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The Guardian - AU
National
Nino Bucci and Emily Wind (earlier)

Reporter leaves Nine after reaching confidential settlement – as it happened

Australia Peter Dutton Mark Dreyfus Sharren Haskel Jacinta Allan Peter Malinauskas Israel Labor
Nine Entertainment sign in Melbourne
Nine Entertainment last year released a damning culture review into its television arm. Photograph: James Ross/AAP

What we learned; Monday 20 January

That’s it for today, thanks for reading. Here are the day’s main stories:

  • Anthony Albanese says smelters will close and cost many jobs without their newly announced $2bn aluminium production incentive, which the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has labelled a “con job”.

  • Petrol stations in Victoria will be forced to publicly report their fuel prices a day before they come into effect, with motorists then able to lock them in for 24 hours, under a “cost-of-living shake-up” announced by the state government.

  • Two 17-year-olds have died in the Sunshine Coast hinterland after one slipped into a raging waterfall and her friend dived in to try to rescue her.

  • Tony Jones has issued an apology to Novak Djokovic after comments the veteran broadcaster made at the Australian Open led to the Serbian tennis star boycotting Channel Nine’s coverage of the tournament.

  • A body has been found during a search for a man missing in flood waters in the north of NSW.

  • The Today show reporter Airlie Walsh has reached a confidential settlement with the Nine network more than a year after filing a sex discrimination claim with the federal court.

  • A bushfire in Victoria’s Grampians was likely started by campers, authorities say.

Enjoy the rest of your evening, and we will see you again tomorrow.

Updated

Regional communities also back aluminium funding

Further to our last post, NSW and Queensland communities have also welcomed the $2bn green aluminium announcement.

Erin Killion, the lead organiser of the Hunter Community Alliance, said in a statement:

This is a great win for the Hunter community, not only for the workers at the Tomago Aluminium smelter and the supporting industries, but for their families.

We know that with big economic changes people can experience a lot of disruption to their lives.

As we meet the changing global markets, it’s important that communities stay together, the Hunter community and its families are just not intertwined with manufacturing but with their local schools and community groups. This approach from the federal government ensures that the community is here to stay.

Elise Ganley, a community organiser for Queensland Community Alliance, said the funding would also secure jobs at the Boyne Smelter in Gladstone and “showcase renewable energy as the best choice for high-quality manufacturing”.

Updated

Business council welcomes aluminium funding

The Business Council of Australia has backed a $2bn Albanese government plan to invest in “low-carbon aluminium”, while continuing to call for further measures that would encourage green investment.

The council’s chief executive, Bran Black, said:

Australia has an opportunity to be a key player in the energy transition and this investment is a step towards realising that ambition.

Aluminium is a key ingredient in a successful energy transition and backing these types of projects sends the right signals to the market that Australia is open for new investment.

To truly turbo charge investment in Australia, we must urgently address the matters that CEOs look at when deciding whether to deploy capital; namely, our regulatory, tax and workplace relations settings.

Updated

Government failed to consult on petrol price caps, Victorian fuel retailers say

A body representing Victorian fuel retailers says the industry must be properly consulted about the state government’s plan to cap fuel prices and there must be consideration of “market impacts”.

The Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce said in a statement that it represented fuel retailers across Victoria, and was “deeply concerned” with the “lack of industry consultation” regarding the government plan to control prices.

The VACC chief executive, Geoff Gwilym, said:

Our members, who operate service stations in metropolitan and regional communities across Victoria, providing a valuable service to the community. VACC appreciates the cost of living pressures experienced by Victorians. However, we’re surprised to see such substantial regulatory changes announced without any prior consultation.

Updated

Body of missing man found after northern NSW floods

A body has been found during a search for a man missing in flood waters in the north of NSW.

Police confirmed that the body of a 53-year-old man missing since Saturday in Limpinwood was found about 1pm on Monday.

The man’s ute had been found swept away in flood waters about 9.30pm at a property on Youngs Road.

“A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner,” NSW police said.

Updated

Reporter leaves Nine after reaching confidential settlement

The Today show reporter Airlie Walsh has reached a confidential settlement with the Nine network more than a year after filing a sex discrimination claim with the federal court.

Walsh, who worked at Nine since 2008, lodged the complaint while on maternity leave in October 2023.

“While this isn’t the way I wanted to leave Nine, I’m filled with gratitude towards those who made me a better journalist and person, and I’m relieved the legal process has been resolved,” Walsh said.

In October last year Nine Entertainment released a culture review which found the television arm of Australia’s biggest media company had a systemic issue with the abuse of power and authority, bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment.

Updated

Police say investigation into deaths of two men killed after party is continuing

Police continue to investigate the deaths of two men who were killed after a party in Victoria last week.

The force said in a statement on Monday afternoon that police had spoken to “all people we are aware of who were unaccounted for following the function” in Clyde North, south-east of Melbourne, on 16 January.

Victoria police said:

No one has been charged and the investigation remains ongoing.

If anyone is aware of further people who were at the event and who have not yet spoken to police, we urge them to come forward.

You can read more on the case here:

Updated

Many thanks for joining me on the blog today, Nino Bucci will be here to take you through the rest of today’s news. Take care.

Teen hailed a hero in waterfall double drowning tragedy

A teenager is being remembered as a hero after dying while trying to rescue a girl who had jumped into a waterfall and also lost her life.

As AAP reports, the 17-year-old girl fell off a waterfall at Wappa Falls on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast about 2.30pm yesterday. A friend named by multiple media reports as Beau Liddell, also aged 17, jumped into the water to help the girl when she failed to resurface.

Police said both teens went missing, sparking a search and rescue operation. The girl’s body was found about 3.30pm and divers recovered Beau’s body several hours later.

The waterfall remains closed amid a police investigation and officers were set to prepare reports for the coroner regarding both teenagers.

Beau’s sister Skye Liddell posted on Instagram about her devastation, saying “I miss you so badly baby brother”.

You had the most caring and kind heart. I am so proud of you, I love you to the moon and back, forever and always.

Other friends have also shared tributes on social media for Beau, calling him a “hero”.

The local MP Marty Hunt offered his condolences to the families of the two teenagers as the community grieves their loss.

Two families are enduring unimaginable pain right now and on behalf of the community I offer our deepest condolences during this time.

Updated

Stern court warning for alleged serial bird abductor

A man with a history of abducting birds has been sternly warned by a magistrate to stay away from all animals as he faces further cruelty allegations, AAP reports.

Tom Quach previously admitted capturing a white ibis and taking it back to his home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs with the intention of eating it. The 61-year-old was again arrested on Saturday after allegedly using fishing wire and bread to abduct two white corellas, another native species.

He was charged with one count of animal cruelty and another of attempting to harm a protected animal. Police allege the distressed animals were found in an animal carrier at Quach’s home, but he claimed he only intended to help them after finding the birds already entangled with wire.

When he appeared at Waverley local court today, Quach was granted bail on conditions including that he not interact with any animals. Magistrate Stephen Barlow warned Quach if he was found with any animals in his possession he could be sent back to jail.

Quach previously pleaded guilty to charges of animal cruelty in relation to the ibis, as well as shoplifting and drug possession. Court documents relating to that matter said he told police he enjoyed hunting ibises when he was high on methamphetamine, before cooking and eating the native birds.

He claimed to be confused about whether the species, commonly known as bin chickens, could legally be caught and eaten in NSW.

For those offences, Quach was jailed for six months and fined a total of $800 for three animal cruelty charges and one count of drug possession. The latest matter is due to return to court on 17 February.

Update on Tropical Cyclone Sean from the Bureau of Meteorology

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather update on Tropical Cyclone Sean, which is bringing heavy rain and damaging winds to parts of the Pilbara coast.

Fresh fire in Grampians likely started by campers, authorities say

As we flagged earlier today, an out-of-control bushfire is burning near Halls Gap in Victoria, in the Grampians national park.

