Category: Australian News

This week I will travel to the United States to meet senior officials from the Trump Administration, members of Congress, and key defence industry leaders.

Australia and the United States share a longstanding alliance. The United States is Australia’s principal strategic partner. Together, we play a vital role in supporting defence, security and economic prosperity, including in the Pacific region. 

While in Washington DC, I will take part in an AUKUS defence industry update, including engaging with US counterparts and military decision-makers. AUKUS stands as our most significant example of industrial cooperation. It plays a critical role in enhancing our capability and contributing to stability and security across the Indo-Pacific.

I will also attend the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting & Exposition. The AUSA expo is North America’s premier defence land power event and a crucial meeting point for leaders within the US defence industrial base, private-sector and a critical forum for promoting Australia’s defence industry. 

The Albanese Government and the Trump Administration share a steadfast commitment to advancing our defence industry. Together with industry partners, we are delivering capability — decisively, efficiently, and with clear purpose.

I look forward to meeting with my counterparts in Washington to further strengthen our alliance through deeper collaboration across our industrial bases.

Australia welcomes President Trump’s announcement that Israel and Hamas have signed off the first phase of the plan to bring peace to Gaza.

After more than two years of conflict, hostages held and a devastating loss of civilian life, this is a much needed step towards peace.

Australia has consistently been part of international calls for a ceasefire, return of the hostages, and the unimpeded flow of aid to Gaza.

We urge all parties to respect the terms of the plan.

We thank President Trump for his diplomatic efforts and acknowledge the important role of Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye in delivering this agreement.

Australia strongly supports the plan’s commitment to denying Hamas any role in the future governance of Gaza.

There is a very long road to recovery in Gaza, securing long term peace and building the Palestinian state.

Together with our partners, Australia will continue to do what we can to contribute to a just and enduring two-state solution.

The WA Greens are calling on the Cook Labor Government to immediately drop their appeal against Dion Barber. 

Mr Barber was awarded $2.85 million in compensation by the District Court for repeated sexual abuse he suffered while in state care during the 1980s and 1990s.

Jess Beckerling MLC, Greens WA spokesperson for Sexual Violence: 

“Dion Barber has survived extreme levels of abuse and has shown extraordinary courage in repeatedly coming forward to tell his story and seek relief and justice. 

“The law was changed following the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse to provide for victim survivors to bring their cases to court. This was in recognition of how important it is that people are able to seek justice.

“Mr Barber is the first person whose case has been heard and compensation agreed following this important change to the law.

“It is staggering that the State Government would appeal this decision. It should acknowledge it has made a mistake and drop the appeal. 

“What does it say to victim survivors about how they will be treated in court by the State? This was supposed to be a chance for justice and a step towards recovery, not another exercise in re-traumatising survivors.

“This was the wrong move. The State has made a series of egregious decisions in its duty to Mr Barber and it should absolutely have recognised that and apologised by now. This appeal must be dropped.” 

The Greens say the early education and care system is in desperate need of overhaul after today’s shocking reports revealed further safety and reporting concerns and a preventable infant death in an unlicensed childcare centre.

Today, the ABC and The Sydney Morning Herald revealed:

• Childcare company Affinity Education withheld information from detectives during the Joshua Brown investigation.
• A 15 week old baby died in an unlicensed care centre while in an unsafe sleeping environment.

Senator Steph Hodgins-May, the Australian Greens spokesperson for early childhood education and care will question the federal Department of Education at Senate Estimates tomorrow (Friday) on key issues of quality and safety and the rollout of safety reforms announced by the Government. 

In August, the Greens successfully established a Senate Inquiry into the quality and safety of early childhood education and care after the government failed to adequately address the deep flaws in the system and responded with piecemeal fixes. 

Greens spokesperson for early education and care, Senator Steph Hodgins-May: 

“As a parent, it’s distressing to see our childcare system continue to let down children and families. 

“Time and time again, the system is allowing these cases of malpractice to go unchecked. It’s a symptom of a broken, profit-driven system. 

“While the Labor government drags its feet with band-aid fixes, children, parents and educators are paying the price through unsafe environments and ignored complaints. 

