The Herald Sun - News Feed

Of the 17 critical targets identified as part of Closing the Gap only four are being met, while the rates of Indigenous suicide, children in out-of-home care and adults in jail are going backwards. The women who once quietly lived off the ill-gotten gains of their gangland men are now playing an active role in high-level crimes that are leading to bloodshed on the streets. The Victorian Liberal Party has claimed an emphatic victory in the critical Warrandyte by-election with the party on track to record a near 20 per cent swing. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has flown to Europe for a two-week vacation amid threats and speculation over the future of her leadership. South Australia could “run out of land” within 30 years unless drastic changes are made to meet housing demands, a landmark report has found.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Glaring straight ahead, ­Donald Trump’s fury is unmistakable in his history-making mugshot, taken after he was charged and released from Fulton County Jail. Zookeeper Jen Brown won’t hear a bad word said about the two male lions who mauled her and left her fighting for life. Police will investigate whether former Crown staff and big punters banned from the venue were part of an alleged multimillion-dollar illegal casino. Masked crusaders Kiss are set to be confirmed as special guest performers at the AFL Grand Final after two high profile cancellations left the league high and dry. South Australia’s most senior federal Liberal, Simon Birmingham, is conceding a systemic failure to elect enough women as he produces a framework to revive the party’s flagging fortunes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Revelations that the Australian Electoral Commission will allow a tick to be recorded as a Yes vote in the upcoming Voice referendum – but a cross won’t be recorded as a No vote have been slammed as “unfair” and “favouritism”. Rules requiring masks in NSW hospitals are set to be scrapped as early as next week, with the Minns government looking to end one of the last-remaining Covid measures for good. Footy fans will be able to dine at a high-class Italian restaurant or pub, play mini golf and book a private function overlooking the oval any day of the week under a major revamp of Marvel Stadium. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has not met with her government’s own human rights commissioner for nearly five years, with the extraordinary cold shoulder revealed as laws stripping children of their rights were rammed through parliament. A key person of interest in the investigation into the abduction of two girls at Adelaide Oval has been unmasked on the eve of 50 years on from their disappearance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The majority of parents give the wrong – and at times harmful – care to their sick child, with more than 80 per cent wrongly believing they should lower a high temperature. Students in Western Sydney deserve to be on par with those on the north shore, federal Education Minister Jason Clare has declared, as his supremo Mark Scott said more traditional direct teaching techniques were needed to close the gap. The capacity of Victorian meth labs is surging as organised crime gangs disguise the structure of drug-manufacturing chemicals to sneak huge shipments into Australia. A Gold Coast city councillor on Wednesday night was assisting police with their inquiries into the death of his mother’s de facto partner. A South Australian great-grandmother who lays claim to the title of Australia’s oldest living person is set to turn 111 this week.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The date of the Voice referendum is expected to be October 14 — and will be officially announced next week in the must-win state of South Australia. Laws requiring cruise ship passengers in NSW to be vaccinated against Covid-19 will be axed, with Premier Chris Minns yesterday declaring: “We need to move on and get life back to normal.’’ Premier Daniel Andrews has identified the MCG as a flagship stadium for a 2034 men’s World Cup hosted in Australia – a scenario which would likely force the AFL off the ground for at least two months. Construction giant Multiplex’s legal battle with Star Entertainment over delays in the Brisbane Queen’s Wharf project includes a claim for almost $1m in lost production for giving workers a holiday to mourn the death of Queen Elizabeth II. A former electorate officer has accused South Australian independent federal MP Rebekha Sharkie of bullying.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jailed cocaine kingpin and horse racing tycoon Damion Flower is under investigation by the corporate watchdog after it was revealed he stands to profit up to $1 million a year from champion sire Snitzel from behind bars. Late-stage dementia patients will be able to vote in the upcoming Voice referendum unless their families and doctors have taken the step to have them struck off the electoral roll. Queenslanders will be left in the dark about why Transport Minister Mark Bailey’s office covered up a $2.4bn cost blowout, with a narrow investigation only finding his office did not “direct” a public servant to do so. A man has been charged with assaulting North Melbourne champion Jack Ziebell outside a South Yarra bar early on ­Sunday. A trendy restaurant in Adelaide’s East is now full of black soot and debris, after a fire swept through the venue, owned by the brother of a former Love Island contestant.