Forest Fire Management Victoria issued a watch and act alert, with those walking along the Boroka Track or Grampians Peaks Trail urged to leave now. There was no threat to the Halls Gap township, the alert said.

In a video to social media, the chief officer, Chris Hardman, said the fire was likely started by campers in the area:

This fire was most likely caused by campers or people that lit a fire over the railing on the edge of the Boroka Lookout. That fire came off the top of that rock and started a new bushfire.

This community has been through enough. This behaviour is reckless, it is irresponsible, and it is unacceptable. We are putting the community at risk for no reason at all.

Hardman urged anyone with knowledge of how the fire began to report it to police.

A bushfire in the Grampians late last year burned for three weeks, after being ignited by lighting strikes, and burnt more than 76,000 hectares, with a fire footprint circumference of 422km.

Updated

Australian shares up as Trump prepares to resume office

The local share market has moved higher as Donald Trump prepares to resume the US presidency and the first Israeli hostages were released by Hamas.

As AAP reports, around lunchtime the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 26.3 points, or 0.32%, to 8,336.7.

Nine of the ASX’s 11 sectors were in the green at midday, with industrials and health care basically flat. The consumer discretionary, tech and utility sectors were the biggest movers, all up 0.5%.

In the heavyweight mining sector, BHP was up 0.6%, Rio Tinto had advanced 1.1% and Fortescue had edged 0.1% higher. Goldminers were lower as the precious metal traded for $US2,694 an ounce after climbing as high as $US2,720 last week.

Northern Star was down 2.5%, Evolution had dropped 1.5% and Westgold had slid 3%.

Ioneer had jumped 20.6% to a month-and-a-half high of 20.5 cents after the lithium-boron producer received a US$996m ($A1.6bn) loan from the US Department of Energy to develop a lithium processing facility in Nevada.

Star was down 5.4% to 13.25 cents after the troubled casino company warned there was “material uncertainty as to the group’s ability to continue as a going concern”, given its precarious finances.

All of the big four banks were modestly higher, up either 0.1 or 0.2%.

Updated

NSW Health secretary asks for pause on processing psychiatrist resignations

The NSW Health secretary, Susan Pearce, says she has asked administrative staff to put a “pause on processing resignations”.

Pearce says legally the government can’t not process psychiatrists’ resignations but what she’s asked is that unless someone has confirmed they’re going to resign on a particular date, “please pause as we continue to work through the issue”.

Pearce says that resignations are staggered over a number of weeks and months – “it’s not all about 22 January”.

The reason she has requested the pause is because until a psychiatrist has confirmed their resignation, she wants to avoid an “administrative nightmare of processing” in case the resignation is not confirmed.

Pearce says the number of resignations received – which last week Jackson said was 205 resignations – is “still not settled”.

Updated

NSW government asks Industrial Relations Commission to intervene over psychiatrists

The NSW government will ask the Industrial Relations Commission to urgently intervene to address the challenges of psychiatrists in NSW – more than 200 of whom are resigning from tomorrow.

The NSW minister for mental health, Rose Jackson, is holding a press conference this afternoon and says the government will later today seek urgent intervention from the Industrial Relations Commission to arbitrate this challenge.

Jackson says this measure is recognition:

This group [psychiatrists] has such a compelling case that needs to be resolved. We recognise there are real issues with public health psychiatry workforce.

Updated

Person of interest in woman’s shooting found interstate

The main person of interest in a woman’s shooting has been arrested in a different state on unrelated weapons charges.

As AAP reports, the 33-year-old woman went to a home in Tallebudgera on Queensland’s Gold Coast at about noon on 8 January when she was shot in the back. She was sitting in the passenger seat of a car and investigators suspect the gunshot came from inside the vehicle and went through the seat.

The woman was seriously injured in the stomach and remains in the Gold Coast university hospital in a now stable condition. She has been identified widely by media reports as Linley Anyos.

Det Insp Mark Mooney says she has undergone surgeries where multiple parts of her organs have been removed.

He says the main person of interest in the shooting has been arrested in Victoria for unrelated weapon offences.

Investigators travelled to Victoria to speak to the 49-year-old man last week but no arrest warrant or charges have been issued.

Police are hoping to speak to Anyos this week about what she recalls of the incident, but Mooney says that “due to the trauma that she’s endured, she may not have any recollection of the incident at all”.

Queensland police intend to see the man’s Victoria charges go through the courts before deciding if an arrest warrant needs to be issued to extradite him.

Updated

Sportsbet facing class action to recover millions lost in alleged in-game bets

A class action has been launched on behalf of gamblers to recover millions of dollars allegedly lost through unlawful in-game bets facilitated by Sportsbet.

Law firm Maurice Blackburn Lawyers commenced a class action against Sportsbet in the supreme court of Victoria on 24 December.

It involves in-play bets (also known as live bets) made on sporting events using Sportsbet’s “Fast Code” service – part of the in-play betting product that it offered.

The Maurice Blackburn principal Elizabeth O’Shea said that betting on a sporting event after the event commences is prohibited in Australia, and “there is an exception to this if the bet is made wholly by telephone”.

We believe that Sportsbet’s use of the Fast Code service is not just an attempt to circumvent important laws aiming to prevent gambling harm, it is also illegal because key information about the bet is communicated by punters otherwise than by a voice call.

Sportsbet represented to the plaintiff and group members that the Fast Code service was legal, and in doing so we believe it engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct contrary to the Australian Consumer Law.

The class action claims a refund for everyone who lost money on in-play bets using the Fast Code service, open to anyone who lost money made after the beginning of a sporting event in the past six years.

Updated

100 evacuate from south-west Sydney hotel amid suspected lithium-ion battery fire

Two children have narrowly escaped harm after a fire forced the evacuation of 100 guests from a hotel in Sydney’s south-west.

Fire and Rescue NSW said the cause of the fire was unknown at this stage, but reported “popping” sounds were consistent with the “thermal runaway” of lithium-ion battery fires.

About 1.30am this morning, firefighters were called to a fire on the second floor of a hotel on the Hume Highway at Warwick Farm.

Children in one of the hotel rooms were woken by popping sounds and a bedside table alight, FRNSW said in a statement.

The flames spread to a pillow which was thrown into the hotel room shower by the quick-thinking occupants, and extinguished. However, upon returning to the room, the guests found a mattress well alight and immediately ran to safety outside, where they called [triple zero].

About 100 people were evacuated and the fire was brought under control. FRNSW investigators are examining a number of items at the fire scene, including several rechargeable vapes and other electrical devices.

Updated

Tropical Cyclone Sean moving away from Pilbara coast

The Bureau of Meteorology says the category 3 Tropical Cyclone Sean is moving away from the Pilbara coast in Western Australia.

It said heavy rainfall and damaging wind gusts were forecast for coastal and island communities, but conditions were expected to ease as the cyclone moved away.

One Facebook user captured footage of the tropical cyclone from Barrow Island yesterday, showing dark clouds encroaching over the horizon.

The Barrow Island weather station recorded gusts up to 113km/h yesterday, and was still recording winds in excess of 80km/h.

Updated

PM on calls for national cabinet to meet on antisemitism: ‘People want action, not more meetings’

Asked if he would back mandatory jail time of six years for anyone who attacks a place of worship, as Peter Dutton announced earlier today, Anthony Albanese said:

Peter Dutton, of course, will continue to do what Peter Dutton does. What I’ll continue to do and what people are looking for when it comes to antisemitism is for the country to unite against abhorrent instances.

He said the federal government would continue to work with the states and territories:

There’s no place for antisemitism, and those who are engaged in it should face the full force of the law.

On whether national cabinet would be convened, the PM said “what people want to see isn’t more meetings, they want to see more action”.

