Australia news live: Israel ambassador insists IDF strike that killed Zomi Frankcom a ‘reasonable mistake’; body of hiker Lily Hooper recovered from bush | Australia news
Israeli ambassador maintains IDF strike that killed Zomi Frankcom ‘reasonable mistake’
Hillel Newman, the Israeli ambassador to Australia, maintained the IDF attack on an aid convoy that killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom was a “reasonable mistake” and said disciplinary measures had been taken against IDF personnel involved.
Newman spoke to RN Breakfast after the Australian government said it was “outraged” there would be no criminal investigation into Frankcom’s death.
The ambassador said there were still legal processes in the appeal system that could be used as Israel is a “robust” democracy.
We do grieve on the situation with the family. This was unintentional … and not deliberate in any way. …
You know there are tragic circumstances in a war zone. And we’re very sorry for the family, but that does not always mean that there’s criminal liability.
Key events
Tom McIlroy
Sydney air traffic controllers have ‘grave concerns’ about collision risk after airspace redesign
Air traffic controllers at Sydney airport have warned federal safety regulators they have “grave concerns” about changes to airspace rules introduced last month, likening the situation to the months leading up to a crash in Washington DC in which 67 people died.
Guardian Australia can reveal the federal government was notified on Thursday of a confidential complaint considered by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), in which an experienced air traffic controller warned in June that changes related to the new Western Sydney International airport had been rushed, with “inadequate training for controllers, of all experience levels”.
The complainant told the regulator a large group of controllers in Sydney “hold grave concerns about the project”, referring to the air traffic redesign to accommodate the new airport.
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Brisbane woman allegedly attacked and raped on morning walk
A man has been charged with several counts of rape after an alleged random attack on a woman who was out on a morning walk, AAP reports.
The woman, aged in her 20s, was walking in the leafy, semi-rural Brisbane suburb of Brookfield around 6.30am on Thursday when she was allegedly stopped by an unknown man, police said in a statement.
The man allegedly sexually assaulted the victim multiple times before he fled the scene on foot. Police later arrested a 32-year-old man a short distance from the scene.
He has been charged with six counts of rape, stalking, assault with intent to commit rape, assault occasioning bodily harm and deprivation of liberty. He is due to appear in court later today.
Police said while the attack was being treated as an isolated incident, police patrols would be increased in the Brookfield area over the coming days.
Woman behind allegation of sexual assault linked to Sydney Swans reportedly says she wants ‘justice’
The woman who alleges she was sexually assaulted in a Melbourne hotel told the Herald Sun “all I care about is justice”.
Police are investigating the alleged assault, which is linked to a night out that resulted in five Swans players being suspended for the rest of the AFL season for breaching club standards. The players reportedly returned to the hotel in the early hours of Monday morning after drinking, following the victory over Essendon at the MCG that secured the Swans a home final.
None have been arrested or charged, but police are continuing their investigations. The Guardian does not suggest that any of the players are being accused of sexual assault, and it is reported that none of the banned players has been formally interviewed by police.
The five players released a statement on Wednesday saying they are “deeply sorry” after the suspension – which came after an independent investigation by the Swans organisation – for the breach of standards following a night of drinking, saying their behaviour had fallen “well short of the standards expected of us and the values of our Club”.
The apology did not mention the allegations of assault and there is no suggestion they are related. The players said their focus would “now be on rebuilding trust with the Club and the community”.
The woman, who was not identified by the Herald Sun, told the outlet she was hired to perform lap dances at the Melbourne hotel. She said up there were about nine men in the room who told her and another dancer they were tradies.
She said she could not provide detail about the alleged incident, but told the paper:
I don’t want money. All I care about is justice. I’m going to stand up for what is right. And I’m never going to let this happen to anyone else. Justice will be served.
Lily Hooper’s body recovered overnight
Stephanie Convery
The body of missing bushwalker Lily Hooper has been recovered from NSW southern highlands overnight, NSW police confirmed.
The confirmation comes after widespread confusion on Thursday when police wrongly reported to the 18-year-old’s parents, the New South Wales premier and the media that the missing bushwalker had been found alive.
Hooper had last been seen on 12 August after leaving home for a hike in the rugged bushland of Nattai national park, 90km south-west of Sydney. She was reported missing that night, triggering a multi-agency search involving nearly 1,000 people, including hundreds of volunteers.
A police spokesperson confirmed on Friday morning that the body of a woman believed to be Hooper was winched out of the area on Thursday night.
Israeli ambassador maintains IDF strike that killed Zomi Frankcom ‘reasonable mistake’
Hillel Newman, the Israeli ambassador to Australia, maintained the IDF attack on an aid convoy that killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom was a “reasonable mistake” and said disciplinary measures had been taken against IDF personnel involved.
Newman spoke to RN Breakfast after the Australian government said it was “outraged” there would be no criminal investigation into Frankcom’s death.
The ambassador said there were still legal processes in the appeal system that could be used as Israel is a “robust” democracy.
