Category Archives: Australia news

Obesity-related cancer rates nearly quadruple in Australia over three and a half decades

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Researchers call on governments to implement national obesity strategy to help stem further rises in preventable cancers

The rate of obesity-related cancers in Australia has almost quadrupled in a few generations, new research suggests.

Researchers at the Daffodil Centre, a joint venture of Cancer Council New South Wales and the University of Sydney, analysed the rate of 10 obesity-linked cancers between 1983 and 2017.

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Coalmine wastewater spill south of Sydney turns Royal national park creek to black sludge

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NSW EPA investigating third coal pollution incident this year involving Peabody Energy’s Metropolitan mine

A creek running through the Royal national park, south of Sydney, has been hit by a coal wastewater spill that turned its water into thick, black sludge.

It is the third coal pollution incident investigated by the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority this year involving Peabody Energy’s Metropolitan mine at Helensburg.

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Falls festival to return after pandemic with move to Melbourne

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Lil Nas X and Arctic Monkeys to headline at Sidney Myer Music Bowl after farmers appeal plans to hold event in Birregurra

Victoria’s Falls festival will make its long-awaited return in December following a two-year hiatus but with a second location change to the fringe of Melbourne’s CBD.

For the first time in its nearly 30-year history, the three-day festival will relocate from regional Victoria to the inner-city.

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Mixed reaction on potential delay to integrity commission bill – as it happened

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And the London police have responded to the viral video of a police officer talking to a protester at Parliament Square – with a statement that reads like it is reminding officers people have the right to peaceful protests.

If you haven’t read the UK Guardian’s editorial today, you may enjoy it

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‘The scariest thing is insecurity’: Australia’s renters over 50 fear uncertain future, report shows

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Anglicare Australia finds a couple on age pensions could afford to rent only 1.4% of properties advertised

Nearly three-quarters of renters over 50 fear an expensive and unstable future with spiralling housing costs resulting in insecurity, according to a new report by one of Australia’s largest charities.

Anglicare Australia recently polled 500 over-50s about their housing circumstances, hopes and fears. The subsequent report, Ageing in Place: Home and Housing for Australia’s Older Renters, released on Tuesday, revealed housing costs are the biggest barrier to older renters staying settled in the same place as they age.

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Cleared of wrongdoing, the political fate of former NSW minister Stuart Ayres remains uncertain

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Whether Ayres returns to cabinet or retires to the backbench, Dominic Perrottet faces further headaches

For Stuart Ayres, the release on Monday of a report clearing him of breaching the New South Wales ministerial code of conduct was vindication.

Bruce McClintock SC was unequivocal in finding the former deputy Liberal leader and trade minister had not acted improperly in John Barilaro’s appointment to a lucrative New York trade job.

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Insider cyber threats pose ‘significant’ risk to Australia’s defence force, brief warns

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Incoming brief to Albanese government cites risk of malicious employees accessing and inappropriately using systems

Defence is at “significant risk” from cyber insider threats, the department’s incoming brief to the Albanese government says.

That could include malicious, disgruntled or merely duped employees accessing Defence’s systems and threatening their security.

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‘Interspecies innovation arms race’: cockatoos and humans at war over wheelie bin raids

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Research shows Sydney residents devising increasingly sophisticated ways to keep highly intelligent but ‘bloody annoying’ birds out of household waste

Cockatoos and humans are locked in what Australian researchers have described as “an interspecies innovation arms race”.

Sydney residents are resorting to increasingly sophisticated measures to prevent sulphur-crested cockatoos from opening and raiding household wheelie bins, detailed in new research published in the journal Current Biology.

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Step on it! Walking is good for health but walking faster is even better, study finds

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Walking briskly is beneficial for all health outcomes including dementia, heart disease, cancer and death

How fast you walk could be just as important for your health as how many steps you take each day, a new study suggests.

Researchers from the University of Sydney and the University of Southern Denmark found that 10,000 steps each day is the “sweet spot” to help lower the risk of disease and death. They also found that a faster pace, such as a brisk power walk, can have even greater benefits.

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Australia news live: review into Stuart Ayres over Barilaro hiring finds no breach of ministerial conduct

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Ayres stepped aside as deputy NSW Liberal leader and trade minister after a separate report into the controversial trade posting of John Barilaro. Follow all the day’s news live

Australia’s high commissioner to the UK meets with King Charles

Australia’s acting high commissioner to the UK Lynette Wood has had an audience with King Charles III.

Really what matters is we have the best possible person for the job, who can advance Australia’s interests in the best possible way, and that certainly needs a thorough and robust process to choose that person.

