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Jump in imports narrowed Australia’s goods trade surplus to $1.1bn in June quarter. Follow today’s news livePenny Wong says Australia has ‘more work to do’ forging relationships in the PacificThe foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, is in Fiji today amid a meeting with her counterparts from across the Pacific.We’ve got work more work to do. We’ve announced that we do want to engage with and negotiate with both Tonga and Solomon Islands. Obviously, there’ll be a lot of work there that we want to do with them in partnership.It was a test which was destabilising and in a region where leaders have said we want an ocean of peace. It’s really important that partners respect that, and we would continue to encourage that respect. Continue reading...

Police allege man issued threats on social media to find woman and hurt her. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastStates and territories shut down hundreds of sub-standard childcare servicesAlmost 600 childcare services were shut down in the latest quarter, a 20 fold increase on the same quarter last year, as federal, state and territory governments crack down on dodgy and underperforming providers.Enforcement action is at record highs. The percentage of services meeting the national quality and safety standards is at the highest level ever as well.We have also introduced legislation to cut funding to centres that aren’t up to scratch … This is a good sign. But there is more to do. Continue reading...

Airline removes carry-on weight limit but will charge for bags that don’t fit under seat. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGood morning, and happy Wednesday. Nick Visser here bright and early. Here’s what’s on deck.Jetstar will make it more difficult for travellers to bring carry-on baggage onboard an aircraft. The company will remove its 7kg carry-on weight limits, but impose a size-based model that will allow customers to bring just one underseat bag. An overhead bag will now cost. Continue reading...

Two men were arrested on Monday evening and one was charged over an alleged replica pistol. Follow today’s news live.Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGood morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it will be Nick Visser with the main action.We start with charges that have been laid overnight after a security scare and major police action at Sydney’s popular Moore Park entertainment precinct. More on that soon Continue reading...

Fuel excise cut, which was imposed after outbreak of Iran conflict, ended at midnight on Monday. Follow today’s news liveLinkedIn dragged into news bargaining incentive legislation, despite lobbying from MicrosoftThe government has released new details of its news bargaining incentive legislation, with LinkedIn no longer exempt from the agreement – which will force platforms to pay for news content.We want digital platforms to do deals with a diverse range of media organisations and have shown good faith with both the platforms and media companies during the consultation process. Continue reading...

Increase in annual pay packets began from August 1. Follow updatesThe deputy leader of the opposition, Jane Hume, will appear on ABC’s Insiders after 9.Petrol prices set to rise as fuel excise relief endsObviously we always monitor the situation and take steps as necessary, but our policy decision is clear. Continue reading...

Attorneys general meet in Darwin to work on nationalising the working with children check after serious allegations of safety breaches in childcare sector. Follow liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAttorneys-general are meeting in Darwin on Friday, to work on nationalising the working with children check - sparked by serious allegations of safety breaches and child abuse in the childcare sector.But a fully nationalised system will only be in place under current timelines from mid-2028 – two years from now.All governments have made significant progress towards delivering a national approach to Working with Children Checks ... I am confident my state and territory colleagues will take the next big step today and agree on nationally consistent minimum standards and information sharing. Continue reading...

Government’s special envoy returns to the witness box again today; three victims found in burned-out house in Wiley Park. Follow updates liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastOne of the 19 Closing the Gap targets has officially been reached after early childhood education enrolment for First Nations children hit 95% across the country.Released by the Productivity Commission today, the annual data compilation report showed an increase from 61.3% enrolments in 2016 (the baseline year), to hitting the 95% mark across every state and territory today.This result is encouraging, as are improvements in eight other targets including employment and education.However, it is very concerning that we are still seeing outcomes worsening for early childhood development, children in out-of-home care, incarceration rates and suicide. Continue reading...

Former PM says ousted Victorian premier was ‘courageous in combating misogyny’ and was a trailblazer for other women. Follow updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastFormer union boss and former leader of the Labor party Bill Shorten has leant his support behind newly crowned Victorian premier Ben Carroll’s announcement he will call a royal commission into the construction sector.Shorten told 7.30 last night:He wants to act with integrity, and he wants to act in everyone’s interests.I think he understands [what] people will be assessing: is he serving the people or is he just playing politics? So I thought he was very straight. He’s in there for Victorians, not trying to just tick the box and get particular interest groups on side.I think the national mood or the state mood was there for it. I just think that the costs of construction … there may be exaggerations, but there is something rotten going on in construction, and people want to see it can be dealt with. This is public infrastructure, so it’s taxpayer money.There is no doubt that as the second woman to lead the state, she has been subjected to vile sexism.She has been courageous in calling it out and combating this misogyny. As a result, she has made it easier for the women that follow.I know how hard working he is and how much he cares about ensuring every child gets the best possible start in life. I wish him and his team well in the months to come. Continue reading...