Updated

Albanese criticises Coalition for opposing ‘every measure we’ve put forward’

The prime minister said the Coalition has opposed “every measure that we’ve put forward” – with today’s aluminium announcement the latest. Anthony Albanese told reporters:

I think that any alternative government that goes to an election just saying they want to go backwards – which is their slogan, it speaks about going back, at least they’re being honest – we’ll go back to the cuts. The last time the Coalition won an election, we saw massive cuts to education, to health – under Peter Dutton – to the ABC, to everything across the board with their horror budget. And they described our cost of living support as a sugar hit just last week.

The PM later added: “If you don’t shape the future, the future will shape you.”

Updated

Albanese lashes Coalition’s nuclear energy plans

Anthony Albanese has begun taking questions, and accused the Nationals of “just being negative, like the Coalition”.

It’s like production tax credits for new critical minerals and rare earths, they’re opposed to that as well. They’re opposed to Australian industry, and when you look at the nuclear costings that they put out, [they] were pretty flimsy.

He pointed to a detail in the Coalition’s costings, where they claimed Australia would use 40% less energy in 2050 than the Australian Energy Market Operator says will be needed, and said:

Well, what does that mean? That means businesses like this disappearing, going offshore – and that’s what their vision for Australia is.

Updated

Husic says Coalition has no plans to protect blue collar jobs

Ed Husic also took a dig at the Coalition, saying they had “wasted three years not coming up with policy”.

[They are] not being prepared to look people in the eye and say, ‘We have to be ready for global competition.’

What’s your plan to make sure we protect blue collar jobs? Completely missing in action. It’s not good enough to be under prepared going into an election year with no policy and no ability to explain to blue collar communities across the country how you’re backing manufacturing.

Those blue collar workers rightly deserve and expect better than what we’ve got out of a lazy, irresponsible and unprepared Coalition that isn’t putting forward [ideas] …

Customers expect companies to reduce emissions footprint, Husic says

The industry minister Ed Husic is also speaking to reporters, saying that Australia “cannot be left behind” when it comes to getting emissions down. He said:

We’re in a world where our competitors are thinking about how they can make aluminium with less of an emissions footprint and meet customer demand that is expecting the same. We cannot be left behind. We need to think ahead.

We need to plan for the future of places like this and the other smelters that the prime minister mentioned, from Gladstone, Portland, Bell Bay, [so] that they all have a future.

Updated

Aluminium investment about making economy more resilient: PM

Anthony Albanese said the $2bn investment to shift the industry to renewables was not only because it would help the environment, but because “it will lower the cost and make them more competitive and ensure that these high value jobs can continue into the future”.

Increasingly, the world is looking to import clean, reliable metals like Australian-made aluminium.

This represents a massive opportunity for growth, and that’s why today we’re investing in Australia’s aluminium industry to provide that certainty for jobs going forward, but also for our economic growth and our national interest going forward as well, to make our economy more resilient.

Updated

Albanese addressing reporters from Hunter region

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is addressing reporters at Tomago Aluminium in the NSW Hunter region, after this morning’s aluminium announcement (see earlier post).

He said 5,000 local jobs depend on the Tomago facility – and “tens of thousands of jobs” across the country “depend on us being able to make things here”.

This is what a Future Made in Australia looks like. Us taking the products that come out of the ground in Weipa at the Bauxite mine, making sure that work occurs at Gladstone, and then the final product comes out here at Tomago. That is what having control over the supply chain looks like and this is a great example here …

If there is a lesson from the pandemic, it’s [that] Australia cannot continue to be just at the end of supply chains, be vulnerable as a national economy by not making things here. We need to be more than a quarry, we need to be a country that value adds ourselves.

Updated

Apan says pro-Palestine protests will continue amid ceasefire

The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network says its protests, “which take many forms”, would continue “unabated” amid the ceasefire in Gaza – which it describes as “a pause, not peace”.

In a statement, Apan president Nasser Mashni said:

We have a lot of work ahead to hold our own government accountable. As long as Australia maintains its military, economic and diplomatic ties with Israel, it remains complicit in Israel’s violence.

The Australian government must act – cut military ties, impose sanctions and meet its international legal obligations to hold Israel accountable for its crimes.

Updated

Milton Dick considering byelections after Shorten, Pitt resignations

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Milton Dick, says he has received letters of resignation from both Bill Shorten and Keith Pitt.

He is now considering the possibility of holding a byelection “whilst being mindful that a general election is due to be held in the coming months”.

The Speaker will make an announcement in due course.

Updated

Queensland, NSW governments stand firm against casino aid

Continuing from our last post: for months, Star has appealed to state governments for tax relief – but both NSW and Queensland have stood firm against any tax relief or bailout for the company.

Star Entertainment chief executive Steve McCann on Friday repeated the company’s appeal for state tax deferral. He told the Australian newspaper:

We need more time.

In Queensland, the premier, David Crisafulli, has repeatedly ruled out backing Star with public money, though has floated potential backing for employees if the company does go into administration. A spokesperson for Crisafulli said today:

The Crisafulli government’s position has not changed.

Crisafulli told reporters yesterday:

We only have one focus and that is the jobs and the continuity of jobs regardless of who runs that facility (Queen’s Wharf). I want Queenslanders to know we are not tipping money into the company. It is not our issue.

The NSW premier, Chris Minns, also ruled out support for the troubled gambling firm, saying on the weekend:

I don’t have money for casinos, I’m sorry.

Updated

Star warns casino operations under threat

The embattled Star Entertainment warned shareholders today there is no certainty it can stay afloat, as the casino operator seeks additional funding and state government tax relief.

Star is on the brink of collapse amid a sharp reduction in revenue and elevated operating costs due in part to the fallout of multiple inquiries uncovering systemic breaches of anti-money-laundering rules.

It also recorded a massive project cost blowout at its new Queen’s Wharf casino in Brisbane.

Star said in an ASX announcement there is no certainty that any of its current negotiations will materially increase the company’s liquidity position.

In the absence of one or more of those arrangements, there remains material uncertainty as to the group’s ability to continue as a going concern.

Star could buy some time if it meets the conditions of a loan agreement that would give it access to $100m before March, although it would also need to turn around its unprofitable business, or attract a buyer, to avoid eventually falling into administration.

The casino company, which operates gambling facilities in Brisbane, Sydney and the Gold Coast, has asked the NSW and Queensland governments for tax relief. While the state governments have expressed support for Star employees, they have balked at providing financial support.

Star’s quarterly accounts, released today, show that its revenue fell 15% in the last quarter, while posting an earnings loss of $8m.

Updated

Federal cabinet reaches gender parity, PM says

Three women have been sworn in as ministers to take over the portfolios of retiring former Labor leader Bill Shorten as federal cabinet reaches gender parity.

As AAP reports, social services minister Amanda Rishworth has taken on the NDIS in her portfolio and finance minister Katy Gallagher his other position of government services minister.

Early childhood education minister Anne Aly has become the junior minister for the NDIS.

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, noted at the ceremony:

[It’s] the first time in Australian history, since federation, that we’ve had equal representation in the cabinet of the government of Australia.

If you factor in the PM, the gender split is actually 12-11.

Updated

Queensland records highest summer road toll for five years

The Queensland police service has urged road users to re-evaluate their driving as the state experiences its worst start to a year on the roads since 2020.

The force said in a statement that it had been a devastating start to 2025, with 17 people already dying on the roads. It said:

The figure more than doubles the fatalities recorded during the same period last year and is the highest lives lost toll for this period since 2020.

QPS road policing and regional support command, acting chief superintendent Garrath Channells, said these crashes are deeply concerning.

These tragic numbers are not just statistics; they represent fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, and friends whose lives have been cut short.

Police are out there doing everything they can on the roads to try and bring this figure down and ensure people can return home to loved ones or their families. To then observe the deadliest start to the year since 2020 is truly harrowing.

Updated

Mutual obligations paused until next Monday amid IT issues

Mutual obligations have been paused until next Monday following disruptions to the Workforce Australia IT system last week – which welfare recipients use to receive their Centrelink payments on time.

