Australia information stay: last ballots being counted for Bradfield and Goldstein; Vodafone accuses Telstra of exaggerating community protection

Bradfield and Goldstein vote counts proceed

Sarah Basford Canales

All eyes are on Bradfield and Goldstein as we speak as the ultimate ballots are sorted and counted greater than a fortnight after the federal election.

In Sydney’s north shore seat of Bradfield, the hole between Liberal candidate, Gisele Kapterian, and teal unbiased challenger, Nicolette Boele, is simply 50 votes. The Australian Electoral Fee’s website reveals there are nonetheless 461 votes to be processed that might determine the ultimate outcome.

The AEC can determine to recount the ballots in contests the place the margins are significantly slim. It occurred earlier than within the 2016 election when there was fewer than 100 votes between the 2 last candidates within the northern Queensland seat of Herbert.

Sometimes, any margin of fewer than 100 votes is truthful sport to set off a recount.

And in Goldstein, the hole between the Liberals’ Tim Wilson and unbiased incumbent Zoe Daniel stays at 206 votes with just a few hundred to be counted. The ultimate votes must weigh closely in Daniel’s favour for her to steer at this level however something can occur, so watch this house.

Key occasions

Dan Jervis-Bardy

Federal local weather change boss quits

The boss of the federal local weather change division, David Fredericks, is the most recent senior public servant to name it quits after the election.

Fredericks introduced his retirement as secretary of the Division of Local weather Change, Power, the Setting and Water (DCCEEW) and from the commonwealth public service on Monday morning.

In a message posted to the division’s web site, the veteran bureaucrat mentioned it was “time for me to maneuver to a different section of my life”, together with spending extra time together with his youngsters.

Retiring now additionally offers my successor the chance to interact with our ministers and lead the division as early as potential within the new time period of the Albanese authorities.

Fredericks was tapped to steer the division after it was established when Labor returned to energy in 2022.

Earlier than that, Fredericks was Scott Morrison’s trade division secretary through the Covid-19 pandemic.

The departure comes lower than a fortnight after Glyn Davis introduced his choice to resign as Division of Prime Minister & Cupboard secretary, efficient 16 June.

Stephanie Convery

Sydney college locked down after reviews man threatened employees

St Andrews Cathedral college in Sydney’s CBD was positioned below lockdown by police this morning after reviews a person had threatened employees.

Police mentioned in an announcement this afternoon that officers attended the college at about 9.45am after reviews the person had returned to the campus.

Police searched the constructing, on the nook of Druitt and Kent Streets, with the help of specialist assets.

{Photograph}: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

The person couldn’t be positioned regardless of an intensive search of the grounds, police mentioned, so the lockdown was lifted and the operation concluded.

An investigation is now below method and police are making inquiries to find the person.

The college grew to become the main focus of media consideration in 2023 after instructor Lilie James was killed by Paul Thijssen within the college’s sports activities centre the place they each labored.

Luca Ittimani

RBA charge reduce might provide repair to housing shortages, Minns says

New South Wales premier Chris Minns has pointed to rate of interest cuts as a possible repair for housing shortages whereas shying away from reducing taxes on builders or homebuyers in his upcoming state finances.

The Reserve Financial institution is predicted to chop its key rate of interest tomorrow, reducing borrowing prices, with one other two cuts anticipated by the top of the yr. Minns mentioned that might assist velocity up housing provide development:

Hopefully within the coming months, rates of interest decline, entry to finance and capital turn into cheaper, you will note folks decide to finance and the capital they want for brand spanking new housing.

Most native councils in Sydney are behind on their development targets, current information has indicated, with advocacy group City Taskforce claiming the Sydney area is already falling quick by greater than a 3rd.

Whereas excessive prices of constructing roads and utilities contribute to development delays, Minns shied away from trade calls to chop developer taxes that cowl infrastructure prices, although he didn’t rule out such a measure, saying: “The door won’t ever be shut.”

The premier dominated out transferring away from stamp responsibility paid on shopping for houses and changing it with a land tax, talking a month forward of handing down the NSW finances, and a day earlier than the Victorian authorities fingers down its personal.

Stamp or switch duties are imposed on purchases of latest houses, which some economists say drives up costs and stops folks from transferring to houses that higher swimsuit their wants. Victoria will tomorrow lengthen the tax break on the responsibility given to off-the-plan homebuyers and NSW already offers first-time consumers a break, however Minns mentioned he wouldn’t scrap the tax and herald a smaller annual land tax:

[Homeowners] have already paid an unlimited quantity to the NSW authorities in stamp responsibility, [so] if I circled and mentioned, “Thanks for that, we’ll use that, we admire it, now we wish you to pay an annual land tax,” effectively, I feel folks could be completely livid.

