What we learned today; Wednesday 8 January
And with that, we are going to put the blog to bed. Before we go, let’s recap the day’s big stories:
Hadi Nazari, the 23-year-old hiker missing in Kosciuszko national park since Boxing Day, was found alive.
A CoreLogic report showed the fall in house prices in December was exacerbated by slowing economic growth and “higher-for-longer” interest rates.
The Greens called for Labor to pass laws declaring the ABC official hosts of the upcoming federal election leaders’ debates in a bid to “Dutton-proof” the event.
Monthly inflation figures showed CPI rose 2.3% in the 12 months to November. The Australian Bureau of Statistics said the top contributors to the figure were food and non-alcoholic beverages, alcohol and tobacco, and recreation and culture.
Aussies travelling to the UK will now need to apply for a digital permit to visit England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The Albanese government announced it would build a further 40 of its Bushmaster-protected mobility vehicles in regional Victoria after securing a $100m deal with defence contractor Thales.
The shadow minister for Indigenous Australians, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, defended her decision to not attend the anniversary of Cyclone Tracy after the PM attacked her for it. She said it was Christmas and she was worried about a break-in.
A class action has been launched against General Motors for alleged faulty transmission systems in several Holden vehicles sold over the past 13 years.
Thank you for spending part of your day with us. We will be back tomorrow to do it all again – until then, stay safe.
Updated
Police say Nazari called his sister before he even landed at the command centre.
He was treated for dehydration before being taken to hospital.
He was happy that he was found, and very gracious for the effort that everyone went to find him.
Updated
Missing hiker foraged for berries and found two muesli bars in a hut
We are now jumping to another news conference on the hiker Hadi Nazari, with police at the command post.
It’s just such amazing news.
This is the 14th day we’ve been looking for him, and for him to come out and be in such good spirits and in such great condition. It’s incredible.
Police have said he lived off foraged berries and drank water from creeks.
There’s some creeks up there, and he said he’d been finding water where he could and foraging for food where he could, in terms of berries. At one point, he said he found a couple of muesli bars in a hut.
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Spilet says 350 to 400 people helped in the search, including Nazari’s family and friends.
We’ve spoken to the family. They’re very happy that obviously they have their loved one returned to them.
Spilet says when Nazari was found he was alert and able to speak.
Police will visit him tomorrow to find out more about how he survived.
Updated
Spliet says the fact he was fit and had the right equipment with him helped Nazari survive. But he stresses they don’t know the details yet.
It’s really hard to assess how somebody would look after themselves out there in the bush. We really just want to find out what he’s actually done, has he rested in the shade during the day? Has he found walking tracks that he’s been able to get on?
As I said, he’s been in a hut there as well. If he stayed hydrated, which he has, he’s done really well.
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Spliet:
He’s covered a lot of ground in that time, but the details of if he’s been on hiking tracks or how he’s actually got there is something that we’ll obviously speak to him about.
But at the moment, the primary concern is making sure that he’s physically healthy.
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Spliet:
He’s obviously very happy to be rescued and safe and united with his family.
Spliet says Nazari survived by finding a hut, where there were two muesli bars.
He relayed that he found a hut up there in the mountains, and there were two muesli bars up there that he’s eaten, and that’s pretty much all that he’s had to consume over the last two weeks.
So the further details about where he’s been and how he’s actually looked after himself are still yet to be determined.
Updated
Missing hiker found in Kosciuszko is ‘in good health’
Spliet describes how Nazari was found:
The circumstances we believe at the moment are that he called out to some hikers who were in the area.
He told them that he’d been lost in the bush and was thirsty.
Those people then contacted emergency services.
He was then picked up by police air, he says.
The helicopter took him back to the command post. At the command post, he was assessed by ambulance on the scene. He’s in good health, doesn’t appear to have any significant injuries.
Updated
NSW police Supt Andrew Spliet is now speaking about finding hiker Hadi Nazari.
Updated
A police sergeant who allegedly performed two Nazi salutes in front of colleagues at the police academy will not be charged despite the gesture being banned in Victoria, the force says.
More here:
Updated
Hello everyone – this is Cait Kelly. An incredible afternoon to be on the blog – so good to have some good news!
We are expecting police to hold a press conference in about 30 minutes about the hiker Hadi Nazari, who was found today after being missing for nearly two weeks in Kosciuszko national park.
Updated
With that, I leave the blog with Cait Kelly. Thanks for reading.
Government warns of misinformation harm as Meta ditches factcheckers
The communication minister, Michelle Rowland, has warned of the harms of misinformation after Meta announced overnight it was ditching independent factcheckers to prioritise “free speech”.
In a statement on Wednesday, Rowland said “access to trusted information has never been more important”.
She said:
Misinformation can be harmful to people’s health, wellbeing, and to social cohesion. Misinformation in particular is complex to navigate and hard to recognise.
The minister said it was providing ongoing funding to the ABC, SBS and AAP to continue their factchecking programs.
Updated
‘Incredible outcome’: police say hiker winched to safety from near lake
The missing hiker Hadi Nazari was located by other hikers off the circuit walk near Blue Lake in Kosciuszko national park at about 3.15pm today, police say.
It came after a multi-agency search involving more than 300 people over 13 days.
Nazari was winched from the location to the command post, where he is now being assessed by paramedics.
The Riverina police district Insp Josh Broadfoot has thanked emergency services for their contributions over the past fortnight.
This is an incredible outcome, after 13 long days he has been located. We want to thank our emergency services partner agencies, volunteers and members of the public for their assistance. We never gave up hope of finding him, and we are elated we can return him safely to his family.
Updated
The hiking group, which had been posting daily updates about the search for Nazari, posted that he had been found and thanked God.
Hazara Hikers in Australia posted only minutes ago, saying:
Congratulations everyone.
Hadi Nazari’s has been found by the rescue team.
After 13 days. Alhamdulilah (Thank God).
Updated
Hiker missing in Kosciuszko found alive
The 23-year-old hiker missing in Kosciuszko national park since Boxing Day has been found alive.
The hiking group which Hadi Nazari had been travelling with, Hazara Hikers, confirmed the Victorian man has been found alive.
Police are expected to provide an update shortly.
Updated
Sydney council hopes to ditch shark nets and switch to Smart drumlines
The home of some of Australia’s best-known beaches is inching closer to ditching shark nets as more communities voice concern about the century-old system, AAP reports.
