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2h agoCatholic Schools NSW chief executive sacked after Icac appearance
2h agoBrethren church denies paying far-right activists
2h agoSydney Swans coach says organisation’s culture ‘has taken a hit’
3h agoWong calls Israeli foreign minister over Zomi Frankcom
4h agoLily Hooper’s body recovered overnight
5h agoIsraeli ambassador maintains IDF strike that killed Zomi Frankcom ‘reasonable mistake’
6h agoHome purchases by foreign investors down 22%
6h agoAlbanese brands AFL’s initial response to Swans scandal 'completely unacceptable'
6h ago‘If I had my time again … I wouldn’t have done that podcast’, Albanese says
The chief executive of Catholic Schools NSW, Dallas McInerney, has been sacked from his position following his appearance at the NSW Icac’s inquiry into allegations of corruption in the state’s Liberal party.
In a statement shared today, the schools governing body said its board had “unanimously determined that there is a loss of confidence in Dallas McInerney’s ability to lead the organisation into the future”.
As such, the Board has now terminated Mr McInerney’s employment agreement with Catholic Schools NSW.
Interim CEO, Peter Yates, will remain in the role while a search process is conducted. The schools governing body has said it will not make any statement “regarding the inquiry or key witnesses” until Icac’s initial examination has been conducted, but says it will support an independent review of Catholic Schools NSW’s operations. It said:
In the opening statement, counsel assisting the commission stated that there was no suggestion that CSNSW is responsible for the alleged conduct being investigated by the commission, nor that any CSNSW Board or executive were aware of the alleged actions of Mr McInerney. The matters that are the subject of the Inquiry are, though, of deep concern to CSNSW and to its key stakeholders. The Board will work constructively with them to ensure there is an externally conducted review of CSNSW’s operations.
In the opening statement, counsel assisting the commission stated that there was no suggestion that CSNSW is responsible for the alleged conduct being investigated by the commission, nor that any CSNSW Board or executive were aware of the alleged actions of Mr McInerney. The matters that are the subject of the Inquiry are, though, of deep concern to CSNSW and to its key stakeholders.
The Board will work constructively with them to ensure there is an externally conducted review of CSNSW’s operations.
Miscommunication over discovery of missing hiker shouldn’t detract from Lily Hooper’s memory, premier says
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, and the state’s police commissioner, Mal Lanyon, vowed to take responsibility after it was wrongly communicated that missing bushwalker Lily Hooper had been found alive.
On Thursday, Minns issued an apology and relayed news her body had been discovered after mistakenly announcing Hooper had been found alive.
Speaking from Goulburn on Friday, hours after Hooper’s body was recovered from the NSW southern highlands, he paid tribute to the teenager:
Lily was a fantastic person, she was doing what you’d want of every young person and that is getting out in the community, getting out in nature, seeing the beauty and the best parts of the Australian outback. We want to encourage more of it not less of it. This has ended in a terrible tragedy but I don’t want it lost that Lily was a fantastic person with a close family and this would be devastating for them.
Lily was a fantastic person, she was doing what you’d want of every young person and that is getting out in the community, getting out in nature, seeing the beauty and the best parts of the Australian outback.
We want to encourage more of it not less of it. This has ended in a terrible tragedy but I don’t want it lost that Lily was a fantastic person with a close family and this would be devastating for them.
Victorian premier criticises shadow attorney general for calling royal commission a ‘cover up’
The Victorian premier, Ben Carroll, held a press conference in Geelong this morning, where he was asked about comments made by the shadow attorney general, James Newbury, after the release of the terms of reference for the royal commission into the construction industry.
Newbury described the inquiry as a “cover up commission” and falsely claimed that former premiers Daniel Andrews or Jacinta Allan wouldn’t be required to attend because their names weren’t explicitly included in the terms of reference. Carroll, however, told reporters on Thursday that while it was up to the commissioner who he called, it could include the former Labor leaders.
He repeated this on Friday:
Everyone and anyone can be called. These are the most comprehensive, broadest terms [of reference] possible. This is my first action as premier to call the royal commission, and within three weeks, I’ve got it established, and the most eminent person available in Australia appointed as the royal commissioner. We’re going to make sure that we leave no stone unturned, and that’s what we’re going to get on with.
Asked about Newbury’s claim it was a “coverup”, Carroll said “nothing could be more further from the truth, adding:
The more Mr Newbury – as the alternative attorney general – is in the media, the better for us.
