Category Archives: Australia news

Police offer $1m reward to solve murder of Maria James inside Melbourne bookshop

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Catholic priest Anthony Bongiorno and Peter Keogh, both dead, previously named as persons of interest

Almost 44 years after Maria James’s brutal murder in her Melbourne bookshop, her two sons hope a $1m reward will finally unmask her killer.

James, whose second-hand bookshop on High Street at Thornbury in Melbourne’s north also functioned as her home, was killed there on 17 June 1980 in what her son Mark described as a “ritualistic”, violent and frenzied attack. She was found dead after being stabbed 68 times.

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Independent MP Kylea Tink’s electorate of North Sydney to be abolished under AEC proposal

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New South Wales draft boundaries would also affect the seats of Bennelong and Bradfield, held by Labor and Liberals respectively

The Australian Electoral Commission has recommended one of the country’s oldest electorates, North Sydney, be abolished in a boundary shake-up that could have far-reaching consequences for the major parties.

After reviewing population changes and submissions, the AEC has released its draft proposal for New South Wales’s new electoral boundaries, recommending the federation seat currently held by independent MP Kylea Tink be abolished.

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All roads lead to Rome as Albanese and Dutton stress-test their pre-election pitches | Karen Middleton

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The policy discourse has shrivelled to its political core, where every soundbite becomes both an attack and a defence – and it’s just the beginning

Policy debate between the prime minister and opposition leader has become a version of “all roads lead to Rome”.

There’s a political dimension to every policy proposal, but the public discourse on ideas for change has shrivelled to its political core over the past week or so.

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Immunisation rates fall among Australia’s vulnerable as experts blame pandemic misinformation and practical barriers

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Below-target levels come after record highs in 2020, with some areas in NSW, Queensland and WA now showing consistently lower vaccination rates

Immunisation rates are lagging in Australia’s most vulnerable populations – the very young and old – with experts blaming practical barriers as well as the misinformation and vaccine hesitancy that took off during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2020 Australia achieved a record high rate of 95.09% five-year-olds fully immunised against infectious diseases, even surpassing the government’s target of 95%, which provides “herd immunity”.

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Environmental groups apply to take Tanya Plibersek to high court over coalmine approvals

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Minister should have assessed climate damage that would be caused by two large developments, advocates say

Conservationists will ask the high court to examine whether the environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, should have assessed the climate damage that would be caused by two large coalmine developments.

The Environment Council of Central Queensland has sought special leave in Australia’s highest court to appeal against the federal court’s dismissal of what is known as the Living Wonders case.

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Queensland Labor shelves reforms to stop faith-based schools discriminating against gay teachers

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Exclusive: Disabled people, DV victims also at risk after broken promise to pass new anti-discrimination laws, advocates say

The Queensland government will renege on its promise to pass new anti-discrimination laws before the October state election – a move advocates say will leave women fleeing domestic violence, people with disabilities and members the LGBTQ+ community at risk.

Guardian Australia revealed on Monday that the state government was considering watering down reforms proposed by a review of the 33-year-old act.

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‘Out of sight and out of mind’: conservationists alarmed as NT land clearing threatens endangered ghost bat habitat

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Conservationists urge Plibersek to call in Daly River pastoral clearing application for assessment under commonwealth nature laws

A farming operation in the Northern Territory has proposed clearing almost 6,000 hectares (14,800 acres) of woodlands in a stronghold for the threatened ghost bat, Australia’s largest predatory bat.

The territory’s peak conservation organisation, the Environment Centre NT, and a scientific expert on the species have called on the environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, to use her powers to call in the project in the Daly River region for assessment under commonwealth nature laws.

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Peter Dutton wants a social media ban for children. But would ‘real life’ rules work?

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The opposition leader’s announcement that age-verification would be a Coalition government priority is a big promise that technology may not be able to fulfil

Both the federal government and opposition say they are on board with the idea to ban teens under 16 from using social media, but the prime minister set an important qualifier on Thursday when he said he would support such a ban “if it can be effective”.

Guardian Essential poll last week found two-thirds of voters were in favour of raising the age teens can access social media from the 13 that the companies have set themselves up to 16.

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Australia news live: person ‘likely’ with dementia made call to police before 92-year-old allegedly assaulted by police, Karen Webb says

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Chalmers asked about findings that jobseekers unable to afford ‘basics of life’

The treasurer Jim Chalmers was up on ABC News Breakfast just earlier, asked about new Anglicare data showing Australians on income support are “structurally unable to afford the basics of life”.

This is the primary motivation for the substantial cost of living relief that we’re providing in the budget. Whether it is the tax cuts for every Australian taxpayer, energy bill relief for every household, help with student debt and cheaper medicines, plus the increases to jobseeker – which were in the budget before last – all of these are important ways that we can not just understand and acknowledge the pressures that people are under, but actually respond to them.

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Two NSW police officers charged with assaulting 92-year-old man in Sydney

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Elderly man taken to hospital with a fractured and significant bruising after alleged assault in Picton, police say

Two New South Wales police officers have been charged with assaulting a 92-year-old man who was later admitted to hospital with a fractured elbow and significant bruising to his head and arms.

The alleged assault occurred at a home in Picton, in Sydney’s south-west, in January after police were called to a domestic violence incident by the elderly man’s wife, who had made two calls to triple 0 and “likely” had dementia.