NSW installs the barrier devices at 51 beaches each summer in an effort to protect swimmers and surfers.
But growing community concern about their effectiveness is leading more councils to press the state government to switch to non-lethal techniques, such as Smart drumlines which allow sharks to be intercepted, listening stations and drones.
Only 15 target sharks were caught by nets in the previous summer, compared to 109 other shark species and 29 turtles. More than a third (36%) of all animals caught by the nets were released alive.
Sue Heins oversees a Sydney council area stretching from Manly to Palm Beach, the longtime home of television drama Home and Away.
The Northern Beaches mayor said she would be thrilled if the government ditched shark nets tomorrow, saying regular users of the beaches did not want them.
“It’s like a hanky floating out there in the ocean,” Heins said. “Each council knows their beaches, our area is not a nursery.
“We’d be happy with no nets whatsoever, we’ve been using the Smart drumlines for quite a while … we know they work.”
No decision had been made about the future of shark nets across NSW beaches, the state’s agriculture minister, Tara Moriarty, said.
“The NSW government committed to engaging with local councils across the 2024-25 season on shark management,” she said in a statement. “This consultation is ongoing, and we will not be predetermining the outcome of it.”
NSW will remove its shark nets a month earlier than in previous years this summer, with the season set to end on 31 March.
Updated
Good afternoon, Mostafa Rachwani with you to take you through the rest of the day’s news.
Thanks for following the blog with me this afternoon! I’m going to hand over to Mostafa Rachwani, who will take you through the rest of the day’s stories.
Updated
Accused killer fast-tracks case to Victorian supreme court
A man accused of killing a teacher and dumping her body in a wheelie bin has pleaded ‘not guilty’, as he elected to fast-track his case to trial, AAP reports.
Stephen Fleming faced Melbourne magistrates court this afternoon via video link from prison, where he is on remand.
He is charged with the murder of 67-year-old Annette Brennan, an English teacher whom police allege was killed on 1 July 2024, before her body was allegedly placed in a wheelie bin outside a home at Coolaroo in outer Melbourne.
Tip workers found Brennan’s body while moving green waste at a facility in Epping on 3 July.
Fleming’s barrister Michael McGrath confirmed on Wednesday that his client had elected to fast-track his case to the supreme court.
He said Fleming understood this meant he had waived his rights to a committal hearing, where evidence could be tested in the lower court.
Fleming was remanded in custody and will face the supreme court for a directions hearing on 28 January.
Updated
Man denies performing Nazi salute at Sydney pub
A man accused of performing a Nazi salute at a pub is hoping CCTV footage of the alleged incident will help clear his name, AAP reports.
Norberto Triemstra was arrested following an alleged incident at the Criterion Hotel in the Sydney CBD shortly after 7pm on 13 December.
Police officers were flagged down by security at the venue, who alleged the 68-year-old was refusing to leave and had performed a Nazi salute.
Triemstra was arrested and spent the night behind bars before facing court the following day when he was granted bail.
His lawyer, Steven Mercael, entered not guilty pleas today to charges including publicly displaying a Nazi symbol, performing a Nazi salute and behaving offensively.
A plea is yet to be entered for a further charge of refusing to leave a premises.
Mercael told the court he is waiting for police to send CCTV footage of the alleged incident, which he said may help settle the matter.
Laws prohibiting the display of Nazi symbols were introduced in NSW in 2022 and carry a maximum penalty of 12 months’ jail, an $11,000 fine or both.
Triemstra’s matter is due to return to court on March 5.
‘Echoes of Trumpianism’ already in Australia through opposition: Greens
The Greens have claimed “echoes of Trumpianism” are already permeating Australian politics through the opposition party’s rhetoric and policies, as speculation over when the federal election will be held continues.
The party’s acting leader, Sarah Hanson-Young, warned this afternoon big tech companies, including X and Meta, were “sucking up” to the incoming US president-elect, Donald Trump, and could boost their preferred political parties over others in an election campaign.
Overnight, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced its decision to ditch its independent fact-checkers. Hanson-Young labelled the change a “dangerous move” and “damaging for democracy”.
The South Australian senator has also taken aim at X’s owner, Elon Musk, who has recently come under fire for intervening in UK and US politics. On Wednesday, Hanson-Young said she predicted Musk would “platform Peter Dutton and the Liberal Party above others in the next election” because their policies echoed some of Trump’s own. She said:
We’ve now got a situation where we’ve got two big tech billionaires, Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, thinking that they should run the world, that they should dictate what is said, who says it, how loud it is said, and whether it’s truthful ... Echoes of Trumpianism are already coming through from the Dutton opposition party and in their election policies.
Updated
Cottesloe beach closed in Perth after shark sightings
Lifeguards have closed Cottesloe beach in Western Australia due to a shark sightings.
The first shark was sighted about three hours ago.
The beach remains closed after a further sighting.
Northern Territory Police investigate car crash that killed four
Police are investigating a crash that left four dead, involving two vehicles near the Yirrkala community in East Arnhem land.
Police received a report of an unlawful entry at a residence in Nhulunbuy about 6:45am, with a grey Toyota Corolla reported stolen.
Later, the allegedly stolen vehicle was reported to be allegedly driving dangerously near the Yirrkala community, before it was involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle.
Emergency services confirmed four people were deceased at the scene, three from the allegedly stolen vehicle and one from the second vehicle.
Police say another person from the second vehicle suffered minor injuries.
The victims are yet to be formally identified.
Updated
Inflation ‘stubbornly high’ says opposition spokesperson
Angus Taylor says Australia isn’t seeing interest rate cuts because inflation remains “stubbornly high” compared with other nations whose central banks have started dropping rates.
Taylor says the government needs to go “back to basics” on economic measures, like cutting red tape for small business.
We’ve seen the cost of food go up by over 12%, rents up over 16%, gas up over 36%, health over 10% and so on the list goes on. All of those cost pressures continue to be there, and there’s no expectation the prices are going anywhere but up from here.
Earlier treasurer Jim Chalmers said today’s figures show “the very substantial and sustained progress made in the fight against inflation.”
Updated
Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor is responding to the inflation figures
Taylor says the government is “playing games” and headline inflation “isn’t where it needs to be”.
It’s seeking to hide inflation, but we know underlying inflation is not where it needs to be. Now you don’t need to tell any Australians that they know it. They see it in the bank account. They see it when they go to the checkout. They see it when they have to pay their bills. They are suffering, and we know they’re making tough decisions at a time like this.
