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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Elias Visontay and Emily Wind

Thousands greet royals at opera house – as it happened

Chris Minns Opera House Clare ONeil Police Amanda Rishworth BetStop Jeremy Buckingham King Charles III Michelle Rowland New South Wales
King Charles greets spectators during a visit to the Sydney Opera House
King Charles greets spectators during a visit to the Sydney Opera House. Photograph: Chris Jackson/Reuters

What we learned today, Tuesday 22 October

With that, we’ll end our live coverage of the day’s news.

Here’s a summary of the main news developments:

Thanks for reading. Have a pleasant evening.

Updated

Thousands wave royal couple goodbye at Sydney Opera House

Thousands have cheered King Charles at Sydney’s Opera House as they tried to gain the attention of the monarch on Tuesday afternoon.

As he swapped sides, hands emerged ready to shake those of a king, according to reporters at the scene.

“It’s an honour to meet you”, a group of three teen boys wearing Australian flags said.

A group of Australians broke into a rendition of “God Save The King”, something that drew Charles’s attention. He crossed the path, joining Camilla, and then shaking hands with those who had been singing.

The royals walked over to a group of students made up of pupils from multiple schools across Sydney who performed a vibrant dance routine to the song Follow Your Dreams by Ocean Lim.

The king and queen watched on, applauding the children at the end of their routine, as the young dancers yelled a collective “thank you” to the monarch for watching on.

“King Charles, King Charles,” chants filled the air.

“Thank you for coming to Australia,” yelled another as the king made his way to the end of the walkway.

A band started to play God Save The King as Charles paused, turned and waved goodbye to the thousands who had come out to see him.

Updated

Royal couple take to Sydney Harbour for naval fleet review

The king and queen have taken to the water to participate in a naval fleet review, leaving the crowds at the Opera House. Overhead, 15 defence force helicopters have just flown passed the sails of the Opera House.

A highlight of the afternoon was a surprise performance by dancers from five schools in Sydney’s west and south-west, who danced to Follow Your Dreams as the king, queen and premier watched on.

The song’s 16-year-old composer, Ocean Lim, chatted with the royals after the dance.

“It was amazing,” he told Guardian Australia. “It was an honour, it was one of the best times of my life.”

He said the queen had told him the dance was “really well performed” and that the king told him it was a “great achievement” and said how impressed he was.

Year 5 performer Zahra Hargraves-Stanley from Samuel Terry public school in Cranebrook said the group practised for three weeks and was very nervous to dance before the royal guests.

“We practised our curtsies,” she said.

Updated

Self-exclusion gambling register to be reviewed

A review of Betstop, the national self-exclusion register for gambling, has been announced with the report expected to be delivered to the minister within 18 months, and tabled in parliament.

The communications minister, Michelle Rowland, and social services minister, Amanda Rishworth, announced on Tuesday a consultation process would begin later this year with the review to be conducted by public servant Richard Eccles.

More than 30,000 Australians have registered with BetStop since it started in August 2023.

Those who sign up are stopped from opening new gambling accounts and betting agencies cannot accept bets or send marketing material to them. Licensed wagering companies are also required to shut down any existing accounts opened by the individual.

The government estimates it has saved registrants between $80m and $135m in its first year.

Rowland said:

We want to make sure BetStop is working as effectively as possible to protect vulnerable Australians from gambling harms – which is why my department is undertaking this review.

Rishworth added:

Protecting vulnerable Australians from online gambling harms is not a set and forget proposition – and we’ll continue to work closely with stakeholders across government, industry and community to address this pervasive issue.

Updated

Minns does not support proposed inquiry into cold cases on north coast

The NSW premier, Chris Minns, does not support a special inquiry into the unresolved deaths and disappearances of 67 women on the state’s north coast, which was proposed by Legalise Cannabis Party MP Jeremy Buckingham today.

He says the cold case unit inside NSW police would conduct a full investigation if new information arose.

Minns spoke to press a short time ago:

The information that we have today is upon investigation those cases are not linked. But if circumstances change, if the public has information, that’s what Crime Stoppers is for. And no one in the New South Wales police or the government will do anything other than accept that information and conduct a thorough inquiry and investigation.

Asked if he would support Buckingham’s proposed inquiry, Minns said:

No, but here’s the reason why, and that is because we’ve got a cold case unit inside the New South Wales police with incredibly committed homicide squad detectives whose business it is to investigate this information, and if it is provided, I promise you, they will conduct a full investigation, a full inquiry.

Now if the parliament decides to go down a different route obviously will respond to that, but I do have enormous faith in the professionalism and dedication of New South Wales police have shown in the past that they won’t turn a blind eye to historic crimes, so called cold case crimes, put resources in if they see fit.

Updated

More on earlier arrest of man at Sydney Opera House

Police have provided more information on the arrest of Aboriginal man Wayne ‘“Coco” Wharton at the Sydney Opera House forecourt earlier.

Wharton was arrested after shouting that Charles “is a king of thieves and a king of liars”.

Police said they arrested a 60-year-old man at about 1.20pm after he failed to comply with a come on direction. He was taken to Day Street police station and charged with one count of refuse/fail to comply with direction

“It will be alleged the man was acting in an abusive and threatening manner and had failed to comply with two previous move on directions,” New South Wales police said in a statement.

He was granted conditional bail to appear at Downing Centre local court on 5 November.

Updated

Security bolstered at Sydney Opera House for royal visit

Security arrangements around the Sydney Opera House were bolstered as the king and queen attended a public event there on Tuesday afternoon.

Images showed a sniper positioned atop of the Opera House’s sails, as crowds gathered below.

Meanwhile, schoolchildren appeared to perform a coordinated dance for the royal couple and other officials gathered, including the New South Wales premier, Chris Minns.

Queen Camilla also appears to have changed clothes since her earlier engagement at Parramatta, out of a blue outfit and into a white dress.

Updated

‘It’s not a minor tax’: premier says NSW will retain stamp duty

Back to the debate about federal housing policy and comments from the housing minister, Clare O’Neil, earlier on Tuesday that stamp duty should be scrapped by states.

The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, has outlined why the state will not scrap stamp duty despite agreeing with O’Neil who labeled it a “bad tax”.

Asked about the comments, Minns agreed with the federal minister but said it was consistently one of the top two sources of revenue for the state each year and the state couldn’t go without it.

He said:

“If the federal government, in the name of housing affordability, wants to help the state’s balance sheets, we’d be more than happy to take that money … It’s not a minor tax … we can’t easily substitute that out.”

Earlier in the day, O’Neil told the ABC that the tax was preventing people from moving “and it creates cost for everyone who is selling or buying a home”.

Updated

Royal couple arrive at Sydney Opera House

The royal couple have now arrived on the steps in front of the Sydney Opera House, where they were greeted by loud cheers from the crowds gathered.

They will next participate in a Royal Australian navy fleet review on Sydney Harbour.

King Charles is the colonel-in-chief of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps.

They’ll review the HMAS Arunta, HMAS Gascoyne, HMAS Hobart, HMAS Warramunga and HMAS Yarra, from the ceremonial cruiser, adm Hudson. They’ll be accompanied by the governor general, Sam Mostyn, the chief of the defence force, adm David Johnston, and the chief of navy, vice-adm Mark Hammond.

We’re told that during the Fleet Review, the Royal Australian navy, the Australian Army, and the Royal Australian air force will conduct fly-pasts and more than 600 officers and sailors will conduct a “cheer ship” salute. More on that later.

Updated

Thousands of fans in place for royal visit at Sydney Opera House

Schoolchildren, adults in faux crowns and a cat on a leash: thousands of royal fans are in place to meet King Charles and Queen Camilla at the Sydney Opera House.

The last time a sovereign met the crowds at the Sydney Opera House was the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2006.

Here for the occasion is Rebecca Hegarty, 33, from petersham, who brought her six-month-old cat, Stormy, along.

Also in the crowd were royal family diehard fans Judy Scott, 75, from Carlingford, and Margaret Cheah, 75, from Winston Hills. They travelled to the UK for William and Kate’s wedding, for Jubilee celebrations are for Harry and Meghan’s wedding. Scott is a lifelong republican, while Cheah is a “died-in-the-wool” monarchist.

“We love a party, we come together for a good occasion” said Scott, four hours into their wait to see the king and queen.

In the Opera House, the royals will be meeting with Kya Blondin, acting CEO of the Opera House, as well as representatives of the Bangarra Dance theatre and the Opera House Trust.

The 16-year-old acrobat Lucia Richardson, tenor Jin Tea Kim, actor Heather Mitchell and violinist Harry Bennetts have also been chosen to meet the pair.

A surprise last-minute addition to the schedule is British actor Joanna Lumley, who will also meet with the king on the steps of the opera house. Lumley is in Sydney to appear in her live show at the opera house tonight.

Updated

Power to be restored in western NSW – for second time

Power is expected to be restored – for the second time – to outback towns in western NSW after a back-up system brought in to temporarily fix a major outage failed, AAP reports.

About 20,000 people in Broken Hill and surrounds were without power on Tuesday afternoon as the mercury headed for a forecast 35C.

It followed severe thunderstorms last Thursday that mangled transmission infrastructure connecting the region to the national grid.

A large-scale back-up generator trucked in, was supplying power to the region until it tripped at 5pm on Monday, leaving homes in the dark again.

Crews worked overnight to investigate the fault and expect to restore power throughout the Far West region on Tuesday evening, the NSW government said.

Updated

Singapore approves project to deliver power from NT via subsea cable

The Singaporean government has given conditional approval to a $30bn-plus proposal to provide electricity to the city-state via subsea cables connected to a renewable energy development in the Northern Territory outback.

SunCable’s Australia-Asia Power Link plan to import renewable electricity into Singapore has been given the greenlight by Singapore’s Energy Market Authority.

SunCable International’s interim chief executive, Mitesh Patel, said the announcement was a “vote of confidence in the commercial and technical viability of our project”.

