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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Caitlin Cassidy and Emily Wind (earlier)

Opposition refers minister to Ibac – as it happened

Matildas Jim Chalmers Peter Dutton Linda Scott Australia Anne Ruston Anthony Albanese Warren Mundine Coalition World Cup
Lily D’Ambrosio says no adverse findings had been made against her in the Victorian Labor party’s internal branch-stacking probe.
Lily D’Ambrosio says no adverse findings had been made against her in the Victorian Labor party’s internal branch-stacking probe. Photograph: Diego Fedele/AAP

What we learned today, Tuesday 15 August

With that, we will wrap up the blog for the evening. You can follow all the World Cup semi-final action at our dedicated live blog here.

In the world of Australian news, though, here were today’s major developments:

Updated

SA premier opts for female sport funding over public holiday if Matildas win

The public holiday debate continues (I cannot stress how much I hate this from a jinx perspective as a Matildas fan).

South Australia’s premier, Peter Malinauskas, says the $18m required for a public holiday will instead be placed into funding for female grassroots sport, if it is to be called.

Again, we have not won the final, this is all hypothetical.

Malinauskas says:

Who wouldn’t want a day off? But as a state government we have to look at what is going to have the longest lasting impact, the longest lasting legacy.

A public holiday would be a once off, it would come and go.

Updated

Riverstage to join other Brisbane screening sites for Matildas semi-final

Queenslanders! The state government and local council has opened Riverstage in Brisbane as a screening site for the Matildas’ semi-final match tomorrow evening.

Up to 9,000 Queenslanders will be able to watch the game at the venue, with doors opening to the public from 5pm. No tickets are required.

Wednesday’s match will also be screened at the South Bank Fifa Fan Festival and King George Square in Brisbane’s CBD.

The acting premier, Steven Miles, said:

The Matildas have captured the hearts of Australia and I know all of Queensland is behind them as they head into Wednesday’s semi-final.

The Fifa Fan Festival site at South Bank in Brisbane
The Fifa Fan Festival site at South Bank is likely to be packed for the Matildas’ semi-final match tomorrow. Photograph: Kin-Wai Yuen/Sipa/Shutterstock

Updated

National cabinet set to focus on boosting housing supply and rent rise rules

The gang is back together and they’re ready to hold important discussions about the future of Australia’s housing market!

What is national cabinet, I hear you ask?

It’s a forum for the prime minister, premiers and chief ministers to catch up and have a discussion about their jurisdictions. You might remember its origins in March 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic.

Paul Karp and Amy Remeikis have broken down what we can expect (which may also include whether or not we’ll get a public holiday for the Tillies):

Updated

Law Institute welcomes Victoria’s bail law changes but says they don’t go far enough

The Law Institute of Victoria (LIV) has welcomed proposed changes to the state’s bail laws, introduced to parliament on Tuesday, but says they don’t go far enough to create meaningful change.

The LIV president, Tania Wolff, said in a statement:

We are pleased to see substantial changes announced in relation to children which we hope will result in fewer vulnerable children having their lives destroyed by custodial incarceration. We also welcome the proposed repeal of bail offences that have shunted often low-level offenders into situations where they, rather than the prosecution, are burdened with the onus of proving why they should be granted bail at very high thresholds. However, we would like to see the government go further.

The Andrews government has been under pressure to reform the state’s bail laws following the damning coronial findings into the death of First Nations woman Veronica Nelson, who died in prison in 2020 after being arrested for shoplifting offences.

Veronica Nelson’s mother Aunty Donna Nelson speaks to media outside the coroners court in January
The Law Institute has urged the government to adopt Poccum’s law, as recommended by Veronica Nelson’s partner Uncle Percy Lovett and mother Aunty Donna Nelson (pictured). Photograph: Diego Fedele/AAP

The changes announced on Tuesday don’t go as far as Nelson’s partner, Uncle Percy Lovett, and mother, Aunty Donna Nelson, had called for earlier this year.

The duo in March urged the government to remove the presumption against bail for all offences and requested reforms be named Poccum’s law in Veronica’s honour.

Wolff urged the government to adopt Poccum’s law:

Poccum’s Law is a clear blueprint to reform Victoria’s bail laws and we urge members of parliament to consider this as they take an important step in fixing our state’s criminal justice laws.

She said the LIV also supports the call by the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service for a statutory review of the bill 12 months after it is enacted, to identify if it is having a positive impact.

Updated

Victorian opposition refers Labor minister to Ibac over alleged links to branch-stacking

Victoria’s opposition has referred allegations that a Labor branch linked to the energy minister, Lily D’Ambrosio, engaged in branch-staking to the anti-corruption watchdog.

D’Ambrosio has denied wrongdoing following reports alleging a branch of the Labor party linked to her forged the signatures of dead people.

The opposition leader, John Pesutto, on Tuesday wrote to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission requesting it investigate whether D’Ambrosio engaged in “corrupt conduct”.

The Australian on Tuesday reported that less than 10% of members at D’Ambrosio’s party branch were still registered following the party’s internal branch-stacking probe.

The allegations of widespread branch-stacking within the Labor party, first reported by the Age in 2020, resulted in a federal takeover of the party and the sacking of Labor right powerbroker Adem Somyurek.

The premier, Daniel Andrews, on Tuesday said he was sorry if anyone from the Labor party had caused offence to the families of deceased Victorians the Australian reported were allegedly signed up to the branch.

Updated

Today marks the second anniversary of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

Human Rights Watch’s Afghanistan researcher, Fereshta Abbasi, has this to say:

People in Afghanistan are living a humanitarian and human rights nightmare under Taliban rule. Governments engaging with the Taliban should press them to urgently reverse course and restore all Afghans’ fundamental rights, while providing vital assistance to the Afghan population.

The Taliban’s misogynist policies show a complete disregard for women’s basic rights. Their policies and restrictions not only harm Afghan women who are activists and rights defenders, but ordinary women seeking to live a normal life.

I would highly recommend this harrowing read from Shadi Khan Saif here:

Updated

Meanwhile, the prime minister is having a pretty chill day.

He started the day patting a dog in Melbourne, then professed his love for meerkats before finishing off with a strawberry sundae at the Ekka in Brisbane.

Updated

Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences backs the voice

The Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences has become the latest organisation to express its public support for a voice to parliament, following Qantas yesterday.

In a statement posted this afternoon, it said a voice to parliament was a “reasonable and modest request” that would provide First Nations people with a body to make representations on matters of significance to them.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples experience a greater burden of disease than non-Indigenous individuals. These health inequities stem from social, cultural, environmental and historic determinants and lead to lower life expectancy among these communities.

In all our work, the Academy is guided by evidence-based best practice. In healthcare, as well as other areas, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have better outcomes when they are able to participate actively in decision making.

Updated

Welfare debts miscalculated due to incorrect understanding of law, ombudsman says

The commonwealth ombudsman, Iain Anderson, has appeared at a Senate committee to discuss his report finding that Services Australia and the Department of Social Services had an incorrect understanding of social security law, resulting in “unlawfully apportioning” welfare recipients’ income.

Anderson noted that DSS received its first draft advice about the problem in March 2021, but it wasn’t until 2022 that it finally concluded the practice was not lawful.

He said there was a “significant” difference of opinion about what should happen now with civil penalties and criminal prosecutions that had occurred on the basis of an incorrectly calculated debt, due to differences about whether the quantum of debts was “material” or not.

On Saturday Guardian Australia reported prosecutors have paused 32 criminal cases and are investigating possible wrongful convictions.

Anderson said:

When you’re talking about people who are disadvantaged to start with – and that’s typically people who are reliant on benefits and entitlements – even if they’ve had money withheld as a result of the perceived overpayments and debts, that would have had significant detrimental effects.

Anderson said the second phase of the inquiry into agencies’ handling of the problem is likely to conclude this year.

Updated

Australia thanks Indonesian authorities who led search for surfers

The foreign minister, Penny Wong, has expressed her gratitude to Indonesian authorities after the news four Australians missing on a surfing trip have been found safe.

The search continues for a crew member who is still missing. Our thoughts are with them and their loved ones.

Read all about the rescue mission here:

Updated

Opposition leader voices concern over additional Qatar Airways flights being blocked

In his interview with 3AW today, Peter Dutton also said he was concerned by the federal government’s decision to block an application by Qatar Airways for additional flights to Australia.

The opposition leader said:

It does [concern me], because I think the inbound tourism numbers that would be achieved by those additional flights would be significant.

The interviewer, Neil Mitchell, asked whether human rights records should be taken into account when doing business internationally, prompting Dutton to say:

Well, we’ve got to have a balance in terms of what is in our country’s best interests, and that includes how we can help the tourism sector. There are plenty of countries that we trade with, that we deal with, that we sell arms to, that we wouldn’t be 100% happy with their record and Qatar has issues, as UAE does more generally, as Saudi Arabia does, as Israel might...

Mitchell mentioned China, and Dutton continued:

...the United States, China has significant human rights issues, as we know. But I think it was a poor decision, it hasn’t been explained, and I think at the moment Australians are paying through the nose for flights to Europe and to the Americas, and I think that extra competition would actually be of benefit domestically for outbound tourism as much as it would be for inbound.

