This week in Australia
Australia's week saw Treasurer Jim Chalmers announce higher-than-expected gas tax revenue, while political scrutiny focused on One Nation's expansion plans and the Tasmanian Premier's legal bill. Social concerns included young tradies targeted by get-rich-quick schemes and WA teens bypassing social media bans. Internationally, Australian media reported on Trump's response to Iran's peace proposal and an Australian surveillance aircraft's contribution to NATO operations.
About Australia
Australia, a vast continent known for its unique biodiversity, stunning natural landscapes, and vibrant multicultural cities, plays a significant economic and cultural role in the Asia-Pacific region. Its democratic government upholds press freedom, yet the media landscape is characterized by concentrated ownership, primarily by News Corp and Nine Entertainment. This concentration often sparks debate about media diversity, even as the country maintains a strong tradition of investigative journalism.
Visiting Australia
Media landscape
Australia enjoys a free press, but its media environment is largely dominated by a few major players, notably News Corp Australia and Nine Entertainment, leading to concerns about diversity of voices. Despite this concentrated ownership, the country maintains a robust tradition of investigative journalism and public broadcasting through entities like the ABC and SBS.
To gain a comprehensive understanding of Australian news, consult both major national newspapers and the publicly funded broadcasters like ABC and SBS for diverse perspectives.
Sources we track 2
Ben Stokes Joins Adelaide Strikers for Big Bash League Season
Ben Stokes will return to the Big Bash League with the Adelaide Strikers, giving the Australian competition one of cricket’s most recognizable all-rounders after his shock retirement from internationa…
Partner of Missing Australian in Nepal Says Waiting for News Has Been 'Hell'
Sarada Viswanathan has turned her family home in north-west Sydney into a search centre for her missing partner and his relatives after catastrophic flooding in Nepal and Tibet. Rishab Iyer, 23, was t…
Authorities Investigate Reports Former Australian Soldier Was Killed in Ukraine
Australian authorities are investigating reports that a former Australian Defence Force soldier known as “Mozzie the Aussie” has been killed in Ukraine, where he was serving as a volunteer combat medi…
Inquiry Targets ‘Staggering’ Male Suicide Rates and Harmful Algorithms
South Australia’s parliament is preparing to examine why men continue to face severe mental-health risks, with officials linking the inquiry to suicide rates and the online influence of the “manospher…
Warning Signs Appeared Days Before Nepal Glacier Collapse, Scientists Say
Satellite images showed changes on the glacier days before it collapsed in the Nepal-Tibet border region, according to a rapid assessment by international scientists. The finding has raised questions …
Adelaide MotoGP circuit gets ‘boring’ tag despite heritage appeal
Adelaide’s new $96 million MotoGP circuit is already facing an awkward question: can a track built around racing heritage deliver racing that fans want to watch? The 4.13-kilometre layout, unveiled by…
Labourer Awarded $752,487 After Falling Through Uncovered Skylight
A labourer who fell through a skylight at the Australian Defence Force Academy has been awarded $752,487 after a judge found his former employer’s safety failures were obvious. Acting Justice Michael …
Queensland Patients Stuck in Hospital Beds Rise to 1,400
More than 1,400 people were waiting in Queensland hospital beds in April for an aged-care or NDIS placement, a rise from just over 1,100 a year earlier. About three-quarters were older patients. Queen…
‘The next moment is the most important’ for dominant Fremantle Dockers
Fremantle has produced the best home-and-away season in club history, but coach Justin Longmuir is refusing to let the prospect of a first AFL premiership pull his players beyond Thursday night. The D…
Two Men Charged in Victoria Construction Corruption Investigation
Victoria Police have charged two men in an expanding investigation into alleged corruption in the construction industry, including secret commissions and suspected fraud worth more than A$424,000. Tas…
Coroner recommends hospital improve cross-border communication after patient’s death
A coroner has called for a simpler electronic medical-record system at a hospital straddling the New South Wales and Victoria border after a patient waited nearly five hours for a ward transfer before…
Energy Regulator Rejects Transgrid’s Bid to Pass Billion-Dollar Cost Overrun to Consumers
Australia’s biggest electricity transmission company has been blocked, at least provisionally, from passing a billion-dollar project blowout on to consumers. The Australian Energy Regulator said it wa…
$150,000 Payment for Part-Time Work Was Not a ‘Significant’ Sum, Perrottet Tells ICAC
