why the average person pays more in tax to have a beer than mining companies get taxed “bleeding our resources dry” – a point Pocock has apparently raised.
The prime minister didn’t hold his tongue when he spoke about the independent progressive senator’s criticisms: “I think David Pocock is someone who seeks to promote grievance as well.”
Stefanovic joked not to get on the wrong side of the former Wallabies captain, to which Albanese responded: “I’m sure he will cherrypick accordingly.”
Updated
That’s all from me. Natasha May will take things from here. Enjoy the rest of your Tuesday!
Albanese says One Nation more for Gina Rinehart than working people
Staying on the prime minister’s live podcast recording with Karl Stefanovic, Anthony Albanese says One Nation doesn’t represent working people but rather people like mining magnate Gina Rinehart.
The prime minister said:
They don’t represent [working class] values. They oppose every advance that trade unions have ever made. They oppose – One Nation – one job, one pay, same job, same pay, which has made such a difference. They’ve opposed the legislation that we’ve done to enshrine penalty rates on weekends. They oppose the pay increases that were put for workers in the care sector, like aged care …
When people look at what policies they have, they don’t represent working people. And of course, One Nation’s greatest supporter, [Pauline Hanson’s] friend, is Gina Rinehart. Last time I looked, [she’s] not a working-class hero, but someone who’s advocated cuts to wages and cuts to working conditions.
He also cautioned voters to remember their electoral history over the past two decades.
There’s a history with these political parties, of people getting elected and then leaving them and it not lasting.
Updated
Albanese ‘very sorry’ Bondi shooting happened under his watch
Anthony Albanese says he is “very sorry” that the Bondi shooting happened while he was prime minister, but took aim at “political actors” who chose to “politicise the event”.
The prime minister is speaking live from the Lodge on Karl Stefanovic’s podcast and has been asked about criticism he faced following the terror attack. In the days and weeks after the incident, the opposition, some commentators and others who were linked to victims of the attack claimed Albanese was to blame for not doing enough about antisemitism in Australia.
Albanese responded:
Look, I’ve got no issue whatsoever with people who were part of that community grieving, and yeah, part of my job was to be a bit of a shock absorber for the nation, if you like, at difficult times. And you know, I’ll cop that. I copped a fair bit of criticism at that time, but I was determined to do my job …
What did happen, though, was that … political actors chose to politicise that event. Now, that that didn’t happen after Port Arthur. It didn’t happen after the Lindt cafe siege in Martin Place. It didn’t happen after the Bali bombings, and that’s unfortunate …
I’m very sorry that that happened on my watch. You know, I’m the prime minister, so something happened while I was prime minister …
But one of the things that we can’t do is dismiss the responsibility of these terrorists for making a conscious decision.
Updated
PM calls ‘bullshit’ on claim the government did deal with humanitarian group on Syrian repatriations
Anthony Albanese says he calls “bullshit” on claims his home affairs minister, Tony Burke, made a deal with Save the Children to bring back the 34 Australian women and children stuck in a Syrian detention camp before the federal election.
The prime minister is speaking live from the Lodge with media personality Karl Stefanovic on Stefanovic’s podcast. Albanese repeated his comments on having “contempt” for the adults who chose to travel to Syria during the height of Islamic State’s campaign. The 34 Australians – eleven women and 23 Australian children – are the wives, widows and children of slain or jailed Islamic State fighters and have remained in Roj detention camp for years.
Albanese said:
I call bullshit. The fact is that that group that was spoken about, the non-government organisation, took the Australian government to court to demand the repatriation, and we won that case. We opposed it and we won …
Australian citizens do have rights. We are acting right up to where the law is, and the law was put in place by the former government. So that is what we are doing … absolutely, if there are any breaches of Australian law, of course we will [charge them].
Updated
Severe thunderstorm warning for large part of Melbourne
VicEmergency has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of Melbourne, with residents told to shelter indoors immediately.
The warning includes the areas of Sunbury, Sydenham, St Albans, Melbourne airport, Craigieburn, Preston, Footscray and their surrounds.
Officials said intense rainfall can lead to dangerous or life-threatening flash flooding, calling the thunderstorms “very dangerous” as they head south-east through the city.
If you are located Sunbury, Sydenham, St Albans, Melbourne Airport, Craigieburn, Preston, Footscray and surrounds, you are in danger. You should immediately move indoors to stay safe.
Severe Thunderstorm - Emergency Warning for Sunbury, Sydenham, St Albans, Melbourne Airport, Craigieburn, Preston, Footscray and surrounds. You should Shelter Indoors Now. For more info: https://t.co/xp0SOnTuJv #vicstorms
— VicEmergency (@vicemergency) February 24, 2026
Another severe thunderstorm warning is in place east of the city, covering Healesville, Warburton and the surrounds.
