Matt Canavan: Nationals on ‘same page’ with One Nation to oust Labor government Canavan was also asked about One Nation’s “fire the liar” campaign, which has reportedly raised $2.7m in donations since the party launched a dedicated funding drive. He said there was “a lot of anger out there, and a lot of frustration”, while adding “good on One Nation for doing this”. double quotation markI think you’re seeing that exercised through the vote for a minor party. I can understand that, as I’ve said since I became leader, I understand the frustration with the major parties. I’ve been in that frustrated camp, but I truly believe what our country needs is a solid, coherent economic plan for our future. The Liberal and Nationals parties will do that, but look, I welcome everybody trying to take down this government, because that is the first step. So, good on One Nation for doing this. They’re saying that that funding, that now over $2m, is going to be used to root out Labor members of parliament, and I’d encourage them on that front, because we have seen Pauline Hanson spend a lot of time campaigning in the seats of Liberal and National members. That’s not going to help change the government. We’re all on the same page here of getting rid of this government. Key events Lisa Cox WA Kimberley fracking proposal opens for public consultation An American company’s proposal to frack Western Australia’s Kimberley region, part of the world’s most intact tropical savanna, has been opened to public consultation. It comes days after Guardian Australia reported on newly released documents that revealed concerns among environment department officials about the standard of Black Mountain Energy’s environmental assessments. The federal government opened the project for four weeks of public consultation late on Thursday. Black Mountain Energy, through its subsidiary Bennett Resources, has proposed up to 20 “appraisal” wells for its Valhalla project. Appraisal wells are drilled to assess the quality and commercial potential of a gas resource. At full production, fracking projects can involve dozens, hundreds or even thousands of wells. The Fitzroy River in the Kimberley. Photograph: Alex Westover/Environs Kimberley The development is located near a creek that flows into the national heritage-listed Fitzroy River, potentially opening WA’s Fitzroy valley landscape to fracking and affecting the region’s endangered species. Environment groups have called on environment minister Murray Watt to strike out the proposal, with 10,000 people contacting his office over the past week, according to Environs Kimberley executive director Martin Pritchard. double quotation markThere is no way Environment Minister Murray Watt can approve fracking the Kimberley and have a shred of environmental credibility. Murray Watt knows this, 10,000 people have just emailed to tell him. Now he needs to act. Douglas Smith Miner Fortescue signs new deal with Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people A mining company owned by billionaire Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest has struck a new agreement with the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura (PKKP) people of Western Australia’s Pilbara region. Forrest’s company, Fortesque Metals Group (FMG), signed a Native Title and co-management agreement with PKKP in Karratha, to boost economic participation and business development for traditional owners. Australian businessman Andrew Forrest. Photograph: Lukas Coch/EPA In the arrangement PKKP mining equipment, including haul trucks and electric excavators, will be leased to FMG to support mining operations in the Pilbara. Traditional owner and chairperson of PKKP Enterprises, Terry Drage said the agreement also allowed for better protection of sacred sites: double quotation markOne of the key parts of the Co-Management Agreement is that Fortescue and PKKP need to share information much earlier about mining activities and heritage so we have the best chance of protecting important places. We have always said we are not opposed to mining, but it has to be done in the right way with traditional owner decision-making front and centre. These agreements are going to create a lasting legacy for our people, and we are really proud that we have signed this with Fortescue so that we don’t have to rely on the government or courts to protect our important places. Forrest said FMG had “never seen native title agreements as simply a transaction”, and that “the custodians of that Country should have a genuine voice in what happens there and share in the opportunities it creates”. Firefighter union and boss named as trying to block publication of corruption watchdog report Firefighter union boss Peter Marshall has been revealed as the person trying to block the publication of a corruption watchdog report. Marshall and the United Firefighters Union were revealed today as the applicants seeking to stop the release of the Operation Richmond report. AAP reports the operation, launched by the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission in 2019, investigated the Victorian government’s negotiations with the union. IBAC indicated the final report would be released to the public by 1 July but that plan was sidetracked by Marshall and the union’s supreme court injunction application filed in May. Secretary of the United Firefighters Union Peter Marshall (left). Photograph: Jay Kogler/AAP At the 22 May hearing, Justice Claire Harris rejected their bid to have their identities kept secret through a pseudonym order. She found there was insufficient reasons to grant the order given the information was already in the public domain. The judge granted a temporary pseudonym order to allow the