Cait Kelly

The live blog reports a federal-state agreement for a major New South Wales gun buyback launched in response to the Bondi terror attack, with costs shared equally by the Commonwealth and NSW. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese supports stronger firearms restrictions, while Pauline Hanson opposes the buyback. Treasurer Jim Chalmers rejects Hanson’s call to allow people to access compulsory superannuation for cost-of-living pressures or home purchases, warning it would undermine retirement savings. Negotiations between the government and Coalition on NDIS reforms are nearing agreement, although disability advocacy organisations say the changes should not proceed without funded and accessible alternative supports. Erin Patterson’s appeal against her convictions for murdering three relatives with poisoned beef wellingtons is due to begin in Victoria, while prosecutors argue her sentence was too lenient. The blog also covers Pacific defence diplomacy, a forthcoming visit by Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Hanson’s proposals to reduce international student numbers, and her criticism of Sydney’s Mardi Gras.

New lending to Australian property investors fell 8.6% in the June quarter, while lending for established properties dropped 14.8%. By contrast, investor loans for new builds rose 4.4% to a record high, suggesting recent interest-rate increases and investor tax changes are shifting investment toward construction rather than competition for existing homes. Total new home loans fell 5.4%, with first-home-buyer loans down 2.9%. Economist Saul Eslake and Everybody’s Home spokesperson Maiy Azize welcomed the trend as a modest move toward a fairer and more affordable housing market, though Eslake noted that higher interest rates may also be discouraging first-home buyers.

Thousands of high school and university students joined anti-Pauline Hanson protests organised by the National Union of Students in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and other Australian locations. Protesters said Hanson and One Nation promote racism, division and threats to minority and queer rights, while supporters of the party rejected those accusations. Greens figures backed the demonstrations, whereas Education Minister Jason Clare and Victorian Premier Ben Carroll urged students to remain in school. Hanson argued that young people should instead protest the cost-of-living crisis and stagnant wages, and cited One Nation’s growing support, reported at 26% in a Roy Morgan poll. The protests reflect renewed national concern over Hanson’s influence and her calls for a monocultural Australia.

Australia’s parliament is moving toward a deal on news bargaining rules that would require technology companies to make more agreements with publishers, including a special arrangement for the Australian Associated Press. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese indicated that gambling-reform negotiations with the Coalition could conclude the following week, rejected claims that sports betting is Australia’s main gambling addiction, and defended football codes despite proposed restrictions on gambling sponsorships. Question time also covered housing, negative equity, cost-of-living pressures, private health insurance rebates and research funding. Other developments included nationwide student protests against Pauline Hanson, Meta’s removal of more than 750,000 under-16 accounts, a $2.5 billion support package for Rio Tinto’s aluminium smelter, Tasmania’s first detected H5 bird-flu case, David McBride’s release from prison and criticism of Telstra executive remuneration after a major outage.

The Reserve Bank of Australia held the cash rate at 4.35% but governor Michele Bullock warned that further increases remain possible because inflation risks persist; the board did not discuss a cut. Federal question time focused on mortgage costs, rents, migration, the gas export tax, gambling advertising and Anthony Albanese’s refusal to apologize for comments about Japan’s prime minister. Victoria advanced reforms on coercive control, family violence protections and group voting tickets, while delaying the start of its work-from-home law until after the election. Other developments included an investigation into a hospitality gig-work app, raids on more than 100 service stations over illicit tobacco and vapes, further KPMG resignations, and plans to begin vaccinating captive birds against H5 bird flu.

Melissa Donnelly, 44, has been elected secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions after Sally McManus announced her departure. Donnelly, who led the Community and Public Sector Union for seven years, has received strong support across the union movement and is expected to continue advocating for higher living standards, workplace rights and public-sector capacity. Her CPSU tenure included membership growth, expanded flexible work and parental-leave provisions, opposition to outsourcing, and legal action involving alleged breaches of same-job-same-pay laws. McManus and ACTU president Michele O’Neil are stepping down after eight years as the organisation’s first all-female leadership team.

South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas announced a royal commission into artificial intelligence, beginning in October and reporting by July 2027. It will examine AI’s risks and opportunities across education, workplaces, government, health, industry, arts and culture, including how schools can balance AI literacy with independent learning. The federal opposition called instead for a national parliamentary inquiry. Other major developments included Anthony Albanese’s commitment to amend gambling laws on inducements, advertising and children’s exposure; a continuing investigation into alleged fake invoices and political donations by NSW ICAC; negotiations over Victorian teachers’ pay; and efforts to address air-traffic-control shortages after a near-miss at Sydney airport. Police identified apparent human remains in a suitcase as a lifelike doll, while Malcolm Turnbull criticised Australia’s confidence in the AUKUS submarine agreement.

