Category Archives: Australia news

University of Sydney removes Palestinian flag from academic’s window after accusing him of breaching policy

Posted on by

Dr David Brophy claims new flag policy introduced in June was ‘precisely in response to people like me hanging Palestinian flags’

The University of Sydney has removed a Palestinian flag hanging outside an academic’s office after accusing him of breaching its new flag policy.

The 13-page flag policy, revised in June and formerly referred to as flag guidelines, sets out the university’s requirements for flying and displaying flags and using university flagpoles. Under the policy, “unapproved flags” must not be flown permanently, including flags that represent unlawful activities, are inconsistent with university values, represent a political party or are considered to be “otherwise unsuitable”.

Continue reading...

Some electric cars fall short of claimed range by up to 23%, Australian motoring group finds

Posted on by

The Australian Automobile Association tested vehicles from Tesla, BYD, Kia and Smart in bid to give consumers more accurate information

A government-funded program to test the true performance of vehicles has found the driving range of five popular electric cars is between 5% and 23% lower than results from laboratory testing.

The Australian Automobile Association tested vehicles from Tesla, BYD, Kia and Smart – the first EVs to be put through its four-year, federally funded Real World Testing Program to give consumers more accurate information on vehicle performance.

Continue reading...

Arts and media groups demand Labor take a stand against ‘rampant theft’ of Australian content to train AI

Posted on by

Productivity Commission report raises possible exemption for ‘text and data mining’ and expanding fair dealing rules, prompting fierce pushback

Arts, creative and media groups have demanded the government rule out allowing big tech companies to take Australian content to train their artificial intelligence models, with concerns such a shift would “sell out” Australian workers and lead to “rampant theft” of intellectual property.

The Albanese government has said it has no plans to change copyright law, but any changes must consider effects on artists and news media. The opposition leader, Sussan Ley, has demanded that copyrighted material must not be used without compensation.

Continue reading...

Reality TV star Matt Wright tried to cover up previous rule-breaking after Outback Wrangler helicopter crash, court told

Posted on by

Crown argues Wright did not properly record helicopter flying hours and was concerned that crash investigations would uncover that

The reality TV star Matt Wright “played around” with the dashboard of a helicopter after a fatal crash and falsely reported its fuel tank level, a jury has heard

The Outback Wrangler star’s trial began on Wednesday, more than three years after Wright’s mate and Outback Wrangler co-star Chris “Willow” Wilson died in the outback helicopter crash that left pilot Sebastian Robinson a paraplegic.

Continue reading...

Great Barrier Reef suffers biggest annual drop in live coral since 1980s after devastating coral bleaching

Posted on by

Researchers warn reef may reach tipping point where coral cannot recover fast enough between major catastrophic events

The Great Barrier Reef has suffered its biggest annual drop in live coral in two out of three areas monitored by scientists since 1986, a new report has revealed.

The Australian Institute of Marine Science (Aims) report is the first to comprehensively document the devastating impacts of the early 2024 mass coral bleaching event – the most widespread and severe on record for the Great Barrier Reef.

Sign up to get climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s Clear Air column as a free newsletter

Continue reading...

First Nations group launches federal appeal to block construction of main Brisbane 2032 Olympics stadium

Posted on by

Application lodged for permanent legal protection of Victoria Park, where state and federal governments plan to spend billions on sports infrastructure

A First Nations group has applied to halt construction of the main stadium planned for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

The state and federal governments plan to spend $3.8bn on a 63,000-seat stadium at Victoria Park in inner-city Brisbane. It will host the opening and closing ceremonies and athletics events.

Continue reading...

Confused passengers evacuated from Brisbane domestic airport and told to re-screen after metal detector fault

Posted on by

Flights delayed after ‘technical fault with a single metal detector’ but airport says there is no safety or security threat

Passengers have been evacuated from Brisbane domestic airport and flights have been delayed after a fault with a single metal detector prompted both travellers and staff to be re-screened by security.

Pictures on social media showed large crowds at the airport, with one person saying the “entire place has ground to a halt”.