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s navy is set to be armed with more than 200 Tomahawk missiles amid concerns over China’s growing military presence in the region. Ovarian cancer discovery is set to prevent women from unnecessarily having their ovaries removed and losing their fertility. Fed-up QLD Labor MPs will today demand answers from the Premier over the train manufacturing scandal. NSW Government will defy coastal council requests to scrap shark nets along their beaches. The AFL has apologised to a furious Adelaide and stood down the goal umpire at the centre of its video review storm.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has spent $4 million chartering RAAF jets around Australia and abroad since taking on the top job. Cover-up allegations filed in the Supreme Court of Victoria as part of a class actio­n against Monash IVF Group that ­revolves around the destruction of embryos. The tiny Queensland town of Glenden has been saved in a stunning intervention by the State Government. Besieged property developer Jean Nassif has been given a slapdown from the NSW Fair Trading Minister. South Australia’s hospital emergency departments are jam-packed with people seeking treatment for minor ailments.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Matildas’ FIFA Women’s World Cup performance is expected to spark a surge in grassroots soccer participation across Australia. On-the-run developer Jean Nassif has launched a scathing attack from Lebanon at authorities seeking his arrest. South Australian teachers will consider strike action next month if the state government doesn’t improve its offer. QLD businesses will be lured to the bush under a new $80m state government investment. Victorian housing construction is forecast to plunge in 2024.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam Kerr’s legendary goal couldn’t save the Matildas as Australia’s historic World Cup run was ended by England. States will compete for a share of $3bn offered by Anthony ­Albanese for building more homes. The family of a mother stabbed to death in Sydney’s west is begging to know why police downgraded a welfare check on her alleged killer. Victorian schoolchildren as young as 12 are conducting clandestine vape deals during lunch breaks. A lone goat who gazes upon busy highway traffic has attracted the fanfare of travellers from all around South Australia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An historic national agreement has been made by the federal, state and territory governments to stamp out domestic and family violence. Factional allies of Victorian minister Lily D’Ambrosio say she’s the victim of an internal ALP war. Small regional towns across NSW are facing an influx of temporary workers moving in to build wind and solar farms, creating concerns about where they’ll live. South Australians will not get a public holiday if the Matildas win the World Cup. Townsville is the only regional area in Queensland meeting or exceeding the national average for digital access.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A passenger claiming he had a “bomb” in his bag on-board a Malaysia Airlines flight sparked nationwide airport chaos late on Monday. A drug dealer’s deathbed confession to the murder of Allan Ames in 2009 isn’t enough to grant the convicted killer a new trial. The Victorian woman who cooked a deadly beef Wellington lunch that killed three people has claimed she bought some of the mushrooms at an Asian grocery store. Victorian MPs would be subjected to random drug testing under a proposal to be put to parliament. The next generation of Matildas players would have dedicated female facilities at their local sporting clubs under a $250 million investment made by a future Coalition government led by Peter Dutton.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AUSTRALIAN teacher education is a decade behind other countries, pumping out graduates unprepared for teaching and who cannot control students, a new report says. COMPLAINTS about electricity price increases have skyrocketed by 66 per cent, the NSW Energy Ombudsman has revealed – and more people are being hit with unexpected bill shock after installing new smart meters. UP to 40 emergency workers are allegedly being attacked every week as the police union warns assailants targeting officers are using loopholes to escape jail time. BRISBANE football fans are set to have more places to watch the Matildas’ semi-final against England, after talks between the council, state government and FIFA. THE SA government is being urged to open up Adelaide Oval on Wednesday night to allow thousands of fans to cheer on the Matildas in their World Cup semi-final against England.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia remains in contention to win the FIFA Women’s World Cup on home soil, with the Matildas beating France 7-6 in a pulsating penalty shootout in front of almost 50,000 passionate fans at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night to claim a semi-final berth. The family of a man whose ­aggressive brain tumour has returned four years after surgery say those who have robbed him of his choice to have Charlie Teo operate have “blood on their hands”. Serial road pests are being let off the hook because of a fines loophole senior legal figures have warned is open to being routinely abused. A group of accused ATM fraudsters linked to an international crime syndicate stealing money from Australian bank users has been arrested, with police catching two in the act on a busy Brisbane street. Young criminals embroiled in Adelaide’s gang war involving people of African heritage are being investigated on allegations of tax fraud, authorities have revealed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A female student had a seizure and was rushed to hospital after using a vape while a male student who also used a vape at another school collapsed and “struggled to breathe”. Hundreds of Brisbane homeowners were left stunned by mystery letters from Brisbane City Council warning their houses could be purchased and turned into parklands at a time the state grapples with a housing crisis. The parents of a Gippsland footballer who took his own life last week say his mental health started to deteriorate after suffering a concussion in his teenage years. A new cash bonus of $20,000 will be offered in 2024 to entice first-year teachers to the SA bush. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matildas superstar Sam Kerr will become the first female footballer in history to crash through the $500 million barrier after being dubbed a “female Cristiano Ronaldo.” Drought-resistant crops, super soils and feed for cattle that can help farms stay “ahead of the curve” when the next big dry strikes will be funded under a $38 million investment unveiled at the Bush Summit. E-scooters will be fitted with cameras that shout at riders who flout the law as part of a new trial to crack down on people illegally travelling on footpaths or tandem riding. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has ordered a high-level review into Transport Minister Mark Bailey’s trains manufacturing costs blowout cover-up. Cost of living pressures have forced a family of five from Findon to spend less money on food each week than the amount allocated for some of SA’s worst criminals in prison.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weight-loss drug Wegovy has been found to also slash heart attacks and strokes by 20 per cent in a large-scale trial that could help speed up its approval for subsidy in Australia. The husband of the woman who cooked a deadly mushroom lunch that claimed the lives of three people alleges she had tried to poison him in the past. A man’s body dressed in black shorts and blue sneakers found in a lake at one of Sydney’s most prestigious golf clubs had been in the water for days before it was discovered. Queensland Health officials have been forced to clarify that mobile phone torch lights are not be used to examine pregnant women. A popular Adelaide media personality has revealed he is related to an infamous murderer nicknamed the Poison Ivy Killer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Matildas’ stunning victory in the Women’s World Cup has moved the dial forever in female sport with audience figures smashing those for the NRL and AFL grand finals as it became the most watched TV event in 2023. Australians have paid $3bn in rental increases since July last year — with another almost $5bn in collective rent hikes expected in the next year alone. The ex-husband of the woman who cooked a deadly mushroom lunch that claimed three lives battled a mystery gut illness. The Palaszczuk government will walk away from a pledge to fully implement all recommendations in the Coaldrake Review, declaring opening a clearing house for complaints and corruption concerns is “unviable”. An audacious plan to import what would have been Australia’s largest cocaine haul at the time was run by a global organised crime syndicate with its apex in Adelaide’s northern suburbs, a court has heard.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A massive wave of girls will take up soccer over the next four years as the giant legacy of this FIFA Women’s World Cup and the rise of the Matildas ­becomes clear. A human tsunami is set to pour over the Great Dividing Range into the state’s booming bush towns. Victorian firefighters have been offered a whopping 12 per cent pay increase over four years and thousands of dollars in cash bonuses under a new wage deal. Police will review their previous callouts to a house where a father and his five boys were killed in a fire, as homicide investigators join a team of detectives examining their deaths. A man has denied he was at an Outer Harbor dock site the same time as a man who fell to his death from shipping containers, a court has heard.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The bodies of a father and his five young boys were last night being uncovered from a devastating fire in Queensland that destroyed one home and badly damaged two others. The mystery surrounding Sam Kerr’s calf injury deepens, with helicopter footage obtained by News Corp showing the superstar striker still sitting out the majority of training. The ACT’s embattled Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold has quit over damning allegations of misconduct in the rape trial that rocked the nation. Police were last night probing whether foul play was behind a fatal mushroom poisoning which left three people dead and a fourth fighting for life in Victoria’s South Gippsland region. Tens of thousands of TAFE SA students would have greater course choice and study at potential new campuses as part of a new regional push to revolutionise vocation training and help solve the skills crisis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Yes case for the Voice is “almost unsalvageable”, with a new poll finding it is now behind with a majority of voters in every state and territory. Brisbane is bracing for one of its worst bushfire seasons yet, with council and Queensland Fire and Emergency Services ramping up their efforts to prepare the region amid the looming threat of El Nino. Two sisters are dead and their husbands are in hospital after being poisoned by wild mushrooms at a private lunch in Victoria. Court documents reveal Sports presenter Warren Tredrea was being paid more than $216,000 a year for under five hours’ work a day, leading his boss to consider the AFL great was “compensated too highly for his work”. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It can be revealed three key suspects, who control a combined seven NDIS businesses, collectively own seven properties worth more than $8.3m that are now at risk of further action by the federal government’s Fusion Taskforce. Essendon great Matthew Lloyd was stood down briefly by Haileybury College after attending a boozy bash with underage students celebrating a milestone win. Former Port Adelaide player Jay Schulz suffered more than 20 concussions during his time at the club and played again the following week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The mother of a little girl allegedly raped by a childcare worker accused of 1600 child sex offences over 15 years has detailed how he would describe her daughter’s “great day” after inflicting terrible abuse on her. Former Defence Minister Linda Reynolds has filed suit for defamation against Brittany Higgins over social media posts made in July and is understood to be seeking an injunction against the former staffer preventing any similar statements being made in the future. The Queensland government will fund the meningococcal B vaccine in a landmark move being hailed by survivors of the deadly disease as “fantastic” and “long overdue”. Daniel Andrews and his deputy Jacinta Allan are likely to dodge giving evidence at two probes into the Commonwealth Games fiasco. Adelaide’s population will grow to two million people by 2051, according to latest official forecasts, in a stark contrast to controversial calls to hit that number within seven years. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scientists have developed a breakthrough drug that kills all solid cancer tumours while leaving other cells unharmed. Dumped NSW minister Tim Crakanthorp failed to disclose his wife and in-laws owned dozens of properties in the Hunter. Pressure is mounting on the SA government to fund completion of a road left unfinished by failed homebuilder Felmeri Group. Paramatta Eels members have purchased the third largest portion of NRL grand final tickets of any club, despite the high chance of not making the final. Cats superstar Jeremy Cameron was the victim of a headbutt attack in a Geelong pub on Saturday night.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of Australia’s worst accused child-sex offenders allegedly raped and abused 91 girls in childcare centres for 15 years without detection. Australian comedian Jim Jefferies reveals his nephew was among the four men feared dead after an army helicopter crash. Seven youths have been arrested after they allegedly drove a stolen car from Adelaide to Whyalla. The head of a Sydney maximum security prison has been suspended amid allegations he sexually harassed a female prison officer. Nearly 300 former students from 180 Victorian schools are pursuing historic child abuse claims.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Defence Minister faces ­pressure to produce safety documents relating to the military helicopter involved in the fatal crash. Sydney developers and businesses could be taxed more to recover costs of the Metro West project. Victoria Police will investigate whether the desecration of Meshlin Marrogi’s grave was a strike at her drug-boss brother George. You’re more likely to be robbed, have your home broken into or your car stolen in Queensland. And McCartneymania will ignite Adelaide when the Beatles legend opens his Got Back tour to Australia later this year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The search for four Diggers has broadened from the site where their Taipan helicopter crashed into the North Queensland ocean during military training exercises, as the identities of the men of the elite 6th Aviation regiment were revealed. A relentless “Onya Sonia” campaign by new Logies host network Seven scored their prized host Sonia Kruger the 2023 Gold Logie. Several people have been left with bullet wounds after three separate shootings just hours apart in Melbourne’s northwest on Saturday night. Nurses wanting to live in proximity to Brisbane hospitals face the grim prospect of spending 70 per cent of a combined household income on their mortgage, according to analysis from the state government amid calls for greater density to respond to the affordability crisis. And a former reality TV star and SANFL footballer, who was once described as one of the state’s most eligible bachelors, is behind bars on remand charged over a significant Adelaide drug bust.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Four Australian Army aviators are feared dead after a horror chopper crash over the Whitsundays in what looms as the nation’s worst peacetime military disaster since 2005. Covid-19 is killing on average 25 people in Australia every day, with more than half the nation not getting any form of booster shot in the past six months. We are coming for your Lamborghinis – that’s the warning from the NSW government’s latest weapon in its crime-fighting arsenal targeting the criminals at the core of the shootout on Sydney’s streets. Workers on the Queensland state government’s showpiece Cross River Rail project have been hit by falling objects and exposed to hazards posing “serious risk of injury or death”, a litany of official safety breaches reveals. South Australia’s famous southern right whales look to have given the state a wide berth, with numbers right down along the coast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kylie Minogue is poised to hit the jackpot in America as she joins the world’s biggest music superstars from Adele to U2 with a Las Vegas residency. Criminals across Sydney caught up in the out-of-control gang wars have been warned their doors may be kicked open this weekend as the state’s new crack team swings into action. The Andrews government is preparing to extinguish natural gas in Victorian homes after banning