What we learned, Friday 5 December
That’s it for today, thanks for reading. Here are the main stories from today:
Dozens of structures have been reported lost to bushfire on Tasmania’s east coast, as a blaze threatens the town of Dolphin Sands.
Temperatures are soaring across the country, as New South Wales experiences its first heatwave of the summer. Heatwave warnings were also in place for parts of the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia on Friday, including an extreme heatwave warning in WA’s Pilbara region.
Politicians including the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, and investors are celebrating OpenAI’s backing for a $7bn Sydney datacentre as the American tech giant behind ChatGPT sets up shop in Australia …
… but billionaire Solomon Lew says he cannot recall worse cost-of-living pressures in his decades in business.
The South Australian Liberal leader, Vincent Tarzia, has stepped down just months out from the state election.
Oprah Winfrey says Australian under-16 social media ban will help young people experience “talking to a real person”.
A leak from a cracked pipe on a critical wastewater main risks sewage spilling into Sydney Harbour, the New South Wales water utility says.
Have a great weekend.
Updated
Billionaire Solomon Lew says he cannot recall worse cost-of-living pressures in his decades in business
Billionaire retailer Solomon Lew warns cost-of-living pressures are taking a toll on consumers, leading to a weaker earnings outlook for his company, AAP report.
Premier Investments, the parent company of back-to-school brand Smiggle and sleepwear brand Peter Alexander, expects to make $120m in earnings for the 26 weeks to 24 January.
That’s down from the $129.4m generated by the two brands, which are some of Australia’s most recognised, during the same period a year ago.
Peter Alexander delivered record sales across the Black Friday and Cyber Monday discount shopping period, Mr Lew said, but overall consumer sentiment was down.
“You only have to look at what’s taking place with people not paying their electricity bills in NSW and other states and having to apply for extended terms,” the 80-year-old retail legend told reporters following the company’s annual general meeting in Melbourne on Friday.
“I can’t recall this, in all my years in business, ever [seeing] a situation like this previously.”
Updated
Sydney records highest temperature in nearly two years amid heatwave as Tasmanian bushfires threaten homes
Here’s our wrap of the current bushfire and heatwave situation across the country:
Updated
Suspected human remains found at South West Rocks
Suspected human remains have been located after the search for a swimmer missing from a beach on the NSW mid north coast was suspended, police say.
About 4.20pm on 30 November, emergency services were called to Little Bay beach, Arakoon, following reports an 18-year-old man was in trouble in the water.
Officers attached to Mid North Coast police district responded, alongside Marine Area Command officers and Surf Life Saving NSW.
Authorities conducted a search of the area over several days, but were unable to find him.
About 7.30am on Friday, police were called to the same beach after reports human remains had been located by a member of the public.
The remains have been taken for forensic examination and a report will be prepared for the coroner.
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Oprah Winfrey says Australian social media ban will help young people experience "talking to a real person"
American talkshow host Oprah Winfrey has praised Australia’s decision to ban social media for under-16s from next week, saying the move would help young people socialise more, Reuters report.
The law, due to take effect on Wednesday, will block children and teenagers from platforms such as TikTok, Meta’s Instagram and Snap’s Snapchat. The government says the ban will protect young people from harmful content and online predators. Winfrey said at an event in Sydney on Thursday night:
I think you’re going to change the lives of an entire generation of kids who are going to have better lives.
Winfrey, who is currently on a nationwide speaking tour of Australia, said she was particularly concerned about the impact of the internet on young boys.
There are all of these young people who cannot actually communicate or have a conversation, particularly young boys because they become addicted to porn so early and don’t know how to actually ask somebody out on a date, haven’t experienced the socialisation of talking to a real person.
So once again, Australia leads the way for the rest of the world.
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New Hobart stadium could be year behind schedule
The Tasmania Devils are bracing for their new $1.13bn stadium home to be a year behind schedule, after the project secured a “historic” parliamentary green light, AAP reports.
The island state’s upper house on Thursday approved the 23,000-seat roofed venue at Hobart’s Macquarie Point, a condition of the Devils’ AFL and AFLW licence.
Tasmania has campaigned for decades for inclusion in the national competition, with the 11pm vote coming down to a handful of independent MPs.
“It’s an incredible result. There has been uncertainty. We’ve had to keep our eye on the ball,” the Devils chief executive, Brendon Gale, said.
The Devils will enter the AFL and AFLW in 2028 with the stadium slated to be completed for the 2029 season.
Mr Gale indicated the club, which will play its inaugural season out of Hobart’s Bellerive Oval and Launceston’s UTAS Stadium, was not convinced the Macquarie Point stadium would be ready on time.
