19 hours ago
Trump leaving G7 tonight, before Albanese meeting
US president Donald Trump is leaving the G7 meeting early, and will depart Canada tonight. The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, just wrote on X:
President Trump had a great day at the G7, even signing a major trade deal with the United Kingdom and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Much was accomplished, but because of what’s going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State.
President Trump had a great day at the G7, even signing a major trade deal with the United Kingdom and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Much was accomplished, but because of what’s going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State.
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) June 16, 2025Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature
Death cap mushrooms found in NSW
NSW Health said today death cap mushrooms have been found in parts of the state, including Sydney, the Southern Highlands and southern NSW. Officials issued warnings about the health risks of eating wild mushrooms, noting the consumption of death caps can be fatal.
Brett Summerell, chief scientist at the Botanic Gardens of Sydney, said it can be difficult to identify safe species:
There is no easy or reliable way to identify if a wild mushroom is edible or poisonous, so we advise people against foraging for, and eating, wild mushrooms. Cooking poisonous mushrooms does not make them safe to eat.
You should only eat mushrooms you buy from a reputable grocery store, supermarket or produce market.
There were 23 hospitalisations for the toxic effect of ingested mushrooms in 2024, including two in children under the age of five. If you are worried that mushroom poisoning may have occurred, do not wait for symptoms to appear and call the Poison Information Centre on 13 11 26.
Tabcorp fined $4m for VIP customer spam
Jack Snape
Tabcorp has been fined $4m for sending more than 5,700 marketing messages to VIP customers last year in breach of Australia’s spam laws.
The penalty is the outcome of the first investigation by the Australian Communications and Media Authority into a VIP gambling program.
Between 1 February and 1 May 2024, 2,598 SMS and WhatsApp messages were sent by Tabcorp to customers without an unsubscribe option and 3,148 SMS and WhatsApp messages did not contain adequate sender information.
Samantha Yorke, an ACMA member, said the breaches were “deeply concerning” given Tabcorp is an established provider that targets VIP customers. She said:
These programs often involve personalised messages offering incentives such as bonus bets, deposit matching, rebates and offers of tickets to sporting and other events.
“The gambling industry needs to understand that spam laws apply to all direct marketing – whether it’s generic campaigns or personalised messages,” Yorke said, noting VIPs were not necessarily “high-rollers” and could be under financial strain. “It is utterly unacceptable that TAB [Tabcorp] did not have adequate spam compliance systems in place.”
TAB has entered into a three-year, court-enforceable undertaking, which includes an independent review of its direct marketing systems, quarterly audits of its VIP direct marketing and training staff.
Senator David Pocock, an independent, said over the weekend the gambling sector had been “emboldened” by the Albanese government’s failure to act on the recommendations of a 2023 review into the industry by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy.
Adam Morton
New court bid filed to stop extension of North West Shelf gas project in WA
A new court bid has been launched to stop Woodside Energy’s plan to extend the life of the North West Shelf gas export facility in northern Western Australia until 2070. The proposal, which last month won conditional approval from the federal government, has been challenged in the WA supreme court by Friends of Australian Rock Art.
In papers lodged with the court last week, the organisation argued the WA government did not properly follow state environment laws when it approved the development last year. Specifically, it alleged the state assessment failed to consider the climate impact of greenhouse gas emissions linked to the project.
Judith Hugo, a co-convener of Friends of Australian Rock Art, said:
It is clear that the state government is providing enthusiastic support for Woodside’s ongoing gas exports, but that does not detract from the obligation to follow the requirements of our legislation, and that means ensuring the impacts are properly assessed and managed to acceptable levels before any approvals are granted.
A Woodside spokesperson said the company was aware of the court action and had “confidence in the robustness of the state government’s comprehensive approval process”.
Tasmania premier calls Smith a ‘proud and brave Tasmanian’
The Tasmanian premier, Jeremy Rockliff, is speaking about Const Keith Anthony Smith’s long career of service. Rockliff said:
Yesterday a proud and brave Tasmanian man, Constable Keith Smith, started his day by putting on his Tasmania Police uniform. A day that began like many others. A day where he started, like all others, to protect and serve us all.
Tragically, Constable Smith did not return home to put on the civvies. To be with the people that he loved.
Tasmania Police name officer killed in shooting yesterday
Tasmanian police have identified Const Keith Anthony Smith, 57, as the victim of a shooting yesterday.
Smith, a 25-year-veteran of the police service, was walking up to a home in the state’s north-west yesterday afternoon to serve a warrant when a person inside the house allegedly opened fire, killing him.
Tasmania’s police commissioner, Donna Adams, called Smith a dedicated officer and said his death will be mourned by the entire force:
Keith was a respected and committed officer, and his loss will be deeply felt across our policing family and the wider community. My heart goes out to Keith’s wife and family. We will be supporting them in every way we can during this incredibly difficult time.
