Category Archives: New South Wales

Labor will have itself to blame if it loses western Sydney over Gaza issue, says Muslim Vote convener

Posted on by

Wesam Charkawi says Albanese’s party has ‘created this movement through their decisions’ as pro-Palestine communities feel Labor has failed them

A new Muslim political movement backing independent candidates says Labor will have itself to blame if Peter Dutton wins the next election, and that people should not assume the candidates they support will preference Labor.

Sheikh Wesam Charkawi, one of the conveners behind the Muslim Vote movement, said the group would be aiming to support “at least five candidates” in New South Wales and Victoria.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

Australia news live: BoM predicts warm spring as Sydney faces high fire danger and four states warned of high winds

Posted on by

Windy weekend in prospect as BoM forecasts warmer-than-usual spring. Follow the day’s news live

Good morning and welcome to the end-of-week news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the best of the overnight stories to get you up to speed before hosting duties switch to Emily Wind.

Mano Yogalingam was 23 years old and had “his whole life in front of him”. But the stresses and strains of living with the prospect of being deported back to Sri Lanka pushed him over the edge and he took his own life this week. Our top story this morning hears from refugee advocates who say the death of the Tamil asylum seeker has exposed the failings of the fast-track immigration system. “All of these people have been failed by the system. It’s a total cobweb of cruelty,” one said.

Continue reading...

Australia news live: Josh Burns breaks ranks to call for gender and sexuality questions in census

Posted on by

Follow today’s news headlines live

Severe weather warnings are in place across southern parts of the country for strong winds, including Victoria and Tasmania.

Here’s a wrap of the warnings currently in place, according to the Bureau of Meteorology:

Victoria – a strong cold front is expected to reach Victoria later today, clearing to the east tomorrow morning. Locations which may be affected by the wild weather include Portland, Bacchus Marsh, Falls Creek, Mt Hotham, Mt Buller and Omeo.

For the Central, West and South Gippsland and East Gippsland areas, a warning for abnormally high tides is in place.

Tasmania – a strong cold front is also expected to reach Tasmania later today, crossing the state tomorrow morning. The entire state is covered by the severe weather warning.

New South Wales – north-westerly winds are forecast to strengthen later today as a strong cold front approaches from the west. Locations which may be affected include Wollongong, Nowra, Bowral, Batemans Bay, Katoomba and Goulburn.

Meanwhile, fire danger ratings for the greater Sydney and Illawarra have been downgraded to “moderate” today after reaching “high” yesterday.

Western Australia – gusty, showery conditions are expected over parts of the South West Land Division today.

Continue reading...

NSW health minister apologises to women failed by maternity care after birth trauma inquiry

Posted on by

Ryan Park pledges to fast-track a number of initiatives, including to improve access to continuity of care and ensure informed consent

The New South Wales health minister, Ryan Park, has apologised to women who were failed by the maternity care they received, as the government supported all 43 recommendations from a state inquiry into birth trauma.

Thousands of women shared harrowing details with the inquiry, which was established in 2023 to understand experiences of childbirth that lead to physical or psychological harm.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

Police seek answers over Queensland woman’s body found on NSW beach six months after ‘highly unusual’ disappearance

Posted on by

Wendy Hansen was last seen near Bundaberg in February before her remains were discovered at Coffs Harbour in June. Police say her death is suspicious

Mystery surrounds the death of a Queensland woman whose remains were found in dunes at a New South Wales beach, hundreds of kilometres away from where she was last spotted.

NSW police have launched a homicide investigation into the death of Wendy Hansen, who vanished six months ago.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

Woman claims she was asked to catalogue sex tapes before high-profile Sydney man raped her, court told

Posted on by

The man, who cannot be named, denies he raped the woman or asked her to watch sex tapes

A high profile Sydney man allegedly asked his intern to catalogue sex tapes of himself and his ex-wife moments before he allegedly raped her, a court has heard.

