What we learned, 18 August 2025
With that, we’re wrapping up the blog. Before we go, here are the major stories from today:
Qantas must pay a $90m penalty for illegally firing more than 1,800 ground workers during the early period of the pandemic, taking the full cost of its controversial outsourcing decision to more than $200m.
Australia’s largest steelmaker, BlueScope, repeated calls for an east coast gas reserve after reporting that its profits tumbled to $84m in 2024-25, just over a 10th of the previous year.
Simcha Rothman, a member of the Knesset for the far-right party Religious Zionism, lashed out against the Australian government after he was barred from his upcoming “solidarity tour” in Sydney and Melbourne.
Queensland police announced it will go to court in an effort to halt a planned pro-Palestine march over Brisbane’s Story Bridge.
Twenty of Australia’s leading environment groups have written to treasurer Jim Chalmers asking for better representation for the environment at this week’s economic roundtable.
Rosalie Woodruff, the leader of the Tasmanian Greens, said the party would not back a motion of no-confidence in the state’s Liberal premier, Jeremy Rockliff.
NSW Surf Life Saving has closed Cabarita beach at Norries Headland after a shark bit a large chunk out of a surfer’s board this morning.
Thanks for your company today. We’ll be back early tomorrow.
Updated
Homophobia must be stamped out of the game, Collingwood vice-captain says
Homophobic incidents have happened too often in the AFL and need to be stamped out of the game, says Collingwood vice-captain Brayden Maynard.
Adelaide ace Izak Rankine is under investigation for an alleged homophobic slur towards a Collingwood opponent and faces being banned for the AFL finals. No findings have yet been made.
It is the fourth such alleged incident at AFL level in the past two seasons, and sixth involving AFL-listed players. Maynard said the issue must be taken seriously:
We clearly need to stamp it out and I think we’re doing a great job of that, I think we’re doing as best as we can to stamp all that stuff out of the game.
So yeah, it’s not good to see. And I think we’re doing everything we can, both from a women’s program and a men’s program to stamp it out.
Adelaide has confirmed that one of their players is under investigation:
We are aware of an alleged matter involving one of our players in Saturday night’s game and we are in discussions with the AFL.
The AFL has handed out suspensions ranging from three to five matches in the past two seasons to players found guilty of conduct unbecoming.
– with AAP
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