new residential builds from connecting to the gas network. Kids at risk of committing crimes will be trained in business, retail and hospitality in a bid to keep them from being lured into the criminal world. Adelaide’s median house price has hit a whopping $700,000, the latest Valuer-General’s quarterly figures show, prompting affordability concerns from industry experts in the midst of the state’s housing crisis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ex-partner of Julia Gillard sucked a woman’s nipple without her consent while he was “drunk” in Melbourne’s inner-north just two weeks before it became public he’d split from the former Prime Minister. A ROYAL Commission into how drugs are getting into our borders and fuelling Sydney’s underworld war has been called for, as the Premier conceded laws may need to change after the latest deadly shooting to rock the city. Ferrari-driving developer John Woodman paid more than $1.5m to political figures and councillors in a bid to “improperly” influence planning decisions in Melbourne’s southeast suburbs. The Queensland government is refusing to bring the state in line with the rest of the country and the world by restricting the sale of realistic toy guns criminals are using to rob homes and businesses. Patients are waiting up to five years to see some public hospital specialists for routine or non-urgent appointments - then face going on a separate waiting list if they need elective surgery.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Seamless” travel between Australia and New Zealand will make hopping across the ditch faster – but don’t throw away your passport just yet. A well-known criminal defence lawyer has narrowly survived the latest “targeted” shooting on Sydney’s streets, with the broad daylight attack rocking the city’s legal profession as police search for a motive. Justice figures are demanding a review of the decision by Victoria’s top prosecutor not to pursue charges in the Lawyer X case amid revelations she once represented Simon Overland, the former police chief at the centre of the scandal. Queenslanders could be living with undiagnosed cancer or life-threatening conditions, as more than 50,000 radiology scans sit unreported at one the state’s busiest hospitals. Converting spaces above Adelaide CBD shops into homes will be investigated in a bid to ease the housing crisis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Artificial Intelligence may soon be used to detect declining heart failure by listening to how people speak on their smartphone. Nearly 200 NSW public school ­teachers were sacked for not getting the Covid jab last year, amid crippling shortages of staff, new Freedom of Information documents reveal. Decision-making powers for multi-million dollar suburban developments are set to be taken over by the state government to fasttrack housing in middle and inner Melbourne. Some patients are waiting more than 10 hours on ambulance stretchers to get into the Queensland hospitals, new figures have revealed. In a little more than a month the Royal Adelaide Show will open the gates, with organisers on the hunt for thousands of workers to help bring the magic together while making easy cash.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

International swimming bosses are preparing to take the plunge and push ahead with a world-first event for elite transgender competitors. The Opera House will be lit up in honour of the Matildas if the Aussie women make it to the finals of the World Cup. The first train inside the $14bn Metro tunnel was due to hit the tracks in the early hours of this morning, as the city-shaping project begins months of live testing. The mothers of children allegedly indecently assaulted by a Whyalla school teacher have described the case as “every parent’s worst nightmare”. Pink power has prevailed at the Australian box office over the weekend as audiences fell in love with the new Barbie movie.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many Australians living with chronic pain are continuing to put off dental care, eye checks and even cancer screenings, saying that the rising cost of treatments and medications has them neglecting other areas of their health. A young couple have become the latest innocent victims of a shooting on Sydney’s streets, caught in the crossfire of gunfire which left a man on life support, as politicians became embroiled in a war of words over what can be done to stop the violence. A Victorian man who plunged from a shipping container to his death in a mystery tragedy was searching for a huge haul of drugs, police believe. A $1bn gas field expansion will power a major Queensland manufacturer, in a gas supply deal hailed as securing “long-term local manufacturing” jobs, but it hangs on environmental approvals and the Albanese government’s controversial gas price cap. Port Adelaide star Willie Rioli is hurting after being subjected to racist abuse following Saturday’s two-point thriller against Collingwood, says the Power’s chief executive.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s worst-ever pedophile will serve a national record sentence for his hundreds of crimes, which a judge says were so “brazen, disturbing and heinous” as to warrant 457 years behind bars. Channel 7 has launched a long-range $150 million attempt to pinch rugby league’s showpiece State of Origin series from Channel 9. The Andrews government has gagged Commonwealth Games officials from publicly discussing the 2026 event’s axing, as negotiations over compensation heat up. A major campaign in support of the Indigenous Voice to parliament is set to undertake a messaging blitz through Queensland in a bid to shore up support in the state amid flagging support. An Adelaide lawyer is lobbying for urgent changes to correct a legal loophole that protects paedophiles from having to pay compensation to their victims.