Continue reading...

Sall Grover begins federal court appeal against Roxanne Tickle’s gender discrimination case win

Posted on by

Lawyers for founder of Giggle for Girls app says ‘special measure’ under Sex Discrimination Act allows for ‘women-only safe space’

Giggle for Girls and Sall Grover have begun their appeal to overturn a landmark court decision that found the women-only social media app and its CEO had unlawfully discriminated against Roxanne Tickle, a transgender woman.

On Monday, the full court of the federal court heard that Grover’s team believes the app – designed as a “women-only safe space” – constituted a “special measure” under the Sex Discrimination Act (SDA), which allows discrimination with the aim of redressing historical disadvantage between men and women.

Continue reading...

Logies 2025: Home and Away’s Lynne McGranger wins gold as Fisk dominates Australia’s TV awards

Posted on by

Soap star wins as her 32-year run playing Irene Roberts ends, while streamers go home mostly empty-handed and Magda Szubanski gives emotional speech as she is inducted into the Hall of Fame

The Home and Away actor Lynne McGranger has won the Gold Logie award for most popular personality on Australian television as she ends her record 32-year run playing the much-loved matriarch Irene Roberts.

McGranger is the longest-serving female actor in any Australian drama, having played Irene for nearly 33 years. She announced her departure in February and her final episode will air mid-August.

Continue reading...

Sea of people march across Sydney Harbour Bridge calling for an end to killing in Gaza

Posted on by

NSW police estimate 90,000 walked despite force and premier opposing rally, while Palestine Action Group claims up to 300,000 peacefully protested

At least 100,000 pro-Palestine marchers, including Julian Assange, the former foreign minister Bob Carr and the government MP Ed Husic, have marched across Sydney Harbour Bridge in the rain to protest against Israel’s conduct in Gaza and to speak out about the children starving there.

The world-famous landmark was closed to traffic at 11.30am on Sunday, with protesters gathering in Lang Park in the city centre before enduring heavy rain as they walked across the bridge.

Continue reading...

Australia news live: huge crowds of pro-Palestine protesters, including Julian Assange, Bob Carr and Ed Husic, begin crossing Sydney Harbour Bridge

Posted on by

Follow today’s news live

As thousands of people make their way to Lang Park in Sydney for the start of a march in support of Palestinians in Gaza, the organisers the Palestine Action Group have asked people to arrive early for the 1pm start.

“Rain, hail, or shine, we will free Palestine!” the group said in a post on Facebook this morning. The weather forecast for the city is for rain.

Be patient and look out for each other.

We urge everyone to plan for a long day. Bring wet-weather gear, plenty of water and snacks.

The Palestine movement is an anti-racist movement. We will not tolerate any form of racism or bigotry, including antisemitism or Islamophobia.

Continue reading...

Woman swept away in flood waters in Hunter region as emergency services respond to more than 1,450 calls

Posted on by

Twenty-six-year-old Chinese engineer was trying to flee a vehicle in a swollen creek in Rothbury, near Cessnock

A search was under way after a woman was swept into a flooded creek in the Hunter region overnight, as heavy downpours continued to batter large parts of northern New South Wales.

Police said a Mini was being driven by a 27-year-old woman in Rothbury, near Cessnock, when it became stuck in a swollen creek on Old North Road just before 8pm on Saturday.

Continue reading...

Bad men problem: Gareth Ward and Mark Latham leave NSW parliament in unchartered territory

Posted on by

The two MPs’ cases are vastly different but the issue is the same: parliament’s rules to enforce standards of behaviour are hopelessly outdated and ineffectual

The New South Wales parliament has a problem with men behaving badly. But more to the point, it seems to have an inability to deal with it.

On Tuesday, the parliament will try to deal with two very different cases that share a common consequence: damage to its reputation as an institution.

Continue reading...

