Angus Taylor says he criticised One Nation ‘with a heavy heart’
Opposition leader Angus Taylor answered questions earlier about his heavy criticism of One Nation, saying his primary focus remains “attacking a rotten Labor government”.
Taylor took to 2GB this morning, where he was asked about his speech last week in which he warned Australia was in for an “eternity of pain” if One Nation won government.
Taylor said he made those remarks with “a heavy heart”, going on:
90% of that speech, 95% of that speech, was against Labor and how they’re wrecking this country … I know many of the good people I want voting for us have been supporting [One Nation] …
They do not have a plan for the future of this country, they’re a one-person show …
We need a plan and a team that can get this country out of the economic crisis. I firmly believe that Matt Canavan and myself and our teams are the ones who can do that.
Key events
Caitlin Cassidy
Dennis Altman tells royal commission that not all Jewish people are ‘blanket supporters of Israel’
Author, activist and academic at La Trobe University, Prof Dennis Altman AM, has refuted the idea that “all Jews are blanket supporters of Israel” in a pushback against some commentary that has been heard at the royal commission.
Altman, appearing as a witness, said people make assumptions about his stance on the conflict in the Middle East because he is Jewish, but to him, “Israel is a foreign country and I don’t feel any sense of allegiance to it”.
We hear from a number of mainstream Jewish organisations a constant sense that as Jews we are somehow the citizens of Israel. And of course there is some truth to that … But I think the way in which this fosters antisemitism is that it creates the impression that all Jews are blanket supporters of Israel and are unsympathetic and sometimes even unaware of the situation of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
He referred to the prime minister’s description of President Herzog as the “head of state of Jews”, pressing: “He is not my head of state.” He says he has been “discomforted” by the difficulty to acknowledge Israeli trauma at pro-Palestine protests and, equally, how mainstream Jewish organisations have failed to recognise the trauma of Palestinians.
My sense that what we most need in this country at the moment on this issue is a mutual recognition that people are hurting … If we can’t have an honest discussion in which people can talk about the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian situation, we are fostering greater division and greater ignorance.
Caitlin Cassidy
‘Where’s the deterrence’ University of Melbourne academic questions after expulsion of students overturned
Prof Steven Prawer has told the royal commission into antisemitism that the expulsion of two students at the University of Melbourne for occupying his office was overturned.
On 5 May, he was told the protesters had been identified but he couldn’t be told who they were because of privacy and confidentiality requirements. Prawer hired a private investigator to attempt to identify some of the protesters as he feared “Hamas connections”.
He said the university’s disciplinary process was “very opaque” and he didn’t hear the students had been expelled until it reached the media in June. He was then informed by the university that the students were appealing their suspension. It was later overturned by the academic board, which Prawer was told “in strict confidence”. A one-year suspension was put in place instead.
Prawer said the students were “still masked even today by our systems”.
I still don’t know who they are. I think for my protection also, I should know who these people are … The community needs to hear loudly and clearly that the university tolerates dissent but it doesn’t tolerate misbehaviour … Where’s the deterrence?
Since a university sit-in and the occupation of Prawer’s office, indoor protests at the UoM have been banned.
Josh Taylor
Triple zero inquiry to ‘get to truth’ on Telstra outage, chair says
As we reported on Saturday, Telstra executives are due to appear before the Senate inquiry into triple zero this Friday on last week’s national outage.
The chair of the committee, Greens senator Sarah Hanson Young said on her podcast released today that the committee will probe whether Telstra had failed to replace a piece of equipment that should have been replaced years ago, and this led to the outage.
She said:
If it is in fact true, then it really begs the question: how can a company that banked $2.3bn in profit last year not keep its equipment up to date, and has ended up costing the entire country billions, potentially billions of dollars more because of the massive failure?
Hanson Young said Friday’s hearing will be about “getting to the truth, holding Telstra to account and making sure that we don’t keep accepting a system that leaves Australians vulnerable”.