He said he company was aiming to supply up to 1.75 gigawatts of electricity, equivalent to 15% of the city’s needs. The company said it would be “24/7 load sourced from solar and wind energy backed by storage”.

Obtaining conditional approval means SunCable can move forward with the next phase of development and commercial activities and strengthening our partnership with Indonesia.

We will also progress commercial discussions with industrial customers in Singapore and engagement with the Northern Territory government and the Traditional Owners of the project site.”

The announcement follows the Albanese government approving the first stages of the Australian end of the project in August. The environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, said it would be “a generation-defining piece of infrastructure” and the “largest solar precinct in the world”.

Updated

Coalition to focus on detached homes rather than apartments

The opposition housing spokesperson, Michael Sukkar, has suggested the Coalition’s housing policy focuses more on delivering detached homes with back yards on city fringes, while Labor sees inner-city apartment blocks as the solution to the housing crisis.

Sukkar, speaking to Sky News earlier on Tuesday, said that data shows first home buyers prefer detached houses with a back yard.

“That’s a clear preference of first time buyers and we think that Australians should have that opportunity to own a home with a back yard in a suburb. So you might refer to it as sprawl, or the experts might refer to it that way, we refer to it as suburbs,” he said.

Sukkar said the Coalition’s focus on boosting infrastructure for so-called greenfield developments – new suburbs built on vacant lots on urban outskirts – stood in contrast to Labor’s push for so-called infill development – increasing density with unit blocks in already established suburbs closer to the inner city.

“So the idea that I think the Labor party’s going down, which is you’ve got to live in an apartment or nothing, that’s not our approach. Our approach is people should have every opportunity to live in whatever they want, including a home in a greenfield suburb and we know that there are jobs and opportunities in those places,” Sukkar said.

Updated

Woman wedged between bounders for seven hours in NSW

A woman was wedged between boulders for seven hours after she slipped head-first into a three-metre crevice while trying to retrieve her phone in regional New South Wales.

The woman’s friends initially spent an hour attempting to free her while she was hanging upside down before they called triple zero for help, NSW Ambulance said this week.

The operation to free her from the “unlikely predicament” in the Hunter Valley on Saturday 12 October involved a team of “multidisciplinary” emergency workers.

Read more:

Updated

Earlier, Tamsin Rose brought us news of “Mickey” the cockatoo, who has been living inside a Sydney supermarket at Macarthur Square for four weeks.

Our video team have put together a video, as wildlife services are continuing to try and rescue the bird – including luring him outside and using another bird to reassure him.

Police surround apartment block in Sydney

Specialist police surrounded a unit block in Sydney on Tuesday afternoon as they spoke with a resident within.

Police urged members of the public to avoid the area around Dudley Street in Randwick, in Sydney’s east, on Tuesday afternoon, as a operation was under way outside a unit block.

Officers were responding to reports of a concern for welfare.

“Police are speaking with a man inside a unit,” NSW police said.

Photographs published by the Daily Telegraph appear to show heavily armed police officers surrounding the unit.

That outlet reported that at least a dozen officers were on scene, including one seen holding a chainsaw, and that the man holed up inside the unit was suspected of being armed.

Updated

Government will start prosecuting vape vendors, health minister says

The health minister says the government will be starting to prosecute vendors illegally selling vapes outside of pharmacies.

Under the vaping reforms passed earlier this year, vendors caught selling vapes outside pharmacies can risk up to seven years jail time and fines of up to $2.2m.

Despite the new laws, the health minister Mark Butler says convenience stores and tobacconists are still illegally stocking and selling vapes, but he is “deadly serious about enforcing those penalties.”

Asked about vapes at a press conference in the Hunter Valley today, Butler said:

We are starting to choke off supply coming in from overseas. We’re seeing that from some of the reports from overseas countries like China as well, that exports to Australia are down markedly. Vape stores are starting to shut. In my electorate, for example, there were seven vape stores. They’ve all shut.

But our challenge now is that there are still convenience stores and tobacconists that illegally are stocking and selling vapes, and so we are talking very closely with our state colleagues about how we start to work through them in a determined fashion to make sure that that part of the trade is shut down as well. Ultimately, that’s going to have to involve prosecutions.

Many thanks for joining me on today’s blog, I’ll hand over to Elias Visontay for the afternoon, who will continue with our rolling coverage. Take care.

Around 2,000 gathered at Sydney Harbour to catch glimpse of the royals

There couldn’t be a monarchical visit to Sydney without taking in the trifecta of the city’s Opera House, harbour and harbour bridge.

King Charles and Queen Camilla are due to arrive at the Opera House later this afternoon and around 2,000 people have already gathered to meet the royal couple.

In the throng is Natalie Hulford, 44, who brought along her four-year-old pet Dachshund, Captain Bigglesworth, dressed in a pup-sized fluffy crown and cape. The small business owner said she had never seen the king but that she hoped her dog might attract his attention.

We’re just wanting to be a second king. We love a bit of dress-up.

He’s not the only royal fan in full regalia. Small business owner Meg Sakoua, 54, arrived four hours before the king and queen were due to make an appearance. She is wearing a dress patterned with Queen Elizabeth II stamps.

Volunteers from the Australian Monarchist League came armed with 7,000 mini Union Jack flags to distribute to the crowd. Also queuing in the sunshine are fans from Melbourne and Brisbane who had made the trip especially to catch a glimpse of the king.

Martin Sweeney, 50, a contractor from Lara in Victoria, took a day of leave and flew to Sydney for the occasion.

It’s the first visit to Australia by a king. It’s a day when people should be united. We’ve come all the way from near Geelong and even just a glimpse of the king would be enough.

Updated

Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people commissioner, has issued a statement in support of Lidia Thorpe.

In a post to social media, Turnbull-Roberts said that what Thorpe is demanding – a “treaty republic” – is “what mob are demanding”, and that treaties are “necessary to recognise historic wrongs and provide an opportunity to look at the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people”.

Treaty is reached after a process of negotiation, which involves the parties coming together as equals to decide on legally binding responsibilities and duties. This is long overdue.

There is nothing more harmful or disrespectful than inviting the monarchy who has inflicted the genocide on our people. We don’t celebrate genocide, the removal of our babies or the harm against anyone.

Senator Thorpe is the person who will first show up and last to leave … [She] calls it how it is. The demands for treaty is the demands for equity. For justice. For sovereignty.

More on government move to implement code on baby formula marketing

The president of the Australian Medical Association, Dr Danielle McMullen, said the marketing of infant formula – which remains a safe and healthy alternative to breast milk – had “become even more aggressive and irresponsible with the rise of social media”.

McMullen said more needed to be done to regulate toddler milks which – despite being “unnecessary and unhealthy” – were deceptively advertised as beneficial.

Ged Kearney MP said she had “serious concerns” about toddler milk but said this was best addressed through the food regulatory system, which is reviewing the regulations of toddler milk.

Jane Martin, the executive manager of Food for Health Alliance, said self-regulatory schemes “don’t work anywhere, for anything”:

It’s important that codes designed to affect children and babies health are made mandatory and that there are consequences.

Martin said it was important that regulations also apply to retailers, and that mandatory guidelines also apply to toddler milks, which she said are marketed in a similar way to infant milks.

Updated

Government commits to mandating marketing code of conduct for baby formula

The government has committed to mandating the “ineffective” voluntary marketing code for infant formula products, a move widely welcomed by the health sector.

Currently, companies are not obliged to comply with the voluntary code and there are no consequences for breaches. A 2023 government-commissioned review found that the agreement’s “voluntary, self-regulatory approach is no longer fit for purpose” and recommended a prescribed mandatory code.

The consumer watchdog proposed denying the voluntary code’s authorisation in September, concluding that its harms outweighed the benefits due to its voluntary nature, limited scope and inability to capture the breadth of modern digital marketing methods.

In her submission to the ACCC, the assistant health minister, Ged Kearney, acknowledged stronger regulations were required. She stressed that Australia took its international obligations as a signatory to the WHO’s International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk substitutes – which prohibits the marketing of infant and toddler formulas to parents – seriously.

The government recommended that the voluntary code be renewed in the two year transition period.

Guardian Australia reported in July that advertisers of infant products exploited the “health halo” effect, which involves emphasising certain claims which perpetuated the incorrect idea the whole product was healthy, leaving infants undernourished.

Updated

Huge crowds gathering near Sydney Opera House for royal visit

In less than an hour, the Sydney Opera House forecourt will open ahead of a royal appearance – with huge queues already forming.

Members of the public have been gathering for a chance to see King Charles and Queen Camilla around 4pm this afternoon, when the royals will join a boat at Sydney’s Man O’War Steps ahead of a navy fleet review.

We’ve been informed it is very hot in the line, which nearly reaches Circular Quay station.

Updated

Aboriginal man Wayne 'Coco' Wharton arrested near Sydney Opera House

Aboriginal man Wayne “Coco” Wharton has been arrested near the Sydney Opera House after protesting about the King and Queen’s visit to Australia and attempting to serve a notice for the King’s arrest to the sovereign. He shouted to the crowd:

Go home with the King. He is a King of thieves and a King of liars. You have no receipt, you have no agreement on the occupation of this country. You are a nation of thieves. You’re guilty.

The crowd of a few hundred people gathered to see the royals returned his shouts with, “You’ve had your say” and calls of “Aussie Aussie Aussie.” When the police intervened, they cheered.

Wharton was arrested and driven away in a police van. Before he was led away, he said “What gives you the right to do this? These systems, these police, they create this environment. This King of England has the power to sack the prime minister, why doesn’t have the power to fix the wrongs he has done?”

The police told him people were there “for a nice peaceful day.”

His daughter, Nellie Pollard-Wharton, said her father had been attempting to serve a notice for the arrest of the King. He had tried delivering the notice yesterday in Canberra, but was stopped by police. She said he would never give up his fight for Aboriginal rights.