Auction activity in Australia is declining even as total property listings have risen by about 23%, with sellers increasingly choosing private treaty sales. Auction clearance rates have fallen from around 70% to below 50% amid affordability pressures, higher interest rates, weaker household incomes and confidence, and changing investor incentives. Research indicates auctions generate only a modest average price premium of about 0.7% over private sales, while roughly one in five auctions fail and those properties later sell for around 1.3% less. Experts disagree on whether auctions themselves drive prices higher, but identify property speculation and treating housing as a financial investment as the deeper problems. The Victorian Greens want to discourage or ban street auctions, while housing experts favor tighter regulation rather than an outright ban.

Services Australia is pursuing $4.93 billion in unpaid Centrelink debts, including around 600 that are more than 30 years old and one dating back over 40 years. Advocates and welfare experts argue that debts older than six years should be waived because records are difficult to obtain, historical calculations may be inaccurate and recovering them can impose severe financial hardship. The government has accepted in principle a Robodebt royal commission recommendation to restore a six-year limitation period but has not said when it will take effect or whether it will cover existing debts. Services Australia has introduced reforms and waived or cancelled more than 1.1 million debts in 2025–26, while thousands of people continue to seek compensation for unlawfully calculated income-apportionment debts.

A closed Guardian live blog reports developments from the NSW ICAC’s Operation Rosny, where Jean-Claude Perrottet was questioned about messages referring to “filthy schools money,” monthly payments from lobbying company Beckington and alleged political fundraising involving Reformers. He denied wrongdoing, said some conversations were nonsense or jokes, and disputed suggestions that money supported factional recruitment or political preselection. The inquiry also examined intercepted calls involving fugitive developer Jean Nassif, alleged efforts to influence politicians and the building commissioner, and a leaked parliamentary report. Other major developments included the planned appearance of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church and Advance at an electoral inquiry, childcare-service closures, unsafe e-bike concerns, a toxic industrial fire in Port Adelaide, Australia’s first land-based H5N1 detection, a racism inquiry, housing-market indicators, and changes at the ABC.

Residents of the Wilks Park homeless encampment in Wagga Wagga faced eviction notices and potential fines of $1,100, although the council temporarily delayed enforcement. The camp reflects a broader regional housing crisis driven by soaring rents, low vacancy rates, declining social-housing stock and a social-housing wait of five to 10 years. Community volunteers are supplying food, transport and practical support, while the NSW government has provided motel placements and promised modular homes, but residents report rejected placements and unsuitable conditions. The council and state government have offered conflicting messages about whether people without stable alternatives will be moved on, leaving many residents uncertain and dependent on overstretched informal support networks.

Former Labor senator and Olympian Nova Peris has been accused by the Australian Muslim Advocacy Network of amplifying anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian content on her verified X account, including posts describing Palestinians as “savages” and Muslims as threats. Aman says dozens of posts shared between April 2024 and March 2026 met categories in its framework for dehumanising speech. Peris did not respond to a request for comment, while the Labor party and Labor Friends of Israel also did not comment. A Labor Friends of Palestine representative previously sought Peris’s expulsion from the Labor party, and national secretary Paul Erickson said inquiries indicated she was no longer an ALP member, although the party has no formal authority over Labor Friends of Israel.

Australia’s home affairs department refused a visitor visa to a former undercover ASIO agent known as Marcus, who says he warned the agency about the Bondi shooting gunmen and wants to testify to the royal commission. Supporters and Greens senator David Shoebridge urged Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke to intervene, arguing that overseas evidence would provide fewer legal protections; the government and commission had not commented substantively. Labor MP Ed Husic called for stronger practical measures on Israel-Palestine and more open internal party debate. Other developments included an Origin Energy data breach affecting customer contact and partial account details, Yvette Berry’s resignation as ACT education minister after an integrity report, a court defeat for Woodside Energy in its case against climate activists, and Labor’s unanimous conference amendment supporting reduced fuel-tax incentives for high-emission industries. Unemployment remained at 4.4%, though markets increased expectations of a Reserve Bank rate rise. The live coverage also reported worsening Queensland social-housing waits, a second Victorian teacher strike, condemnation of Pauline Hanson’s domestic-violence comments, and the deployment of New South Wales firefighters to California.