“There is probably an assumption internally that we’ll be playing games in Hobart and Launceston for two years,” he said.
“That is probably a fair assumption at this stage.”
The AFL boss, Andrew Dillon, told reporters the team would be ready for 2028 but said timelines in the agreement could change.
A contract to build the stadium is expected to go out to tender in January.
The Tasmanian premier, Jeremy Rockliff, who inked the licence deal, and the Macquarie Point Development Corporation said they were confident the stadium would be finished by 2029.
Updated
Dozens of buildings damaged in Tasmanian bushfire
About 20 homes and shacks have been damaged by an out-of-control fire near Dolphin Sands, on Tasmania’s east coast, with authorities warning it’s not safe to return.
AAP reports that the Tasmania fire service commissioner, Jeremy Smith, confirmed 19 homes and shacks had been damaged, along with 15 outbuildings and four vehicles.
Two firefighters were also treated for minor injuries.
Despite temperatures rising rapidly across the country, conditions in Tasmania have improved as winds ease.
A watch and act warning remains in place for the seaside town of Dolphin Sands, a community still recovering after losing homes to bushfire in 2023.
Residents have been told it is not yet safe to return.
Updated
Who’s on the Daily Telegraph’s Sydney’s Power 100 list?
Worth taking a look at the always excellent Weekly Beast:
Updated
SA police thank public after appeal to find person behind high school threats
South Australia police have thanked the public after making an appeal for information about threats made to the Glenunga international high school.
Police launched an appeal on Monday about threatening emails received by the school. In a statement, deputy commissioner Linda Williams said there had been a substantial amount of information gathered following the appeal.
Police sought information about a person using the alias “Brian Cole”, and released images, phrases and keywords with spelling mistakes in a bid to catch the person responsible.
Williams said:
SAPOL would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to speak with police and assist us in identifying this individual.
Thanks to the information provided we have opened new lines of inquiry.
SAPOL would like to also thank colleagues at the Department for Education and SA Health for their support throughout the investigation.
Updated
That’s all from me – Nino Bucci will be here for the arvo. Take care and enjoy the weekend.
Updated
Emergency fire warning for area south of Bulahdelah in NSW mid north coast
The NSW RFS has issued another emergency warning for parts of the Bulahdelah area as a grass and bushfire is burning about 5km south of the town.
The agency says:
If you are in the area of Crawford River along Emu Creek Road, south of Booral Road you are at risk. Seek shelter now or as the fire approaches to protect yourself from the fire. It is too late to leave.
Those in Nerong should monitor conditions and check and follow their bushfire survival plans.
Emergency Warning: Pacific Hwy Fire, Bulahdelah
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) December 5, 2025
A fire is burning near the Pacfic Hwy, Bulahdelah. If you're south of Booral Rd, near Emu Creek Rd, Crawford River, you are in danger. Seek shelter now, or as the fire approaches. It is too late to leave. https://t.co/SwFG8PzKTA pic.twitter.com/85qFu7tjL2
Updated
Sewage risks spilling into Sydney Harbour from cracked wastewater pipe
A leak from a cracked pipe on a critical wastewater main risks sewage spilling into Sydney Harbour, the New South Wales water utility says.
In a statement today, Sydney Water said it is managing a “significant wastewater infrastructure fault” involving a leak from a sewerage main eight metres below the ground at Pier Street in Darling Harbour.
The utility said it had put in place a temporary solution diverting flow to nearby Wentworth Park in Glebe, but said while the leak is “currently controlled, there is a risk the pipe could fail”. Water quality monitoring is taking place in the harbour, while 24-hour works are being carried out to resolve the issue, with noise and traffic impacts for the surrounding area.
The NSW minister for water, Rose Jackson, told reporters this morning the leak had occurred in an area of the network that was “over 100 years old”:
When we have leaks of that nature and we don’t know exactly what the detail is, it’s very difficult to access them. We don’t want to risk a more significant impact, particularly at this time of year. The reality is that when we’re talking about significant impacts with sewerage, things can get messy, so we need to get in there.
Updated
Chalmers cheers OpenAI’s new $7bn Sydney datacentre
Politicians and investors are celebrating OpenAI’s backing for a $7bn Sydney datacentre as the American tech giant behind ChatGPT sets up shop in Australia.
The company has partnered with local business NEXTDC to build datacentre at its S7 in Eastern Creek, in Sydney’s west. OpenAI this week launched its Sydney office and unveiled new agreements with businesses including the Commonwealth Bank, Coles, Wesfarmers and the NRL.
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has been celebrating a boom in datacentre investment all week and described OpenAI’s commitment as another “terrific outcome”:
It’s more proof Australia has the talent, clean energy potential, trade partnerships, and policy settings needed to be one of the big winners [from] AI.