There’s hope, if we stop trying, nothing will ever change. This country is built on genocide, it’s well documented.

Her father shouted: “You’re a country of thieves. Hands up don’t shoot. You don’t win, you’ll never win,” before being driven away.

Updated

Royals wrap up their visit to Parramatta

Festivities in Parramatta have wrapped up for the day – at least for their Majesties, who are off to attend a sustainable markets initiative discussion at Admiral House.

Around 500 people were invited to today’s invite-only event, but just a few got to rub shoulders with the duo. Among them was a group of lifesavers from Surf Life Saving NSW, who had a yarn to King Charles before he took to the tongs and turned some sausages.

According to the lifesavers, the king inquired how the waves were in Coogee today, to which he was asked whether he was “going to come down and have a swim in his speedos”.

“Maybe another time”, he replied with a laugh. King Charles also put on a bit of a show while on the tongs, musing that if he stayed on the snags any longer he “might ruin them”.

Updated

King Charles thanks community leaders and volunteers at barbecue

King Charles is now addressing the crowd at Parramatta, saying he has visited the area on a number of occasions “from Liverpool to Richmond” and it is “always a particular pleasure to return”.

Parramatta was a place where First Nations people from around the region also came together for generations to meet and trade food, so it’s a particular delight to see and smell all the top tucker here today from Western Sydney’s vibrant and diverse community …

I want to particularly acknowledge the community leaders and volunteers who are here today and who contribute so much to Western Sydney and beyond. As I said when I was in Australia back in 2012, volunteers [are] a glue which holds together such a diverse energetic and determined society.

Chris Minns delivers speech at King’s barbecue

Speeches have begun at the king’s barbecue in Parramatta, where the NSW premier, Chris Minns, has opened proceedings:

In the same way that the British Commonwealth pulls together 56 nations into a single body, Western Sydney has stitched the world into a single community. I think it’s an example of the world of how we can live together as one people despite our differences.

That success is built on our citizens, on everyone here today, but it comes from the principles and traditions of British democracy.

Minns said that King Charles had visited the NSW parliament and given the gift of an hourglass timekeeper – “In his words, to encourage brevity in speeches from politicians”.

Updated

Commonwealth Games sports for Glasgow 2026 revealed

Hockey, rugby sevens and cricket are among the big-name Commonwealth Games casualties, axed from the pared-back Glasgow program in 2026, AAP reports.

Next year’s Games, relocated to Scotland after Victoria’s withdrawal as host, will feature just 10 events, which is nine less than the previous edition held in 2022 in Birmingham.

Other sports to be left out include diving, badminton, beach volleyball, mountain biking, rhythmic gymnastics, squash and table tennis.

Athletics and swimming were the only sports guaranteed a spot on the program, which also includes track cycling, weightlifting, 3x3 basketball and lawns bowls – all of which include a para equivalent. Netball, artistic gymnastics, judo and boxing round out the chosen 10.

Athletes and support staff will stay in hotel accommodation rather than an athletes village. The 2026 program will be officially released later tomorrow.

Consumer confidence at 21-month highs, ANZ/Roy Morgan weekly survey finds

We’re used to hearing households and businesses are doing it tough, as indeed, many are. Interest rates at their highest since 2011 and inflation increasing at the most in three decades are putting strains on our wallets, digital or the leather variety.

However, there are a few indicators turning the right way – like this week’s consumer sentiment survey from ANZ and Roy Morgan. Their gauge was up 4.1 points to 87.5pt – still on the low side, historically, but its highest since January 2023.

Madeline Dunk, an ANZ economist, said the pick up in confidence – which included all sub-indices – “may be linked to last week’s stronger-than-expected labour market data which showed employment grew 64,100 in September”.

Inflation expectations also continued trending downwards, Dunk noted. (The RBA talked about the role of expectations last week, as you can read here.)

Inflation figures, due out next week on 30 October, might tell us whether that better consumer confidence is warranted.

Updated

King Charles visited unfinished housing project in Sydney before barbecue

Before attending the barbecue in Parramatta, King Charles donned a hi-vis vest and hardhat to join the NSW premier, Chris Minns, and the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, at an unfinished housing project in Glebe.

Australia’s housing crisis and skills shortages were among the talking points, a pool reporter has informed us, as dozens of workers waved from the windows of their office buildings across the road.

The king was taken up to the building’s rooftop, and met three apprentices – Sam Amey, Wes Patten and John Suttie – whose apprenticeships have been supported by King’s Trust Australia.

King Charles is the royal founding president of the trust, which has operated for 11 years in Australia to support young people, veterans and sustainable communities. The king greeted the former Coalition minister Julie Bishop, who is now board chair of the trust.

The king and Bishop were sharing laughter when Minns called on the king to unveil a new plaque for the building.

Updated

Uncle Jim Everett arrested and released amid logging protest

The Grassroots Action Network Tasmania (GRANT) has spoken out after the arrest of Uncle Jim Everett-puralia meenamatta earlier today, saying he was “defending forests in the central highlands” of the state.

Everett has since been released, GRANT said, and will be addressing the media this afternoon.

He was previously arrested for defending giant eucalyptus from logging in the Styx Valley in March, refusing to attend court multiple times citing the First Nations traditional concept of Law in Country. He said at the time he did not “recognise any colonial authority over me because I am not an Australian citizen”.

Tasmanian police confirmed one person was arrested for trespassing today at a protest, where 12 others complied with directions to leave.

The Tasmanian Greens issued a statement just earlier, offering Everett their “strong support”.

While most Tasmanians want to see this island’s forests protected, Liberal and Labor politicians continue to cheer on native forest logging. They refuse to acknowledge this industry releases huge amounts of emissions and is pushing threatened species towards extinction. It’s shameful.

O’Brien says Kean’s anti-nuclear comments were ‘playing the man’

As we noted in our earlier post, Matt Kean, the new chair of the Climate Change Authority, had some critical things to say about his former federal counterparts in the coalition on nuclear energy.

Ted O’Brien, the federal opposition energy spokesperson, reiterated his parties’ case for nuclear, and also unveiled a new line of attack on federal Labor, as you can read here:

Initially, O’Brien didn’t respond to Kean’s comments at the AFR summit, and said he’d come to us later. Here’s the delayed response:

If Mr Kean wants to play the man, that’s for him as my interest is in good policy to deliver cheap, clean and consistent 24/7 energy. If anything, it shows that those opposed to a balanced energy mix, including zero-emission nuclear, lack any coherent intellectual argument and so they resort to name calling.

Australians are struggling as they pay among the highest electricity prices in the world, and I want to assure them that the Coalition remains focused on policies to get prices down rather than being drawn into personal slanging matches.

A few of those attending both Kean’s speech and then O’Brien’s told Guardian Australia near-term issues with energy loomed far larger (and they doubted nuclear would ever happen).

One attender also said it was a bit rich for O’Brien to be blaming the Albanese government for “forcing out” coal plants. The Coalition, after all, had announced the seven sites for the nuclear plants without consulting the owners of the sites supposed to host them.

Updated

King Charles turns a snag at Parramatta Community barbecue

King Charles and Queen Camilla have now arrived at the Parramatta Community barbecue, with Jimmy Barnes’ Working Class Man played upon their arrival.

The two are greeting a variety of attenders, including some surf lifesavers in uniform, among others gathered at the event.

Guardian Australia’s Caitlin Cassidy reports that the king and queen got on the tools at the barbecue but did not sample a sausage.

The king turned one of the snags slowly. Camilla, meanwhile, just sort of struck the tongs in the air towards the sausages.

Updated

‘Very personable’: Thomas Keneally meets Queen Camilla

Thomas Keneally, author of Schindler’s Ark, which was adapted by Steven Spielberg into the Oscar-winning movie Schindler’s List, was delighted to meet Queen Camilla earlier on Tuesday.

“I’ve met her before … and find her very personable,” Keneally told reporters. “This is not an adopted thing. She really loves books.”

Keneally wrote on Australia’s relationship with the monarchy this week for the Guardian, which you can read here:

Updated

OzHarvest awards Camilla with ‘most prestigious’ order of the teaspoon

Earlier on Tuesday, a delighted Queen Camilla accepted “the most prestigious order” ever bestowed by Australian food rescue charity OzHarvest – the order of the teaspoon – at its restaurant in Surry Hills this morning.

Pool reporters following the royals have described how the silver gift – a small brooch with a crown at the end of a tiny teaspoon – was presented to the Queen when she sat down for lunch at OzHarvest’s Refettorio restaurant with regular patrons who come for a free vegetarian lunch made from rescued foods.

When OzHarvest’s founder Ronni Kahn opened the box to show the brooch to the table, and travelling media, and present the “most prestigious order” – everyone in the small dining room oohed and aahed, loudly.

“I shall wear it with pride,” the queen said, smiling.

Updated

Vegetarian options available for king at community BBQ

We are hearing the king is just 10 minutes away from arriving at his Parramatta community barbecue, where guests have eagerly gathered behind a barricade of rope to greet him.

Ahead of his arrival, a pop remix of Shannon Noll’s What About Me plays softly in the background.

Black Bear Barbecue, who have been cooking thousands of sausages and tons of beef brisket all day in the heat, are waiting to meet King Charles who will be approaching the barbecue as part of his procession.

Vegetarian options are available, “just in case” the king feels so inclined, according to manager Chop.

Updated

Just in from Caitlin Cassidy, who is at the king’s barbecue in Parramatta: the British reporters are extremely excited that there may be an appearance from the Wiggles.

And while we wait for King Charles to arrive, here are some photos that have begun filtering through:

Updated

Robbie Katter recommits to introduce bill on Queensland abortion law

Robbie Katter has recommitted to introducing a bill amending Queensland’s abortion law in the next parliament.

