What we learned: Wednesday 18 March
That’s it for today, thanks for reading. Here are the day’s main stories:
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, calls a snap national cabinet meeting over fuel crisis, saying the economic shock caused by the US-Israeli war on Iran was like the Covid pandemic or Ukraine invasion.
Albanese also revealed on Wednesday that an Australian airbase near Dubai had been hit by an Iranian projectile about 9.50am, causing a small fire but not injuring any Australian personnel.
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, said the war in the Middle East could do significant damage to the Australian economy, with new Treasury figures showing persistent energy shock would see GDP 0.6% lower in 2027, with effects lasting until at least 2029. That could slash $16.5bn from the national economy by next year.
Chalmers sought to downplay the risk of recession, however, despite a warning issued by the Reserve Bank.
Donald Trump has listed Australia among the allies he is bitterly disappointed with for not wanting to get involved with his war against Iran, saying in a social media post overnight that the US “has been informed by most of our Nato ‘allies’ that they don’t want to get involved … despite the fact that almost every country strongly agreed with what we are doing”.
The Albanese government has suffered a major legal blow against its monitoring of a group of noncitizens after the high court ruled this morning its ankle monitoring and curfew regime were invalid.
Radio host Kyle Sandilands says his ARN contract – reportedly worth $100m - has been terminated – but he ‘doesn’t accept it’.
The Bureau of Meteorology says Tropical Cyclone Narelle could reach category 5 status on its approach to the coastline, as the Queensland premier, David Crisafulli, says it could be the biggest cyclone in living memory.
We will see you here again for more news tomorrow.
Updated
European Commission president to visit Australia amid hopes of trade deal breakthrough
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will visit Australia next week, with a scheduled meeting with Anthony Albanese raising hopes that a long-awaited EU trade deal may finally be struck.
Von der Leyen will visit Australia from 23 to 25 March, including meeting prime minister Albanese on the 24th. She will travel with the EU commissioner for trade and economic security, Maroš Šefčovič.
Government sources wouldn’t say if the long-delayed free trade deal between the EU and Australia, which has twice fallen over in late stages of negotiating, was finally locked in - but one source said they were interpreting von der Leyen’s visit as a good sign along the negotiations.
Albanese’s office said Australia and the European Union had a shared commitment to democratic values, security and trade, and that the two leaders would discuss strengthening their relationship.
“Australia and Europe are friends and partners, working together to advance peace, security and economic prosperity,” Albanese said in a statement.
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War in Middle East could wipe $16.5bn from Australian economy: Chalmers
Jim Chalmers says the war in the Middle East could do significant damage to the Australian economy, likening the shock to the global financial crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic and major trade tensions.
Chalmers has released new Treasury figures which show a persistent energy shock from a long lasting Iran war would see GDP 0.6% lower in 2027, with effects lasting until at least 2029.
That could slash $16.5bn from the national economy by 2027.
The treasurer warned the prospect of “inflation peaking in the high fours or even higher this year is very real.”
Chalmers says even with conservative assumptions, Treasury’s latest advice is the war could cut Australia’s GDP growth by up to 0.2 percentage points across our major trading partners. He said:
These effects add a further quarter of a percentage point to headline inflation and double the negative impact on GDP.
Headline inflation would peak three-quarters of a percentage point higher in the short term scenario and 1¼ percentage point higher in the prolonged one.
At the weekend, Chalmers said the government expected inflation to rise beyond 4.5% in Australia, up from 3.8%.
It means the prospect of inflation peaking in the high 4s or even higher this year is very real.
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Greens and Liberal integrity bill passes Victorian upper house but expected to get shot down in lower house
The Coalition opposition and the Greens in Victoria have banded together to pass a bill in the upper house that would give the state’s anti-corruption watchdog “follow the money” powers to combat corruption in the construction union.
The power would allow the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (Ibac) to investigate corrupt conduct by third parties and private subcontractors connected to government funding.
It follows the release of a report by corruption fighter Geoffrey Watson SC last month, which included allegations that corruption involving the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) cost taxpayers up to $15bn.
The bill also increases transparency by better enabling the agency to conduct more public hearings.
It will now move to the lower house, where it is expected to be voted down, given Labor has a commanding majority.
Updated
Bruce Lehrmann trial date set in Queensland
The former political staffer Bruce Lehrmann has been set a trial date to face rape charges, more than five years after the alleged offences, AAP reports.
Lehrmann, 30, was not required to appear in Queensland District Court at Toowoomba on Wednesday when a trial date of 2 November was set by Judge Deborah Richards.
Defence solicitor Zali Burrows was asked if Lehrmann would seek a jury trial or a trial before a judge alone.
“It may be (before a jury). Mr Lehrmann is still deciding,” Burrows said.
Lehrmann is accused of raping a woman twice during the morning of 10 October 2021 after a night out in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane.
He was charged in January 2023 and committed in July 2024 to stand trial after hearings in Toowoomba magistrates court into the reliability of the alleged victim’s evidence.
Lehrmann and the woman met during the previous night at a Toowoomba strip club.
She told police she and Lehrmann discussed their political beliefs before catching a taxi to his friend’s house, having consensual sex and consuming cocaine about 4am.
The woman said she was woken about 10am by Lehrmann sexually assaulting her.
Lehrmann, who is on bail, has yet to formally enter a plea but previously indicated he would contest the charges.