Severe Thunderstorm - Emergency Warning for Healesville, Warburton and surrounds. You should Shelter Indoors Now. For more info: https://t.co/CoXGvDZjom #vicstorms
— VicEmergency (@vicemergency) February 24, 2026
Updated
Sections of road where human remains found on outskirts of Sydney remains shut off to public
The close-knit community of Pitt Town is in disbelief after police discovered human remains on farmland by a golf course on Tuesday morning during their search for missing 85-year-old Chris Baghsarian.
Locals say the most danger the historic town on the outskirts of Sydney has seen in decades is the occasional robbery.
As of Tuesday afternoon, a stretch of the road where the body was found was shut off to traffic in both directions, with police occasionally having to turn back passing tractors or motorists.
One local who runs a business on the road and didn’t wish to be named said they’d been “in shock” since seeing police flood the area on Tuesday morning.
They hadn’t been interviewed by police but said their security camera footage had been accessed.
We’re usually dealing with floods, not anything like this. The worst crimes I’ve seen are the occasional robberies … It’s definitely the topic of conversation today and will be something everyone will talk about for a while to come.
We’re close-knit, easygoing here. People who are down here have usually been here for generations. It’s usually such a laid-back area, just farmland … It’s just a little bit unreal.
Updated
NSW police say they are ‘all outraged this could happen to an innocent man’
Andrew Marks says the investigation will continue, and it is still in its very early stages:
It’s only early since we’ve located the deceased, the human remains, so we will process that and we’ll get the evidence and the information as it comes through …
We will endeavour and use every resource available to identify those responsible and bring them before the courts …
We’re all outraged this could happen to an innocent man.
Updated
Police suspect human remains are those of Chris Baghsarian
Andrew Marks, detective acting superintendent for NSW police, said the human remains discovered this morning in Pitt Town, NSW, are believed to be those of Chris Baghsarian.
Baghsarian, 85, was mistakenly kidnapped from his home in North Ryde 11 days ago.
Marks said the remains are yet to be positively identified and there will be a formal process to do so. He said Baghsarian’s family is “deeply upset”, and has asked for privacy as the investigation continues.
Updated
Heavy rain, flash flooding forecast in Victoria amid lingering monsoon low
Heavy rain in central Victoria, including Melbourne, could lead to flash flooding this afternoon, with 30mm to 60mm forecast to fall within a few hours.
BoM senior meteorologist Dean Narramore said a tropical low over central Australia “isn’t really moving much in the next few days” and is forecast to bring a year’s worth of rain in a week to parts of inland NSW, South Australia and the Northern Territory.
He added that some inland locations recorded 50mm to 100m of rain in the last day:
They’re probably going to see that continue in the coming days. There’s not many [people] out there but obviously big impacts for those that are, with roads being washed out and rail impacts … a few communities and landholders out there could be isolated for quite a while.
Narramore said:
We’ll likely see some flash flooding in some parts of Victoria today … It’s showers and storms, so it’s always hit and miss. So some [areas] will get huge totals and just down the road will get nothing at all.
Updated
Press conference on search for Chris Baghsarian at 2pm
NSW police are set to hold a media conference at 2pm local time after detectives located suspected human remains in the ongoing search for missing 85-year-old Chris Baghsarian.
We’ll bring you live updates from that press conference at the top of the hour.
Aussie shares edge lower but metals continue charge
Australian miners and energy stocks are helping to limit losses in the broader market after a weak lead from Wall Street sparked by jitters around US tariffs and artificial intelligence, AAP reports.
The S&P/ASX200 was down 0.12% as the broader All Ordinaries gained 0.1%. The local bourse started the session slightly higher but slipped below break-even by midday, after a night of tech losses in the US market due to fears of artificial intelligence disruption.
The local tech sector slumped 2.2% to its lowest level since November 2023 in a broad-based sell-off.
Basic materials helped limit the losses elsewhere, the sector jumping 1.6 % as risk-off sentiment supported gold stocks and mining behemoth BHP broke $55 per share for the first time.
Emma Lawrence to become first woman to call NRL games
Emma Lawrence will become the first woman in NRL broadcast history to call a game, with Triple M including “one of the sharpest broadcasters in rugby league” on its play-by-play commentary team for the new season.
Lawrence, one of the most respected voices in the game, will enter the domain previously reserved for men in a move the radio station called a “landmark moment”. Female voices are present across broader coverage of the NRL but a woman has never been handed the prestigious play-by-play call before.
The move follows other sports which showcase women as lead commentators for men’s matches, including Kelli Underwood on AFL and Isa Guha on cricket.
Sports commentator Kate Allman said it was “a win for all women working in commentary and sport broadcasting”.
