Cruise passengers and crew rescued from uninhabited island 100km north of WA
Ten passengers and eight crew members from a luxury cruise have been rescued from a remote uninhabited island off the northern coast of Australia.
The Silver Cloud cruise ship. Photograph: Wayleebird/Alamy
Earlier, about 60 other passengers made it to safety after they were forced to abandon zodiac boats grounded off Adele island about 100km north of the West Australian mainland.
The passengers and guides from Silversea’s Silver Cloud ship were taking part in an expedition tour near the island yesterday afternoon when a fast-moving tide caught the group by surprise.
They were stranded in knee-deep water about four nautical miles from the ship.
About 70 passengers and 10 guides were forced to wade 500 metres through a coral reef to deeper water where they were met by a flotilla of zodiac vessels sent from the ship to rescue them.
By sunset, most had been rescued and returned to the Silver Cloud where some were treated for minor cuts and abrasions.
The remaining passengers and crew were stranded in darkness for more than four hours while their zodiac vessels were unable to cross an exposed reef until the tide turned about 10pm (AWST).
The Silver Cloud has set sail for Talbot Bay to continue its 12-day cruise of the Kimberley region.
– Australian Associated Press
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Updated at 01.22 BST
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Amanda Meade
In a significant blow to commercial television broadcasters, the media regulator has refused to change the rules to allow more alcohol ads to be shown during children’s television viewing hours.
Free-to-air broadcasters had lobbied the Australian Communications and Media Authority (Acma) to change classification rules as part of a new code of practice.
Free TV wanted to allow an additional 800 hours of alcohol ads every year despite one in three children already being exposed to liquor commercials on television.
Despite laws banning alcohol marketing during children’s viewing hours, broadcasters have a “sports loophole” in their code of practice, which permits the airing of alcohol ads during televised sporting events.
Acma said today it had refused to register the new code because it didn’t provide enough community safeguards.
Based on evidence obtained during the code review process the Acma is not satisfied that the revised code would provide appropriate community safeguards.
Of particular concern to the ACMA was the proposal to extend the times when M rated content would be permitted, allowing more M content, including advertising for products such as alcohol, to be shown on commercial TV at times when children are more likely to be watching.
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‘Absolutely no formal direction’ for staffers not to attend caravan plot inquiry, Minns’ chief of staff tells hearing
Jordyn Beazley
More on the inquiry into the NSW government’s handling of information about the caravan “fake” terrorism plot.
Five staffers from the offices of the New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, and the police minister, Yasmin Catley, are being grilled on why they did not show up to the inquiry last week.
The hearing has heard that the staffers sought legal advice from Minter Ellison on whether they had just cause and reasonable excuse to not attend, leading the staffers to submit a letter to the chair of the inquiry, independent MP Rod Roberts, outlining why they believed they had just cause and reasonable excuse not to.
Minns’ chief of staff, James Cullen, has told the hearing that there was “no formal or informal” instruction from the premier for the staffers to not attend, despite Minns telling reporters in the lead up to the hearing last week that the staffers would not attend.
Responding to questions from Greens MP Sue Higginson, Cullen said:
There was absolutely no formal informal direction from the premier. I must be really clear about that.
The matters of our attendance for this committee were matters for us.
Cullen said of public comments made by Minns:
He’s a public figure and these questions were getting raised publicly, and he’s put his view on the record. But I’ve got to say, while that was happening, we were going through our own processes and having our own conversations about what we were prepared to do and how we were prepared to respond to the invitations and then the summons from this committee.
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Updated at 02.11 BST
Jordyn Beazley
Inquiry into NSW caravan ‘fake terrorism plot’ begins
The inquiry into the NSW government’s handling of information about the caravan “fake terrorism plot” has begun, with the chair saying he is disappointed in the “government’s effort to avoid accountability and transparency over the course of the inquiry”.
Five staffers from the offices of the New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, and the police minister, Yasmin Catley, agreed to appear today after they were threatened with arrest for failing to attend last week.
The inquiry – launched with the support of the Coalition, the Greens and crossbench MLCs – is examining the handling of information about the caravan plot amid concerns parliament may have been “misled” before controversial laws aimed at curbing antisemitism were rushed through parliament.
The chair of the inquiry, independent MP Rod Roberts, began this morning’s hearing by saying he welcomed the ministerial staff reconsidering their position to appear. The president of the legislative council, Ben Franklin, had intended to go to the supreme court to request a warrant for their arrest for not responding to a summons to appear before the inquiry last week.
Roberts said:
I welcome the decision of these staff. However, it is extremely disappointing that the committee had to take the steps that it did, to hear from witnesses who can shed light on the inquiry’s terms of reference. I reiterate my disappointment in the government’s effort to avoid accountability and transparency over the course of the inquiry. This inquiry has clearly illustrated the reach of the legislative council’s powers to call for persons and to compel the attendance of witnesses when necessary.
