Ben Doherty

Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom and six other World Central Kitchen aid workers were killed in April 2024 when three Israeli drone strikes hit their clearly marked convoy in Gaza over four minutes. Israeli authorities initially called the attack a grave mistake, attributing it to failures in identifying the convoy and disseminating movement information. An Australian review led by Mark Binskin concluded the strike was not deliberate but recommended an apology. More than two years later, Israel’s military advocate general cleared the officers and soldiers of criminal wrongdoing, prompting condemnation from Penny Wong and Frankcom’s family, who say an opaque internal process has failed to deliver justice or transparency.

An inspection by Australia’s National Preventive Mechanism found widespread safety and welfare problems at Villawood immigration detention centre, including openly traded drugs, intimidation, makeshift weapons, damaged buildings, inadequate staffing and people sleeping in unsafe areas. The report raised particular concern about children detained for months without regular schooling or meaningful social contact, warning of serious mental-health and developmental risks. It also documented violence, self-harm, alleged murder, security failures and staff unable to intervene effectively. The Commonwealth Ombudsman called the conditions a failure to meet minimum standards and urged urgent action. The Department of Home Affairs agreed with eight of 15 recommendations and partially accepted the rest.

Abbas, a former Afghan special forces commando who fought alongside US, Australian and other Western troops, says he feels abandoned after the fall of Kabul. Hiding from Taliban reprisals, he fled with his family to Iran, where they face exploitation, deportation fears and renewed danger amid US attacks. His application to Australia’s Locally Engaged Employee resettlement program was rejected because he was not directly employed by the Australian Defence Force. The account places his case within wider failures by the US, Australia, Britain and Germany to resettle vulnerable Afghans, while advocates warn that former soldiers, interpreters, women and Hazara communities remain at serious risk.

Pentagon under secretary Elbridge Colby says the AUKUS submarine program is “full steam ahead” and that the US is optimistic but realistic about meeting its obligations. The agreement would involve the US selling Australia three Virginia-class submarines from 2032 before Britain and Australia develop AUKUS-class boats, but US production rates remain below the levels needed to meet domestic demand and supply Australia. Colby declined to address whether nuclear-armed US submarines could visit Australian ports. His endorsement contrasts with former Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull’s warning to an inquiry that the deal could leave Australia with no submarines, while the program’s projected cost and long-term nuclear-waste responsibilities remain substantial.

South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas announced a royal commission into artificial intelligence, beginning in October and reporting by 1 July 2027. The inquiry will examine AI’s risks, opportunities and deployment across education, workplaces, government, health, industry, and culture, including how young people use the technology. Opposition industry spokesman Andrew Hastie called instead for a national parliamentary inquiry. The live coverage also reported Labor’s planned gambling-law amendments, including restrictions on inducements and children’s exposure to advertising; ongoing disruption and a near miss at Sydney airport; a revised Victorian teachers’ pay offer; an ICAC inquiry into alleged fake invoices and political donations; falling paid subscribers at most major News Corp Australian newspapers; and Malcolm Turnbull’s severe criticism of the AUKUS submarine deal.

Australia’s attorney general, Michelle Rowland, has raised privacy concerns about discreetly recording smartglasses, particularly their potential use for harassment or surveillance of women and children. The live coverage also reports bird-flu control measures in Victoria and South Australia, evidence of racism affecting Indigenous students and educators, major Sydney airport disruptions linked to Airservices Australia staffing shortages, and developments in the Alan Jones indecent-assault trial. NSW ICAC-related allegations involving Liberal figures continue, while the Victorian Electoral Commission rejected a proposed “Free Palestine Party” because of its similarity to Avi Yemini’s registered party. Police withdrew charges against more than 100 Rising Tide protesters, and new data shows parent-visa applicants face waits of up to 33 years, with some dying before their applications are processed.

Alan Jones is on trial in Sydney over 22 alleged indecent assault and sexual touching offences, which he denies. His barrister, Gabrielle Bashir, says the defence will challenge the credibility and reliability of the complainants, arguing that rivalry, treachery, financial interests and alleged inconsistencies affect the prosecution case. Prosecutors describe a common pattern in which complainants were allegedly too dependent, fearful or ashamed to speak out. The opening evidence included allegations involving financially supported teenagers and a former radio-station employee, while the first witness described an allegedly coercive relationship in which Jones’s financial support and influence made reporting difficult.