The Federal Court found that Domino’s misled franchisees by directing them to use outdated employment agreements that excluded required entitlements, potentially entitling thousands of delivery drivers and in-store workers employed between 2013 and 2018 to compensation. The ruling followed Riley Gall’s class action, with a further hearing to determine individual claims. Other major developments included evidence to Victoria’s antisemitism royal commission of increased incidents and limitations in police data systems; legal challenges to Woodside’s North West Shelf extension over emissions, economic reasoning and risks to Murujuga rock art; criticism of Pauline Hanson’s comments on domestic violence; scrutiny of privatized employment services; and political debate over Labor’s conference agenda, homelessness, whistleblower protections and the possible exclusion of a suspected Islamic State member. Rebel Wilson also won a defamation case, while former Socceroos captain Paul Wade disclosed a probable CTE diagnosis.

Victoria’s $100bn-plus Big Build infrastructure program is facing allegations that organised crime and CFMEU corruption infiltrated construction projects and contributed to major cost blowouts. Investigations and a report by Geoffrey Watson allege violence, extortion, nepotism, ghost shifts and inflated costs, potentially causing up to $15bn in losses, although the government disputes that estimate and attributes some overruns to inflation, supply disruptions and labour costs. Premier Jacinta Allan acknowledges criminal activity occurred but rejects calls for a royal commission, pointing to police investigations, union administration, licence cancellations and stronger reporting requirements. Opposition leader Jess Wilson has promised a royal commission if elected, while former integrity officials and Watson argue that a broader inquiry is urgently needed ahead of Victoria’s state election.

The assistant multicultural affairs minister condemned Tony Abbott’s anti‑immigration video targeting Muslim communities, prompting broader political criticism. Additional developments included rising tensions over a major BHP strike, concerns over slow progress on AI legislation, controversy surrounding the closure of a queer‑inclusive arts venue, scrutiny of One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts’ comments, and extensive debate over the Hunter Valley coalmine extension due to emissions and climate impacts. Further news covered Telstra’s forthcoming appearance before a Senate inquiry into a national outage, the privacy commissioner clearing Qantas of failings in a 2025 data breach, and confirmation of actor Sam Neill’s cause of death.

The acting provost of the Australian National University told the royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion that the university did not lose control of its campus during a pro‑Palestine encampment, though an internal review rated the situation as a high psychosocial risk. Security staff monitored the protest and encouraged students to leave if they felt pressured. The encampment eventually ended after a dispute over lighting and electricity, following the university’s decision to avoid investments in controversial weapons and small arms manufacturers. Leach also addressed investigations into alleged Nazi‑related gestures at a student association meeting, stating that inquiries found no misconduct and that the gestures were either misinterpreted or not clearly visible in video evidence.

Police expanded their investigation into accused child abuser Hamish Tait to include a preschool in a remote South Australian Indigenous community after releasing a list of 55 sites where he worked or attended. Tait faces 329 charges involving more than 150 alleged victims and remains in custody following his 2025 arrest. South Australian authorities acknowledged the matter, with acting premier Kyam Maher calling the allegations disturbing and seeking further information. The AFP lifted a non-publication order and urged the public to help identify additional victims as investigations continue.

A Daylesford resident, David Penman, used private prosecutions to charge the Hepburn shire mayor, several councillors and the council’s CEO, triggering mandatory stand‑downs under Victorian law and leaving the council unable to form a quorum. Penman argues the charges uphold democratic accountability, alleging the council adopted an unlawful budget. The council says the actions are disrupting democracy and harming community representation. With only two councillors able to serve, normal operations continue but major decisions cannot be made. The Victorian government has introduced legislation to prevent private prosecutions from forcing councillors to stand down and is considering further steps, while local leaders call for swift intervention to resolve the stalemate.

Political debate centred on Pauline Hanson’s claim of an Australian monoculture drew responses from government and opposition figures, while multiple states confirmed cases of H5N1 bird flu in migratory birds. Energy Minister Chris Bowen questioned rising power prices as Queensland’s treasurer criticised Origin Energy for increases that diverge from reduced default market offers. Papua New Guinea suspended imports of Australian poultry products following the detections. Question time focused on inflation and government economic performance, and a review of KPMG was announced amid ethical concerns.