NEXTDC investors are happy too, after the tech centre developer’s market value surged $400m to over $9bn today.
New South Wales now has over 20 datacentres under assessment to join the 90 in operation, making it one of the top jurisdictions globally on the latter front, according to the state government.
But those developments are coming at an environmental cost. Guardian Australia’s Petra Stock and Josh Taylor report datacentres will make up 11% of the state’s energy demand by 2030 and beat Canberra’s total daily drinking water consumption by 2035.
The new OpenAI-backed centre will be powered by new renewable energy and will have features that don’t require ongoing cooling with potable water, according to the federal government.
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TikTok details how it will comply with under-16s ban
TikTok released details about how it will comply with Australia’s new ban on users under 16.
The social media giant said from 10 December, Australians between the ages of 13 and 15 will not longer be “able to have, or create, an account on TikTok”, adding:
Teens with an existing account will be notified that they will no longer be able to use their existing account, which will become inactive. If they previously published content, it will no longer be available for others to view on TikTok.
Those teens will be able to: preserve their memories by downloading information from the app; confirm that they are 16 or older; delete their accounts; be reminded when they become eligible to use their accounts again.
TikTok said it would continue using a “multi-layered approach that combines technology and human moderation to detect accounts used by teens who may not have provided their correct date of birth”.
If we believe a teen under 16 is using a TikTok account, we will remove their access. If they disagree with our decision, they can submit an appeal to confirm their age.
NSW RFS issues emergency warning for bushfire near Dubbo
The NSW Rural fire service just issued an emergency warning for a bushfire in the Dubbo LGA, urging those in the area to take steps to protect themselves as they are at risk.
The agency said:
If you are between Old Mendooran Rd, Dunedoo Rd/the Golden Highway and Leslies Road, or in the vicinity of Beni Road, you are at risk. Seek shelter now or as the fire approaches to protect yourself from the fire. It is too late to leave.
Anyone in the area is urged to seek shelter immediately in a solid structure like a house.
The fire is affecting homes and properties in the area of Beni and burning in an easterly direction. Embers are expected to be blown long distances ahead of the main fire front, starting spot fires.
Firefighters are waterbombing the area in hopes of stopping the fire’s spread.
Emergency Warning: Dunedoo Rd Fire, Beni
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) December 5, 2025
If you are between Old Mendooran Rd & Dunedoo Rd/the Golden Highway, near Beni Road you are at risk. Seek shelter now or as the fire approaches to protect yourself from the fire. It is too late to leave. https://t.co/bUnMnmXF2a pic.twitter.com/5UZfaRCXwS
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Victoria’s new opposition leader says mid-year budget update shows ‘burden’ for next generation
The Victorian opposition leader, Jess Wilson, has responded to the mid-year budget update by pointing out the high level of interest expenses the government has incurred on it’s debt.
She says interest expenses have increased by $154m to an estimated $7.72bn for 2025-26 – describing it as a “a blowout of almost $1m a day.”
Wilson says the state’s debt – forecast to rise to $192bn by 2028-29 – is an “unconscionable financial burden for the next generation”. She goes on:
As Victoria’s alternative premier, my first priority is getting our finances under control so we can ease cost of living pressures and sustainably invest in the frontline community safety, health and housing services Victorians deserve. Labor cannot manage money and Victorians are paying the price.
Jaclyn Symes’ mid-year budget update also reveals the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund – a levy that is deeply unpopular in regional Victoria – will not come into effect for farmers and investment property owners until after the November 2026 state election.
This charge was scheduled to increase from $136 per household on 1 July 2026 to $275 but this change has now been pushed back until July 2027. It was already delayed a year for farmers due to drought.
The pause will cost the government $133m in forgone revenue. She says:
This is good news for farmers. It recognises the dry conditions, it recognises that it takes time to recover, and importantly, it provides that certainty and responds to that misinformation that there is going to be an increase – that is just not factually based.
Updated
Victoria finances in ‘really good position’
The Victorian treasurer, Jacyln Symes, says the state’s finances are in a “really good position” after the release of the mid-year budget update.
As we brought to you earlier, the update showed the 2025-26 operating surplus was $710m, compared with the $600m forecast in May, while the state’s debt also forecast to marginally improve across the forward estimates.
Symes told reporters earlier:
This is good news for Victorians but really good news for the economy as well, because it’s a really strong indicator of how we are going.
Symes also pointed to net debt as a percentage of the economy is projected to be 24.9% at June 2026, an improvement of 0.2%. She says this will peak at 25.2% in June 2027 before reducing to 25% by June 2028 and then further declining to 24.9% by June 2029. She says this is proof the government’s fiscal strategy is “working”:
We have a disciplined approach to that. I have guardrails which guide my approach to the management of the state finances, and that is proving to be the right path.