The government did not answer questions about what caused the IT system. In a statement, the Department of Employment Workplace Relations said:

Issues with the MyGov system administered by Services Australia were impacting employment services participants’ ability to report compliance with mutual obligations. These issues have been resolved.

The pause is in place for all participants in:

  • Workforce Australia Services

  • Transition to Work

  • Disability Employment Services

  • Community Development Program.

Antipoverty Centre spokesperson Jay Coonan said the pause to MOs had been poorly communicated and welfare recipients were “always an after thought”.

These delayed notices and confusing communications show it. All we know is that the way this has been handled again shows total disregard for the lives and humanity of welfare recipients – this has to stop, just put an indefinite pause on “mutual” obligations.

Ultimately, the government knows as well as we do that the only way to fully protect people in poverty from unnecessary harm is to abolish the cruel system of “mutual” obligations altogether.

Updated

Greens says Trump inauguration marks ‘time to soberly reassess relationship with US’

The Greens leader, Adam Bandt, has labelled Donald Trump a “danger to democracy and a danger to peace” ahead of his inauguration as US president. At a media conference in Melbourne earlier, Bandt said:

It is gravely concerning that over so many years, successive Australian governments have contracted out so much of Australia’s defence and foreign policy to the United States, especially now that a dangerous man like Trump is in charge.

With Trump now assuming charge of the United States, this would be the time for Australia to have a sober reassessment of our relationship with the United States.

It is time for Australia to say perhaps it is not such a good idea for us to be joined at the hip and for Australia to yet again be bound to follow Trump into whatever his next war is.

The Greens also said Australia should ask whether it has “contracted out far too much of its own sovereignty to Trump” via agreements like Aukus.

Updated

Australian billionaires made $67k an hour last year: Oxfam Australia

Australia’s 47 billionaires each take home an average of $67,000 an hour, more than 1,300 times more than the average Australian, according to Oxfam Australia.

The data, released as part of its “Takers Not Makers” report, showed that in 2024 Australian billionaire wealth rose by more than 8% or $28bn, at a staggering rate of $3.2m an hour.

Across the world, total billionaire wealth grew by $3tr last year, equivalent to roughly $8.4bn a day, at a rate three times faster than the year before.

Oxfam Australia said this is the second largest annual increase in billionaire wealth since records began.

Last year, Oxfam predicted the emergence of the first trillionaire within a decade. However, with billionaire wealth accelerating at a faster pace, this projection has been adjusted significantly – the world is now on track to see at least five trillionaires within that timeframe.

Oxfam Australia chief executive Lyn Morgain said the “capture of our global economy by a privileged few has reached heights once considered unimaginable”.

The crown jewel of this oligarchy is a billionaire president, backed and bought by the world’s richest man Elon Musk, running the world’s largest economy. We present this report as a stark wake up call that the futures of the vast majority of the global population are being crushed by the enormous wealth of a tiny few.

Oxfam Australia is calling on the federal government to implement a wealth tax on Australian billionaires and the super-rich, and implement a permanent crisis profits tax on big corporations “so that when crises hit, corporations can’t profiteer as they did during the pandemic”.

Updated

Search continuing for pastor swept away in flood waters

The search is continuing today for Queensland pastor William Strickland, who was swept away by flood waters on Saturday night in the Northern Rivers of NSW.

He had attempted to cross a causeway near Limpinwood when he and his vehicle were swept away around 9.30pm. The vehicle was located 400m downstream on Saturday night by flood rescue operators, but he remains missing.

Strickland was the sole occupant of the vehicle, and had been returning to his accommodation after a wedding rehearsal with a convoy of other vehicles. His family said there was poor visibility on the road amid the sudden onset of torrential rain.

Updated

Man charged after critically injured man found inside Sydney unit dies

A man will face court today after a man was found critically injured inside a Sydney unit at the weekend.

After 5pm on Saturday, there were reports of an assault at a unit in Ryde. Officers and paramedics responded, who located and treated an unconscious man inside the home.

The 48-year-old man was taken to Royal North Shore hospital, where he was declared deceased. He is yet to be formally identified.

Officers established a crime scene and an investigation began into the circumstances surrounding the man’s death.

A 34-year-old man was arrested at a home in Leumeah yesterday afternoon, and a crime scene established. He was taken to Campbelltown police station and charged with murder and contravening a domestic AVO.

He was refused bail to appear before Campbelltown local court today.

Updated

Victorian government to introduce price caps on petrol

The Victorian government has announced a plan to cap and lock petrol price rises, in what it’s described as a “cost of living shake-up” ahead of a byelection in one of their heartland seats.

The premier, Jacinta Allan, said under the “fair fuel plan”, the government will require the 1,500 service stations across the state to report their prices in real time.

The data will then feed into a new page on the Services Victoria app, where people will be able to lock on fuel prices for 24 hours.

This is a measure that we expect will save motorists hundreds of dollars and it comes on top of those other really meaningful, practical cost of living measures that we know are about supporting families, supporting household budgets.

New legislation will be required to enforce the price cap, and is expected to include enforcement measures and penalties. Allan said government will consult with industry on the plan, which will be phased in over 2025.

She made the announcement at the Victoria University campus in Werribee, where a byelection will be held on 8 February. The seat, which Labor holds on a 10.9% margin, was vacated by the former treasurer Tim Pallas.

Labor insiders are concerned they will face backlash in the area, where many people are doing it tough due to cost of living pressures and consecutive interest rate rises.

Updated

Watch and act alert for those hiking Boroka Track or Grampians Peaks trail

Earlier this morning, a watch and act alert was issued west of Halls Gap in Victoria amid an out of control bushfire.

Forest Fire Management Victoria said the bushfire at Boroka Track was travelling south towards the Wonderland area, with the watch and act alert aimed at those “who may be walking along the Boroka Track or Grampians Peaks Trail”.

People in the Halls Gap township can remain … Don’t wait, leaving now is the safest option – conditions may change and get worse very quickly. Emergency services may not be able to help you if you decide to stay.

Updated

Emergency warning issued amid Tropical Cyclone Sean

A cyclone emergency warning has been issued for communities in the path of Tropical Cyclone Sean, which is currently at a category 3 level.

The Western Australian Department of Fire and Emergency Services issued a warning 20 minutes ago, as the tropical cyclone continues to affect the Pilbara coast, and is set to continue moving west this morning.

The “shelter indoors now” warning covers Thevernard Island to Ningaloo, including Exmouth and North West Cape. It reads:

Shelter indoors now. It is too late to leave. Stay in the strongest, safest part of the building. Stay away from doors and windows, and keep them closed. Keep your emergency kit with you …

Motorists are urged to take care on the roads, obey road closure signs and not drive into floodwaters.

Updated

Israeli deputy foreign minister critical of Australia on antisemitism

Israel’s deputy foreign affairs minister has criticised the Albanese government’s “clearly ineffectual response” on antisemitism after a meeting with the attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, in West Jerusalem last week.

Sharren Haskel posted on X she believed the Australian government’s actions, in part, had led to a rise in antisemitism within the country:

I emphasised our deep concern regarding the shocking rise in antisemitism in Australia and the clearly ineffectual response from the Australian government and state governments. There is no doubt this has been caused in part by the Australian government’s ongoing campaign against Israel.

Dreyfus has characterised his meetings with Israeli officials as warm, saying on Friday “what I’ve felt in all of the meetings is that we should be strengthening that already strong relationship between Australia and Israel”.

The first law officer said concerns had been raised but in a “constructive way”.

Haskel’s post went on to urge Australia to “return to reflecting our long-standing relations based on shared values and interests”.

Australia has shifted its votes at the United Nations in recent months, joining more than 150 other countries to demand that Israel reverse its ban on the Palestinian aid agency Unrwa and to call for an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” in Gaza.