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Chris Dawson loses appeal against conviction for murdering wife more than 40 years ago

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Dawson’s lawyers had argued in the NSW court of criminal appeal that the 2022 verdict was unreasonable

Chris Dawson has lost his appeal against his 2022 conviction for murdering his wife more than 40 years ago.

A panel of judges in the New South Wales court of criminal appeal delivered their ruling on Thursday after Dawson’s lawyers earlier argued that the guilty verdict against him was unreasonable.

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Judge in Greg Lynn murder trial says jury can’t find him guilty of manslaughter as an alternate verdict

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Justice Michael Croucher summarises case to jurors after ex-Jetstar pilot pleaded not guilty to murdering campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay

The jury in the trial of a former Jetstar pilot accused of murdering two elderly campers in the Victorian high country will not be able to consider an alternative charge of manslaughter, the state’s supreme court has heard.

Gregory Stuart Lynn, 57, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Russell Hill, 74, and Carol Clay, 73, at a remote camping site in the Wonnangatta Valley in March 2020.

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Australia’s unemployment rate dips to 4% as economy adds 40,000 new jobs

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Jobless rate eases as employers shrug off rising costs to keep adding to their workforces

Australia’s unemployment rate eased last month as employers shrugged off rising costs including higher interest bills to keep adding to their workforces.

The jobless rate was 4% in May, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said on Thursday. That was in line with economists’ predictions and was a slight drop from April’s 4.1%.

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NSW planning official referred to corruption watchdog Icac over house purchase allegation

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Liberal MP Alister Henskens used parliamentary privilege to accuse unnamed bureaucrat of using inside knowledge to purchase property for potential profit

The New South Wales government will refer claims of serious misconduct by a senior planning bureaucrat to the corruption watchdog Icac after concerns were raised by a former Coalition minister speaking under parliamentary privilege.

The Liberal MP for Wahroonga, Alister Henskens, on Thursday evening told parliament he had received “credible evidence” to suggest the planning department official had used insider information for personal gain through the government’s housing plan.

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South Australia introduces ‘world-leading’ bill to ban political donations from elections

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Premier says move will end the ‘nexus between money and political power’ and challenges state and federal counterparts to follow suit

The South Australian premier, Peter Malinauskas, has announced plans to ban political donations from state elections, paving the way for nation-leading electoral reforms.

The state’s electoral amendment bill announced on Wednesday night will ban electoral donations and gifts to registered political parties, members of parliament and candidates. The state will provide funding to allow parties and candidates to contest elections, run campaigns and promote political ideas.

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Australian live sheep export ban could set a ‘concerning precedent’, industry warns

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Legislation to ban live export of sheep by sea by 2028 introduced to parliament but all farming lobby groups oppose the move

Farming lobby groups say legislation to end live sheep exports by 2028 sets a “concerning precedent” for other agricultural export markets.

The comment was made at the first of two public hearings into legislation to phase out live sheep exports by 2028. The snap inquiry was called on 3 June after the agriculture minister, Murray Watt, introduced the legislation to parliament and is due to report by 21 June. It has already received 89 submissions.

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Bacchus Marsh Grammar: Victorian premier blasts ‘disgraceful’ conduct after AI fake nude photo allegations

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Jacinta Allan says no place for ‘misogynistic conduct’ as police investigate allegations fake nude images of students circulated online

Victoria’s premier has said there is no place for “misogynistic conduct” in the state following allegations deepfakes depicting about 50 female students from a private school in regional Victoria were circulated online.

Police are investigating the “incredibly graphic” nude images which appeared to have been created using artificial intelligence and photos of the girls’ faces taken from social media sites, and then circulated online.

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Panda diplomacy: Chinese premier Li Qiang could announce two new rare bears for Australia during state visit

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Wang Wang and Fu Ni have not conceived during more than a decade at Adelaide Zoo, sparking speculation they may be replaced

Australia’s giant pandas – having failed to breed – could be swapped for a new pair.

Chinese premier Li Qiang is expected to make an announcement about the future of the rare bears when he visits South Australia on the weekend.

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‘Disregard for truth’: inquiry calls for greater scrutiny of private consultants following PwC tax scandal

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But Greens say the consulting services inquiry report does not go far enough, calling for stronger action and penalties

Embattled consultancy PwC should be “open and honest” about its breach of confidential government information, and the public service needs to be better equipped to ensure value for money is obtained from consultants, according to the long-awaited findings of a Senate inquiry.

The committee has also recommended stricter regulations for large partnerships, including PwC, be considered, and that consultancy contracts worth more than $2m receive greater government scrutiny.

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‘He was selfish’: Greg Lynn covered up deaths because he believed he would be blamed, murder trial told

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Victorian supreme court hears closing arguments in trial of ex-Jetstar pilot who has pleaded not guilty to murdering Russell Hill and Carol Clay

A former Jetstar pilot accused of murdering two elderly campers in the Victorian high country covered up the deaths because he believed he would be blamed after he incorrectly stored his guns, his defence barrister has told the state’s supreme court.

Gregory Stuart Lynn, 57, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Russell Hill, 74, and Carol Clay, 73, at a remote camping site in the Wonnangatta Valley in March 2020.

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