She also says the state has “a lot to show” for the debt – forecast to rise to $192bn by 2028-29 (a $2bn improvement on May’s budget).
Updated
Tarzia won’t nominate successor, but will aid next leader of the SA Liberals
Tarzia declined to nominate his preferred successor but said he was “committed to helping the next leader of the party”.
He said:
There’s a number of talented party members that could be the next leader of the party. We’ll have those conversations respectfully with the team, and we’ll pick our next leader, and we’ll get on with it and support them.
Asked again if he would support Ashton Hurn if she won the leadership, Tarzia said:
Whether it’s Ashton or someone else, we’ve got great talent in the party room. We’ve got people that can step into the role, so whoever, ultimately, the party room decides, I will get behind that person 100%. I leave here with no bitterness whatsoever.
If Hurn does nominate for, and win, the leadership, she would become the third woman to replace an older male Liberal leader in recent weeks after Jess Wilson and Kellie Sloane secured their party’s top job in Victoria and New South Wales respectively.
The 34-year-old Hurn was the media boss for the former premier Steven Marshall before winning her own seat in parliament at the 2022 election.
She is the sister of Shannon Hurn, who captained the West Coast Eagles to the 2018 AFL premiership.
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State Library of Victoria says recent public criticism is 'unfounded'
Further to our earlier posts on the State Library of Victoria, the statement made on behalf of the organisation’s leadership today claims that there have been “unsubstantiated attacks on board and management” and this “recent public criticism” is “unfounded”.
The statement says:
State Library Victoria is a demonstrably successful and adaptive institution. The Library is a great success story, and that has been achieved by being innovative and adaptive to community needs, whilst being faithful to its founding purposes …
Boards and management should be evaluated on performance, outcomes and public value – not personal attacks, assumptions or mischaracterisations of professional experience.
The State Library of Victoria’s board president, Christine Christian, also provided this comment:
The Library is evolving and changing – just as our community, our technology and our cultural context are evolving. Our responsibility is to prepare the organisation for the future so that it can continue to deliver on its founding purpose: to be a place for learning, discovery, creativity and connection, open to every Victorian.
The Reorganisation Proposal does exactly that. It strengthens our services, modernises our structure and positions the Library to meet the needs of the next generation.
Updated
SA’s opposition leader steps down
The South Australian opposition leader, Vincent Tarzia, has stepped down just months out from the state election.
Tarzia announced the decision at a press conference on Friday afternoon, insisting he wasn’t pushed to quit despite polls suggesting the Liberal party is on track for a thumping defeat at the March state election.
He said:
No, no colleague has pushed me. There’s been no letter, petition signed or anything like that. No colleague has told me to step down. This is a decision that I made of my own accord. I’m not going to stand here and complain. We know politics is a tough business.
His resignation will prompt the fourth Liberal leadership change in a matter of weeks after Brad Battin (Victoria), Mark Speakman (New South Wales) and Leanne Castley (ACT) all lost their roles.
His colleague Ashton Hurn is reportedly the frontrunner to fill the top job, which would pit her against the popular Labor premier, Peter Malinauskas, at the 21 March election.
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State Library of Victoria responds to public criticism
More on the State Library of Victoria, which has responded at length this morning to recent coverage of its proposed restructure.
In a media release titled “Correcting the False Narrative”, acting CEO John Wicks says “a false and misleading narrative has emerged that the library is planning widespread cuts to staff and services”.
The statement claims reports that 39 jobs will be lost are incorrect, and that those 39 roles would instead be “no longer required”, while 34 new roles would be created:
Where possible, staff in those roles will be offered pathways for appointment to roles in the new structure.
The statement also disputes that the library’s reference librarians would halve under the proposal, saying instead that it “modernises how librarian expertise is organised and delivered”:
Under the proposed structure, the library would maintain at least 71 librarian roles across the organisation. Within Research and Reader Experience specifically, 20 librarians are proposed to support research and reference interactions.
The proposal itself, which Guardian Australia has seen, lists 28 roles as “no longer required”.
It lists the 21 current reference librarian positions in Information Services, Digital Access and Family History, and says only 10 would remain, under the heading: “Positions proposed to be impacted by a reduction in like-for-like positions (spill & fill)”. (Four reference librarian roles are now vacant.)
Of the 34 new positions, 19 will service the “digital experiences” strategy, nine are new executive or management positions, and six are administrative, finance and philanthropy roles.
You can read up on the background to all this here:
Updated
Former student charged over alleged ongoing hacking of Western Sydney University
A former student charged for a series of alleged cyber hacks on Western Sydney University has committed more offences since her arrest, NSW police allege.