We do grieve on the situation with the family. This was unintentional … and not deliberate in any way. …
You know there are tragic circumstances in a war zone. And we’re very sorry for the family, but that does not always mean that there’s criminal liability.
Butler says Israeli government should ‘demonstrate some accountability’ on Zomi Frankcom
Health minister Mark Butler said the Israeli government could “demonstrate some accountability” after the country’s ambassador, Hillel Newman, was called in for formal talks following the decision not to open a criminal investigation into the death of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom.
Butler spoke to Radio National Breakfast after foreign minister Penny Wong said Australia was “outraged” after Israel announced the news. The health minister said this morning:
Something monumentally bad has happened here, and it just appears there’s no accountability on that side. Also, there has been to-ing and fro-ing very serious discussions between us and the Israelis about some of that evidence that you mentioned.
We continue to want to have that released both to Australia, but more importantly, to the family.
Josh Butler
Australians could soon be able to block all online gambling ads. But will the plan actually work?
Australians will, within 12 months, be able to opt-out of all online gambling ads in one fell swoop, with the federal government pledging a one-stop register to avoid all wagering advertisements online.
In the meantime, from 1 January, all online services must provide an opt-out function if they want to display gambling ads.
But little is known about how the one-stop opt-out register will operate, with questions about data privacy and how exactly people will be able to use it.
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Good morning, and happy Friday. Nick Visser here to take over. Let’s get to it.
Home purchases by foreign investors down 22%
Purchases of Australian property by overseas investors have plunged since the government announced an extension of a ban on foreigners buying Australian homes, Australian Associated Press reports.
The number of investment approvals fell by more than 22% to 5,284 in 2024-25, the Productivity Commission found in its annual trade and assistance review.
The decrease was almost entirely attributable to the fall in residential real estate approvals, it said.
In the May budget, the Albanese government extended the ban on foreign purchases of existing homes by two years and three months until June 2029.
But with the ban not coming into force until April 2025, the Productivity Commission said the full impact would not be seen until the next financial year.
The value of foreign investment into Australia still grew by 32% to $256.4bn in 2024-25 with commercial approvals accounting for 98% of the total value.
The figures came as parliament passed legislation ensuring foreign residents also had to pay a 30% tax on capital gains.
The laws included an amendment initiated by the crossbench extending a 15% capital gains tax concession for foreign investors in renewable energy projects by an extra 10 years, so as not to discourage investment in Australia’s energy transition.
“After consulting with stakeholders, we’re providing a concessional period for these investments to 2040 to more closely align with the investment horizons typical of renewable energy projects,” treasurer Jim Chalmers said in a statement.
Albanese brands AFL’s initial response to Swans scandal ‘completely unacceptable’
Sarah Basford Canales
Anthony Albanese says the AFL “certainly needs to do better” after an alleged sexual assault that occurred at a hotel in Melbourne early on Monday morning.
Asked on ABC’s 7.30 about the incident, the prime minister said:
“The first message that I would say is that our thoughts are with the women involved, and that every woman and every girl has the right to feel safe in any environment, and clearly there are issues that are now before the police investigation.”
Albanese, who was once a board director for the NRL’s South Sydney Rabbitohs, said the AFL’s initial response to the incident was “completely unacceptable” and needs “to do better”.
He compared it to the NRL’s no-fault stand-down clause, which suspends players from playing matches immediately after they face serious criminal charges and before any court proves their guilt.
Victoria police have said they are investigating an alleged sexual assault at the Pullman Hotel in Melbourne. Swans’ men’s players Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, Riley Bice and James Jordon were stood down for the rest of the season on Wednesday for breaching club standards. None of the players stood down for breaching club standards have been arrested or charged with any offences.
‘If I had my time again … I wouldn’t have done that podcast’, Albanese says
Sarah Basford Canales
Anthony Albanese has said he should not have appeared on a podcast where he engaged in a joke about the Japanese prime minister’s gift to him of melons.
During an appearance on the comedy podcast Bush Deep last month, the prime minister explained that Japan’s leader, Sanae Takaichi, offered him royal Japanese melons and appeared to make hand gestures in front of his chest, saying “she brought two, as you do”. Host Nikki Osborne joked: “She came in looking like Pamela Anderson.”
The appearance sparked a furore in sections of the media over the apparent sexual innuendo. He later apologised for “elements of the podcast”.
In an interview with ABC’s 7.30 last night, Albanese was asked what he learned from the experience. He said:
“I learned that I need to do better every day, and of course, if I had my time again, which you don’t, then I wouldn’t have done that podcast. You know, we have a view which is [we’re] trying to talk to as many people as possible, but clearly that was an error.”
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it will be Nick Visser with the main action.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has branded the AFL’s initial response to the Sydney Swans scandal “completely unacceptable”. He also said he should not have appeared on a podcast where he engaged in a joke about the Japanese prime minister’s gift of melons. More coming up.
Purchases of Australian property by overseas investors have plunged after the government announced a ban on foreigners buying Australian homes. More details soon.