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Updated at 02.03 BST
Police conference on western Sydney fatal stabbing
NSW police are speaking after a man died from stabbing wounds in Sydney overnight.
Police were called to Pemulwuy in Sydney’s west at about 10.45pm last night, they said in a statement, after reports a man believed to be in his 20s was found wounded in a house driveway.
He was treated by paramedics but was unable to be revived and died at the scene, police said.
“He was stabbed a number of times,” police told press a short while ago.
“There were two males in dark clothing who were last seen heading south on foot.”
Police are unsure if there are any organised crime links at this stage.
This is serious high-level violence, which we can’t tolerate. Our detectives are working on this with the assistance of the State Crime Command and we’re throwing everything at it today.
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Updated at 02.01 BST
Super funds spared multi-billion dollar US ‘revenge tax’
Australian superannuation funds have been spared a multi-billion dollar hit after the US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, announced they would drop a so-called “revenge tax” on foreign investors.
Section 899 of Donald Trump’s proposed bill would have raised taxes by up to 15 percentage points on foreign entities in retaliation to “unfair taxes” other countries had imposed on US companies.
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, raised Australia’s concerns about the tax during a phone call with Bessent on Wednesday, when he told reporters he was hopeful of positive development in the coming days.
Today, Bessent revealed the section would be removed from the bill in a social media post after a deal was reached with G7 nations allowing the US to back out of a global minimum tax rate. He wrote on X:
OECD pillar 2 taxes will not apply to U.S. companies, and we will work cooperatively to implement this agreement across the OECD-G20 inclusive framework in coming weeks and months.
Based on this progress and understanding, I have asked the Senate and House to remove the Section 899 protective measure from consideration in the one, big, beautiful bill.
The announcement was met with a sigh of relief from the $4.2tn Australian superannuation industry, which would have been particularly exposed to the tax, given it holds more than $600bn worth of US assets.
Modelling conducted for the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia by consulting firm Mandala found it could have cut $3.5bn from returns over the first four years.
– Australian Associated Press
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Updated at 01.41 BST
The risks for Australia in backing US military action
Anthony Albanese and the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, have endorsed the US bombings of three Iranian nuclear facilities, arguing the targeted strikes were necessary to prevent the regime developing a nuclear weapon.
But international law experts have condemned the attacks as unlawful under the UN charter.
Host Nour Haydar is joined by our editor, Lenore Taylor, and deputy editor Patrick Keneally to discuss Australia’s entangled relationship with the United States.
Listen here (or wherever you get your podcasts):
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Updated at 01.18 BST
Constable shot dead delivering warrant to be farewelled
An experienced Tasmanian police officer shot dead at work will be farewelled by loved ones at a private funeral and with a guard of honour.
Keith Anthony Smith, a 57-year-old Tasmania police constable, died on 16 June when he approached a property in rural Tasmania to deliver a court-ordered home repossession warrant. His death marked the first fatal shooting of an officer in the island state in more than a century.
A 46-year-old North Motton man has been charged with murder, attempted murder and aggravated assault.
Family, friends, colleagues and other invited guests will mourn Const Smith at a private funeral in Devonport today.
It will be followed by a guard of honour and funeral procession through Devonport and Ulverstone, with members of the public who wish to pay tribute to him encouraged to attend.
“Keith was a proud member of Tasmania Police who was deeply respected by his colleagues and his community,” the Tasmanian police force said. “His service and spirit will not be forgotten.”
– Australian Associated Press
Read more from Caitlin Cassidy here:
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Updated at 01.15 BST
Cruise passengers and crew rescued from uninhabited island 100km north of WA
Ten passengers and eight crew members from a luxury cruise have been rescued from a remote uninhabited island off the northern coast of Australia.
The Silver Cloud cruise ship. Photograph: Wayleebird/Alamy
Earlier, about 60 other passengers made it to safety after they were forced to abandon zodiac boats grounded off Adele island about 100km north of the West Australian mainland.
The passengers and guides from Silversea’s Silver Cloud ship were taking part in an expedition tour near the island yesterday afternoon when a fast-moving tide caught the group by surprise.
They were stranded in knee-deep water about four nautical miles from the ship.
About 70 passengers and 10 guides were forced to wade 500 metres through a coral reef to deeper water where they were met by a flotilla of zodiac vessels sent from the ship to rescue them.
By sunset, most had been rescued and returned to the Silver Cloud where some were treated for minor cuts and abrasions.
The remaining passengers and crew were stranded in darkness for more than four hours while their zodiac vessels were unable to cross an exposed reef until the tide turned about 10pm (AWST).