The blue family will come together today, and over the next days and weeks, and will support the family and each other.
A 46-year-old man remains in hospital under police guard. No charges have been filed so far.
Cait Kelly
A two-bedroom Bondi Junction unit for $1,100 a week. Is ‘affordable housing’ in Australia really affordable?
A two-bedroom apartment in Bondi Junction that is part of an “affordable” housing scheme run by the NSW government has been listed at $1,100 a week to rent, prompting advocates to warn that programs designed to help low-income earners are increasingly out of reach.
Across the country, affordable housing programs are meant to offer rent below market rate for low-to-moderate income households that make too much for social housing but not enough for the private market.
The two-bedroom two-bathroom apartment in Bondi Junction is listed under the Affordable Housing Scheme by HomeGround Real Estate Sydney, with the guidelines set by the NSW government.
Read more:
Tom McIlroy
Trump’s departure a blow to PM
Donald Trump’s press secretary has confirmed he will leave the G7 summit in Canada a day early, snubbing leaders including Anthony Albanese before planned talks tomorrow.
It is a blow for Albanese, who had expected to hold his first face-to-face talks with the president, including covering trade issues and the US review of Aukus.
The PM will still meet with leaders including the UK’s Keir Starmer and France’s Emmanuel Macron at the Kananaskis summit site.
Trump leaving G7 tonight, before Albanese meeting
US president Donald Trump is leaving the G7 meeting early, and will depart Canada tonight. The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, just wrote on X:
President Trump had a great day at the G7, even signing a major trade deal with the United Kingdom and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Much was accomplished, but because of what’s going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State.
President Trump had a great day at the G7, even signing a major trade deal with the United Kingdom and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Much was accomplished, but because of what’s going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State.
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) June 16, 2025Albanese says he’s always prepared before major meetings
The prime minister was asked how he’s prepped himself before his meeting with Trump tomorrow on the sidelines of the G7. Albanese said he’s always prepared:
I always prep seriously for meetings where I’m representing Australia. I’ve just been through a test. It’s called a federal election. …
I think that I have a great responsibility. I take that responsibility seriously and I look forward to tomorrow’s meeting, and not just with President Trump. It is important to say that tomorrow as well I’ll be meeting with the prime minister of Japan and I’ll be meeting with the European leaders.
PM says evacuations of Australians from Iran pose ‘challenges’, urges people to stay up-to-date with safety advice
Albanese said airspace over Iran remains closed amid the country’s ongoing conflict with Israel, making any evacuations of Australians difficult. He said:
That presents challenges. We want to make sure that people are looked after but they need to be looked after safely as well and so the last advice that I had was stay in place provisions were still the advice.
I would just encourage Australians either there or Australians who are concerned about family or friends to keep up-to-date with the Australian government’s advice.
Albanese says not ‘reasonable’ to expect complete resolution of tariff issues from Trump meeting
The prime minister said it would likely take some time to negotiate US tariffs on Australian goods during his meeting with President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 in Canada.
Albanese was asked how he would describe expectations from the meeting, saying he doesn’t foresee “complete change” from one discussion:
That was [what] occurred last time with Australia and tariffs and I don’t think it would be reasonable to expect that you would have a complete change and a complete resolution of the issues, which are there.
When I first raised with President Trump the issue of tariffs, of course, he said he would give it great consideration.
Albanese added that Trump would “always be a welcome guest in Australia” when asked about any diplomatic visit.
Tom McIlroy
Nato secretary-general praises Australia’s leadership on Ukraine
The secretary-general of Nato has praised Australia’s role responding to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, telling Anthony Albanese that Europe, the Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific are “interconnected” because of the conflict. Albanese met Mark Rutte, the former prime minister of the Netherlands, in Calgary as G7 leaders gather for tomorrow’s summit in the Rocky Mountains resort town Kananaskis.
Rutte warned China was acting with Russia, North Korea and Iran to prolong the bloody war. He said:
It is Russia with North Korea, with China, even Iran supporting the war effort, so this is all getting more and more interconnected. I want to thank you for your leadership on Ukraine. It’s really important that [Australia is] so far away and still so close and willing to really be helpful here.
Rutte said Nato and Australia could do more on defence industrial production and congratulated Albanese on his 3 May election win. Albanese called Russia’s actions immoral and illegal and restated a promise from Australia to commit troops to a peace keeping force, if a ceasefire can be achieved. The prime minister said:
I think the democratic world needs to defend our values, and we’re seeing that play out.
Triple J announces birthday edition for Hottest 100 Australian Songs vote
Triple J just announced a special, mid-year Hottest 100 of Australian Songs to celebrate the station’s 50th birthday. Voting starts today and runs for the next month. Triple J said:
It’s a big year for the triple j family, so what better way to toast our deep history than by doing our favourite thing: wringing our hands over trying to pick only 10 of our favourite songs released by Australian artists and bands. Nah, it’ll be a breeze, right? …
They’ve been the playlist to our lives, defined the sound of the nation and echoed across generations, and now we get to champion all the tracks that have lasted a lifetime (or more).