He said Newbury’s commentary “erodes public faith in the alternative government”. Carroll said:
It shows you a level of inexperience, it shows you a level of unsophistication, and it shows you that they’re not ready to govern. This is a serious matter for Victorians. This isn’t about politics. This is about giving Victorians the answers they deserve [to] the so many questions they have. This is above politics. I think this demonstrates more of the opposition’s lack of experience and lack of knowledge … I’ll let them play politics. I’ll get on doing what I need to do as premier that’s in the interests of everyday Victorians.
AFP to address media after dual Russian-Australian citizen charged with foreign interference offences
The Australian federal police will hold a press conference in Canberra today after the arrest of a dual Russian-Australian citizen who has been charged with attempting to intentionally engage in foreign interference.
The 27-year-old Victorian man was arrested by the Counter Foreign Interference Task Force in Sumner, Queensland, on Thursday.
He is expected to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court today.
More to come.
‘Not one single cent’: Brethren church did not pay for its members to volunteer in election, inquiry hears
Plymouth Brethren church’s director, Luke Grimshaw, has told a parliamentary inquiry his organisation did not pay for members to volunteer or help them travel across the country.
At the parliamentary inquiry into the 2025 election campaign, Grimshaw has so far claimed there was no coordinated campaign for hundreds of members to volunteer at polling booths for Liberal candidates. He told the inquiry:
I can confirm that the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church did not participate in the 2025 election campaign in any way, shape, or form, and that includes paying for any political activity, chartering planes moving people around doing any of that activity that you described. There was not one single cent paid from the church to fund that type of activity. And whether members got involved in that in their voluntary capacity and activities in coordination with whatever parties they were supporting, I’ve got no knowledge of how that happened. Volunteers have got to get around somehow, but church certainly did not facilitate that.
I can confirm that the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church did not participate in the 2025 election campaign in any way, shape, or form, and that includes paying for any political activity, chartering planes moving people around doing any of that activity that you described. There was not one single cent paid from the church to fund that type of activity.
And whether members got involved in that in their voluntary capacity and activities in coordination with whatever parties they were supporting, I’ve got no knowledge of how that happened. Volunteers have got to get around somehow, but church certainly did not facilitate that.
Grimshaw also told the committee multiple church members had contacted him about how they were treated at polling booths, saying claiming some faced “aggressive questioning” and “verbal abuse” over their involvement.
A young person from our church was brought to tears with the type of abuse she was suffering down there, verbal abuse. And we’ve certainly had other feedback that members were made to feel pretty uncomfortable, to be honest, out on a polling booth, just to have other people bowled up to them and essentially shove a camera in their face and start quite aggressively questioning about what religion they were and questioning their right to be there.
Former NSW Liberal minister David Elliott appears before Icac
A former NSW Liberal minister and MP, David Elliott, is appearing before the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) this morning. The inquiry is investigating the allegation that members of conservative factional group the Reformers took donations from Jean Nassif, a fugitive property developer, in exchange for the pursuit of outcomes including damage to Elliott’s career. The inquiry has previously heard the Reformers created a “shit sheet” on Elliott, which included an alleged affair. Elliott has put out a statement strongly rejecting any affair had taken place, while witness Jeremy Greenwood, who commissioned the document, admitted to knowing the allegation of an affair to be untrue.
‘Flies in the face of evidence’: Brethren spokesperson rejects coordinated campaign by church, inquiry hears
Plymouth Brethren Church spokesperson, Lloyd Grimshaw, has also denied there was coordination by the church for its members to campaign for Liberal candidates during the 2025 election.
He tells the parliamentary inquiry into the 2025 election that the volunteers would have “coordinated amongst themselves”.
Volunteers of the Brethren church were seen at polling booths across the country including across Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth.
If members of a religious group decide to do something in their private capacity as private citizens, that they don’t speak on behalf of the church when they do that … I’m not saying that members didn’t participate, and clearly they did, and they must have been some coordination, but they would have coordinated amongst themselves, self-coordinated, and whoever they were.
But Labor MP Corinne Mulholland says Grimshaw’s claim “flies in the face of evidence” the committee has heard during previous hearings.
Spontaneous 3000 kilometres away from each other just [coordinating] amongst themselves? … I think it is a difficult pill for us to swallow on that one, unfortunately, Mr Grimshaw, and it flies in the face of evidence the committee has heard from ex members of the church who have said to us in extreme detail in their evidence before us about the level of control and direction from the church.
Icac is investigating the allegation that McInerney, who gave evidence to the inquiry this week and last week, arranged and approved illegal political donations to lobbying companies controlled by conservative factional group the Reformers, under the guise of consultancy services. McInerney has insisted payments totalling $265,900 over four years were for genuine consulting work.