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Sydney north shore residents face third day without water after main bursts

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Sydney Water apologises to residents of Lane Cove and surrounding suburbs for water supply and traffic issues

A burst water main has left residents in parts of Sydney’s lower north shore without water for three days and caused chaos on roads and public transport.

Water continued to gush on to Epping Road in Lane Cove on Monday, three days after what Sydney Water called a “complex” water main burst.

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Queen public holiday: Australian business groups express concern over lost revenue and staffing disruptions

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Industry bodies join medical association in criticising Albanese government over notice for national day of mourning after death of Queen Elizabeth

Australian retail and business groups have joined the medical association in raising concerns about disruptions caused by the public holiday to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II after her death on 8 September.

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, made the announcement on Sunday that a “one-off public holiday” would be held on 22 September as a national day of mourning, after the Queen’s funeral on 19 September.

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Albanese says ‘inappropriate’ to discuss republic now but doesn’t rule out future referendum

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Prime minister says vote to recognise Indigenous Australians in the constitution comes before any referendum on republic

Anthony Albanese has not ruled out holding a referendum on the republic if he is re-elected, saying only that it was “inappropriate” to discuss while commemorating Queen Elizabeth II.

Albanese made the remarks on Monday in a round of interviews defending plans to hold a national day of mourning public holiday on 22 September.

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NSW Coalition down but not out as poll shows hung parliament a strong possibility

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Drop in popularity for Coalition and Labor suggests tight race in NSW election – and that independents could still play key role

Nearly six months out from the next New South Wales election, a new poll shows there is little separating the major parties, with a hung parliament a distinct possibility.

The latest Guardian Essential poll of 661 voters showed 36.4% would put the Coalition first on their ballot if an election were held in the state tomorrow, while 32% would choose Labor.

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Anthony Albanese says ‘now not the time’ to discuss republic

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Australia’s prime minister prepares to pay his respects to Queen Elizabeth II in the UK this week after announcing national day of mourning

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, says “now is not the time” to discuss Australia becoming a republic, saying it is time of national mourning.

Albanese, who has previously expressed support for Australia becoming a republic had said any referendum on the topic would take second seat to an Indigenous voice to parliament.

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Australia set New Zealand target of 268 to win third ODI – live!

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Out strides Aaron Finch, leading the Australian XI onto the field for the final time in 50-over cricket. Both teams take the oval and stand by the boundary for a minute’s silence in honour of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

It’s 30 degrees, bright and sunny in Cairns with a southerly breeze taking the edge off the sun’s intensity.

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Governor general proclaims King Charles III as Australia’s head of state – As it happened

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Anthony Albanese has set 22 September as National Memorial Service Day for Queen Elizabeth II. This blog is now closed

Howard says the popularity of the Queen was the key reason behind the republican movement failing, but that the monarchy offers stability.

I think there’s also a keener appreciation of the value of the institution and its strength. People look around the world at the moment and the alternative governance systems on offer, everyone in democracies, don’t look all that flash on occasions. I think the strength and durability and flexibility of the constitutional monarchy is something that more people appreciate than is imagined.

That is fair enough. It’s a democracy. People can argue for change. My observation is the strength of the monarchy in Australia was immeasurably increased by the personal popularity of the Queen.

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Australia to have public holiday to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Anthony Albanese announces

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Thursday 22 September to be a one-off national holiday and will coincide with a memorial ceremony in Canberra

Australians will get a one-off public holiday as a national day of mourning to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has announced.

Appearing on the ABC’s Insiders on Sunday morning, Albanese said Thursday 22 September, which coincides with a memorial service for the Queen, would be a national public holiday.

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Jacinda Ardern expects New Zealand’s royal ties to ‘deepen’ under King Charles III

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New Zealand and Australia hold ceremonies to recognise new head of state and pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II

Australia and New Zealand have held proclamation ceremonies for the new head of state King Charles III, with New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern saying she expected her country’s relationship with the royal family to “deepen”, and Australia declaring a one-off public holiday as a national day of mourning for Queen Elizabeth II.

New Zealand held its formal ceremony on parliament’s grounds, with the proceedings led by governer general Cindy Kiro and Ardern, beginning with the national anthem and a prayer in te reo Māori – the Indigenous language.

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King Charles III formally proclaimed Australia’s head of state in Parliament House ceremony

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Governor general David Hurley says the passing of Queen Elizabeth II is the end of an era, and Australia is an ‘unfinished product’

Australia has proclaimed the ascension of King Charles III, with hundreds of people lining the forecourt and streets around Parliament House to watch the formal ceremony on Sunday.

The federal executive council, which performs functions similar to that of the privy council in the United Kingdom and is made up of the ministers of government and the governor general, met on Sunday in Government House, where the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, recommended the ascension to the governor general, David Hurley.

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