Read more here:
Updated
Why does the RBA only have one blunt tool? We ask the deputy governor
Reserve Bank of Australia deputy governor Andrew Hauser speaks to our economics editor, Patrick Commins, and business and economics reporter Luca Ittimani about the 2025 surprises that led to the first interest rate rise in two years.
Listen here:
Updated
New Zealand backs Australia in removing Andrew from line of succession
New Zealand has said it would support the UK government if it proposes to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession, Reuters reports.
The former prince was arrested last Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office after being accused of sharing sensitive information with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein while serving as the UK’s trade envoy.
A spokesperson for Christopher Luxon, the country’s prime minister, said:
If the UK government proposes to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the order of succession, New Zealand would support it.
The UK government has said any proposals would come after the police investigation concludes.
New Zealand’s backing comes after the Australian PM, Anthony Albanese, wrote to Keir Starmer saying his government would support “any proposal” to remove Andrew from the line of succession.
Updated
Banks compare Apple Pay to ‘toll booths’ on roads they didn’t pay for
A parliamentary committee on digital payments, chaired by Labor MP Ed Husic, is holding hearings today and tomorrow and it’s gearing up to be a fight between the banks and tech companies, which Husic described as “Kong v Godzilla”.
Apple Pay charges card issuers a fee, estimated to be 0.15% of the transaction value for each credit card transaction. Google Pay does not make this charge, and the banking sector finds it frustrating that Apple is charging these fees.
Speaking before the committee this morning, former Liberal minister Simon Birmingham, who is now the chief executive of the Australian Banking Association, said:
These global players generate significant value from Australian commerce and the infrastructure and services provided by Australian companies, yet they do not face the same regulatory obligations or requirements to invest in and support Australia’s payments infrastructure.
To put it simply, these companies do not build or maintain the roads that Australian commerce runs on. Yet they placed their own toll booths at key intersections.
Husic said it was “big banks v big tech” and asked what guarantee there would be that any changes parliament made to limit charged fees would benefit consumers and businesses, and not just the banks.
Birmingham said that the banking sector is much more competitive than those running digital wallets, and that existing sector regulation benefits consumers
Apple is due to appear before the committee this afternoon.
Updated
Senior counsel makes opening statement in royal commission on antisemitism
Richard Lancaster, senior counsel assisting the royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion, has made a statement as part of the first public hearing for the proceedings.
Speaking in Sydney this morning, the barrister said the antisemitic attack on Jewish Australians in Bondi on 14 December was a “truly horrifying event”.
He acknowledged the immense trauma and deep sadness the massacre had caused to Jewish Australians, as well as members of the community living in Bondi, people visiting for a meal or a swim that evening, “those who bravely rushed to help” and many other people across Australia.
He said counsel assisting would lead evidence to identify antisemitic conduct in Australian society; inquire into the drivers of antisemitism; identify what law enforcement and security agencies have been doing to tackle antisemitic conduct; and inquire into the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the attack. Evidence will include witness statements and oral and expert evidence.
He said social cohesion was a “consensus that a diverse, multicultural society can subsist and thrive only by mutual acceptance of our respective democratic freedoms exercised according to law. Social cohesion begins with empathy.”
He continued:
A large part of the work of this commission will be to present evidence to allow a broader understanding of the scourge of antisemitism, its nature and prevalence throughout Australian society and its impact on the lives of fellow Australians.
He encouraged members of the public to make submissions to the inquiry via the commission’s website, with submissions highlighting urgent matters due by 13 March so that they may be included in the commissioner’s interim report, expected by 30 April. Other submissions would be received throughout April and May.
To avoid prejudicing criminal proceedings against the person charged with committing a terrorist act, 15 counts of murder and 40 counts of attempted murder, it would not be possible for the commission to examine all elements of the Bondi attack, he added.
Updated
Coffee cups, truck laws leave shoppers with hefty bill
Patchwork laws between states, including those that ban single-use plastics, are driving up costs for shoppers, AAP reports.
It’s a claim Australia’s peak retail body makes in a new report that argues the “regulatory fragmentation” costs households about $900m a year.
Single-use coffee cups are legal in some states but cannott be used in others, meaning retailers are spending more to comply with laws while being forced to run separate, jurisdiction-specific supply chains.
The Australian Retail Council says coffee cups are an example of the contrasting laws hurting retailers and driving up prices. The council’s chief policy officer, Glenn Fahey, said:
Right now, a truck carrying a legal load in Sydney can be forced to stop at the border and transfer that load on to a different vehicle simply to continue to Brisbane.
Delivery schedules are dictated by mismatched local rules and different council curfews … this friction ultimately ends up in the price on the shelf that every Australian pays.