Updated
Speaking in favour of the motion, the Greens justice spokesperson, Sue Higginson, told NSW parliament today:
“It seems pretty clear that the Minns Labor government doesn’t like what the Sackar review says, which I imagine is what all the other expert advice says, that their draconian law and order, anti-democratic approach to criminal law is ineffective.”
Labor backbencher Stephen Lawrence, said he was looking forward to reading the report if it becomes public.
“With most types of criminal conduct, it often occurs at a pretty static level in the community, [it] is almost immune to to the different levels of the criminal law. But that’s not always the case ... sometimes we do need new laws.”
The shadow attorney general, Damien Tudehope, who has been leading calls for the government to release the report, expressed surprise that Lawrence, a criminal barrister, had not been given access to the report:
“What is in this report that they don’t want anyone to see, and especially they don’t want to people like Stephen Lawrence to see it, because if he sees it, there might there might be all hell to pay in relation to the laws that we have been introducing ... ?”
NSW crossbenchers seek to force government to release secret report on hate speech
Crossbenchers in NSW have mounted an attempt to compel the Minns government to release a secret report on controversial hate speech protections which it has been sitting on for months.
The report was commissioned after the introduction of a controversial offence for inciting hatred on the grounds of race, against Law Reform Commission advice that it would “introduce imprecision and subjectivity into the criminal law”.
The six-month review, authored by former supreme court justice John Sackar, was asked to look into expanding the offence to cover religion, sexual orientation or gender identity. Since the report was tabled in November, the Minns government has faced questions at press conferences about why it has not been released amid increasing speculation about what it contains.
Yesterday, the premier, Chris Minns, said the report was still with cabinet, refusing to comment on its content. “I don’t want the report released before we’ve made a decision in relation to it, so it’s not something that we’re brushing under the carpet,” he said.
But this afternoon, the NSW upper house passed a unanimous motion brought by the Greens under a procedure known as Standing Order 52 (SO52), which requires the executive government to release documents. The government did not oppose the motion, but may argue that the report is “confidential in cabinet” and should not be released.
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House prices could cool off thanks to back-to-back interest rate hikes, experts say
House prices could cool off as interest rate hikes put mortgages out of reach for hopeful homebuyers, industry voices say.
Yesterday’s rate hike took the typical mortgage rate to about 6%, from about 5.5% at the start of the year according to Canstar.
Someone on the average full-time wage of $106,950 can now borrow about $535,000, close to $25,000 less than the would have been able to borrow back in January, Canstar has found. Their borrowing capacity would fall to just over $520,000 if rates are hiked again in May, as the big four banks predict.
Cara Haynes, a Loan Market broker, said hopeful homebuyers had already started to step away from the market and sit tight after February’s interest rate rise. Haynes said:
“Some people are holding off to see what happens with the economy. At the same time, there is a decrease in competition, meaning those still looking tend to find their property faster than even the start of the year.”
Cotality’s head of research, Gerard Burg, said the hike could push more people to compete for the cheaper segment of the market but would likely continue to cool off growth in house prices overall. Property website Domain has predicted home prices would not go backwards, just grow at a slower pace.
Updated
‘Now we have one economic shock after another’
Chalmers also said the budget would seek to strike a balance between driving down inflation and reducing cost of living pressures.
He said this had become more difficult for governments given ongoing uncertainty with the economy.
It used to be we’d have long periods of calm punctuated by economic shocks, now we have one economic shock after another.
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Chalmers says government may explore extending lifespan of two oil refineries
Jim Chalmers is also asked about petrol prices, and general cost of living pressures, given the Reserve Bank announced another interest rate hike on Tuesday.
He says fuel rationing is “not something we’re anticipating, not something we’re expecting to have to do”, but said it was possible the government would explore extending the lifespan of two remaining oil refineries which were set to close in Australia next year.
These refineries, we had six …two is not a lot, and … you need to have resiliences in the system, I think a lot of countries are discovering that.
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Chalmers says budget will include ‘tough decisions’ to tackle inflation
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, says a number of different contingencies are being modelled ahead of the May budget given uncertainty caused by the war in Iran.
Chalmers told the ABC that there were two scenarios that had already been considered, and a third based on “more concerning” developments after the bombing of Iran would also be completed.
He said the budget would include “tough decisions” to tackle inflation.
Updated
One person dies in boat accident off Tasmania
A person has died and two more had to be pulled from the water after a boat “struck difficulty” off Marion Bay, Tasmanian police said.
In a statement, police said:
Initial investigations indicate four people were on the boat when it struck difficulty, with three of the party entering the water.
Two people were helped to safety by members of another boat in the area who answered the call for help.
A third person remained unaccounted for but sadly, has since been found deceased.
Police investigations are continuing.
Updated
Tropical Cyclone Narelle expected to make landfall as category 4 system
As we said earlier, the Bureau of Meteorology will be making regular updates to it’s track map for Tropical Cyclone Narelle as it heads towards the Far North Queensland coast.
In a new forecast, senior meteorologist Jonathan How said the cyclone was expected to make landfall near the town of Coen on Friday morning as a category 4 system.
After that, the system is likely to hold it’s cyclone status as it reaches the waters of the Gulf of Carpentaria where it will likely intensify from a category 1 to a category 3 before making a second landfall on Saturday night.
How said it will likely loose its wind speed and become a tropical low as it keeps moving west, but could drop significant rain over the Top End – a region where the ground is already saturated with some areas such as Katherine and Daly River still in recovery mode from floods.