On the first day of Alan Jones’s trial in Sydney, complainant J gave evidence by closed-circuit television about alleged indecent assaults beginning when he was a teenage athlete. J alleged that Jones provided regular financial support, gifts and a car, and later subjected him to unwanted kissing and sexual touching. The prosecution also outlined allegations involving another complainant, M. Jones, who faces 22 charges and has pleaded not guilty, is represented by Gabrielle Bashir SC, who argued that media rivals—including Ray Hadley, Peter FitzSimons and Kate McClymont—helped prompt or shape the complaints and that the complainants’ credibility would be challenged. The hearing is continuing, with J due to return to the witness box.

Nikki Osborne defended her interview with Anthony Albanese, arguing that his nomination of Kylie Minogue in a “shag, marry, date” game was taken out of context, while acknowledging severe online abuse. Australia’s first nationwide AusAlert test reached 94% of targeted mobile towers, exceeding the government’s 90% goal, but some phones failed to sound and safety advocates warned that hidden phones used by domestic-violence survivors could be exposed. NSW ICAC hearings examined alleged political donations and influence involving Liberal figures, property developer Jean Nassif and Toplace. Other major developments included Pauline Hanson losing her appeal against a racial-discrimination finding brought by Mehreen Faruqi, legal action over the death of Kumanjayi White in custody, leadership turmoil for Victorian premier Jacinta Allan, new suspected bird-flu cases in South Australia, and expert evidence about security failures and police responses surrounding the Bondi Hanukah terror attack.

Australia’s Administrative Review Tribunal found that three Israeli siblings who vowed to refuse compulsory IDF service had a well-founded fear of persecution because refusing service could lead to imprisonment, while their political opposition was based on a genuine fear of participating in breaches of international humanitarian law in Gaza. The tribunal cited credible allegations concerning Israel’s military conduct, while stressing that it was not deciding whether genocide had occurred and that Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant remained entitled to the presumption of innocence. It rejected the family’s separate claim that they faced persecution from Hamas attacks, but ordered their protection-visa application to be reconsidered and found that the family should receive protection under Australia’s refugee obligations.

Experts warn that Australia’s AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines will leave behind tonnes of highly enriched uranium that could remain weapons-usable for hundreds of millions of years. Each retired Virginia-class submarine may contain about 400kg of uranium enriched to roughly 80%, while the full planned fleet could leave at least three tonnes of contained uranium-235—potentially enough for about 120 weapons under International Atomic Energy Agency standards. Critics including Tilman Ruff and Frank von Hippel say requiring Australia to retain the spent fuel creates a dangerous proliferation precedent, particularly for countries such as Iran, and increases Australia’s strategic risks. The Australian government says it will uphold stringent nuclear-stewardship standards and develop a disposal facility on defense land, but has not disclosed its review of potential waste sites.

Australia’s political debate focused on One Nation leader Pauline Hanson’s praise for Donald Trump’s mass-deportation approach, which independent MP Monique Ryan condemned as inhumane and incompatible with leadership. The live coverage also reported protests calling for the closure of the US-linked Pine Gap facility, a teenager’s alleged killing of his mother in Perth, a Victorian teachers’ strike vote, and investigations into deaths in custody and a newborn’s death. The Australian National Audit Office criticised a lack of transparency in the $10bn Housing Australia Future Fund, which has delivered 1,432 of a promised 40,000 homes. Other developments included pressure from Penny Wong on Laos over methanol-poisoning deaths, criticism of KPMG’s response to audit leaks, security funding concerns at Jewish schools, Qantas’s apology for a lengthy tarmac delay, and further redundancies at Nine newspapers.

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, correspondents across the world describe a sharp deterioration in perceptions of the country under Donald Trump. Allies including Ukraine, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, Israel and India question US reliability, while adversaries such as China and Russia see opportunities to challenge American influence. Trade coercion, immigration crackdowns, threats against neighbouring countries, military intervention and unpredictable diplomacy have damaged the image of the US as a defender of freedom and a dependable partner. Admiration for American culture, education, prosperity and technological power persists, but confidence in its political values and global leadership has weakened, prompting countries to seek greater self-reliance and closer regional partnerships.

NSW opposition upper-house leader Damien Tudehope has temporarily stepped aside after being called as a witness in an ICAC inquiry into alleged illegal donations and branch stacking involving Liberal figures; he denies wrongdoing and says he expects to return after the hearings. The live coverage also reports Australia’s first suspected NSW H5 bird-flu case, with federal and state ministers saying surveillance and poultry protections are in place but there is no evidence of mass transmission. KPMG faces continuing parliamentary criticism over alleged information leaks and the conduct of its new chair, while a seriously ill asylum seeker in Papua New Guinea remains the subject of calls for medical evacuation. Electric vehicles reached a record 23.3% of Australian new-car sales in June, and other updates covered construction-sector crime, AI copyright disputes, court cases, gambling reform and the Socceroos’ World Cup campaign.

