Authorities to pay extra $475m in compensation to robodebt victims
Dan Jervis-Bardy
The commonwealth has agreed to pay $475m in extra compensation to robodebt victims within the largest class motion settlement in Australian historical past.
The federal authorities introduced on Thursday it had agreed to settle Knox v The Commonwealth, an attraction from the unique robodebt class motion settlement in Prygodicz v The Commonwealth.
The whole deal quantities to $548.5m, with as much as $60m put aside to manage the settlement scheme and as much as $13.5 to cowl the candidates’ cheap authorized prices.
The compensation, which nonetheless requires federal courtroom approval, could be along with the quantity paid following the unique robodebt class motion settlement in 2020.
In an announcement, the lawyer basic, Michelle Rowland, stated:
As we speak’s settlement demonstrates the Albanese Labor authorities’s ongoing dedication to addressing the harms prompted to a whole bunch of 1000’s of weak Australians by the previous Liberal authorities’s disastrous robodebt scheme.
the royal fee described robodebt as a ‘crude and merciless mechanism, neither honest nor authorized’. It discovered that ‘folks have been traumatised on the off likelihood they could owe cash’ and that robodebt was ‘a pricey failure of public administration, in each human and financial phrases’.
Settling this declare is the simply and honest factor to do.
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Up to date at 20.26 EDT
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Patrick Commins
Bullock says there ‘will not be many rate of interest declines left to return’ after newest family spending numbers
Michele Bullock, the Reserve Financial institution governor, says “there will not be many rate of interest declines left to return” if the robust family consumption revealed in yesterday’s nationwide accounts continues.
Bullock, in a Q&A session following a speech in Perth yesterday night, stated the financial institution had been anticipating a raise in family spending as “actual disposable incomes have been rising for a few yr now”.
Wealth is rising as a result of housing costs are rising, and usually, below these circumstances, you’d anticipate to see consumption beginning to rise … and that’s welcome.
What it means for the way forward for rates of interest, I don’t know at this stage, however all I’d say is that, if something, most likely it’s (consumption) a bit stronger than we thought it might be.
In order that’s good, nevertheless it does imply that it’s attainable that if it retains going, then there will not be many rate of interest declines left to return, nevertheless it all relies upon.
Monetary markets are additionally repricing the possibility of future price strikes.
Final week, merchants have been totally factoring in a price lower by November, and now see solely an 80% likelihood of a transfer that month, in response to ANZ evaluation.
And whereas debtors ought to nonetheless have one other lower by December, monetary markets are now not certain of a follow-up lower in early 2026.
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Up to date at 20.22 EDT
No stories of Australians killed or severely injured in Lisbon funicular crash: Dfat
The Division of Overseas Affairs and Commerce (DFAT) is making “pressing enquiries” after at the least 15 folks have been killed when a funicular railway in Lisbon derailed and crashed on Wednesday.
A spokesperson for Dfat stated they weren’t conscious of any Australians who had been killed or severely injured, however the division was offering consular help to 1 particular person.
The Australian authorities provides its deepest sympathies to these affected.
Authorities stated some overseas nationals have been among the many useless however wouldn’t establish the victims or disclose their nationalities. No less than 18 folks, together with a baby, have been injured, 5 of them severely, emergency providers stated.
“It’s a tragic day for our metropolis … Lisbon is in mourning, it’s a tragic, tragic incident,” Carlos Moedas, the mayor of the Portuguese capital, informed reporters.
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Up to date at 20.12 EDT
Ben Roberts-Smith should pay portion of authorized charges of publishers after failed defamation go well with, courtroom guidelines
Kate Lyons
Ben Roberts-Smith should pay lump sum prices to the publishers of the Sydney Morning Herald, the Age and the Canberra Occasions, to cowl a few of their authorized charges, over his failed try to sue the newspapers for defamation, a courtroom dominated on Thursday.
The federal courtroom in Sydney decided it was acceptable that Roberts-Smith pay a lump sum of prices to the newspaper publishers and gave the 2 events 14 days to resolve on an acceptable determine.