Updated
Victoria premier getting advice on any potential legislation needed over former prince Andrew
Allan said she was also receiving advice on whether the Victorian parliament needed to pass legislation to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the royal line of succession. She said:
Apologies for going down this rabbit hole for a moment, but my memory when the British monarchy changed the line of succession to allow women to be the heir to the throne, my understanding was that we did need at that time to have a formal process in the Victorian parliament to enable that to take place.
So when I was listening to the news this morning and hearing the prime ministers comments [about] how he’s written to the British prime minister, it did give me pause to reflect that there may need to be a mechanism here in the Victorian parliament. I’ve got to get some advice on that.
Antisemitism commissioner Virginia Bell says building social cohesion will likely take years
The first public hearing in the royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion has taken place.
In her opening statement a short time ago, the commissioner, Virginia Bell, a former high court justice, said building social cohesion was likely to take years.
“Examining the ways in which we might strengthen social cohesion in Australia could well be the work of years, not months,” she said. The commissioner is required to deliver her final report to the governor general and state governors no later than the first anniversary of the Bondi massacre on 14 December.
“Anniversaries are important,” she said, adding that the first anniversary for those affected by the attack “is going to be a difficult time”:
One small part of coming to terms with the events of that evening will be the work of this commission. I regard the delivery of my report on or before the first anniversary as a matter of critical importance.
She said the inquiry would adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism for the proceedings.
“It provides antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews which may be expressed as a hatred towards Jews” and included antisemitism directed toward Jewish or non Jewish individuals, their property and towards Jewish community institutions and religious facilities, she said.
She added that while some examples of conduct attached to the definition were controversial, “criticism of the policies that may be pursued by the government of Israel from time to time is not of itself antisemitic”.
She said she was “interested in hearing from Jewish Australians who’ve experienced antisemitism, whether at school or at university or in the workplace or elsewhere,” and that while making a submission does not commit a person to giving evidence in public, she was confident members of the Jewish community would be willing to give evidence in public about their experiences of antisemitism.
She said that while antisemitism may be the oldest religious and ethnic prejudice, other religions and ethnicities were also subject to prejudice in Australia and that the inquiry would include religious faiths, ethnicities and cultures generally – but that the focus of this commission is tackling antisemitism.
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Allan says she will not ‘play politics’ regarding potential return of Syrian returnees into Victoria
At her press conference earlier this morning, the Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, was asked about the potential return of Australian women and their children linked to Islamic State fighters.
On Monday, her NSW counterpart, Chris Minns, said his government was expecting about a third of the group – which consists of 11 women and 23 children – to possibly return to the state if authorities in Syria allow them to leave the Roj refugee camp.
On Tuesday morning, Allan rejected suggestions the other two-thirds would be residing in Victoria. She said:
The assessment of travel applications and travel documents for Australian citizens is a matter for the commonwealth, particularly so when we are seeing these applications come from citizens who have been involved in foreign conflict … I will say our officials are engaged with commonwealth officials as is appropriate, but I’m not going to go into detail of those discussions at this stage because that would not be appropriate.
Asked why she would not provide the same level of detail as Minns, Allan replied:
I am very clear that citizens have rights, but so too do the citizens of Victoria to have their safety protected, which is why I will work through these matters appropriately, through officials, through the framework of ensuring that the community, the safety of the Victorian community, is first and foremost in the consideration of these matters.
She said she will not “play politics” with the issue.
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Breunig: tax system’s goal not to ‘punish’ older people but to assist those who need it
He said: “We all want to live in a country where old people are rich; we should incentivise people to work hard and save during their lifetime.”
He said the system had not caught up with the reality that older Australians were wealthier than they used to be.
It used to be that being old meant that you were poor and so we have a lot of money that we transfer to older people simply because they are old.
But a lot of old people aren’t poor any more, but we are still transferring money to them as if they were poor.
So this idea of old being a tag for poverty, we need to move beyond and now we need to say, let’s target that assistance to people who really need it.
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Australia on trajectory towards ‘neo-feudalism’, leading tax expert says
One of the country’s leading tax experts says the explosion in housing wealth has put us on the path towards a neo-feudal society where your prosperity depends in large part on whether your parents own land or property.
“That is the trajectory we are on,” Bob Breunig, the director of the ANU’s tax and transfer institute, said. “I don’t think we are back to pre-French Revolution times, but I am worried about that,” he told a parliamentary committee into the capital gains tax.
Breunig in May 2025 authored an influential report showing how the tax and transfer system has become more generous to older Australians over recent generation.
We often frame the equality problem as an intergenerational one, an old versus young problem, which it’s not really.
If you are young and your parents have a lot of assets, those assets will eventually come to you. So the real inequality between people in the same generation [is] those who have assets and those who don’t.