In an interview with Sky News, the Katters’ Australian party leader said he would reintroduce a bill from last term which would place a duty on registered health practitioners to “provide medical care and treatment to a person born as a result of a termination”:

So what I’m determined to do, is put back in the ‘Babies born alive’ bill, which is really just mimicking what is the code of practice in Queensland Health right now.

It’s a human rights issue. It’s not an abortion issue to me. To me, that’s what we’ve determined to put back in.

The KAP leader said the issue had become a campaign issue because the opposition had failed to be clear about their position.

It happens with Liberal and Labor; it happened with Liberal this time, they’ve been found trying to ride two horses at once

He had previously said he would introduce a bill at least that strong, but depending on the nature of the parliament, might go much further, including by once again banning the medical procedure.

A spokesperson for the MP said he clearly did not walk back his previous position on Sky News.

It’s not clear how LNP MPs would vote on the bill, with leader David Crisafulli repeatedly refusing to rule out a conscience vote.

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Excitement builds at king’s barbecue ahead of his arrival

Adam Liaw, today’s MC, acknowledges by the line for sausages at the king’s barbecue that it “doesn’t get much bigger” in terms of today’s event.

We have a lot of the different cultures that make up Western Sydney represented here – the things Australians enjoy – CWA, a sausage sizzle, I go to a lot of events, none obviously for this purpose before, but it’s what Aussies like getting out to do.

Possibly the most excited today are year 6 and year 12 students at local schools in Western Sydney, who have been invited to join today’s festivities by the premier – and possibly meet the king.

The principal of Rose Hill public school, Tony D’Amore, speaks with Guardian Australia as behind him children sample VR goggles set up by the Western Sydney Wanderers and others gleefully sit atop a Surf Lifesaving jet ski.

It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for the students – it’s not every day you get to see the king or queen live. I asked the students if they wanted to go [when I found out] and they said – ‘are you mad? Of course we want to go!’. We want to make our kids feel special – opportunities that others often get.

Asked what they’re excited for today, one of his students replies “ice-cream”. Year 6 student Jessica Gong says:

I’m really excited [to see the king]. We may not even see him again.

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Sheepdogs ready to show off for royals

Guests at King Charles’ community barbecue are eagerly readying themselves for his arrival.

Stakes are particularly high for Murray Wilkinson, who is mustering his Yarum stock dogs for their majesties. The dogs have not moved from atop their barrels, monitoring the sheep, since this reporter arrived an hour ago.

His dogs Meg, a border collie, and Colt, a kelpie, are used to this gig – they do it every day on his farm of 16,000 sheep and 3,000 cattle. Still, he says it was a “bit of a shock” to be asked to come to such an event.

It’s a prestigious thing to ever have happened for you. I‘ll say g’day to them [the King and Queen], it’ll be great to meet them.

They’ll actually be inside when I’m doing the demonstration so it’ll be good to work the sheep down past them – we’ll see if they want to have a go themselves.

Asked if he’s nervous about the dogs, he replies “no, they know their job”:

They know they’re on show, that’s for sure ... they’re a bit like everyone, aren’t they? They know when it’s on.

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King Charles’ motorcade still approaching Parramatta barbecue

The King’s motorcade is still approaching Parramatta park for a barbecue thrown in his honour this morning as a Welcome to Country gets underway.

The theme is quintessentially Australian-heavy – two sheepdogs sit patiently on barrels waiting to muster a herd of sheep and a windmill slowly twirls above a barrel of hay.

A number of vendors are offering samples of their goods, including gelato-heavyweights Messina who are offering “regal scoops” of ice cream, and surf living vendors dishing out an “Aussie barbecue” and sustainable Murray cod. Elsewhere, Henna and traditional dance is on offer, as are Anzac biscuits from the Country Women’s Association, who have spent hours sewing a scone onto an apron for the King.

Guests lucky enough to nab an invite includes Vietnamese-Australian writer Anh Do, singer and actress Delta Goodrem, former cricketer Dave Warner, Young Australian of the Year Dr Nikhil Autar and students from local schools across Western Sydney.

Malaysian Australian chef and TV show host Adam Liaw is emceeing. Prior to proceedings kicking off, he told Guardian Australia he was waiting to sample the goods on offer after the formalities – having already spilt coffee on his shirt – but was particularly excited about the banh mi.

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Allan calls out Queensland LNP for ‘threatening a woman’s right to chose’

The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has marked 16 years since abortion was decriminalised in Victoria. In a post to social media, she wrote that this “gave women and practitioners the peace of mind that their choice, was exactly that – their choice”.

She continued, pointing to the Queensland election this weekend:

Yet, 16 years later, women are still facing uncertainty around their health and safety when it comes to abortion.

Right now in Queensland, on the eve of their state election, the Liberal opposition leader is threatening a woman’s right to choose. And in the United States, well, we all know what happened there.

Women’s bodies shouldn’t be up for debate in 2024. They never should have been in the first place. Abortion is health care. Simple as that.

As Ben Smee reports, LNP leader David Crisafulli and his party have repeatedly said they have “ruled out” changes to the state’s 2018 laws that decriminalised abortion. But candidates have all refused to say how they would vote if a reform bill came before the next parliament, amid speculation of a conscience vote.

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NSW police respond to new data on strip searches

NSW police have provided a response to data from the Redfern Legal Centre showing police had strip-searched 66 children aged between 10 and 17 at train stations in the state over the past eight years.

You can read the full post earlier in the blog from Jordyn Beazley, here.

NSW police responded with the following statement:

A strip-search will only be conducted if at a police station the searching officer suspects on reasonable grounds that the strip-search is necessary for the purposes of the search, or in any other place if the officer suspects on reasonable grounds that the strip-search is necessary for the purposes of the search and that the seriousness and urgency of the circumstances make the strip-search necessary at that place.

Updated

Our reporter Caitlin Cassidy is on the scene at Parramatta, and says the Country Women’s Association have spent hours creating an apron for King Charles, featuring their iconic scone:

Latest from the royal itinerary across Sydney

Pool reporters have let us know that a small crowd gathered outside the National Center for Indigenous Excellence in Redfern earlier this morning to meet King Charles, as we flagged earlier.

Chairperson of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, Allan Murray, told the king “we’ve got stories to tell and I think you witnessed that story yesterday” as she welcomed him to Gadigal land.

The king was led to meet Beryl Booth, who served his majesty 40 years earlier during another Australian tour. Aunty Beryl served the king kangaroo pies, before he was rushed off to the sports hall.

King Charles greeted by traditional Indigenous dancers from Brolga Dance Academy and the Mui Mui Bedlam dance group. He then went into a private meeting with key Indigenous Elders.

The royal couple are now attending a barbecue in Parramatta, where NSW police inspector Amy Scott will be in attendance.

Their royals will also meet Noemie Fox, who won gold in kayak cross in Paris, Indigenous entertainer Casey Donovan, writer, artist and comedian Anh Do, and Paralympian swimmer Timothy Hodge. The emcee will be chef Adam Liaw.

NSW MP claims unsolved disappearances and deaths inadequately investigated because victims were women ‘from the regions’

Continuing from our last post: Jeremy Buckingham said “every police officer in the state would be on the case” if the 67 unresolved disappearances and deaths of women on the NSW north coast were incidents in Sydney’s eastern or northern suburbs.

These women were regional, they were poor, they were black, and they weren’t at the front of mind for the police. That’s clear. The coronial inquests have made damning findings about the quality of those investigations.

Imagine if this was the situation in the eastern suburbs of Sydney or the northern beaches of Sydney. Sixty women had been brutally murdered or disappeared. There would be public outrage, and every police officer in the state would be on the case.

But these women were from the regions. They were poor, they were young, they were black, they were hippies, and so if you don’t look, you don’t see.

As we just flagged, Buckingham is calling for an inquiry into these unresolved deaths and disappearances from the 1970s to mid-2000s (which he says could be attached to “the worst serial killer or killers in Australian history”).

NSW police said a number investigations over the years investigated the disappearance of women on the state’s north coast. A spokesperson said:

To this date, there is no evidence to indicate a common offender was responsible for the disappearances. The matters remain under investigation by state crime command’s homicide squad unsolved homicide team and the missing person registry.

Updated

NSW MP calls for inquiry into unresolved deaths and disappearances of women on state’s north coast

Jeremy Buckingham, MP for the Legalise Cannabis NSW Party, is calling for an inquiry into the unresolved deaths and disappearances of dozens of women on the state’s north coast over three decades – which he says could be attached to “the worst serial killer or killers in Australian history”.

Buckingham told press his investigations found 67 unresolved homicides and disappearances of women on the north coast from the late 1970s to the mid 2000s.

Speaking from state parliament, he said the incidents are “a complete anomaly” in Australia:

It is utterly unacceptable, completely egregious, that this has come to pass. The victims, their families and communities demand to know what happened to their daughters, their mothers ... the people of New South Wales need to know what has happened, and the perpetrator or perpetrators of these crimes must be brought to justice.

This may well be the worst serial killer or killers in Australian history, and it has not been public knowledge, and they have not been brought to justice, that is an utterly unacceptable situation.

Buckingham pointed to the small population, the modus operandi (a pattern in a mode of operating), the type of women and the way the women were killed. He said criminologists and senior police, such as former NSW police deputy commissioner Michael Willing, say it is likely the cases are linked.

Buckingham also said the investigation should take the same form as the special commission of inquiry into LGBTIQ hate crimes.

Updated

Victorian trial to make developers fund infrastructure in areas where new housing built

The Victorian government will trial charging developers to fund infrastructure like schools and parks in areas where new housing will be built, as part of a shift to a state-wide infrastructure contribution scheme.

The premier, Jacinta Allan, is announcing a new scheme which will be trialled in ten of the government’s “activity centres” – which it has earmarked for fast-tracking of high-rise developments. It is one of a series of housing policies the Victorian government had announced this week in an effort to boost supply of homes across the state.