two applicants to appeal her decision to the Victorian court of appeal. But that appeal was rejected today, with the appeal court finding Justice Harris had not made an error. The court ordered their names be publicised and the applicants’ barrister Paul Holdenson KC indicated he would not be appealing to the high court. The supreme court subsequently confirmed the applicants were the United Firefighters Union of Australia and the union’s national secretary Peter Marshall. Marshall said he and the union were prohibited from talking about the case. “Examinations were in private, confidentiality notices were issued. The law still prohibits us from commenting on what is in the report and what it may say about us or anyone else,” he told the ABC.. Jack Larkin VicRoads website operational after being offline for a week A major website upgrade for VicRoads is finally operational after the online payment portal was down for almost a week. The planned upgrade took place on Friday last week, with plans for it to be operational after the long weekend. The payment portal took a few days longer to come online, leading making it hard for customers to pay for car registrations, book driving tests or renew their licences. A statement on the website reads: double quotation markWe’ve delivered a major upgrade to our systems to deliver faster and more modern services. This is part of our commitment to simplify licensing and registration solutions, and to keep pace with the needs of Victorians today and tomorrow. Most online services are now available. Caitlin Cassidy Police still looking for Sydney woman, after charging man with murder Police spoke a moment ago in Sydney after a 33-year-old man was charged with murder as part of investigations into the alleged kidnapping of a woman in the city’s northwest earlier this week. The 58-year-old mother failed to return home after visiting family in Winston Hills on Monday, prompting the investigation, police said. On Thursday, the man, who is known to police, was arrested in Tomerong on the South Coast of New South Wales. Investigations are continuing into the whereabouts of the woman, with police seeking assistance from residents in the Winston Hills area. Police said they believed the man and woman were meeting on Monday to talk about “perhaps, borrowing some money, but that ultimately, we don’t know whether that exchange occurred”. double quotation markThey are known to each other, but we will allege that communications directed toward our missing lady were hostile in nature prior to that meeting. We have significant concerns … and as I say, we’re just seeking the assistance of community to hopefully locate the 58-year-old woman. Police told reporters they were satisfied there was “sufficient evidence” to put the charges to the court, despite not having found the woman’s body, citing mobile phone records. The woman is a mother of three children, and a carer for her elderly parents, and is estranged from one of her children, police said. double quotation markThe fact that no one has been able to contact her or heard from her is significant for investigators … I can only say that when family were informed of action taken by police yesterday, they were obviously shocked. The man appeared before court this morning and has been refused bail to Parramatta local court on 12 August. Josh Taylor Vocus routing issue affects internet nationally in Australia A routing issue for fibre network provider Vocus caused intermittent outages for internet users across Australia this morning. Vocus provides fibre links across Australia and connecting to the rest of the world, making it the backbone for much of the internet and online services. The outage, which occurred at about 9am this morning, is understood to be an issue with a border gateway protocol configuration – which is used to determine the fastest way to transmit information across the internet. Vocus indicated the issue was largely resolved as of midday. A spokesperson for NBN Co confirmed it was not an NBN issue: double quotation markWe are aware of an issue with broadband services being reported by customers nationally, across different internet service providers. Nbn is investigating with internet service providers what may be occurring. Our initial checks have confirmed the issue does not seem to be related to the operation of the nbn network. We are actively monitoring the situation and we will provide more updates soon. Matt Canavan: Nationals on ‘same page’ with One Nation to oust Labor government Canavan was also asked about One Nation’s “fire the liar” campaign, which has reportedly raised $2.7m in donations since the party launched a dedicated funding drive. He said there was “a lot of anger out there, and a lot of frustration”, while adding “good on One Nation for doing this”. double quotation markI think you’re seeing that exercised through the vote for a minor party. I can understand that, as I’ve said since I became leader, I understand the frustration with the major parties. I’ve been in that frustrated camp, but I truly believe what our country needs is a solid, coherent economic plan for our future. The Liberal and Nationals parties will do that, but look, I welcome everybody trying to take down this government, because that is the first step. So, good on One Nation for doing this. They’re saying that that funding, that now over $2m, is going to be used to root out Labor members of parliament, and I’d encourage them on that front, because we have seen Pauline Hanson spend a lot of time campaigning in the seats of Liberal and National members. That’s not going to help change the government. We’re all on the same page here of getting rid of this government. Matt Canavan says