Updated

Labor says proposed housing fund key to resolving housing crisis

The assistant minister to the prime minister, Patrick Gorman, appeared on ABC Afternoon Briefing earlier ahead of tomorrow’s national cabinet meeting in Brisbane.

Asked what expectations Australians should take about some alleviation on housing pressures, he pointed to blocking in the Senate of Labor’s housing policy – the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF).

As long as the Senate continues to choose to be blockers, not builders, we need to make sure that we look at other options … but I can’t pre-empt the policy outcomes of that meeting … it’s leaders having discussions in the room, trying to forge smart agreements on how we get things done.

Turning to the upcoming Labor conference, Gorman also reiterated the government’s commitment to the stage three tax cuts following some disagreement within the party.

The government’s policy on the stage three tax cuts hasn’t changed. We have been clear about the policy we took to the election and stand by that. But I’m really relaxed about having those conversations with delegates, people putting forward views.

assistant minister to the prime minister, Patrick Gorman
The assistant minister to the prime minister, Patrick Gorman, has said Labor has no intention of a policy shift on the stage three tax cuts. Photograph: Matt Jelonek/Getty Images

Updated

‘Severe and compounding lack’ of affordable housing for low-income Australians

Australia isn’t lacking in actual homes but there is a “severe and compounding lack” of affordable and social housing for people on lower incomes, a Per Capita report has found.

Analysis from the thinktank’s Centre for Equitable Housing, released today, diverges a bit from the general consensus on the rental crisis, arguing “there is no evidence of a rental price crisis at the market median” – that is, despite many individuals suffering very high and unpredictable rent increases, middle and higher income earners are more or less paying what they have always paid, proportionate to their income, in the aggregate.

On the other hand, the report argues, it’s “undeniable” that “there is a genuine crisis for low-income households in Australia’s rental market, one that has been brewing for over 20 years”:

While the average proportion of income paid as rent by middle-income households is around 30%, the definition by which that threshold denotes rental stress applies only to households in the bottom 40% of income distribution: and they are paying more than half of their income just to put a roof over their heads.

The report targets the tax concessions for property investors as a key source of the problem, which encourages speculation on property by “ordinary income earners” in pursuit of short-term capital gain.

The paper also puts forward an argument against a rent freeze, saying it would be a “poor response to the real challenges facing Australia’s housing system”, in particular by reducing the supply of more affordable housing “as investors shift to higher-yield property development and withdraw more affordable properties from the market altogether”.

The Centre for Equitable Housing’s director, Matt Lloyd-Cape, said in a statement:

Some form of rent stabilisation is feasible in Australia, and may reduce the prevalence of rent spikes and tenant insecurity, but any policy interventions must be carefully designed for the conditions of the local market in order to ensure that adverse consequences, most likely to hit those already in housing stress, are avoided.

Per Capita is calling for change to the tax concessions system, improved rights for renters, reform of the current system of commonwealth rent assistance, and a long-term commitment to public and community housing by all levels of government.

Updated

Yes and no voice campaign pamphlets have been printed

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has finished printing pamphlets for the yes and no campaigns for the upcoming referendum.

They will begin to arrive in mailboxes this month.

The Australian Electoral Commissioner, Tom Rogers, picked the last copy off the presses yesterday.

We’ve produced nearly 13 million copies that will be distributed as unaddressed mail to households across the country – this will include residents at places like caravan parks and nursing homes, and to have stock on hand at AEC offices and polling venues.

This is one of the nation’s, and the AEC’s, largest printing and distribution jobs so it’ll take time for all deliveries to occur – delivery is getting underway shortly and will be completed by mid-late September.

The delivery of the pamphlet will occur in written English copies only. It’s currently being translated into 35 languages and a range of First Nations languages and accessible formats which will be uploaded periodically.

Updated

‘We want more investors in the market’: Dutton against rent freezes

Dutton says if Labor backs calls from the Greens camp for a rent freeze then investors will turn away from the market.

We want more investors in the market. We want more homes being constructed, we want more supply coming online, not just for renters but first home buyers and others in the market place.

He points to a migration program of around 1.5 million people over five years, which he says will further exacerbate demand for housing.

I just don’t know where, physically, they’re going to live. Australians are already finding it hard to rent a property, buy a property … there’s no silver bullet here.

If you’re a landlord at the moment and you’ve got a mortgage on your property and the rates go up, your insurance bill is double, you’re paying more for repairs … the landlord has to pay all those bills.

The Liberal party is opposed to Labor’s $10bn housing package.

Our reporter, Cait Kelly, has a great read on renters and the impact of increasingly expensive housing on essential workers:

Updated

Dutton suggests investing money into sport club houses instead of public holiday

Dutton says small businesses are “struggling to pay overheads and increasing electricity costs” and a one-off public holiday would cost the economy around $2bn.

He says a more “sensible” payment of money to note the success of the Matildas would be investing money into the upgrading of club houses, a “lasting legacy” over decades. He also points to the success of the Diamonds, the Ashes and “many other codes”.

He’s asked Labor to match the proposal.

The reality is many of these clubs will have to do these clubs anyway and pass on the costs either through extra fees … or a levy. There’s a cost of living pressure relief here.

Again, we haven’t won the World Cup yet.

Updated

Peter Dutton rejects public holiday for Matildas’ win at World Cup

The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, is speaking now in Sydney, ahead of a national cabinet meeting in Brisbane tomorrow in which housing will be on the agenda.

Dutton touted $250m in funding to sporting clubs if the Coalition wins the next election and rejected the idea of a public holiday if the Matildas win the World Cup.

Note to Australia – please stop jinxing this.

Updated

Government says road death data is ‘devastating’

The federal government has responded to the grim data on road deaths released today, labelling the findings both “devastating” and “disappointing”.

The results showed a higher than average number of road deaths for July, amid targets to halve road deaths by 2030.

The assistant minister for infrastructure and transport, Carol Brown, said quality and timely data was “essential” to improving road safety, pointing to a working group cataloguing Australia’s current road safety data holdings.

Our government is … working with all state and territory governments to ensure a consistent and privacy-protected road safety data set.

The government looks forward to continuing to deliver on this framework, and our range of other road safety commitments, to help save lives and reduce road trauma in Australia.

This includes the $43.6 million new National Road Safety Actions Grants Program, which will support projects targeting a number of critical road safety focus areas such as research and data.

Updated

Deaths on Australian roads increase by 8%

Australia’s road toll climbed by more than 8% in the past 12 months despite government commitments to half deaths by 2030, new data shows.

The Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics data, released today, found in the year to 31 July, 1,234 people died on Australian roads, 96 more deaths than the previous reporting period.

Road deaths rose by more than 20% in NSW and South Australia, with Australia’s five largest states each recording increases. The Northern Territory and Tasmania recorded the largest decreases, of -47.7% and -28.6% respectively.

A highway road sign saying 'community area, reduce speed' at dusk
Road deaths in the NT decreased in the last 12 months: Roper Highway outside Mataranka in the NT. Photograph: Blake Sharp-Wiggins/The Guardian

Cyclist deaths rose by 24.3% over the same period, followed by pedestrian deaths (17.5%) and motorcyclist deaths (11.3%).

The Australian Automobile Association managing director, Michael Bradley, said it was “unacceptable” most targets were unable to be calculated or reported, let alone met. National injuries are yet to be reported despite continued promises from governments.

Australians deserve transparency regarding where their tax dollars are spent, and they deserve an evidence-based response to a problem that’s killing 100 people every month.

Road safety is an issue of political integrity for governments, and the days of politicians being allowed to choose where dollars go free of scrutiny and accountability need to end.

Updated

Australia stays on El Niño alert

The Bureau of Meteorology has left Australia on El Niño alert, saying the climate pattern has still not locked into place over the equatorial Pacific.

In an update just published, the Bureau says sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific have warmed beyond the threshold for El Niño, but “atmospheric indicators suggest the Pacific Ocean and atmosphere are not yet consistently reinforcing each other, as occurs during El Niño events.”

The U.S National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has already declared an El Niño is already in place, as has the UN’s World Meteorological Organization.

The Bureau said this afternoon that El Niño is associated with “higher than average pressure over Australia and lower than average pressure over Tahiti.” While there had been high pressure over Australia, Tahiti was close to normal.

The Bureau has said it expects a warmer and drier start to the summer, and has warned that heatwaves are expected.

Another climate pattern – known as the Indian Ocean Dipole – is also expected to develop into its positive phase in early spring.

This can suppress winter and spring rainfall over much of central and south-east Australia, the Bureau said, “and if combined with El Niño, the drying effect is typically stronger and more widespread across Australia.”

The bureau’s long term outlook for Australia, regardless of an El Niño, says September to November will likely see above average temperatures for most of the country. Rainfall will likely be below average much of the eastern half of Australia and southern Western Australia.

Updated

Plagiarism case lodged against University of Queensland

A federal court case has been filed against the University of Queensland for alleged plagiarism.

The application was lodged with the Australian federal court in Brisbane on Friday, after corporate sponsorship industry strategist, Kim Skildum-Reid alleged she had identified sections in instruction materials for two courses offered by the university that she had authored.

I was doing a routine search for copyright breaches on [an] academic file-sharing site … and stumbled upon a couple of slide decks from UQ that were full of obvious plagiarism of my work.