Speaking to reporters, Allan said the scheme will link infrastructure funding to the building of new homes:

Communities that build more homes should also have the opportunity to receive the funding they need for the things that make those communities great. It’s only fair to take that approach.

The development charge will be rolled out from 1 January 2027 in the first ten activity centres in Broadmeadows, Camberwell, Chadstone, Epping, Frankston, Moorabbin, Niddrie, North Essendon, Preston and Ringwood.

The government says a working group will create a new state-wide infrastructure contribution scheme. It will replace an existing model made up of levies that exist in half of Victoria’s local government areas.

Updated

Efforts to rescue cockatoo stuck inside Sydney supermarket for four weeks

Efforts continue to rescue a cockatoo that has been “living on brioche” inside a Sydney supermarket at Macarthur Square for four weeks.

The New South Wales environment minister, Penny Sharpe, has pledged to save the cockatoo, called Mickey, and said:

Mickey the cockatoo is not going to be shot. I have directed the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service to find out how we can help Mickey and the team at Coles. National Parks is in contact with wildlife rescue groups and staff at Coles Macarthur Square.

Mickey will be freed.

The bird has been stuck in the Coles at Macarthur Square in Campbelltown for weeks, according to the Sydney Metropolitan Wildlife Services. A post from the group this morning stated that while efforts were being made to save the bird, it had been a “nightmare”.

The poor bird hasn’t had any dark for over four weeks and has been living on brioche and illegally placed water by the night manager – who is very fond of the bird.

Two traps [were] left but with so much food in the store, who knows if that will work. Hopefully we exhausted him so much he will come down to a trap for water.

Coles has been contacted for comment.

Updated

NSW police provide more information on critical incident on Great Western Highway

NSW police have said it’s too early in the investigation to say what arose police suspicion before they followed a car that soon after crashed into another, resulting in the death of a driver on his way to work.

Police have declared the crash that occurred on Sydney’s Great Western Highway at around 4am this morning a critical incident, with the alleged driver arrested but yet to be charged.

This morning, NSW police assistant commissioner Gavin Wood told reporters the police weren’t in pursuit of the 43-year-old driver, but had turned their lights and siren on to pass through a red light and follow the driver.

He said the two officer’s next vision of the car was it crashed into a Toyota Corolla. The driver of the Corolla, a 49-year-old male who is yet to be formally identified, was pronounced dead at the scene after police provided first aid. Wood said:

This is a tragedy beyond belief. You have an innocent 49 year old mile going to work, he doesn’t go to work, he doesn’t go home, his family don’t get to see him.

You’ve got young police out doing their job, protecting the community at 4am so this is a tragedy in a number of ways, but for that poor man and his family and friends, their life has changed from this incident. There’s no question about that.

Wood alleged the driver ran away from police following the crash, and was soon after found at a residential home attempting to take clothes from a clothes line.

Police said the investigation into the incident will undergo an independent review.

SA police commissioner speaks to media following court outcome

Just earlier the South Australian police commissioner, Grant Stevens, addressed the media following news the 19-year-old who struck his son, Charlie, at schoolies last year had been handed a suspended sentence.

Stevens agreed with comments from the judge that no matter what happened in the courtroom “today will not change anything for our family”, and said he was “grateful” this part of the process is over:

Each court date that has come up has been difficult, stressful and emotional for our family. We are grateful that he chose to plead guilty to a defence because that was part of it to a conclusion much more quickly. It is one of those things that we are continuing to learn how to live with every single day without Charlie.

He thanked South Australians for their support, and said the family will “always reminded of his absence.”

Updated

Teen driver spared jail over causing death of South Australian police commissioner’s son

The young driver who fatally struck South Australian police commissioner Grant Stevens’ son Charlie has avoided going to jail over the hit-run tragedy during Schoolies week in 2023.

As AAP reports, 19-year-old Dhirren Singh Randhawa from Encounter Bay was sentenced in the SA district court to one year, one month and seven days in jail, with a non-parole period of seven months – suspended on condition he is of good behaviour for two years. He has also been banned from driving for 10 years.

He had pleaded guilty to aggravated driving without due care and leaving the scene of a crash at Goolwa Beach, south of Adelaide, on 17 November 2023.

The court was told Charlie, 18, and three friends were celebrating schoolies and had flagged down Randhawa at 9pm to ask for a ride to Victor Harbor. But he declined, explaining that he did not want to risk demerit points on his P-plates.

He performed a U-turn and accidentally struck Stevens, causing irreversible brain damage. Stevens died at Flinders medical centre the next day.

Randhawa drove away in “shock and disbelief” but stopped when he saw a police car and told them what happened.

In court on 3 October, Randhawa addressed Stevens’ family, telling them that learning Charlie’s life support had been switched off “was the most difficult thing I’ve heard in my life”:

There’s so much I’d like to say, but mostly I want to say I’m sorry. And I’m sorry Charlie.

Updated

King Charles visits National Centre for Indigenous Excellence

As part of today’s royal itinerary, King Charles has been meeting with Indigenous leaders in Sydney.

The palace had previously said the king would meet Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives and groups to learn about their work in supporting local communities and strengthening culture.

Here are some photos that have begun filtering through from the event, held at the National Centre for Indigenous Excellence:

Vision is currently being broadcast of the king watching a ceremony inside the centre.

Updated

Data shows NSW police conducting around 100 strip-searches on average each year

Police have strip-searched 66 children aged between 10 and 17 at train stations in New South Wales over the past eight years.

The data, obtained by Redfern Legal Centre (RLC), showed from 2016 to 2024 NSW police conducted a total of nearly 900 strip-searches, equalling around 100 on average each year.

A disproportionate number of these searches were conducted on First Nations people, the data showed. Eighty-two searches were conducted on First Nations people over the eight years, making up approximately 9% of the total number.

Samantha Lee, supervising solicitor at RLC, said the strip-searches were conducted with a lack of privacy and were therefore in violation of the law.

The Law Enforcement Powers and Responsibilities Act states police, when carrying out a strip-search, are required to conduct it “as far as is reasonably practicable in the circumstances” in a “private area.” Lee said:

There is no privacy at a train station. Sometimes police set up curtain-like structures on the platform, but commonsense tells you this is incredibly inadequate. Subjecting children to this invasive procedure in such a public space is appalling.

RLC said police powers to conduct strip-searches were only meant to be exceptional circumstances, but are instead being routinely applied by police. RLC called on the NSW government to take immediate action to reform strip-search laws.

Redfern Legal Centre and law firm Slater & Gordon are currently running a landmark class action against the state government to pursue compensation for people who allege they were illegally strip-searched at music festivals.

NSW police have been contacted for a response.

Updated

NTEU calls for Julie Bishop to be sacked as ANU chancellor

The National Tertiary Education Union has called for Julie Bishop to be sacked as ANU chancellor after comments she made to the Canberra Times.

ANU management have asked staff to forgo an agreed pay rise of 2.5% in December, amid a restructure the union says risks more than 600 job losses.

Speaking to the Canberra Times, Bishop was asked if it was fair of the university to ask staff to give up their pay rises when they believed they had not contributed to its financial woes. She responded:

It depends to whom you refer, because many members of staff have been part of the inefficiencies that the university is now seeking to address.

Bishop also said colleges had hired too many staff to replace those lost during Covid-19 lockdowns, when the ANU was excluded from the jobseeker scheme, and this has been addressed “by centralising the HR process” which would “stabilise our workforce at an appropriate and sustainable level”.

In a statement, the NTEU’s national president, Dr Alison Barnes, said comments “blaming staff when it’s clear there’s been managerial incompetence are simply staggering”:

Bashing workers might have helped Ms Bishop climb through ranks of the Liberal party but an attack like this makes her role as chancellor completely untenable.

If Julie Bishop won’t resign today, she must be sacked. At a time when 600 jobs are on the line, blaming staff is reprehensible. This is emblematic of a broken governance system that needs an urgent federal parliamentary inquiry.

Updated

Australian workplaces failing women of colour, report shows

A report from Women of Colour Australia in partnership with ANU shows two in three women of colour had experienced discrimination in the workplace, AAP reports.

Despite the data showing growing awareness of anti-discrimination laws and psychosocial safety requirements, Women of Colour Australia’s founder and executive director, Brenda Gaddi, said discrimination was escalating.

Women of colour reported having their opinions and ideas dismissed, discrimination based on names and accents and stress from not being able to bring their whole and authentic selves to work.

Discrimination was a common reason women of colour surveyed were planning to quit, with lack of career progression and job insecurity also cited as drivers. Nearly half were planning to resign within the next 12 months.

Too few women of colour felt alerting their employer would lead to effective recourse, with only half aware of a formal mechanism to report a discrimination incident.

Gaddi recommended setting up an external body or ombudsman for women of colour to report to in the knowledge they would be heard and there would be consequences for racism.

Updated

Victorian premier labels Thorpe protest ‘deeply disrespectful’

The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has described Victorian senator Lidia Thorpe’s protest against King Charles as “deeply disrespectful.”

Speaking to 3AW, Allan says Thorpe’s interjection of a parliamentary reception “does not represent the the respect that Victorians have for the king”:

Lidia Thorpe’s behaviour is deeply disrespectful. It’s unacceptable.

When you’re elected to parliament ... you should recognise that there is a standard to which you should behave. That is not what we saw from Lidia Thorpe yesterday.

Allan was also asked about her decision, alongside other state premiers, to decline an invitation to meet with the king during his visit. She said:

I think it’s great that the king is visiting the country. We would have loved to have seen him here in Melbourne and Victoria, but we know his schedule was such that his trip was focused around Sydney and Canberra.

Updated

Faruqi says calls from Dutton for Thorpe to resign are ‘contemptible’

The deputy leader of the Greens, Mehreen Faruqi, has labelled calls from Peter Dutton for Lidia Thorpe to resign as “contemptible”. She said:

Peter Dutton and the Liberals calling for Senator Thorpe to resign for telling the truth is contemptible. That’s what should be condemned, not a protest against the monarchy.

