Dan Tehan, the shadow minister for energy, did not answer questions on the morning after Angus Taylor was named as a potential donor to a conservative Liberal group being investigated by the New South Wales corruption watchdog, Icac. Taylor is not accused of any wrongdoing, and the opposition leader said on the previous day the matter should be “allowed to run their course free from political interference or commentary. As such, the leader will not be providing a running commentary on any matters before the commission”.
Tehan was asked whether the Icac inquiry risked becoming a distraction for Taylor if he did not clarify his relationship with the group from the hard right faction of the Liberals, known as the “Reformers”. But Tehan told RN Breakfast the focus should remain on the government in power while Icac “does its job”.
Let’s let Icac do its job. And in the meantime, let’s focus on the person who’s running this country.
What is Ben Carroll doing on his first full day as premier?
Ben Carroll began his first full day as the new Victorian premier at Kmart Bourke Street, a nod to his first job. He told reporters he spent eight years working at Kmart Airport West, which he described as “crucible years”.
He also said he remembered “of being intimidated, of being abused, of being threatened” in the job, and said that was why he had chosen to bring forward legislation already committed to by his predecessor Jacinta Allan: workplace protection orders.
Under the bill, courts will be able to ban or limit people’s access to workplaces when they treat frontline workers unacceptably for up to 12 months. Breaching an order could lead to up to two years in prison or a fine of up to $50,000.
The protections will apply across all retail businesses and specified train, tram and bus operators. If passed, the scheme will begin on 29 July 2027 to allow further consultation and to ensure vulnerable people are not caught up.
This is a big reform, it’s been trialled in the ACT but this is going to be nation-leading and we want to make sure we get this right.
What did Carroll say about the construction royal commission?
Carroll also said he had already asked the Department of Premier and Cabinet to begin work on the terms of reference for the royal commission into the construction sector he announced on the previous day. He confirmed the commission will examine the Labor government’s oversight of the Big Build, where corruption is alleged to have occurred.
I said I want exhaustive terms of reference. No stone unturned. Whether it is top-tier contractors, subcontractors, labour hire, government, unions – these will be exhaustive terms of reference.
Former union boss and former Labor leader Bill Shorten backed the announcement. He said Carroll wanted to act with integrity and in everyone’s interests, and that voters would judge whether he was serving the people or playing politics.
He wants to act with integrity, and he wants to act in everyone’s interests.
I think he understands [what] people will be assessing: is he serving the people or is he just playing politics? So I thought he was very straight. He’s in there for Victorians, not trying to just tick the box and get particular interest groups on side.
Shorten, the former national secretary of the Australian Workers’ Union before entering parliament in 2007, said Carroll’s decision to establish a royal commission was timely.
I think the national mood or the state mood was there for it. I just think that the costs of construction … there may be exaggerations, but there is something rotten going on in construction, and people want to see it can be dealt with. This is public infrastructure, so it’s taxpayer money.
You can about Carroll’s announcement here:
Why was Carroll’s first day launch at Kmart?
The premier chose Kmart Bourke Street because it was his first job, and he said he had worked at Kmart Airport West for eight years. He said those years shaped him, but also brought experiences of intimidation, abuse and threats, which influenced his decision to advance the workplace protection orders legislation.
What happened in the NSW police raid?
A young man and woman were arrested after police seized millions of dollars worth of drugs, grenades, ammunition and guns at an alleged safe house. AAP reported that detectives made the find during a raid on a home in Glenfield in Sydney’s south-west on Tuesday morning.
Weapons allegedly found at the scene included six grenades, three semi-automatic assault rifles, four shotguns, a pistol, firearm parts and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition. Police also allegedly discovered six kilograms of cocaine, a kilogram each of methylamphetamine and ketamine, 15kg of cannabis, 1.1kg of heroin and 107 grams of MDMA.
The man and woman, both 26, were arrested and charged. The man faces 27 offences and was refused bail. The woman was charged with organising, conducting or assisting drug premises and granted conditional bail. Both are due to appear before the courts.
How bad are Sydney’s traffic delays this morning?
Sydney commuters are facing significant delays this morning, with the M5 corridor backed up for kilometres heading into the city. Roads are closed between Beverly Hills and Mascot because of emergency work in the main tunnel.
Heavy traffic has queued on the arterial route, and motorists have been advised to avoid the area and consider other routes. There is no forecast yet for when the motorway will reopen to citybound traffic.
What is happening in the search for the missing infant in South Australia?
The search for a missing infant in the waters off Port MacDonnell in South Australia will continue this morning. The baby has been missing for days after the bodies of a mother and toddler were pulled from the ocean before treacherous cliffs in the small coastal town.
Police have been searching for the infant since Monday. They were forced to end the effort on Tuesday afternoon because of severe weather conditions.
What is special about the Qantas Airbus test flight?
A specially modified Airbus A350 plane touched down in France on Tuesday after a record 24-hour test flight from Australia, ahead of joining Qantas’s fleet next year, AFP reported.
The 23,076-kilometre journey crossed three continents and two oceans, and passed through two sunsets and two dawns. It was one of the most-watched flights on the Flightradar24 tracking site.
The flight was also an important step before Qantas receives its first A350-1000ULR in April next year, followed by 11 more aircraft for services that can link Australia non-stop to destinations in the United States and Europe.