Updated
ASX rises on hopes of February rate cut
The local share market has moved into positive territory after official statistics revealed the Reserve Bank’s preferred inflation metric slowed in November, keeping hopes alive for a February rate cut, AAP reports.
At noon today, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 20 points, or 0.24%, to 8,305.1, while the broader All Ordinaries had gained 13.7 points, or 0.16%, to 8,556.6.
The ASX200 had been down by as many as 22.8 points but jumped into the green after the Australian Bureau of Statistics released consumer price index figures for November.
Krishna Bhimavarapu, Asia-Pacific economist at State Street Global Advisors, said that annual trimmed mean inflation had continued moving towards the RBA’s target band, with inflation in new dwellings the weakest since mid-2021.
Yes, we can now confidently say that disinflation is running apace in Australia.
The ASX200 has now recovered all but four of the 141 points it lost in the 19 December sell-off, which was prompted by the US Federal Reserve signalling fewer US rate cuts in 2025.
At midday it was also on track for its fifth straight day of gains, its longest winning streak since mid-September.
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NSW SES volunteers continue search for missing hiker
More than 150 members of the NSW state emergency service have been assisting police in Kosciuszko National Park for 23-year-old Hadi Nazari.
Nazari has been missing since Boxing Day, but police yesterday said they’re still hopeful he could be alive.
Specialist NSW SES Bush Search and Rescue personnel have been deployed with volunteers in the search effort.
NSW SES south eastern zone deputy commander, superintendent Matt Price said SES teams were covering approximately 12 kilometres per day in the search area, which covered some of the steepest and thickest terrains in NSW.
SES teams have been on both day and overnight deployments to cover the search areas that we are tasked to by NSW Police.
The teams have been rising to the occasion and have been continuously working through tough conditions – hoping to get a positive outcome for the family.
Updated
Krishani here signing on for the next little while to continue our coverage. We’ll have some more reaction to the inflation data shortly.
Many thanks for joining me on the blog today – Krishani Dhanji will be taking the reins for the next little while. Take care and enjoy your afternoon.
High-speed rail ‘needs to be subject to rigorous economic and other analysis’
Moving to a different topic, Jim Chalmers said the high-speed rail authority had submitted a business case to government on a train line between Newcastle and Sydney.
This would go through government “in our usual considered and methodical way,” he said.
It will be subject to very robust assessments including by Infrastructure Australia and others, and it will go through that business case.
The prime minister has made it really clear and the government has made it clear on a number of occasions that subject to the economics of what is being proposed here, high-speed rail has the potential to be a gamechanger for local economies … It has the potential to open up suites of the country to make it more appealing for people who live in these areas. It needs to be subject to rigorous economic and other analysis …
Updated
RBA ‘will come to its own decisions’ on rate cut: Jim Chalmers
Jim Chalmers said his acknowledgement that inflation figures have been within the RBA’s target range for four months is a statement of fact, rather than an attempt to say it should cut interest rates.
Taking a question, he said:
I think that is a statement of fact, that is what we see in the figures today. The Reserve Bank will come to its own decisions …
Updated
Treasurer won’t be drawn on chances of cash rate cut
Taking questions, Jim Chalmers said he wouldn’t make predictions about whether the RBA would make a rate cut in February.
You would have seen the markets in the last little while have increased their expectations of a rate cut in February, that’s a matter for the markets. That is not my focus, my focus is on doing my job, the Reserve Bank will take their decisions independently.
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Chalmers says figures don’t always align with sentiment
The treasurer welcomed the fact that headline inflation has been at the lower end of the RBA’s target range for three months now – but acknowledged “numbers [don]t always translate into how people are feeling” in the economy.
We also know that inflation doesn’t always moderate in a perfectly straight line. We saw overnight in Europe where inflation has gone up, we see in the most recent data from the United States and United Kingdom that inflation even as it moderates overall doesn’t always moderate in a perfectly straight line. We also know the monthly data doesn’t compare month-to-month exactly the same basket of goods and services.
It is a more volatile measure than quarterly figures, but still very encouraging and pleasing to see this significant and substantial progress, particularly when it comes to the underlying measure.
Updated
Chalmers addresses media on latest inflation figures
The federal treasurer, Jim Chalmers, is addressing the media after the release of the latest monthly inflation figures.
In case you missed it earlier, we’ve got all the details below:
Chalmers said the figures show “headline inflation has now been in the Reserve Bank ‘s target band for four months in a row”.
These new numbers are an important reminder of the very substantial and sustained progress we have made in the fight against inflation … Headline inflation is now … almost a quarter of its peak in 2022 and in the last year alone it has almost halved as well.
Inflation was much higher and rising when we came to office, and now it is substantially lower under this government across all of the key aggregate measures.
Updated
After a few more questions, the press conference in WA has now wrapped up.
WA police minister Paul Papalia also addresses the media
Papalia acknowledging the work of police divers who travelled 8m deep to retrieve the bodies of those in the aircraft.
Recovery of deceased people is really challenging and confronting in itself, and the task of recovering bodies from a submerged fuselage at night is challenging. [In] Eight metres of water, it would have been a difficult and confronting task. So I’d join everybody else and acknowledging the efforts of those people, particularly the divers that were involved.
Updated
Premier doesn’t have questions for aircraft company at this stage of investigation
Premier Roger Cook was asked if the government had questions for the aircraft company this morning, and said “not at this stage.”
This is a very early stage in relation to this incident. It is a very distressing incident and obviously we are looking for the ATSB and the police to undertake their investigations. We will have an opportunity to reflect on this …
Updated
200m exclusion zone around wreckage of aircraft
Col Blanch said large parts of the aircraft remain submerged, with a 200m exclusion zone around it.
As part of a rescue and recovery operation we will be speaking with engineers [about] capacity to get it out of the water, we don’t know how complicated that will be …
Updated
Police commissioner provides details on survivors of crash
Col Blanch said the survivors included a male Swiss National, 63, a Western Australian male, 63, a Western Australian female, 65, and a Danish national, 58.
Updated
WA police to work with ATSB on investigation
WA police commissioner Col Blanch said emergency services responded to the crash immediately, after several triple-zero calls were made.
We have now moved into the investigation phase. The WA Police will be operating under the Coroners Act Authority and we will be assisting the Australian Transport Safety Bureau in their investigation on the cause of this crash.