The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, responded critically to Australia’s shift at the UN, claiming Australia has taken an “extreme anti-Israeli position”.

Updated

Can an aluminium smelter run on just wind, solar and batteries?

Just circling back to a comment Peter Dutton made at his press conference this morning: he asked the prime minister to provide an example of “anywhere in the world [where] an aluminium smelter … is only run on wind and solar and batteries”.

Well, there are currently plans to power an entire smelter in Victoria using wind power.

As Royce Kurmelovs reported in late 2021, Alinta Energy hopes to build an offshore windfarm off the coast to help Alcoa’s Portland aluminium smelter go green:

It’s now at the stage of getting preliminary approval, according to the DCCEEW. Last September, the energy minister, Chris Bowen, said he was undertaking “further consultation with First Nations groups before making a final decision on the feasibility licence”.

If feasibility for the Spinifex Offshore project is proven, the developer must obtain all necessary approvals, including rigorous environmental assessments, before applying for a commercial licence which would enable construction to commence.

Updated

Proposed changes to residential car park sizes in South Australia

Residential car park sizes will have to be half a metre wider and 60cm longer to accommodate big cars and utes under proposed changes to planning laws in South Australia.

The changes are to tackle congestion on streets from cars that are too big to fit in the standard off-street parking space.

The premier, Peter Malinauskas, has also announced today that new one-bedroom homes must have at least one parking space, and those with two or more bedrooms must have at least two.

The size of a single car park under the proposed changes would be 3.5 metres wide and 6 metres long. Malinauskas said:

South Australians are sick of seeing their suburbs being overrun by cars often double parked on otherwise quiet streets.

It is ridiculous that many modern garages are not built big enough to fit the most popular cars sold in our country, from dual-cab utes right down to SUVs. We’re going to fix it – by bringing our planning laws up to date.

Standards Australia has recommended an increase to standard on-street carparks.

Updated

Man charged after alleged offensive behaviour forced domestic flight to turn around

A Cairns man has been charged after allegedly causing a disturbance on a flight to Perth that led to the flight being turned around.

The Australian federal police responded to a request for assistance from the airline after the man, 38, allegedly behaved aggressively towards fellow passengers on a domestic flight on 10 December.

Police will allege he was intoxicated and touched other passengers without consent, and twice banged on the walls while in the airplane toilet.

The captain returned the flight to Brisbane airport as a safety precaution, the AFP said in a statement.

Officers at Brisbane airport escorted him off the plane and charged him with one count of behaving in an offensive or disorderly manner.

AFP detective acting superintendent Natalie Scott said the flight was delayed for about two hours.

Updated

Dutton says Albanese’s lack of legislation on gambling reform ‘demonstrates weak leadership’

Wrapping up the press conference, Peter Dutton criticised Anthony Albanese for not introducing gambling reform legislation as he had promised. He told reporters:

The prime minister – after the death of one of his members of parliament [Peta Murphy] who was very passionate about this issue – committed himself to reform and change of the law in this area.

We’re at an election, and obviously the prime minister’s not going to introduce this legislation. So it’s just another demonstration of the weakness of leadership.

Continuing to criticise Albanese, Dutton said he had known seven prime minister since joining parliament and “I’ve never seen somebody so incapable of making a decision or so captured by his own incompetence and weakness”.

Updated

Dutton critical of aluminium announcement and renewables

Back to energy and the government’s aluminium announcement, Peter Dutton continued to criticise renewables and said:

If we want to export those jobs and export that industry, well, that’s exactly what the prime minister’s promising to do with his policy.

I can’t find anywhere in the world an aluminium smelter, a high-energy-use aluminium smelter, that is only run on wind and solar and batteries. If there’s an example the prime minister’s got, I’d be happy to hear it.

Updated

Dutton says Albanese’s ‘pride’ stopping him from convening national cabinet

Taking questions, Peter Dutton was asked how the Coalition would address division in Australian society?

He did not respond with any specific measures, but by criticising Anthony Albanese:

There can be no social cohesion in our country when the prime minister’s incapable of responding to a national crisis. It’s only the prime minister’s pride at the moment that’s standing between him and a decision that he can make to convene a national cabinet. If not now, when, prime minister?

Dutton criticises Labor aluminium announcement, touts subsidised lunch policy

Peter Dutton also responded to the government’s aluminium announcement this morning (you can see more details earlier in the blog here).

He argued this would push energy prices up, and criticised the government for not delivering its promised $275 energy bill reduction.

(The Coalition have previously blamed the rise on new renewable energy, but analysts say it was largely due to fossil fuels, including the Ukraine war pushing up gas and coal prices. Regulators say prices for households should fall up to 7% in 2025.)

Dutton argued that his announcement yesterday, of subsidised work lunches for small businesses, would “help 98% of small businesses in the country, provide support to their staff and customers, help them grow their business, and it will be an economic boon for those small businesses, particularly cafes and restaurants, at the moment who are doing it tough.”

Dutton welcomes release of hostages

Peter Dutton also commented on the release of three hostages overnight, and said it “doesn’t even bear thinking what they’ve been through, the torture and the torture of their families”.

Whilst it’s something that we welcome in terms of the peace agreement that has been struck – and we hope sincerely that it holds, and it’s wonderful that three people have been released back to their families and back to their country – but our thoughts and prayers today must continue for those who are still held in captivity …

Dutton says Coalition measures would 'stamp out antisemitism in our country'

The opposition leader Peter Dutton is now speaking to reporters, and said that antisemitism is a “national scourge” and has “created this national crisis.”

He argued that the prime minister was “playing politics with this issue because he sees political advantage in some Green seats by abrogating his priority to Jewish Australians.”

Dutton said the measures – which includes the six-year minimum sentences – would provide the “will to stamp out antisemitism in our country and to send a very clear message that that is not going to be tolerated in any form whatsoever.”

And that will happen from day one.

Updated

Julian Leeser backs calls for national cabinet to be convened

Liberal MP Julian Leeser is also addressing reporters, echoing calls for national cabinet to convene and address antisemitism.

If you’d said to me 15 months ago that we would still be talking about antisemitism today and that, indeed, with every day you open the paper, you turn on your social media, and you see a worse and worse antisemitic attacks being portrayed in this community, I wouldn’t have believed you. But that’s unfortunately the Australia that we are living in today.

Coalition outlining further measures it would take to address antisemitism

The shadow home affairs minister James Paterson is speaking with reporters in Sydney at the Central Synagogue, on the rising number of antisemitic attacks in the state.

He said the government in Canberra was “not willing to be decisive enough [and] not willing to do enough to confront this problem”, announcing that a Dutton Coalition government would introduce a number of further initiatives:

  • Convening a national cabinet to address antisemitism

  • Tougher laws to combat antisemitism and “make sure those consequences are very clear.”

  • Introduce mandatory minimum sentences for Commonwealth terrorism offences of at least six years.

  • Mandatory minimum sentence of 12 months for people displaying prohibited hate symbols, and the maximum increased to five years.

Updated

Joyce criticises renewable energy amid latest polling results

Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce, speaking on Sunrise earlier, also weighed in on the latest polling showing Peter Dutton had drawn level to Anthony Albanese as preferred PM.

He attributed this to the fact the “Labor party have been there for three years and cost of living has got vastly worse.”

Criticising renewable energy, he argued Labor’s “so-called power plan actually went through the Parliament and made no difference”.

He pointed to law and order, blaming Labor for a breakdown in social cohesion, also arguing “they don’t start worrying about regional areas until election time.”

If you have got the price of power wrong, if you want to make people in Paris happy, sure, knock yourself out and do it, but people here will turn off to you.

Tony Jones to meet with Novak Djokovic to discuss matter

Continuing from our last post: Tony Jones said he “overstepped the mark” with the last comment he made – “kick him out”.

Now, I can stand here and put whatever spin I want in that, but it can only be interpreted as a throwback to the Covid years when he was kicked out. Now, that that has angered Novak, which I completely understand now.