The Australian Federal Police is reviewing a 61-page submission from the Australian Centre for International Justice alleging that an Australian citizen serving in an IDF battalion participated in war crimes in Gaza during 2023 and 2024. The submission alleges the deliberate destruction of a residential building and broader attacks on civilian property without military necessity, supported by witness testimony, forensic evidence, satellite imagery, social media and military statements. The alleged conduct could constitute war crimes and a crime against humanity under Australian law, carrying prison terms of up to 15 and 25 years respectively. The AFP confirmed that investigators will assess the material, while the Australian government said citizens serving in foreign militaries must ensure their conduct is lawful. Israel and the IDF had not responded to the Guardian’s questions.

Australia plans to double the maximum penalty for systematic breaches of its under-16 social media ban from A$49.5m to A$99m and strengthen the eSafety Commissioner’s power to compel evidence from platforms and third parties. The government says more than 5 million underage accounts have been removed, deactivated or restricted, but University of Newcastle research published in the BMJ found that more than 80% of under-16s were still using social media three months after the law began, with many bypassing age checks through fake accounts or VPNs. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Communications Minister Anika Wells accuse major platforms of inadequate compliance, as countries including France, the UK, Slovenia, Poland, Spain, Denmark and Malaysia consider similar restrictions.

A 45-year-old Australian man was arrested at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport while preparing to board a flight to Perth after the body of a 17-year-old Thai girl was found in a suitcase near Pattaya. Police allege CCTV footage showed the man entering an apartment with the girl and later removing a suitcase, and say information obtained during questioning helped locate the body. The suspect denies involvement, while investigators await postmortem results and further evidence before filing potential charges including abduction, murder, concealment of a corpse and abduction for sexual purposes. Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed it is providing consular assistance.

Tommy Robinson, whose legal name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is an anti-Islamic far-right activist and founder of the English Defence League with convictions for violence, public-order offences, fraud, harassment and contempt of court. He has promoted claims about Muslims, immigration and grooming gangs, including false claims about the Southport attacker and a Syrian refugee. Robinson has built connections with figures and movements including Elon Musk, the Trump administration, Russia and Pauline Hanson, while presenting himself as a defender of Britain’s working class. His unchallenged interview with Australian television host Karl Stefanovic allowed him to repeat falsehoods and prompted Nine Entertainment to sever ties with Stefanovic, threatening his television and radio career.

The live blog reports Pauline Hanson’s effort to define Australian “monoculture” through shared values and cultural figures such as Paul Hogan and Norman Gunston, drawing criticism from Anne Aly and other politicians who defend multiculturalism. It also covers the spread of H5N1 bird flu among migratory birds in South Australia and Western Australia, prompting investigations and a Papua New Guinea suspension of Australian poultry imports. Other developments include scrutiny of Origin over electricity price increases, a new federal review of KPMG Australia, expanded but limited drone use in New South Wales shark safety measures, controversy surrounding Karl Stefanovic’s interview with Tommy Robinson, and subdued parliamentary question time focused on inflation, tax policy and NDIS reform.

Karl Stefanovic’s independent podcast featured controversial guests, including far-right activist Tommy Robinson, whose episode was removed after being online for several hours. The episode’s content and Stefanovic’s apparent embrace of far-right figures have prompted questions about his judgment and whether his position at Nine is in doubt.

Karl Stefanovic’s interview with UK far-right activist Tommy Robinson was removed from YouTube and podcast platforms shortly after promotion, without an explanation from Stefanovic or Nine. During the nearly hour-long episode, Robinson repeated anti-Muslim and anti-multiculturalism claims, praised Pauline Hanson and discussed expanding right-wing political power, while Stefanovic responded approvingly and did not challenge his assertions. Hanson’s channel later republished the interview. The report also examines Robinson’s criminal record and far-right activism, Stefanovic’s growing right-wing podcast audience, and a separate episode featuring former soldier Ant Middleton, who discussed cultural identity, migration, civil unrest and using military forces to stop boats.

The 2026 Lowy Institute poll finds a sharp increase in Australians’ fear and pessimism, alongside a historic decline in support for multiculturalism. Support for cultural diversity fell from 90% in 2024 to 73%, while 55% believe migration levels are too high. More than half feel unsafe in the world, 59% expect poor economic performance over the next five years, and nearly two-thirds see artificial-intelligence risks as outweighing benefits. Confidence in the United States and Donald Trump has fallen to record lows, while trust in China has risen, bringing the two superpowers level. Despite this, 73% continue to support the Australia-US alliance and 68% back the AUKUS nuclear-submarine purchase, suggesting Australians remain strategically pragmatic despite growing unease about the global order.