Prime minister pays tribute to secretary and president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions after surprise announcement. Follow updates liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIn a statement, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, described Sally McManus and Michele O’Neil as personal friends and “giants of the labour movement”.He said:Working families are in a stronger financial position today than they would otherwise be because of the tireless advocacy and strong leadership of Sally McManus and Michele O’Neil.Sally and Michele secured incredible successes for working people in their eight years together leading Australia’s union movement – the first all-female leadership team in the Australian Council of Trade Unions’ 99-year history.Union membership is growing, and workers have over 47 new workplace rights. But of course, there are still big challenges with cost-of-living pressures, AI, and billionaires who have too much wealth and power. Continue reading...

New tidal baths on banks of Callan Park in Lilyfield expected to attract thousands to Parramatta River’s southern banks. Follow the day’s newsSydney’s latest harbour swimming pool, on the banks of Callan Park in Lilyfield, will open for swimmers this summer, the state government says, with construction now under way.The new tidal baths on the Iron Cove foreshore, along the popular Bay Run and close to sports fields like Leichhardt Oval and King George Park, is expected to attract thousands to the southern banks of the Parramatta River. Continue reading...

Treasurer points to other reforms after Labor members call for ‘fairer return’ from natural resources. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGood morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories before your regular blogger takes the reins.Jim Chalmers has claimed rightwing political parties will “prey on” voter insecurities about a worsening economy while championing “anti-worker” policies. It comes as markets are now expecting another rate hike by the end of the year. He also continues to push back at rank and file Labor members’ calls for a new tax on gas exports, saying the government had “other priorities” for reform. More coming up. Continue reading...

China’s foreign ministry says ‘relevant countries’ should ‘stop stirring up tension’. Follow liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia is not ruling out stepping up joint patrols of the South China Sea following “destabilising” missile testing in the region, Australian Associated Press reports.The foreign minister, Penny Wong, was asked last night about the potential of more regular regional sea patrols in tandem with the United States and Japan, following China’s launching of nuclear-capable missiles. Continue reading...

Australia’s foreign affairs minister discussed the importance of peace in the Pacific at her meeting with Wang Yi in the wings of Asean. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPenny Wong also criticised “destabilising and dangerous conduct” by China following a clash at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, AFP reports.The Philippines and China summoned each other’s ambassadors on Tuesday after the Philippine military accused the China Coast Guard of clubbing a Filipino sailor with a baton on Monday as they approached a grounded vessel that has long served as a Philippine garrison. Continue reading...

One Nation MP grilled in 7.30 interview about Pauline Hanson’s podcast interview by far-right activist. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGood morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it will be Steph Convery with the main action.We start with Barnaby Joyce’s rather unusual interview with the ABC’s 7.30 last night, in which he attempted to defend some of the more controversial aspects of his leader’s trip to Europe, in particular Pauline Hanson’s podcast with Tommy Robinson, while simultaneously trying to fend off an apparently misbehaving dog. Continue reading...

Albanese’s comments come as One Nation leader nears end of UK tour. Follow today’s news liveAlbanese helps launch major air combat exerciseAnthony Albanese has announced the official opening of Exercise Pitch Black 2026, Australia’s premier international air combat exercise, happening in Darwin.Australia is strongest when we work closely with our partners.Exercise Pitch Black strengthens those partnerships and demonstrates Australia’s commitment to working closely across our region to support peace, stability and security.When I have the opportunity to represent Australia overseas, I talk Australia up.I don’t talk Australia down. I go as someone who’s proud to represent our nation and proud to talk about what we are as a nation. There’s nowhere you’d rather be than Australia, and I think that it is up to our representatives, no matter where they stand in the parliament, when they’re overseas, to talk Australia up, not talk Australia down. Continue reading...

Follow the latest updates liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIt was a remarkably warm day in the Australian alps yesterday, with several ski fields reaching temperatures that look set to be record-breaking (the records are yet to be confirmed by the Bureau of Meteorology’s climate team).Mount Hotham reached 11.1C. That’s 2.4C higher than the previous July record of 8.7C set in 1994.Big slow moving high pressure systems creating large areas of descending & warming air hitting a radiation inversion = warm air trapped above the ground. Plus climate change… Continue reading...

Vicki Brady due to appear at inquiry over mobile outage last week. Follow today’s news live.Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastTelstra’s bosses are set to be grilled over a nationwide outage that affected triple zero calls and businesses, disrupted payment systems and stopped trains in two states.Telstra’s chief executive, Vicki Brady, will be among a group of executives who will front a parliamentary inquiry into the incident in Canberra on Friday. Continue reading...