In a statement, police said the 27-year-old woman is alleged to have sent more than 100,000 fraudulent emails to students “designed to tarnish the reputation of the university” and cause the students distress.
The woman was arrested on Thursday night in North Kellyville. Police allege she was in possession of a mobile phone which had been modified to use as a computer terminal to commit the offences.
Police also allege she fabricated and posted material designed to exculpate herself in the ongoing court matter.
She was charged with two counts of “unauthorised function with intent serious offence”, two counts of “fabricate false evidence with intent to mislead judicial tribunal”, and breach of bail.
She was refused bail to appear in Parramatta Local Court on Friday.
Updated
Fresh search for body, evidence linked to alleged Victorian cop-killer
Police in Victoria have cleared bushland, flown drones and traversed caves as part of its latest search to uncover Dezi Freeman, who is accused of shooting dead two policemen in Porepunkah in August.
In a statement, police said:
Detectives from Taskforce Summit, supported by specialist resources, have this last week undertaken a targeted search of the Mount Buffalo national park as part of the ongoing search for wanted fugitive Desmond Freeman.
The extensive search involved a number of units from across Victoria police including local members from eastern region, search and rescue, critical incident response team (CIRT), drone unit and the dog squad as well as two New South Wales police force cadaver dogs.
Police have spent five days systematically searching 0.886 km2 in thick bush and heavy terrain, conducting line searches and clearing caves.
No trace of Freeman has been located at this time.
The area was previously searched on 12 September, police said, with the purpose of locating an “active armed offender”, but the search this week “focused on identifying and locating evidence or the body of Freeman”.
The homicide squad continues to lead the investigation into the murders of Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart.
A reward of $1m remains for information leading to Freeman’s arrest.
Assistant commissioner Martin O’Brien said:
The devastating loss of Neal and Vadim has struck at the heart of Victoria police and had an enormous impact on the Porepunkah community.
I want to reaffirm to the community that Victoria police remains committed to doing everything we can – using every available resource and the necessary capabilities – to locate Desmond Freeman.
We will continue to conduct targeted searches such as this one based on intelligence.
You can read more on the ongoing search for Freeman here:
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Canavan hopes to woo Joyce back to the Nationals
Nationals senator Matt Canavan hopes Barnaby Joyce will “see the light” and come back to the party to continue their crusade against net zero, AAP reports.
The now-independent maverick MP announced his resignation from the Nationals after 30 years with “a heavy heart” last week.
His Nationals’ colleagues had worked for weeks to convince their former leader to stay in the party, and it appears the fight isn’t over for Canavan who said Joyce would be a “prodigal son” if he returned:
He hasn’t signed for another team so I hold out hope he’ll come back, he’ll see the light and come back to his natural home of the Nationals Party. …
I’ll keep doing what I can to convince him to rejoin our team … I’m already fattening the calves.
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Victoria’s midyear budget update
The Victorian government will deliver a $710m operating surplus this financial year, an $110m improvement from when the budget was handed down in May, with the state’s debt also forecast to marginally improve.
The treasurer, Jaclyn Symes, on Friday released the midyear budget update, which showed the 2025-26 operating surplus is $710m, compared with the $600m forecast in May.
Net debt is forecast to rise to $192bn by 2028-29, a $2bn improvement on the $194bn figure in the budget.
The Victorian government will rake in $109.8bn in revenue this financial year, compared with the $108.3bn it forecast in May. Its expenses bill will be $109bn, compared to $107.7bn in May.
Symes will be holding a press conference shortly.
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Tasmania’s Dolphin Sands not safe to return to amid bushfire threat
Tasmania’s Dolphin Sands and the surrounding areas, including Nine Mile Beach, remain a bushfire watch and act area today, with residents being warned it is still not safe to return home amid the threat from bushfires.
Officials said anyone who did not leave the area overnight should continue to monitor conditions and remain alert for changes. However, people who left should not go back until they are told it’s safe.
They added:
Be ready if the situation escalates. Read through your bushfire plan. If you do not have a plan, decide what you will do if the situation gets worse.
Updated
Nick Cave lends support to State Library of Victoria campaign
Nick Cave has added his name to a long and distinguished list of signatories on an open letter calling for greater public accountability at the State Library of Victoria over a proposed restructure.
The musician joins more than 220 writers, scholars and researchers in expressing alarm about the restructure proposal, after plans to cut staff and refocus the 171-year-old institution on tourist-oriented digital experiences came to light.
Guardian Australia understands Cave requested his name be added to the list of signatories because his mother was a librarian, and the cause was important to him in many ways.