Mohammad Ibrahim, an Afghan interpreter who worked on Australian government-backed aid projects, spent four years hiding from the Taliban after the fall of Afghanistan because of his Hazara identity and service to Australia. Community members in Apollo Bay, Victoria, raised funds, lobbied officials and helped secure recognition of his case, enabling humanitarian visas for Ibrahim, his wife Amina and their children just hours before their permission to remain in Pakistan expired. The family has since established a safe life in Australia, with the children attending school and both parents learning English. Their experience is contrasted with Pauline Hanson’s call for a monocultural Australia, illustrating competing visions of the country and highlighting the impact of community solidarity and refugee support.

Police in Victoria and New South Wales arrested two men and executed seven warrants while investigating Dezi Freeman’s movements after the Porepunkah shooting of two police officers. The Reserve Bank held its cash rate at 4.35% but warned that inflation remains too high and further increases remain possible; Treasurer Jim Chalmers welcomed the decision while emphasizing ongoing economic uncertainty and temporary fuel-excise relief. The Bureau of Meteorology declared that El Niño is underway, raising the risk of hotter and drier conditions in parts of Australia. Other major developments included business opposition to Victoria’s proposed right-to-work-from-home law, a finding that NSW prisoners were unlawfully confined without exercise, potential extradition of convicted sex offender Ashley Paul Griffith, and AFP inquiries into allegations by Australian members of the Global Sumud flotilla.

Former Australian foreign affairs minister Gareth Evans told an independent inquiry that AUKUS could become one of Australia’s worst defence and foreign policy decisions. He argued that the agreement deepens Australia’s dependence on the United States, could make the country a target in a conflict with China, and rests on an unrealistic belief in US extended nuclear deterrence. Evans also questioned whether the United States can deliver three Virginia-class submarines from 2032 and said the later Australian-built submarine program requires “heroic” optimism amid severe UK industrial delays and rising costs. Nuclear disarmament advocate Tilman Ruff warned that weapons-grade uranium, radioactive waste and the potential imposition of waste facilities would create proliferation, environmental and democratic risks. The Albanese government defended AUKUS as essential to Australian sovereignty and security, despite criticism from Labor figures and the Greens, while the inquiry plans hearings nationwide before reporting in October.

Australian foreign affairs minister Penny Wong said she believes Australian women who alleged that Israeli soldiers sexually assaulted and abused them after intercepting the Global Sumud Flotilla. She described the allegations and treatment as horrific and unacceptable, while Israel denied the claims and called them baseless. Wong said Australia had raised concerns about the detainees’ treatment and lack of diplomatic access, as well as violence in Gaza, West Bank settlements, the death of aid worker Zomi Frankcom, and other disputes. She characterized Australia’s relationship with Israel as being at one of its most difficult points and said it was unlikely to improve unless Israel changed its conduct.

An OECD report urged Australia to accelerate electric-vehicle adoption, renewable-energy generation, grid connections and storage to reduce its vulnerability to imported fuel disruptions, while also easing urban land-use restrictions to improve housing supply and affordability. The organisation forecast higher inflation and slightly weaker growth amid the evolving Middle East conflict. The live coverage also reported a volatile parliamentary question time, disputes within the Greens, proposed changes affecting Indigenous children, economic and Centrelink developments, new defence deployments and intelligence-sharing in the Middle East, and progress toward a security treaty with Solomon Islands. A court challenge by the neo-Nazi White Australia group against its hate-group designation was heard, while an independent review criticised cohealth’s management and financial governance. AliExpress and eBay said they would remove unsafe products identified by consumer group Choice, and the Australian government gained access to Anthropic’s restricted Mythos AI programme.

Defence industry minister Pat Conroy has defended Australia’s revised AUKUS plan to acquire three used US Virginia-class nuclear submarines, arguing they will be cheaper to purchase and operate and provide about 26 or 27 years of capability each. The first vessel is expected in 2032, followed by deliveries every four years until the Australian-built SSN AUKUS submarines become operational around 2042. Former Labor cabinet minister Ed Husic has urged the government to acknowledge that the original promise has changed and develop a backup plan, but Conroy called his criticism disingenuous. The Pentagon says the revised approach will create efficiencies, although US congressional approval may need to be revisited. The Greens argue the government is obscuring the lack of a written US guarantee to supply Australia with submarines.