Further investigation found 20 presentations with alleged plagiarism, across two courses delivered between 2019 and 2022. They potentially indicate only a fraction of the number of slide decks that would have been used to present the courses.

Skildum-Reid said her greatest concern over the alleged plagiarism, which included powerpoint slides and teaching materials, was the potential impact on students.

They’ve paid a lot of money to be taught useful information and skills, by expert instructors. What they’re getting is extremely out of date.

The application lodged to court requests copies of all the teaching materials for the courses since 2017, the names of creators and an accounting of funds received for the courses.

A Brisbane IP lawyer, Matthew Sulman, said over 25 years in IP law he hadn’t encountered a case of alleged plagiarism at a major university that appeared to be “so blatant”.

The university said it took claims of plagiarism seriously and was willing to investigate the claims.

The university denies that there has been any copyright infringement and intends to defend this claim in court.

Updated

Victorian MP Lily D’Ambrosio denies wrongdoing over signature forgery allegations

Victorian government frontbencher Lily D’Ambrosio has denied wrongdoing following reports alleging a branch of the Labor party linked to her forged the signatures of dead people.

The Australian on Tuesday reported that less than 10% of members at D’Ambrosio’s party branch were still registered following the party’s internal branch-stacking probe.

The allegations of widespread branch-stacking within the Labor party, first reported by the Age in 2020, resulted in a federal takeover of the party and the sacking of Labor right powerbroker Adem Somyurek.

Speaking to reporters, D’Ambrosio said she rejected any wrongdoing, saying no adverse findings had been made in the internal probe:

No findings were made by the same review into these matters.

I’ve always acted with honesty and integrity when it comes to being a member of parliament.

The premier, Daniel Andrews, on Tuesday stood by his factional ally and said the allegations were a matter for the party.

Updated

Looks like Tony Gustavsson is a fan of Jaws!

Why thank you, Emily Wind! I’ll be with you for the rest of the afternoon, getting increasingly panicked about a football game at 8pm tomorrow night.

Updated

Thanks for joining me on the blog this morning. I’ll hand you over to the lovely Caitlin Cassidy who will see you through to the evening!

ABS discrimination case brought by LGBTQI+ community resolved at human rights commission

The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has welcomed the resolution of a discrimination case brought against the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) over the 2021 census.

As we reported earlier, the ABS issued a statement of regret yesterday and has said it will work with the LGBTQI+ community on the 2026 census, following the resolution of a complaint made to the AHRC over the 2021 census.

The ABS acknowledged any hurt and distress caused when the 2021 census didn’t properly count LGBTQI+ people in 2021 and said it has shortlisted sexual orientation, gender identity and variations of sex characteristics for potential inclusion in the 2026 census.

The AHRC president, Prof Rosalind Croucher, said it was a “fantastic result”:

Not only does it help ensure that every person in this country is rightfully seen and counted, but it also showcases how the commission’s conciliation process can provide affordable access to justice and affect meaningful, systemic change.

Updated

China cuts a key interest rate in a bid to spur sagging economy

The People’s Bank of China (aka its central bank) has cut a key interest rate by the most since 2020 in a bid to rekindle growth in the world’s second-biggest economy.

The move, described as unexpected by Bloomberg News, shaved the borrowing rate for one-year loans by 15 basis points to 2.50%. A survey of 15 analysts had found all but one expected the rate to remain unchanged.

China’s economy was forecast to provide about one-third of the world’s economic growth this year but recent data – including deflation – pointed to a dimming outlook. Falling property prices have contributed to glum consumers opting to hold back spending.

The rate cut affected about 401bn yuan ($A90bn) in loans, Reuters reported.

A woman in a store squats next to an orange cat while looking at her phone
The central Chinese bank has cut a key interest rate in an effort to encourage growth in China’s economy. Photograph: Ng Han Guan/AP

China’s performance is considered by Reserve Bank of Australia as one of the risks facing Australia’s economy.

The Middle Kingdom is the world’s largest buyer of most commodities and so weakness there reduces demand for many of Australia’s exports. On the other hand, a weak China will probably help bring down global inflation faster.

Anyway, China’s rate cuts (including for some short-term loans) have helped buoy the Australian dollar, sending it back above the 65 US cent mark. That rebound overwhelmed a modest dip for the Aussie currency in the wake of slightly weaker-than-expected wages growth figures for Australia (see earlier blog posts).

Updated

NSW premier dismisses calls for capped rent increases

The NSW premier, Chris Minns, has dismissed the Greens’ proposal to cap rent increases ahead of a national cabinet meeting that is expected to be dominated by debate over housing.

At their meeting in Brisbane on Wednesday, the state and territory leaders and the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, will consider a proposal from the commonwealth to limit rent increases to once a year and ban no-fault evictions in all states and territories.

The national cabinet meeting comes as the Greens and Labor continue to lock horns over the federal government’s Housing Australia Future Fund, a $10bn investment vehicle that the government says would raise funds for social and affordable housing projects.

The legislation has been stalled in the senate for months, as the Greens use their balance of power position to demand action for renters including rent controls.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Minns said:

The demands from the Greens in the senate for a rent cap won’t work.

We’ve had a 20% increase in rents in NSW in the last 12 months. If I announce next Sunday that we’re bringing in a rent cap in NSW, over the next week, everyone who hasn’t already raised their rent will do it immediately.

And when you’ve had a double digit increase in the last 12 months, that’s the last thing we need.

And this is fundamentally a question of supply and demand.

We need more houses and apartments, we need more units. A lot of that’s in relation to zoning. That’s why we’re working around the clock to try and fix this.

Updated

Football legend says Matildas can win Women’s World Cup

The Matildas can emulate the famous United States team of 1999 and win the Women’s World Cup on home soil, football icon Brandi Chastain says.

Chastain, who scored the winning penalty against China in the final at the Rose Bowl then famously whipped her shirt off and dropped to her knees in celebration, is backing the Matildas to make sporting history. She told ESPN’s The Far Post podcast:

I do believe they can go all the way.

Brandi Chastain kneeling to celebrate with her football jersey in her right hand
Brandi Chastain after kicking the game-winning overtime penalty shootout goal against China during the Women's World Cup in 1999. Photograph: Lacy Atkins/AP

Chastain said the Matildas are like the US national teams for which she played - going into games high on confidence:

I believe, right now, Australia kind of has the advantage over England.

Even though (England) are European champions, what has been happening during this World Cup has given Australia the edge and not in the scary way but in the comforting way.

As a tournament that has captured Australia’s imagination reaches its pointy end, Chastain found it hard not to reminisce:

Honestly, whether they win the whole thing or not, they’ve already changed people’s perspectives and their minds and the future.

- AAP

Updated

Victorian MP Will Fowles removed from electoral committee following alleged incident

The Victorian government has successfully moved a motion to remove the Ringwood MP, Will Fowles, from the powerful electoral matters committee after he resigned from the parliamentary party following an alleged incident.

Earlier this month, Premier Daniel Andrews’ office referred Fowles to police after receiving information from a government employee about an alleged serious assault involving the Ringwood MP.

Andrews sought and received Fowles’ resignation from the parliamentary Labor party though the MP has denied wrongdoing. Fowles said at the time:

I was shocked and distressed to learn that an allegation of assault has been made against me. The details of the claim have not been put to me. I strenuously deny any allegation of assault. It is not true. There was no assault.

No formal police complaint has been made or further investigation launched.

On Tuesday, the government successfully moved a motion to replace Fowles as chair of the committee with a first term MP, Luba Grigorovitch. The motion passed the lower house unopposed.

Arriving at Spring Street on Tuesday, the president of Victoria’s upper house, Shaun Leane, confirmed a parliamentary investigation into the alleged incident was not possible as it did not occur in the precinct.

Fowles responded on Facebook:

I was astonished to read reports this morning that the President of the Legislative Council has had details of the supposed allegation shared with him. Those details have still not been shared with me.

Updated

Reports emerging that Indonesian crew members found alive

An update on the three missing Indonesian crew members:

9News is reporting that two of the local crew members have been located.

Meanwhile, a member of the search and rescue squad told the ABC that all four Australians and the three Indonesian crew members had survived:

We are heading to Palambak Island now where one man paddling with [a] surfboard is … we can’t say 100% until we see them physically. Phone signal is on and off.

We are working to confirm these reports independently and will bring you the latest as soon as we know more.

Updated

Insecticide dimethoeate suspended from use by Australian pesticide regulator after review

It looks like the Albanese government’s edict to the pesticides regulator to speed up its reviews is already having an effect.

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has moved to suspend the use of the insecticide dimethoeate as a post-harvest dip after detecting levels exceeding the maximum residue limit (MRL) in avocados and mangoes.

The APVMA said the MRL exceedance detected in these fruits “is likely due to the use of dimethoate in accordance with the approved instructions for use as a post-harvest dip” and not through misuse, which is why it has moved to suspend this usage.

Avocadoes hanging ripe on a tree
The insecticide dimethoeate has been suspended from use on avocado and mango crops by APVMA. Photograph: jodie777/Getty Images/iStockphoto

However, it said it did not consider the exceeded levels posed a health risk and it was banning the use “as a precautionary measure.”

Dimethoate has been under review in Australia since 1995 as one of several “priority chemicals”. It was briefly banned in 2011, but following pushback from farmers, it was reinstated.