Signatories to the letter include Pulitzer prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks, Nobel prize for literature winner JM Coetzee, Nobel laureate Prof Peter Doherty, Booker prize winner Thomas Keneally and dual Stella prize winner Alexis Wright.
The open letter echoes recent calls from the library workers’ union, CPSU Victoria, for management to hold a public meeting to explain their proposal, in which 39 jobs would be lost and the public-facing workforce of reference librarians would be cut from 25 staff to 10. Many publicly accessible computers would be removed from the premises and critical information technology roles outsourced.
The library’s spokesperson said the proposed changes “reflect the Library’s strong commitment to best serving the community now and into the future”.
Acclaimed writer Helen Garner, another signatory to the letter, told Guardian Australia this week that the library had been turned from “a temple of calm … a place where thinking was respected” into “party central” and that the plan would “bring disgrace on the name of our city”.
Read more here:
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Heard of Coverstar, Lemon8 or Yope? Teenagers rush to apps not covered by social media ban
As Australia prepares to block under-16s from accessing 10 of its largest social media platforms, less prominent companies have begun courting the teen market – in some cases paying underaged influencers to promote them.
One teenaged TikTok influencer said in a paid “collab” video for the app Coverstar: “The social media ban is fast approaching, but I found the new cool app we can all move to.”
From 10 December all under-16s in Australia will be banned from TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, Reddit, Twitch, Kick and X as Australia’s world-first social media laws come into effect.
Questions remain about how effective the ban will be, with many children hoping to circumvent it. Others have started looking elsewhere for their social media fix.
Read more here:
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NSW police investigate reports of a shooting outside a Sydney gym
NSW police are investigating after a reported public place shooting in the Sydney suburb of Gregory Hills, this morning.
Police said they were called to a gym in the south-western suburb just after 8.30am this morning. On arrival, officers found a number of shots had allegedly been fired at a man outside the gym.
The man is believed to have left the scene immediately after the incident. There were no reports of injuries.
NSW police said two men were allegedly seen at the scene armed with firearms and dressed in black clothing and face coverings. They have established a crime scene and are calling for anyone with information to come forward.
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Australia will compete in Eurovision, SBS says
Australia will not join Ireland, Spain, Slovenia and the Netherlands in boycotting next year’s Eurovision after Israel was given the all-clear to compete because doing so would undermine SBS’s editorial independence and impartiality, the broadcaster said.
An SBS spokesperson said:
SBS’s participation in and coverage of Eurovision will continue in 2026. Eurovision was created to bring people and cultures together through music, a purpose that continues to guide the contest and has shaped SBS’s broadcast for more than 40 years. Our position remains that, as a public broadcaster, making a decision to be involved based on the inclusion or exclusion of any country would undermine SBS’s editorial independence and impartiality.
SBS recognises and respects the deeply held views and concerns about the war in the Middle East and its impact, both locally among our audiences, and internationally as reflected by other broadcasters. Our responsibility is to provide comprehensive, trusted and impartial coverage for Australians across our network, and we will continue to do so.
Australia’s Special Broadcasting Service has maintained this position despite calls from the Greens and some SBS staff and viewers to withdraw.
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NSW police responding to reports of shots fired in public place in Sydney’s south-west
NSW police are responding to reports of shots fired in the Sydney suburb of Gregory Hills, this morning.
An official said there is a large police presence in the area, but there are no reports of injuries.
Further information will be provided by the police when it is available.
Updated
Residents of Glunlusk, near Hobart, can return home, with caution, after bushfire threat
Tasmania’s fire service said residents of Glenlusk, near Hobart, can return home because there is no longer an immediate threat from bushfires. Some people in the area were told to urgently evacuate yesterday as flames encroached to town.
Conditions are expected to improve, but officials cautioned residents to stay alert, saying:
Although there is no immediate danger, residents need to monitor conditions and be alert for any changes.
Be ready if the situation escalates. Read through your bushfire plan. If you do not have a plan, decide what you will do if the situation gets worse.
Embers, smoke and ash may continue to fall in the area, and smoke could make it difficult to see and breathe. Fire service officials are attending the area today.
If you choose to return to your home, continue to stay alert, [and] monitor your surroundings for changes in fire conditions.
Updated
Four countries to boycott Eurovision 2026 as Israel cleared to compete
Ireland, Spain, Slovenia and the Netherlands will boycott next year’s Eurovision after Israel was given the all-clear to compete in the 2026 song contest despite calls by several participating broadcasters for its exclusion over the war in Gaza.
No vote on Israel’s participation was held on Thursday at the general assembly of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the body that organises the competition.
Instead, participating broadcasters voted only to introduce new rules designed to stop governments and third parties from disproportionately promoting songs to influence voters.
