Ley lays down regulation to frontbenchers
Sussan Ley has written to her frontbench staff laying out minimal requirements of behaviour and the Coalition celebration’s coverage priorities, in keeping with studies.
After a shaky begin to her management with the resignation of the outspoken senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Worth and a coverage revolt on web zero by Andrew Hastie, Ley has knowledgeable her prime staff by e mail that they are going to be receiving letters to tell them about key efficiency indicators that they are going to be anticipated to satisfy with a purpose to shore up celebration self-discipline, in keeping with 9 newspapers.
The e-mail says:
“They [the letters] set out coverage priorities and key efficiency indicators, encompassing each the chief’s route in addition to areas the place shadow ministers want to advance coverage,” it stated.
“The letters present clear route and a tasking to shadow ministers past the standard mirroring of presidency portfolios, placing the Coalition on a proactive coverage path.”
A spokesperson for Ley advised the SMH that the letters “will allow the Coalition to develop a transparent, credible coverage platform to take to the election, drawing a transparent distinction with Labor quite than merely responding to the federal government”.
The 9 newspapers say Ley’s use of those “constitution letters” harks again to technique first utilized by Bob Hawke however not historically utilized by opposition leaders.
The opposition chief, Sussan Ley, and the deputy chief, Ted O’Brien. {Photograph}: James Ross/AAPShare
Up to date at 17.15 EDT
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Playing harms extra pronounced as on-line betting jumps
Australians are playing greater than they’ll afford, with hurt charges growing regardless of the variety of folks betting general reducing, AAP studies.
The variety of folks playing has steadily decreased over the previous 15 years, however playing hurt and downside betting charges haven’t lowered, that means a bigger proportion of people that gamble accomplish that in riskier methods.
{Photograph}: Nadir Kinani/The Guardian
On-line playing has greater than quadrupled to cowl greater than 33% of adults since 2017, in keeping with analysis out of ANU. Virtually one in 20 adults guess at dangerous ranges up to now 12 months.
There was a spike in downside playing because of the prevalence of on-line playing, together with the benefit of entry by way of sports activities betting apps, report creator Aino Suomi stated:
It’s the web playing that’s actually driving dangerous playing and it’s bringing playing into household properties with youngsters.
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Up to date at 19.17 EDT
Josh Taylor
Optus asks tech supplier Ericsson to analyze Dapto tower outage
Optus has stated it’s working with tools supplier Ericsson to find out the reason for the outage of the tower in Dapto, NSW, on Sunday that brought on 9 triple zero calls to not undergo in the course of the outage.
Late on Tuesday, Optus stated it was Ericsson’s tools that “didn’t seem to function because it ought to”. The tower appeared energetic on the community however the calls being made by way of that tower didn’t join or switch to different networks, Optus stated.
The preliminary evaluation exhibits 5G was working however 4G was not, which is what prevented calls from connecting – 4G is used to hold voice calls on Optus’s community.
The tower didn’t alert Optus that 4G was not operational. Ericsson has undertaken a evaluation of its parts of the Optus community and located that what occurred on the positioning was an “anomaly” that has not been seen elsewhere.
An Optus spokesperson stated:
We’re assured by Ericsson that they’ve their international product growth unit urgently analysing this.
To be clear, the tower is totally operational.
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Up to date at 19.02 EDT
Skilled requires regulation change after landmark strip-search case
Samantha Lee, a supervising solicitor on the Redfern Authorized Centre, stated a landmark class motion towards the state of NSW over allegedly illegal strip-searches performed by police at music festivals was a “very important” discovering that ought to result in legislative change.
Lee spoke to RN Breakfast after Justice Dina Yehia awarded $93,000 to a girl who was illegally strip-searched by NSW police on the Splendour within the Grass music pageant in 2018.
Lee stated of yesterday’s findings:
It’s one of many largest class actions towards police in Australia. It’s very important by way of stopping unwarranted and humiliating strip-searches.
Now we’d like legislative change. What the laws must do now could be to ban this strip-searching towards youngsters and younger folks. The primary discovering from this judgment is that it isn’t a motive to strip-search if there may be possession of minor drug possession or if there’s a drug canine indication.
They’re very intrusive, invasive and humiliating procedures, as her justice stated, and that for that motive parliament supposed that they solely be utilized in very restricted circumstances.