Luca Ittimani

AI map instruments to trace progress on NSW housing targets

Synthetic intelligence evaluation of housing and growth can be utilized by the New South Wales authorities, premier Chris Minns has mentioned.

New AI map instruments are amongst these for use and accessed by the state authorities, the College of New South Wales and trade and advocacy our bodies in a brand new collaborative undertaking, which Minns mentioned would assist observe progress on housing targets. He mentioned:

We’ll take heed to it, we are going to seize information from it, we are going to implement it for optimistic change.

The expertise on the new Housing Analytics Lab could be particularly helpful given the scarcity of planning professionals, in line with UNSW’s Prof Chris Pettit:

With expertise transferring at such a quickening tempo and a scarcity of planners and different constructed setting professionals, it is necessary we prepare them up and equip them with the suitable abilities and data to appropriately harness these rising applied sciences.

In an obvious reference to US president Donald Trump’s funding threats towards American universities, Minns mentioned the sector was “important” to fixing social points:

In some components of the world universities are below quite a lot of stress. They’ve acquired hostile politicians questioning their price, questioning their values, questioning their worth to the taxpayers and their neighborhood however this lab reveals universities are completely important establishments.

Fisherman bitten by dingo in knee-deep water

A fisherman has been bitten in knee-deep water by a dingo earlier than utilizing his rod to scare off the animal at a well-liked vacationer vacation spot.

The dingo was practically totally submerged when it bit the person on the again of the leg whereas he was fishing at Okay’gari, previously Fraser Island, in south-east Queensland, rangers mentioned.

The person was fishing alone within the water when he was approached from behind by the dingo close to Eurong about 11.30am on Friday, AAP reviews.

A Division of Setting, Tourism, Science and Innovation assertion mentioned:

[The dingo] bit him on the again of the leg, leading to two puncture wounds and a small superficial laceration which required fundamental first help therapy.

The person used his fishing rod to push the dingo away after being bitten. The assertion continued:

He was sporting a fishing bag containing a fish, and rangers imagine the dingo might have been attracted by the odor.

Rangers have additionally obtained reviews of dingoes loitering round folks fishing on the island “within the hope of getting a free feed”.

They warned dingoes had been identified to steal fish and bait from anyplace they might scavenge, together with automobiles and straight off somebody’s line.

Rangers reminded folks fishing on the island to remain near the water’s edge when reeling in a catch and to keep away from dragging it throughout the sand.

{Photograph}: Leamus/Getty Photographs

Bradfield and Goldstein vote counts proceed

Sarah Basford Canales

All eyes are on Bradfield and Goldstein as we speak as the ultimate ballots are sorted and counted greater than a fortnight after the federal election.

Sometimes, any margin of fewer than 100 votes is truthful sport to set off a recount.

Telstra rejects declare it misled the general public concerning the measurement of its community

Following from the earlier publish: TPG group government Kieran Cooney mentioned the allegations had been “alarming” and would have value his firm clients. He mentioned:

It seems Telstra has tricked Australians into paying prime greenback for protection they merely can’t get on an everyday cell phone.

We’re calling on them to make it proper … Telstra’s conduct might have misled customers into believing they’ll get protection in locations that require particular gear.

Particularly, TPG alleged Telstra claimed its cellular community was round a million sq. kilometres larger than it was as a result of it primarily based its figures on the usage of an antenna and repeater.

It additionally mentioned the community coated 99.7% of the inhabitants primarily based on utilizing those self same units.

Telstra lately up to date its protection claims to notice that the 99.7 % mark required an exterior antenna.

The telco has been contacted for remark. The ABC has reported Telstra admitted it up to date its web site after being contacted by Vodafone however mentioned any suggestion it had misled the general public concerning the measurement of our community was “utterly unfaithful”.

– AAP

Vodafone alleges Telstra overstated its community protection attain by as a lot as 40%

Australia’s greatest telecommunications firm is going through allegations it misled clients by inflating claims of how far its community reached, AAP reviews.

In claims levelled by rival telco Vodafone, Telstra is accused of “dramatically” overstating its attain by as a lot as 40% – for greater than a decade.

Vodafone, together with guardian firm TPG Telecom, mentioned Telstra marketed its protection primarily based on a sign power clients might solely get in the event that they used a particular exterior antenna and a powered repeater that’s normally put in on a automobile or constructing.

Its rival mentioned community protection claims needs to be primarily based on sign power a cell phone would normally get with none additional units.

Christopher Knaus

Alarm voiced over surge in FoI rejections

Transparency and integrity consultants have voiced alarm over the rising charge at which freedom of knowledge requests are being rejected.

FoI is a crucial instrument for holding authorities to account and making certain transparency of presidency info.

On Sunday, Guardian Australia revealed FoI refusals are at report charges, with 27% of Foil rejected outright within the December 2024 quarter. That’s a excessive not seen since a minimum of 2014-15, information reveals.