He said that of the seven passengers, three were couples. Three people are recovering in hospital, ranging from very minor injuries to a very serious hand injury.
We are working with all of those survivors to understand what their observations were of the crash.
Updated
Roger Cook acknowledges bravery and courage of public who responded to crash
An exclusion zone is in place at Thompson Bay where efforts are under way to remove the wreckage from the water, Roger Cook confirmed.
Every West Australian knows Rottnest is our premier tourism destination. For something so tragic to happen in front of so many people, at a place that provides so much joy, especially at this time of year, is deeply upsetting.
I want to formally acknowledge all members of the public on separate private vessels in the area who acted immediately to help. They put their own safety at risk to help strangers in desperate need. That took bravery and courage, especially in what was a very distressing situation.
Updated
Cause of plane crash unknown
Roger Cook told the media the sea plane had seven people on board – six passengers and the pilot – when it attempted to take off from Thompson Bay around 4pm yesterday.
Moments later, witnesses reported seeing the plane crashed into the water. Initial reports include claims the plane came into contact with Philip Rock at the entrance of Thompson Bay. Those early reports are not confirmed after viewing some of the video footage available. However this will now all form part of the investigation. At this early stage, what caused the crash remains unknown …
Three deceased after plane crash off Rottnest Island, premier confirms
Western Australian premier Roger Cook has confirmed that three people have died as a result of the plane crash off Rottnest Island.
The bodies were recovered from the wreckage by water police last night, he said:
The victims include a 65-year-old woman, a passenger who we understand was a Swiss tourist. A 60-year-old man, a passenger believed to be a tourist from Denmark. And a 34-year-old man who was the pilot who lived in Perth. My thoughts go out to the families and friends of the victims.
WA authorities to provide update on Rottnest Island plane crash
We’re standing by for Western Australian authorities, including the premier Roger Cook, to provide an update on the plane crash off Rottnest Island and the search for three missing people.
Here’s the latest on what we know so far:
Chalmers reactions to latest monthly inflation figures
The treasurer Jim Chalmers says the latest inflation numbers show underlying inflation has come down. In a post to X, he said:
New monthly numbers show underlying inflation has come down. Headline inflation has been in the lower half of the RBA’s target band for 3 months now, for the first time since 2021. These are important & encouraging reminders of the progress made in the fight against inflation.
Man killed after water tank fell on him in workplace
A man has died after becoming trapped under a fallen water tank in the workplace.
NSW Police said the incident occurred in Eastwood about 8.45am today, with officers finding the man – believed to be in his 60s – trapped under the fallen water tank.
He was treated by paramedics but died at the scene. He is yet to be formally identified, police said.
A report will be prepared for the coroner and the incident has been referred to SafeWork NSW.
More details on the latest inflation figures
AAP reports the headline figure was broadly expected to shift higher to 2.2% in the official monthly readout from the ABS.
ABS head of prices statistics Michelle Marquardt said the rise in annual headline inflation in part reflected the timing of government energy subsidies.
In some states and territories, households received two rebate payments in October in lieu of not receiving a payment in July.
From November most households received one payment.
Progress was logged on all-important underlying measures, with the trimmed mean measure sinking to 3.2% in November, from 3.5%.
Annual trimmed mean inflation remains higher than consumer price index inflation as it removed large price falls for electricity and automotive fuel.
The Reserve Bank has been putting more emphasis on underlying inflation measures as they are better insulated from volatility and temporary price changes from the likes of power bill relief.
While the annual headline inflation rate has held between the RBA’s 2% to 3% target band since August, the central bank has been cautious about cutting interest rates.
Updated
Inflation rate rose slightly to 2.3% in November
The headline figure was up from 2.1% in October and was broadly in line with market expectations.
The underlying inflation rate fell to 3.2% in November, down from 3.5% in October, potentially strengthening the case for the Reserve Bank board to cut interest rates when it meets for the first time in 2025 on February 17-18.
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, is due to respond to the figures at 12.30pm (AEDT), while shadow treasurer, Angus Taylor, is due up at 1pm.
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Monthly inflation figures show CPI rises 2.3% in 12 months to November
ABS says the top contributors to the figure were food and non-alcoholic beverages, alcohol and tobacco, and recreation and culture.
Annual trimmed mean inflation, the figure the reserve bank watches closely, was down to 3.2%
Updated
Latest monthly inflation figures to be released in ten minutes
The eyes of the political world will be trained on the Australian Bureau of Statistics website this morning with the latest monthly inflation figures to be released at 11.30am.
The consumer price index for the year to November will be the first snapshot of economic data in an election year in which prices, cost-of-living and interest rates will be defining issues.
After the headline inflation rate held steady at 2.1% in October, economists are predicting a slight uptick in November, although the figure is expected to remain well within the Reserve Bank’s 2-3% target band.
Economists and politicians alike will be watching for any movement in the underlying inflation rate, which the RBA is closely monitoring as it weighs up a potential rate cut at February’s board meeting.
Speaking on ABC RN this morning, the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, was confident the numbers would demonstrate the progress that has been made in curtailing inflation.
These monthly numbers bounce around a little bit. They’re not often as reliable as the quarterly figures we get on inflation but what these numbers will show today will be an indication of the very substantial progress we’ve made in the fight against inflation.
Remember when we came to office inflation had a 6 in front of it and was rising, it now has a two in front of it.
Albanese calls out Dutton for lack of media conferences in Canberra
Asked if he would consider changes to the zone tax allowance to keep people in regional areas, Anthony Albanese labelled this a “thought bubble” from Dutton and said:
He doesn’t speak about it in Canberra and if ever he did a media conference in Canberra, maybe one of these fine people here could challenge him and you could get him on screen for an interview on the ABC …
Albanese said zonal taxation wasn’t on the agenda because of the “distortions and manipulations that could occur”, and that Dutton needs to “say and be held to account over whether that is his position.”
Is he taking it to the election? What costings have been done? What will be the impact on revenue? What will the distortions that are made in the economy overall? That is just one of the latest examples of a bloke who has meandered through 2.5 years of opposition, not doing any hard press conferences. He has done one press conference in Canberra over many, many months …
I have taken more questions off the Canberra press gallery here in Mount Isa this morning than Peter Dutton has taken off the Canberra press gallery in the last six months of last year. I will continue to be held to account. He needs to be held to account for the thought bubbles, such as that one that he came up with and whether he stands by it.