“A market-driven childcare system will always put profit over the safety and quality of our children’s care. 

“In Estimates tomorrow, I’ll be pressing  the Department of Education for answers on how it intends to provide the accountability parents deserve.

“We have also established a Senate Inquiry into the quality and safety of early learning, to uncover the systemic failings and put forward strong reforms so parents can finally trust the system. The inquiry will report back in March, and we look forward to its findings.

The two year anniversary of the current and ongoing genocide by Israel against the Palestinian people in Gaza should be recognised by the NSW Government by the lighting of the Sydney opera House sails with the Palestinian flag. The call comes as the NSW Police have prevented a community rally to mark the anniversary from being given protection from prosecution if it goes ahead.

Greens MP and spokesperson for justice Sue Higginson said:

“The Sydney Opera House has been lit to recognise international issues of importance for years, including for India’s independence, French victims of terrorism, the war crimes committed against Ukraine, and most recently with the flag of Israel. It’s time for the NSW Government to recognise the international atrocity of genocide being committed against the people of Palestine,”

“More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel over the last two years, with at least 20,000 of them being children. This means a child has been murdered by Israel every hour since this genocide started,”

“The decision by the NSW Supreme Court today, to prohibit a planned rally at the Opera House this Sunday, is a setback for the right to protest in NSW, but it is not a setback to the community movement against Israel’s genocide,”

“Hundreds of thousands of people marched across the Harbour Bridge in the March for Humanity a few months ago, and likely tens of thousands more will be rallying in NSW again this Sunday. Premier Chris Minns should heed the community, and mark this two years of genocide by lighting the Opera House sails this Sunday evening in solidarity with all of those murdered Palestinians,”

“The community has rallied continuously for two years against the actions of Israel, and we will continue to rally until the genocide ends and the perpetrators are brought to international justice,” Ms Higginson said.

Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens and spokesperson for International Aid & Global Justice, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, joined supporters and family members this morning to welcome home three of the courageous Australians who attempted to deliver aid to Gaza and break Israel’s illegal blockade, aboard the Sumud Flotilla.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Deputy Leader of the Greens and spokesperson for International Aid & Global Justice:

“I am so relieved to welcome our heroes back home and I am so proud of them. We have all been worried sick about what the Israeli military would do to them given their horrific track record.

“The Australian people are so proud of them. These are everyday people who are willing to put their lives on the line to deliver lifesaving food and medical supplies to Palestinians suffering Israel’s genocide and starvation.

“They carried with them not only lifesaving supplies, but hope. Hope that in a world where governments like ours choose to do nothing as a livestreamed genocide occurs, that there are people out there willing to risk it all to save lives. It reminds us of the good in this world. I am so grateful and thankful to them for stepping up where governments have failed.

“The treatment of these Australians at the hands of Israel has shown that Minister Wong’s strategy of trying to appease a genocidal bully doesn’t work. Prime Minister Albanese and Minister Wong remained silent while these humanitarians were aboard the flotilla and then imprisoned by Israel, but surely they should hold Israel to account for illegally abducting, imprisoning and abusing Australian citizens, and for the genocide in Gaza.

“Palestinian people are still dying every day. They are still being starved. I have no doubt that people will take to the streets and take to the oceans until there is justice, long-lasting peace and liberation for Palestinians.”

Australians have clocked up more than two million visits to Labor’s free Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, easing pressure on hospital emergency departments and keeping critical care focused where it is needed most.

New data shows that the average number of visits to Medicare Urgent Care Clinics has risen to almost 26,000 per week nationally, and this number is expected to continue to grow as more clinics open.

Nearly half of all patients who attended a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic would have used a hospital emergency department if no clinic was available.

The Albanese Labor Government has delivered 90 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics with another 47 to open by mid-next year, which in total will provide services to around two million people every year.

Once all 137 clinics are open, 4 in 5 Australians will live within a 20-minute drive of a clinic according to analysis by the Department of Health and Aged Care.