Comedian backs LGBTQ+ theatre in ‘David v Goliath’ fight. Follow today’s news live Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGood morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it will be Nick Visser with the main action.Comedian Josh Thomas has weighed in on the Divine Playhouse saga, a queer-friendly theatre pop-up in Sydney that has been kicked out by its landlord. Continue reading...

Chief executives of Australia’s 100 biggest companies earned a median $4.8m in the 2025 financial year. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastChief executives of Australia’s 100 biggest companies earned a median $4.8m in realised pay in 2025’s financial year, a 16% increase from 2024, a new report has found.The Australian Council of Superannuation Investors has calculated take-home pay, which includes reported pay plus bonuses, vested shares and other extras. Continue reading...

Bradley John Murdoch was convicted of 28-year-old’s murder but remains were never foundGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNorthern Territory Police have opened evidence boxes to uncover several previously unseen photographs from the investigation of the murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio and attempted abduction of his girlfriend Joanne Lees.Tuesday is the 25th anniversary of the infamous outback disappearance. Continue reading...

Almost 55% of homes at auction were sold, weekend figures show. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastRichard Scolyer to have state memorial service at Sydney Opera HouseRichard Scolyer, the 2024 Australian of the Year, will be honoured with a state memorial service on Monday, after his death from brain cancer on 7 June. He was 59.Every day, this remarkable man – the cancer specialist who became his own subject – took us into his confidence and he lifted us all in the process. Continue reading...

Follow the day’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastVictorian Animal Justice party MP Georgie Purcell says abolishing the state’s group voting ticket system without any other changes would see the balance of power handed to One Nation.The Age reported yesterday that the Allan government is planning to introduce legislation, when parliament returns from the winter break, to reform the state’s unusual voting system.Crossbench MPs like myself support electoral reform, and we’ve been asking for it to be implemented in a sensible way for years. We want change too.But we don’t want a model that disproportionately benefits certain minor parties. Continue reading...

One Nation leader welcomed by far-right figures including Tommy Robinson and Rupert Lowe. Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPauline Hanson has posted an update on social media about what she calls a “fact-finding” mission to the UK to find out what has gone “so wrong” with the country.She sat down for an interview for the podcast of far-right British activist Tommy Robinson, whom she called a “brave man … who has always had the best interest of his nation at heart”.No thanks. That’s not what I want for Australia. Each day I’ll bring you a sneak peak of my visit before putting out a long format video once I’m home. Continue reading...

Carrier says some customers still can’t connect to triple zero on its network. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPublic transport commuters in New South Wales and Victoria have been urged to plan ahead and seek alternative travel plans this morning as networks continue to be affected by yesterday’s Telstra outage. The NSW transport department said last night that passengers on Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink regional rail services “should expect flow-on impacts” and “plan ahead and check the latest service information before commencing their journey due to ongoing disruptions affecting rail operations”. Victorians have been advised “not to travel on V/Line services” if possible, with regional train services reduced to “a very limited coach service”. Metro rail services in both Sydney and Melbourne remain unaffected.Late last night, Telstra confirmed a secondary issue flowing on from yesterday’s widespread national mobile outage that affected calls, including triple zero. Continue reading...

Leaders from Tonga, Samoa and Papua New Guinea to join Albanese at State of Origin decider. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAnthony Albanese will host a trio of Pacific prime ministers as he tries to bolster Australia’s regional influence amid the creeping threat of China, Australian Associated Press reports.The bilateral meetings with Papua New Guinea’s James Marape, Tonga’s Lord Fakafānua and Samoa’s La’auli Leuatea Schmidt will be followed by a Pacific rugby league event in Brisbane with all four leaders. Continue reading...

Foreign affairs minister says Australia made clear its displeasure at China’s long-range missile test and will keep doing so. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGood morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it will be Nick Visser with the main action.Western Australia’s Labor premier, Roger Cook, has conceded his party will have a tough fight to retain a previously safe seat after a retiring MP triggered a byelection in which One Nation could launch a strong challenge. More coming up. Continue reading...

Queensland premier vows to imprison more youth offenders at party state conference. Follow today’s news liveDavid Crisafulli has vowed to imprison more youth offenders.In a keynote speech to the Liberal National party’s state conference on Sunday, the Queensland premier said his government would create and legislate a new offence by the end of the year, carrying a mandatory sentence – yet to be set – for repeat offenders who commit serious crimes while on bail.We’re heading in the right direction and we’ve heard from Queenslanders who are telling us to keep going, and we will with reforms to Labor’s weak bail laws.This is a further step to make already harsh bail laws harsher. Continue reading...