Colonial forces that inflict huge suffering and have committed horrific atrocities on First Nations peoples can’t then complain about protests against them.

It is a fact that the British committed genocide here, it is a fact that their racist legacy lives on in Australia today and that should absolutely be resisted and confronted.

Faruqi said Australia “need[s] to move forward to a republic that comes with truth telling and treaty.”

In a statement before her protest yesterday, Thorpe called for a “treaty republic” and said that Australia had “unfinished business that we need to resolve before this country can become a republic” – and that this “must happen through treaty”.

Updated

Coalition claims Albanese government plans to force coal plants to close early

Following not so far behind the energy minister Matt Kean’s comments critical of nuclear energy, the federal opposition energy spokesperson, Ted O’Brien, has fronted the AFR energy summit in Sydney. Perhaps not surprisingly, O’Brien has gone on the offensive.

He says the opposition will release costs for the planned seven nuclear plants “by the end of this year” and that he’s “very excited about releasing it”.

It’s up to Labor, O’Brien says, to reveal the total cost of the transition for the grid to net zero emissions by 2050. However, perhaps the novel aspect of today’s speech is to try to turn the tables on Labor by saying the Albanese government is “forcibly” shutting coal-fired plants early.

What he’s done is to take one of the scenarios of the Australian Energy Market Operator‘s integrated system plan on when it thinks the plants will shut and compared it with the declared closure dates by the plant owners. It looks like this:

O’Brien also listed the plants and their size, and says the government should tell each community when they will close. However, they are commercial decisions, and it will be up to their owners (mostly private, save for those in Queensland) to set their dates based on the market.

In other words, it’s a red herring.

Meanwhile, as it happens, Aemo has this morning posted on social media a fresh record for the penetration of renewable energy in the grid. Clearly, it’s been windy and sunny in most of eastern Australia.

Updated

Royals continue their Australian tour in Sydney

King Charles and Queen Camilla are continuing their tour of Australia today, with a number of events planned in Sydney.

The king will meet with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives and groups, while the queen will visit a library and meet children taking part in a Queen’s Commonwealth essay competition workshop.

They will be guests of honour at a community barbecue in western Sydney and also meet Australians of the Year and cancer researchers Prof Georgina Long and Prof Richard Scolyer and learn about their work addressing melanoma.

This afternoon, the king and queen will reconvene at the Sydney Opera House before conducting a fleet review of the Royal Australian Navy in Sydney Harbour.

Those wishing to see the royals at the Sydney Opera House forecourt can arrive from 3pm and should be in place by 4pm.

The king and queen and their entourage leave Australia tomorrow. For more details, you can read more from Daisy Dumas below:

Updated

Dreyfus marks six years since national apology to victims of institutional child sexual abuse

The attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, has released a statement on the sixth anniversary of the national apology to victims and survivors of institutional child sexual abuse.

In the statement, Dreyfus said the apology stands as “an enduring reminder of the profound impacts of child sexual abuse, as well as our collective responsibility to take action to prevent it”.

I acknowledge the strength and courage of victims and survivors, their families and loved ones. Thank you for sharing your stories and paving the way for change. I say to you: we are sorry, we believe you and we will do better.

Here is the full apology speech delivered in October 2018 by the then prime minister, Scott Morrison:

  • Lifeline: 13 11 14

Updated

Minns says Thorpe protest was ‘grossly disrespectful’

The NSW premier, Chris Minns, has said Lidia Thorpe’s protest against King Charles yesterday was “grossly disrespectful”.

As AAP reports, Minns is set to host a community barbecue for the royal couple today. He told 2GB radio:

Everything that particular senator does seems to revolve around herself, as if she’s attempting to make herself, that senator, the focus of all attention.

Macquarie comes in last in climate strategies rankings for Australia’s big five banks

A report from the Australian Conservation Foundation has ranked Macquarie Bank last when it comes to the climate strategies of Australia’s five biggest banks.

Out of 100, Macquarie scored 50.19. ANZ was only slightly above at 50.85, and next in line were NAB (58.1), CommBank (57.86) and Westpac (61.85).

Some of the report’s key findings included:

  • All major banks lacked clear policies to end support for new oil and gas projects.

  • Banks are beginning to close loopholes on fossil fuel lending by restricting bonds facilitation for polluting projects.

  • Banks are starting to align executive remuneration with climate change metrics.

  • CommBank, NAB, Westpac and ANZ have all set some form of requirement for fossil-fuel intensive companies to implement a transition plan by 2025, but details on how the plans will be assessed remain unclear.

Jonathan Moylan, ACF’s corporate campaigner and a co-author of the report, said there has been progress across the sector but “it needs to accelerate rapidly to spur on the decarbonisation of our economy that’s needed to address the climate crisis”:

The majority of progress made by banks this year was due to the tightening of lending policies to environmentally harmful industries, but bank lending policies remain the area requiring the most action for banks to meet their net zero commitments.

Updated

More reactions to Thorpe

AAP has more reactions to Lidia Thorpe’s comments at King Charles’ parliamentary reception yesterday.

Labor government minister Amanda Rishworth told the Today program Senator Thorpe’s actions were “pretty disrespectful and not just to the King, but to the many great Australians that had gathered in the Great Hall”:

We’re pretty shocked and didn’t quite understand why this was going on, so it was very disrespectful. But it didn’t put a dampener on ... the very positive rest of the welcome ceremony, which I think was really very positive.

Nationals MP Bridget McKenzie said she was appalled and told Nine:

If you’re not a fan of King Charles and Queen Camilla, don’t accept the prime minister’s invitation.

As we flagged earlier, the federal opposition is considering raising a censure motion against Thorpe in the upper house when it next sits on 8 November.

Updated

Statue of Queen Victoria vandalised in Sydney CBD

A statue of Queen Victoria in the Sydney CBD has reportedly been vandalised with red paint.

NSW police said it was called to reports the statue had been vandalised about 5.30am today, with a crime scene established and investigation commenced.

A photo sent to 2GB shows streaks of red paint across the base of the statue.

Anyone with information was urged to contact Crime Stoppers.

Updated

Wine Australia says exports have increased by 34% in value

Wine Australia says Australian wine exports have increased by 34% in value to $2.39bn in the 12 months to September.

China dropped tariffs on Australian wine in March, and the latest levels of shipment by both volume and value are the highest since the 12 months ending August 2021, Wine Australia said.

The value of shipments to mainland China increased by $604m to $612m, while volume increased by 58m litres to 59m litres.

Wine Australia’s manager of market insights, Peter Bailey, said:

While the export figures to mainland China are very positive, the impact on total export value is much larger than volume due to the premium price point of most wine entering the market. As such, this increase is unlikely to reduce the oversupply of red winegrapes in the warm inland regions … Export levels are not equivalent to retail figures, and it will take time before it is evident how Chinese consumers are reacting to having Australian wine back in market.

Updated

Birmingham argues Thorpe would ‘revel in being censured’

While there is discussion this morning about whether the parliament may censure Lidia Thorpe after her interruption of the reception for King Charles, the Coalition’s Senate leader is already hosing down the prospect.

Simon Birmingham, the shadow foreign minister, said this morning at a doorstop:

One of the problems is Lidia Thorpe would probably revel in being censured by the Senate.

And so, we’ve got to think carefully about how we respond to this in ways that try to prevent such behaviour in the future, but don’t give her the oxygen that she so desires for these types of antics.

Birmingham is the opposition leader in the Senate, where Thorpe sits, so his comments go some way to the Coalition’s position on this issue.

Clare O’Neil, the housing minister, was asked on Radio National earlier whether the government would support a censure. She would only say that they wanted to “see what the Liberals come forward with specifically”.

Dutton says Thorpe should 'resign in principle'

As we mentioned earlier, the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has said Lidia Thorpe should “resign in principle”, calling her interjection at the parliamentary reception for King Charles and Queen Camilla “predictable”. Dutton said on Sunrise this morning:

I think there’s a very strong argument for somebody who doesn’t believe in the system, but is willing to take a quarter of a million dollars a year from the system, to resign in principle.

If you were really truly about your cause and not just about yourself, then I think that’s a decision that you would make.

The Nine newspapers reported this morning some Liberal politicians are considering whether to seek a censure of Thorpe in parliament.

On Radio National, as we brought you earlier, Thorpe claimed “every time I see him [Dutton] in Parliament he walks in the opposite direction, so he never wants to sit down and have a conversation”.

The opposition leader went on to criticise Thorpe’s interruption in his Sunrise spot:

My reaction was that, ‘here we go again’. It was entirely predictable, all about herself. It doesn’t advance any cause that she’s interested in. It’s really just a self-promotion thing, which is why I don’t think we should give it any attention. Unfortunately, it overshadowed what I think’s been a very successful visit so far. I think it was disrespectful, and most Australians dismiss it on that basis.

Updated

Watch: the moment Lidia Thorpe was sworn in as senator

As we reported earlier, Nova Peris, the first Aboriginal woman in the Australian parliament, has criticised Lidia Thorpe’s actions at King Charles’ parliamentary reception yesterday.

Novis pointed to Thorpe affirming allegiance to the Crown and said if she “was not on board with this, she should not have accepted her position and made her affirmation in the first place”.

When Thorpe was sworn in, in August 2022, she was told to repeat the oath of allegiance after she initially described the Queen as a coloniser.

Speaking to ABC RN this morning (see earlier post), Thorpe said she had sworn allegiance “under duress” and it was “a very, very difficult thing to do as a Blak, sovereign woman.”

However, I was told that if I didn’t do it, I couldn’t be a senator to bring Blak issues into this space and around the world…

You can watch the moment Thorpe was first sworn in as a senator below:

Great Western Highway closed at St Marys after fatal Sydney crash

NSW police have declared a critical incident after a fatal car crash in western Sydney early this morning.

