Australia news live: remains found in Tasmania provisionally identified as missing Belgian hiker Celine Cremer | Australia news
Attorneys General meet to discuss antisemitism and online hate
Josh Butler
State and federal attorneys general will meet in Sydney on Friday and antisemitism and online hate will be high on the agenda. At the first meeting of the Permanent Council of Attorneys General (SCAG) in 2026, the group will discuss protecting Australians from the spread of hate, the federal attorney general has said. Michelle Rowlandin question.
ambassador of antisemitism Jillian Segal and the e-Safety commissioner, Julie Inman Grantwill provide briefings to the group. SCAG will discuss rising antisemitism in Australia, which Rowland’s office said requires a “coordinated and sustained response”, including tackling hate through social media.
“There is no place for hate of any kind in Australia, online or offline,” Rowland said.
Online platforms play a significant role in the dissemination and dissemination of hateful content; this is a borderless struggle that requires coordinated national action.
Segal said anti-Semitism has become “more organized, more visible and more harmful,” requiring a response in law, education and enforcement.
Inman Grant said the eSafety office is investigating online hate.
“I am also pleased to have the opportunity to explore a number of concerted, systemic and individual reparations initiatives that could further target the perpetuation of this caustic and corrosive content and provide education and training to Jewish community leaders and educators,” he said.
important events
Commerce Secretary Don Farrell says Trump’s 10 percent tariffs are ‘unfair’
minister of commerce, Don FarrellTalking to RN Breakfast Donald Trump’s 10% duty on Australian goods.
Farrell is in America to meet with his US counterpart. Jamieson GreerHe will advocate removing the tariffs because he believes they do not benefit either country. He told RN:
We don’t think this is justified in the first place.
The argument I will tell my counterpart tomorrow is this: We want these tariffs to be abolished. First, because it is in Australia’s interest to remove them, because it would not only raise the price of our product in the United States, but would also increase the cost of living for ordinary Americans.
“Obviously America is a very important ally for Australia, but they need to honor the terms of our agreement, just as we do with China,” Farrell added.
I think as time goes on, it will become increasingly clear to the American government that their actions led them astray.
Remains found in Tasmania identified as temporarily missing Belgian hiker Celine Cremer
Tasmanian police confirmed this morning that remains found near the state’s Philosopher’s Falls last month were those of temporarily missing Belgian tourists. Celine Cremer.
Cremer, 31, disappeared in June 2023 after going to an ancient rainforest for a walk.
Police said expert reports provided “convincing evidence” that the remains were likely his and expressed their condolences to his family.
“While this interim approval will not alleviate their losses, we hope the outcome will provide them with a measure of clarity and closure,” Tasmanian police commander Nathan Johnston said.
We would like to thank community members for their support and interest in Celine’s case, and I would also like to recognize the extensive efforts of search and rescue personnel, partner organizations and volunteers who devoted significant time and resources throughout the many search phases.
A report is being prepared for the coroner who will formally identify the remains.
Rowland said today’s meeting reflected the need for coordination between all states and territories
Michelle RowlandThe Attorney General said today’s meeting would focus on online hate and it was important for all states and territories to work together in a coordinated manner to better protect Australians.
Rowland told RN Breakfast:
It was crucial that states put forward not only the initiatives they wanted to focus on, but also how we could renew our shared commitment to protecting all Australians from the spread of hate, wherever they live.
All states are looking for ways to keep their citizens safe, and it is important that we do so in a coordinated manner.
Rowland went on to talk about key proposals in the wake of the Bondi attack, including a national arms buyback programme. Some states and territories have resisted the plan, but Rowland said there remains “widespread community support” for it.
We have established a national gun buyback plan that will enable the purchase of surplus or newly banned or illegal firearms. And it will be the biggest buyback since the Howard government.
Attorneys General meet to discuss antisemitism and online hate
Josh Butler
State and federal attorneys general will meet in Sydney on Friday and antisemitism and online hate will be high on the agenda. At the first meeting of the Permanent Council of Attorneys General (SCAG) in 2026, the group will discuss protecting Australians from the spread of hate, the federal attorney general has said. Michelle Rowlandin question.
ambassador of antisemitism Jillian Segal and the e-Safety commissioner, Julie Inman Grantwill provide briefings to the group. SCAG will discuss rising antisemitism in Australia, which Rowland’s office said requires a “coordinated and sustained response”, including tackling hate through social media.
“There is no place for hate of any kind in Australia, online or offline,” Rowland said.
Online platforms play a significant role in the dissemination and dissemination of hateful content; this is a borderless struggle that requires coordinated national action.
Segal said anti-Semitism has become “more organized, more visible and more harmful,” requiring a response in law, education and enforcement.
Inman Grant said the eSafety office is investigating online hate.
“I am also pleased to have the opportunity to explore a number of concerted, systemic and individual reparations initiatives that could further target the perpetuation of this caustic and corrosive content and provide education and training to Jewish community leaders and educators,” he said.
Banks’ cheap mortgage loans boost cash interest rates, RBA research finds
Luca Ittimani
The Central Bank will have to keep the cash rate higher than before the Covid outbreak as banks cut costs to offer cheaper mortgages. new RBA research.
The research suggests that intense competition between banks has created a market for cheap loans that banks fund in part by saving money on interest rates on customers’ savings accounts.
Banks now finance almost half of their loans with savers’ demand deposits, up from 30% in 2011, researchers say Sarah Jennison, Josh Spiller And Peter Wallis to create. This has helped reduce banks’ lending costs to the lowest levels since the global financial crisis; This is partly because banks did not remove interest paid on these savings until the RBA increased the official cash rate after the pandemic.
Analysts also found that banks are competing for mortgage customers by offering lower rates, larger repayments and discounts.
The average variable interest rate outstanding in December was approximately 5.5%, while the cash rate was 3.5%. In 2019, the same typical mortgage rate was around 4%, but cash was around 1%; This shows that banks’ profit margin on housing loans is narrowing.
Researchers found that because mortgage interest rates are now lower compared to cash interest rates, the so-called “neutral” level of cash interest rates automatically becomes higher. This means the RBA needs to keep the cash rate higher than before the pandemic to deliver the same level of credit growth.
Loans have surged after just three rate cuts in 2025, increasing inflationary pressures and taking the RBA by surprise, according to deputy governor Andrew Hauser. This research helps solve part of this puzzle.
Good morning
Hello and happy Friday. Nick Visser I’m here to guide you through the morning news. Here’s what’s on deck:
Antisemitism and online hate will be discussed at a meeting of state and federal attorneys general in Sydney today.
In global news, high-stakes talks between the US and Iran over the future of Tehran’s nuclear program have ended with Omani mediators claiming “significant progress”; But observers found the brevity of Thursday’s second session concerning.
And after spending the week defending claims it misled customers during a marketing campaign, Coles is back in the spotlight this morning as it announces its next set of profit results.
We will have more soon.