Clinics are open for extended hours, filling a vital gap when regular GP practices are often closed. Nearly 30 per cent of visits to Medicare Urgent Care Clinics have taken place on weekends, and 25 per cent of patients have attended after 5pm on weekdays.

Medicare Urgent Care Clinics offer free care with no appointment needed, for illnesses and injuries that are urgent but not life-threatening, such as gastro, mild burns, sports injuries, insect bites, and minor infections. For more information, please visit Find your nearest Medicare Urgent Care Clinic.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:

“Two million visits is a testament to the value of Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, which are great for patients and vital for taking pressure off hospital emergency departments.

“When you go to an Urgent Care Clinic, all you will need is your Medicare card, not your credit card.

“Labor created Medicare, and we are building Australia’s future with the largest investment in Medicare in over 40 years.”

Health Minister Mark Butler:

“The Albanese Government’s Medicare Urgent Care Clinics have changed the face of health care in Australia.

“The clinics have been a game changer for communities around the country.

“No wonder over two million Australians have accessed this health care.

“They are taking the pressure off hospitals and delivering fully bulk billed urgent care with no appointment needed.

“All patients need is their Medicare card, not their credit card.”

The announcement by the President of the United States that Israel and Hamas have agreed to implement the first phase of a US-brokered peace plan should inspire hope in Australia and across the world.

All fair-minded Australians will welcome this announcement. We must remain hopeful today’s announcement will be borne out over the coming days.

The Coalition has supported the US-brokered peace plan from its announcement, and we have stood with Israel and the United States through this conflict. Such an outcome is why the Australian Government should always have stood with our closest ally the United States.

Today marks a hopeful first step toward the release of hostages held for over two years, the end of this war, and the beginning of enduring peace.

This development also underscores what the Coalition has been saying for weeks – now is not a time to protest, it is a time to provide our support to this effort which has delivered the real prospect of peace after two years of conflict.

The International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2025) in Sydney has blasted past expectations with an estimated $47 million boost to the visitor economy, more than doubling original forecasts.

The global space gathering is officially the largest international conference held in Sydney since the COVID pandemic.

Visitor numbers broke records, with more than 7,400 delegates, including international space agencies, industry leaders, and academia from around 100 countries, descending on Sydney for the five-day event at the International Convention Centre (Sept 29 – Oct 3).

More than 12,000 members of the public, including many NSW school students, registered for the Congress’ ’Space Day – Powered by LEGO® Play’ on Friday, 3 October, where families and students got the chance to step into the shoes of space explorers and innovators.

In total, more than 19,000 people participated in IAC 2025 and Space Day, which showcased Australia and NSW’s cutting-edge space industry on the global stage.

More than 450 companies, institutions and governments from all over the world showcased their innovative solutions on the event’s huge 19,000sqm exhibition floor. This included more than 60 organisations from NSW.

One of the standout NSW innovations showcased at the IAC was ‘Charlotte’ – a fully autonomous 3D printing robot designed to support lunar exploration and deliver low-cost, low-carbon housing solutions here on Earth.

Crest Robotics – part of the NSW consortium that developed Charlotte – has signed an MoU with US space exploration company Intuitive Machines. The partnership will explore opportunities to integrate Charlotte’s technology into future lunar missions, leveraging Intuitive Machines’ expertise in Moon landings and space systems.

IAC 2025 marked a significant milestone for NSW’s space sector, elevating our local innovation on the global stage, opening new pathways for international commercialisation, and showing the world that NSW is not just participating in Australia’s space economy, but is a global leader.

The NSW Government thanks the International Astronautical Federation for partnering to make the 2025 Congress a success, and acknowledges its co-hosts, the Space Industry Association of Australia and the Australian Space Agency.

The baton has been passed to Atalya in Turkey, which will host next year’s IAC.

Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper said:

“The success of IAC 2025 showed the importance of high-value events to the state’s visitor economy.

“With over 7,400 delegates from more than 90 countries, IAC 2025 has delivered a significant boost to the NSW visitor economy, filling hotels, restaurants and attractions.

“High-value events like the IAC are critical to the NSW Visitor Economy strategy, and it’s goal of $91 billion in visitor expenditure by 2035 — supporting local businesses and jobs, and fostering industry collaboration and growth.”