Law enforcement officials and drug detection canine amongst pageant goers at Splendour within the Grass in 2019. {Photograph}: Mark Metcalfe/Getty ImagesShare
Up to date at 18.45 EDT
Clare O’Neil notes Treasury has suggested the federal government scheme will push up residence costs by 0.5% over six years.
Guardian Australia’s Luca Ittimani wrote an explainer on the brand new plan, and consultants’ issues with that estimate, under:
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Housing minister says criticisms the 5% deposit scheme will probably be utilized by billionaires ‘out of contact’
Clare O’Neil stated the Coalition’s criticisms that billionaires could be utilizing the scheme to purchase a primary residence have been “terribly out of contact”.
She advised RN Breakfast of the opposition:
They’ve spent the final three years attempting to sluggish our authorities down and cease us from offering helps to Australians who’re struggling. Now, I say out of contact as a result of for those who suppose, firstly, that billionaires’ youngsters are going to be utilizing this scheme, you then haven’t regarded very exhausting at it.
We’ve obtained in all probability folks listening proper now who’re on cheap incomes however are paying excessive rents and usually are not ready to avoid wasting for a house deposit. That is for them. That is for each single younger individual across the nation who’s struggling to get these financial savings collectively.
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Up to date at 18.16 EDT
Opposition takes challenge with the 5% deposit scheme, however will develop its personal plan earlier than subsequent election
Julian Leeser, the shadow lawyer normal, stated whereas residence possession was one of many “most vital issues” to have as an financial purpose, the Coalition believed the federal government’s scheme had a number of points.
Leeser advised RN Breakfast the proposal for a 5% scheme needs to be means-tested, including the opposition was involved it might result in a surge in residence costs “wherever between 5% and 10%”.
It’s a $60bn scheme that’s not solely open to low-income earners, but it surely’s open to billionaires as nicely.
Julian Leeser. {Photograph}: Lukas Coch/AAP
He stated the Coalition would put ahead its personal plans earlier than the following election:
It’s very exhausting for first owners to, or for potential first owners, to purchase properties in cities like Sydney and in electorates like mine. My citizens was once considered an reasonably priced a part of Sydney but it surely’s not that any extra.
We’ll be creating our housing insurance policies between now and the following election and Australians may have a really sturdy sense of what our insurance policies are earlier than the following election.
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Up to date at 18.09 EDT
Housing minister says 5% deposit scheme ‘significant, actual distinction’ for younger homebuyers
Clare O’Neil, the housing minister, stated the federal government’s new 5% deposit scheme for first residence patrons will assist “tens of hundreds” of younger folks get on to the property ladder. The plan went into impact right now, which is able to waive the lender’s mortgage insurance coverage charged to debtors with small deposits.
The scheme is supposed to assist younger folks purchase properties sooner, however many consultants say it might result in a rise in property costs, with median values tipped to rise as much as $85,000 larger than they’re right now.
Clare O’Neil. {Photograph}: Joel Carrett/AAP
O’Neil described the 5% scheme as “significant, actual distinction” the federal government might make to assist first residence patrons, telling RN Breakfast:
What authorities is doing right now will slash the time it takes folks to avoid wasting for a house deposit. As of right now each single first residence purchaser across the nation will probably be eligible to get into the market with a 5% deposit, and our authorities is backing it.
That is significant, actual distinction that we are able to make to the youthful era who’re dealing with very completely different housing alternatives than their mother and father and grandparents.
I received’t look a era of younger folks within the eye and inform them they’ve to attend till we tackle the availability points earlier than they get assist. Individuals across the nation need assistance proper now, that’s what they’re getting from our authorities right now.
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Up to date at 17.55 EDT
Cait Kelly
Victoria’s housing disaster has worsened in nearly each key measure, report finds
Over 13,000 Victorians each month are looking for homelessness companies attributable to household violence, the Council to Homeless Individuals’ 2025 Housing Insecurity Index has discovered.
Victoria’s housing disaster has worsened throughout nearly each key measure, with greater than 66,000 folks now on the social housing waitlist – up 7.4% in a 12 months.
The personal rental sector has develop into more durable to entry with, median rents growing 3.9% throughout Victoria up to now 12 months – and regional rents rising 6%.
Melbourne. {Photograph}: James Ross/AAP
State funding in housing and homelessness companies is simply $399.80 per individual, under the nationwide common, regardless of Victoria accounting for one-third of demand.
Victoria’s proportion of social housing is simply 3% – the bottom within the nation.