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PM defends government job creation
Anthony Albanese was asked if he is worried more than half the jobs created in his government have been government-funded. He responded:
If you think that assisting people to help our older Australians live in dignity and respect, then people can make that case.
He said the government had followed the recommendations of the Aged Care royal commission.
When we said we will put nurses back into nursing homes, we were mocked. We were mocked by the Coalition. We have now delivered that 99% of the time. There is a nurse in a nursing home looking after an older Australian 99% of the time. That is what we have done and that is a positive thing.
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Albanese questioned on prospect of rate cut before election
Anthony Albanese said it was up to the RBA to decide interest rates when asked if he would take responsibility if there was no rate cut before the election.
He told reporters he would take responsibility for ensuring inflation is falling:
That is what I will take responsibility for. The other thing I will take responsibility for is the support that we have given in cost of living.
Updated
Answering a question on agriculture, Anthony Albanese has taken aim at Peter Dutton for making calls and then “seem[ing] to forget about [them] the next day”.
Whether it is that or his calls for the second referendum on Indigenous recognition. His support previously, before today, for four-year terms that I said yesterday, when I was asked in the press conference, I said they will walk away from it [and] have no plans to progress it. Sure enough, like the sun coming up in the morning, Peter Dutton is out there being negative and critical of something that he had said he supported when asked.
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Albanese: social media platforms must fulfil social responsibility
Asked for his thoughts on Meta’s decision to scrap factcheckers, especially ahead of the upcoming election, Anthony Albanese said social media has a “social responsibility”.
I said this morning that the criticism that social media will make about our decision and legislation to ban social media for those under 16 is one that we don’t resile from. We will stand up for Australia’s national interests.
I say to social media they have a social responsibility and they should fulfil it.
Updated
Touting the local candidate, Anthony Albanese wouldn’t be drawn on the date of the upcoming federal election:
May 17 or before or during.
Albanese addressing media in Mount Isa
The prime minister Anthony Albanese is speaking to reporters from Mount Isa in Queensland as he continues his pre-election campaign blitz this week.
Taking questions, he was asked why he didn’t stop at Tennant Creek, Katherine and Alice Springs on his trip, and responded:
We can’t stop everywhere. I was in the NT for three days, just two weeks ago.
Albanese said he spent 23-25 December in the Northern Territory and “there were no LNP reps in the NT from the federal government at that time – not the NT senator at what was a very significant event commemorating 50 years since Cyclone Tracy”.
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price responded to this earlier, which you can read here.
Albanese continued his answer, telling reporters:
I have been to Nhulunbuy, Katherine, Darwin, Alice Springs, Uluru and now I am going to a cattle farm – the property owners came to see me with Bob Katter just last year. They invited me to go. I am going there, I am here in Mount Isa. I am in Kununurra and I am in Cairns today. I think an itinerary in one day that has Cairns, Mount Isa, NT cattle farm and Kununurra is a busy day.
Updated
Transport Safety Bureau to investigate plane crash off Rottnest Island
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has confirmed it is investigating the private plane crash off Rottnest Island in Western Australia.
As AAP reports, ATSB has set a team from its Perth, Brisbane and Canberra offices.
The team specialise in aircraft operations and maintenance and “human factors”, the ATSB chief commissioner, Angus Mitchell, said in a statement.
The investigation will gather evidence from the site and the wreckage and recover aircraft components to be examined at the agency’s technical facilities in Canberra.
Investigators will also seek to interview those on board, and any other witnesses and involved parties, and collect relevant recorded information including available flight tracking data, as well as pilot and aircraft maintenance records, and weather information.
Updated
Infrastructure department response on Tower Beach
In response to concerns about potential pollution at Tower Beach near Sydney airport, a spokesperson for the federal infrastructure department said the Australian government had committed $130.5m for Pfas investigations at civilian airports where the commonwealth historically provided firefighting services that used PFAS-containing foams:
Airport participation in the program is voluntary and Sydney airport is eligible to participate. Sydney airport has been thoroughly investigating the relevant sites for several years and Airservices Australia is currently conducting a detailed site investigation relating to its lease areas at Sydney airport as part of its national Pfas program.
They said the department was working closely with Airservices Australia to ensure any risks related to Pfas at Sydney airport were appropriately managed.
They said the department had not been involved in issuing advisory notices or signage at Tower Beach.
Updated
EPA plans new testing of fish in Botany Bay
The New South Wales environment watchdog says it will conduct new testing of fish in Botany Bay and the Georges River after concerns about potential PFAS contamination at Tower Beach near Sydney airport.
The beach is used as a swimming spot by young families but signs erected by the airport as a precautionary measure in 2023 warn against swimming and fishing.
The Environment Protection Authority’s (EPA) plans for fresh tests follow reports by the Sydney Morning Herald about potential pollution at Tower Beach.
The authority proactively tested commonly caught fish in Botany Bay and the Georges River, including Tower Beach, in 2018 in response to concerns about PFAS, also referred to as “forever chemicals”.
Based on the results of the 2018 testing, it issued precautionary dietary advice that recommended minimal consumption of fish caught in the area. A spokesperson said:
The EPA will arrange for further testing to confirm the precautionary dietary advice is still valid.
Since 2006 groundwater use restrictions have applied in the Botany Bay area including a ban on groundwater use for domestic purposes. But Sydney airport is on Commonwealth land and, since 2010, investigation of PFAS pollution in the area has been coordinated by the federal government.
The EPA’s spokesperson said the watchdog had “consistently expressed concern regarding PFAS contamination at Sydney airport” and was continuing to urge the federal government to “ensure remedial action is taken to protect the community and environment”:
Transparency around the level of contamination is important to ensure community awareness.
Updated
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade ‘not aware’ of any Australians caught in Tibet earthquake
Dfat has issued a statement saying they haven’t been contacted for assistance by any Australians in Tibet or neighbouring areas affected by the earthquake.
The quake struck Tibet on Tuesday, with Chinese media reporting at least 126 deaths. A Dfat spokesperson said:
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade extends its condolences to those impacted by the earthquake.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is not aware of any Australians being affected by the earthquake and there have been no requests for consular assistance.
Australians in need of emergency consular assistance should contact the Australian Government’s 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre 1300 555 135 (within Australia) and +61 2 6261 3305 (from overseas).
The US Geological Survey measured the tremor at magnitude 7.1, while China recorded it as 6.8.