Ben Roberts-Smith in 2025. {Photograph}: Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Photos
Justice Nye Perram dominated that the previous SAS soldier mustn’t should pay prices on an indemnity foundation, as requested by the publishers, which permits for a better cost of prices and is ordered by the courtroom for causes together with if events have introduced a hopeless case, behaved unreasonably or improperly within the proceedings or dedicated an abuse of course of.
The defamation go well with was introduced by Roberts-Smith, a Victoria Cross recipient and one in all Australia’s most embellished troopers, in 2018. He misplaced that case, with Justice Anthony Besank discovering in 2023 that Roberts-Smith had, on the stability of chances, dedicated struggle crimes whereas deployed in Afghanistan.
Roberts appealed the choice, however misplaced that attraction in Might, with three justices of the federal courtroom agreeing he was not defamed by 9 newspapers and journalists Nick McKenzie and Chris Masters via stories which claimed he had dedicated struggle crimes
In a abstract of the judgment, the attraction justices wrote that they have been “unanimously of the opinion that the proof was sufficiently cogent to assist the findings that the appellant murdered 4 Afghan males”.
The authorized prices of the marathon authorized battle are believed to exceed $35m. Roberts-Smith, 46, was awarded Australia’s highest navy honour, the Victoria Cross, in 2011, for single-handedly taking out machine-gun posts to guard pinned-down colleagues in Afghanistan. He has all the time denied the allegations in opposition to him.
He has obtained assist from rich backers, together with Kerry Stokes, the chairman of Seven West Media, who agreed to pay the prices of Roberts-Smith’s failed defamation motion. Gina Rinehart – the mining magnate and Australia’s richest particular person, who criticised a “relentless assault” on Roberts-Smith – has donated to a fund designed to assist the authorized prices of former SAS troopers however declined to say whether or not she personally funded Roberts-Smith’s authorized prices.
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Up to date at 20.08 EDT
Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Value describes anti-immigration march as a ‘demonstration of unity’
Liberal Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Value has described the March for Australia rallies over the weekend attended by confirmed neo-Nazis as “a pro-Australia march” attended by “quiet Australians” and a “demonstration of unity”.
In a doorstop this morning, Value stated Australia had “come below assault” from the left after she was pressured to take away an Australian flag within the Senate on Wednesday.
I implore others across the nation to take up carrying the Australian flag. I feel it’s an exquisite factor to do. I feel we have to educate our youngsters to be proud to name themselves Australian.
Requested if protests over the weekend had stoked division, she stated they “weren’t essentially protests” however have been a “pro-Australia march”.
For therefore lengthy, Australians who’re proud to name themselves Australian have been below assault – significantly by the left – and have been informed that we’re a racist nation. And this has been brewing for a while … What occurred was, the quiet Australians got here out and determined to be loud. That’s what that was about. To say no, no, no, let’s be pleased with who we’re.
I noticed some stunning footage of members of the migrant neighborhood standing with white Australians … and singing our nationwide anthem collectively fortunately, joyfully and so proud in doing so. That to me was an illustration of unity.
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Up to date at 19.46 EDT
AI and deepfakes high most regarding tendencies for folks, anti-bullying assessment finds
A federal authorities assessment into bullying in faculties has obtained greater than 1,700 submissions, its co-chair has revealed. Talking to the media on Wednesday, Jo Robinson stated the submissions had spoken to the “complexity of bullying and its nature”, which was amplified by “broader societal pressures”.
They don’t simply happen within the college playground anymore – they will observe you residence and they are often onerous to flee from.
Most likely essentially the most regarding pattern for folks, younger folks and lecturers could be the evolving area of expertise: AI, deepfakes. There’s an actual problem in making an attempt to remain forward of what’s required so as to have the ability to reply successfully to it …
A few of the different issues that we’ve heard is a extremely robust assist for nationwide management and steerage round this difficulty. The work that we’re doing will result in some suggestions round what a nationwide commonplace might appear to be for bullying throughout the nation.