The ULR in the designation stands for “ultra long distance”, made possible by an additional 20,000-litre rear centre fuel tank fitted to Airbus’s A350-1000 model.
The flight from Australia to France took exactly 24 hours and 24 minutes.
What do the latest polls say about Angus Taylor, Labor and One Nation?
One Nation’s primary vote has plateaued and Angus Taylor’s approval rating has crashed, according to the latest Essential poll. The poll also found Australians were unhappy with the government’s handling of inflation and the cost-of-living crisis.
Australians also showed reluctance to embrace new AI datacentres, with less than a third saying they would be happy to have a facility in their local area. Respondents raised concerns about energy demand, water supply, environmental impacts and noise.
Essential poll, of 1,060 voters last week, found One Nation’s popularity was continuing to level off at a 25% primary vote, down one point from June’s poll. Labor’s indicative primary vote rose one point to 31%, while the Coalition’s vote fell another point to 22%.
What happened to Kazem Hamad in Iraq?
A former Melbourne gangster believed to be a key player in the city’s tobacco wars has been sentenced to life in prison in Iraq. Kazem Hamad received a life sentence for “drug trafficking” by Iraq’s Karkh criminal court, according to the National Centre for International Judicial Cooperation (NCIJC).
The NCIJC said the sentence includes “the confiscation of his movable and immovable assets in accordance with the law”. Hamad was deported from Australia to Iraq in 2023 and arrested in January this year “in response to an official request from Australia”, the centre said.
He “is considered one of the most wanted individuals by Iraqi and international judiciaries”, the NCIJC said, adding that Hamad smuggled “large quantities of narcotics” into Iraq and Australia.
The centre also said he is “linked to transnational organised crime gangs involved in drug trafficking, money laundering, murder, kidnapping, extortion, and organised violence”.
What did Steve Bracks say about Jacinta Allan and Ben Carroll?
Former Victorian premier Steve Bracks said Jacinta Allan had “no option” but to resign after losing the confidence of her colleagues. He spoke to RN Breakfast and said Allan had been in office for decades and would leave a lasting legacy in Victoria.
Look, Jacinta Allen has been a great contributor to public life in Victoria over a long period of time. She was first elected in 1999. … She’s achieved so much over such a long period of time, and she’ll go down as one of the great contributors to public life in Victoria.
Bracks said he believed Ben Carroll, who was chosen as the new premier on the previous day, would bring a fresh approach to government.
He’ll market himself as not a fourth-term Labor leader, but as a new Labor leader, a new Labor leader in a new term with a new set of policies and programs. And that’s really what he’s going to set out to do. I know it’s a very short time between now and November to get that across, but he’ll do everything he can to do that.
What did Jim Chalmers discuss with the new UK chancellor?
Treasurer Jim Chalmers spoke by phone with his new UK counterpart, Chancellor John Healey, last night. It was their first conversation since the new UK prime minister, Andy Burnham, took over and since Healey replaced Rachel Reeves in 11 Downing Street.
Really appreciated the chance to touch base with John so soon after he was appointed Chancellor.
He’d have a lot on his mind and the briefing would be really intensive so it’s good of him to make time. Our first conversation augurs well for a really beneficial working relationship.
I’ve been fortunate with the chancellors I’ve worked with on both sides of politics.
The pair discussed global challenges and plans to meet in person in the months ahead.
At a time of great uncertainty there’s no shortage of challenges in the global economy and we are more likely to rise to the occasion when friends like Australia and the UK work together.
What is CSIRO’s chief executive expected to say about job cuts?
The head of Australia’s national science agency is expected to defend planned job cuts and warn that, without a refocus, the organisation risks doing nothing at scale in the future, AAP reports.
In an address to the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday, CSIRO chief executive Doug Hilton is expected to discuss the agency’s decision to cut jobs from key areas in the face of funding pressures. He is expected to say the organisation faced a sobering backlog of essential repairs and renewal at the end of 2025.
Hilton is expected to say that more than 80% of CSIRO’s 800 buildings were no longer fit for purpose. He is also expected to say the leadership team chose to exit some areas of science and narrow its focus rather than risk doing nothing at scale.
Last November, the science agency said up to 350 research positions would be slashed as the “cost of doing science has gone up”.
Good morning, Nick Visser here to guide you through the day’s news. Let’s get to it.
What did Julia Gillard say about Jacinta Allan?
Former prime minister Julia Gillard said departing Victorian premier Jacinta Allan had been subjected to “vile sexism”. Posting on Instagram on the previous day, Gillard said Allan would be remembered as a role model and trailblazer who governed for all Victorians, particularly for the lives of women and girls.
There is no doubt that as the second woman to lead the state, she has been subjected to vile sexism.
She has been courageous in calling it out and combating this misogyny. As a result, she has made it easier for the women that follow.
Gillard herself went viral globally in 2012 after delivering The 15-minute tirade against Abbott inspired a range of diverse musical adaptations of the speech from classical choral arrangements to punk anthems.
Gillard, who represented the Victorian electorate of Lalor from 1998 to 2013, now sits on the boards and trusts of a number of NGOs focusing on health and women’s rights, and works the speaking circuit.
Her post also congratulated the man who toppled Allan as premier, Ben Carroll.
I know how hard working he is and how much he cares about ensuring every child gets the best possible start in life. I wish him and his team well in the months to come.
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it’ll be Nick Visser with the main action.