It has been banned in the EU for use in agriculture since 2019. In Australia it is banned for domestic use. The new ruling means it can still be used as a spray on fruit trees, but cannot be used as a dip for fruits that have non edible skins.

As the Guardian revealed in its investigation last year, Australia allows the use of over 200 chemicals that have been banned or not renewed in the EU. Many of the reviews of pesticides have taken more than two decades.

Last month the chief executive and the chair of the APVMA resigned after a review by Clayton Utz found serious cultural problems within the organisation. It was also highly critical of the time the regulator was taking to complete reviews of pesticides.

Updated

Ticket scam warning ahead of Matildas semi-final match

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has warned Matildas fans to be wary of scammers ahead of Wednesday night’s Fifa Women’s World Cup semi-final match.

The national anti-scam centre has issued the warning, after receiving reports of scams targeting Matildas fans on social media.

This has included fraudulent ticket sales and fake livestream links to matches. ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe said:

Understandably, Australians are inspired by the phenomenal success of the Matildas, but fans should be very careful when last-minute ticket shopping for hugely popular events such as the World Cup finals.

We are already seeing initial reports of scam activity, particularly on Facebook, where scammers are responding to posts from people looking for tickets and using compromised accounts to sell non-existent tickets.

There have also been reports of scammers claiming there is a problem with the payment and asking for it to be made again.

Updated

Rally outside NSW education minister’s office tomorrow to call for teacher wage rises

Teachers from Sydney’s west will rally outside NSW education minister Prue Car’s office tomorrow afternoon as calls grow for the state government to commit to significant wage rises for employees.

It follows a public breakdown in communication between the two parties and threats from the state’s education union for protected industrial action.

NSW education minister, Prue Car speaks to media
The NSW education minister, Prue Car, has been criticised for the breakdown in communication with the teachers’ union. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

In the state electorate of Londonderry there are 21 full time teacher vacancies. A parliamentary question on notice in July revealed there are 1,820 vacancies across the state.

The NSW Teachers Federation has claimed the state government struck, then backed out of a 12 month agreement to lift wages to make teachers the best paid in Australia. Car offered an amended agreement in early August of a three year clause capping wages at 2.5% per year.

The union says stagnating wages are to blame for the state’s teacher shortages.

Updated

Wage growth matching inflation ‘very welcome outcome’: Chalmers

The federal treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has addressed the media following the news wage growth is rising as fast as inflation, at 0.8% in the June quarter or about the same as consumer prices.

He said it was “welcome news” amid fears of a wage price spiral.

A central part of the Albanese government’s plan to help alleviate these cost of living pressures is to get wages moving again. And all indications is that they are.

Chalmers said the economy was experiencing stronger wages growth following a “decade of deliberate wage stagnation” under the Coalition.

We are seeing real wages growth of around zero which is substantial progress on what we inherited. This is the first time in three years that real wages haven’t gone backwards. And what we’re seeing is substantial progress when it comes to our plan to get wages moving again in this country.

If we want to tackle the cost of living pressures that people are facing right around the country, then a very good place to start is to get wages moving again so that more people can work more if they want to, earn more and provide for their loved ones. So this is a very welcome outcome today.

Updated

Greens continue campaign for national rent freeze

Ahead of a national cabinet meeting in Brisbane with the prime minister tomorrow, the Greens have doubled down on calls for a nationwide freeze on rents amid “unlimited rent increases and unfair evictions”.

Rental increases are currently limited to once per year in every state and territory except the Northern Territory and Western Australia, with Western Australia announcing a change to limiting rental increases to every twelve months earlier this year.

Max Chandler-Mather, the Greens spokesperson for housing and homelessness, said without caps, rent increases would continue to be used as a loophole to evict tenants.

Greens pressure and pressure from renters around the country have put rental rights on the national cabinet agenda, but the reality is these are minor reforms that won’t stop a single massive rent increase.

If this is where national cabinet lands tomorrow, then renters outside of WA and NT will see almost zero change to their rights.

With wall-to-wall Labor governments across the mainland, national cabinet could have given renters reprieve from unfair rental increases months ago.

Updated

Wage increases are subdued for now but September pickup likely

We’ll hear shortly from the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, who was out of the blocks early today talking up wages rising as fast as inflation (give or take).

As we saw in earlier posts wages in the June quarter rose at an 0.8% clip, or about the same as consumer prices.

A look at recent years, though, points to the September quarter as the one to watch, as the Fair Work Commission decisions take effect from 1 July (and set expectations more broadly).

Meanwhile, for those hunting more pay, heading west seemed to be part of the answer:

Anyway, you can follow on at home, with more about wages in this piece:

Somewhat lost in the data dump was the Reserve Bank minutes. They were also out today, and while they didn’t take in the June quarter wage figures, they did point to a “dovish” stance on interest rates.

On Thursday we get July jobless numbers and those should also tell us more about the health of the economy. Economists are predicting the economy added 15,000 jobs last month, but if recent months have been any guide, employers have tended to surprise by generating more positions - even if they didn’t need big wage carrots to fill them, so far.

Updated

No confirmation of Indonesian crew members’ safety

Amid news that all four Australian surfers have been found off the coast of Indonesia after going missing, it’s important to remember that there are still no reports of the crew members who were also on the boat.

Local media reported that there were three Indonesian crew on board.

Updated

Father of missing surfer receives text from son confirming he is safe and well, while on-air

The ABC has just broadcast the moment Peter Foote received a text from his son, Elliot, confirming he was alive and safe.

Peter read out the text, which said:

Hey dad, Elliot here, I am alive, safe now, love you, chat later. From Elliot.

Peter laughed, saying that Elliot will probably go out for a surf this afternoon:

It is so typical of him, just to do that. ‘I am safe, it is all good, talk later’. There is no sign of ‘oh my God, I am coming home’. It is great, good news.

I will have to talk to him and want to see a photo and see what he looks like.

Peter Foote speaks to media at his home
Peter Foote, the father of Elliot Foote, has confirmed his son has been found alive after going missing in Indonesia. Photograph: 10 News First

Updated

Another update just coming in: the Daily Telegraph has reported that Elliot Foote has texted his father Peter to tell him he was safe and well around 12.30pm.

Fourth Australian surfer found safe: reports

7News is now reporting that the fourth surfer missing off the coast of Indonesia, Elliot Foote, has been found alive.

They spoke to his father, Peter Foote, live on air who said:

Sounds like all four have been found and that’s great. I’m yet to confirm it so I want to hear what shape he’s in.

It’s really hopeful now.

Updated

Peter Foote praises Dfat

Getting choked up, Peter Foote said communication from Dfat to the families of those missing has been great.

All the parents communicate together, we’re kind of all [spaced out], Jordan’s dad was in Broome, Will’s father was up in Queensland at the time.

We didn’t know what to do, go over there, but what could we do? You know, we’d just be in the way really so it feels horrible.

It’s just a horrible … you can’t eat anything of course, you can’t sleep.

I wouldn’t wish it on any parent.

Updated

Missing party were in Indonesia for birthday celebration

Peter Foote explained to 10News that his son Elliot was in Indonesia with his friends for his birthday, at Peter’s suggestion:

It’s my idea, unfortunately.

It’s a beautiful island, I found on the internet, you know, Penang Island, private little resort, perfect waves and the boys were all so excited to go there.

I was meant to go with them, but I pulled ahead at the last minute and he found a substitute and lucky or I would have been on that boat with him.

Updated

Australian trio found alive ‘bit rattled’ after rescue

Peter Foote, the father of Elliot Foote, who is believed to still be missing, told 10News it was encouraging the other three had been found alive.

He described how an expat Aussie with a catamaran volunteered last night and was doing laps of the area, working all night before finding Steph, then Will and Jordan, bobbing on surfboards:

[They were] a bit rattled as you would be, a mess, you know, I just can’t imagine the barnacles growing off.

I don’t know what happened to both the remains of the boat or the [three] Indonesian crew that were driving the boat.

Nothings confirmed yet, but it’s very encouraging.

Updated

Father of missing man Elliot Foote says his son is yet to be confirmed found

10News is also reporting that three of the four Australians missing off the coast of Indonesia have been found alive.

A reporter spoke to Elliot Foote’s father, Peter Foote, from his home. Elliot is believed to still be missing.

Peter said:

Initially we were told they found Steph floating on a surfboard in the sea which was fantastic news, her father rang me and he’s over the moon [as] you can imagine.

Then they found the other two boys Will and Jordan which is awesome … all bobbing in the water.

Unfortunately my son [Elliot] paddled off to get help, left the group … to go to a nearby island.

He’s yet to be recovered but the yachtsman that found them has gone after him.

I’m expecting a call anytime now to confirm that he’s found too.

Updated

It’s worth noting that while the Sydney Morning Herald, Nine News and Daily Telegraph are reporting that all four of the missing tourists have been found, the ABC is yet to confirm the fourth.

The ABC is reporting the owner of Banyak surf resort said three of the four Australians have been rescued by a catamaran, and search and rescue teams are working to locate the fourth, whose identity is not confirmed.

Updated

The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, has welcomed news that the lost surfers from Sydney and regional NSW have been found alive off the Indonesian coast.