Tom McIlroy
South Korean president tells Albanese he looks ‘much younger and good looking’ than he imagined from phone call
Prime minister Anthony Albanese met with South Korea’s newly elected president, Lee Jae-myung, on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Alberta, Canada. The pair had spoken on the phone in the past few days, after the presidential election and the resolution of South Korea’s constitutional crisis.
In a tiny hotel room in downtown Calgary in the past few minutes, Albanese showed the pair had clear rapport already. He received an unlikely compliment from the South Korean leader, who told him:
We had a phone call just a few days ago, and you look much younger and good looking than I imagined from your voice.
“You are very kind,” Albanese responded. “I think winning an election takes a few years off your appearance.”
The pair talked about Australia’s service during the Korean war, as well as the upcoming Asia-Pacific economic cooperation summit in South Korea in October. The South Korean president said he looked forward to visiting Australia again, saying he had been impressed by the country’s natural beauty the first time he travelled in the country.
Albanese will meet Nato’s secretary general, Mark Rutte, next up today.
Chris Minns calls gangland attacks ‘vicious, disgusting behaviour’ after lunchtime shooting
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, said the shooting at a restaurant in the Sydney suburb of Auburn yesterday was “vicious, disgusting behaviour from complete animals”.
Minns spoke to 2GB after the brazen attack, where three people were wounded at a kebab shop after a gunman allegedly opened fire inside. He said:
The disregard for human life for people who are innocent bystanders is appalling. Obviously I think it just churns your stomach to believe there are people out there who would pursue this kind of crime and have such disregard for members of the public.
Minns reiterated his pledge that NSW police would see those charged with such crimes “spend a long time, decades, in tiny prison cells”. Read more here:
Shadow finance minister calls on PM to raise defence spending to 3% of GDP so ‘it’s not a partisan issue’
James Paterson, the shadow finance minister, said the Coalition again called on the Albanese government to raise defence spending to 3% as a proportion of GDP, saying those calls are a task “we will happily take on over this term of parliament”. Paterson told RN Breakfast:
We are almost three years away from the next election, but before the next election, we’ll outline any savings that are necessary to make sure that is possible. … Frankly, it’s my hope that the Albanese government does that in this term of parliament so it is not a partisan issue by the next election.
RN host Sally Sara pressed Paterson on how the Coalition would pay for that proposal, which would amount to billions more in spending per year. Paterson said he couldn’t “outline exactly the dollars and cents”:
There will be three budgets and three mid-year economic and fiscal outlooks between now and the next election. And this government will make decisions on defence spending and many other things that will have implications for whatever provision we need to make for these things.
So it’s not possible to give you the exact numbers today, but I can give you a commitment that will be upfront and transparent and honest about it.
Pat Conroy says government will always put Australian safety first in global conflicts
Conroy was asked if there is a greater threat Australia could be drawn into a hypothetical conflict between the US and China after defence minister Richard Marles said yesterday Australia’s military contingent was “more relevant to [the] great power contest now than its ever been before”. Conroy told RN Breakfast:
I’m always careful about engaging in hypotheticals and our sovereignty remains paramount. The elected Australian government of the day will always decide whether we’ll be involved in a conflict or we will allow our continent to be used for operations, and that’s a really important principle.
But we live in a period of huge strategic uncertainty. That’s why we’re significantly increasing the defence budget. And we will continue to make decisions in the national interest to put the safety of Australians first.
Minister says Australia preparing to evacuate ‘fair number’ from Iran, but ‘it’s going to be challenging’
Pat Conroy, the minister for the defence industry, said the government is still preparing to evacuate a number of Australians from Iran following Israel’s ongoing strikes on the country. Conroy, speaking to RN Breakfast, said he expected a “fair number” of people would seek to board repatriation flights, but noted there were likely a lot of dual citizens who would stay in Iran. He said:
The air zones are closed at the moment, so planes can’t get in and out, but we’re preparing plans to evacuate Australians or assist in them getting on to commercial flights when those zones do open again.
It’s going to be challenging. There’ll be a lot of people probably wanting to exit. So we have to be careful, but we’re in contact with as many people as possible.
Conroy urged Australians in conflict zones to register with Dfat.
Man charged with murder after woman found dead in bushland in Sydney
A man was charged with murder last night after a woman’s body was found in Sydney’s west. Officers responded to the suburb of Werrington on Sunday around 1.15pm after a passer-by reported a body found in bushland in the area.
NSW Police established a crime scene and undertook extensive enquires into the 47-year-old woman’s death. A man, also 47, was arrested on Monday evening in Hobartville and charged on allegations of murder.
He was refused bail and will appear later today before Penrith local court.
