Jordyn Beazley
A senior NSW police officer has mentioned it has proposed to talk to the ladies and kids with hyperlinks to Islamic state fighters earlier than they return to Australia.
Nonetheless, deputy police commissioner David Hudson mentioned it’s the ladies and kids’s proper to decide on in the event that they converse to police or not, and so they have “no energy to exclide” them from coming into the nation.
Hudson advised price range estimates that 5 adults and 7 youngsters are anticipated to return to NSW. He mentioned a joint investigation into the individiuals is being carried out by the NSW police, ASIO, and the AFP.
Requested if the cohort of Australians repatriated in 2022 spoke to companies, he mentioned:
double citation mark A number of that was achieved by Commonwealth companies abroad earlier than they have been placed on the airplane and got here again.
He mentioned the monitoring of Australians that returned in 2022 and the youngsters that returned in 2019 stays ongoing.
Australia will finally ship its final letter, AusPost chief says
Australia will finally observe Denmark’s lead and abandon its letter service, with deliveries of handwritten notes, Christmas playing cards and family payments destined to turn into a factor of the previous.
The quantity of letters despatched throughout the nation is at a 90-year low and steep declines proceed, Australia Submit group chief government and managing director Paul Graham mentioned, telling AAP:
double citation mark Finally there will probably be a day once we’ll ship the final letter. I don’t know when that’s, however that enterprise is structurally damaged and can by no means recuperate.
Whereas letters from people represented solely 3% of the 734.2m despatched within the six months to December 2025, companies and authorities companies have been additionally shifting to digital correspondence.
The supply of a report 283m parcels within the final half of the yr helped Australia Submit report a modest $50.4m pre-tax revenue, in keeping with its half-year outcomes launched on Friday.
Nick Visser
That’s all from me! Natasha Might will take issues from right here because the weekend beckons. Take care.
Magda Szubanski in remission from most cancers
Beloved comic Magda Szubanski says she is respiratory a sigh of aid after asserting that her uncommon blood most cancers is in remission, AAP stories.
The Kath and Kim star shared the information on her Instagram on Friday, about 9 months on from being recognized with stage-four mantle cell lymphoma, described as a “uncommon and fast-moving blood most cancers”.
“I needed to share the unbelievable information, which is I’ve accomplished chemo and I’m now in remission – so phew, massive aid,” Szubanski mentioned on Instagram.
double citation mark It’s not a treatment, however as a result of I bought a great remission, that hopefully means I’ll hold the most cancers at bay for a great very long time.
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Jordyn Beazley
NSW counter-terrorism minister unaware the place girls and kids linked to Islamic State will reside
The counter-terrorism minister for New South Wales mentioned she was unaware the place the ladies and kids detained in Syria over hyperlinks to Islamic State fighters will probably be residing when these which can be from the state return.
Yasmin Catley, who can also be the minister for police, mentioned whereas underneath questioning in price range estimates earlier right now that she had been briefed by the senior police officer David Hudson and the departments dealing with the matter however just isn’t an energetic decision-maker within the course of.
Catley mentioned the matter is being dealt with by the premier’s division, and the division of communities and justice.
The shadow minister for counter-terrorism, Anthony Roberts, mentioned after the feedback have been made that Catley being briefed was not sufficient. He mentioned:
double citation mark It beggars perception that the police minister doesn’t know the place these people will probably be settled, or which communities will probably be straight impacted.
ASIC sues Finances Direct, alleging insurer overcharged 1000’s of shoppers
Tens of 1000’s of Finances Direct prospects misplaced promised insurance coverage reductions value a complete of $3.3m in financial savings, the company regulator claims in a brand new lawsuit.
AAP stories ASIC launched authorized motion towards Auto & Common Companies Pty Ltd, the insurer managing Finances Direct merchandise, after 39,000 prospects have been alleged to have been overcharged for premiums over a number of years.
The misconduct occurred between March 2020 and July 2024, the regulator says. It’s looking for declarations and fines from the court docket.
Finances Direct allegedly promoted important reductions of as much as 30% for purchasers who bought automotive, dwelling or bike insurance coverage insurance policies on-line.
ASIC alleges the promoting was deceptive as a result of prospects weren’t advised the net reductions can be eliminated following any modifications made to their insurance policies, reminiscent of a change in tackle.
The common premium low cost loss amounted to nearly $100. ASIC claims Auto & Common first turned conscious of the issue as early as 2016, however failed to tell affected prospects for years.