Charles Perrottet told a New South Wales corruption inquiry that $150,000 a year was not a significant payment for his wife’s part-time consultancy work, even as the commission examined what the money…
Defence lawyer tells court triple-murder survivor could be the killer
A defence lawyer has suggested that the man who says he survived a shooting that killed three members of his family could himself be responsible for the deaths. Anthony J Kimmins made the allegation d…
Cats coach speaks for first time since club's concussion fine
Chris Scott says he does not know whether Jake Kolodjashnij will play for Geelong again, and insists he has deliberately stayed away from the defender's case. Scott spoke publicly for the first time s…
How the AI Boom Is Driving Up Phone Prices
The next price increase on a smartphone may have little to do with its screen, camera or battery. The pressure is coming from memory chips, the components that let devices run apps and process informa…
ISIS-Inspired Teen Pleads Guilty to Preparing Sydney Terror Attack
A teenager told a Sydney court he had been considering a mass attack in the city after extremist material on TikTok drew him into increasingly radical and violent online content. Federal police arrest…
Sharks want to play their home NRL finals match at Shark Park
Cronulla has earned a home NRL finals match, but the Sharks still do not know whether the game will take place at Shark Park. The fifth-placed side is guaranteed to host a week-one elimination final a…
US Army’s civilian leader steps down after 18 months
Dan Driscoll has left his post as US Army secretary after only 18 months, adding to a period of upheaval at the service’s senior levels. No reason was given for the resignation. A US Army official, sp…
Victoria police officer charged with assaulting teenager during arrest
A Victoria police officer faces four assault charges over the alleged treatment of a teenager during an arrest in Melbourne’s west last October. The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission’…
Police Say Methamphetamine Was Hidden in a McMuffin During Broome Traffic Stop
Broome police say they found a small ziplock bag of suspected methamphetamine inside a McDonald’s McMuffin during a traffic stop at Cable Beach. Footage released by police shows officers searching a f…
Former Rival Says Nick Kyrgios's Drug Ban Was 'Pretty Much Expected'
Stefanos Tsitsipas said Nick Kyrgios's suspension for cocaine use came as no surprise, despite the former rivals' long history of confrontations on court. Kyrgios received a ban earlier this month aft…
India's PM Modi calls on Putin to end war in Ukraine
Narendra Modi told Vladimir Putin that the war in Ukraine must end, pairing the appeal with a reminder that India still sees Russia as a close economic partner. Speaking at the start of talks in Bishk…
Lawsuits against ACT government cost tens of millions as medical negligence payouts rise
The Australian Capital Territory paid $60.7 million in medical negligence damages, settlements and legal costs last financial year, more than twice the amount recorded two years earlier. New answers p…
Duane “Keffe D” Davis convicted in 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur
Jurors convicted Duane “Keffe D” Davis after less than three hours of deliberations in the case over Tupac Shakur’s 1996 killing. Shakur was stopped at a red light in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996, w…
Hybrid trains touted as a solution to west Melbourne's transport woes
Victoria's opposition says hybrid trains could offer Melbourne's western suburbs a faster answer than waiting for long-promised electrification. The Victorian Liberals have pledged A$1.7 billion for 2…
Messi’s Legendary Argentina Career Nearly Ended in Heartbreak
Lionel Messi’s Argentina career nearly ended before its defining victories arrived. The player now regarded as a national legend once announced that he no longer wanted to continue after a run of pain…
Labuschagne Dropped as Australia Names ODI Squad for African Series
Marnus Labuschagne, a World Cup winner and long-time member of Australia’s one-day team, has been dropped from the squad for the upcoming African tour. The 32-year-old scored a half-century in Austral…
Illegal firewood trade harming WA forests and hurting businesses
Residents of Western Australia's southern forests say chainsaws and newly felled trees have become an increasingly common sight in areas where firewood collection is prohibited. Removing firewood from…
Unification Church leader Hak Ja Han sentenced to two years for corruption
Hak Ja Han, the 83-year-old leader revered by Unification Church followers as “True Mother,” has been sentenced to two years in prison by a South Korean court for corruption offenses linked to politic…
Supreme Court Lets Construction Continue on Trump’s $558 Million Ballroom
The US Supreme Court has cleared the way for construction of Donald Trump’s planned White House ballroom to continue, even as a legal challenge over congressional authority moves through lower courts.…