About 4am, two officers in marked vehicles saw a dark-grey Holden Insignia sedan stopped. Police stopped near the sedan when the driver allegedly accelerated towards the Great Western Highway and police lost sight of it.

Police followed and found the sedan had hit a silver Toyota Corolla hatchback. Police allege the driver of the sedan fled the scene on foot.

The driver of the hatchback – who is yet to be formally identified, but is believed to be in his 40s – died at the scene.

A 43-year-old man, alleged to be the driver of the sedan, was arrested a short time later and taken to Nepean hospital under police guard for mandatory testing.

A crime scene has been established and a critical incident team is investigating. The investigation is also subject to an independent review. Anyone with dashcam footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.

The Great Western Highway is closed in both directions at St Marys, between Glossop Street and Sydney Street.

Updated

Government announces $7bn missile acquisition deal with the US

The Albanese government has announced a $7bn agreement with the United States to acquire long-range missiles, aimed at bolstering Australia’s air and missile defence.

The acquisition of the Standard Missile 2 Block IIIC (SM-2 IIIC) and Standard Missile‑6 (SM-6) is a “significant milestone” in the government’s progress in boosting long-range capability, a media release from the defence industry minister, Pat Conroy, said.

The missiles will be progressively deployed across the Navy’s Hobart-class destroyers and in the future, the Hunter-class frigates, the statement said.

Conroy said Australia is facing “the most complex geostrategic environment since the second world war” and the acquisition was about “moving fast to keep Australians safe, deter any adversary, and defend Australia’s national interests in the missile age”:

Australia was the first country, other than the United States, to fire the SM-6 missile, underscoring the strength of our alliance.

Updated

‘Delay-mongers have latched onto nuclear power,’ climate authority head Kean says

Matt Kean, the new chair of the Climate Change Authority, has told the AFR’s energy conference in Sydney that “we simply can’t afford to wait” for energy breakthroughs over the horizon as coal is phased out of the grid.

Kean, a former NSW energy minister, took particular aim at nuclear energy, a policy being advocated by his erstwhile federal Coalition counterparts, dubbing it an “illiberal drive in a market-led energy transition [that] has been elevated from internet chatrooms and lobby groups to the national stage”.

“The delay-mongers have latched on to nuclear power, despite the overwhelming evidence that [it] could drive up energy bills and can only be more expensive” with no aid for the present cost-of-living crisis, he said.

I suspect that even those arguing for nuclear don’t believe that we’ll ever build one of these reactors in Australia, and certainly not in time to help manage the exit of coal from the system.

Perhaps the biggest cost of nuclear is time. It is precious time that neither our economy or our environment can afford.

Those pushing the technology were really trying to “squeeze out profits” from their existing energy assets, he said, referring particularly to coal, it would seem.

Ted O’Brien, the federal opposition’s energy minister, will speak at the conference in about an hour, and presumably won’t welcome Kean’s warmup speech.

On the issue of when the authority will deliver its advice to the government on what Australia’s 2035 targets should be, Kean would not be drawn on whether they are likely to be this side of the federal elections. (It’s likely they will be after the polls, if this correspondent were to put down a wager.)

Updated

Thorpe apologises for now-deleted social media post from staffer

Late last night, independent senator Lidia Thorpe apologised for a now-deleted social media post, depicting a carton King Charles being beheaded.

It was posted without her knowledge to her Instagram story by a staff member, and promptly deleted as soon as she saw it, Thorpe said.

An apology on her Instagram story reads:

Earlier tonight, without my knowledge, one of my staff shared an image to my Instagram stories created by another account. I deleted it as soon as I saw. I would not intentionally share anything that could be seen to encourage violence against anyone. That’s not what I’m about.

Communities in far west NSW facing prolonged power outage

Communities in far west NSW are being urged to prepare for a prolonged power outage, after a backup generator tripped yesterday afternoon.

A severe storm rolled through the area last week, flattening transmission towers and leaving thousands without power or running on diesel generators.

The NSW DCCEEW (Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water) said crews worked through the night to investigate a fault with the generator, with repairs expected to continue today:

Additional generators will arrive in Broken Hill today, and teams from Transgrid and Essential Energy will work to safely connect them to the network. More generators are also on their way to provide additional back-up supply, while emergency work continues to rebuild the transmission network damaged in severe storms.

Six public schools are closed amid the power outages, including:

  • Alma public school

  • Broken Hill public school

  • Burke Ward public school

  • Morgan Street public school

  • Railway Town public school

  • School of the Air

Updated

Lidia Thorpe says King Charles should apologise on behalf of his ancestors

Lidia Thorpe was also asked how King Charles specifically is complicit in crimes committed against First Nations people.

His family and his kingdom are absolutely responsible for what happened to my people in this country. They came to the shores with guns … Has he done anything about it? If you stay silent, then you are complicit.

Thorpe continued, said the king should have “take[n] leadership”:

Why doesn’t he take his crown and use the leadership … that he supposedly has to end the conflict in this country? Why won’t he treaty? Why didn’t his ancestors treaty with us when they [made a treaty] with New Zealand? …

Why doesn’t he apologise then for his ancestors? Why doesn’t he say, I am sorry for the many, many thousands of massacres that happened in this country, and that my ancestors and my kingdom are responsible for that? And by the way, we’ll start handing back your bones, your skulls and everything else we stole from you as a as a gesture of good faith and treaty making.

Updated

‘I’m not looking to get re-elected, I’m looking to get justice’: Thorpe

Lidia Thorpe was asked about comments from the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, that she should resign on principle if she doesn’t believe in the system.

Thorpe said that Dutton should say it “to [her] face”:

Because every time I see him in Parliament he walks in the opposite direction, so he’s he never wants to sit down and have a conversation…

I really don’t care what [he] says, I’m in this job for another three and a half years, and I’m not looking to be re-elected – I’m looking to get justice for my people.

Thorpe says she swore allegiance to crown ‘under duress’ in order to ‘bring Blak issues into this space’

Lidia Thorpe was asked about criticism about her actions at parliament house yesterday, and responded that she doesn’t “subscribe to assimilating myself into the colonial structure.”

However, I will be there for another three years, everybody. So, you know, get used to truth telling.

My approach, unfortunately, might upset a few people, but how else do you get your message across when we [are] continually shut down as Blak women. The only people they want to hear from are ones that conform and speak nicely, but do nothing about getting justice for our people.

Asked if she has “assimilated” by affirming allegiance to the crown, Thorpe said she “had to do that to fulfil my my duties, and I can guarantee you, I did that under duress”.

When Thorpe was sworn in, she was told to repeat the oath of allegiance after she initially described the Queen as a coloniser.

Thorpe continued, and said:

I sought permission from my family. It was a very, very difficult thing to do as a Blak, sovereign woman. However, I was told that if I didn’t do it, I couldn’t be a senator to bring Blak issues into this space and around the world…

Lidia Thorpe says she wanted 'world to know plight' of First Nations people

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe is speaking with ABC RN about her decision to shout at the king during yesterday’s parliamentary reception.

She has since made international headlines for the move, and said her aim was to let the “world to know the plight of our people in this country”:

We have 24,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in [and] out of home care in 2024, it’s worse than the stolen generation. We have over 600 deaths in custody that we know about that does not include babies who’ve died in the system. So without justice, what do we have? We have no peace.

And so I’ve written to the king a number of times. He’s ignored me every time I wanted to have a respectful conversation and meeting about the plight of our people and what we want, what my old people have told me all of my life, and that wasn’t afforded to me.

So I did that for my people, I did that for my grandmother, and I wanted the world to know that we need a treaty here, and we want an end to this ongoing war against first people in this country.

Updated

Dutton says he would ‘explain the rationale’ behind nuclear to premiers who oppose plan

Peter Dutton was asked about the Queensland LNP leader David Crisafulli, who has said he isn’t a fan of the federal opposition’s energy plan.

How would he persuade Crisafulli to change his mind, Dutton was asked? He said he would “explain the rationale” and pitch nuclear to the premiers:

That’s the pitch that I would make to Premier [Peter] Malinauskas, or Premier [Chris] Minns, or hopefully Premier Crasuffli.

Interestingly … Premier [Steven] Miles, if he’s re-elect[ed] on the weekend, has said that he will hold some sort of referendum or some sort of vote in Queensland. Presumably he would be bound by that vote so it seems to me, at the moment, that Steven Miles is promising that if there is a vote for the technology for nuclear that he would implement it.

[But] there are many other issues that are racing around that have gotten away from the Miles government that people will be voting on and they can vote for a change of government.

Asked about the push from Robbie Katter to recriminalise abortion in Queensland, Dutton said he doesn’t think this is a debate that is “shifting votes one way or the other” – and that people are voting on crime and law and order.

Updated

O’Neil asked about reports suggesting Liberals seeking to censure Thorpe

Clare O’Neil was also asked about reports that senior Liberal MPs are weighing up a move to censure Lidia Thorpe after her actions at King Charles’ parliamentary reception yesterday.

Would the government support such a motion? O’Neil said the government would need to “see what the Liberals come forward with specifically”.

I would just say one of the things that’s a bit sad about yesterday is that an amazing Ngunnawal elder was there who gave the most generous and beautiful welcome to country at the beginning of the ceremony, and … as senators and members of parliament, we’ve got lots of ways that we can express and advocate our views and I don’t think what happened yesterday was appropriate.

It did take away from the importance of that ceremony, not just for the people in the room but for millions of people around our country who have a great deal of respect for the king and the queen.

States need to ‘come to the party with planning reform’ to achieve housing targets

Q: Labor has promised 1.2m homes by the end of the decade – is that target already out of reach? O’Neil said it was “absolutely not already out of reach” but “boldness and ambition” is needed.

For a long time, the commonwealth government has effectively stepped right out of the role of providing leadership and funding to assist the housing market to function properly in our country, and that is changing under our government … What we need to see is a galvanising target which gets everyone moving in the right direction.