Transparency Worldwide Australia has voiced alarm concerning the rising refusal charges. Its chief government, Clancy Moore, mentioned:

Given the Albanese’s authorities dedication to transparency, open authorities and integrity, there’s a clear argument to introducing stronger penalties for illegal refusals, enhance funding to the FoI groups and the OAIC, and proceed work to foster a tradition of openness and transparency within the public sector.

Benita Kolovos

Victoria debt forecast won’t attain $200bn, treasurer says

On her dedication to no new taxes, Symes is requested whether or not there can be elevated taxes. She says:

There’s nothing within the finances that adjustments the tax settings … any of those who could be going up within the unusual coverage, CPI and the like – we’ve got not modified any of the tax settings for tomorrow’s finances.

She additionally confirms debt forecasts won’t attain $200bn. Labor sources had instructed us the federal government was “determined” to keep away from hitting that determine. Symes says:

The combination can be revealed tomorrow however it gained’t begin with a 2.

She additionally says spend on infrastructure can even go down:

As soon as this [Metro Tunnel] opens, as soon as West Gate Tunnel opens, as soon as Footscray hospital opens, Frankston hospital, 100 new faculties …

We’re essentially the most engaging state within the nation for folks to need to transfer to, so we want to ensure we’re conserving forward of that development however it is going to be lower than the peaks [of] final yr [and the year] earlier than, and that’s vital additionally as a result of it permits us to satisfy the following steps, making certain that debt to the economic system is beginning to stabilise after which certainly scale back.

Victorian premier Jacinta Allan speaks to media throughout a tour of Parkville station in Melbourne, Monday, 19 Could, 2025. {Photograph}: Joel Carrett/AAP

Benita Kolovos

Victorian treasurer on discount of ‘a number of thousand’ public sector jobs

Symes says the interim suggestions of the evaluate into the general public sector, being led by Helen Silver, can be mirrored within the finances, with “1000’s” of public sector jobs to go.

We’re anticipating a number of thousand discount in VPS employees, so for public service, not frontline providers.

She mentioned additional adjustments could be launched on account of Silver’s last report in June. Symes says:

We’ve been in a position to establish preliminary financial savings on this yr’s finances on account of among the choices that we’re taking over the preliminary recommendation of Helen, however there can be extra recommendation, and it’ll turn into clearer as the ultimate report is launched.

She confirmed the ultimate report will embody “a complete entity evaluate that’s duplication throughout the general public service, the way it interacts with the federal authorities and the like”. Symes says:

We’ve extra entities than I feel we want. Helen agrees.

Benita Kolovos

Free public transport for under-18s can be ‘sport changer’, Victorian schooling minister says

The schooling minister, Ben Carroll, is talking concerning the plan introduced yesterday to make public transport free for under-18s from 1 January. He says it follows advocacy from the social providers sector:

That is one thing we’ve been dedicated to engaged on for practically 10 years. When you go proper again to 2016 … a $175,000 [investment] within the metropolis of Wyndham noticed it being trialed throughout 13 faculties and a few 266 college students and what that led to was elevated participation, elevated punctuality, low pupil behavioural points. So it’s been confirmed over and over, each in Victoria, in Melbourne’s west, but in addition around the globe – free public transport actually does cope with that barrier to entry to schooling and transport. Poverty is an actual challenge on the market for a lot of of our communities. We’ve trialed it in Melbourne’s west after which to be bringing it to proper throughout the state that … goes to be a sport changer.

Benita Kolovos

‘No new taxes’ in tomorrow’s finances, Victorian treasurer says

The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, and her treasurer, Jaclyn Symes, and deputy, Ben Carroll, are holding a press convention on the website of the yet-to-open Metro Tunnel’s Parkville station, forward of tomorrow’s state finances.

Allan says the finances is concentrated on “households”, “accountable choice making” and the “way forward for our nice state”. She goes on:

Tomorrow’s finances will verify the primary working surplus for the state of Victoria for the reason that pandemic. We dedicated to a finances surplus and that’s what we’re delivering with tomorrow’s state finances, the primary for the reason that pandemic, and likewise to on the identical time by means of that accountable settings, ensuring that we’re offering that actual value of dwelling assist proper now for working folks and households.

Nevertheless, it’s price noting the excess of $600m is way smaller than the $1.6bn forecast in December’s mid-year finances replace.

Symes additionally confirms there can be no new taxes following suggestions from enterprise teams:

I’ve been the treasurer for 5 months, and I’ve been listening, assembly, conducting a whole lot of conversations with trade, with enterprise, and listening to their desires and desires. The message I heard loud and clear from the enterprise sector … was no extra taxes. I can verify in tomorrow’s finances there can be no new taxes.