tobacco excise is ‘going to have to come down’ The Nationals leader, Matt Cavanan, says Australia’s tobacco excise is “not working” and reiterated his party’s calls to have a regulated, taxed vapes market. Appearing on Sky on Friday, Canavan said it was “pretty clear that the current excise rate is not sustainable”. double quotation markThat’s going to have to come down in some way, shape or form. We’ve got to work out exactly how much, because it’s such a mess that it’s going to be very hard to recover now. Canavan said the excise shouldn’t be removed altogether but said legal cigarettes should be cheaper. double quotation markThe problem, of course, is on the latest figures 80% of people are not buying cigarettes through that market. In fact, they’re buying cigarettes at prices that we haven’t seen for decades, because they’re not getting any excise. The excise rate on a black market cigarette is zero, so that’s not helping. Tory Shepherd A shadowy overseas group is trying to influence Australian abortion policy. Who are CitizenGo and what do they want? Among the hand-drawn signs warning of the “evil” of abortion at last week’s Sydney rally were some more professional placards. “The greatest liberty is the right to life,” the blue-and-white posters read, under a small logo for CitizenGo. CitizenGo will not be a familiar name to many in Australia but in Europe it looms large in the anti-abortion, anti-LGBTQ+ rights world. An offshoot of the ultra-conservative Spanish group HazteOír (Make Yourself Heard), it was founded in Spain in 2013 and claims to have 20 million members across 50 countries. Read more here: Notorious pedophile loses sentence appeal bid One of Australia’s worst pedophiles, former childcare worker Ashley Paul Griffith, has failed in his bid to reduce the life sentence he received for hundreds of sex offences against young children, AAP reports. Lawyers for the 48-year-old in May argued in the Queensland court of appeal that the 27‑year non‑parole period he was handed in 2024 was ‘‘manifestly excessive’’ as they sought leave to appeal. Justice David Boddice on Friday handed down the court of appeal’s decision to dismiss the appeal during a brief sitting in Brisbane. “The appeal against sentence is refused,” he said. A sketch of Ashley Paul Griffith. Photograph: SUPPLIED/AAP Griffith pleaded guilty to 307 child sex offences against 65 victims aged between one and nine. Those offences include 28 counts of rape against girls mainly aged three to five at Queensland childcare centres between 2007 and 2022. Prosecutors in May urged the justices to reject the appeal, saying the sentence barely reflected the scale and cruelty of the crimes. The conclusion of Griffith’s appeal clears the path for him to face court proceedings in NSW, where he is accused of committing 180 sex offences against more than 20 children. Luca Ittimani ASX200 adds $50bn after Trump cancels Iran strikes The Australian sharemarket has added over $50bn in value after Donald Trump said he had cancelled “scheduled strikes” on Iran early this morning. The benchmark S&P ASX200 saw predictions rise immediately after Trump’s announcement. This morning it’s added $51bn in value, rising 1.9% to just under 8,800 points. For perspective, that’s back to about where the ASX200 was in mid-January, before the war, or in early August 2025, before November’s AI-driven tech selloff. While it’s a big leap, we saw comparable jumps three times in May, typically precipitated by another Iran-war related announcement from the US president. Australia’s 10 biggest companies have all seen their market value rise 1% at least this morning. The big four banks’ shares have risen at least 1.5% each. Miner BHP is up nearly $8bn to $317bn, after a 2.62% share price rise. Goldminers are surging in price today, after steady falls in their market value as the price of gold fell while the US-Israel war on Iran dragged on. Only a handful of top businesses are falling in value this morning. One is REA Group, which owns the realestate.com.au listings website. It’s down 3.19% today and nearly 20% since the federal budget on 12 May, as higher investor taxes are expected to slow down sales. The broader All Ordinaries index is up 1.86%, back above 9,000 points. Eva Corlett Auckland sits near an active faultline, new research suggests, so what’s next for New Zealand’s biggest city? A faultline south of New Zealand’s most populated city, Auckland, is active and could trigger a devastating earthquake, new research shows, dispelling the region’s long-held belief it was largely immune from intense seismic activity. The research has also raised questions over the recent decision to exempt Auckland from earthquake building regulation. The Mangatangi Fault, which runs along the Hunua ranges, is situated roughly 50km south-east of Auckland’s central city and is close to the southern suburbs Pukekohe, Drury and Takanini. Research published in the New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics shows the fault has ruptured in the past 10,000 years and could cause a 6.8 magnitude earthquake. A fault that has moved in the past 125,000 years is considered active. Read more here: Auckland. Photograph: PHOTOS WITH LOVE by Irina Panyukova. Touch the beauty./Getty Images Socceroos celebrate migrant roots and address anti-immigration sentiment before World Cup The Socceroos have addressed growing anti-immigration sentiment in a powerful video message before the World Cup, speaking of their pride in their heritage and playing for the national team. Take a look: Socceroos celebrate migrant roots and address anti-immigration sentiment before World Cup – video Pauline Hanson says she consults her ‘friend’ Gina Rinehart on policy Tom McIlroy