Outback council to cut road funding as MinRes pursues $158,000 refund
A remote Western Australian council will take $158,000 from its road maintenance budget to refund mining company Mineral Resources, even as isolated communities wait for road repairs. The Shire of Eas…
Live: House prices drop and data set to show continued shortfall of homes
Australian house prices are falling in some major capital cities, and new building approvals data is expected to show that the country continues to face a shortfall of homes. The ABC live business blo…
Proposal for public walkway around waterside mansions survives vote
A proposed walkway around the waterfront mansions of Hobart’s Battery Point has survived another council vote, despite a recommendation to abandon it. Hobart City Council voted six to five against dis…
Hundreds Feared Trapped in Hydropower Tunnels After Nepal-Tibet Floods
Rescuers are digging through mud-filled hydropower tunnels in Nepal, where about 500 workers are believed trapped after catastrophic floods on the Nepal-China border. Families are searching for inform…
Wong Says One Nation Victory Sent Labor a Message in Western Australia By-Election
Penny Wong has acknowledged that Labor suffered a clear warning in Western Australia, where One Nation won the Secret Harbour state by-election. Speaking to 7.30’s Sarah Ferguson, Wong said the result…
Fracked gas from the Beetaloo Basin begins flowing to the Northern Territory grid
Gas from the remote Beetaloo Basin is beginning to power homes and businesses in Australia's Northern Territory, marking the point at which a controversial development moves from promise to production…
Sabalenka Starts U.S. Open Defence as Fils Exit Opens Men’s Draw Further
Aryna Sabalenka began her bid for a third consecutive U.S. Open title with a controlled 6-2, 6-4 victory over Colombia’s Camila Osorio at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The world number one struck 32 winners an…
Kim Birrell saves match point to reach US Open second round
Kim Birrell needed to survive a match point, a rain delay and a difficult night’s sleep before finally breaking through at the US Open. The Queenslander defeated Croatia’s Petra Marcinko 3-6, 7-6 (7-4…
The politics of parklands take center stage at Labor’s MotoGP reveal
Peter Malinauskas unveiled Adelaide’s planned MotoGP circuit beneath two large trees, in an arts centre that looked more suited to a climate-change presentation than a motorsport launch. The setting r…
Computers once threatened to take over jobs. Is history repeating with AI?
“When this circuit learns your job, what are you going to do?” That question, posed on Australian television in 1968, now sounds directed at artificial intelligence rather than the bulky computers of …
Parents call for action as Queensland overdose deaths reach record high
Les and Pat Stelling learned of their son Ian’s death at 1am, when a police officer knocked on their door in central Queensland. Ian, a boilermaker working interstate, had died in a hotel room in 1998…
Mother Fears Her Son Will Die Before Reaching a Trial for a Personalised Brain Cancer Vaccine
Brigette Metzler is trying to secure an experimental cancer vaccine for her 16-year-old son before his illness makes the decision for them. Coby has a terminal brain tumour, and a world-first Australi…
Trump attacks data centre backlash, saying China ‘could not be happier’
Donald Trump has turned the growing backlash against US data centres into a warning about the country’s race with China to develop artificial intelligence. “The only reason that communities throughout…
Breaking: Football great Lionel Messi announces retirement from Argentina team
Lionel Messi has announced that he will retire from Argentina’s national team, less than a month after the death of his father, Jorge. Messi had expressed doubts about the future of his career followi…
World Central Kitchen chief condemns Israeli commander over strike that killed seven aid workers
“We are humanitarians,” José Andrés said in response to an Israeli commander who defended the decision to strike a World Central Kitchen convoy in Gaza. The April 1, 2024 attack killed seven aid worke…
Misconduct investigation underway into two Powerhouse Museum executives
Powerhouse Museum’s two most senior executives are under investigation as the institution approaches the opening of its new Parramatta site, exposing a leadership crisis at the centre of a $915 millio…
Major aged care agency has licence suspended amid fears elderly at risk
Victoria’s Labour Hire Authority took the unusual step of suspending Barton Care’s licence after finding that nearly 70% of qualifications held by the agency’s workers were invalid. The authority said…
3.5m saltwater crocodile captured off Cable Beach
A 3.5-metre saltwater crocodile that had repeatedly appeared near Broome has been captured and relocated after triggering several beach closures. Yawuru and Parks and Wildlife rangers decided to catch…