We need the states to come to the party with that planning reform, which is an integral part of the answer to this problem. And you’re starting to see big moves happen around the country here, and not a moment too soon, because we’ve got millions of people whose lives are being affected by this problem.

Updated

O’Neil welcomes Victorian stamp duty concessions for off-the-plan homes

Clare O’Neil was asked about a report from the Business Council that has suggested states and territories replace stamp duty with a land tax, which they say would add to economic growth and preventing stamp duty from disincentivising people from selling their homes.

She said this was a “really good idea” because “stamp duty is a bad tax”, preventing people from “moving around the housing market in the way that suits them best”.

We saw an announcement from the Victorian government this week about some changes that they’re making on that. I think it’s great … One of the reasons that housing is a difficult issue for our country is because … the three different levels of government all share some responsibility.

I’m a commonwealth minister – I can’t come in and take over the state’s role in this. What we need is good, strong partnerships state, local and commonwealth government working together, and that’s exactly what they’re getting under the Albanese government.

Updated

O’Neil speaks to opposition’s focus on greenfield housing sites

The housing minister, Clare O’Neil, is now speaking with ABC RN about the opposition’s housing policy. Asked if there was a divide between the government and opposition over the focus on greenfield sites, O’Neil said “we need to do both”.

Because what we want is, No 1, more housing, because more housing means more affordable housing for all Australians. But No 2, more housing choices – and we’re going to have different people that want to do and live in different parts of our country.

We need to assist with greenfield development, as our government is doing. We also need state governments to step up a bit on planning reform that will enable us to do infill in existing suburbs …

[Young people] would be very happy to live in apartments where they’ve got access to great resources, great transport networks and the life that comes from living in the inner city. And we need to give people options, that’s that’s the answer here.

Updated

Dutton says ‘other elements’ of housing policy to be unveiled before election

On Saturday, the Coalition unveiled a new housing policy aimed at alleviating the housing crisis – committing $5bn to develop greenfield sites across the country.

The plan promises half a million extra homes over four years. Currently, Australia builds about 160,000 a year, so this means a 74% boost on current numbers. But how realistic is the plan?

Dutton told ABC RN it was “very realistic” and said a number of housing bodies had endorsed the policy.

Every economist will tell us that we need to get more supply into the housing market, given the demands that are there, given the population growth, and I believe it’s entirely possible … There are other elements of the policy that we intend to announce between now and election day.

He was asked about how this policy aligns with the Coalition’s plan to cut migration – Dutton said “we need to prioritise the people who are coming in to go into the trade” and added:

We’ve also been clear about making sure that we can access the workforce that’s readily available here in Australia now, and that is people who have retired early who want to come back into the workforce, but are prevented from doing so because of the run between the welfare system and the tax system.

Updated

Opposition leader says Thorpe’s words to king ‘didn’t advance anyone’s cause’

The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has been speaking with ABC RN about a range of issues – including Lidia Thorpe’s actions at King Charles’ parliamentary reception yesterday.

Dutton argued that “sometimes people make it all about themselves, and I think that’s what yesterday was.” He said it “didn’t advance anyone’s cause” and “add[s] to the self promotion … that she seeks.”

The vast majority of people have been very welcoming the king’s visit, and I think it’s been an opportunity to underscore the stability in our democracy, our rule of law, separation of powers, all of those institutions that we inherited from our British heritage.

That’s part of the success story of our country, and it’s a good reminder during his visit [that] if we change it, I think we want to be very careful about the system we’re changing to and whether or not we would be a safer, more secure, community and environment for decades to come or not.

We’ll bring you more from Dutton’s interview in a moment.

Updated

First Aboriginal woman in parliament ‘deeply disappointed’ by Lidia Thorpe’s ‘outburst’

Nova Peris, a former senator and the first Aboriginal woman in the parliament, says she is “deeply disappointed” by Lidia Thorpe’s actions during King Charles’ parliamentary reception yesterday.

In a post to X, Peris said that the “outburst” was “both embarrassing and disrespectful to our nation and the Royal Family”, and “disrupted what should have been a respectful event”.

In 2022, Senator Thorpe herself affirmed allegiance to the Crown during her swearing-in ceremony … If Senator Thorpe was not on board with this, she should not have accepted her position and made her affirmation in the first place.

(When Thorpe was sworn in, she was told to repeat the oath of allegiance after she initially described the Queen as a coloniser.)

Peris said she has supported the principle Australia should become a republic for two decades, but argued “such decisions are for the Australian people to make through democratic means—not through rude interruptions or public outbursts”.

Australia is moving forward in its journey of reconciliation. As a nation, we are continually recognising the deep injustices faced by Aboriginal people. However, as hard as that journey is, it requires respectful dialogue, mutual understanding, and a shared commitment to healing—not divisive actions that draw attention away from the progress we are making as a country.

Updated

Thorpe says requests to meet with king were ‘ignored’

Late last night, Lidia Thorpe said that her requests to meet with King Charles and discuss her concerns were “ignored”.

In a post to X, she replied to a British news agency and wrote:

I actually put in several requests for a meeting to discuss these issues. Those requests were ignored.

It’s not the first time Thorpe has tried to meet with the king. After quitting the Greens party to become an independent in 2023, she told the ABC she would be “on the first plane” if she were to be invited to meet the king. She said at the time:

I really want to meet with the king. Why not? I am a senator. Surely, I can do that.

Good morning

Emily Wind here, signing on for blogging duties. Many thanks for Martin Farrer for getting the blog rolling this morning.

As always, you can get in touch with any tips, feedback or questions via X, @emilywindwrites, or you can send me an email: emily.wind@theguardian.com.

Let’s get started.

BHP facing $70bn lawsuit in London

As I mentioned at the start, BHP is facing a massive $70bn lawsuit in the high court in London over its handling of the 2015 dam disaster at Mariana.

Nineteen people were killed when a tailings dam collapsed, destroying bridges, roads, houses, factories and other commercial premises.

Read the full story here:

Updated

Multiple attacks on gay men spark fears over online homophobic rhetoric

More than a dozen attacks on gay men across Australia since July has sparked concern among the LGBTQ+ community.

In some cases – but not all – police have alleged homophobic comments were made and several of the assaults were filmed.

In today’s Full Story, reporter Josh Taylor speaks to Tamsin Rose about concerns some people online are promoting “methods of attack” and how men are being targeted after agreeing to meetings via apps such as Grindr.

Updated

Could independents challenge Labor’s Western Sydney stronghold?

After more teal success against the Liberals in northern Sydney, Labor’s strongholds in western Sydney could be targeted by independents fired up by the war in Gaza, and the cost-of-living and housing crises.

Ahmed Ouf, a pharmacist who emigrated here from Egypt, believes the time has come when “someone with dark skin, an immigrant, someone from a minority” can challenge for the seat held by education minister, Jason Clare:

Labor’s time in western Sydney has run out.

Check out the full story by Mostafa Rachwani:

Updated

Watt says Thorpe protest 'failed miserably'

Asked if there should be consequences for Lidia Thorpe over her protest, Murray Watt said:

Unfortunately what we saw from Lidia Thorpe today is what we see pretty much every week in the Senate. Her and Pauline Hanson … not a week goes by without the two of them at each other’s throats, disrupting the Senate and to try and grandstand – and for what?

He said he was “in the room when [Thorpe’s protest at the king] happened and was not aware until this very moment [the return of Indigenous artefacts] is the issue she was raising today. I don’t think it worked. I don’t think it got the message through to anyone in the room.”

At that point, an audience member shouted:

We’re talking about it now, dick.

Watt responded:

If the idea was to raise the issue with the people who were in the room, I think it failed miserably.

Updated

Employment minister supportive of returning Indigenous remains from UK but says Thorpe’s protest not ‘particularly effective’

The ABC’s Q+A program broadcast from Queensland last night, but the election was not the top story.

It kicked off with a question from Daniel, a Gureng Gureng man of the Bundaberg region, who echoed Lidia Thorpe’s protest in parliament during the royal visit, with a question about the return of the remains of elders and Indigenous artefacts from the UK.

Murray Watt, the minister for employment, said Thorpe’s outburst during the royal tour during which she told the king to “give us what you stole from us, our bones, our skull, our babies, our people” was not “a particularly effective way of getting her point across”, and said he was supportive of First Nations groups that wanted to regain ancestors’ remains.

“Any right-thinking person would acknowledge that’s the right thing to be done,” he said. He added his son had just done a school project on it and he was “happy to take it up within government”.

Updated

Welcome

Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories before Emily Wind takes the controls.

A Ngunnawal elder has rebuked Lidia Thorpe over her confrontation with King Charles, saying the Victorian senator doesn’t speak for her people and that her comments were “disrespectful”. But other First Nations activists are continuing protests against the visit, including trying to a issue the king with a court summons for genocide.

The subject came up on the ABC’s Q+A program, with the employment minister, Murray Watt, saying it wasn’t a “particularly effective way of getting her point across” and he was “in the room when it happened and was not aware until this very moment this is the issue she was raising today” – at which point an audience member had a heckle of their own to deliver. More on that in a few minutes.

We’ll be following the progress of the royal couple today as they continue their visit with a series of engagements in Sydney.

Our latest Guardian Essential poll examines the king’s popularity and finds that he has a stronger approval among Australians for the way he is doing his job than either the prime minister or the man who wants to be PM. Taken just ahead of the monarch’s arrival in Australia, the poll of 1,140 voters found that 50% approved of the job Charles is doing as Australia’s head of state, with 26% disapproving and 24% unsure. More coming up.

One of Australia’s biggest companies, BHP, has been accused of “cynically and doggedly trying to avoid” responsibility for Brazil’s worst environmental disaster in a lawsuit involving 620,000 claimants. The huge case concerning the 2015 Mariana disaster – the largest group lawsuit in English legal history – began at the high court in London overnight. More coming up.

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