What happens after that is more uncertain, How said, but there is one scenario where the system leaves the land and re-intensifies into a cyclone and makes a third landfall in Western Australia early next week.
The bureau is due to issue a new track map before 5pm Queensland time today.
Updated
Greens sound alarm over reports DV call service handed confidential counselling files to accused offenders
The Greens have raised alarm over a report in news.com that the government funded, privately run 1800RESPECT call service is handing out confidential client notes and complete audio recordings of victim counselling sessions which end up in the hands of accused offenders via subpoenas, according to freedom of information documents.
The newspaper found the service was subpoenaed at least once a week between June and August 2025, for private confidential client files including video and audio recordings. It is entitled to fight subpoenas but news.com said its investigation could find no record of 1800RESPECT having done this.
The Greens leader, Larissa Waters, said the department of social services has been warned about risks to privacy and other issues with 1800RESPECT for years, “yet the government increased funding to this referral service rather than to specialist frontline organisations”. She said:
Reaching out for help in the aftermath of family violence or sexual assault is one of the most difficult things to do. Seeking support should not be weaponised and no one should have to worry their private conversations will be given to their rapist or abuser.
“Victim-survivors must be able to access specialist counselling without fear. All states and the commonwealth should implement clear protections preventing sexual assault counselling files from being released.
In a statement to Guardian Australia, 1800RESPECT said the safety and privacy of people affected by violence who contact the service “is of the highest priority”.
They said that since Telstra Health commenced delivery of the service on 1 July 2022, “there have been no cases where 1800RESPECT provided records to the courts in relation to a subpoena request for a criminal proceeding”. 1800RESPECT said:
People seeking support can choose to contact 1800RESPECT via a channel that best suits their needs ... and can also use a pseudonym to protect their identity. People are able to contact 1800RESPECT via phone and request that their call is not recorded (this can be done at any time during their call).
Updated
That’s all from me. Nino Bucci will take the reins from here. Take care.
NSW moves to ban IRGC and Hizb ut-Tahrir symbols
People publicly displaying symbols associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and a radical Islamist group could be imprisoned for two years, AAP reports.
Legislation introduced on Wednesday to NSW parliament expands bans on terrorist symbols to all prohibited organisation symbols, capturing those affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and recently outlawed hate group Hizb ut-Tahrir.
Waving flags or wearing clothes with their insignia will be punishable with a prison sentence of up two years, a $22,000 fine, or both, and $110,000 for corporations.
NSW attorney general Michael Daley said the Labor-drafted bill follows in the federal government’s footsteps, aimed at holding extremists to account:
There is no place in NSW for hateful, extremist conduct.
Updated
More on the Iranian projectile that hit near Australia’s headquarters at an airbase in the UAE
As reported earlier in the blog, an Iranian projectile hit near Australia’s headquarters at the Al Minhad airbase in the United Arab Emirates, damaging an accommodation block and a medical facility.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, confirmed that no Australian personnel were injured in the strike at 9.15am AEDT on Wednesday morning.
Albanese could not confirm if Iran directly targeted the Al Minhad base while maintaining Australia was not at war.
Australia has maintained a smaller force at Al Minhad airbase since the end of operations in Afghanistan. Defence last year said there were about 50 core ADF staff and a total of 70 to 80 Australians at the base at any time.
Read more here:
Attorney general praises former high court chief justice for ‘enduring’ legacy
Michelle Rowland, the attorney general, released a note celebrating the life of former high court chief justice Anthony Mason, who died at the age of 100.
Rowland wrote that Mason was guided by “a deep respect for fairness and for the rights of all Australians” and had “devoted his life to the law and to serving our nation”. She added:
As a Justice, and later Chief Justice of the High Court, he helped shape modern Australia through some of our nation’s most significant judgments, including presiding over the landmark Mabo decision.
He will be remembered for his wisdom and intellect, and his enduring contribution to our legal system, academia and public life.
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DiDi rideshare prices rise and Uber watching as petrol costs surge
Rideshare company DiDi has started charging customers extra to cover the cost of fuel, while Uber says it is weighing its options.
DiDi customers across Australia from today will start paying an extra 5c per kilometre, which the company says will be passed on in full to drivers. The surcharge covers the near-50c per litre rise in petrol prices since the US went to war on Iran, assuming the typical trip has a fuel economy of 10 litres per 100km.
DiDi has introduced a fuel surcharge before, of 3c per kilometre back in 2022 when the pause on the fuel excise was lifted.
DiDi Australia’s head of external affairs, Dan Jordan, said:
At DiDi, we recognise the ongoing pressure that rising fuel prices are placing on our drivers across Australia, with higher costs at the pump directly affecting their ability to earn on the platform.
Uber is yet to announce a surcharge, meaning drivers for Uber and Uber Eats delivery are copping higher fuel costs. An Uber spokesperson said the company recognised the costs on workers:
Uber is actively monitoring conditions as they evolve and regularly reviews ways to support driver partners and delivery people as circumstances change. We are always looking for ways we can continue to support them.
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Unanimous support for inquiry into Human Rights Act in NSW
An inquiry into whether NSW should introduce its own Human Rights Act will go ahead after receiving unanimous support from the state’s lower house.
As we reported yesterday, three Greens MPs, including MP for Newtown and human rights spokesperson, Jenny Leong, and five key crossbenchers wrote a letter to the NSW premier, Chris Minns, asking for an inquiry into a bill for a Human Rights Act introduced by Leong in October last year.