So look, it has been an unfortunate situation. It’s been one of personal angst for Novak. It’s quite clearly personal angst for me as well. But I just think the priority here now is to focus on the tennis again.

Jones repeated his earlier apology to Novak Djokovic, saying: “I do apologise if he felt that I disrespected him.”

I should also add that in the correspondence with Novak’s team, I agreed to meet with them in person to discuss all this. They came back and said yes, we would be keen to meet in person. That hasn’t transpired, but I’m sure it will over the next 24 hours.

Updated

Jones says he apologised to Djokovic for comments on air

Tony Jones is now speaking on Channel Nine about the comments he made towards Novak Djokovic.

Jones provided a timeline of what happened, saying he made the comments on the news on Friday night, “which I considered to be banter”.

I considered it to be humour, which is consistent with most things I do. You know, whether it be the Sunday Footy Show, whether it be the Morning Show here.

Jones said he was made aware on Saturday morning that the Djokovic camp was not happy at all with those comments, and “immediately contacted the Djokovic camp and issued an apology to them.”

Jones acknowledged Djokovic felt disrespected and this appears to extend to the Serbian fans.

They come here with the flags and they provide so much colour and so much passion and there was banter, so I thought what I was doing was an extension of that banter. Quite clearly that hasn’t been interpreted that way. So I do feel as though I’ve let down the Serbian fans.

Updated

Tropical Cyclone Sean hitting Pilbara coast

In some weather news: The Bureau of Meteorology says that Tropical Cyclone Sean is affecting the western Pilbara coast this morning, moving west to the Pilbara coast in Western Australia and strengthening.

It said gale-force winds and heavy rain would impact coastal and island communities between Whim Creek to Ningaloo.

Updated

O’Neil says winding back negative gearing and capital gains discount ‘not focus of government’

The housing minister Clare O’Neil also spoke with ABC News Breakfast this morning, to discuss housing policy. Specifically, should voters expect Labor to release a comprehensive plan to wind back tax breaks like negative gearing or the capital gains discount?

O’Neil said the treasurer and prime minister have “been really clear that that’s not the focus of the government”.

There’s no question about [it] – we’re in the midst of a housing crisis that’s been 30-40 years in the making. In truth, it comes from the failure of successive governments at all different levels to take responsibility for this problem.

That did change when the Albanese government was elected in 2022. We’ve been the most active government and the most bold and ambitious government on housing that we’ve seen federally for a long, long time. It doesn’t mean that we can fix the problem in three years.

What is the solution? O’Neil said it was to increase supply and “build, build, build.”

That’s the number one answer to this. At same time, we want people to get into home ownership. That’s where programs like the Home Guarantee Scheme are so important.

Former ambassador to US weighs in on Trump speech, potential for tariffs

The former Australian ambassador to the US, Joe Hockey, spoke with Sunrise earlier from Washington DC ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration.

He believes Trump will deliver “a very different speech to what we heard back in [2017], which became known as the carnage speech”.

It was simply weird, because it was full of very aggressive vitriol, and everyone – even previous presidents – were aghast at what he said. I’m told this time his speech is going to be measured, it is going to be about bringing the nation together, but at the same time, as soon as he is sworn in, he is going to go back into the office in the Capitol Building and sign more than 100 executive orders, many of which will be a massive surprise to global leaders and will deliver on his promise of disruption.

Hockey expects Trump to “immediately” impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico, and potentially on China. But he is “hoping” they won’t be imposed on Australia.

It’s not to the advantage of the United States and certainly not to the advantage of Australia. But we import far more from the United States than they import from us. So, they win under the current trade arrangements.

So, if they were to punish us, they would lose, and Australia has no advantage in putting retaliatory tariffs … There is no win for Americans out of tariffs, but Donald Trump is defiantly wanting to implement them. They will increase the price of everything in America and at the end of the day, the American consumer loses. But he is hell-bent on doing it, and I don’t see any great advantage for him in applying them to Australia.

Updated

‘It’s incredibly moving’, Wong says of hostages release

The Today Show has broadcast some brief comments from the foreign minister, Penny Wong, who is currently in Washington DC for Trump’s inauguration, about the ceasefire and hostage deal. She said:

When I was in Israel, I had the opportunity to meet with families of the hostages. After so many days, to see the release of some hostages … It’s incredibly moving.

Updated

‘There is a place for more respect’: PM on Jones’s comments at Djokovic

The prime minister also weighed in on comments from Channel Nine’s Tony Jones towards Novak Djokovic, and said he would “let that go through to the keeper, that’s a matter between them”.

Anthony Albanese added that Djokovic was a “fine tennis player, there’s no question about that”, and that “there is a place for more respect”.

I’ve seen the comments that were made by the broadcaster … We need more kindness and generosity and respect just across the board. I think that’s what people are looking for.

Updated

Albanese will raise Aukus and trade during first discussion with Trump post-inauguration

Moving to Donald Trump’s inauguration tomorrow morning (Australian time), Anthony Albanese was asked what the first topic of substance was that he plans to raise with the incoming US president.

The PM said he would first raise Aukus and trade. Asked if he was worried about tariffs, Albanese said:

Well, the incoming president, of course, has made comments about the United States and their interests. It’s important for us to point out that the US has had a trade surplus with Australia since the Truman presidency, and importantly, as well, that the US is, of course, the major investor here in Australia.

Updated

What does PM want to achieve with potential second term?

Hamish Macdonald: Why do you want a second term? What is it that you want to do with a second term that you haven’t been able to do with your first term?

Anthony Albanese said he wanted to “build on the foundations that were built in the first term” – pointing to bringing inflation down, cost of living measures, and the Future Made in Australia projects.

We’re getting on with just governing is what we’re continuing to do, governing to set us up. There’ll be further investments as well.

Updated

Albanese defends government spending and says Australia can’t ‘just be at the end of the supply chain’

On government spending, ABC radio host Hamish Macdonald asked whether the government was “handing out money like a drunken sailor to try and win this next election”.

Anthony Albanese denied this and said these were government decisions, not promises, that can be delivered through the budget process. On today’s aluminium announcement (see earlier posts), he said:

This is so critical going forward. One of the lessons of the pandemic is that Australia can’t just be at the end of the supply chain, we do need to make more things here, and that’s what our Future Made in Australia agenda is about.

Asked about this level of investment during a cost of living crisis, the PM said “this is an investment that produces a return”.

There are two roads you can go down. One is to take the Coalition’s view, which is that manufacturing doesn’t matter, and [it] should leave offshore – like they urge the car industry to do and suffer the consequences for it. Australia needs to be a country that makes things. We can’t just be a quarry for our minerals …

Updated

Social cohesion cannot just be addressed from the top, PM says

Anthony Albanese was asked about sentiments the government has let down Australia’s Jewish community amid an increasing number of antisemitic attacks.

He responded that antisemitism is “horrific” and is “something that needs to be stamped out”. He listed measures the government has taken, such as appointing special envoy Jillian Segal and establishing Operation Avalite, which saw its first arrest last week.

These instances of hate that we have seen aimed at the Jewish community are crimes, and they should be prosecuted to the full.

Can the government legislate their way out of this? Albanese said this was about social cohesion, and there were other measures needed as well:

I know that Christian leaders have made a joint comment today in Sydney, that’s a good thing. We need to make sure that we build that social cohesion, and it’s right, it can’t come just from the top. It has to come from the bottom up as well.

Updated

Albanese welcomes release of hostages under ceasefire deal

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is speaking with ABC Radio Sydney, responding to news of the hostages being released.

Asked if this would quell tensions in Australia, he said we “certainly needed to lower the temperature here in Australia”.

We certainly welcome the release of these hostages under the ceasefire deal. Of course, hostages should never have been taken in the first place, and the fact they’ve been kept for 15 months has prolonged the conflict in the region.