Minister for Industry and Trade and Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology Anoulack Chanthivong said:

“Events such as the IAC are magnets for talent and investment. They fuel our knowledge economy and showcase Sydney’s capacity to host world-class events.

“We’re proud to have welcomed thousands of international delegates, industry leaders and space enthusiasts to our city – the event has exceeded all expectations.

“We might not always think about it, but space and satellites keep our world spinning – powering everything from crops to commerce – so it’s vital that we continue to inspire the next generation of scientists who will keep building the Australian space industry.

“As the biggest international conference held in Sydney post-pandemic, the IAC in Sydney has been a transformative moment – not only for businesses within our space ecosystem to pursue new growth opportunities, but also for inspiring the next generation to explore futures in STEM.”

Business Events Sydney (BESydney) CEO Amanda Lampe said:

“When we secured this event four years ago, coming out of the pandemic, our estimates of what it could bring to the state were understandably conservative. Reaching this participation milestone is a credit to the collaborative efforts of state and federal governments working hand in hand in glove with industry and the academic community in a shared drive to achieve great things for Australia’s future.

“Over and above the $47 million economic injection into the visitor economy, IAC 2025 has advanced science, fostered innovation, catalysed trade and investment and shone the light on our city as the best place to live, work, study, advance research and do business.”

Construction has officially commenced on an iconic suspension bridge across the Richmond River in the NSW Northern Rivers, marking a major step towards better connecting the Casino community into the future.

The landmark suspension bridge, jointly funded by the Albanese and Minns Governments, will form the centrepiece of a proposed new riverside precinct, connecting the Casino CBD with Queen Elizabeth Park’s sporting facilities, river walks and open spaces.

The precinct forms part of the Casino CBD Activation Project, which will provide a more vibrant central business district, with increased retail, residential and community space.

The existing Casino Footbridge sustained repeated damage during recent flood events, prompting the need for a more resilient structure in a new location.

The new suspension bridge will provide a safe, reliable and accessible shared path for both pedestrians and cyclists, improving connectivity between key recreational spaces and the town centre.

The structure will be built above flood levels and designed to withstand strong river flows, ensuring improved reliability and safety during major weather events.

The project received $3,505,767 from the Community Local Infrastructure Recovery Package under the 2022 Community Assets Program. This package is jointly funded by the Australian and NSW Governments through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

Council has accepted the tender from Forge Outdoors Pty Ltd (formerly Fleetwood Urban) to deliver the project.

Completion of the bridge is anticipated by the end of June 2026, weather permitting.

Minister for Emergency Management Kristy McBain

“This exciting initiative is a strong demonstration of the Albanese Government’s commitment to supporting communities to not just recover after disasters but to build better communities for the future.

“The new suspension bridge in Casino will provide a safe, accessible connection between key recreational spaces and the town centre, helping locals stay connected and active.”

NSW Minister for Recovery and North Coast Janelle Saffin

“This new suspension bridge is more than just infrastructure it’s an investment in the future of our community.

“By improving access between the Casino CBD and our beautiful parks, we’re creating safer, more inclusive spaces for people to walk, cycle and connect.

“We are building back better to withstand future floods, ensuring our community stays connected even during challenging times.”

the Hon Emily Suvaal MLC, Duty MLC for Tweed

“The suspension bridge will connect local communities and visitors across the Richmond River.

“It will also provide a great boost to local jobs during construction and ongoing through the tourism opportunities it will present.

“It’s great to see all three levels of government working together to delivering for the growing communities of the Richmond Valley.”

Richmond Valley Council Mayor Robert Mustow

“The new bridge was identified in the Casino Place Plan as an important way of connecting the community to the CBD, sports fields and the river.

“I have fond memories of using the old footbridge throughout my life, and I’m sure this new, more flood-resistant and safer crossing will do the same for future generations.

“I believe it will be an iconic part of Casino, its landscape, and a tourist attraction.

“We would like to thank the Australian and NSW Governments for this vital piece of work that allows this connection to remain following flooding and weather events”