As Australia does not have its own bill of rights, individual states have moved to legislate their own human rights acts or charters, including Victoria, Queensland and the ACT. The push for an inquiry into the possibility in NSW had the support of 120 organisations including Amnesty International, the Human Rights Law Centre and the NSW Council for Civil Liberties.
This afternoon, the legislative assembly voted the inquiry would go ahead with support from both the Minns government and the Coalition.
In a statement welcoming the decision, Leong, who will chair the inquiry, says:
At a time when fractures in our community run wide and deep, and so many are feeling the pressures of everyday life, NSW parliament is at a critical inflection point: we can choose to offer hope, or we can choose to fuel hate.
A NSW Human Rights Act would give people from across the community a valuable tool to use to ensure their basic human rights and dignity are respected – and to take action when they are not. It would completely transform the public sector from one in which human rights are an afterthought to one that truly has the community’s best interests at heart.
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Greens senator says Sandilands’ behaviour has ‘finally caught up with him’
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young says Kyle Sandilands’ statement today reads like “a three-year-old’s tantrum” as she took aim at the broadcasting regulator, saying it “took far too long to act on this vile and dangerous content”:
Kyle Sandilands built a career pushing the limits. Today, that finally caught up with him. …
This vile show trashed our airwaves for long enough so it’s good to see ARN finally kick it to the curb.
People afforded platforms in this country, like Kyle Sandilands, have enormous influence in shaping public attitudes. When harmful or degrading commentary is normalised, it sends the wrong message.
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Albanese government suffers blow over ankle monitoring and curfew regime
The Albanese government has suffered a major legal blow against its monitoring of NZYQ-affected noncitizens after the high court ruled this morning its ankle monitoring and curfew regime were invalid.
The high court’s chief justice, Stephen Gageler AC, ruled the monitoring conditions imposed on the group of 300-plus noncitizens, often referred to as the NZYQ cohort, who were released from indefinite detention following an earlier ruling in November 2023 were invalid.
Following the release of more than 300 people from detention centres, the government passed laws to impose ankle bracelets and curfew on anyone risking community safety. Those laws were struck down by the high court in November 2024 before the government passed amendments to put them back in place until now.
This latest development means those in the community currently subject to ankle monitoring conditions will have their ankle bracelets removed and instead have to regularly report to officials. It also means the government can no longer impose curfews on them.
Guardian Australia understands the ruling means the ankle bracelets will come off 43 noncitizens in the community.
After striking a $2.5bn deal with Nauru last year, the federal government has begun applying for 30-year Nauruan visas on behalf of the cohort in an effort to remove them from the country. Guardian Australia has confirmed at least six NZYQ-affected citizens have been removed to Nauru.
In a statement, the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, said:
Fortunately we now have the agreement with Nauru, because the best thing for people who have had their visa cancelled is to not be in this country.
Updated
Former high court chief justice Anthony Mason dies at 100
Anthony Mason, who served as the chief justice of the high court, has died. He was 100.
The high court issued a statement saying the longtime justice would be honoured with a ceremonial sitting of the court in June.
Mason served on the court beginning in 1972, and was later chief justice from 1987 to 1995. He was made a knight commander of the order of the British empire in 1972.
The high court said in a statement:
Sir Anthony’s contribution to the jurisprudence of the High Court, and to the legal system and profession more broadly, was profound and is enduring. He was a jurist who was and continues to be regarded with deep respect and admiration, and a man who is remembered with affection and appreciation by those who had the privilege of knowing and working with him.
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Cyclone Narelle projected to make landfall as category 4 system
The Bureau of Meteorology just provided the latest track map for Tropical Cyclone Narelle, including an update that the system could reach category 5 status on its approach to the coastline.
One official suggested the cyclone would make landfall as a category 5 system – the most intense cyclone category available.
But the track map from the bureau issued a few minutes ago suggests the system could drop down to a still very destructive category 4 system just before it makes landfall on Friday morning.
The difference between the two categories is essentially wind speed. A cat 4 system has maximum wind speeds between 160 and 199km/h. A cat 5 has wind speeds at 200km/h or greater.
The location of landfall is currently forecast just south of Lockhart River, but that could change as further updates are provided.
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NSW police investigating Sydney Biennale DJ set after complaint
New South Wales police are investigating language used by a US electronic music producer at an opening night event for the Sydney biennale last week.
During the set at White Bay Power Station on Friday, Zubeyda Muzeyyen, who uses the stage name DJ Haram, allegedly claimed that a “Zio-Australian-Epstein empire” was responsible for silencing dissenters. Critics said the phrase, referencing financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, fed into antisemitic tropes.
The comments were part of an extended performance that expressed solidarity with Palestinian resistance, referenced “martyrs” and condemned “global complicity” in an ongoing genocide against the people of Gaza.
Earlier this week, the president of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, David Ossip, said the organisation would refer comments made during the set to the police. He said he was concerned that expressing support for the “resistance” and praising “martyrs” could amount to a commonwealth criminal offence.
The NSW police commissioner, Mal Lanyon, confirmed on ABC radio this morning that Leichardt police area command was investigating after a complaint. He said:
We’ll review what was said, the context of what was said, and line that up against the legislation to determine whether any offences were committed. It’s important to know that hate crimes, hate speech, has a high bar, and there is a reason for that high bar. Obviously, free speech is something that we value in this country. We need to make sure that an offence has been committed. If so, we’ll take action.