The One Nation leader Pauline Hanson says she consults mining billionaire and party donor Gina Rinehart on policy development. Guardian Australia has revealed the depth of support from Rinehart, including her move to gift Hanson a new private plane, worth more than $1.5m, to be used in the run-up to the federal election. “I consider her a friend and I’m very … grateful for her support. She’s an Australian identity, she’s one of the highest taxpayers in the country,” Hanson told ABC radio in Perth on Thursday night. double quotation markI won’t have anyone have a go because she’s, you know, OK she’s a billionaire. Good luck to her. I don’t believe in the tall poppy syndrome of pulling someone down because they’ve made a success of their life or business. Asked if Rinehart contributes to formulation of One Nation policy, Hanson said she had been “very beneficial”. double quotation markMy policy on pensioners being able to work unlimited hours and without losing their pension or healthcare card came from Mrs Rinehart. And I think that’s great. I listen to anyone who brings good policy to me. Pauline Hanson poses with the private plane gifted to her by billionaire mining magnate, Gina Rinehart. Photograph: Jesse Thompson/Getty Images Man charged with murder after woman in Sydney’s north-west allegedly kidnapped A man has been charged over the alleged kidnapping and murder of a woman whose body is yet to be found, AAP reports. Police have been investigating the disappearance of a 58-year-old woman who failed to returned to her home in Sydney’s north-west on Tuesday. Family members told officers they last heard from her about 4.50pm on Monday, where she told them she was meeting a relative in Winston Hills. The woman’s car was found in the suburb, about 28km west of Sydney, around 9.30am the next day. Police arrested a man, 33, yesterday south of Nowra. He was taken to Nowra police station, where he was charged with murder and has been refused police bail. He is due to face bail court on Friday. Jack Snape Socceroos’ breakout star Jordan Bos at ease with the hype: ‘I’m a pretty chill guy’ Jordan Bos’s career has moved swiftly towards this moment: a World Cup debut for the Socceroos’ not-so-secret weapon. “I just have to soak up the experience and just play football,” Bos says. “It’s kind of hard to ‘feel’ the moment as it is now, but I think afterwards I’ll really understand the experience that I’m in now.” Jordan Bos. Photograph: Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images The World Cup’s first match is a day away. The Socceroos’ showdown with tournament dark horses Turkey barely three. The travelling Australian media cohort has swelled to about 30. They hang on every word of the 23-year-old, heralded as the side’s breakout star. Is there pressure? “Not really pressure,” Bos says. “I don’t really look at that stuff. Or think about it too much.” While Bos might downplay it, he admits the praise is appreciated. “To have some positivity and having people believing in me and stuff like that, it’s really nice, and yeah, it does feel like [the work] is paying off a bit,” he says. “But yeah, we go on.” Read more here: Victoria’s Secret chair survives removal bid by Australian Brett Blundy Jonathan Barrett The Victoria’s Secret chair, Donna James, has been re-elected to the board of the lingerie company after surviving a push by a dissident shareholder, the Australian billionaire Brett Blundy, to have her removed. James received 83% of all votes cast, according to Reuters, at the US company’s annual meeting held overnight. Photograph: Molly Darlington/Reuters Blundy, who is the second-biggest shareholder at Victoria’s Secret, with a near 13% stake through his investment firm BBRC International, has been pushing for changes at the company since about 2021. He has previously sought a position on the board, and has built a stake that could be used as a platform to launch a hostile takeover. The Monaco-based Australian has a net wealth of $4.5bn, according to the AFR’s rich list, and is chair of the Lovisa jewellery brand, founder of the Léays lingerie stores and former owner of the Bras N Things and Honey Birdette brands. Post navigation Taylor Swift slips into glam mode in VERY racy black gown for 2026 Songwriters Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony… after rowdy night out at Knicks game দক্ষিণ কোরিয়ার ক্ষমতাচ্যুত প্রেসিডেন্ট ইউনকে পিয়ংইয়ংয়ের ওপর দিয়ে ড্রোন ওড়ানোর দায়ে কারাদণ্ড দেওয়া হয়েছে
Matt Canavan: Nationals on ‘same page’ with One Nation to oust Labor government Canavan was also asked about One Nation’s “fire the liar” campaign, which has reportedly raised $2.7m in donations since the party launched a dedicated funding drive. He said there was “a lot of anger out there, and a lot of frustration”, while adding “good on One Nation for doing this”. double quotation markI think you’re seeing that exercised through the vote for a minor party. I can understand that, as I’ve said since I became leader, I understand the frustration with the major parties. I’ve been in that frustrated camp, but I truly believe what our country needs is a solid, coherent economic plan for our future. The Liberal and Nationals parties will do that, but look, I welcome everybody trying to take down this government, because that is the first step. So, good on One Nation for doing this. They’re saying that that funding, that now over $2m, is going to be used to root out Labor members of parliament, and I’d encourage them on that front, because we have seen Pauline Hanson spend a lot of time campaigning in the seats of Liberal and National members. That’s not going to help change the government. We’re all on the same page here of getting rid of this government.