Minns was giving a press conference as Australian media started reporting that Elliot Foote, his girlfriend Steph Weisse, Jordan Short and Will Teagle had been rescued after their boat went missing in stormy weather on Sunday night.

Asked about reports at least some of the surfers had been found, Minns said:

I hadn’t heard that. That’s incredible. Obviously the families will be relieved.

It’s an incredible story of survival. Obviously everybody’s thinking about those families.

You go to places like Bali for a holiday hoping to have a safe and enjoyable time and when you hear stories about Australians who are intrepid, who love travelling, who are being adventurous, falling into trouble or losing their lives, it’s obviously devastating.

Circling back to the earlier statement from the Liberals for Yes:

In its statement, the Liberals for Yes called for the no campaign to explain why they sacked two campaign workers but allowed Gary Johns, president of the no campaign, to continue.

Last month, Johns faced calls to resign amid criticism he made “offensive” and “extreme” comments, including suggesting blood tests for welfare payments.

At the time, Johns told the Daily Telegraph that criticisms were based on an “outrageous misrepresentation” and people should read his book to form their own views.

Australians missing off the coast of Indonesia found alive, according to reports

Reports are emerging that all four Australians missing at sea off the coast of Indonesia have been found alive.

A family member confirmed to 9News that Steph Weisse, Will Teagle, Elliot Foote and Jordan Short were found alive after going missing when their boat ran into bad weather on Sunday night.

Meanwhile, the Daily Telegraph says it has viewed a Google document used by the four families that was updated to say “All four Australians found alive”.

The reports do not mention the three Indonesian crew who were also missing.

We are working to independently confirm these reports and will bring you the latest once we learn more.

Updated

No sign of a wage-price inflationary spiral as increases steady for a third quarter

The Reserve Bank can probably put down its rate-hiking glasses for another month after wage increases continued to be subdued (along with workers’ moods).

The June quarter increase of just 0.8% in seasonally adjusted terms meant that measure hasn’t budged for three quarters.

Still, as Michelle Marquardt, ABS head of prices statistics, notes:

Wage rises from regular June quarter salary reviews were higher than in the same period last year, as recent cost of living and labour market pressures were incorporated into organisation-wide decisions on wages.

Markets, though, look like they have marked down the value of the Australian dollar in the past quarter of an hour or so. The AUD was buying about US64.7c compared with US64.9c just prior to 11.30am Aest.

China apparently leaving its interest rate on hold was one factor, and traders might have viewed the RBA notes as mildly “dovish” too. But weak wage growth in the June quarter will give the central bank another reason to sit tight, come their next (and Philip Lowe’s last) board meeting next month.

Updated

Australian wages rose 0.8% in the June quarter in a tight labour market

Australia wages rose less than expected in the June quarter, in figures watched closely by strapped households and the Reserve Bank alike.

Wages rose 0.8% from the March quarter and were 3.6% higher than a year earlier, the Australian Bureau of Statistics has just reported.

Economists had forecast wages would rise 0.9% for the quarter and 3.7% from a year earlier during the April-June period.

More soon.

Updated

Just before the wage data lands, here’s a quick Reserve Bank note on their minutes from the 1 August rates meeting.

Slowing economic growth helping to drag inflation down and a recognition that some households faced “acute financial challenges” were among the reasons the Reserve Bank left interest rates on hold earlier this month.

Minutes from the RBA’s August meeting, released on Wednesday, showed the board viewed the risks facing the economy as “broadly balanced” between allowing inflation to remain too high for too long or slowing the economy too hard.

The central bank board considered lifting the cash rate another 25 basis points to 4.35%, which would have been the 13th increase since it began tightening monetary policy in May 2022. However, it decided that it had more time to observe developments at home and abroad, and extended the pause for a second month.

The minutes show:

[Recent] information on inflation had been encouraging, the economy was expected to grow only slowly over the period ahead and this would help with the further moderation of inflation.

At the same time, members agreed that it was possible that some further tightening of monetary policy might be required to ensure that inflation returns to target in a reasonable timeframe.

The August meeting, the penultimate under the governorship of Philip Lowe, followed the release of June quarter consumer inflation data showing price increases were running at an annual rate of 6%, slightly less than economists had forecast. On a quarterly basis, they rose 0.8%, a number likely to have been matched or slightly exceeded by wage gains, details also being released this morning – stay tuned for that one too.

Updated

Continued from last post, via AAP:

The Lifeline Australia chief research officer, Dr Anna Brooks, said the suicide prevention support service was experiencing an increase in people reaching out due to financial distress at levels “not seen before”.

The Brotherhood of St Laurence CEO, Dr Travers McLeod, said the “natural next step” was to have legislated measures on poverty reduction and economic inclusion.

We have a choice about how ambitious Australia wants to be.

How ambitious people in this place [Parliament House] want to be in preventing and eliminating poverty in this country.

McLeod said introducing legislated measures and adequate social security payments must sit alongside other structural approaches to reduce poverty, including job security and significant investment in social housing.

Updated

Poverty in Australia ‘real, widespread, devastating’, inquiry told

Salvation Army general manager Jennifer Kirkaldy has told a parliamentary inquiry examining the extent of poverty in Australia that failures in the welfare and housing systems were leading people to live in hardship.

The average person the charity worked with had just $39 a week left after necessities such as housing, transport, groceries and utilities were covered.

The extent and nature of poverty in Australia, as the Salvation Army sees it every day, is that it is very real, it is widespread, and it is devastating.

Kirkaldy said any rise in welfare payments was being swallowed up by soaring inflation and cost of living pressures. She also said Australia lacked effective data on how much poverty was costing the economy every year.

She said buy now, pay later services and access to safe credit were important, but were increasingly used to pay for necessities.

– AAP

Updated

Penfolds proves popular even as winemaker profits slide

Treasury Wine Estates’ high-end Penfolds division has recorded strong growth, as demand for expensive wines increases at the same time as consumers cut back on cheaper labels.

Earnings for the Penfolds division increased 14% to $365m in the financial year, while net profit across the company fell 3.3% to $254.5m. The Melbourne-headquartered company was hurt by a decline in wine sales to the United States.

The growth in luxury wine sales and pullback in cheaper labels is another sign of how the cost-of-living crisis is unevenly distributed.

Treasury chief executive Tim Ford said the Penfolds result was the “standout”, with sales growth recorded in Australia, Asia and Europe.

The winemaker used to draw about one-third of its profits from China before tariffs largely ended that trade from late 2020. Treasury has used grapes from other countries, including a made-in-China Penfolds range, to still sell there, albeit at reduced volumes.

The tariffs are subject to a dispute before the World Trade Organisation, but there are expectations trade could resume as bilateral relations improve between Australia and China.

Liberals for Yes calls for details on sacked no campaigners

The Liberals for Yes on the Indigenous voice to parliament referendum said Warren Mundine’s confirmation that two no campaigners have been expelled due to their alleged racist views “raises many serious questions”.

Earlier, we reported that Mundine “kicked” two volunteers from his anti-voice campaign, Recognise a Better Way, for making alleged racist comments, one of which he said was anti-Semitic.

In a statement, the Liberals for Yes called on the no campaign to “immediately” release the full details on the “secret sackings” of these campaign workers and explain in detail the reason for their “unprecedented action”.

This referendum debate is too important, and the eradication of racism too essential, for political cover ups and secret sackings to be allowed to remain in the cover of darkness.

Referendum Campaigns can be an important and productive part of the national debate, but they must be conducted with dignity and respect, by covering up this racism scandal, the No Campaign fails that important national building test.

Bowen criticises Coalition on nuclear SMRs

The climate change and energy minister, Chris Bowen, has criticised the opposition for attacking the CSIRO and the Australian Energy Market Operator’s assessments that small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) were too expensive.

He said:

In some ways SMRs are small. Their output is low: 300 megawatts compared to around 2 gigawatts for many power stations.

In other ways they are not small. Conservative estimates put their cost at $5bn. Likely much more,” Bowen said. “$5bn for 300MW is a lot of dollars, for not many megawatts.

SMR costs came in at $349/MW-hour while firmed renewables are $100 at the highest possible end, and as low as $65/MWh, Bowen said, citing a recent CSIRO Gencost report.

It’s unbecoming for an alternative government … to criticise the work of two respected agencies in such a partisan manner.

I think it’s surprising, and they should reflect on that.

Updated

ABS vows to work with LGBTQI+ community on developing 2026 census

Equality Australia has welcomed a statement of regret from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, acknowledging hurt and distress caused when the census didn’t properly count LGBTQI+ people in 2021.

In a statement yesterday, the ABS said it was looking forward to working with the LGBTQI+ community on the 2026 census, following a successful resolution of a complaint made to the Australian Human Rights Commission in relation to the 2021 census.

The statement reads:

The ABS is aware that some members of the LGBTIQ+ community felt invisible and excluded when completing the 2021 Census and has issued a statement of regret for any distress experienced.

The ABS said it would work with representatives from the LGBTQI+ community on developing the 2026 census and has shortlisted sexual orientation, gender identity and variations of sex characteristics for potential inclusion.

Equality Australia’s legal director Ghassan Kassisieh said the ABS’s statement takes the LGBTQI+ community a step closer to “finally being counted properly”.

