Category Archives: Australia news

Federal opposition flags more ‘sensitive’ approach to foreign students at Australian universities

Posted on by

New Coalition education spokesperson Jonathon Duniam says Peter Dutton policy to slash international enrolments not ‘as constructive as it could have been’

The Coalition has walked away from its call for Australia to slash 80,000 international students from higher education institutions, with the opposition’s education spokesperson promising a more “sensitive” approach after the party’s crushing election defeat in May.

During the federal election campaign, the then-opposition leader, Peter Dutton, claimed that cutting foreign student numbers would free up more housing and rental opportunities. Dutton said students were “taking up accommodation that should be occupied by Australian citizens”.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

Early tallies in Tasmania election point to Liberal gains

Posted on by

Support appears to grow for incumbent government in election triggered by no-confidence vote

Early voting counts in Tasmania’s election points to the Liberals being in the box seat to rule, with the incumbent government’s vote rising and Labor’s collapsing.

Saturday’s vote, triggered when the minority Liberal premier, Jeremy Rockliff, lost a no-confidence motion in early June, is the island’s second in 16 months.

Continue reading...

Man shot dead by police in Townsville

Posted on by

Police allege the man was armed with a machete and knife on The Strand in Townsville’s North Ward on Saturday morning

The Queensland police service says officers have shot and killed a man in Townsville after they allege he moved towards them with a machete and a knife.

Police were called to reports of a man armed with multiple weapons on The Strand and intersecting McKinley Street in Townsville’s North Ward just before 10am on Saturday, the QPS said.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

Labor moves to bolster penalty rates and overtime pay protections for millions of workers

Posted on by

Legislation will prevent award wage penalty rates from being cut in exchange for higher rates of base pay if it will leave workers worse off

Workers who rely on award wages would have their rights to penalty rates and overtime pay protected under one of the first pieces of legislation to be introduced to the new federal parliament.

The changes to the Fair Work Act would effectively ensure workers paid under awards cannot have their penalty rates reduced in return for a higher rate of base pay if it leaves workers worse off.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

Scott Morrison to testify before US House panel on China

Posted on by

Former Australian prime minister to appear at hearing about countering China’s ‘economic coercion against democracies’, select committee says

The former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison will testify at a US House panel hearing next week about countering China’s “economic coercion against democracies,” the committee said on Friday.

Rahm Emanuel, the former US ambassador to Japan, will also testify before the House select committee on China.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

Three teenagers killed in Queensland crash while attempting to overtake truck

Posted on by

Two men and a woman, all aged 19, died at the scene in Mackay after a late night crash involving multiple vehicles

Three teenagers have died in Queensland after their car crashed into a dual-cab ute while attempting to overtake a truck.

Two 19-year-old men and a 19-year-old woman died at the scene in Mackay, more than 800km north of Brisbane, after a crash involving multiple vehicles late on Friday night.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

Is this Queensland beach really the best in the world? Tell us your favourite

Posted on by

Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island is home to marine stingers, including jellyfish, from October to May, but that didn’t stop voters in Big 7 Travel list. Have your say in the comments section

A Queensland beach where swimmers need to wear stinger suits for eight months of the year has been voted the best in the world for 2025.

Whitehaven Beach, on Whitsunday Island, is home to marine stingers, including jellyfish, from October to May when the water temperatures are warmer, making the use of stinger suits highly advisable.

Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning

Continue reading...

First Australian tanks handed over to Ukrainian army

Posted on by

Defence minister Richard Marles says Australia is ‘steadfast’ in support of Kyiv as Abrams tanks go into action

The first tranche of Australian tanks has been handed over to the Ukrainian army to help its defence against Russia’s invasion.

Australia had previously pledged to give Ukraine 49 Abrams tanks worth $245m last October. The defence minister, Richard Marles, said the tanks would aid Ukrainian firepower and complement other military equipment donated by allies to repel Russia’s invasion.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

Native title win for Millewa-Mallee First Nations peoples in Victoria after decades-long fight

Posted on by

Historic decision in Australia’s federal court gives traditional owners in state’s north-west the right to control access to their country

After a difficult journey spanning more than two decades, traditional owners say they’ve “weathered the storm” to finally have their native title rights recognised.

The federal court on Friday awarded the historic native title determination to the Indigenous peoples of the Millewa-Mallee from north-west Victoria, for the first time granting exclusive native title rights in the state.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

Australian Base jumper James Nowland dies in competition accident in northern Italy

Posted on by

Perth man, 42, reportedly died on Wednesday after jumping from the peak of Sass Pordoi in the Dolomites region

An Australian who reportedly died earlier this week in an accident at a competition in northern Italy has been remembered as a much-loved member of the international Base jumping community.

James Nowland, 42, died on Wednesday after jumping from the peak of Sass Pordoi in the Dolomites region during the Pordoi Base race, Italy’s Ansa news agency reported.

Continue reading...

First tickets to Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey sell out – a year before its 2026 release

Posted on by

The blockbuster adaptation of Homer’s epic has not finished filming and has no official runtime. But super fans – and scalpers – already have seats

The first tickets to Christopher Nolan’s take on Homer’s Odyssey have gone on sale – before he’s even finished filming it and a year before the film is even out, in what is likely the longest pre-sale in cinematic history.

The Odyssey, which stars Matt Damon as the cunning Odysseus as he fights his way home after the end of the Trojan war, will be released on 17 July 2026. But on Thursday, Imax released tickets to the first screenings at the 26 Imax cinemas around the world that have the staff and equipment required to project in 1570 format.