Lisa Cox WA Kimberley fracking proposal opens for public consultation An American company’s proposal to frack Western Australia’s Kimberley region, part of the world’s most intact tropical savanna, has been opened to public consultation. It comes days after Guardian Australia reported on newly released documents that revealed concerns among environment department officials about the standard of Black Mountain Energy’s environmental assessments. The federal government opened the project for four weeks of public consultation late on Thursday. Black Mountain Energy, through its subsidiary Bennett Resources, has proposed up to 20 “appraisal” wells for its Valhalla project. Appraisal wells are drilled to assess the quality and commercial potential of a gas resource. At full production, fracking projects can involve dozens, hundreds or even thousands of wells. The Fitzroy River in the Kimberley. Photograph: Alex Westover/Environs Kimberley The development is located near a creek that flows into the national heritage-listed Fitzroy River, potentially opening WA’s Fitzroy valley landscape to fracking and affecting the region’s endangered species. Environment groups have called on environment minister Murray Watt to strike out the proposal, with 10,000 people contacting his office over the past week, according to Environs Kimberley executive director Martin Pritchard. double quotation markThere is no way Environment Minister Murray Watt can approve fracking the Kimberley and have a shred of environmental credibility. Murray Watt knows this, 10,000 people have just emailed to tell him. Now he needs to act.
Douglas Smith Miner Fortescue signs new deal with Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people A mining company owned by billionaire Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest has struck a new agreement with the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura (PKKP) people of Western Australia’s Pilbara region. Forrest’s company, Fortesque Metals Group (FMG), signed a Native Title and co-management agreement with PKKP in Karratha, to boost economic participation and business development for traditional owners. Australian businessman Andrew Forrest. Photograph: Lukas Coch/EPA In the arrangement PKKP mining equipment, including haul trucks and electric excavators, will be leased to FMG to support mining operations in the Pilbara. Traditional owner and chairperson of PKKP Enterprises, Terry Drage said the agreement also allowed for better protection of sacred sites: double quotation markOne of the key parts of the Co-Management Agreement is that Fortescue and PKKP need to share information much earlier about mining activities and heritage so we have the best chance of protecting important places. We have always said we are not opposed to mining, but it has to be done in the right way with traditional owner decision-making front and centre. These agreements are going to create a lasting legacy for our people, and we are really proud that we have signed this with Fortescue so that we don’t have to rely on the government or courts to protect our important places. Forrest said FMG had “never seen native title agreements as simply a transaction”, and that “the custodians of that Country should have a genuine voice in what happens there and share in the opportunities it creates”.