Updated
NAB warns of AI and crytpo scams in 2025
AI-driven scams and new forms of cryptocurrency are the top scams to watch out for in 2025, according to NAB.
The bank outlined the five big scams Australians should watch out for this year as AI-powered scams, cryptocurrency investment scams, bucket list scams, remote access scams targeting businesses and ever-evolving phishing scams.
Bucket list scams includes scams linked to the new digital permit Australians will need to travel to the UK from today (as we flagged earlier in the blog).
The NAB executive of group investigations, Chris Sheehan, said perpetrators “create urgency to act quickly”, such as by creating “fomo” that tickets will sell out quickly or people might miss the next big crypto investment opportunity.
Another common red flag across different scam types is that the contact is unexpected … Once funds are sent it’s often very hard to recover money, despite our best efforts.
In terms of AI scams, Sheehan said people were using it to create “deepfake videos impersonating high-profile Australians and create images used in sextortion”.
Three seconds of audio from a video or a voicemail or an image from social media is enough for criminals to get to work.
He said NAB customer scam losses decreased 20% year-on-year, despite customer scam reports increasing 18% in the same period.
Updated
Price defends decision not to attend Cyclone Tracy event after comments from PM
The shadow minister for Indigenous Australians, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, spoke with ABC News Breakfast earlier after comments from the PM that she didn’t attend the 50th anniversary of the commemoration of Cyclone Tracy on Christmas Day (see earlier post).
She defended the decision, saying it was Christmas and she was worried about a break-in:
It’s Christmas Day, I live in the Northern Territory. It would be nice for the PM to understand as locals when we go to bed at night there’s concern that our house may be broken in. We have prowlers on our streets on a regular basis.
It’s one thing to be able to come to an event, it’s another thing to be able to get on the ground, listen to locals, understand where the failures exist and what sort of support needs to occur in order to support the situation to progress to somewhere where locals feel like [we’re] safe sleeping at our own beds at night.
Updated
Hundreds of thousands of Holden owners potentially eligible for compensation from class action
A class action has been launched against General Motors for alleged faulty transmission systems in several Holden vehicles sold over the past 13 years.
The action by law firm Maurice Blackburn, they say, could result in hundreds of thousands of Holden owners becoming eligible for compensation.
There are 13 models in the suit including the Commodore VE, Holden Ute VE and Colorado, sold between 1 January 2011 and 24 December 2024. They were equipped with a:
GM 6L 45 transmission;
GM 6L 50 transmission; or
GM 6L 80 transmission.
Maurice Blackburn principal lawyer Kimi Nishimura said:
The class action alleges that General Motors failed to comply with the guarantee of acceptable quality under the Australian consumer law and engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct.
Updated
Tourist warning as bushfire burns in southern Victoria
An bushfire warning for Cape Otway and Hordern Vale in southern Victoria has been downgraded to watch and act, after an emergency warning was issued earlier this morning.
As AAP reports, fire authorities had warned those in Cape Otway and southern parts of Hordern Vale, both near the state’s famed Great Ocean Road, to shelter indoors as a blaze moves west from Blanket Bay Road to Lighthouse Road.
Campers in the region have reportedly been evacuated as a separate watch and act alert has been issued for Hordern Vale and Glenaire.
Apollo Bay Community Hall, east of the blaze, has been set up as an evacuation centre.
Off-duty constable charged in relation to two-vehicle crash
An off-duty police officer in New South Wales has been charged in relation to a two-vehicle crash last year.
On 6 September the off-duty officer was driving at Woodcroft when he allegedly failed to give way to a motorcycle at an intersection. The rider, an 18-year-old man, was thrown from the motorcycle and sustained fractures to the right arm, left hand and abrasions.
Officers commenced an investigation into the circumstances of the crash, and the 23-year-old constable – attached to a command in the north-west metropolitan region – was issued a court attendance notice for negligent driving (occasioning grievous bodily harm).
The man is expected to appear at Blacktown local court on 4 March.
Updated
Hanson-Young rules out Greens support for Coalition minority government
Asked if the Greens would ever help the Coalition form minority government, Sarah Hanson-Young clearly ruled this out:
Let me be really clear, the Greens in no way are interested in facilitating the leader of the nasty party in Australia, Peter Dutton, from ever getting the keys to The Lodge. And we will be the insurance in the parliament to stop that.
If there’s other crossbenchers who might back Peter Dutton and put him in as prime minister, you know, that’s up for them to explain. But we will hold any Dutton government to account in the Senate, we’ll stop Peter Dutton from pushing people’s power prices nuclear, we will stop his dangerous attack on renewables and his culture wars that want to drive division in this country rather than unity.
Updated
‘Stakes are really high’ for upcoming federal election: Sarah Hanson-Young
On the PM’s pre-election campaign blitz, Sarah Hanson-Young said she understood why he was out and about so early in the year because “the stakes are really high”.
She said the Greens are “fired up” and “ready to go whenever the prime minister decides to call the election”.
We are living in a world where our climate is getting worse. Our environment is on the brink of collapse. We’re losing native species and habitat and natural spaces at a rate like never before, and we have a huge cost of living crisis that’s impacting very vulnerable groups within our community and we need solutions.
The polls are showing clearly that neither Labor nor Liberal can form a majority government. That means it’s important that parties like the Greens are there, front and centre, giving a voice to the community, a voice to the environment, and will be prepared to hold Labor to account and Peter Dutton to account.
Updated
Hanson-Young concerned Musk would begin ‘platforming nasty side of Australian politics’
Speaking about the so-called alliance between tech giants and the likes of Donald Trump, Sarah Hanson-Young said this was a “really worrying sign” that wouldn’t just affect the US.
She said tech platforms had global influence and “you can already see Elon Musk thinking that he wants to flex his political muscle now outside the US and into across the world”.
I mean, frankly, he’s the kind of bloke you know, we all know, the person who thinks they’re the smartest man in the room. Elon Musk seems to think he’s the smartest man in the world. That’s the ego of these blokes.
The Greens senator said she wouldn’t be surprised if Musk “starts platforming the nasty side of Australian politics, and even starts to platform [Peter] Dutton more than Anthony Albanese”.
Updated
Hanson-Young says Meta decision to remove factcheckers would result in ‘free for all on misinformation’
The acting Greens leader, Sarah Hanson-Young, has just been on the ABC’s RN Breakfast, talking about Meta’s decision to strip away their factcheckers.