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam Kerr can create the same iconic moment as Cathy Freeman’s Olympic gold medal run when she leads Australia at soccer’s Women’s World Cup starting today, and set herself up for multimillion-dollar sponsorship deals, industry experts say. In a class action taken by businesses affected by Sydney’s light rail could cost the NSW Government tens of millions of dollars and has set a massive precedent for thousands of others impacted by major transport projects, legal experts say. Daniel Andrews has been ­accused of blatantly spinning why Victoria took on the Commonwealth Games, as it can be revealed a secret state delegation pitched for the event in London in late 2021. The Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games must have an independent oversight body to avoid cost blowouts and transparency issues that ultimately led to the 2026 Victorian Commonwealth Games being scrapped, senior Coalition MPs say. In Adelaide a woman accused of murdering her parents with unnecessary insulin injections is at risk of significant harm if left in prison because authorities are mismanaging her own diabetes, a court has heard.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Victorian parliament could examine the Commonwealth Games cancellation fiasco, as the Andrews government dug in for a third straight day refusing to explain the event’s multi-billion dollar blowout. More than 85 per cent of Queensland’s most serious young criminals are reoffending within 12 months with soft juvenile justice and “opt in” rehab programs failing to turn around the state’s youth crime crisis. A convicted conman who siphoned $25.6m by pretending to be the guitarist for rock legends Bon Jovi defrauded more than $500,000 just three years after his release from jail The price of a humble gin and tonic or rum and coke is expected to spike within days amid a hefty tax hike. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People in China are spending nearly $8m a day on Australian property – vastly more than buyers from anywhere else in the world – but the true levels of real estate purchases by foreigners are likely much higher, a leading expert claims. Victorian taxpayers are facing potentially billions in damages and a massive hit to its title as the nation’s sporting capital after it sensationally cancelled the Commonwealth Games citing mounting cost blowouts. Teal indpendent Zali Steggall is under pressure in her own electorate, according to internal Liberal party polling seen by The Daily Telegraph which suggests voters have been turned off by the federal MP’s anti-nuclear stance as well as her failure to deliver government investment to the area. The Qld state government is being urged to make a minor change to its planning regulation to spare investors being slugged up to $80,000 in council fees and potentially blocking the creation of hundreds of affordable homes. A SA government spokesman said that while the decision will be “deeply disappointing for athletes and supporters of the Commonwealth Games” the government will not put its hand up to host.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The number of refugee claims made by people arriving in Australia by plane on visas allowing them to work, study or travel has nearly doubled in the past year, leading to accusations Labor is “all froth, no beer” on border protection. Sydney’s housing crisis is being exacerbated by a flood of international students who are arriving far faster than new housing can be built to accommodate them. Queenslanders who are set to be slugged tens of thousands of dollars to make their homes more energy-efficient and accessible should have access to government rebates, a peak construction body has said. Blood tests and brain scans may soon replace memory tests for the earlier and more accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, in a move set to also revolutionise treatment. The state government is resisting renewed pressure to make flu vaccinations free for all South Australians, following the Queensland government’s decision to provide shots for all residents.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aussies phoning known scam lines will have their calls intercepted, thanks to Optus, the Australian Financial Crimes Exchange and banks. The mum of a rescued Aussie sailor who survived adrift with his dog for two months says she “can’t wait” to see her son. Queensland’s regional maternity centres will receive a $42m injection. A South Australian man is accused of gunning down his wife and daughter. Australian actor Luke Cook has revealed what working actors in the US are actually paid.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Veterans are being preyed upon by fee-for-service agents promising shortcuts to Dept. of Veterans Affairs benefits and compensation. Grieving families of fatal stabbing victims want the QLD government to introduce new laws restricting the sale of knives to teens. Tenants in all but 15 South Australian suburbs and towns are experiencing severe rent stress. Unvaccinated firefighters in Victoria will remain off work indefinitely. Parents desperate to combat cost-of-living pressures are turning to night-time food delivery. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yes campaign strategists say they’ll target advertising spend around football finals in a bid to win over young men disengaged from politics. Victoria Police chief commissioner Shane Patton is seeking powers to detain children aged 10 to 13 once the age of criminal responsibility is lifted. Queensland Fertility Group is at the centre of a multimillion-dollar baby-swap scandal. South Australian Health inspectors conduct illegal vape blitz. Treasurer Jim Chalmers praises the RBA’s first female governor.