“A large majority of members agreed that there was no need for a further vote on participation and that the Eurovision song contest 2026 should proceed as planned, with the additional safeguards in place,” the EBU said in a statement.
Read more here:
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Tasmania fire authorities battling bushfires, some property losses reported
Tasmania’s fire authorities are continuing to respond to numerous bushfires today after dangerous weather conditions on Thursday.
Officials said efforts are now focused on the Dolphin Sands area and Glenlusk, near Hobart, with fires burning at Abels Bay, Colebrook, Levendale and Rhyndaston.
Simon Pilkington, the southern regional chief for Tasmania fire service, said weather conditions were unpredictable for much of yesterday and “unfortunately for much of the day we were not able to safely deploy aircraft to assist firefighting efforts”.
He went on:
A slight improvement in the weather late yesterday afternoon meant we were able to downgrade many of the alerts and warnings.
We are aware of property losses in Dolphin Sands, and will be completing rapid impact assessments this morning to confirm the extent of this, when safe to do so.
Today’s weather is expected to be more favourable for firefighting.
Residents are urged to stay up-to-date with advisories at TasAlert.com.
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Report card reveals private health insurance offering little value to many Australians
Australians are paying more for private health insurance but getting less value in return, a report from the Australian Medical Association has found.
Consumers are abandoning so called gold-tier policies and questioning the value of other policies, all while insurers experience huge profits, the report says.
The growth of private health insurance premiums has outstripped inflation, health sector inflation, average weekly earnings and the indexation of the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) every year since 2008. Between 2008 and 2024, premiums climbed more than 100% while MBS indexation – which was frozen for several years from 2013 – increased by less than 20%.
The report also shows that over the six years to June 2025, insurers increased benefits paid for in-hospital medical treatment by only 18.1%, described by the AMA as a modest rise compared with sector profits, which grew by nearly 50% in the same period.
In 2024‒25, insurers returned 84.2% of premiums to consumers as benefits, well below the 2019 level of 88%. The AMA is calling on the federal government to mandate insurers to return at least 90% of private health insurance premiums to consumers in the form of benefits.
AMA president Dr Danielle McMullen has renewed calls for an independent private health system authority.
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Adult time for violent crime passes Victorian parliament
The Victorian government’s controversial “adult time for violent crime” bill has passed parliament without amendment.
The bill, which will move serious crimes committed by children as young as 14 from the children’s court to adult courts, passed at about 6pm on Thursday with the support of the Coalition.
As a result, the maximum penalty for teenagers convicted of offences such as aggravated home invasions and carjackings will increase to 25 years from three years.
The bill has been criticised by legal and human rights groups who say it will have a detrimental impact on vulnerable young people and will disproportionately affect First Nations children.
Even the attorney general, Sonya Kilkenny, in her compatibility statement tabled in parliament earlier this week, admitted the bill was partially incompatible with the state’s human rights laws.
After the bill passed parliament, Kilkenny issued a statement that read:
I’m pleased these laws can now be put in place as soon as possible to protect Victorians. There are no easy solutions to youth crime, and the best approach is always to stop crime before it starts. But we absolutely need serious consequences for violent youth crime to protect the community now.
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Sydney’s M4 tunnel fully reopens after drivers stuck for hours
Sydney’s M4 tunnel has reopened in both directions after overnight emergency repairs, Transport for NSW says.
As we reported yesterday, fears the tunnel’s concrete roof might collapse led to all westbound lanes being closed from early yesterday morning until the afternoon.
The NSW roads minister, Jenny Aitchison, blamed the toll road’s private operator Transurban, saying she had seen reports on social media of some drivers being stuck in the tunnel for up to four hours.
One lane eventually reopened yesterday afternoon, but all lanes were closed again at 10pm last night so remedial work could continue. As of this morning, the lanes have reopened.
In a statement today, Aitchison said:
After a very difficult 24 hours for Sydney motorists, I’m advised the M4 tunnel has now fully reopened. While we’re relieved to see traffic moving again, this incident is yet another reminder of what happens when critical public assets are privatised.”
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Minister says Albanese government ‘working through’ US review of Aukus deal
Pat Conroy, the minister for the defence industry, says the government is “working through” the US review of the Aukus submarine deal, but maintains things are still “full steam ahead” on the military pact.
Conroy spoke to RN Breakfast after a US official said on Thursday the Pentagon had completed its review of the nuclear submarine partnership.
I obviously refer your listeners to the very positive comments from President Trump that Aukus is full steam ahead.
We’re hitting all the major milestones, including the docking of USS Vermont in WA only last month, and things are going well. But as for the contents of the review, that’s a matter for the US government.
Conroy would not say if the review would be made public, saying it was in the hands of the US.