Firefighter union and boss named as trying to block publication of corruption watchdog report Firefighter union boss Peter Marshall has been revealed as the person trying to block the publication of a corruption watchdog report. Marshall and the United Firefighters Union were revealed today as the applicants seeking to stop the release of the Operation Richmond report. AAP reports the operation, launched by the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission in 2019, investigated the Victorian government’s negotiations with the union. IBAC indicated the final report would be released to the public by 1 July but that plan was sidetracked by Marshall and the union’s supreme court injunction application filed in May. Secretary of the United Firefighters Union Peter Marshall (left). Photograph: Jay Kogler/AAP At the 22 May hearing, Justice Claire Harris rejected their bid to have their identities kept secret through a pseudonym order. She found there was insufficient reasons to grant the order given the information was already in the public domain. The judge granted a temporary pseudonym order to allow the two applicants to appeal her decision to the Victorian court of appeal. But that appeal was rejected today, with the appeal court finding Justice Harris had not made an error. The court ordered their names be publicised and the applicants’ barrister Paul Holdenson KC indicated he would not be appealing to the high court. The supreme court subsequently confirmed the applicants were the United Firefighters Union of Australia and the union’s national secretary Peter Marshall. Marshall said he and the union were prohibited from talking about the case. “Examinations were in private, confidentiality notices were issued. The law still prohibits us from commenting on what is in the report and what it may say about us or anyone else,” he told the ABC..
Jack Larkin VicRoads website operational after being offline for a week A major website upgrade for VicRoads is finally operational after the online payment portal was down for almost a week. The planned upgrade took place on Friday last week, with plans for it to be operational after the long weekend. The payment portal took a few days longer to come online, leading making it hard for customers to pay for car registrations, book driving tests or renew their licences. A statement on the website reads: double quotation markWe’ve delivered a major upgrade to our systems to deliver faster and more modern services. This is part of our commitment to simplify licensing and registration solutions, and to keep pace with the needs of Victorians today and tomorrow. Most online services are now available.
Caitlin Cassidy Police still looking for Sydney woman, after charging man with murder Police spoke a moment ago in Sydney after a 33-year-old man was charged with murder as part of investigations into the alleged kidnapping of a woman in the city’s northwest earlier this week. The 58-year-old mother failed to return home after visiting family in Winston Hills on Monday, prompting the investigation, police said. On Thursday, the man, who is known to police, was arrested in Tomerong on the South Coast of New South Wales. Investigations are continuing into the whereabouts of the woman, with police seeking assistance from residents in the Winston Hills area. Police said they believed the man and woman were meeting on Monday to talk about “perhaps, borrowing some money, but that ultimately, we don’t know whether that exchange occurred”. double quotation markThey are known to each other, but we will allege that communications directed toward our missing lady were hostile in nature prior to that meeting. We have significant concerns … and as I say, we’re just seeking the assistance of community to hopefully locate the 58-year-old woman. Police told reporters they were satisfied there was “sufficient evidence” to put the charges to the court, despite not having found the woman’s body, citing mobile phone records. The woman is a mother of three children, and a carer for her elderly parents, and is estranged from one of her children, police said. double quotation markThe fact that no one has been able to contact her or heard from her is significant for investigators … I can only say that when family were informed of action taken by police yesterday, they were obviously shocked. The man appeared before court this morning and has been refused bail to Parramatta local court on 12 August.
Josh Taylor Vocus routing issue affects internet nationally in Australia A routing issue for fibre network provider Vocus caused intermittent outages for internet users across Australia this morning. Vocus provides fibre links across Australia and connecting to the rest of the world, making it the backbone for much of the internet and online services. The outage, which occurred at about 9am this morning, is understood to be an issue with a border gateway protocol configuration – which is used to determine the fastest way to transmit information across the internet. Vocus indicated the issue was largely resolved as of midday. A spokesperson for NBN Co confirmed it was not an NBN issue: double quotation markWe are aware of an issue with broadband services being reported by customers nationally, across different internet service providers. Nbn is investigating with internet service providers what may be occurring. Our initial checks have confirmed the issue does not seem to be related to the operation of the nbn network. We are actively monitoring the situation and we will provide more updates soon.
Matt Canavan: Nationals on ‘same page’ with One Nation to oust Labor government Canavan was also asked about One Nation’s “fire the liar” campaign, which has reportedly raised $2.7m in donations since the party launched a dedicated funding drive. He said there was “a lot of anger out there, and a lot of frustration”, while adding “good on One Nation for doing this”. double quotation markI think you’re seeing that exercised through the vote for a minor party. I can understand that, as I’ve said since I became leader, I understand the frustration with the major parties. I’ve been in that frustrated camp, but I truly believe what our country needs is a solid, coherent economic plan for our future. The Liberal and Nationals parties will do that, but look, I welcome everybody trying to take down this government, because that is the first step. So, good on One Nation for doing this. They’re saying that that funding, that now over $2m, is going to be used to root out Labor members of parliament, and I’d encourage them on that front, because we have seen Pauline Hanson spend a lot of time campaigning in the seats of Liberal and National members. That’s not going to help change the government. We’re all on the same page here of getting rid of this government.