Our thoughts are also with the remaining hostages … We must now see their full release and the ceasefire deal implemented in full, including increased aid into Gaza, where people have suffered enormously, innocent people.

Updated

Prank gone wrong, Tony Jones says of Novak Djokovic comments

A Serbian sports publication claims to have published an exclusive apology from Channel Nine’s Tony Jones, after he “made insulting and offensive comments” towards Novak Djokovic.

As we reported earlier, Djokovic says he will boycott on-court interviews at the Australian Open and media appearances with Channel Nine until he receives an apology from the network:

Sportklub has reported a response from Jones to the matter, who said it was a prank gone wrong. According to a Google translated version of his quote, Jones said:

Unfortunately, my ‘humour’ the previous evening was misinterpreted as an attack on Novak. That was certainly not the case. I joke with the Serbian fans throughout the tournament and this – at least I thought so – is a continuation of all that.

If you watch our morning show, you would get an idea of ​​how we work. At no point did I think to show disrespect to Novak and I apologise – there was certainly no intention to offend him.

Updated

O’Neil says Dutton needs to release plans for if he is elected, as polls tighten

Clare O’Neil was also asked about polling showing that Peter Dutton had drawn level to Anthony Albanese as preferred PM.

She said the polls “often tighten up as we come into an election”, calling on Dutton to “actually came forward and [tell] us what he is planning to do if he does win that election.”

He’s had three years to think about what constructive things he will do to help Australians with critical concerns, like the cost of living. Instead, he’s [come] to the Parliament over that three years and voted against our government’s action to help Australians, voted against tax cuts for the viewers at home, voted against energy bill price relief.

He says that he’s against free Tafe, but on the weekend, he said his big policy idea for this year is to provide taxpayer funded business lunches for people. I mean, come on. We’re months out from an election, the polls are tightening, Peter Dutton’s got to tell us what his plans are if he’s elected.

‘We’ve got to work together to crack down on antisemitism’: O’Neil

Clare O’Neil was also asked about the NSW government’s move to strengthen hate speech laws – and whether the federal government should follow suit?

She said the government was “looking at anything that we can do to tackle what is a growing problem of antisemitism in our country.”

We actually strengthened those hate speech laws last year with a banning of hate symbols and other … antisemitic kind of phrases and symbols. I think there’s more work to be done here …

We’ve got to do more. We’ve got the Australian Federal Police working with state police, we’ve got state governments really stepping up on this, and I think we’ve all got a really clear interest here. We’ve got a beautiful multicultural country, but there’s people in this country at the moment who are being subjected to racism. That’s completely, totally wrong and unacceptable and we’ve got to work together to crack down on it.

O’Neil welcomes ceasefire news as ‘moment of absolute relief’

Clare O’Neil says news the ceasefire is going ahead would be “a moment of absolute relief” for Australians watching on.

Speaking with the Today Show, the housing minister said the conflict has created “untold violence and incredible loss of life” and many Australians have direct connections to those who have been impacted on both sides.

I think this is a really important step forward, and of course, Australia will be playing a productive role in that discussion globally wherever we can.

Contingencies in place and plans for reform amid psychiatrists’ resignations

Chris Minns said the NSW government was “obviously” concerned about the prospect of the mass resignation of psychiatrists because “we’ve never seen it before on this scale.”

But we have made contingencies, and we’ve put them in place … That might mean that we use private health facilities, it might mean that we are able to use locums or individuals to go into a community that desperately needs help with psychiatric care.

The premier said there were also plans in place to reform the system, because “we’re very dependent on psychiatrists, and therefore very vulnerable if they decide to resign en masse”.

And there are things that we can do to ensure that counsellors, psychologists, mental health practitioners, acute psychiatric care nurses, have a bigger say in the mental health system [and] we don’t leave them vulnerable during industrial disputes.

Updated

Minns on mass resignation of psychiatrists in NSW

More than 200 psychiatrists working for NSW Health are expected to resign tomorrow over staffing and pay issues – two-thirds of public sector psychiatrists.

Asked if he would be offering any further pay deal at a meeting today, Chris Minns said his government had increased the public mental health budget in the state:

We’ve done that at the specific request of [advocates] in the field who said that it’s desperately needed, and we’ve done it because we think it’s important to public safety and the mental health of the people that live in the state.

But this particular dispute is about a 25% pay increase for psychiatrists, and to put that in context, for an individual psychiatrist, that’s the equivalent of a $90,000 a year increase in salaries for a single psychiatrist – that’s the equivalent of the entire salary for a first year nurse.

He acknowledged the salary wages cap in place for 12 years under the previous government but said “I can’t make that right in a single year”.

I just make the point for the entire decade the previous government was in office, psychiatrists didn’t resign en masse, and they didn’t strike as a result of industrial action.

Updated

Minns says people should be ‘free from vilification on basis of race or religion if you live in Australia’

Continuing to detail the hate speech laws, Chris Minns argued they were necessary because “we don’t have the freedom of speech laws that exist in the United States, for example, we’ve never had them in NSW or Australia”.

They’re tighter restrictions, and I think that’s been on the basis of the fact that we have people from around the world, from many different religions and faiths and backgrounds and cultures, and we encourage them to live in Australia, but you’re not free to bring prejudices to our country and divide our community in half.

And if that does take place in our community, then we – collectively as a civic institution, as civic leaders – will stand against it.

So I think that this is as important to multiculturalism as all of our other important aspects of public education that promote and engender the idea of cultural diversity. It’s as important and that is, that is you’re free from vilification on the basis of your race or religion if you live in Australia.

Updated

Chris Minns details plans to strengthen hate speech laws in NSW

The NSW premier, Chris Minns, is detailing his plan to strengthen hate speech laws in the state, speaking with ABC RN.

He said hate speech laws had been in place for a long time, but they have criminalised acts that have induced violence in the community, “not, for example, vilification, which has been in the civil courts”.

And civil penalties [are] still against the law that requires a private individual to launch a prosecution. So we’re going to be looking at that aspect of the law. It’s in place in other jurisdictions around Australia. I think, self evidently, something needs to change.

Minns said there was “no question that Islamophobia is prevalent, and it does happen in NSW”. But the latest information shows there has been “a dramatic, dramatic rise in antisemitic attacks and vilification in the state,” he said.

[It is] many times the number of Islamophobic attacks in the state … I’m not suggesting that’s the case permanently, and I’m also not making the case on your program that we should be turning a blind eye to any kind of racist vilification in our community where it occurs, wherever it occurs. There needs to be a common set of rules, and they need to be applied consistently.

Updated

Ayres on Labor’s chance of majority government at next federal election

Tim Ayres was also asked what chance Labor has of achieving a majority government at this year’s federal election.

He said the party doesn’t “take any election for granted” and the government had made “significant progress” on inflation and cost of living relief, and “we’ll continue to do that”.

This is a government with the biggest pro-manufacturing package in Australian history. We are implementing steadily, and the alternative for Australia is no cost-of-living support from Peter Dutton and the Liberals and Nationals, and just leaving Australian manufacturing to continue to decline and costing good jobs in our regions and in our outer suburbs.

Updated

Tim Ayres provides more details on aluminium announcement

The assistant minister for the Future Made in Australia, Tim Ayres, has spoken with ABC RN about this morning’s aluminium announcement (see earlier post).

He said the move would help transition the industry to lower emissions, and support “thousands of jobs” through central Queensland, in the Hunter Valley and in northern Tasmania.

Each of these companies still has to work through its power purchasing agreements in each of the states … but these production tax credits guarantee the viability of the aluminium processing sector in Australia, meaning that we won’t just be digging up bauxite in Australia and sending it offshore to be processed somewhere else.

Rio Tinto makes billions in profit each year – why does it need government help, and why can’t it self fund this transition? Ayres said the industry was “highly competitive”, adding:

Effectively, there’s two choices here for for Australia: one is that we abandon local manufacturing in an environment where our global competitors are taking these kinds of steps to ensure that … manufacturing occurs onshore in their countries. The alternative is the Future Made in Australia approach where we step up to the plate on the competitive questions and make sure that manufacturing has got a platform for investment in Australia.