Political debate centred on Jonno Duniam’s criticism of Pauline Hanson’s call for a monocultural Australia, describing One Nation as untested and lacking solutions. Health authorities issued a measles alert for Sydney, while two bird flu cases in Western Australia prompted lockdowns and vaccine work by the CSIRO. Crossbench and Greens figures pressed for more transparent NACC hearings. Ingham’s Group shares fell after bird flu detections. Additional developments included ATO tax-time cautions, a critical shark attack injury, and the closure of Bells Beach due to a whale carcass.

Updates include a suspected H5 bird flu case in Western Australia, continued political debate over Labor’s capital gains tax changes, and Jim Chalmers rejecting reports of tension with the prime minister. The NDIS reform inquiry report was delayed again amid opposition from disability advocates and the Greens. NSW police faced scrutiny after conceding a protest arrest lacked reasonable cause. The government expressed dissatisfaction over China’s new beef tariffs, while Australia committed an additional $100m in support for Ukraine. Protests against the Waterloo estate redevelopment continued as demonstrators began dismantling their encampment.

A live news blog covers a broad range of Australian developments, including legal action by Jackie O Henderson against Kiis FM following Kyle Sandilands’ settlement, political backlash to Pauline Hanson’s attacks on journalists, new tax and migration data, and updates on government responses to capital gains tax reforms. Key events include a critical audit of the Snowy Hydro project, ongoing inquiries into allegations of mistreatment of activists by Israeli soldiers, fundraising efforts for a shark attack victim, and commentary on Hanson’s advocacy of monoculturalism. Additional updates address Qantas’ revised Sydney–London nonstop flight schedule, Vodafone service issues, and various political and economic announcements throughout the day.

A wide-ranging live blog covered Pauline Hanson’s National Press Club speech, subsequent criticism, and a protest banner incident referred to federal police. Updates detailed national events including a fatal traffic incident in Sydney, developments in housing policy, court rulings on welfare debt calculations and former Don Dale detainees’ damages, and national economic data such as ATO income statistics. Additional coverage included community support for a Coogee shark attack victim, investor demand for SpaceX’s IPO, and ongoing debates over immigration, childcare funding, and Indigenous representation within Queensland’s child safety reforms.

Police in Victoria and New South Wales executed multiple warrants and arrested two men as part of an investigation into Dezi Freeman’s movements following the fatal shooting of two officers in Porepunkah. The Reserve Bank of Australia held the cash rate at 4.35% while signalling further hikes may be possible as inflation remains high. The Bureau of Meteorology declared El Niño conditions in the Pacific, warning of warmer and drier weather. Business groups criticised proposed Victorian legislation to guarantee a right to work from home, while the state government defended the measure. An ombudsman investigation found that protective‑custody prisoners in several NSW facilities were unlawfully confined to their cells for months without required exercise. The Queensland government cleared the way for the extradition of convicted paedophile Ashley Paul Griffith to NSW to face additional charges.

A live news blog covers major Australian developments, including Gina Rinehart’s substantial investment in SpaceX and potential collaboration on AI, ongoing scrutiny of shark culls after a severe attack in Sydney, and political responses to a US-Iran agreement. The blog reports housing affordability debates in a Senate inquiry, consumer protection actions involving misleading pricing by Ugg retailers, and KPMG’s pause on new government contracts following a governance scandal. Additional updates include statements from the family of shark attack victim Leah Stewart and industry warnings about the impact of proposed tax reforms on housing supply and investment.

Economic pressures including stagnant wages, rising living costs and declining home ownership have driven many Generation X Australians toward supporting One Nation, with polling showing particularly strong backing among voters in their 40s and 50s. Interviews highlight frustration over declining living standards, mounting mortgage burdens and a sense that major parties offer no meaningful solutions. Analysts point to widening inequality and the erosion of traditional political trust as accelerants of populist sentiment. Major parties face losses as voters seek alternatives they feel better reflect their economic anxieties.

Major Australian banks now expect interest rates to remain steady before falling from mid‑2027, though financial markets still anticipate potential hikes this year. Environmental groups criticised the referral of a major New South Wales coalmine expansion to the Independent Planning Commission, citing pollution and climate impacts. The government rejected concerns that UK political turmoil could affect the Aukus submarine pact. Queensland’s ban on puberty blockers for transgender youth advanced to a class‑action style challenge, while a One Nation fundraiser in Melbourne was relocated following venue withdrawal. Additional updates covered national weather forecasts, travel statistics, and media industry comments from ABC leadership.