Family Loses Home and E-Bike Business in Battery Fire
Mick Parkhill woke to a noise at about 3:00am and saw light beneath his home in South Murwillumbah, in northern New South Wales. Within hours, the family had lost its house, its e-bike business and it…
South Australian Premier Defends Plan to Remove Nearly 400 Trees for MotoGP Track
The number of trees slated for removal to build Adelaide’s new MotoGP circuit has risen from an earlier public estimate of about 45 to almost 400, prompting accusations that the South Australian gover…
Google renames Lake Ontario as Lake America on US maps
Google has begun displaying “Lake America” instead of Lake Ontario for users of its maps service in the United States, putting a digital label on a politically disputed name change. The company said t…
Maduro Sends a Message of Peace and Love in First Photos Since US Capture
Nicolás Maduro has appeared in photographs that seem to have been taken inside a US detention center, smiling in a gray tracksuit, white Nike sneakers and glasses while making peace signs. The former …
Ex-Carlton coach Voss gives assessment of Blues' finals hopes
Michael Voss is refusing to call Carlton a premiership threat, but he believes the Blues have earned the right to approach every finals game believing it can win. The former coach said their form over…
Townsville Mother and Sydney Father Among Australians Missing in Nepal
Renee Spry was about 10 minutes from the Nepal-Tibet border crossing when flash flooding struck. The Townsville mother of two had completed a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and was travelling home when c…
28,000 Irrigators Lose $1.5 Billion Class Action Against MDBA
A class action by 28,000 irrigators seeking up to $1.5 billion from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority has failed in the New South Wales Supreme Court. The irrigators, from southern New South Wales's …
WorkSafe investigates CFA fleet safety after oldest fire truck reaches 37 years
WorkSafe Victoria has begun examining the Country Fire Authority’s aging fleet after volunteer representatives asked the regulator to investigate the safety of single-cab tankers. The CFA Volunteers G…
GLP-1 drug prescribed to woman with eating disorder through telehealth
A 25-year-old Australian woman with a history of anorexia nervosa says an online clinic prescribed her a GLP-1 weight-loss drug after what she described as a simple phone consultation. Kate, a pseudon…
Fifteen People Missing After Flash Flood Hits Grand Canyon
About 15 people were missing or unaccounted for after a flash flood tore through the Grand Canyon, destroying footbridges and dramatically reshaping Bright Angel Creek. The National Park Service said …
Knights prop Saifiti receives season-ending ban after sending-off
Jacob Saifiti’s NRL season is effectively over after the Newcastle prop received a four-game suspension for a high tackle on Warriors winger Luke Laulilii. Saifiti was sent off during Sunday’s 46-32 l…
Indigenous AFL numbers fall, but talent is thriving in Australia’s Top End
The talent is already visible in Australia’s Northern Territory. The harder task, according to Hawthorn’s Kaitlyn Ashmore, is helping young players reach development programs and remain in environment…
NASA’s New Telescope Will Test Whether Scientists Got Dark Energy Wrong
For nearly three decades, dark energy has helped explain why the universe’s expansion is accelerating. NASA’s newly launched Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope may now test whether that explanation sti…
‘Outdated’ Law Costs Victorian Teen Workers $115 Million in Superannuation, Modelling Shows
A Victorian teenager working part time can lose hundreds of dollars in superannuation before reaching adulthood because of an age-based exemption, according to modelling from the Super Members Council…
Body found in High Country river where kayaker went missing
Human remains have been found in the Goulburn River in north-east Victoria, six weeks after kayaker Shane Wilson disappeared while fishing. Police believe the remains belong to Wilson, 53, whose kayak…
Nepali teacher saves about 1,600 students just before flood inundates school
Rajendra Dawadi had only minutes to decide whether to evacuate his school. The head teacher at Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School in Nepal’s Nuwakot district acted after receiving calls warning that …
‘You are not taking me away from my daughter’: Leah Stewart recalls fighting off shark
Leah Stewart remembers making a split-second calculation as a four-metre great white shark closed in: she would sacrifice her left arm because she needed her right hand to fight back. “I’m right-hande…
Israel banned Palestine 36, then it landed on an Oscars shortlist
Annemarie Jacir refused to replace Jerusalem with another old city for a scene showing a little girl running along the city's walls. After the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack halted production of Palestine …