Hanson-Young says it will result in a “free for all on misinformation and disinformation”.
Hanson-Young accused Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s chief executive, of bowing down to Donald Trump, and “making big profits at the expense of community safety”.
What Mr Zuckerberg has announced similar to what, of course, Elon Musk had done a couple of years ago, is to rip the rug of any type of decency out from underneath users and allow … whoever is the loudest, whoever is the angriest, whoever is the most outrageous, to have their views heard.
Updated
Albanese defends length of visit to NT as part of election blitz
Speaking about his election blitz, Anthony Albanese was asked about criticism from the shadow Indigenous affairs minister, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, that it was a “blink and you’ll miss it trip” to the Northern Territory.
The PM said he had three days scheduled for the territory:
Jacinta Price wasn’t there on Christmas Day at the 50th anniversary of the commemoration of Cyclone Tracy. That was a really important event. I was there from [the] 23rd until Christmas Day, in the Northern Territory. This visit will be my 12th visit to the Northern Territory. More visits than the three Liberal prime ministers who preceded me [to] the Northern Territory over their almost decade in office.
Updated
Albanese defends under-16s social media ban amid Zuckerberg aligning with Trump
Anthony Albanese was also asked about the decision by Mark Zuckerberg to align himself more closely with Donald Trump, announcing that he was getting rid of factcheckers (see earlier post).
Is he worried Labor’s social media age restrictions could have picked a fight with Trump? Albanese defended the laws, saying they were about protecting young children and Australian families:
We make no apologies for standing up for the interests of young Australians. I know that our strong action is being watched right around the world, because other leaders that I have spoken to have indicated that they applaud the fact that Australia has taken this action. It went through the parliament with overwhelming support and it has the support of Australian families.
If Trump criticises the laws, will Australia stand by them? Albanese said they were “an Australian policy in the interests of young Australians”.
We’ll consult, obviously, as part of the legislation … but this is a sensible policy, responding to what is a new issue. A new technology which is having an impact on our youngest generation.
Updated
‘Terrible news’: Albanese on plane crash off Rottnest Island
The prime minister says his heart goes out to all involved in a plane crash off Rottnest Island yesterday.
As we flagged earlier, Anthony Albanese will travel to the Top End today amid an unofficial election campaign through Queensland this week.
Speaking to ABC News Breakfast from Cairns just a moment ago, he spoke on the crash and said:
This is terrible news. The pictures would’ve been seen by all Australians as they have woken up. My heart goes out to all those involved.
Updated
Australians finally freed from UK pub after spending days snowed in
Australians Naomi and Paul Wright have finally left the UK pub where they spent three days snowed in.
Thirty-three people were snowed in at the Tan Hill Inn in North Yorkshire, Britain’s highest pub, as an Antarctic blast sweeps the UK.
Naomi and Paul spoke with the Today show, describing their relief after farmers used their plough equipment to clear the roads for everyone inside:
They’ve actually cleared the roads for us, came up and said to anyone that wanted to get out needed to go now. So we dug the cars out … Everyone in the pub was cheering [and] all pitched in together. The guys came up with the ploughs, lined us up and basically it was a mad dash back to the highway.
If we didn’t get out in that short time frame today, we would have been there for another three or four days.
Naomi and Paul, from the Northern Territory, said there had been “a lot of drinking, a lot of eating, a lot of chatting [and] playing cards”.
Updated
Chalmers responds to report showing $7bn shortfall in budget for public sector wages
Jim Chalmers was also asked about a report in the Australian Financial Review showing a $7bn shortfall in the budget for public-sector wages – and why the government is forecasting almost no growth for the sector for three years from 2025/26?
The treasurer said it was “important to remember that the numbers in the budgets reflect the best current estimates that we have for departmental expenses, and those departmental expenses are considered each year from budget to budget”.
Usually what happens is that departments are required to meet these wage increases from within their existing allocated resources. That’s been standard practice for some time now, and that departmental funding is subject to regular indexation. But it’s important to remember [the] very, very important difference between us and our political opponents.
The Coalition want to slash a whole bunch of jobs that will cost more, it will deliver less, and it could herald a return to the days of robodebt. We saw how badly they mismanaged the public service. We’ve been cracking down on external consultants and contractors. We’ve been rebuilding the frontline capacity of the Australian public service, remembering that three-quarters of these new jobs are created outside of Canberra … and we will budget for that in the best most accurate way that we can.
Updated
Chalmers says government addressing cost-of-living pressures in ‘meaningful and responsible way’
Jim Chalmers was also asked about the resignation of Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau amid the country’s cost-of-living crisis.
He was asked why he thinks Australians would give his government a pass and return them to power when cost-of-living pain is so great? Chalmers said they “don’t take any outcomes in the election for granted”.
The election will be very tough. It will be very tight. It will be contested as it always is, and as it always should be, and so we’re not complacent about the outcome of the election.
People are under very substantial pressure, and they often express themselves politically. Our job is to take the right economic decisions for the right reasons.
Chalmers argued the government was responding to cost-of-living pressures in a “meaningful and in a responsible way” and that “if our opponents were in charge, people would be much worse off”.
Updated
Chalmers speaks ahead of inflation figures being released today
Just a moment ago, the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, spoke with ABC RN before the latest inflation figures being released today.
He acknowledged Australians are still under pressure but said today’s numbers would show “an indication of the progress that we’ve made together, from inflation with the six in front of it to inflation with the two in front of it”.
We know that the big national aggregate figures don’t always perfectly translate into [how] people are feeling or faring in local communities around Australia.
Chalmers pointed to a range of cost-of-living measures the government has implemented and said “any number today with the two in front of it shows that inflation has more than halved since we came to office”.
As for whether there may be an interest rate cut in February, Chalmers said he didn’t want to pre-empt decisions of the RBA but “we do know that inflation in the monthly figures and in the quarterly figures is now within the Reserve Bank’s target range”.
Updated
Emergency bushfire warning for towns along Great Ocean Road
An emergency bushfire warning has been issued for Cape Otway and Hordern Vale in southern Victoria.
An out-of-control bushfire is travelling towards Lighthouse Road, VicEmergency said, urging those in the area to take shelter now as it is too late to leave:
It is too late to leave the area safely so you must take shelter now … You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. The safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately. It is too late to leave.