On Wednesday, McInerney denied he performed a factory reset on a work phone and iPad over the weekend to wipe critical evidence. He said he performed the wipe on his phone after his bank contacted him last Friday to tell him his account had been “compromised by an unknown merchant”. He said he performed a factory reset on an iPad ahead of it being surrendered to Catholic Schools NSW, “in the realisation I’m not likely returning to the company”.
He previously stood aside from his role as CEO of the governing body for 600 schools in NSW before the Icac hearings began “to allow the work of Catholic Schools NSW to continue its important mission”, he said in a statement.
The Plymouth Brethren church claims it was subject to “extraordinary attacks by the media and even by members of parliament” during and after the 2025 federal election, rejecting newspaper reports today that it had engaged with far-right influencers to stage stunts targeting Anthony Albanese and other politicians.
The parliament’s inquiry into the 2025 election continues today, with the Brethren church and rightwing lobby group Advance appearing at a committee hearing. Lloyd Grimshaw, a director at the Plymouth Brethren Christian church, was the first witness, conceding members of the church volunteered for various parties at the election but denying the church participated itself or coordinated the actions of members.
Some media reporting has alleged there was a systematic and coordinated effort from Plymouth Brethren members to support the Liberal party at the election, including on polling booths.
Grimshaw told the inquiry the church had been targeted with “unsubstantiated” allegations about its activities, claiming some members did volunteer at the election but for “pretty normal reasons” like backing their local candidate or being worried about the economy.
The Nine newspapers reported allegations on Friday that members of the church had paid far-right activists to disrupt Labor’s election events. Grimshaw strongly denied this reporting, calling it a “complete lie” and saying the church did not make any donations or give any support to political parties or “third parties”.
Swans captain Callum Mills says he is ‘deeply shocked and disappointed’
Callum Mills, the captain of the Sydney Swans, also issued an apology and said he was “deeply shocked and disappointed to be here”.
As a playing group, we fully support the club’s decisions on the sanctions handed down. We take full responsibility and we are deeply sorry.
Mills said the five players suspended for the rest of the season had “let us down”.
This isn’t about football. The sanctions that were handed down were not about football.
Dean Cox, the coach of the Sydney Swans, is speaking in Sydney.
He acknowledged the culture of the Swans “has taken a hit”. He went on:
We all have women in our lives we deeply love. I would like to express the respect for women is of the highest priority for both myself personally and for our football club. We have some fantastic women working in our football club … and our thoughts are with them and I apologise to them, along with the women in the community, for the actions of the players. We are extremely disappointed at the actions of the players. And the sanctions imposed by the board show how serious we take these matters. … We’re going to work … as hard as we possibly can to get the trust back from the community, to get the culture where we desire to be, where we once had been.
We all have women in our lives we deeply love. I would like to express the respect for women is of the highest priority for both myself personally and for our football club.
We have some fantastic women working in our football club … and our thoughts are with them and I apologise to them, along with the women in the community, for the actions of the players. We are extremely disappointed at the actions of the players. And the sanctions imposed by the board show how serious we take these matters. …
We’re going to work … as hard as we possibly can to get the trust back from the community, to get the culture where we desire to be, where we once had been.
Foreign minister Penny Wong phoned her Israeli counterpart overnight to discuss the decision not to pursue a criminal investigation into Gaza strikes that killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six of her colleagues.
“Minister Wong spoke with Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar last night,” a spokesperson for Wong said this morning.
The minister conveyed Australia’s view and expectations as she did with the Israeli ambassador.
Australian government ministers have been scathing of Israel’s decision not to open a criminal case. Anthony Albanese told the ABC last night “it clearly is an outrage and there’s a need for a far more transparent and clear explanation from the Israeli government other than what we’ve received”.
He didn’t rule out Australia pursuing some form of independent investigation. Albanese said Australia would “press the Israeli government” and “then make an announcement in coming days” about what his government would do in response.
Israel can ‘check’ reparations for aid worker’s death, ambassador says
Israel is open to reparations for the family of killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom, as the federal government backs an independent investigation into her death, AAP reports.
The Israeli military on Thursday announced it had found there was no suspicion of criminal misconduct surrounding the Australian’s death, despite a previous finding there had been failures in how it was carried out.
Israeli ambassador Hillel Newman was summoned to Parliament House on Thursday morning to explain the outcome of the two-year investigation.
“Israel is open to discussions of a legal aspect, we can share information with legal teams of Australia,” he told ABC’s RN on Friday.
And the aspect of reparations can be checked definitely.
Newman said a request needed to be made before Israel could investigate potential reparations.
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.
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.