Sarah Court docket, the ASIC deputy chair, mentioned in a press release:
double citation mark Australians ought to have the ability to take insurers at their phrase, particularly on the subject of reductions that affect their choice to take up a coverage and examine it to different merchandise out there.
We allege Finances Direct’s conduct was deceptive and disadvantaged tens of 1000’s of Australians thousands and thousands of {dollars} in financial savings they have been promised.
Ima Caldwell
Sinkhole seems in Sydney CBD, prompting one faculty to shut
A big gap has appeared at an intersection in Sydney’s CBD after flash flooding on Thursday night.
It’s positioned subsequent to Hyde Park and St Mary’s Cathedral, at a busy intersection between Faculty Avenue and Prince Albert Street.
The entrance wheels of a Coles supply truck fell into the opening on Friday morning, prompting an emergency response involving not less than two tow vehicles, the Sydney Morning Herald stories.
A burst water pipe could also be accountable, with Sydney Water slicing off the provision for close by buildings. A spokesperson for St Mary’s Cathedral mentioned it stays open for “enterprise as common”, however its bogs have been closed.
Nonetheless, the adjoining St Mary’s Cathedral Faculty confirmed that prime faculty college students had been despatched dwelling. “Major college students, kindergarten to yr six, are being collected by dad and mom and carers,” a university spokesperson mentioned, noting the varsity ought to reopen on Monday.
Sydney’s Interior West council will march within the Mardi Gras parade
Sydney’s Interior West council will march for the primary time on Saturday throughout the Homosexual and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade.
The council, together with about 80 individuals, will march underneath a banner studying “Plenty of love from the Interior West”. The float will have fun applications to assist LGBTQI+ residents, together with the opening of Newtown’s delight centre, assist for drag story time and the brand new delight historical past stroll.
The mayor, Darcy Byrne, mentioned in a press release:
double citation mark The Interior West has lengthy been a spot the place variety is well known and equality is fought for. This yr, we’re proud to face shoulder to shoulder with our neighborhood in probably the most highly effective public shows of solidarity.
This partnership is simply the beginning. We’re dedicated to working with Mardi Gras on a longer-term relationship, as we glance in direction of the competition’s 50-year anniversary in 2028.
Andrew Messenger
Brisbane childcare centre fined $14,500 for shedding three-year-old for half-hour
A Brisbane childcare centre has been fined $14,500 after shedding observe of a three-year-old scholar for almost half-hour, in keeping with the division of schooling.
The incident happened on 23 June 2023 at Solely About Youngsters Morningside, in south Brisbane. The Early Childhood Regulatory Authority took motion towards the service’s accepted supplier for failing to adequately supervise youngsters always, shield youngsters from hurt and hazards, and guarantee a toddler didn’t depart the premises.
Based on a spokesperson for the division, the three-year-old left the premises unnoticed earlier than a member of the general public alerted the service after observing the kid exterior.
The kid was positioned about 20 minutes later.
The case was heard within the Brisbane magistrates court docket on Friday.
Justice of the Peace Lewis Shillito issued a $14,500 fantastic on the supplier plus $2,500 in prices paid to the division. He mentioned it was “good luck, not good administration” that the kid was not harmed, in keeping with a division spokesperson.
The supplier had no earlier convictions and accepted duty, the spokesperson mentioned.
Jordyn Beazley
NSW police minister mentioned state prone to see police utilizing extra drones
The police minister has mentioned she will probably be advocating for police to make use of extra drones to answer crime throughout state after a trial, the primary of its type in Australia, which is underway within the rural city of Moree.
The police commissioner Mal Lanyon has mentioned that the trial, which is able to run for six months, just isn’t about surveillance however about growing functionality in an emergency reminiscent of “an operational matter like a break and enter”.
Police minister Yasmin Catley was requested concerning the trial throughout price range estimates. She mentioned:
double citation mark It’s wonderful expertise, and remarkably cheaper than a helicopter, for example. So I believe going into the long run, that is the kind of expertise that police will have the ability to use very efficiently as one other software, if you happen to like, of their toolbox.
It’s prime notch. It’s wonderful. And I believe that we’ll see extra of this, and I’ll definitely be advocating for extra of it throughout the state and regional areas.