The woman, who was 19 at the time she was allegedly raped, appeared before the NSW Downing Centre district court on Wednesday, in the second day of a trial expected to last 10 weeks. She said the footage was “incredibly explicit sexual intercourse”.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

Sydney property developer who ‘washed’ money for tax fraud scheme blackmailer forced to repay $11m

Posted on by

Liquidators to recoup millions sent to blackmailer who threatened to expose Plutus Payroll tax fraud scheme

A Sydney property developer who helped “wash” money for a blackmailer convicted for threatening to expose tax fraud will have to cough up more than $11m.

Plutus Payroll and its directors stole $105m from the Australian Taxation Office by skimming off GST and transferring it elsewhere, according to court findings.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

High-profile Sydney man raped 19-year-old in his home while she was doing an internship with him, court told

Posted on by

The man, who cannot be named, has pleaded not guilty to raping five women

A high-profile Sydney man accused of raping five women raped one 19-year-old woman in his home while she was undertaking an internship with him, a court has heard.

The man, whom Guardian Australia cannot name due to a suppression order, has pleaded not guilty to 12 charges alleged to have occurred over a six-year period against six women on separate occasions.

In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. If you or someone you know is affected by sexual assault, family or domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000. International helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org. The Stop It Now! helpline is 1800 011 800.

Continue reading...

Australia news live: thousands rally in capital cities as CFMEU workers walk off sites; fears of overdose crisis as use of nitazenes grows

Posted on by

Rallies in support of the CFMEU have kicked off across the nation’s capital cities, from Sydney, Melbourne to Brisbane. Follow the day’s news live

Jim Chalmers accuses Liberals of ‘economic insanity’ on potential housing cuts

Jim Chalmers was asked about the $100bn in cuts the Coalition is set to announce today, mostly from Labor initiatives, if it wins the next election. Would this appeal to the electorate?

What we know from what’s in the newspapers today is that they plan billions of dollars to cuts in housing at a time when we’ve got a very severe housing shortage, and this goes with the absolute economic insanity of the Liberals and Nationals. During an extreme housing shortage, they want to swing the axe on billions of dollars in housing funding.

Also this is $100bn they reckon – let’s see the details. They flagged more than three times that amount when it comes to cuts, so let’s hear them come clean on the other cuts. Let’s hear what it means for Medicare and pensions and for the economy more broadly.

Continue reading...

Australia records hottest ever winter temperature with some areas set to be 10C above average

Posted on by

‘What’s really interesting about this warm stretch of weather, is it is going to last for a long time,’ BoM says

Australia has recorded its hottest ever winter temperature, with Yampi Sound in the Kimberley region of Western Australia reaching 41.6C on Tuesday.

The record, which has been provisionally confirmed by the Bureau of Meteorology, and will be officially confirmed by the organisation on Tuesday, exceeds the old national record of 41.2C which was reached at West Roebuck on 23 August 2020.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

Man charged over Sydney stabbing as premier hails bystanders who ‘were able to save someone’s life’

Posted on by

Driver charged with eight offences after allegedly stabbing his partner while driving, leading to car crash in Engadine

The New South Wales premier has said he is “blown away” by bystanders who tried to help after a Sydney driver allegedly stabbed his partner leading to a car collision, saying “ordinary members of the public were able to save someone’s life”.

A 58-year-old man was Tasered and arrested after allegedly stabbing three people at the site of a car collision in Engadine, south of Sydney on Sunday morning. Police allege the man had been attacking his female partner, 48, with a box cutter while driving, leading to a collision with another car.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

Australia urged to show ‘true climate leadership’ as Pacific Islands Forum begins – as it happened

Posted on by

This blog is now closed.

Investigations under way after alleged theft of non-fuctional guns from museum

An investigation is under way after a museum in Lithgow, in the NSW Central Tablelands, was allegedly broken into overnight.

Continue reading...

Triple zero callers now able to livestream emergencies directly to NSW police

Posted on by

BluLink gives emergency responders access to scene before they have even arrived

Livestreaming unfolding emergencies directly to police is now possible in New South Wales using an innovative technology system.