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Homeowners could yet face another interest rate hike with RBA boss Philip Lowe leaving the door open on “further tightening”. An 11-year-old Queensland girl has died with the flu. Oodie founder cops backlash after showing off his new multi-million dollar Adelaide farm. South Australian workers can expect a national decision to ban caps on working from home days will flow on to state workplaces. Acting QLD Premier Steven Miles has defended the delay of some building code changes due to come in October.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the nation heads toward a dry summer the looming threat of bushfires will put new emergency response systems to the test. Dozens of SA pedestrian crossings were found to fail meeting safety standards. Two Queensland teenagers found guilty of murdering Angus Beaumont could walk free. FIFA officials were warned repeatedly that covering up the name plaques of Australian sporting legends at Allianz Stadium would provoke a storm of protest. Melbourne cocaine dealers have been warned not to cut their prices amid deadly underworld warfare interstate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Producers are concerned the phase out of caged eggs will be brought forward by 10 years, stoking fears the price of eggs could rise. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a defence export deal with Germany. A tax on petrol cars could be imposed in Sydney’s CBD. South Australian politicians and Parliament House staff have been issued new safety advice. Victorians will be slugged with a 43 per cent increase to Domestic Building Insurance. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The young sailor rescued from treacherous conditions off the coast of Kangaroo Island says it wasn’t the wild weather that brought his attempt at a world record undone. A bridge and a railway underpass will have to be demolished or bypassed – at a cost of upwards of $340 million – to give trucks transporting massive wind turbines access to new renewable energy zones (REZ) in country NSW. Queensland is a national leader in road side births with hundreds of women a year having babies on highways in “pulled over” cars or ambulances. Victorians are paying more property tax than anyone else in Australia – and it’s going to get worse. A regional South Australian council was willing to issue warnings or expiation notices or even prosecute anyone older than four who entered public toilets of the opposite gender.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Gold Coast sailor stranded in wild seas in the Great Australian Bight is headed back to dry land after a dramatic rescue in heaving, 10m swells and cyclonic winds. For the first time, Queensland drivers will be tested for cocaine in random roadside drug tests. A secret report has laid bare the super-sized pay of Victoria’s leading public sector road and rail executives, including one who earned more than $814,000 last year. Troublemakers face bans from Adelaide’s most popular areas, and random police searches, under an unprecedented legal bid to crush the CBD’s mounting crime wave crisis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Champion jockey Jamie Kah has been charged by racing stewards but is determined to get back in the saddle after images surfaced of her on social media with a white substance. Restaurateurs say South Australia’s hospitality industry is at “rock bottom” and the Covid-19 pandemic was a “dream” compared to the current economical landscape. The cowboy developers who illegally demolished a historic Melbourne pub seven years ago will be blocked by the local council from obtaining a planning permit to rebuild the site. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The AFL nude photo scandal was sparked by an email sent to one club whose highest-profile player was among the explicit images. A mother-of-three was allegedly bashed to death by her estranged husband when the pair met to discuss their divorce settlement, in a tragic domestic dispute. A blanket ban on mobile phones and smartwatches from the first to last bell in all Queensland state schools will come into effect next year. Huge demand for soap powder donated to a charity has triggered concerns homeless people may be using it for drug use. A 12-year-old girl was prescribed the contraceptive pill by a doctor after being told the child was “sexually active” by her mother, who was secretly abusing the girl along with her partner. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The AFL has launched an ­investigation into a shocking collection of nude and graphic images of more than 45 past and present players, which is being widely shared across ­social media. Residents living near Allianz Stadium and the SCG could suffer mental health impacts from “increased exposure to noise” if an archaic concert cap is increased and should be given cheap or free tickets as compensation. A Queensland magistrate has been slammed by a senior judge for her “total misunderstanding of the nature of domestic violence” after fining a man just $500 despite his repeated harassment of his ex-partner in shocking displays of coercive control. A wannabe influencer and her girlfriends allegedly held a man at knifepoint and demanded $100,000 in a bizarre kidnapping. Brave victims of a specialist breast surgeon who covertly recorded patients without permission – using a phone hidden in a tissue box with a corner cut off – have confronted him in court. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.