Tiny fungus farming beetle from WA could wreak havoc on Sydney’s heritage trees

Invasive shot-hole borer only found in Perth in Australia, but as WA moves from eradication to management of pest, risk of spread is ‘heightened’

The chief scientist of the Botanic Gardens of Sydney is warning of an imminent and deadly risk to the city’s trees posed by an invasive beetle that has led to the removal of thousands of trees in Perth.

The tiny polyphagous shot-hole borer, which is native to south-east Asia, is a “fungus farmer” that burrows into trees and can spread a fungus that kills the host tree.

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Erin Patterson’s hospital visit – and what the beef wellingtons really looked like: mushroom murder exhibits revealed

Evidence presented in the mushroom murder trial shows the dining table used in the fateful lunch and social media chats

For more than two months, Erin Patterson’s triple-murder trial gripped people around the world. But while millions were glued to news updates, only a handful of people had access to the full case.

Jurors heard from more than 50 witnesses and were introduced to more than 120 pieces of evidence by the prosecution and defence throughout the lengthy proceedings.

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Queensland zoo to reopen two days after woman loses arm to lioness

Woman injured in Sunday incident was ‘a much-loved member of the zoo owners’ family’ and not in animal’s enclosure at the time, zoo says

A woman has lost her arm after being attacked on Sunday at a Queensland zoo by a lioness, which the zoo insists “was not hungry” or maltreated.

Queensland’s health minister, Tim Nicholls, confirmed that the woman, who is in her 50s, had “lost her arm” in the attack, which took place at about 8.32am on Sunday at the Darling Downs zoo, south of Toowoomba.

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Qantas contacted by suspected cyber criminal but airline won’t confirm if hacking ransom demanded

Hacked airline says Australian federal police have been engaged but it ‘won’t be commenting any further on the detail of the contact’

A potential cyber criminal has made contact with Qantas, the airline has confirmed, after a major attack on its network exposed the personal records of up to 6 million customers.

In a statement on Monday evening, a spokesperson for Qantas said the Australian federal police (AFP) had been engaged but the airline would not confirm if a ransom was being sought for the compromised personal data.

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Australian doctors call for clampdown on social media influencers allegedly glamourising poker machines

Doctors’ warning comes after report reveals the social cost of gambling in Victoria had doubled to $14bn

The peak body for Australian doctors has urged politicians and social media companies to restrict “shocking” content of influencers allegedly glamourising poker machines on social media, in what it called an incredibly new phenomenon.

The warning comes after a report commissioned by the Victorian government found the social cost of gambling in the state had doubled – from $7bn in 2014-15 to $14bn in 2022-23 – despite fewer people gambling.

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Celebrity chef Peter Russell-Clarke dies aged 89 – as it happened

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Here’s how Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel will transform the city and commuting

For nearly a decade, deep beneath Melbourne, tunnel boring machines and construction crews have been quietly reshaping the city with the creation of the Metro Tunnel.

I think every Liberal seat in the country is a marginal seat, right now. But my feelings around quotas and the talk in the media oversimplifies the issue, which is around the culture in the Liberal Party and how women are treated in the Liberal Party …

I had two attempts to take me out as a sitting member of parliament by blokes, very aggressively. So, until the culture is addressed, we could have all the quotas in the world, but it will be a revolving door of women.”

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‘No empty words’: Kumanjayi Walker’s family prepare for coroner’s final report with call for ‘real action’

Findings will be handed down almost five years after the Warlpiri man died during a bungled arrest in the remote Northern Territory community of Yuendumu

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The inquest findings into the shooting death of Kumanjayi Walker will be handed down in Yuendumu on Monday, almost five years after the Warlpiri man died during a bungled arrest in the remote Northern Territory community.

Zachary Rolfe shot Walker three times while trying to arrest him on 9 November 2019 in Yuendumu, about 300km from Alice Springs.

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Celebrity chef Peter Russell-Clarke dies aged 89

The host of the 1980s cooking show, Come and Get It, died peacefully on Friday with his wife and children at his side

TV chef, artist and “talented rogue”, Peter Russell-Clarke, has died at the age of 89.

The host of the 1980s cooking show, Come and Get It, died peacefully on Friday with his wife of 65 years, Jan, and his two children, Peter and Wendy and their families, by his side.

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Woman suffers ‘significant’ injury to arm after being mauled by animal at Queensland zoo

Woman in her 50s was reportedly watching keepers at work in an enclosure at Darling Downs zoo, south of Toowoomba, when attacked

A woman has suffered significant injuries after being bitten by an animal at a Queensland zoo.

The woman, in her 50s, was attacked at Darling Downs zoo, in Pilton, about 50km south of Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, at about 8.32am on Sunday.

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PM condemns ‘shocking acts’ after suspicious fire at Melbourne synagogue with 20 people inside

Police allege a man entered the grounds at about 8pm on Friday and poured a flammable liquid on the front door

Anthony Albanese has pledged federal support for Victorian authorities after police reported a suspicious fire was lit at a synagogue in East Melbourne on Friday night.