The statewide rollout of BluLink allows triple zero callers to provide police with GPS coordinates, live video streaming, digital media uploads and text messages via a link sent to them from emergency dispatchers.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

Four people including police officer injured after car crash and alleged stabbings in Sydney’s south

Posted on by

NSW police allege 58-year-old driver stabbed his partner with box cutter before Engadine collision and then attacked witnesses who came to help

Four people including a police officer have been injured after a driver involved in a Sydney car crash allegedly stabbed his passenger before lashing out at witnesses who tried to help.

Two vehicles collided at the intersection of the Princes Highway and Old Bush Road in Engadine before 9am on Sunday, New South Wales police said.

Continue reading...

Mardi Gras board decision to consult queer community on police joining parade hailed as ‘massive win’

Posted on by

Results of consultation will form independent report and motion will be voted on at annual general meeting later this year

The Sydney Mardi Gras board will vote on whether NSW police force members will march in its annual parade later this year.

In an email sent to members on Friday evening, the board announced three community consultation sessions – two online and one in person – would be held in September to gather feedback.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

NSW woman charged with murder after man’s body found in surfboard bag

Posted on by

Emergency services visited a Darkwood property, about 67km west of Coffs Harbour, after reports a dead body had been found

A woman has been charged with a domestic violence-related murder, after a man’s body was allegedly found in a surfboard bag at a rural property in Darkwood, west of Coffs Harbour.

A 35-year-old woman was arrested on Friday afternoon in Nambucca Heads and taken to Macksville police station where she was charged with the murder of a 62-year-old man.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

NSW Liberal Andrew Bragg claims some party colleagues may be ‘playing footsies with nimbys’

Posted on by

Moderate senator says the idea of new developments in established suburbs does not sit well with some Liberals

New South Wales Liberal frontbench senator Andrew Bragg has accused some of his party colleagues of “playing footsies with nimbys” for blocking real estate developments in Sydney’s suburbs that he says would help ease the housing crisis.”

The shadow assistant minister for home ownership told Guardian Australia that some Liberals were encouraging a not-in-my-back yard attitude to expanding housing stock in some metropolitan areas and obstructing measures that could help increase supply.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

Australia’s ski season could melt away early as snowfall drops to nearly half the average

Posted on by

August should mean peak snow depth, Jindabyne worker says, but early blast of spring threatens ‘catastrophic’ premature end to season

Australia’s snow season has begun to melt away early as unseasonable warmth cuts snowfalls to almost half the average for this time of year, experts say.

A global-heating fuelled early blast of spring weather means the season may have peaked early, with snow fields melted by warm temperatures and washed away by showers.

Continue reading...

NSW judge faces ban after scathing report criticises his handling of sexual assault trial

Posted on by

Report finds that during trial Judge Robert Newlinds repeatedly called crown case ‘hopeless’ and vilified the alleged sexual assault victim

A judge could be pulled from hearing criminal cases after a watchdog found he abused his power when criticising New South Wales’s top prosecutor and vilifying a sexual assault complainant.

A report found that district court Judge Robert Newlinds publicly criticised the NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in his judgment on a sexual assault case in 2023, suggesting the trial had been run in a way unfair to the accused.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

Australia news live: winter heat record set in South Australia; NZ suspends import of all Australian tomatoes

Posted on by

South Australia has notched up its hottest winter day on record. Follow the day’s news live

David Anderson says it was ‘the right time for me’ to resign from ABC

The ABC managing director, David Anderson, is speaking with ABC RN after yesterday’s announcement of his resignation.

And I think the right time for the ABC. It is something I had thought about now for months, and went away on leave, spoke to [ABC chair] Kim [Williams] a lot. Kim tried to get me to change my mind. [I] came back from leave with it, certain in my mind that I was making the right decision.

We’ve got a long lead time for the board to find a new managing director, and I’ve been asked to and I agreed to stay on until that person starts, which could very well be April next year.

Continue reading...