The census has told the national story of our changing community since 1911, but it has never included the full story of LGBTIQ+ Australia. The fact is we still don’t know how many LGBTIQ+ people there are in Australia or where they live.

Updated

Penny Wong marks two years since the fall of Kabul

Foreign affairs minister Penny Wong has recognised the Australian Afghan community and ADF veterans today, two years since the fall of Kabul.

On Twitter, she wrote:

Today marks two years since the fall of Kabul. Our thoughts are with the Afghan people, the Australian-Afghan community, officials and ADF veterans who served.

Australia remains committed to helping those who helped us, and to supporting and advocating for the Afghan people.

Updated

Prime minister Anthony Albanese has shared some photos on social media from his press conference earlier this morning with Victorian premier Daniel Andrews:

Farmers rumble to town to protest electricity towers

Fired-up farmers will rumble into Melbourne to take their fight against two contentious transmission projects to the front steps of Victorian parliament, AAP reports.

The “stop the towers” protest has been planned in response to the proposed VNI West and Western Renewables Link projects.

Roughly 40 tractors, 20 utes and 10 trucks are expected to roll up.

Organiser Glenden Watts, whose farm between Charlton and St Arnaud in central Victoria could fall within the VNI West route, vowed the protest would be respectful and lawful but loud.

Farmers have a range of gripes but are particularly outraged with their treatment from the Victorian government, Australian Energy Market Operator and VicGrid. Watts told AAP:

It’s the lack of consultation, the lack of engagement, the lack of respect.

They purely just want to bulldoze it through and don’t really give a stuff.

VNI West has been billed as a second transmission link between Victoria and NSW that will harness renewable energy zones and increase network reliability as coal-fired power stations are retired.

The Western Renewables Link would also carry renewable energy from Bulgana in Victoria’s west to Sydenham in Melbourne’s north-west through 190km of overhead transmission lines.

AEMO’s preferred route option is to link the projects at Bulgana.

Victorian Farmers Federation has launched a petition calling for an immediate halt to the planning and construction of both projects.

Updated

Victorian police association secretary responds to proposed bail law reforms

The Victorian police association secretary, Wayne Gatt, says he’s not going to comment on the government’s changes to the state’s bail laws until they provide him with a copy. But he had this to say:

The government has not provided us with a copy of the bill. The Police Association Victoria was consulted on amendments to the legislation and urged careful consideration on prospective changes that it felt could compromise the safety of Victorians. There are also many elements of the reform that TPAV supported.

Our position remains that there is a legitimate case for reform of the Bail Act, however we maintain that reform must not come at the expense of the safety of Victorians.

We will comment on the bill as it’s been drafted, when we have seen it in full. A press release, in this instance, is the tip of a very large iceberg. It belies the importance and complexity of the reform.

Earlier, we reported that the Victorian government is set to introduce long-awaited changes to its bail laws to parliament, which will make it easier for people accused of low-level offending to get remand.

Secretary of the Victorian police association, Wayne Gatt.
Secretary of the Victorian police association, Wayne Gatt. Photograph: James Ross/AAP

Updated

NSW police commissioner says ‘you can’t presume anything’ when responding to bomb threat

Karen Webb:

We can always ask ‘could we have done something differently’ and no doubt there’ll be a debrief, but we can never presume anything and you don’t know whether this person was acting alone or he actually had support on the plane or outside the plane. So you can’t presume anything.

And you know, we’re never complacent on these issues and never presume anything, we’re just lucky this happens so rarely, but we should never be complacent to think that it could never happen here.

NSW police commissioner Karen Webb.
NSW police commissioner Karen Webb. Photograph: Richard Milnes/Shutterstock

Updated

NSW police commissioner defends three-hour Sydney plane emergency response, saying ‘it’s not the movies’

Karen Webb praised the aircraft crew for de-escalating the situation and keeping those on board calm.

She told 2GB:

The important thing is to try and defuse and not escalate the situation and so I praise the crew for what they did in in keeping the passengers calm, particularly the person who has been arrested now, to de-escalate this situation to the point that we got this matter resolved within three hours.

I think three hours is is pretty good. I know it’s terrifying for those people on board and their families outside.

…The protocol in Australia is to negotiate. We don’t storm planes. We’re not TV. It’s not the movies. We want to protect the lives of all passengers.

Updated

NSW police commissioner speaks about police response to Sydney airport emergency

Earlier this morning police commissioner Karen Webb spoke to 2GB radio about the Sydney airport emergency incident yesterday.

A 45-year-old man has been arrested following the midair incident that caused a Malaysia-bound flight to turn back to Australia and sparked other delays and cancellations at Sydney airport:

Speaking to Ben Fordham, Webb maintained the delay between the incident occurring and police responding wasn’t too long:

We were notified at about 4.15 yesterday and it was resolved at about 6.15 and given it’s a volatile situation and unpredictable, we didn’t know, as with the AFP, the severity of the incident.

… We didn’t know whether there was a bomb, [so AFP] had to work through all of those considerations in terms of what we’re really dealing with.

Updated

Proposed changes to Victoria bail laws don’t go far enough, say family of Veronica Nelson

The changes don’t go as far as Nelson’s partner, Uncle Percy Lovett, and mother, Aunty Donna Nelson, had called for earlier this year. The duo in March urged the government to remove the presumption against bail for all offences.

Following Symes’ announcement on Tuesday, Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service tweeted:

This is a good first step and a big win for Veronica Nelson’s family who have fought so hard for reform to the bail laws.

There’s more work to do and we will continue to support Uncle Percy.

Veronica Nelson’s partner Percy Lovett (left) and mother Aunty Donna Nelson in January.
Veronica Nelson’s partner Percy Lovett (left) and mother Aunty Donna Nelson in January. Photograph: Diego Fedele/AAP

Updated

Proposed bail reform laws include new definition of ‘unacceptable risk’

Other changes being introduced by the government include a new definition of “unacceptable risk”, which Victorian attorney general Jaclyn Symes said will “make it clearer that a potential risk of minor offending isn’t a good enough reason to refuse bail unless someone else’s safety or welfare is threatened”.

Accused criminals will also be free to reapply for bail after failed first attempts without having to show new facts and circumstances, while a presumption of bail will be introduced for children, with exceptions for certain crimes such as terrorism and homicide offences.

If an Aboriginal person’s bail application is denied, authorities will also be required to record how they have considered specific, self-determined Aboriginal considerations such as a person’s culture, kinship and family situations.

Symes said:

These reforms are sensible, proportionate and necessary. They address the most urgent changes needed to our bail system so that those involved in minor offending don’t have a major life setback because of it. We also have a responsibility to Victorians to protect the community from serious offending. Our reforms maintain the tough approach to those who pose a serious risk to people’s safety that Victorians expect.

Updated

Victoria introduces legislation to reform bail laws

The Victorian government is set to introduce long-awaited changes to its bail laws to parliament, which will make it easier for people accused of low-level offending to get remand.

The attorney general, Jaclyn Symes, will introduce laws on Tuesday that ban people charged with specific low-level offences from being remanded, as well as repeal the offences of breaching bail conditions and committing further offences while on bail.

Symes conceded the offences, introduced in 2013, have been shown to “disproportionately impact women, children and Aboriginal people with no clear deterrent benefit or improvement to community safety”.

Victorian attorney general Jaclyn Symes.
Victorian attorney general Jaclyn Symes. Photograph: Daniel Pockett/AAP

The Andrews government has been under pressure to reform the state’s bail laws following the damning findings of the coroner after the death of First Nations woman Veronica Nelson, who died in prison in 2020 after being arrested for shoplifting offences.

The coroner who investigated the Gunditjmara, Dja Dja Wurrung, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta woman’s death death down damning findings in January, in which he described the changes to the Bail Act as a “complete and unmitigated disaster”, and recommended urgent reform.

Updated

Queensland expands Resilient Homes Fund program

The Queensland government is expanding a scheme that funds upgrades for flood-affected homes to protect them from the next natural disaster.

The Resilient Homes Fund program pays for works such as raising a house above the flood level.

The minister for public works, Mick de Brenni, said the government had expanded eligibility for the program, with as many as 1,000 residents flooded in 2021-2022 now eligible for the scheme:

Not only is this good news for flood-affected Queenslanders, but it also means fewer insurance claims and lower premiums following extreme flooding in the future.

We’ve also set up a new register of builders so Queenslanders accessing this additional support will be easily able to find the builders and tradies who are best suited to help them.

A flooded area of Beaconsfield, north of Mackay, in Queensland in January.
A flooded area of Beaconsfield, north of Mackay, in Queensland in January. Photograph: Daniel Hair/The Guardian

Joshua Lind said he’d lost everything in the flood, including his car, tools and the contents of his Deagon home:

This announcement means a lot, because we didn’t want the risk of losing everything again, and this helps with the large financial burden we thought we’d have to face from raising our home.

We had only been living in our home for six months before the floods, so it wasn’t an option for us to move afterwards.

Updated

NAB returns profits to investors as earnings lift

National Australia Bank pulled in $1.9bn in cash earnings over the last quarter, and recorded only a modest lift in credit impairments, as most households continue to meet their mortgage repayments.

The bank’s primary gauge of profitability, net interest margins, declined slightly to 1.72% amid heightened competition for mortgage customers.