Matt Canavan says tobacco excise is ‘going to have to come down’ The Nationals leader, Matt Cavanan, says Australia’s tobacco excise is “not working” and reiterated his party’s calls to have a regulated, taxed vapes market. Appearing on Sky on Friday, Canavan said it was “pretty clear that the current excise rate is not sustainable”. double quotation markThat’s going to have to come down in some way, shape or form. We’ve got to work out exactly how much, because it’s such a mess that it’s going to be very hard to recover now. Canavan said the excise shouldn’t be removed altogether but said legal cigarettes should be cheaper. double quotation markThe problem, of course, is on the latest figures 80% of people are not buying cigarettes through that market. In fact, they’re buying cigarettes at prices that we haven’t seen for decades, because they’re not getting any excise. The excise rate on a black market cigarette is zero, so that’s not helping.
Tory Shepherd A shadowy overseas group is trying to influence Australian abortion policy. Who are CitizenGo and what do they want? Among the hand-drawn signs warning of the “evil” of abortion at last week’s Sydney rally were some more professional placards. “The greatest liberty is the right to life,” the blue-and-white posters read, under a small logo for CitizenGo. CitizenGo will not be a familiar name to many in Australia but in Europe it looms large in the anti-abortion, anti-LGBTQ+ rights world. An offshoot of the ultra-conservative Spanish group HazteOír (Make Yourself Heard), it was founded in Spain in 2013 and claims to have 20 million members across 50 countries. Read more here:
Notorious pedophile loses sentence appeal bid One of Australia’s worst pedophiles, former childcare worker Ashley Paul Griffith, has failed in his bid to reduce the life sentence he received for hundreds of sex offences against young children, AAP reports. Lawyers for the 48-year-old in May argued in the Queensland court of appeal that the 27‑year non‑parole period he was handed in 2024 was ‘‘manifestly excessive’’ as they sought leave to appeal. Justice David Boddice on Friday handed down the court of appeal’s decision to dismiss the appeal during a brief sitting in Brisbane. “The appeal against sentence is refused,” he said. A sketch of Ashley Paul Griffith. Photograph: SUPPLIED/AAP Griffith pleaded guilty to 307 child sex offences against 65 victims aged between one and nine. Those offences include 28 counts of rape against girls mainly aged three to five at Queensland childcare centres between 2007 and 2022. Prosecutors in May urged the justices to reject the appeal, saying the sentence barely reflected the scale and cruelty of the crimes. The conclusion of Griffith’s appeal clears the path for him to face court proceedings in NSW, where he is accused of committing 180 sex offences against more than 20 children.
Luca Ittimani ASX200 adds $50bn after Trump cancels Iran strikes The Australian sharemarket has added over $50bn in value after Donald Trump said he had cancelled “scheduled strikes” on Iran early this morning. The benchmark S&P ASX200 saw predictions rise immediately after Trump’s announcement. This morning it’s added $51bn in value, rising 1.9% to just under 8,800 points. For perspective, that’s back to about where the ASX200 was in mid-January, before the war, or in early August 2025, before November’s AI-driven tech selloff. While it’s a big leap, we saw comparable jumps three times in May, typically precipitated by another Iran-war related announcement from the US president. Australia’s 10 biggest companies have all seen their market value rise 1% at least this morning. The big four banks’ shares have risen at least 1.5% each. Miner BHP is up nearly $8bn to $317bn, after a 2.62% share price rise. Goldminers are surging in price today, after steady falls in their market value as the price of gold fell while the US-Israel war on Iran dragged on. Only a handful of top businesses are falling in value this morning. One is REA Group, which owns the realestate.com.au listings website. It’s down 3.19% today and nearly 20% since the federal budget on 12 May, as higher investor taxes are expected to slow down sales. The broader All Ordinaries index is up 1.86%, back above 9,000 points.