A heatwave warning is in place for southern Victoria. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, severe heatwave conditions have eased but low-intensity heatwave conditions are expected to develop across the state later in the week.
This EMERGENCY WARNING - BUSHFIRE - Take Shelter Now is for Cape Otway and Hordern Vale.
— VicEmergency (@vicemergency) January 7, 2025
You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive.
The safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately. It is too late to leave.
More details at https://t.co/3VS4HRjclz pic.twitter.com/X3MZhrraXI
Updated
Australians will need digital permit to enter UK from today
From today, Aussies travelling to the UK will need to apply for a digital permit to visit England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The electronic travel authorisation, or ETA, costs £10 – or $A20. People can get an ETA to visit the UK instead of a visa if they are:
going to the UK for up to six months for tourism, visiting family and friends, business or short-term study
going to the UK for up to three months on the Creative Worker visa concession
going to the UK for a permitted paid engagement
transiting through the UK – including if they are not going through UK border control.
The official website to apply for an ETA is here – keep an eye out for scam websites that falsely offer ETA applications.
Updated
Housing market 'buckling' says CoreLogic
Eliza Owen, the head of research at CoreLogic Australia, says in a report today that the fall in house prices in December was exacerbated by slowing economic growth and “higher-for-longer” interest rates.
House prices fell by 0.1% in December, led by Sydney and Melbourne. In contrast, Perth saw property prices increase by 0.7% and Adelaide’s market rose 0.6% over the month. Owen said:
After almost two years, the housing market appears to finally be buckling to these pressures. Not just interest rates that have been higher for much longer than expected, but affordability constraints, where there’s a massive gap between what people can realistically afford and what home values actually are.
Read our full report here:
Greens calling for laws to ‘Dutton-proof’ upcoming federal election leaders’ debates
The Greens want to see Labor pass laws declaring the ABC official hosts of the upcoming federal election’s leaders’ debates in a bid to “Dutton-proof” the event.
The minor party also wants to carve out its spot on the stage alongside the major parties’ leaders, claiming it is “more important than ever” given the possibility of a minority government.
The party’s communication spokesperson, Sarah Hanson-Young, will announce the proposal today, arguing voters deserved to watch the debate for free and for it to be moderated by the “most trusted media outlet in the country”. She said:
This is a simple and common-sense proposition; our national broadcaster should be the home of our national election debates. When it comes to our democracy and a fair and balanced leaders’ debate, we can’t leave it to the Murdoch[-owned] media.
During the 2022 federal election, three debates were held on commercial television, including one behind a paywall on Sky News.
The former prime minister, Scott Morrison, accepted invitations to appear on the commercial networks but refused a request by the ABC.
Months after Anthony Albanese was elected prime minister, the ABC called for legislation to ensure it hosts and broadcasts at least one leaders’ debate during a federal election campaign.
Hanson-Young said “election debates should be about providing information to Australian voters, not about securing ratings for billionaire media moguls”.
Updated
Good morning
I’m Emily Wind, and I’ll be taking you through our live coverage this Wednesday on the Australia news live blog. If you have any tips, feedback or questions, feel free to reach out via email: emily.wind@theguardian.com.
Let’s go.
Search to resume for three missing after Rottnest seaplane crash
Four people have been pulled from the water – but three are still missing – after a privately owned plane crashed into the sea off Western Australia’s popular tourist site Rottnest Island.
Rescue efforts – led by police and emergency services crews, but also involving civilian vessels - was still under way yesterday evening.
Police confirmed the seaplane was carrying seven people, including the pilot. Three people were pulled from the water suffering serious injuries, a fourth was rescued uninjured.
But three people remained missing, several hours after the plane went down at 4pm local time.
Updated
Potential repercussions for Australia amid Zuckerberg move to align closer with Trump
The decision by Mark Zuckerberg to align himself more closely with Donald Trump may have repercussions for the political discourse in Australia in this election year.
In announcing that he was getting rid of factcheckers, the Meta boss, who controls Facebook, Instagram and Threads, said “factcheckers have just been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they’ve created”.
He added that Meta was going to “get rid of a bunch of restrictions on topics like immigration and gender that are just out of touch with mainstream discourse”.
Read our full story here:
Facebook’s factchecking has a fraught history in Australia – an RMIT-run service was reinstated in 2023 two months after a suspension over News Corp complaints:
However, its page now appears to have been deleted.
Updated
Forty more Bushmasters to be built in regional Victoria
The Albanese government has announced it will build a further 40 of its Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles in regional Victoria after securing a $100m deal with defence contractor Thales.
The vehicles, known globally for their reliability, will be used by the Australian army and are expected to be based in Adelaide’s north once they are built.
The government said the deal would lock in more than 250 local jobs in Bendigo once production is under way.
The defence industry minister, Pat Conroy, said the government’s decision to invest in the armoured vehicles showed its “commitment to modernising the Australian defence force”.
This contract underscores the Albanese government’s commitment to providing the Australian defence force with the capabilities and equipment it needs to keep Australians safe. This additional investment will support hundreds of jobs, underscoring the Albanese government’s commitment not only to the people of the Bendigo region but to building Australia’s future.
Updated
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer, bringing you the best of the overnight stories, and then it will be Emily Wind to take you through the rest of the day.
There’s a “massive gap between what people can realistically afford and home values” – that’s the verdict of a CoreLogic report into why the housing market is “buckling” under pressure from the cost-of-living crisis and rising rates. However, homeowners under pressure shelling out huge amounts on mortgages will be relieved that the data analysts think the downturn will be “short-lived”. Inflation figures out later this morning could have some bearing on whether rates will fall soon or not.
Anthony Albanese will travel to the Top End today after getting the ball rolling on the unofficial federal election campaign in Queensland this week. With the run-up to the election likely to be long and fractious, the prime minister will no doubt read with some concern this morning that Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg has thrown his lot in with the incoming Donald Trump presidency by saying he will dump factcheckers and “prioritise free speech”.
Three people are missing and three are in hospital with serious injuries after a private plane crashed into the sea off Western Australia’s popular tourist site Rottnest Island yesterday afternoon. A major police operation was launched after the incident at about 4pm, local time, with civilian vessels also helping with the rescue effort. A fourth person was rescued unharmed. The search for the missing passengers continues and we’ll let you know of any updates.
And the Labor government has announced a deal with defence manufacturer Thales to build 40 new Bushmaster vehicles for the Australian army at a cost of $100m. More on that in a few minutes.