Hanson Young said consideration should be given to nationalising the triple zero system, which is currently run by Telstra.
It’s a political choice to force these companies to put their consumers first and public safety first, rather than just their profits.
Caitlin Cassidy
University of Melbourne academic says he was subject to ‘highly personal’ attack
Prof Steven Prawer says he still doesn’t know the identities of the people who occupied his office. He was eventually escorted to safety by security and police were called. They accused the protesters of trespassing and they left his office. Stickers were left in his room, including text reading “your work will break your soul before it breaks the resistance” with an inverted red triangle. Prawner continues:
Hamas puts that triangle to indicate this is a target. It’s like X marks the spot … This clearly was a highly personal attack … Highly directed by persons that are unknown to me. It is an implication that my work as a physicist and as an academic was somehow selling my soul to the devil.
The following day, the vice-chancellor issued a statement condemning the intrusion as a line being crossed. Subsequently, around 150 university employees and affiliates signed a petition maintaining sit-ins were a legitimate form of protest and the students shouldn’t be disciplined. Prawer says when students protested the vice-chancellor, “he is paid for that” and “well protected”:
When there are 50 students on the lawn protesting and surrounded by security staff, they don’t pose an imminent threat to an individual. When there are 20 students in an office with an individual, the equation is completely different. You’re surrounded, you’re numbered.
One might say that it’s legitimate for people to protest at the seat of power. In my case, they were protesting against someone who I think was a soft target.
Sarah Basford Canales
Angus Taylor says he wouldn’t meet far-right activist Tommy Robinson after Pauline Hanson stunt
The opposition leader, Angus Taylor, says he wouldn’t meet with UK far-right activist and convicted criminal, Tommy Robinson, after Pauline Hanson joined the incendiary figure for a street-walk in London last week.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is an anti-Islamic, far-right political activist, known for his role in major UK anti-immigration marches, and is a vocal supporter of Russia, including its invasion of Ukraine.
The 43-year-old was given a five-year stalking protection order and has twice been convicted for contempt of court. He was jailed in 2024 for repeating false claims about a 15-year-old Syrian refugee in defiance of a court injunction.
Hanson joined Yaxley-Lennon for a podcast to be released soon as part of her “fact-finding” mission, which looks more like a scavenger hunt for the UK’s most controversial right-wing influencers so far.
Taylor told 2GB earlier this morning he wouldn’t visit the UK, or meet with Yaxley-Lennon, but was hesitant to launch any personal attacks against the One Nation leader.
I’m not going to give other people advice or other political parties advice on what they should do. But I’m saying that’s not my focus. I’ve got no intention or plan to meet with Tommy Robinson …
The struggling Liberal leader did, however, attack One Nation’s policies, warning they would “create a debt crisis in this country”.
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Alan Jones has charges reduced after two complainants withdraw
Amanda Meade
Alan Jones is now facing 22 charges involving six complainants after two dropped out ahead of the 85-year-old’s criminal trial next month.
Judge Glenn Walsh told a pre-trial hearing today that the claims against the former broadcaster have been withdrawn and dismissed.
The case against the former 2GB and Sky News Australia host will be heard at a marathon trial expected to run from 4 August until the end of the year.
The court heard this morning that there are three prosecution witnesses who have refused to give police a statement. The prosecution is asking the court to compel the three witnesses to give evidence before the trial, in what is known as Basha hearing.
Jones has maintained his innocence on all charges since the allegations were made in 2024.
Kat Wong
Man arrested after allegedly ordering Melbourne kidnapping, arson and home invasion
A Victorian man has been arrested after he allegedly ordered others to commit an arson attack, a home invasion and a mistaken-identity kidnapping. Police will allege the man is high-ranking within an organised criminal syndicate linked to an offshore leader.
The 20-year-old Essendon man was taken into custody by Victorian police on Tuesday.
Police have accused him of using encrypted apps to task offenders with a variety of jobs.