Screen Queensland funding cut shakes film industry confidence
Queensland’s film industry is questioning whether the state can keep attracting major productions after the government reduced real-terms funding for Screen Queensland. Arts Minister John-Paul Langbro…
Scottie Scheffler Wins Tour Championship and Surpasses Tiger Woods on Career Prize Money
Scottie Scheffler claimed a second season-long FedEx Cup title and moved past Tiger Woods as the PGA Tour’s leading career prize-money earner with a three-shot victory at the Tour Championship in Atla…
Crime Videos Spread on Social Media as Western Australia’s Post-and-Boast Laws Stall
Videos allegedly showing young people in stolen cars racing through Kununurra continue to attract attention online, even as Western Australia’s proposed laws targeting such posts remain stuck in Parli…
'Tears of Joy': Woman’s Lost Thumb Replaced With Her Second Toe
Francisca Amaral feared the loss of her thumb would change her life forever. The 40-year-old East Timorese immigrant lost it in a conveyor-belt accident at a Queensland produce factory, far from the f…
Victoria opens Australia’s first offshore wind auction
Victoria has opened the bidding process for what could become Australia’s first offshore wind projects, offering developers government support to build two gigawatts of capacity. Energy Minister Jacly…
Drama-free Medvedev wins as former US Open champion Cilic withdraws
Daniil Medvedev made his return to Arthur Ashe Stadium with none of the drama that marked his previous US Open campaign. The seventh seed defeated Hugo Gaston 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 and moved through the openi…
Live: Joyce says dynamics have changed after WA by-election win
Barnaby Joyce says the result of One Nation’s Western Australian by-election victory has altered Australian politics, warning that it would be “foolish” to think otherwise. One Nation won its first lo…
ASX set to slip as Wall Street slides on inflation worries
Australian shares were set to open lower after Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh used his first Jackson Hole speech to emphasize that inflation had not yet given the U.S. central bank enough comfort. …
Illegal late-night construction filmed at Brisbane McDonald’s site
Residents near a future 24-hour McDonald’s in Brisbane’s West End say cranes, drills and reversing trucks have repeatedly woken them during the night. Video obtained by 612 ABC Brisbane shows work con…
Live: Rescuers in Nepal Race to Reach Workers Trapped in Hydropower Tunnels
Rescuers in Nepal are racing to clear tunnels at hydropower projects inundated by flash floods, with as many as 350 people believed to be trapped at the Upper Trishuli complex. About 10,000 Nepali tro…
Grocery prices are rising, and shoppers face more pain at the checkout
A weekly grocery shop for the same items at Woolworths rose from $213.89 in March 2025 to $232.02 in July 2026, according to consumer research company Canstar. The 8.5% increase has left shoppers look…
Spring sunshine to bring hot weather to south-east Queensland
South-east Queensland is set for a burst of spring heat, with Brisbane forecast to reach 33°C by Friday. Forecasters said temperatures could climb into the mid-30s in the region over the weekend. Bure…
Nature program helps Sydney class significantly improve in maths
For 25 children from Sydney’s Middle Harbour Public School, school moved outdoors for two hours each week. They explored Centennial Parklands, learned about native animals and took part in activities …
Three Australians make early exits from US Open
Storm Hunter’s qualification for the US Open lasted only one main-draw match. The Australian qualifier lost 6-4, 6-1 to 11th seed Marta Kostyuk on the opening day at Flushing Meadows. Kostyuk quickly …
SA government concerned over proposed health insurance rebate cuts
South Australia is warning that proposed changes to private health insurance rebates for older people could lengthen elective surgery waiting lists and add pressure to public hospitals. The federal go…
Sydney kangaroos face cull if university campus development goes ahead
A mob of more than 100 kangaroos could be killed if Western Sydney University wins approval to redevelop part of its Werrington campus, animal advocates warn. The university and developer Stockland wa…
Victorian prisoners to help repair the state’s crumbling roads
Victoria’s Labor government wants prisoners to mow roadside grass, remove weeds and graffiti, and collect rubbish as part of its election plan for the state’s damaged roads. Premier Ben Carroll said L…
Wattle lovers want Brisbane’s 2032 Olympics bathed in green and gold
A Queensland group wants Brisbane’s 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games to unfold beneath a canopy of Australia’s national floral emblem. The Queensland Wattle Association has proposed Project Brisbane …
‘Almost dystopian’: Should AI write workplace emails?