The schooling minister, Jason Clare, stated suggestions from the assessment could be offered to he and his counterparts after they subsequent meet in Queensland in mid-October.
That’s once I’m hopeful … ministers will comply with these suggestions. After which we’ll should set out the plan for the way we implement them.
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Up to date at 19.34 EDT
Sarah Basford Canales
New knowledgeable committee to information NDIS overhauls revealed
The Albanese authorities has revealed a brand new knowledgeable committee to advise on main overhauls to the NDIS, saying NSW incapacity council deputy chair, Jill Duncan, as its head.
Jenny McAllister, the NDIS minister, made the announcement in a single day as a committee to find out the “best-practice, evidence-based helps that ship outcomes”.
The committee will assess the impartial recommendation supplied to them on the suitability of NDIS helps for funding, together with therapies and assistive applied sciences.
Public session will begin later this yr and the Albanese authorities will commit $45.5m to the committee over the following 4 years.
The complete committee contains:
McAllister stated:
The committee is about ensuring that each greenback invested within the NDIS is properly spent on high quality, evidence-based helps that make the lives of individuals with a incapacity higher.
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Up to date at 19.23 EDT
David Pocock to make a voluntary lobbying register public
The impartial senator for the ACT, David Pocock, will renew requires reform to the political affect of lobbying at this time.
Fronting the media alongside different crossbench parliamentarians this morning, Pocock will announce a voluntary register for politicians to publish details about lobbyists with privileged access-all-areas passes to Parliament Home.
Pocock is proposing to keep up the voluntary register on a central, publicly accessible web site.
David Pocock on Tuesday. {Photograph}: Lukas Coch/AAP
He stated lobbying had a “reputable position to play” within the political system nevertheless it wanted to be clear and properly regulated.
Folks with sponsored passes get pleasure from monumental privilege and entry to our most senior resolution makers. It’s not unreasonable for the Australians these parliamentarians have been elected to characterize to know who enjoys that entry, and who gave it to them, and I hope my parliamentary colleagues will take part.
Final yr’s Senate inquiry into lobbying highlighted simply how damaged our present system is and in addition demonstrated that many lobbyists additionally assist a stronger one.
The register shall be made public subsequent month.
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Up to date at 19.23 EDT
Assault on Indigenous Camp Sovereignty ‘reprehensible’: Malarndirri McCarthy
Australia’s minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, says her cellphone “went loopy” on Sunday night time after the assault.
Talking to the As we speak present earlier, she stated the assault on Camp Sovereignty in Melbourne was “completely appalling”.
That assault that occurred was reprehensible, it was completely appalling. First Nations folks have been taking care of, and are taking care of the sacred bones of ancestors at that specific website. It’s a sacred floor and it was reprehensible what happened there.
My cellphone simply went loopy on Sunday night time, this week my workplace has been inundated by Australians who’re frightened of what they noticed, who’re indignant.
Malarndirri McCarthy throughout query time on Tuesday. {Photograph}: Mick Tsikas/AAPShare
Up to date at 18.56 EDT
Carr says he pulled out of Chinese language navy parade invite after ‘nature’ of occasion turned clear
Former overseas minister Bob Carr says he pulled out of attending yesterday’s Chinese language navy parade after he realized in regards to the “nature” of the occasion.
Carr and Daniel Andrews have been scheduled to attend the occasion, Andrews did – and was filmed shaking palms with Chinese language president Xi Jinping and in a gaggle {photograph} with president Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-Un.
Carr tells ABC RN Breakfast he was invited by the consul basic of China in April to attend the commemorations and “didn’t hesitate for a second” in accepting.
The consul basic again in April might need talked about in passing that there’s going to be a parade, however the nature of the parade didn’t grow to be clear. When it did, I let the Chinese language ambassador know that I’d not be attending it.