National Australia Bank announced a $1.5bn buyback, which returns profits to shareholders.
National Australia Bank announced a $1.5bn buyback, which returns profits to shareholders. Photograph: Daniel Munoz/Reuters

The pullback followed a period of fast-rising margins generated in the sector through the controversial practice of increasing borrowing rates at a faster pace than deposits.

Showcasing the strong financial position of the bank, NAB announced a $1.5bn buyback, which returns profits to shareholders. Its $1.9bn in earnings for the three months to 30 June is an increase from the $1.8bn recorded a year earlier.

The NAB chief executive, Ross McEwan, said most customers were meeting repayments:

We know this environment is challenging for our customers, but pleasingly, most are proving resilient with only a modest deterioration in asset quality in (the quarter).

Last week, Commonwealth Bank posted a record $10.2bn cash profit for the 12-month period, stirring debate over whether the sector should be subjected to a super profits tax.

Updated

Daniel Andrews too ‘superstitious’ to back proposed Matildas public holiday

Premier Daniel Andrews said he was “superstitious” when asked if Victoria will back a public holiday if the Matildas win the World Cup:

I’m a little bit careful here. I don’t want to jinx this.

… I think we all should focus on not necessarily getting ahead of ourselves. I’m sure the Matildas aren’t … they’ve got a couple of matches to win before we get to that.

Updated

Matildas ‘inspiring a nation’, Albanese says

Anthony Albanese said the whole of Australia is backing the Matildas and the support right now is “a phenomenon” that’s “beyond sport”.

What this is doing is inspiring a nation, and to those women and girls watching the Tillys, they’ve been joined by boys and men watching the Tillys as well.

Twenty years ago, I reckon that there was no one going to the local pub here ... wearing a women’s soccer jersey. They would have been teased. Guess what? Now you have Australians of different ages, different genders, all cheering on the Matildas.

Prime minister Anthony Albanese arrives for question time wearing a scarf in support of the Matildas on 7 August.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese arrives for question time wearing a scarf in support of the Matildas on 7 August. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Updated

‘It’s time for the political games to end’: Albanese lashes out at Greens over social housing

Anthony Albanese said that Australia’s premiers and chief ministers are “all on the same page” when it comes to addressing housing:

We all know that housing supply is key, we all know [that] renters need more rights, but it can’t be done in a way that actually dampens housing supply.

He said it’s time for the “political games” over the housing Australia future fund bill to end:

The Greens political party can’t say they want more social housing and then vote against it. That’s what they keep doing. And it’s time for the political games to end.

This is a scheme that should have begun on July 1, and every day of delay is less social housing.

Updated

PM urges Senate to pass housing Australia future fund bill

Anthony Albanese said when national cabinet meets tomorrow, housing will be “front and centre of our agenda”. He also urged the Senate to pass the housing Australia future fund bill:

I was here with [Daniel Andrews] in June when we announced the $2 billion social housing accelerator, now that will make an enormous difference. Projects like this will be eligible for that $2 billion of additional funding that we have provided.

But we do need to do more. And one of the things we need to do is to pass the housing Australia Future Fund. It’s stuck in the Senate with the ‘no-alition’, the Liberals, the Nationals, the Greens and One Nation. All saying no to projects like this, saying no to increasing social housing supply when we know that it is so important. So I say to those people in the Senate, we need to get this done.

It’s not enough to continue to defer the consideration of the [bill] as they’ve done on two occasions. They need to get on with passing that legislation.

Updated

Albanese speaks at social housing development in Melbourne

Prime minister Anthony Albanese is speaking at a social housing development in Prahan with Victorian premier Daniel Andrews.

Albanese said the “fantastic project” will see the creation of 445 affordable and social homes:

There previously were 120 social housing dwellings on this site, and they will be offered the first opportunity to move back into this very location.

The model that’s been established by Victoria is an excellent one, a model that will [give] a lease to community housing providers, and then going back into public hands after 40 years, making sure that maintenance is looked after as well.

Updated

Bowen unveils review plan for ‘green tariff’

Climate and energy minister Chris Bowen has used a meeting of the Australian Business Economists breakfast to announce a plan to examine ways to stop so-called carbon leakage resulting from Australia’s climate policies.

The minister for climate change and energy Chris Bowen.
The minister for climate change and energy Chris Bowen. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

The government will hold two rounds of consultation into what could result in a cross-border adjustment mechanism that would impose a tariff on imports of products such as steel and cement if sourced from nations without similar restrictions on carbon emissions.

The European Union has plans for a CBAM to be implemented by 2026. Bowen said he was expecting a final report by the third quarter of 2024.

The review may also throw up other options that help avoid disadvantaging local industries required to meet carbon budgets under the safeguard mechanism that has begun taking effect from 1 July.

Updated

More on the industrial action at 34 Queensland schools:

The Queensland Catholic Education Commission said they had offered teachers a “fair offer”, including a 8.75% increase in wages and other payments.

A spokesperson for the employer’s group defended their decision to put the agreement to a vote so teachers can get the pay rise “as soon as possible”.

As part of recent negotiation processes, the union had accepted that formal negotiations were finalised as they had progressed as far as they could and that employers would be arranging an employee vote on proposed agreements.

Employers expect to go to an employee vote in early September.

Employers have recently raised concerns with the union about misrepresenting the status of items in negotiations in their communications with members encouraging them to take action.

If accepted, teachers would be paid a 4% wage increase, plus a 3% cost-of-living payment in 2023 under the offer. They would also receive a 1.75% increase in super payments.

Updated

Full list of the 34 schools on strike:

  • Albert Park Flexible Learning Centre, Brisbane

  • All Hallows’ School, Brisbane

  • Deception Bay Flexible Learning Centre, Deception Bay

  • Gympie Flexible Learning Centre, Gympie

  • Ignatius Park College, Cranbrook

  • Inala Flexible Learning Centre, Inala

  • Iona College, Wynnum West

  • Lourdes Hill College, Hawthorne

  • Marist College Ashgrove, Ashgrove

  • Mount Alvernia College, Kedron

  • Mt St Michael’s College, Ashgrove

  • Noosa Flexible Learning Centre, Sunshine Beach

  • Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School, Toowoomba

  • Rockhampton Flexible Learning Centre, The Range

  • St Anthony’s School, Toowoomba

  • St Edmund’s College, Woodend

  • St Francis De Sales School, Clifton

  • St James College, Brisbane

  • St Joseph’s College, Toowoomba

  • St Joseph’s Nudgee College, Boondall

  • St Joseph’s School, Chinchilla

  • St Laurence’s College, South Brisbane

  • St Mary’s College, Toowoomba

  • St Mary’s School, Warwick

  • St Monica’s School, Oakey

  • St Patrick’s College, Shorncliffe

  • St Patrick’s College, Townsville

  • St Patrick’s School, Allora

  • St Saviour’s College, Toowoomba

  • St Saviour’s Primary School, Toowoomba

  • St Thomas More’s Primary School, Toowoomba

  • St Ursula’s College, Toowoomba

  • Stuartholme School, Toowong

  • The Centre Education Programme, Kingston

Industrial action at 34 Queensland schools

Thousands of private school teachers are walking off the job in Queensland today – but only for five minutes.

The Independent Education Union says 34 schools in Brisbane and regional Queensland will stop work from 8:30am to 8:35am today, striking over a dispute about wages and conditions.

Staff at some of the state’s most prestigious private schools are participating in the industrial action, including Marist College Ashgrove, St Joseph’s Nudgee College and All Hallows’ School.

Teachers will also undertake a range of work bans, including wearing a campaign sticker while on the job and not attending most work meetings.

IEU-QNT branch secretary Terry Burke said employers were planning to ballot a new workplace agreement the union hadn’t agreed to, “behaving as if collective bargaining negotiations are over”.

He urged the school system to return to the negotiating table:

Members are not convinced employers are addressing key issues in schools.

They are taking the action as part of a campaign to address the workload crisis that is seeing teachers leave the sector in droves.

Updated

US defence secretary hails Aukus partnership

The US defence secretary, Lloyd Austin, has mentioned Aukus during a speech to mark the outgoing chief of naval operations overnight:

Our Navy has a key role in our historic Aukus partnership with Australia and the United Kingdom. Aukus is helping our three great democracies work even more closely together to keep the Indo-Pacific free, and open, and secure.

Last month, the first Australian officers graduated from the Navy’s nuclear-power school. And just days ago, a Virginia-class submarine visited Australia as a part of the Aukus partnership. And these crucial port visits help pave the way for our Australian counterparts to operate their own sovereign, nuclear-powered, conventionally armed submarines.

(An event was held at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia on 5 August to mark the arrival of USS North Carolina – visits that are expected to increase in frequency in the next few years.)

US defence secretary Lloyd Austin.
US defence secretary Lloyd Austin. Photograph: Darren England/AAP

Updated

Man charged over flight disruption appearing before court today

The Australian federal police has confirmed a Canberra resident, 45, was charged early this morning following a disruption of a flight that departed Sydney airport yesterday.

The AFP has charged the man with one count each of:

  • False statement about threat to damage a Division 3 aircraft, contrary to section 24(2)(b) of the Crimes (Aviation) Act 1991

  • Passenger not comply with cabin crew’s safety instruction contrary to section 91.580(3) of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998.