Melissa Davey
BetStop report finds individuals can gamble whereas self-excluded
The report Statutory Evaluate of BetStop – the Nationwide Self-Exclusion Register, tabled to parliament on Thursday, discovered that folks can gamble whereas self-excluded in a variety of methods, by altering names, utilizing different accounts or resulting from mismatched information.
One particular person misplaced $70,000 whereas supposedly excluded by registering to gamble utilizing a special first identify, e-mail tackle and telephone quantity, the report discovered.
Whereas playing business stakeholders take into account circumvention of the register to be low, the report discovered “precise numbers are unclear”.
Keno just isn’t a part of the self-exclusion register, regardless of the report discovering that some on-line Keno choices permit shoppers to spend as much as $1,000 each three minutes. The report beneficial that these merchandise be coated by the exclusion register as quickly as potential.
The report additionally discovered the Australian Communications and Media Authority (Acma) obtained 669 complaints associated to the register between 2023 and 31 August 2025.
Simply 21 of those have been investigated, with 12 of these investigations full by 31 August 2025.
A “worryingly low” 33.5% of gamblers have been conscious of the self-exclusion register, the report discovered, whereas consciousness ranges among the many broader neighborhood have been even decrease.
Responding to the report, the minister for communications, Anika Wells, mentioned: “It’s unbelievable that the impartial overview has confirmed BetStop is making a significant distinction in defending weak Australians from playing hurt”.
Jordyn Beazley
NSW responds to Labor backbenchers attending anti-Herzog protest
Returning to NSW price range estimates, the place police minister Yasmin Catley has once more been requested about Sydney’s anti-Herzog rally.
Catley was requested if she supported the actions of the 4 Labor backbenchers that attended the protest. She mentioned:
double citation mark I believe individuals have the proper to protest, and I ought to say they’ve the proper to peacefully protest. I actually have peacefully protested, as a lot of your colleagues have.
However to go on then and to be a part of that antagonism and violence that we noticed, no, I don’t agree with that. I don’t assume that neighborhood leaders must be a part of that.
Liberal MP Damien Tudehope requested Catley if the MPs acted in a way that “incited violent motion” and she or he mentioned she didn’t discover any proof of that.
Tudehope famous that two of these backbenchers who attended the protest – Stephen Lawrence and Cameron Murphy – weren’t current on the price range estimates right now regardless of being members of the committee.
Requested if she made requests for them to not be current, Catley mentioned she hadn’t.
Josh Taylor
Meta takes one other swipe at social media ban
Instagram in a single day introduced new options that may alert dad and mom if teenagers are repeatedly looking for suicide or self-harm-related phrases. Nonetheless, the corporate mentioned that because of the social media ban in Australia, this software will solely be accessible for folks of teenagers aged 16 and 17.
Underneath the modifications, dad and mom will obtain alerts by way of app notifications, e-mail, SMS and WhatsApp. The corporate can also be creating methods for AI interactions to alert dad and mom.
This comes as the corporate faces a trial within the US over allegations that Meta intentionally addicts and harms minors.
Within the Australian announcement, Instagram famous the restrictions the social media ban would impose on this new function.
Given Australia’s social media ban, teenagers aged 13-15 aren’t in a position to have a social media account and due to this fact there aren’t any parental supervision instruments accessible for this age group. Somewhat than blanket bans, we consider instruments like this show the worth of giving dad and mom extra visibility and partnership on-line the place safeguards, supervision options, and disaster interventions might be put in place.
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In Australia, the disaster assist service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Within the UK and Eire, Samaritans might be contacted on freephone 116 123, or e-mail jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. Within the US, you’ll be able to name or textual content the 988 Suicide & Disaster Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. Different worldwide helplines might be discovered at befrienders.org
Angus Taylor says Grace Tame ‘bought it unsuitable’ and it’s ‘not adequate’ that PM couldn’t condemn her
Natasha Might
Opposition chief Angus Taylor says Grace Tame “bought it unsuitable” when the previous Australian of the Yr chanted “globalise the intifada” at a protest towards the go to of Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
Requested on 2GB this morning about whether or not he believed the prime minister, Anthony Albanese’s, rationalization of why he referred to as Tame “troublesome” at a Information Corp occasion, the place he was requested to explain public figures in a single phrase, he mentioned he meant that her life had been “troublesome” – Taylor considerably sidestepped the query.