I’m not all in favour of a Soviet-era-style navy parade, though China has them, I perceive, each 5 years. I got here right here to speak to Chinese language students, Chinese language diplomats, and to fulfill, it was essential, to fulfill the massive focus of Australian associates and like-minded [people] from south-east Asia.
Requested if Andrews had “poor judgement” attending the occasion, Carr says he’s “not going to be drawn into criticising a colleague”.
I can discuss for myself, and that’s I didn’t see any worth in watching a show of {hardware}.
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Up to date at 18.41 EDT
Tom McIlroy
Shadow lawyer basic distances himself from Value’s feedback on immigration
The shadow lawyer basic, Julian Leeser, says it’s acceptable Australia maintains a non-discriminatory immigration coverage, distancing himself from feedback by Liberal Jacinta Nampijinpa Value on Wednesday.
She walked again inflammatory claims she made on ABC TV that federal Labor was selling migration by particular ethnic teams, together with Indians, to develop its electoral assist.
Singling out Indians coming to Australia, the outspoken Northern Territory senator stated sections of the neighborhood have been involved at “the core quantity, or the kind of migrants which are coming in”.
I feel Labor like to have the ability to be sure that they’re going to permit these in that might finally assist their insurance policies, their views, and vote for them as properly.
That is Labor. Mainly, it’s energy at any price. And we see that happen everywhere by way of the way in which they conduct themselves.
Talking on RN this morning, Leeser stated Value had “walked again the feedback.
We imagine in a race-blind migration coverage. It has been our coverage for 40 years or extra.
Leeser spoke in regards to the outsized contribution of the Indian neighborhood in his voters of Berowra in Sydney.
They’re concerned in each conceivable neighborhood exercise in my voters, from PNCs to sporting golf equipment. They’re concerned in each stage of society, from CEOs of high firms to folks employed as cleaners in buildings and so forth.
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Up to date at 18.46 EDT
Ley repeats PM’s strains that anti-immigration demonstrations had folks with ‘goodwill’
Migration is the opposite large difficulty that’s dominated parliament this week, after the anti-immigration protests over the weekend, and the federal government launched its newest immigration numbers, with the everlasting consumption to stay at 185,000 for this monetary yr.
Sussan Ley says the federal government wants to elucidate how these migrant numbers shall be balanced with having sufficient housing and infrastructure.
The federal government, nevertheless, does have to handle points comparable to bringing one million migrants into Australia of their first two years and not using a plan to accommodate them…
It’s authorities coverage that’s failing right here, not migrants themselves which are failing.
Ley, just like the PM, says there have been folks with “goodwill” at Sunday’s protests, however that they have been “hijacked” by extremists.
Requested in regards to the assault on Sunday on an Aboriginal gathering website in Melbourne, Ley says it was “completely hideous” and “sickening”.
Labor MP Ed Husic was way more crucial of those that attended the protests, when chatting with ABC TV yesterday, and stated, “These rallies have been whipped up by far-right extremists and neo-Nazis. Lots of people have been warned about that.”
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Up to date at 18.11 EDT
Coalition contests ‘bipartisan’ framing on aged care bundle releases
Whereas the federal government has tried to border the aged care deal as a “bipartisanship” settlement, the opposition and crossbench have stated it was their strain that obtained Labor to maneuver.
The opposition chief, Sussan Ley, popped up on ABC Information Breakfast a bit earlier and stated it was not a deal however a “defeat” for Labor – it’s the identical line that she stated yesterday. She additionally promised to proceed pushing the federal government on the supply of these residence care packages.
The opposition had piled strain on the aged care minister, Sam Rae, this week, directing each single query to him at query time on Monday and Tuesday. This morning, Ley says it’s a win for aged Australians.
Most significantly, for aged Australians, they’re going to begin to get extra assist. As a result of should you’re 97 years outdated and also you’re fearful and unsafe and dwelling at residence, however solely barely managing, to be informed that it’s OK to attend a number of months, if not over a yr on your bundle isn’t adequate.