Guardian Australia has previously sought comment from DJ Haram, who has left the country.
Updated
Recap: what we learned about the Iranian strike on Al Minhad airbase
Albanese has finished his press conference – let’s circle back to his comments regarding an Iranian strike on an airbase near Dubai in the UAE, where ADF personnel are stationed.
The PM said the strike from an Iranian projectile took place about 9.50am on Wednesday at the Al Minhad base. It caused a small fire at the base, but no Australians were injured.
He said there was no indication Iran deliberately targeted Australia, but would not be drawn on how many Australians were on base at the time.
Updated
Albanese won’t comment on remarks from Liberal MP Andrew Hastie, who has called US president Donald Trump petulant.
He says he is engaging with Trump diplomatically, and had a constructive conversation with him last week.
Al Minhad airbase near Dubai was also struck earlier this month
The attack occurred earlier this morning at Al Minhad, a base near Dubai which was also targeted by Iran in a drone strike earlier this month:
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Albanese says Australia is not at war. He says there’s no need to elaborate on that, saying he is speaking with clarity about the attack only hours after it occurred.
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Iranian attack on UAE base was ‘random’, PM says
Albanese:
I can assure everyone that every person there is safe, I’ve spoken to the defence minister about this, and it’s important that we recognise that the Iranian regime are engaging in frankly random attacks across the Gulf region.
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No ADF personnel injured after Iranian projectile landed near base, PM says
Albanese confirms that no Australians were injured when an Iranian missile landed near a base where Australian personnel were stationed in the UAE.
Updated
Albanese says national cabinet will meet tomorrow to discuss fuel security, but that there are no current supply issues, except for in some areas in relation to diesel fuel.
Anthony Albanese speaking in Burnie
The prime minister is giving a press conference in Tasmania
Queensland premier warns far north Queensland cyclone could be biggest in living memory
The Queensland premier, David Crisafulli, is holding a press conference about Tropical Cyclone Narelle.
The weather system is currently tracking to hit Cape York at about Coen. At the moment it’s expected to make landfall on Friday at category 5. It is expected to threaten communities on both sides of the Cape, Crisafulli said.
Crisafulli said the community there are very familiar with heavy rain and even cyclones but that the system may prove the biggest in living memory.
The state has pre-deployed a variety of emergency services including paramedics and police. Vulnerable people are also being flown out, such as those who need dialysis or who are pregnant, he said.
• This post has been corrected, a previous version gave an incorrect landfall site and strength for Narelle, apologies.
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Mining giant BHP names new chief executive
Brandon Craig will become the chief executive of BHP on 1 July, replacing Mike Henry, who will step down after six and a half years in the role, AAP reports.
Under Henry’s leadership, BHP sold off its petroleum business to Woodside Energy, unified its dual-listed structure and strengthened its copper exposure.
Craig is currently BHP’s president for the Americas, leading its growth strategy in future-facing commodities across Canada, the US and South America. He previously led BHP’s Western Australian iron ore business.
Craig will receive a base salary of US$1.9m ($2.7m), with the potential to make a maximum of US$12.5m ($17m) a year more from bonuses.
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Pro-Palestinian activist to plead not guilty after arrest for banned phrase
Pro-Palestinian activist Liam Parry will plead not guilty after being arrested and charged last week in Queensland under laws banning an expression used by the movement.
At a press conference this morning, Parry said he intends to contest his charge and argued he was “wrongly arrested”. He argued his speech – in which he said the phrase “from the river to the sea” once – did not intimidate, harass or offend, which is the standard required under the act.
Parry also said Justice for Palestine, which he is a member of and organiser for, is considering a constitutional challenge to the legislation.
I’ve been charged with the offence of reciting a prohibited expression and even just saying that out loud sounds a bit ridiculous, but it’s not ridiculous, it’s serious. These are some of the biggest attacks on freedom of speech in Australia for decades.
He said supporters of the movement should not be intimidated and shouldn’t stop speaking up.
I think the real issue here is not thought crimes, it’s war crimes. We’ve been protesting against war crimes for years in this country, and we’re not going to be intimidated, and we’re not going to stop protesting against Israel’s war crimes.
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Fire ants in Brisbane show invasive species is on the march – and an outbreak may follow
Fire ants are described as a “social menace” – they are known to swarm aggressively and inflict a sting that can itch and burn for an hour. In rare cases, people have died from allergic reactions.
In recent days and weeks, sporting clubs across south-east Queensland have issued a spate of last-minute cancellations of training sessions and postponement of games due to red imported fire ants, from the Redbank Plains Bears rugby league club in Ipswich, south-west of Brisbane, to the Coorparoo Australian rules football club just south of the river, and Redlands United FC on the coast.
Fire ants, it seems, are on the march. But though the frontlines may be expanding, this is no new invasion. These ants are from an incursion first detected in Brisbane in 2001 – having possibly arrived sometime in the 1980s.
Read more here:
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NSW crime data shows rise in domestic violence legal actions as government says reforms are working
The Minns government said crime statistics released this morning show its reforms targeting domestic violence are working.
The new data released by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (Bocsar) found that a record number of domestic violence allegations progressed to court in 2025, making up a quarter of all adult court proceedings in the state.
It found the rise in domestic violence prosecutions did not appear to be due to an increase in incidents, but an increase in police enforcement and proactive detection.