The CHP chief govt, Deborah Di Natale, stated:
This report makes it crystal clear that the federal government should do extra. We want a social housing constructing blitz of a minimum of 4,000 new properties per 12 months, stronger prevention measures to cease folks turning into homeless within the first place, and pressing funding in disaster lodging and companies.
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Up to date at 17.37 EDT
Union hits again after Optus blames triple-zero outage on workers
The Communication Staff Union hit again strongly after the boss of Optus’s father or mother firm blamed workers and expertise for the triple-zero outage that left 4 folks lifeless, Australian Related Press studies.
After a gathering yesterday with the communications minister, Anika Wells, Singtel’s chief govt, Yuen Kuan Moon, stated the vital incident had been attributable to issues with personnel.
“It’s a folks challenge and it takes time to vary and rework the folks,” Yuen stated after the assembly.
Optus chair John Arthur, Singtel CEO Yuen Kwan Moon and Optus CEO Stephen Rue. {Photograph}: Farid Farid/AAP
However his feedback prompted a scathing retort from the Communication Staff Union, which stated the chief’s try to throw workers beneath the bus was “totally outrageous” and “a grimy try to shirk accountability for the telco’s systemic failures”.
“You don’t repair a systemic failure by scapegoating the folks on the frontline,” nationwide secretary Shane Murphy stated.
If the system can’t carry a triple-zero name, that’s a boardroom failure, not a ‘folks failure’.
Learn extra right here on Anika Wells’ assembly:
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Up to date at 17.41 EDT
Good morning, and blissful Wednesday. Nick Visser right here to choose up the weblog. Let’s leap in.
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Ley lays down regulation to frontbenchers
Sussan Ley has written to her frontbench staff laying out minimal requirements of behaviour and the Coalition celebration’s coverage priorities, in keeping with studies.
After a shaky begin to her management with the resignation of the outspoken senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Worth and a coverage revolt on web zero by Andrew Hastie, Ley has knowledgeable her prime staff by e mail that they are going to be receiving letters to tell them about key efficiency indicators that they are going to be anticipated to satisfy with a purpose to shore up celebration self-discipline, in keeping with 9 newspapers.
The e-mail says:
“They [the letters] set out coverage priorities and key efficiency indicators, encompassing each the chief’s route in addition to areas the place shadow ministers want to advance coverage,” it stated.
“The letters present clear route and a tasking to shadow ministers past the standard mirroring of presidency portfolios, placing the Coalition on a proactive coverage path.”
A spokesperson for Ley advised the SMH that the letters “will allow the Coalition to develop a transparent, credible coverage platform to take to the election, drawing a transparent distinction with Labor quite than merely responding to the federal government”.
The 9 newspapers say Ley’s use of those “constitution letters” harks again to technique first utilized by Bob Hawke however not historically utilized by opposition leaders.
The opposition chief, Sussan Ley, and the deputy chief, Ted O’Brien. {Photograph}: James Ross/AAPShare
Up to date at 17.15 EDT
Nicole Kidman information for divorce from Keith City
Nicole Kidman has filed for divorce from Keith City after 19 years of marriage, Related Press studies.
Kidman petitioned on Tuesday to finish the wedding in a Nashville courtroom. The submitting states the wedding “suffered irreconcilable variations.”
The 58-year-old Oscar-winning actor and the 57-year-old Grammy-winning nation singer, each raised in Australia, met in 2005 at a Los Angeles occasion honouring Australians and have been married in Sydney the next 12 months.
They’ve two teenage daughters collectively.
The wedding was the primary for City and the second for Kidman, who was married to Tom Cruise from 1990 to 2001. Kidman additionally has two older youngsters with Cruise.
Their cut up was first reported by TMZ.
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Up to date at 17.04 EDT
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our dwell information weblog. I’m Martin Farrer with the highest in a single day tales after which it is going to be Nick Visser to take over.
Union bosses have reacted angrily to what they name an try by the boss of Optus’s father or mother firm to “scapegoat” staff for the latest triple-zero outage. Extra developing.
Sussan Ley has responded to latest vocal criticism about her coverage path by writing to her frontbench staff, laying out minimal requirements of behaviour and the Coalition celebration’s coverage priorities, in keeping with studies. Extra developing.
And scorching on the heels of studies that Nicole Kidman and Keith City had damaged up, Kidman has made it official, submitting for divorce in a US courtroom.
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