The Silver Cloud has set sail for Talbot Bay to continue its 12-day cruise of the Kimberley region.
– Australian Associated Press
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Updated at 01.22 BST
Albanese says Australia will drive its own defence spending despite US tariffs pressure on Spain
Albanese was repeatedly asked whether he is worried Australia will be threatened with tariffs by the US – which was Spain’s fate after prime minister Pedro Sánchez opted-out of the Nato defence spending pledge.
“I’m not going to comment on things between Spain and the United States,” Albanese said. “What my job is to look after Australia’s national interest, that includes our defence and security interests and that’s precisely what we are doing.”
After being pushed a number more times, Albanese continued:
There’s a big focus on Spain … here today. We’ll invest in whatever capability we need.
When it comes to economic issues, I met with the treasury secretary of the United States just a week ago as well as with their trade representative.
Sánchez rejected Nato’s proposal for member states to increase their defence spending to 5% of their GDP, saying the idea would “not only be unreasonable but also counterproductive”.
The proposal – advanced by the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, in response to Donald Trump’s demands for a 5% target – suggests member states agree to raise defence spending to 3.5% of their GDP and commit a further 1.5% to wider security spending.
Trump criticised Spain after the summit, saying they would “pay twice as much”.
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Updated at 00.49 BST
Prime minister deflects questions over defence spending after Nato pledges
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, was asked if he is sticking to lifting defence spending to 2.4% of GDP, after Nato states pledged to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. Albanese said:
What we’re doing is making sure that Australia has the capability that we need. That’s what we’re investing in. We’ll continue to do that – invest in our capability and invest in our relationships.
In addition to that, we’re making major announcements like this one here on 1 July – next week – the increase in the superannuation guarantee, the increase in paid parental leave, paying superannuation on paid parental leave, the increase in the minimum wage.
It’s all about the agenda that we took to the election that received the overwhelming endorsement of the electorate.
You can read more about Albanese pushing back on US demands for Australia to increase defence spending to 3.5% of GDP here:
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Updated at 00.37 BST
Verdict due in trial over death of WA Indigenous teen Cassius Turvey in 2022
A murdered Indigenous teenager who was chased into bushland and beaten to death was a peacemaker hoping to stop a fight, his shattered mother says.
Cassius Turvey, a Noongar Yamatji boy, died in hospital 10 days after he was deliberately struck to the head in Perth’s eastern suburbs on 13 October 2022.
Jack Steven James Brearley, 24, and Brodie Lee Palmer, 30, were convicted in May of murdering the 15-year-old after a 12-week trial. Mitchell Colin Forth, 27, who was also on trial in the West Australian supreme court for Cassius’ murder, was found guilty of manslaughter.
They are expected to be sentenced today.
– Australian Associated Press
Read more here:
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Updated at 00.15 BST
Catie McLeod
Leigh warns of need to counter technology-assisted scams, greenwashing and dark patterns
In his speech, Leigh will hail the passing of the Australian Consumer Law in 2011 – which covers all states and territories – as a great national achievement.
But he is expected to say more needs to be done to protect consumers and new reforms are needed – for example, to combat advancements in technology used by scammers. Leigh is expected to say:
AI and automation are reshaping the products we use and the services we rely on. With that comes the risk of opaque decisions, embedded bias, and new forms of exploitation.
Scams are growing more sophisticated, with deepfakes, spoofed numbers, and social engineering becoming commonplace.
Greenwashing threatens to erode public support for genuine sustainability efforts, as vague claims replace verifiable credentials.
Digital dark patterns are proliferating … the online equivalent of a salesperson who won’t let you leave the store.
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Updated at 23.51 BST
Catie McLeod
Andrew Leigh to outline Albanese government’s consumer protection agenda in Melbourne
Australians would be better protected from online scams involving digital manipulation and have the right to repair faulty products at competitive prices under a series of consumer reforms being investigated by the Albanese government.
The assistant minister for productivity, Andrew Leigh, will outline the government’s plans to strengthen consumer protections in a speech to the 2025 Consumer Congress in Melbourne this morning,
Organised by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the conference brings together representatives from consumer groups, community organisations and the government.
According to a copy of the speech distributed to Guardian Australia before the conference, Leigh will point to a series of reforms – some of which are under way and some which still need to be legislated – which include:
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Civil penalties for breaches of consumer guarantees
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New obligations on banks, telcos and platforms to prevent scams
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Strengthening regulation of AI-enabled products and services
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Action on “digital dark patterns”, or online manipulation designed to frustrate consumer choice
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Tougher product safety and support for the right to repair
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A review of how AI-enabled products and services are regulated
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Updated at 23.43 BST