The offences carry a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of over $15,000, respectively.

He is expected to appear in Downing Centre local court today.

The flight to Malaysia, which departed about 1pm, returned to Sydney international airport at 3.45pm. During the flight, a male passenger allegedly became disruptive and claimed to have explosives on board.

The AFP arrested the man without incident last night.

In a statement the AFP said that now the matter is before court, no further comment or updates will be made at this stage.

Updated

Mundine says he ‘got rid of’ two volunteers from anti-voice campaign for racist comments

Warren Mundine said he has kicked two people off his no campaign group Recognise a Better Way, one of which for allegedly making an antisemitic comment.

I’ve actually kicked several people off our campaign in regard to their comments and I intend to keep on doing that.

Mundine wouldn’t name the people he kicked off the campaign, but said they weren’t prominent campaign figures but were volunteers.

That’s just between us and the couple of people we had sent off. I don’t appreciate racist comments … All they know is I got rid of them and I don’t accept any racial comments from anyone in regard to these issues.

… It wasn’t particularly about Aboriginals, one was a very antisemitic comment and I’m not gonna wear that crap.

Updated

No campaigner Warren Mundine responds to comments he made in 2017 supporting ‘a voice’

Warren Mundine, who leads the Indigenous voice to parliament no campaign group Recognise a Better Way, just spoke on ABC RN.

He was responding to comments he’d made in 2017 arguing that Indigenous people “need to have a voice” backed by “constitutional law”.

Responding, Mundine said the entire context of his comments shows he was “actually talking about something which I’ve always supported, which was treaties”.

When I talk about treaties, when I talk about constitutional recognition, it is in regard to treaties that are signed between the commonwealth government and First Nations peoples.

… I believe in treaties between the First Nations and the commonwealth and at that, and I put it in that context.

RN host Patricia Karvelas asks Mundine if he previously supported constitutional recognition and has now changed his mind:

I was involved in the beginning … and then after it got further down the track in regard to [what] it was looking at, [then I said] I don’t support that.

It has to be the First Nations, it has to be the traditional owners who make those agreements. I can’t speak for other people’s country, and they can’t speak for my country.

Warren Mundine.
Warren Mundine. Photograph: Jane Dempster/The Guardian

Updated

NSW premier thanks those who responded to Sydney airport bomb threat

The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, has thanked the people who responded to an “unthinkable” bomb threat at Sydney airport on Monday afternoon.

Minns also thanked the passengers who “showed unbelievable calm and courage” during the incident.

He said:

Overnight, the unthinkable happened at Sydney airport with a bomb threat onboard a returning plane. While the Australian federal police had direct control, NSW police and emergency services responded with around-the-clock assistance. To all these first responders, thank you.

While the appropriate reviews will take place, I want to thank everyone who did what needed to be done to resolve this situation peacefully.

A passenger plane prepares to land at Sydney airport.
A passenger plane prepares to land at Sydney airport. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Updated

Chalmers calls Coalition MPs ‘spoilsports’ for not backing proposed Matildas public holiday

Finally, Jim Chalmers shared his thoughts on the proposed public holiday if the Matildas win the Fifa Women’s World Cup.

He said giving people an opportunity to recover from “what will be a big night” is “the least we can do”:

It’s been really quite phenomenal, seeing the way that the whole country has been absorbed by this.

I’ve been a little bit surprised, frankly, at the kind of spoilsport attitude adopted by the Coalition, by Peter Dutton and by David Littleproud, and others.

The whole country has gotten behind the Matildas and if they win the World Cup, I think this option should definitely be on the table.

Updated

Treasurer asked about housing crisis ahead of national cabinet meeting

Jim Chalmers is also asked about housing ahead of tomorrow’s national cabinet meeting, and whether the government is prepared to put more money on the table now to address the issue.

Chalmers said he doesn’t accept that what the government has already announced is “some kind of tinkering around the edges” and that “enormous investments” have already been made:

We are always prepared to sit down with the states and territories and also the local governments to work out if there are ways that we can do more to build more homes in this country. We recognise that a shortage of housing is pushing up rents. It’s making it harder for people to make ends meet. That’s what drives so much of what we’re doing in this space.

When asked if he would support a 12-month limit on rent hikes, Chalmers said he was not going to “preempt” that discussion.

Updated

Chalmers says new approach needed to boost economic productivity

Jim Chalmers said he agrees with RBA governor Philip Lowe that the economy isn’t productive enough, and hasn’t been for some time.

Chalmers said a new approach is needed to boost productivity, and the governments priorities include energy transformation, and skilling people up to adapt and adopt new technology.

He also said the government is releasing the intergenerational report next Thursday at the National Press Club.

What the intergenerational report will do is it will shine a light on the peak forces which are shaping our economy and our budget and our society over the next 40 years, whether it’s the shift from globalisation, the fragmentation of hydrocarbons to renewables … from younger to older, and what that means for our industries, particularly our care economy, and really the starting point of that IGR is that Australians can own the future.

If we manage and maximise the big shifts under way, and make the most particularly or this defining decade that we’re in right now, there are vast intergenerational opportunities available to us.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Updated

‘The budget expects real wages growth,’ says treasurer

Treasurer Jim Chalmers is speaking on ABC RN, ahead of the ABS releasing the latest wage data today.

Chalmers said he wasn’t going to try and predict the numbers, but economists are expecting real wages growth in the June quarter:

The budget expects real wages growth from the beginning of next year, that’s come forward. We’re actually progressing a bit better than we thought six or 12 months ago when it comes to wages growth in our economy.

And we’re doing that at the same time as inflation is moderating the economy, and that’s because the source of inflation in our economy isn’t that people particularly on low pay earning too much, inflation is coming at us from all kinds of other directions. And so getting wages moving again is part of the solution to these cost of living pressures, not part of the problem.

Updated

Local government should have seat at the table to work on solutions to housing crisis, Linda Scott says

Councillor Linda Scott, the president of the Australian Local Government Association, spoke on ABC RN this morning.

She argued local government has a role to play when it comes to addressing the housing crisis and should get a seat at the table at national cabinet to help work on solutions.

National cabinet will meet tomorrow, with a focus on addressing housing.

Scott said there are a range of barriers and planning systems are complex. She claimed that in Queensland, local governments are approving residential lots – 100,000 across the state in 2023 – that were not yet completed:

For a range of complex reasons, shortages of materials, labour shortages, we’ve seen many construction companies unable to continue operating unfortunately, in Australia because of costs and shortages.

These are really complex economic factors and it’s only by all three levels of government working together in a coordinated collaborative way that we’re going to be able to solve this very significant housing crisis we’re experiencing in Australia at the moment.

Scott said the planning ministers met under the federal government for the first time last week, which was a “really positive step forward”.

We hope that local governments will be able to participate in tomorrow’s national cabinet and work together with all the other levels of government to create solutions, not engage in a blame game.

Councillor Linda Scott.
Councillor Linda Scott. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

Updated

Dutton opposes Albanese's public holiday if Matildas win World Cup

The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has come out against Anthony Albanese’s proposal for a public holiday if the Matildas win the Fifa Women’s World Cup.

In a statement, Dutton and the shadow sport minister Anne Ruston said:

The prime minister’s proposal of a one-off public holiday to celebrate the incredible success of the Matildas comes at a potential cost to the economy of $2 billion; not to mention sidelining the recent triumphs of other female teams in the Netball World Cup and the Ashes. It is a stunt which will have no legacy impact. The prime minister has tried to make the Matildas’ success all about him. But we think there is a better way. We are opposed to Mr Albanese’s public holiday and today we are announcing a policy that will instead make a lasting difference to the community and the lives of our young people.

Dutton and Ruston announced, if elected, the Coalition will spend $250m on community sports grants – a controversial move given auditor general findings that similar programs were rorted to benefit marginal and target seats.

They said:

This package is aimed at improving sporting infrastructure right across our country for the benefit of our young girls and boys who currently operate with poor change room facilities and substandard sporting infrastructure ... Our priority will be improving sporting infrastructure in population growth areas in outer metropolitan, rural and regional areas: areas where young families live and where participation in sport is vital.

Australia celebrate after defeating France during in Brisbane on Saturday night.
Australia celebrate after defeating France in Brisbane on Saturday night. Photograph: Darren England/AAP

Updated

Good morning

And happy Tuesday! Welcome back to another day on the Australia news liveblog. I’m Emily Wind, and I’ll be with you today. Here’s what’s making headlines to get us started today:

Opposition leader Peter Dutton has spoken out against prime minister Anthony Albanese’s proposal for a one-off public holiday if the Matildas win the Fifa Women’s World Cup.

Much like Nationals leader David Littleproud, Dutton has claimed the public holiday would come at a cost to the economy. He also claimed it would sideline the success of other female sports teams, such as those that played in the Netball World Cup and the Ashes. In a statement, Dutton and shadow sports minister Anne Ruston said:

It is a stunt which will have no legacy impact.

The pair announced that if the Coalition is elected, they will spend $250m on community sports grants. My colleague Paul Karp has all the details, which we will bring you here on the blog shortly.

We will also be keeping an eye on the search for a missing boat in Indonesia, which had four Australian tourists on board. The search was suspended overnight, but it will be dawn in Indonesia soon.

Updated

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