December 2025 marked a new record in the number of adults in custody – both on remand and sentenced. Previous data released by Bocsar found the increase in adults in prison is being driven by an increase in DV prosecutions and bail refusals.
NSW attorney general, Michael Daley, said:
This data shows our tough bail reforms and other measures targeting domestic violence offenders are working. More domestic violence offenders are being brought before the courts now than ever.
NSW police minister Yasmin Catley said:
That doesn’t happen by chance. It’s the result of turning around recruitment and retention and backing our police with the technology they need.
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Richard Scolyer shares ‘disappointing’ news of brain cancer progression, but it’s ‘not the end of the road’
Former Australian of the Year Richard Scolyer shared an update on his health last night after revealing last year that his brain cancer had returned.
Scolyer wrote on Instagram that he had had another scan of his brain, and it hadn’t been the “best day ever”:
There seems to be further progression of my brain tumour (glioblastoma) affecting brain functioning (as me and a few close friends can feel/see).
Whilst it is a bit disappointing, in the big picture it’s not the end of the road and I’ve got more to do! I love and enjoy challenges. I certainly haven’t stopped yet.
Hopefully I can share more special times with family and friends, and continue to advocate for cancer patients.
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Youth crime falls in NSW, new data shows
Youth offending in NSW has fallen over the past two years in New South Wales, according to new data, with court actions falling by almost 14%.
The new data released by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (Bocsar) found significant reductions in the two years to December 2025 in the Far West and Orana region (down by 31%), Illawarra (down by 34.8%) and New England and North West region (down 18.2%).
It found that overall, across the state the number of court proceedings initiated by police towards young people remained stable over the two years, suggesting youth crime has remained stable across NSW.
For adults, Bocsar found that a record number of domestic violence allegations progressed to court in 2025, making up a quarter of all adult court proceedings in the state.
It found that the increase came as domestic violence incidents remained stable:
The rise in domestic violence legal actions does not appear to reflect increased prevalence, but rather increased police enforcement and proactive detection.
In 2025 NSW Police recorded a record number of domestic violence-related intimidation stalking and harassment offences (25,393), along with breaches of Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders (26,063). The offence of coercive control remains much less common but continues to grow, with 326 offences recorded in 2025.
Canberra to get its first rental ebikes from April as Lime moves in
Canberra will be the latest Australian city to bring in rental ebikes, with top provider Lime also selected to operate hire e-scooters.
Lime’s new three-year permit to operate ebikes and e-scooters, starting on 16 April, was announced on Monday.
The ACT government today revealed Lime would have to offer a combined total of at least 1,500 bikes and scooters, up to a maximum of 3,500 devices.
Extra devices could be offered during periods of high demand, a government spokesperson said.
Canberra has never had a large-scale shared ebike scheme before. The city has been home to more than 1,000 hire e-scooters since mid-2020, operated by Beam, which exited in 2024, and Neuron, which is leaving to be replaced by Lime.
Neuron Mobility’s general manager for Australia and New Zealand, Jayden Bryant, said the scooters had enabled millions of trips over the last five years, adding:
We wish every success with its future e-scooter/e-bike programs and hope to have the opportunity to return to Canberra in the future.
Will Peters, head of Lime’s Asia-Pacific operations, said the company was “thrilled to bring Lime to Canberra”. The company has attracted booming numbers of customers, expanding in Sydney and looking for opportunities around the country as it battles growing safety concerns around ebikes.
You can read more here:
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Kyle Sandilands sacked and top-rating radio show cancelled as host vows to fight to return to air
Guardian Australia’s Amanda Meade has a full report into the Kyle Sandilands contract saga, and his abrupt fall from grace.
You can read more about that here:
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National cabinet to meet on Thursday over fuel supply crisis
National cabinet will meet tomorrow as federal and state governments struggle with fuel supply questions amid the ongoing Middle East war.
Anthony Albanese will hold a virtual meeting from Tasmania with state premiers and chief ministers. The prime minister made the announcement during a speech to the Australian Automotive Dealer Association.
Albanese said the meeting would work “to ensure that coordination, that’s occurring right across our country, maximises the benefit for business, for farmers, for our communities”.
The federal government is under increasing pressure on the question of fuel supplies as strikes in the strait of Hormuz slow some deliveries around the world and panic buying in Australia makes petrol hard to get in some communities.
The energy minister, Chris Bowen, said on Tuesday that all expected deliveries of fuel were arriving as planned and that fuel retailers had told the government there was no concern about supply into next month.
The transport minister, Catherine King, will hold a fuel security roundtable with key stakeholders from the transport industry today.
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NSW police release CCTV of three sought for questioning over alleged kidnapping and murder of Sydney grandfather
NSW police have released CCTV footage of three men sought for questioning in relation to the alleged kidnapping and murder of Sydney grandfather Chris Baghsarian last month.
Two men, Daniel Stevens, 24, and Gerard Andrews, 29 have been charged with murder and taking or detaining in company with intent to ransom, occasioning actual bodily harm. Police allege the 85-year-old was kidnapped from his North Ryde home last month in a case of mistaken identity. His remains were found at a golf club on 24 February.
Robbery & Serious Crime Squad detectives investigating the kidnapping and murder of Chris Baghsarian have released CCTV as they appeal for public assistance.
