What we learned, Monday 23 February
That is where we’ll close the blog for the day but first a recap of the day’s big stories:
Victoria warns residents to be on alert for measles.
The Coalition detailed a plan to criminalise assisting people with links to Islamic State, which charity Save the Children criticised.
A major rail corridor connecting WA to South Australia and eastern states will be closed for at least a week.
ABC veteran Michael Rowland announced he will leave the broadcaster.
Sussan Ley was ‘undermined’ by colleagues, Anthony Albanese said.
The government defended its policies on families linked to Islamic State fighters.
Australians are leaning into credit card and mortgage debt, data showed.
The Australian government issued a warning to travellers amid violence in Mexico after cartel boss killed.
A union great said the tax system is hurting young people and driving them to extreme views.
Russia has already started world war three, Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia suggested.
Trump Tower on Gold Coast will be ‘Australia’s tallest building’, its developer said.
The blog will be back bright and early tomorrow.
Updated
Unstaffed petrol stations fuelling higher earnings
Self-serve fuel-only stations are proving a success, the country’s biggest petrol station owner says, in a sign Australians could be seeing more of them, AAP reports.
Ampol converted 27 of its Australian petrol stations to its unmanned U-Go sites in 2025, taking its portfolio to 46, and they have boosted fuel volumes while reducing costs.
U-Go sites operating for at least 12 months were showing a 50% uplift in fuel volumes and an average of $350,000 earnings improvement, the Ampol chief executive, Matt Halliday, told analysts on Monday. He said:
We’re really pleased with it. We are seeing that it’s taking about six months for the local market to settle on that operating model, but we’re really pleased with the success we’re seeing once it takes hold.
Updated