To be informed that it’s okay to attend a number of months, if not over a yr on your bundle isn’t adequate, so we’re going to proceed with this difficulty. We’re going to proceed to push and be sure that the federal government does what it guarantees.
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Up to date at 18.05 EDT
Rae avoids answering query on ‘factional priorities’
Round 2,700 residence care packages are being rolled out every week, says Rae, however gained’t make clear what number of of these are new packages and what number of are from vacancies.
In query time this week, the opposition stated no new packages had been launched. Rae says:
A few of them have been new packages after which a few of them have been ones which have come about as a result of folks have been transferring into residential aged care or as we’ve mentioned within the parliament, sadly, some folks have handed away which have been receiving care as properly. So there’s a mixture of packages, however on common, we’ve been rolling out 2,700 packages per week.
Sally Sara then sticks the knife in and asks Rae:
How do you are feeling about your place within the ministry understanding that individuals with way more expertise than you’ve gotten been demoted to make approach for factional priorities?
Rae is within the Victorian proper faction, led by the deputy prime minister, Richard Marles. He was one in all a handful of latest entrants into the ministry which noticed Ed Husic and the previous lawyer basic Mark Dreyfus booted out.
Rae says he’s “very proud” to serve within the ministry.
It is a implausible authorities. It’s one which I’m very proud to be part of. We’re very lucky in that we have now an enormous rank of swelling expertise and I’m actually happy to get to serve within the place that I do get to serve.
The aged care minister, Sam Rae, yesterday. {Photograph}: Lukas Coch/AAPShare
Up to date at 17.59 EDT
Aged care laws heads to Home of Representatives for remaining vote
After passing the Senate yesterday – with a deal struck between the federal government and Coalition to right away launch 20,000 residence care packages – the aged care laws will return to the Home of Representatives for a remaining vote at this time.
The federal government set to lose a vote within the Senate, with the Coalition, Greens and crossbench teaming as much as drive Labor’s hand to launch extra packages
The aged care minister, Sam Rae, is on RN Breakfast this morning and is being requested why it took Labor’s hand being pressured to launch these packages – why didn’t they simply comply with launch the packages sooner?
Rae gained’t work together with the query (and Sally Sara asks it a number of occasions) and gained’t say why it took the federal government so lengthy to maneuver.
He concedes the federal government didn’t want parliamentary approval to roll out further packages however says Labor has been making an attempt to attain the reforms with bipartisanship.
We wanted to achieve a bipartisan settlement about how this was going to be executed. That was a key precept that we have now pursued right through. As of yesterday, we have now reached a bipartisan settlement about how that rollout happens.
The opposite half is that we’ve had evolving recommendation from the sector about their capability to really reply to those elevated packages that we’re going to place into the system.
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Up to date at 17.55 EDT
Ed Husic urges Australia to stop twin nationals becoming a member of overseas navy forces in circumstances of ‘believable genocide’
Labor MP Ed Husic has urged the federal government to stop twin nationals becoming a member of a overseas drive, in circumstances the place “a physique with the load of the ICJ believes believable genocide could possibly be occurring in part of the world the place that overseas drive is working.”
Talking to the Home final night time, Husic – who has been a powerful advocate for Palestine and a vocal critic of Israel’s struggle in Gaza – stated it was “not unrealistic” to anticipate that twin nationals in Australia could also be referred to as to serve within the Israeli defence drive.
It’s understood Husic questioned whether or not twin Australian-Israeli residents who have been combating in Gaza for the Israel Defence Forces could possibly be implicated below overseas fighter legal guidelines throughout a celebration room assembly on Tuesday.
I’d urge our authorities to ship a transparent assertion surrounding the dangers of taking part in IDF actions in Gaza.
We don’t want Australians positioned ready the place they witness, abet or take part in what is going to doubtless be deemed a genocide. I’m additionally involved in regards to the influence of trauma on these returning after witnessing what they’d have in Gaza.
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Up to date at 18.02 EDT