— NSW Police Force (@nswpolice) March 17, 2026
MORE INFORMATION ➡️ https://t.co/QeELpFhLQt pic.twitter.com/D3abVqgMuD
In footage released today as part of a public appeal for more information, another three men are pictured walking towards what police allege was the kidnappers’ stronghold in north-western Sydney on the night Baghsarian went missing, 13 February. In CCTV from the following day, a blue Hyundai sedan with a missing hubcap on its left side is seen arriving at and leaving the Dural address just after 12pm.
The NSW police commissioner, Mal Lanyon, told ABC Radio Sydney this morning:
We believe these males may be involved. It’s important that we identify who they are and either rule them in or eliminate them from our inquiries. I think we’ve indicated we’re going to be incredibly thorough with this investigation. The CCTV also indicates a blue coloured Hyundai sedan which is missing a hubcap on the left hand side. That vehicle was seen to go out to a house that we believe Mr Baghsarian was held captive during his ordeal.
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Australian households fear double whammy of rate hikes and higher petrol prices will lead to recession
Surging interest rates and petrol prices have stripped more than $1bn a month from Australian household budgets as economists warn of recession risks.
Consumers are preparing for rates to surpass their recent highs after the Reserve Bank delivered back-to-back hikes ahead of an inflation spike driven by the US war on Iran.
Dougal Warby was among the thousands of Australians who bought their first homes when the RBA was expected to cut its target interest rate from 4.1% to 3.1% or lower by today.
On Tuesday, as he approached the one-year anniversary of buying his Brisbane apartment, rates rebounded back to 4.1%, adding more than $200 to his monthly repayments.
“We’ve seen two drops, two raises, which pretty much brings us back to square one,” he said. “Unsettled is the word.”
Read more here:
The Victorian Greens will today call on the state government to make public transport free next month to provide immediate relief from cost of living pressures and shift people away from cars as petrol prices soar.
The party’s state leader, Ellen Sandell, says the short term measure should be introduced next month while the government works on longer term cost of living relief. A parliamentary budget office commissioned by the party found that making public transport free for a month would cost the government approximately $79.4m but could save a commuter household up to $500 from their family budget for that month.
She said Victoria had among the most expensive public transport in the country, while other states such as Western Australia and Queensland had lowered their fares.
Sandell said:
Petrol prices are surging and people across Victoria are feeling the pain. Making public transport free for the next month is something the state government could do right now to immediately help people with cost-of-living pressures.
Hastie says Trump’s remarks criticising allies ‘petulant’
Andrew Hastie, the shadow minister for industry, said Donald Trump’s criticism of Australia was a “petulant” remark.
Hastie spoke to RN this morning, where he was asked about the US president’s statement that the country did not need or “desire” assistance from Australia, Japan, South Korea or Nato allies during the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East. He said:
Look, I thought it was a petulant post from a president under immense pressure. … Relationships that are longstanding, you show respect and I don’t think it was a respectful post at all.
We’ve got a proud history, and I just don’t think that’s how you treat allies. I think it’s a reflection on his character more than us.
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Greens senator says party ‘pleased’ Labor open to CGT reform
Greens senator Nick McKim is railing against the capital gains tax discount this morning.
McKim said the Greens were “pleased” that the government is considering options for reform, saying the discount remained the “most unfair tax break on the books”, skewing housing towards investors.
He told RN:
It blows overwhelmingly to wealthier older Australians and it is time for change. This is a historic opportunity for government and we hope they take it.
The evidence is overwhelming that the capital gains tax has not only skewed the mix of the housing stock in Australia away from owner-occupiers, which means that renters trying to buy their first home just can’t get in to the market. But it’s also contributed to rising house prices, which is again taking the Australian dream of owning your own home further and further away from more and more.
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Turnbull says Trump ‘lashing out’ at Australia and other allies
Malcolm Turnbull said Donald Trump was “lashing out” and had been left “furious” that the US’s allies, including Australia, weren’t assisting with the war in the Middle East.
The former prime minister spoke to RN Breakfast this morning:
It really just underlines … the importance of Australia being more independent, exercising our own sovereignty and recognising that the course we have been undertaking, really since the Morrison government, of becoming more and more dependent on the United States, is absolutely the wrong course, because we are making ourselves more dependent on the US at a time when the US is less dependable.
Turnbull added that Trump’s remarks show he “doesn’t respect” his allies.
This is a guy that does not respect smaller countries. He believes might is right, he makes no bones about that. He believes he should be able to do and get whatever he wants.
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ARN confirms Kyle Sandilands contract terminated
ARN just issued a statement confirming Kyle Sandilands’ contract had been terminated and the Kyle and Jackie O show cancelled.
The broadcaster said the decision came after it first said this month it considered Sandilands’ behaviour as “serious misconduct and a breach of ARN’s services agreement with Quasar Media, under which Mr Sandilands presents the Kyle and Jackie O show”.
ARN said Sandilands was given 14 days to remedy the breach.
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Kyle Sandilands says his ARN contract has been terminated – but he ‘doesn’t accept it’
Kyle Sandilands said this morning his contract has been terminated by ARN.
In a statement, the radio host said:
ARN has just announced that they’ve terminated my contract. I don’t accept it.
My lawyers told them last week this would be invalid. And guess what? It is.
Sandilands described his conflict with former co-host Jackie “O” Henderson as a “blue on air. That’s it”, saying ARN had used the situation as an opportunity to “try and burn the place down”.
They sacked Jackie. They suspended me. They wouldn’t even let me pick up the phone to call her or anyone else on the show. Then – and this is the bit that gets me – once they’d made it impossible for the show to go on, they turn around and say, “You didn’t fix it. You’re fired!”