Continue reading...

Mark Latham’s alleged behaviour in parliament is a sign of a toxic political culture for women – and that’s a much bigger problem to fix

Posted on by

Chris Minns and his opposition counterpart are the only ones who can drive broader change and improve workplace culture

Over the past few years, political leaders around Australia have been called out for tolerating poor behaviour – mostly by male politicians and staff directed at their female colleagues.

This time, the focus is on New South Wales MP Mark Latham.

Continue reading...

Albanese says Coalition failed to have call with Beijing for years as opposition criticises ‘indulgent’ China trip

Posted on by

James Paterson questioned if the six-day trip had ‘tangible outcomes’ while prime minister retorted, saying opposition should sort ‘themselves out’

Anthony Albanese has sniped back at the opposition’s criticism of his “indulgent” six-day visit to China, pointing out the former Coalition government failed to hold a single phone call with the major trading partner for years.

The prime minister has spent this week touring the country with stops in Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu amid a period of geopolitical instability and escalating trade hostilities between the US and its trading partners.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

Sydney Muslim cleric told to prominently display online judge’s findings he was ‘racist and antisemitic’

Posted on by

Wissam Haddad ordered to ‘pin’ corrective notices describing federal court’s findings

An Islamist preacher who used harmful racial stereotypes about Jewish people in sermons will be forced to tell the world of his antisemitism through prominent online posts.

Sydney-based Al Madina Dawah Centre cleric Wissam Haddad was ordered by the federal court earlier in July not to repeat the perverse and racist tropes he used in a series of fiery sermons from November 2023.

Continue reading...

‘Breakthrough’ hailed in Melbourne synagogue arson investigation as man charged over ‘crime car’

Posted on by

Victoria police charge 20-year-old with stealing ‘a communal crime car’ used in Adass Israel attack and blocking access to apps on his phone

The investigation into an arson attack on the Adass Israel synagogue has reached a “critical point”, Victoria’s acting premier says, after a man was charged with stealing “a communal crime car” used in the attack and blocking police from accessing apps on his phone.

The attack on the ultra-Orthodox Adass Israel synagogue in December is still being investigated as a politically motivated attack by the Victorian joint counter-terrorism team, which includes representatives from the federal police and the domestic spy agency, Asio.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

Push to end antisemitism is welcome but envoy’s plan raises concerns, Australia’s race commissioner warns

Posted on by

Giridharan Sivaraman says he hopes to meet Jillian Segal to discuss her proposals and their implications for fundamental rights and freedoms

Australia’s race discrimination commissioner has warned there is limited detail in how Jillian Segal’s plan to combat antisemitism would be implemented, and said he would work with her to ensure it does not restrict fundamental rights and freedoms.

Giridharan Sivaraman has responded to the antisemitism envoy’s 20-page plan, released last Thursday, which made a range of recommendations, including withholding government funding from universities that “facilitate, enable or fail to act against antisemitism” and monitoring media organisations “to avoid accepting false or distorted narratives”.

Continue reading...

‘Inquisitive, relaxed’ humpback whale swimming in Sydney Harbour delays ferries and boats

Posted on by

Whale is having a ‘full harbour experience’, says an expert aboard a maritime boat shadowing the supersized mammal

An “inquisitive” humpback whale that wandered from its usual migratory route and into the centre of Sydney Harbour is causing “navigational challenges” for ferries and vessels as its tour of the world-famous harbour continues.

The sub-adult whale was spotted by commuters on a harbour ferry service near Fort Denison about 8am on Wednesday. It swam to Circular Quay – Sydney’s central ferry terminal – before moving east towards the defence base of Garden Island then to Watsons Bay and north to Balmoral Bay.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

Firefighters warned of ‘dangers of partisan politics’ after truck displays Liberal corflutes at Melbourne protest

Posted on by

Country Fire Authority says it ‘must always remain apolitical’ amid fallout over rally that also featured offensive slogans on trucks

Victoria’s Country Fire Authority has issued a warning to its senior leadership about the “dangers of partisan politics” and stressed it should remain “apolitical” after Liberal party-branded corflutes were attached to a fire truck at a rally in Melbourne’s western suburbs at the weekend.

A truck from the CFA Inverleigh brigade displayed Liberal party corflutes during a rally in Werribee on Sunday, with a photo of the vehicle shared on social media by the party’s South West Metro branch.

Continue reading...

Hannah McGuire murder trial: accused killer claims ex-partner hit her head during argument

Posted on by

Workmate of accused murderer Lachlan Young tells jury he did not know 23-year-old was inside ute set on fire in remote bushland

The man accused of murdering Victorian woman Hannah McGuire claims the 23-year-old hit her head on the floor and died after an argument became physical.

Lachlan Young’s barrister made the allegation as he questioned witness Benjamin O’Keefe over his involvement in McGuire’s death.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

Architectural home designs for $1: NSW releases housing pattern book aimed at boosting construction

Posted on by

Premier says plans have affordability and fast approval in mind as expert welcomes potential to ‘democratise good design’

What if you could buy architect-designed drawings for a new home for $1 – and have certainty your council would approve it within 10 to 20 days?

The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, will release the state’s housing pattern book on Wednesday, which contains eight blueprints for architect-designed townhouses, terraces and manor houses, chosen from internationally renowned firms including Sam Crawford Architects, Carter Williamson Architects, Saha and Anthony Gill Architects.

Continue reading...