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City of Sydney moves to allow more buskers in more places
The City of Sydney is moving to allow buskers to perform in more high-traffic areas after a hearing from dozens of performers who take to the streets with song.
The updated policies, if finalised, will allow more busking in areas like Pitt Street Mall and along most of George Street in the CBD. The changes will allow for a “greater diversity of performance styles” and provide clearer guidelines for performers, businesses and the public. A community feedback form is open from now until early April.
Clover Moore, the lord mayor of Sydney, said in a statement:
Having heard loudly and clearly buskers want more space and flexibility, we flipped the script so buskers can perform wherever they want with a few exceptions we’re asking they respectfully avoid.
We’re committed to working closely with the NSW government, who manage Barangaroo, The Rocks, Circular Quay and the rail network to better align busking programs and provide a single source of information for buskers across Sydney sites.
Baghsarian has been missing for 11 days
Baghsarian has been missing since 13 February, when police said he was abducted from his home in North Ryde in a mistaken kidnapping.
Police have been searching for the man ever since, turning their attention to an abandoned and derelict property in Dural, NSW, where they believe Bagsharian was held at some point after his kidnapping.
Yesterday, police appealed for information about a grey Toyota Corolla seen in the Glenorie area, which was later found burnt out in Westmead. They have been searching bushland near Glenorie this week.
Officials said Monday “hope is fading” to find Baghsarian alive, but said they would not give up on the effort to locate him.
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NSW police find unconfirmed human remains in search for Chris Baghsarian
NSW police have located unconfirmed human remains in the ongoing search for Chris Baghsarian, the 85-year-old man mistakenly kidnapped earlier this month.
Police said in a statement:
Following extensive inquiries, about 8am today (Tuesday 24 February 2026), detectives located what is believed to be human remains near a golf club in Pitt Town.
Investigations continue. We’ll bring you more as the news comes in.
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Victoria government says new guidelines coming for endometriosis diagnosis
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has announced the government will standardise the guidelines for diagnosing endometriosis, with ultrasounds to become the “first step” in identifying the condition.
The announcement follows a Four Corners report on Monday night into allegations of unnecessary endometriosis surgeries on women. Allan said she was “sickened” by the allegations and referred them to Victoria police:
Without commenting on the specific case, let me be clear – performing unnecessary surgery is a crime, removing a woman’s organs without a clinical need is a crime, and assisting in that conduct is a crime.
She said Safer Care Victoria – the state’s health watchdog – will sit on the review ordered by Epworth “to ensure it is rigorous, transparent and focused on patient safety”.
Safer Care Victoria will also publish clinical guidelines, making it clear that a less invasive ultrasound should be the first step for diagnosing endometriosis across Victoria. Allan said an invasive laparoscopy was often being used as the first diagnostic tool, “despite growing evidence that it is not always necessary.”
She said that the government would also provide additional training to help doctors recognise and appropriately treat endometriosis. She added that she was exploring the introduction of a “pink tick” to indicate which clinicians have completed the training.
It’s extraordinary that I should even need to propose such a thing, because women’s care is core business. But I am determined to restore confidence in a system that all women rely on.
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Some parts of Victoria should prepare for heavy rain with potential for flash flooding, SES says
Severe thunderstorms, heavy rain and damaging winds are set to lash large areas of a state, with authorities urging residents to brace for dangerous conditions, AAP reports.
Communities across northern and central parts of Victoria, including Melbourne, are forecast to be affected by wild weather from Tuesday afternoon.
Heavy downpours which could trigger flash flooding are expected, with six-hour rainfall totals of 40mm to 70mm possible. Residents should remain on alert to flash flooding in the coming hours, Victoria State Emergency Service’s spokesperson, Josh Gamble, told AAP.
Flash flooding happens fast. Roads can become very dangerous very quickly. It’s deeper than it looks ... Low-lying and creekside communities [should be] on alert, particularly those that are known in those flash flood areas in and around the Melbourne areas.
A warning has also been issued for towns located within fire-affected grounds, with authorities warning that burnt land does not absorb water effectively, meaning runoff can occur quickly and without warning.
Severe Weather Warning for heavy rainfall
— VicEmergency (@vicemergency) February 23, 2026
For people in Northern Country, North Central and parts of Central, North East, West and South Gippsland and Mallee Forecast Districts.
Stay informed: https://t.co/T05ONtwAm3 pic.twitter.com/unSNP5tj5Q
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What’s the prime minister’s ‘ick’?
Anthony Albanese has revealed his “ick” is waiting in lines to be served behind slow people.
In a blitz of commercial radio appearances this morning, the prime minister was asked what irked him the most.