He said he had apologised to Henderson, but said the apology didn’t mean he would “stand by”.
ARN knew exactly what they were getting when they signed my deal. They’ve worked with me for over a decade. They knew how I work, they knew the show, and they were happy to pay for it – because I delivered.
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Chalmers says government firm on not sending defence resources to strait of Hormuz
Jim Chalmers said Australia’s commitments to the Middle East conflict were “clear”, but those obligations would not include any military effort in the strait of Hormuz.
The thoroughfare is a major channel for oil and has been effectively blocked by Iran, leading to a surge in worldwide fuel prices.
Chalmers said:
It is not something we have been considering. We have made the nature of our commitment clear. … We have a different kind of commitment.
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Chalmers says rate rise not the decision ‘Australians were hoping for’
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, said the government would continue to tackle inflation, but said yesterday’s rate rise would increase pressure on Australians already reeling amid a cost of living crisis.
Chalmers told ABC News this morning:
This is not the decision that a lot of Australians were hoping for, at a time when they were already under significant pressure.
The treasurer said the government was still pushing cost of living relief measures, including upcoming tax cuts, efforts to slash student debt and making medicines cheaper.
There’s a whole range of things that we’re doing in the responsible way that we can.
Chalmers would not comment on any changes to the capital gains tax discount, but said the government was “considering its options on tax reform”.
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Good morning, it’s a rainy one over in Sydney. Nick Visser here to take you through the day’s news. Let’s get to it.
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Victoria to release final planning controls for inner-Melbourne ‘activity centres’
The Victorian government will today release the final planning controls for the first 25 activity centres near train and tram stations in Melbourne’s inner-city suburbs.
The premier, Jacinta Allan, and the planning minister, Sonya Kilkenny, will release the maps for areas including North Brighton, Middle Brighton, Hampton and Sandringham stations along the Sandringham line.
The duo first unveiled the plan in Middle Brighton, leading to a much-publicised protest led by Liberal MP James Newbury.
Five of the 25 maps were released to the media ahead of today’s announcement. These include maps for a large stretch of Sydney Road from Coburg through to Brunswick, where the proposed height limit increased from 16 storeys in the draft to 20 in the final planning controls.
In Middle Brighton, Oakleigh and Kew Junction, the plans are largely unchanged from the drafts.
The government has said it letterboxed from more than 140,000 Victorians and received feedback from 12,500, which “directly shaped the final plans” including changes to height limits.
Allan said in a statement:
For years, some of Melbourne’s best-connected suburbs have been locked up and it’s pushing young people and families out. We’re changing that. These reforms cut delays and give clear rules – so more millennials get into a home faster.
Here’s what we wrote when the drafts were released last year:
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Cyclone Narelle forms in Coral Sea
A tropical low developing in the Coral Sea off Queensland’s coast has been declared a cyclone.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Bureau of Meteorology confirmed that the area of low pressure, which is heading for the state’s far north coast, had developed into a cyclone called Narelle.
It could intensify to a category four system when it makes landfall later this week.
Narelle could cross Queensland’s Cape York as early as Friday before moving into the Gulf of Carpentaria over the weekend, according to the BoM.
It is then expected to head towards the Northern Territory, which has been hit by record-breaking floods this month.
Trump lashes out at Australia over absence of allies against Iran
Donald Trump has listed Australia among the allies he appears to be bitterly disappointed with, for not wanting to get involved with his war against Iran.
In a social media post overnight the US president said his country “has been informed by most of our Nato ‘allies’ that they don’t want to get involved … despite the fact that almost every country strongly agreed with what we are doing”.
“I am not surprised by their action,” he said, because he always considered Nato a “one way street – we will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need”.
Because of the fact that we have had such military success [against Iran], we no longer ‘need’ or desire the Nato countries’ assistance – we never did!
Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea.
In fact, speaking as president of the United States of America, by far the most powerful country anywhere in the world, we do not need the help of anyone!
It is unclear whether he has asked for assistance from Australia. On Tuesday the deputy prime minister, Richard Marles, said Australia had not received any formal request for help in the strait of Hormuz.
Chalmers downplays RBA’s warning of possible recession
Jim Chalmers has sought to downplay the Reserve Bank of Australia’s warning that a recession may be unavoidable after a second consecutive rate rise.
On Tuesday, the RBA increased interest rates to 4.1% amid a global energy shock that threatens to push Australian inflation towards 5%. The RBA governor Michelle Bullock said if the central bank could not bring inflation down it would have to deal with the possibility of a recession.
Speaking to the ABC’s 7.30 on Tuesday night, the federal treasurer said:
That’s not something that we’re anticipating or forecasting or expecting.
We’re running a lot of scenarios at the moment as you would expect …. in the numbers we’re running right now we’re not expecting that outcome.
Chalmers said the government would do the “best” it could with available forecasts amid global uncertainty due to the Middle East conflict.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then Nick Visser will take the reins.
After a day of grim headlines yesterday, with economists forecasting recession for Australia, Jim Chalmers has come out fighting, telling 7.30 last night “that’s not something that we’re anticipating or forecasting or expecting”. Read more in a moment.
And Donald Trump has named Australia among the allies he appears to be disappointed don’t want to get involved in his war against Iran. On the other hand, he insisted in capital letters, “we do not need the help of anyone!”
More on that soon.
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