Online shoppers warned of ‘dangerous’ weight-loss scam as ‘ghost stores’ impersonate real people to sell Ozempic-like treatments

Posted on by

Dietitian Lyndi Cohen says her likeness is being ‘abused and misrepresented’ as websites posing as Australian businesses claim to offer GLP-1 substances

Online “ghost stores” masquerading as Australian businesses have expanded into advertising Ozempic-like weight loss treatments, and are impersonating real people, including a well-known dietitian, to recommend their products.

After uncovering more than 140 sites falsely claiming to be Australian fashion retailers that prompted a public warning from the consumer regulator, Guardian Australia has identified a new scam that targets people trying to lose weight.

Continue reading...

Sportsbet advertises multi-bets on AFL website after pulling TV ads due to ‘community sentiment’

Posted on by

Ads encouraging sport fans to ‘bet now’ do not breach any rules but gambling reform advocates say it shows industry attempts to self-regulate have failed

The gambling giant Sportsbet has splashed ads for its expanded same-game multi-bets on the AFL’s website, months after pulling them from free-to-air broadcasts due to “strong community sentiment”.

The ads, which reveal Sportsbet now accepts same-game multi-bets on how many possessions a player acquires during a match, encouraged people to “bet now” and surrounded the AFL homepage.

Continue reading...

Palestinian statehood vote at Victorian Labor conference heaps more pressure on PM

Posted on by

Labor Friends of Palestine’s motion also called on federal government to extend sanctions to all members of Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet

Victorian Labor members have voted to immediately recognise Palestine, heaping further pressure on the Albanese government to join Canada, France and the UK in their push for a sovereign state.

Rank and file members at Labor’s state conference on Saturday also carried an urgent resolution to review the Aukus submarine deal. However, the wording of the motion was watered down before the vote.

Continue reading...

Snow falls in Queensland as NSW SES report 100 vehicles stuck in heavily blanketed northern tablelands

Posted on by

Footage shows snow falling at Dalveen, between Stanthorpe and Warwick in south east Queensland, about 4pm on Saturday

Snow has fallen in southern Queensland as the New South Wales State Emergency Service (SES) responds to reports of up to 100 vehicles stuck in heavy snow blanketing the northern tablelands.

Footage sent to Guardian Australia showed snow tumbling down at Dalveen, between Stanthorpe and Warwick in south east Queensland, about 4pm on Saturday.

Continue reading...

Snow falls in Queensland as NSW SES report 100 vehicles stuck in heavily blanketed northern tablelands

Posted on by

Footage shows snow falling at Dalveen, between Stanthorpe and Warwick in south east Queensland, about 4pm on Saturday

Snow has fallen in southern Queensland as the New South Wales State Emergency Service (SES) responds to reports of up to 100 vehicles stuck in heavy snow blanketing the northern tablelands.

Footage sent to Guardian Australia showed snow tumbling down at Dalveen, between Stanthorpe and Warwick in south east Queensland, about 4pm on Saturday.

Continue reading...

Wong criticises Israel’s conduct in Gaza in closed-door meeting with Israeli ambassador

Posted on by

The foreign affairs minister’s meeting with Amir Maimon was requested by the Israeli embassy, according to federal government sources

In a private meeting with Israel’s ambassador to Australia, the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, criticised Israel’s conduct in Gaza and called for it to urgently comply with international law and increase the supply of food to Palestinians.

Wong’s Thursday meeting with Amir Maimon was requested by the Israeli embassy, according to federal government sources, and took place inside Wong’s office at Parliament House in Canberra.

Continue reading...

Wong criticises Israel’s conduct in Gaza in closed-door meeting with Israeli ambassador

Posted on by

The foreign affairs minister’s meeting with Amir Maimon was requested by the Israeli embassy, according to federal government sources

In a private meeting with Israel’s ambassador to Australia, the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, criticised Israel’s conduct in Gaza and called for it to urgently comply with international law and increase the supply of food to Palestinians.

Wong’s Thursday meeting with Amir Maimon was requested by the Israeli embassy, according to federal government sources, and took place inside Wong’s office at Parliament House in Canberra.

Continue reading...