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Total fire bans in place in southern and central NSW
Total fire bans are in place in central and southern NSW amid hot conditions over the coming days.
The lower central plains and the northern, southern and eastern Riverina are all facing the restrictions, with some parts of southern NSW facing extreme fire conditions.
A total fire ban means no fire can be lit or used in the open, and general purpose hot works like welding or gas cutting are prohibited. You can use a gas or electric barbecue under limited conditions, but all solid fuel barbecues are banned.
Large parts of the state, while not under a fire ban, remain under a high fire danger rating.
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Heatwave warning for much of NSW, including Sydney, some areas forecast to hit low 40s
Temperatures are expected to reach the mid-thirties to low-forties across a large stretch of NSW’s east, from Port Macquarie to the Victorian border. Affected areas include the greater Sydney region, Newcastle, Wollongong, Batemans Bay, Camden, Campbelltown, Nowra and Gosford.
The Bureau of Meteorology says the heatwave is expected to continue into Saturday, with overnight minimums in the mid-teens to low-twenties.
“Severe heatwave conditions are expected to peak on Friday and Saturday before easing on Sunday as a cooler change extends across the state,” the agency said.
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Good morning, and happy Friday. Nick Visser here to guide you through the morning. Let’s get to it.
Family violence prevention forum hears from sports stars
The Collingwood captain, Darcy Moore, the Brisbane Lions captain, Harris Andrews, the Man Cave chief executive, Ben Vasiliou, and Movember research director Zac Seidler will join a panel discussion as part of a family violence prevention forum convened by chief justice William Alstergren in Melbourne today, Australian Associated Press reports.
The audience will also hear from the governor general, Sam Mostyn, the attorney general, Michelle Rowland, the Australian Sports Commission chair, Kate Jenkins, and others.
“Bringing leaders together in a room like this is not about symbolism, it is about taking responsibility for the culture we create in our workplaces, clubs and communities,” said Tarang Chawla, whose sister was murdered by her husband in 2015.
“For too long, women have been told to keep themselves safe while men have stood on the sidelines.
“Until men are willing to challenge other men to a higher standard, nothing will fundamentally change and we all suffer.”
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Australia receives Trump review of Aukus deal
The federal government confirmed it has received the Trump administration’s review of the Aukus submarine deal this week, promising to work through the long-awaited report.
Overnight, the Pentagon’s chief spokesperson, Sean Parnell, told Guardian Australia the purpose of the review was to identify opportunities to strengthen Aukus and ensure its long-term success, in alignment with Donald Trump’s “America first” agenda.
During the review, the department consulted extensively with the US inter-agency as well as Australia and the United Kingdom.
Consistent with President Trump’s guidance that Aukus should move ‘full steam ahead’, the review identified opportunities to put Aukus on the strongest possible footing.
The department will work in close consultation with its partners to develop options for implementing the review’s recommendations.
Any fears inside the Australian government about the future of the deal were eased after Trump publicly endorsed Aukus when he hosted the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, at the White House in late September.
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Skydiving instructors strike, union says pay cuts undermine safety
Australia’s skydivers are planning to walk off the job today in what the union calls “unprecedented” industrial action.
In a press release the Australian Workers’ Union said skydiving instructors employed by tourism giant Experience Co would stop work at eight sites in Queensland, NSW and Victoria.
The union says most of the company’s 130 skydivers have seen little to no base wage increases in decades.
It follows 10 months of stalled negotiations for a first-ever enterprise agreement, the union said, claiming that the company’s wage proposals “included cuts of between $20,000 and $100,000 a year” and would slash the minimum annual wage for instructors to $49,000 from $57,000.
The cuts undermine the safety of every customer who straps into a tandem harness, the union said, claiming the company was trying to turn employees into “gig workers”.
“Tandem skydiving instructors literally take people’s lives in their hands every time they go to work,” said AWU national organiser Jonathan Cook.
“Would you want your mum strapped to an underpaid instructor?”
In a press release, Experience Co called the strike “unreasonable and irresponsible”.
“Skydive Australia is effectively a small business that proudly employs mostly young people in regional Australia,” the CEO, John O’Sullivan, said.
It said it had engaged in good faith bargaining on the enterprise agreement, and had made six offers that would “provide some of the best wages and conditions in the sector”, but the union’s November ambit claim “would add massive costs that are simply not viable for the business”.
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Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it will be Nick Visser with the main action.
If you were planning to fall out of the sky today we have bad news: in what the union calls “unprecedented” industrial action, skydiving instructors employed by a large tourism company are going on strike today in sites across the country, as pay talks stall with their employer.
Plus, the federal government has received the US’s review of the Aukus submarine deal.
More on both these stories, and other news, coming up.
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