Victoria police alleged an unknown man entered the grounds of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation on Albert Street at about 8pm on Friday and poured a flammable liquid on the front door of the building and set it on fire.

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Creative Australia chief executive facing mounting pressure to resign after Khaled Sabsabi controversy

Senior arts figure says board and CEO ‘didn’t seem to understand or at least trust the power and complexity of the visual arts’

Creative Australia chief executive Adrian Collette is facing mounting pressure to resign after the body’s decision to reinstate Khaled Sabsabi as Australia’s 2026 Venice Biennale representative.

Senior arts figures have also criticised the Creative Australia board, as a former chair of the selection panel for the biennale said the board and Collette did not “understand or at least trust the power and complexity of the visual arts”.

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Bodies of two men in dilapidated Sydney house could have been undiscovered by housemate for weeks

Landlord made welfare concern call about one tenant – but when police arrived they found two bodies

The decomposing bodies of two men found inside a dilapidated terrace on a busy inner Sydney street could have gone undiscovered by their roommate for several weeks, police have said.

On Thursday afternoon, Eleanor Barker, 63, made a welfare concern call to police about one of her tenants. She has owned and lived at the Cleveland Street property in Surry Hills since the 1980s, and rented it out to the two men for at least a decade.

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Australia news live: man shot dead by police in siege in Victorian town; boy dies after e-bike crash in Sydney

Victoria police say they attempted to engage with armed man before ‘siege of several hours’. Follow the latest updates live

Smoke coming from Sydney tram causes to be suspended on Randwick line

Light rail services on the Randwick line have stopped due to smoke coming from the roof of a tram.

The man managed to get back into his car and drive a short distance before being overcome by his injuries.

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Victoria’s First Peoples’ Assembly to be made permanent and granted decision-making powers under treaty bill

Body will be able to advise ministers on issues directly affecting Aboriginal people in the state

Victoria’s First Peoples’ Assembly will manage the rollout of community infrastructure grants and have a direct line to ministers and the power to make appointments to government boards under legislation to be introduced to parliament this year.

As first reported by Guardian Australia this week, the Victorian government and the First Peoples’ Assembly have confirmed that the statewide treaty bill will establish the assembly as a representative body to provide advice to government.

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‘A plea for connection’: Gaza musicians perform at Sydney Opera House as cultural institutions destroyed at home

Israel’s bombardment of Gaza is ‘destroying heritage and history and culture’, says curator Ayşe Göknur Shanal. Her show is ‘trying to protect and preserve’

As long as you can hear a beat or someone singing, you can dabke.

“The official definition, if there is one for dabke, is when a group of people dance together, usually in a synchronised way,” Derek Halawa says.

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Royal Prince Alfred hospital management pauses cuts across women and babies unit after protests

Exclusive: One midwife said staff were ‘so relieved that the cuts had been paused’ and that they hoped a fair roster could be negotiated

Management at Royal Prince Alfred hospital (RPA) in Sydney will pause its cuts to staffing levels across its women and babies unit, just days after staff protested against the changes.

Dozens of midwives and other clinical staff held a snap rally on Tuesday outside RPA, one of the city’s major tertiary hospitals, claiming that management’s decision to reduce the number of midwives rostered on to the birthing unit risked the lives of mothers and babies.

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News live: Wong says Trump ‘keen’ for meeting with Albanese; Creative Australia apologises to Venice Biennale artists

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Power continues to be restored in NSW

About 5,800 customers remained without power at 7am Thursday, according to network operators Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy and Essential Energy.

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Flood threat ongoing for parts of NSW and Victoria as east coast weather system subsides

Heavy conditions expected to continue along parts of the east coast on Thursday

Authorities remain on alert to flood risk across New South Wales and eastern Victoria after a complex low-pressure system swept the nation’s east coast this week, drenchingcatchments.

Severe weather warnings for damaging winds and hazardous surf also remained in place on Thursday morning, with the system still “lurking over the Tasman Sea”, said Helen Reid, meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology.

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NSW weather: storm brings 13-metre high waves and wild winds as BoM warns of ‘second surge’

Vigorous coastal low forecast to keep sending severe weather across eastern New South Wales for much of Wednesday, before gradually easing on Thursday

Thousands remain without power across New South Wales after severe winds and heavy rain battered the state, with wind gusts up to 130km/h, 13-metre high waves, and several places receiving more than 200mm rain.

The Bureau of Meteorology expected a “second surge” on Wednesday night would bring a further burst of rain and wind to the south coast of NSW and eastern parts of Victoria, with peak gusts of around 90km/h possible along exposed parts of the coast.

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Australia’s big four banks not making it easy for customers to get bonus interest despite watchdog’s calls

Guardian analysis found no major bank has adopted ACCC recommendations in full – but NAB, CommBank, Westpac and ANZ say they offer in-app alerts

Australia’s big banks have not implemented several recommendations designed to help customers qualify for bonus interest rates on savings products, more than 18 months after the regulatory advice was issued.

Two in three customers of bonus accounts miss out on the headline interest rate and instead receive a far smaller base rate, an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission inquiry found in late 2023.

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