Telling Nova Adelaide, he said:
I guess it’s people who think that it’s okay to leave you waiting and they’re just too slow in the queue. That can be really annoying.
He joked he has security now to avoid it. The more you know, huh.
Albanese: ‘Imagine the idea of King Andrew…’
Anthony Albanese has described Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor‘s behaviour as “completely out of line” and that it’s in the interest of the royal family to cut him loose.
On another radio appearance this morning, Albanese told the Kyle and Jackie O show:
Imagine the idea of King Andrew … quite frankly, it is in the royal family’s interest to cut this guy loose, and that’s why they removed him as being a prince.
Nine records $7.3 boost after favourable Ben Roberts-Smith appeal
Nine’s publishing arm did receive a boost during the six-month period, following the end of the long-running defamation case brought by Ben Roberts-Smith.
The media company said:
During the period, publishing received a one-off net benefit of $7.3m following the favourable appeal outcome in the Ben Roberts-Smith defamation proceedings.
While the newspaper assets grew their subscription income by 12% over the six-month period, revenue for the publishing unit fell due to a sharp drop in print and digital advertising.
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Nine records revenue slump amid weak advertising market
Nine Entertainment has recorded a steep drop in revenue, as the media giant grapples with a prolonged slump in advertising and struggling free-to-air television market.
The broadcaster and publisher reported a 4% drop in half-year revenue to $1.06bn, with the sharpest declines recorded in its broadcast arm, weighed down by the Nine television network and digital arm 9Now.
Streaming service Stan recorded a strong revenue increase.
The media outlet said the overall drop in income “reflected the downturn in the economic and advertising market conditions” affecting most of the markets in which Nine operates.
The earnings at Nine’s publishing arm were more resilient, with revenue down 2%. Digital subscriber numbers grew across its mastheads The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian Financial Review.
The media company declared a 4.5 cent interim dividend. It has undergone significant recent structural changes, which included selling real estate platform Domain and talkback radio stations.
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Albanese says of former prince Andrew: Australians ‘don’t want a bar of this bloke’
Anthony Albanese says he wrote to the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, to offer Australia’s support for removing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the succession line, adding Australians “don’t want a bar of this bloke”.
Speaking to Nova Adelaide this morning, the prime minister said:
These are really serious allegations against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. The fact that we’re calling him that rather than former Prince Andrew says it all. This has been quite a fall from grace, but he still remains in the line of succession, and I think that Australians don’t want a bar of this bloke, frankly …
I believe that the UK should move first to remove him from that line of secession as our head of state, and what it would require is all 14 realm countries, that is, the countries that still have the king of England, His Majesty King Charles, as their head of state to all agree.
Read more:
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Peter Malinaukas has said that any child “in our community” should be “cared for and educated” after the NSW premier confirmed last night that if children linked to Islamic state fighters return to the state they will be provided education services.
The South Australian premier, who appeared on on ABC’s 7.30 last night, said after being asked if the state does have responsiblities towards the families currently stuck in Syria:
I think it’s a pretty basic principle that if there are young people in our community who are innocent of any particular ideological extremism by virtue of fact they’re a young child, then of course, they should be cared for and educated.
However, Malinaukas said “it’s not for me, or frankly, anybody else” to second-guess “the judgments of federal government” after being asked about the Albanese government’s stance that the women and children should remain in Syria.
[They] make decisions based on security advice that most people wouldn’t be party to.
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, said yesterday the state government had been discussing the possible return of some of the 11 women and 23 children with federal government agencies since late 2025, and a strong law enforcement response was expected.
The group tried to leave the camp last week but were blocked by Syrian government authorities.
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Minister says high-speed rail link between Sydney and Newcastle would provide major boons to NSW
Catherine King, the minister for infrastructure, spoke to the ABC earlier this morning about the government’s new commitment of $230m for planning work on a high-speed rail line between Sydney and Newcastle.
King said the project was a “a really exciting economic opportunity, not just for Newcastle and New South Wales, but really for the whole country”, saying it would be expensive, complex and time consuming but would provide a major economic benefit to the state.
At the moment, King said the project is expected to cost around $55bn, a figure that includes stations, a manufacturing facility and all the trains that would go on the line. She said government alone would not be able to fund the project, which would require some private investment and support from the state government with planning and land.
She described the line as a “positive cost-benefit” project – meaning the economic boons outweigh the initial outlay for the construction – adding the more you build, the bigger that benefit is.
Obviously, the more you build, the more that business case then continues to stack up as you start to look at building beyond Sydney, out to Melbourne eventually and potentially up to Brisbane.
We are taking the time to get the development right, make sure we understand all the costs. There’s no doubt this is an expensive and big project.