Legal proceedings have been initiated against two NSW Labor officials over an alleged scheme to conceal donations to Chris Minns during the 2015 campaign, emerging from materials tied to a prior corruption investigation. Political tensions intensified as Anthony Albanese criticised potential Coalition–One Nation preference deals while Angus Taylor suggested cooperation with minor parties to defeat Labor. Further developments included scrutiny of prison conditions in Western Australia, condemnation of sexist political messaging targeting Jacinta Allan, updates on market movements, and warnings from the Bureau of Meteorology about approaching El Niño conditions. Additional items covered an AFP executive’s drink‑driving suspension, AI misuse in Victorian school exams, and a missing Tasmanian devil sighting.

Independent MP Allegra Spender defended opposing the government’s capital gains tax legislation, arguing the model fails to support innovative businesses and should deliver tax cuts. The live coverage detailed governance scandals at the Australian National University, a measles alert in Sydney, legal outcomes involving a police officer and a WA man charged over racist emails, and political commentary from Anthony Albanese on tax reform and voter frustration. Additional updates covered investigations into KPMG, climate leadership calls, disputes over proposed media laws affecting major tech companies, and other national news developments.

Ed Husic criticised the Labor party’s response to his concerns about the revised Aukus submarine deal, arguing that the backlash discourages internal debate. The Reserve Bank governor said Australia is not experiencing stagflation and that the federal budget has not added inflationary pressure. A scathing audit found ANU approved major cost-cutting without clear justification. Legal proceedings continued over allegedly illegal recordings in a case involving two nurses accused of antisemitic comments. Parliament advanced tax reforms as the Greens and Coalition weighed potential deals on inquiries. ASIC issued penalties to Zara, H&M and Sephora for late financial reporting. A Tasmanian devil escaped from a Gold Coast park, prompting an ongoing search. Michele Bullock warned that global conflict-driven oil shocks may raise inflation risks while expecting modest economic growth.

OECD officials urged Australia to reduce reliance on fossil fuel imports by accelerating electric vehicle adoption, boosting renewable energy, and enhancing grid infrastructure amid a global oil shock. The organisation also recommended easing land‑use regulations to improve energy security and housing supply, while forecasting higher inflation and slower growth due to Middle East tensions. The live coverage detailed significant political events, including leadership disputes, legal action involving extremist groups, regulatory action on unsafe products, findings of mismanagement at Cohealth clinics, and confirmation that Australia and several private entities gained early access to the Mythos AI model. Defence officials disclosed that an Australian surveillance aircraft deployed to the Middle East is providing intelligence to several Gulf nations but not Israel.

Government representatives acknowledged that a system glitch illegally cancelled about 300,000 Centrelink payments by not allowing recipients sufficient time to reconnect with job providers. Analysis by Economic Justice Australia estimated similar unlawful cancellations between 2020 and 2024, with concerns raised over automated systems and lack of discretion in suspensions. The department paused cancellations in 2024 and indicated broader reforms to the employment services system, though critics argue the changes fail to address ongoing use of unlawful welfare penalties.

The delayed delivery of classified evidence means Ben Roberts-Smith will wait months to receive the full brief of murder-related war crime allegations. Political debate focused on minimum wage increases, shifting voter sentiment, and concerns over Australia’s economic slowdown, with major banks forecasting weak GDP growth. Senate estimates scrutinised aged care algorithms, personal security costs for officials, and government decisions on technology and welfare systems. The Queensland government faced criticism over changes to e-vehicle rules, while AI subscription use continued rapid growth. Lion announced the closure of its James Boag’s brewery in Tasmania, prompting political and community concern. Activist Violet CoCo urged Victoria to cancel the 2028 Land Forces expo after reporting abuse by Israeli authorities. The day concluded with continued discussions on tax reform, party cooperation, and voter behaviour.

Federal authorities spent $3.8m on personal protection for former CFMEU administrator Mark Irving amid credible threats from organised crime following the union’s placement into administration. An additional $5.3m is budgeted to protect his successor, Michael Crosby. Former employment minister Murray Watt and ACTU secretary Sally McManus also required personal security, though the government did not pay for McManus. Senate questioning revealed the threats were deemed credible by the AFP, with officials citing criminal groups angered by the union’s reform and administration process. The CFMEU remains under scrutiny with multiple AFP investigations into unlawful conduct in the construction sector.