Lambie says Labor doing ‘a fair bit of clean up’ from nine years of Coalition

Asked about polling showing Peter Dutton had drawn level to Anthony Albanese as preferred PM, and whether this could be attributed to Dutton’s stance on law and order, Jacqui Lambie responded:

It hasn’t got any worse or better, I can assure you. You didn’t get much out of him after nine years, but if people want to fall back into that and go, well, you know, Labor’s had three years and that’s all we’re going to give them, and you want to go back to the good old days – which I wouldn’t say were the good old days under the Liberal National party – then be my guest.

Lambie said it was more likely “a Christmas time thing” and that people were really feeling the impacts of the cost of living.

It’s not just about the last three years in government, it’s probably about the last 10. So have a look at who had control of that for nine years beforehand.

Because quite frankly, I think Labor’s doing a fair bit of clean up. Labor’s also put a lot of things in which you will not see coming to fruition until the next three years.

So that’s where we’re at. You can either let them finish the job, I guess, for the following three years, or you can go back to the old way of the LNP. That’s that’s the choice that they’re going to have in this election.

Updated

Lambie says strengthened hate speech laws should be coming from federal level

Senator Jacqui Lambie spoke with the Today Show earlier about news the NSW government was moving to strengthen the state’s hate speech laws.

Lambie said that “hate speech right across the board in Australia is out of control”.

And quite frankly, I find it absurd that it’s coming from a state level instead of being dealt with from the government, from federal. It’s not applied right across the country.

Aukus deal ‘on course’ amid new US administration, deputy PM says

Moving to the US, Richard Marles was asked about Donald Trump’s inauguration – which will occur tomorrow morning, Australian time. Marles outlined Australia’s relationship with the incoming administration as follows:

The alliance between Australia and America is our most important relationship that is really the cornerstone of both our foreign policy and our national security, and we have a lot of equities in the relationship, and we’re very excited about being able to pursue them with the Trump administration.

He said comments from the incoming administration regarding the Aukus deal had been “hugely positive”.

All the indications are there that this will continue under the Trump administration … All the agreements that we’ve asked to be signed and steps to be taken are being taken. Aukus is happening, and it is on course.

Updated

Is Marles worried negotiations may break down amid ceasefire?

Richard Marles was also asked how worried he is about Israel resuming hostilities if negotiations break down.

He acknowledged it was a “very fragile and delicate process” and said “we [can’t] take anything for granted as we move forward”.

We’ve seen temporary ceasefires in the past, but I do think that there is an opportunity in what has been announced for this to be the beginning of a new chapter. I think the world has to hope and lend its voice [to apply] international pressure towards that outcome, and we will certainly be a part of that.

Updated

Focus right now is on ensuring ceasefire process continues: Marles

Asked if Australia would commit to helping rebuild Gaza, Richard Marles said Australia had “already contributed humanitarian assistance”.

Obviously, we’ll work through all of the opportunities that present themselves in terms of the way in which Australia can help as we move forward, but I think right now, the focus is on ensuring that all the effort is maintained so this fragile and delicate process continues.

Updated

Marles welcomes ceasefire deal as 'very positive and very constructive'

The deputy prime minister, Richard Marles, is speaking with ABC RN about the hostage deal and ceasefire in the Middle East, describing this as “very positive and very constructive in the context of the tragedy that we have watched unfold over the last 15 months”.

It is a wonderful thing to see hostages reunited with their families. It is also, obviously, wonderful to be seeing the beginning of humanitarian assistance start to flow into Gaza, and there’s clearly a long way to go in terms of the rebuilding of Gaza.

Marles said there was a long way to go to achieving lasting peace, and “this is a fragile and delicate process, and it’s one which is going to require constant effort and vigilance.”

Australia [will] continue to lend our voice to the promotion of peace, to seeing this arrangement fulfilled, and to seeing the return of all the hostages, and to seeing the rebuilding of Gaza.

Updated

Bank of Queensland to close 14 branches across four states

The Bank of Queensland has closed 14 formerly owner-managed branches across Queensland, WA, NSW and Victoria.

The Finance Sector Union said alongside previously announced closures, there would be 16 branches closing across February 2025 with a net loss of 18 roles. National assistant secretary Jason Hall said:

Australians rely on local bank branches and no amount of corporate spin from banks can deny that fact … The removal of branches and ATMs are designed to boost profits while reducing services. The absence of minimum standards allows banks to cut services on a whim with no regard to local needs or preferences.

The full list of branches to be closed, including 14 announced today and two previously announced, includes:

  • Logan Central was announced to staff on 3 January and will close on 7 February

  • Werribee, VIC – announced in late 2024 and will close on 13 February

  • Newtown, NSW – to close on 19 February

  • Bella Vista, NSW – to close on 20 February

  • Applecross, WA – to close on 27 February

  • Moonee Ponds, VIC – to close on 27 February

  • Richmond, VIC – to close on 27 February

  • Docklands, VIC – to close on 27 February

  • Hampton, VIC – to close on 27 February

  • Rockdale, NSW – to close on 27 February

  • Caloundra, Queensland – to close on 27 February

  • Carindale, Queensland – to close on 27 February

  • Elanora, Queensland – to close on 27 February

  • Sherwood, Queensland – to close on 27 February

  • Springwood, Queensland – to close on 27 February

  • Toowong, Queensland – to close on 27 February

Updated

Two teenagers die after waterfall accident

Two teenagers have died after an accident at a waterfall on the Sunshine Coast, AAP reports.

A 17-year-old girl fell off a waterfall at Queensland’s Wappa Falls about 2.30pm yesterday and a 17-year-old boy jumped into the water to help her when she did not resurface, emergency services said.

Police said the boy, an acquaintance of the girl, also went missing. A search and rescue operation found the girl’s body about 3.30pm and divers recovered the body of the boy at about 7.30pm.

Wappa Falls remains closed amid a police investigation and officers were set to prepare reports for the coroner regarding both teenagers.

Updated

Aluminium sector to share in billions to help go green

Australia’s aluminium industry is set to share in billions of dollars of investment to help it convert to renewable energy, AAP reports.

Anthony Albanese will today unveil a green aluminium production credit scheme that will provide financial support to smelters changing their energy source before 2036.

As part of the $2bn program, facilities will be eligible for support for every tonne of clean Australian aluminium they make over a decade. The production credits form part of the federal government’s signature manufacturing program, set to cost $22.7bn.

It’s estimated revenue to GDP for the Australian aluminium industry will increase from $5.1bn a year to $6bn annually by 2050. Australia is the sixth-largest producer of aluminium globally.

The industry minister, Ed Husic, said the production credit scheme would help to boost aluminium jobs while also reducing emissions.

With an entire aluminium supply chain uniquely located right here in Australia, we’re well positioned to capture the rewards of the global green energy transition. Communities and businesses rely on aluminium smelters, and we have an opportunity to partner with the private sector to support these secure well-paying jobs into the future.

Updated

Welcome

Good morning, and welcome back to a new week on the Australia news live blog. I’m Emily Wind, and I’ll be taking you through our rolling coverage for most of today.

Making news first up this morning: Australia’s aluminium industry is set to share in billions of dollars of investment to help it convert to renewable energy.

As AAP reports, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, will today unveil a green aluminium production credit scheme that will provide financial support to smelters changing their energy source before 2036.

As part of the $2bn program, facilities will be eligible for support for every tonne of clean, Australian aluminium they make over a decade.

In Queensland, two teenagers have died after an accident at a waterfall on the Sunshine Coast. We’ll bring you more details in a moment via AAP.

If you have any story tips, feedback or questions, you can reach out through email: emily.wind@theguardian.com. Let’s go.

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