A workplace dispute in Queensland has produced an unusual ruling: the parties must stop using artificial intelligence to write to each other. The Fair Work Commission issued the order in late July dur…
Breaking: US reportedly strikes Iranian launchers on Larak Island
US forces reportedly struck two Iranian launchers on Iran’s Larak Island after Revolutionary Guard personnel were observed preparing rockets carrying sea mines toward the Strait of Hormuz, Axios repor…
Families seek answers for Australians missing after Nepal-Tibet floods
For families searching for missing Australians, the last confirmed message from an 80-person pilgrimage group came at 9:05 a.m. The group had reached an immigration post while returning from Tibet to …
Kyiv Warehouse Explosion Kills 37 in Third Night of Aerial Assault
At least 37 people perished when a Russian drone struck a munitions warehouse in the Kyiv region, officials reported. The detonation caused significant damage to nearby infrastructure, including resid…
One Nation claims historic Western Australia lower house seat
One Nation is claiming victory in the Secret Harbour by-election, a result that, if finalized, would grant the party its first-ever seat in Western Australia's lower house. The party's state leader, R…
Child Stars' Exploitation Questioned After Tragic Deaths
The tragic and premature deaths of young Hollywood stars Hayden Panettiere, Michelle Trachtenberg, and Daveigh Chase have cast a grim spotlight on the dark side of child stardom. Panettiere, who died …
Jai Arrow to briefly play in 99th Souths game before retirement
In a heartwarming gesture, the National Rugby League (NRL) has bent its rules to allow Jai Arrow to briefly participate in his 99th game for the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Arrow, who was recently forced …
Melbourne Police Arrest Three Teenagers in Burglary Spree
Melbourne police have arrested three teenagers in connection with a series of alleged aggravated burglaries and thefts that occurred in the city's north-eastern suburbs. The arrests took place early F…
Queensland Labor MP to Defend Marginal Seat After Electoral Redraw
Meaghan Scanlon, a prominent Labor frontbencher in Queensland, has confirmed her intention to recontest the Gold Coast seat of Gaven at the upcoming state election. This decision comes despite signifi…
Icelanders weigh EU membership in referendum amid economic woes
Icelanders are heading to the polls this weekend for a referendum that could see the nation restart negotiations on joining the European Union. The decision pits economic aspirations against concerns …
Thieves steal multi-million dollar necklace from Vienna museum after buying tickets
A brazen theft unfolded at Vienna's Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) when two men, after purchasing entry tickets, smashed a display case and made off with a renowned Van Cleef and Arpels necklace. The st…
Outback Hospitality Tested by Entitled Tourists and Social Media Influences
Tourism operators in Australia's outback are increasingly encountering entitled tourists whose expectations are often unmet by the realities of remote hospitality. Tim Meecham, a sheep station owner i…
Trump announces US agreement to take partial control of Venezuela's oil reserves
President Donald Trump announced Friday that the United States has secured majority control over a significant portion of Venezuela's oil reserves through a new agreement. Trump described the deal, wh…
Voluntary assisted dying law returns to Northern Territory, but with restrictions
Dr. Philip Nitschke, who was instrumental in the world's first voluntary assisted death case in Darwin 30 years ago, has welcomed the Northern Territory's passage of a new law legalizing the practice.…
Tasmania's deputy premier clashes with Greens over conversion therapy ban bill
Tasmania's Deputy Premier and Attorney-General, Guy Barnett, has voiced strong opposition to a proposed bill by the Greens aimed at banning conversion practices. In a letter to the anti-trans group Wo…