Taylor mentioned:
double citation mark On the finish of the day, she mentioned that, she was chanting, globalise the intifada. Now, globalise the intifada is a name to violence. That’s what it’s. She mentioned it unambiguously, and the prime minister couldn’t condemn her – and admittedly, that’s not adequate. He lacks ethical readability in the best way he approaches these points. It’s easy, if somebody requires violence, you condemn it.
Requested to play his personal phrase affiliation recreation, Taylor responded to Tame’s identify:
double citation mark She bought it unsuitable. Globalise the intifada. It must be condemned by all of us.
On Thursday, Albanese mentioned: “Now there are different points, such because the language that Grace Tame used, that I disagree with, on the demonstration that was held in Sydney.”
Man trapped after crane tipped over in Brisbane
A person is trapped inside a crane that has tipped over and struck an influence pole in east Brisbane.
Police are on the scene of the incident in Hemmant, after being referred to as at about 8.25am to stories a crane had tipped over and struck an influence pole. In a press release they mentioned:
double citation mark The male driver of the crane stays trapped and emergency companies are working to extract him from the automobile.
Guardian Australia understands the person’s situation could possibly be critical however he has but to be formally assessed because the scene must be made secure so paramedics can achieve this.
Josh Butler
Monique Ryan desires playing hurt categorised as a public well being challenge
Impartial MP Monique Ryan will introduce a non-public member’s invoice to federal parliament subsequent week, looking for to have playing categorised as a public well being challenge.
In a proposed modification to the Centre for Illness Management Act, Ryan’s invoice would search to broaden the definition of public well being issues to incorporate the impacts of playing hurt, reminiscent of monetary misery, psychological well being and impacts on households.
Coming because the NRL and AFL kick off their new soccer seasons, Ryan’s invoice will probably be supported by members of the cross bench who’ve been agitating for additional reforms to wagering legal guidelines, together with round promoting of playing merchandise. It’s unclear if the invoice will obtain wider assist in parliament.
“Specialists have repeatedly documented the well being impacts of drawback playing, however no Australian jurisdiction provides its well being authorities duty for managing these points,” Ryan mentioned.
double citation mark Classifying playing as a ‘public well being matter’ underneath the remit of the Australian Centre for Illness Management will kick off nationwide motion on a well being emergency that calls for the Albanese authorities’s full consideration.
Ryan mentioned classifying playing hurt as a public well being challenge would result in higher nationwide motion, together with information assortment and techniques to deal with the problem.
Dan Jervis-Bardy
AEC proposes main modifications for Tasmanian’s federal seats
Greater than 1 / 4 of Tasmanian voters can be shifted to a brand new federal seat underneath a proposed redrawing of the state’s electoral boundaries.
The Australian Electoral Fee launched the redrawn maps for public session on Friday, proposing modifications in 4 of the state’s 5 federal seats.
The electoral commissioner, Jeff Pope, mentioned about 27% of Tasmanians would change electorates with the overwhelming majority coming from changes to the seats of Clark, Franklin and Lyons.
The seat of Bass within the state’s north would even be drawn whereas the voters of Braddon, which covers the north-west and west coast, would stay unchanged.
Pope mentioned:
double citation mark All proposed modifications are pushed by the necessity to stability present and projected enrolment throughout electorates but additionally to have electorates that mirror linked communities of curiosity and pure boundaries wherever potential.
Suggestions on the proposed redistribution is open till 27 March.
The fee can also be looking for suggestions on a possible renaming of the seat of Franklin, which was named after Sir John Franklin, the lieutenant-governor of Tasmania (then generally known as Van Diemen’s Land) from 1837-1843.
Tasmania swung behind Anthony Albanese’s workforce on the 2025 election, with Labor choosing up Bass and Braddon and retaining Franklin and Lyons.
The impartial MP, Andrew Wilkie, comfortably held Clark.
Jordyn Beazley
Police have new system to flag neo-Nazi teams’ use of kind one system
NSW police minister Yasmin Catley mentioned the police have applied a brand new system that might higher flag any potential neo-Nazi rallies in the event that they search authorisation from police.
Final November, the police got here underneath fireplace after a neo-Nazi group gained police authorisation by way of the shape one course of to carry a rally exterior NSW parliament.
The NSW police commissioner, Mal Lanyon, mentioned that whereas police had allowed the protest, neither he nor the NSW premier knew it was happening, and blamed a breakdown in communication.
Catley advised price range estimates a short while in the past:
double citation mark They’re implementing a brand new system on the subject of kind ones, and it might have been picked up on the best way via after they lodge it within the first place.
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