On 14 April, a man was kidnapped in the inner-Melbourne suburb of Malvern after a number of men turned up at his door just after 9pm.
Police were told as he answered the door, the group entered the home, assaulted him and forced him into a waiting vehicle, before he was later dropped off at a hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Police believe the men had turned up at the wrong address while attempting to carry out a targeted kidnapping.
The 20-year-old is also believed to have ordered an attempted aggravated home invasion in Doncaster on 28 April, and an attempted arson attack on a hospitality venue in Southbank on 27 April, when two boys were seen putting on balaclavas and latex gloves.
Their vehicle, parked nearby, contained jerry cans and a sledgehammer.
The police investigation remains ongoing.
Achol Arok
Origin Energy to refund thousands of dollars to overcharged customers
One of Australia’s largest energy retailers will refund customers more than $270,000 after allegedly misleading them about a saver electricity plan.
Origin will reimburse more than 4,500 customers after an ACCC investigation found the company had made statements in the terms and conditions of its “Ongoing Saver” plan suggesting it offered lower prices, but customers were charged more than they would have paid on a basic plan instead.
Affected customers will receive, on average, about $60 in refunds from Origin.
The investigation formed part of the regulator’s response to a complaint in May 2025 from consumer watchdog Choice, which accused energy retailers of potentially misleading practices.
ACCC commissioner Anna Brakey said “electricity retailers that claim or suggest savings for consumers on their plans … must ensure that the savings are actually delivered to customers for the life of the plan.”
Caitlin Cassidy
University of Melbourne academic tells royal commission of his fear when office was occupied by pro-Palestine students
Prof of physics at the University of Melbourne Steven Prawer has told the royal commission into antisemitism that he thought he could be subject to a “terrorist attack” after pro-Palestine student activists occupied his office.
On 9 October 2024, 20 pro-Palestine students covered in keffiyehs, hoods and masks occupied Prawner’s office for about 90 minutes protesting his ties with the university’s partnerships with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Prawner is the academic lead for a joint PhD program. Two protesters were recommended for expulsion and two for suspension after the incident.
He said:
When a Jewish person with some experience of what happens in Israel sees a masked person … This is a classic terrorist pose very familiar to most people … This was only one year after the atrocities in Israel and so I was very perturbed. I had no idea at that stage if it was a protest, if it was a terrorist attack.
Prawner described the protester’s allegations that the university was complicit in genocide due to its partnerships with Israel as “ridiculous”. He said after the march on his office, university security was boosted and swipecards were required to enter his office.
The fourth block of hearings, taking place in Melbourne this week, is examining the lived experiences of Jewish students and academics, including the response of universities to combat hate.
Baghsarian’s family still ‘devastated’
Marks said Baghsarian’s family are still “devastated” at the loss of their father and grandfather. He added:
They are somewhat comforted by the results that we’ve achieved at this stage.
NSW police detail new charges after Chris Baghsarian’s death
NSW police are speaking about the further charges laid against four people this morning following the death of Chris Baghsarian, 85, in Sydney in February.
Detective Supt Andrew Marks said officers suspected that a man, 32, who was arrested on an unrelated charge in February, “may have been involved” in Baghsarian’s kidnapping. The 32-year-old was re-arrested on 8 July and charged with intention to ransom, occasioning actual bodily harm and murder. He has been refused bail and will appear before the courts on 17 July.
Marks said an offshore organised crime network was allegedly involved in a contract to kidnap a separate, elderly person who was not Baghsarian. He said:
I’m not going to go into specifics of where they’re located or who they are. Other than to say that we are investigating that link and we are continuing to investigate those that are responsible took out a contract to kidnap an elderly person.
We will continue to investigate that and bring those responsible that brought that contract to be, to be held to account for that.
Marks said NSW police are “confident” that they have arrested the main people involved in Baghsarian’s death.