Read more here:
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A deeper look at One Nation’s big gains in latest polls
We brought you the latest Capital Brief/DemosAU federal poll results earlier this morning, showing One Nation with a primary vote of 28%, just one percentage point behind Labor on 29%.
The poll continues the bad news for the Coalition, who are in third place, with 21% primary support.
While the results include rough seat projections – suggesting One Nation could win between 23 and 54 seats to become the new opposition – it is worth taking a quick beat to consider the results.
A few things to keep in mind: the poll is the first since Angus Taylor replaced Sussan Ley as opposition leader and comes at the start of a big rebuild effort by the Liberal and National parties. Equally, One Nation are primarily a Senate-based party and has previously faced difficulty winning lower house seats.
The minor party led by Pauline Hanson is dramatically scaling up right now, including to contest the South Australian state election, but so far we don’t know if they can translate strong poll results into on-the-ground wins.
Importantly, polls are only a snapshot of public sentiment at the time they are taken. The election is likely more than two years away and we’d expect the dynamics in federal politics to change in that time.
Even with all these caveats, the poll will be closely watched in federal politics and will be widely discussed in Parliament House today.
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Maxi Shield, RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under star and Sydney icon, dead at 51
Maxi Shield, a veteran of the RuPaul’s Drag Race franchise and a longtime performer in the Sydney queer community, has died at the age of 51.
Shield, whose name off-stage was Kristopher Elliot, was diagnosed with throat cancer last year. The drag queen was due to host a slate of events in the lead up to Sydney’s gay and lesbian Mardi Gras on Saturday.
World of Wonder, the production company behind RuPaul’s Drag Race, wrote on social media:
We are heartbroken to announce the passing of Kristopher Elliot AKA Maxi Shield. A part of our Down Under legacy, her electrifying presence on and off the stage will inspire us forever, and our deepest condolences go out to her friends and family.
Michelle Visage, a longtime judge on the show, wrote her own tribute:
I loved this queen. A glorious human on the inside and out. Your love, heart, talent and energy will be missed…. @maxishield rest in power, my angel, you were truly one of a kind.
Royal commission on antisemitism to begin today in Sydney
The royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion will begin in Sydney today.
The commissioner and former high court justice, Virginia Bell, is expected to make a short opening statement outlining her approach to the inquiry this morning.
Senior counsel assisting, Richard Lancaster, will also make a short opening statement, the commission said via its website.
The inquiry comes two months on from the Bondi beach terror attack, in which 15 members of the Jewish community were shot and killed during a festival celebrating Hanukah. 40 others were injured.
An interim report on the inquiry’s findings is due by April, with a final report due by the end of the year.
Albanese plans to write to other commonwealth nations about decision on former prince Andrew
Back to Mountbatten-Windsor, Albanese said he plans to write to the other commonwealth countries to inform them of Australia’s position. He said Australia was first in writing to Starmer, telling RN:
We have initiated it. Australia likes being first, and we have made sure that everyone knows what our position is. And we’ll be writing today to the other realm countries as well, informing them of our position.
Albanese added the government has no plans to hold a referendum on becoming a republic, although he hasn’t changed his own opinion.
“I’m a republican. His Majesty King Charles is very aware of that as well.”
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Albanese adds a new high-speed rail line would unlock housing, create thousands of jobs and add billions in new economic activity along the Sydney to Newcastle corridorr.
“It would be a game-changer for economic growth and productivity,” he told RN.
Read more here:
PM sympathises with children stuck in Syria, but lays blame for their situation on parents
Albanese is also speaking about the group of women and children linked to Islamic State fighters who remain in Syria.
The prime minister is maintaining that the government “is not and will not repatriate” the group of Australian citizens, but when asked if their return to the country was inevitable, he said:
They will have decisions to make. And for those people who potentially are facing charges, should they return to Australia, they’ll be considering that issue as well. But we are not repatriating them.
Australian citizens do have rights, of course, and we’ve said that as well. But if any do return, it won’t be with Australian government support.
Albanese said he sympathises with the children who are in Syria, but said they had been “put in that position by their parents”.
That is something that the Australian government didn’t do. We, of course, had very clear warnings. …
They made that decision. There are consequences for it. And those consequences are that the Australian government’s position is that we are not going to provide support for them to be repatriated, and that if they do return, then they will face the full consequences of their action to the full force of the law.
PM says Australia ‘volunteered’ support to remove former prince Andrew from line of succession
Prime minister Anthony Albanese said he had spoken to his UK counterpart, Keir Starmer, and said he would support former prince Andrew being removed from the line of succession.
Albanese was asked on RN Breakfast directly if he believes Mountbatten-Windsor should be removed from the line of succession. The prime minister said:
I certainly do. And I think that Australians will as well. These are very serious allegations. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor will face the full force of the law.
I’ve written to prime minister Keir Starmer and I’ve engaged with him as well directly overnight to confirm that my government would agree to any proposal to remove him from the line of royal commitment secession.
Albanese said he wasn’t asked to provide his position to the UK, but had “volunteered” it. He said of his conversation with Starmer:
We engaged, and he thanked me for our position.
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Good morning, Nick Visser here to take things over. Let’s dive in to the morning’s news.
Peter Malinauskas says economic inequality driving One Nation support
The South Australian premier, Peter Malinauskas, has said he thinks economic inequality rather than racism is the main driver attracting voters towards the One Nation party.
Malinauskas appeared on the ABC’s 7.30 program on Monday evening, where he was asked about polling in South Australia showing that the party is no longer considered a fringe option. Despite One Nation experiencing a surge, polling has consistently shown Labor is headed for a collosal win ahead of the election next month.
Malinauskas said the most “profound” issue attracting interest in One Nation is the housing shortage. He said:
“There are legitimate grievances. I think much of them arrive from a sense of economic inequality, a sense of economic opportunity being at risk for future generations, and genuine concerns about that, which is why the best thing parties of government can do, and obviously I count Labor as one of those, is to focus on the policy that will make a difference and seek to prosecute the argument for those policies.”
He was also asked if he thinks “there is racism against Muslims in Australia” that One Nation leader Pauline Hanson is “successfully tapping into”.
He said: “While there might be people on the fringes who share a different view, the vast majority of Australians don’t share those views.”
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Southern Austereo boss goes after two months
Jeff Howard has stepped down as chief executive of the merged Seven West Media and Southern Cross entity Southern Austereo after only two months in the job.
Howard was appointed boss the new company but has gone just before new financial results are published.
A statement said he would step down “effective immediately”.
Heath Mackay-Cruise became chairman on Friday after Seven’s founder, Kerry Stokes, finished up in his role of interim chair of the merged entity.
In a statement, Mackay-Cruise said:
On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Jeff for his efforts across the period of transition, with the successful implementation of the scheme of arrangement [for the merger] and creation of a market-leading, multi-platform media company now complete.
The board is confident in our team’s capability to apply the financial discipline and industry leading expertise to drive scale and performance for Southern Cross Media Group going forward.
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Canadian prime minister Mark Carney to visit Australia next month
Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, will visit Australia early next month and make a major address to federal parliament.
Anthony Albanese confirmed Carney’s visit – locked in for 3-6 March – would include talks about closer economic and security cooperation.
Carney will visit Sydney and Canberra during the visit.
While in Australia, he will discuss cooperation on investment, economic security, critical minerals and defence. Stronger links between key institutions in Canada and Australia will also be on the agenda.
“Canada is one of Australia’s closest friends, built on generations of trust, with a shared commitment to supporting stability across the Indo-Pacific and beyond,” Albanese said.
“As our countries face new challenges and opportunities, we must deepen our cooperation with partners to promote our national interests.
“I look forward to discussing ways to build on our existing cooperation with Canada to shape the next stage of this key relationship.”
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Poll shows One Nation surge
The latest Capital Brief/DemosAU federal poll shows One Nation’s continued surge in support.
The poll of 1,551 respondents was conducted between 16 February and 20 – days after Angus Taylor replaced Sussan Ley as leader of the opposition.
But there was no noticeable immediate impact from the change: the numbers show Labor on 29% (down 1% from January), One Nation on 28% (up 4%) and the Coalition on 21% (unchanged). The Greens and “others” were down.
Anthony Albanese leads on the preferred prime minister leaderboard on 37% (down 2) followed by Pauline Hanson on 25% (down 1) and Taylor on 19% (up 3 on Ley’s final poll).
But Albanese has a net positive rating of -17%, with 29% of voters having a positive view of the PM, compared with 46% who had a negative view. Hanson’s rating is -1% (37% positive, 38% negative) and Taylor’s is -4% (24% positive, 28% negative). Ley’s last approval rating was -18%.
DemosAU made a (very rough) seat projection based on the data and reckons it amounts to a strong Labor majority, and an absolute rout for the Coalition, who at best would score 20 seats: possibly as few as nine. One Nation would be the new opposition with 43-54 seats, up against Labor’s 76-85.
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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 it will be Nick Visser with the main action.
Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, will travel to Australia early next month as part of a broader Asia-Pacific tour aimed at diversifying trade links amid ongoing tariff turbulence from the US Trump administration. More in a moment.
The first public hearing of the royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion will start today with commissioner and former high court judge Virginia Bell to reveal how she will approach the inquiry. More coming up.
And a new federal poll has One Nation just one point behind Labor and seven points ahead of the Coalition, in more evidence that the party has hit an electoral purple patch.