Eva Corlett Auckland sits near an active faultline, new research suggests, so what’s next for New Zealand’s biggest city? A faultline south of New Zealand’s most populated city, Auckland, is active and could trigger a devastating earthquake, new research shows, dispelling the region’s long-held belief it was largely immune from intense seismic activity. The research has also raised questions over the recent decision to exempt Auckland from earthquake building regulation. The Mangatangi Fault, which runs along the Hunua ranges, is situated roughly 50km south-east of Auckland’s central city and is close to the southern suburbs Pukekohe, Drury and Takanini. Research published in the New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics shows the fault has ruptured in the past 10,000 years and could cause a 6.8 magnitude earthquake. A fault that has moved in the past 125,000 years is considered active. Read more here: Auckland. Photograph: PHOTOS WITH LOVE by Irina Panyukova. Touch the beauty./Getty Images
Socceroos celebrate migrant roots and address anti-immigration sentiment before World Cup The Socceroos have addressed growing anti-immigration sentiment in a powerful video message before the World Cup, speaking of their pride in their heritage and playing for the national team. Take a look: Socceroos celebrate migrant roots and address anti-immigration sentiment before World Cup – video
Pauline Hanson says she consults her ‘friend’ Gina Rinehart on policy Tom McIlroy The One Nation leader Pauline Hanson says she consults mining billionaire and party donor Gina Rinehart on policy development. Guardian Australia has revealed the depth of support from Rinehart, including her move to gift Hanson a new private plane, worth more than $1.5m, to be used in the run-up to the federal election. “I consider her a friend and I’m very … grateful for her support. She’s an Australian identity, she’s one of the highest taxpayers in the country,” Hanson told ABC radio in Perth on Thursday night. double quotation markI won’t have anyone have a go because she’s, you know, OK she’s a billionaire. Good luck to her. I don’t believe in the tall poppy syndrome of pulling someone down because they’ve made a success of their life or business. Asked if Rinehart contributes to formulation of One Nation policy, Hanson said she had been “very beneficial”. double quotation markMy policy on pensioners being able to work unlimited hours and without losing their pension or healthcare card came from Mrs Rinehart. And I think that’s great. I listen to anyone who brings good policy to me. Pauline Hanson poses with the private plane gifted to her by billionaire mining magnate, Gina Rinehart. Photograph: Jesse Thompson/Getty Images
Man charged with murder after woman in Sydney’s north-west allegedly kidnapped A man has been charged over the alleged kidnapping and murder of a woman whose body is yet to be found, AAP reports. Police have been investigating the disappearance of a 58-year-old woman who failed to returned to her home in Sydney’s north-west on Tuesday. Family members told officers they last heard from her about 4.50pm on Monday, where she told them she was meeting a relative in Winston Hills. The woman’s car was found in the suburb, about 28km west of Sydney, around 9.30am the next day. Police arrested a man, 33, yesterday south of Nowra. He was taken to Nowra police station, where he was charged with murder and has been refused police bail. He is due to face bail court on Friday.
Jack Snape Socceroos’ breakout star Jordan Bos at ease with the hype: ‘I’m a pretty chill guy’ Jordan Bos’s career has moved swiftly towards this moment: a World Cup debut for the Socceroos’ not-so-secret weapon. “I just have to soak up the experience and just play football,” Bos says. “It’s kind of hard to ‘feel’ the moment as it is now, but I think afterwards I’ll really understand the experience that I’m in now.” Jordan Bos. Photograph: Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images The World Cup’s first match is a day away. The Socceroos’ showdown with tournament dark horses Turkey barely three. The travelling Australian media cohort has swelled to about 30. They hang on every word of the 23-year-old, heralded as the side’s breakout star. Is there pressure? “Not really pressure,” Bos says. “I don’t really look at that stuff. Or think about it too much.” While Bos might downplay it, he admits the praise is appreciated. “To have some positivity and having people believing in me and stuff like that, it’s really nice, and yeah, it does feel like [the work] is paying off a bit,” he says. “But yeah, we go on.” Read more here:
Victoria’s Secret chair survives removal bid by Australian Brett Blundy Jonathan Barrett The Victoria’s Secret chair, Donna James, has been re-elected to the board of the lingerie company after surviving a push by a dissident shareholder, the Australian billionaire Brett Blundy, to have her removed. James received 83% of all votes cast, according to Reuters, at the US company’s annual meeting held overnight. Photograph: Molly Darlington/Reuters Blundy, who is the second-biggest shareholder at Victoria’s Secret, with a near 13% stake through his investment firm BBRC International, has been pushing for changes at the company since about 2021. He has previously sought a position on the board, and has built a stake that could be used as a platform to launch a hostile takeover. The Monaco-based Australian has a net wealth of $4.5bn, according to the AFR’s rich list, and is chair of the Lovisa jewellery brand, founder of the Léays lingerie stores and former owner of the Bras N Things and Honey Birdette brands.