Angus Taylor says he criticised One Nation ‘with a heavy heart’
Opposition leader Angus Taylor answered questions earlier about his heavy criticism of One Nation, saying his primary focus remains “attacking a rotten Labor government”.
Taylor took to 2GB this morning, where he was asked about his speech last week in which he warned Australia was in for an “eternity of pain” if One Nation won government.
Taylor said he made those remarks with “a heavy heart”, going on:
90% of that speech, 95% of that speech, was against Labor and how they’re wrecking this country … I know many of the good people I want voting for us have been supporting [One Nation] …
They do not have a plan for the future of this country, they’re a one-person show …
We need a plan and a team that can get this country out of the economic crisis. I firmly believe that Matt Canavan and myself and our teams are the ones who can do that.
Sian Cain
Nolan fans are embarking on epic journeys to see The Odyssey the way he wants them to
Christopher Nolan’s fans are embarking on epic journeys of their own to see his adaptation of The Odyssey in one of the few surviving Imax 1570 cinemas around the world, the Oscar-winning film-maker’s preferred format.
Nolan has long been a champion of Imax 1570 film, the highest-resolution film format in existence. But 1570 is old technology; most cinemas shifted to digital around a decade ago, which means there are now only 41 cinemas in the whole world capable of projecting the format. These include the Imax in Melbourne, Australia.
Now, ahead of The Odyssey’s release this week, Nolan fans are heading down under from places as far flung as Turkey, Singapore, Malaysia, Germany and Los Angeles to watch the film at Imax Melbourne.
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600 trombonists attempt world record
We wrote about this fun story in the blog yesterday, but now we have some video. More than 600 trombone players attempted a world record for the largest ensemble of the instrument ever.
Take a look:
More on Peter Falconio … police hope new photos will jog memories in long investigation
Northern Territory police have reopened evidence boxes to uncover several previously unseen photographs from the investigation into the murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio and attempted abduction of his girlfriend Joanne Lees.
Tuesday is the 25th anniversary of the outback disappearance, which still resonates as one of Australia’s most horrific and culturally defining crimes. It also carries unanswered questions for Falconio’s family.
Images released by police include the orange Kombi van the young couple were travelling in and cuts and grazes sustained by Lees during her ordeal.
In another photograph, evidence markers on the side of a desert highway appear to line a dark red stain on the rough bitumen.
Read more here:
Super funds slow on customer support, mystery shopper test finds
A mystery shopper test of superannuation funds shows the sector has a long way to go to fix systemic customer service shortcomings, a consumer advocacy group says.
But AAP reports the methodology of the study has been slammed by the sector, which claims it is making good progress following a scathing review which found chronic delays in paying out death benefits to members.
The report, released by Super Consumers Australia on Tuesday, found the call centres of 20 major super funds provided inconsistent, unempathetic customer support that often fell short of basic expectations.
The consumer group commissioned Customer Service Benchmarking Australia, a customer experience consultancy, to call funds posing as a prospective customer, a member facing financial hardship, or a family-member of a non-English speaking customer.
The average customer experience score was 49.9%, based on a sample of 1,000 calls. No fund scored above 55%, far short of the 80% “green zone”, which indicates optimal performance for customer experience across sectors.
The Super Members Council criticised the study’s methodology. The mystery shoppers were not actual members of the funds and calls could not progress beyond member verification, which is important for funds to prevent scams and fraud, a spokesperson said.
Petra Stock
Dolphin deaths spike in South Australia after algal bloom decimates food sources
The number of dead dolphins washing up on South Australian beaches spiked in 2025, according to long-term data that reveals mortalities during the state’s devastating algal bloom were the highest in 12 years.
Last year, at least 70 carcasses of common and bottlenose dolphins were found across SA, with a further 20 reported in 2026, including the recent death of a popular Port River dolphin known as Zoom.
Many of those found in Gulf St Vincent, a large marine zone west of Adelaide, which was heavily affected by the bloom, were severely emaciated.
Read more here:
