Australia sends France 24 firefighters and two aircraft to tackle wildfires
Australia is sending firefighting teams to support rescue efforts in France, amid raging wildfires in Europe.
The government said a Chinook helicopter equipped with a 11,300-litre water tank and a support aircraft would be deployed, alongside 24 skilled aerial and ground crew from the New South Wales Rural Fire Service.
Officials said in a statement:
Together, they will support around-the-clock firefighting operations, providing much-needed relief to emergency services responding on the ground.
The wildfires in France are among the worst the country has experienced in decades, driven by multiple active fire fronts and a prolonged summer heatwave.
The NSW RFS is internationally recognised as an expert in bushfire management and represents the very best of Australian emergency management capability.
Key events
Benita Kolovos
Ben Carroll appoints new head of Department of Premier and Cabinet
The new Victorian premier, Ben Carroll, has announced the appointment of Chris Barrett to head the Department of Premier and Cabinet.
The move means the current department secretary, Jeremi Moule, will leave the role. Moule was appointed by former premier Daniel Andrews during the Covid-19 pandemic and retained by his successor, Jacinta Allan, when she became leader in September 2023.
Barrett is currently secretary of the Department of Treasury and Finance and will step down from that position to take up the new role. Carroll said Barrett would begin at the DPC on Monday, adding: “I look forward to working with him to deliver a new direction for Victoria.”
Barret’s appointment is another sign of the shift underway under Carroll’s leadership. As we wrote this morning, Carroll is a member of Labor’s right – and is the MP from the faction to lead the party in Victoria since 2010.
His leadership is expected to place a greater emphasis on economic management and fiscal restraint, and the decision to appoint the state’s Treasury chief to lead the DPC reinforces this.
More here on the factional shift under way in Victoria:
AFP says Pauline Hanson’s remarks about Muslims ‘do not meet the threshold’ for offences of hate speech laws
The Australian Federal Police said senator Pauline Hanson’s remarks earlier this year about Muslims “do not meet the threshold for relevant offences” of hate speech laws.
The AFP said in February it had received reported concerns about Hanson’s remarks after the senator asked on Sky News: “You say, ‘Well, there’s good Muslims out there.’ How can you tell me there are good Muslims?”
AFP officials said this morning it received several complaints following Hanson’s appearance on Sky. But, a spokesperson said:
The AFP has determined the comments do not meet the threshold for relevant offences, including within the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Act 2026.
The AFP has finalised this matter.
Penry Buckley
Reformers member tells Icac hearing he used factional funds to pay for buck’s night
Returning to the NSW Icac’s Operation Rosny, Reformers member Robert Assaf is being quizzed over funding arrangements for the group.
In an often tense exchange with counsel assisting Peggy Dwyer SC he has been asked about the decision to move alleged payments to the Reformers from a bank account in the group’s name to Beckington, a registered lobbyist set up by the Reformers.
Assaf says the arrangement was to create “to the maximum benefit from a tax perspective because I think … we weren’t a registered charity, so it’s not tax deductible to donate to the Reformers bank account”.
Dwyer says: “That’s an explanation that you thought of overnight. Is that right?”
Assaf has also admitted to temporarily using payments to the Reformers to fund his bucks night. In a WhatsApp exchange in August 2020, Reformer Jean-Claude Perrottet wrote “Rob has the bucks cash coming back”.
Asked what this means, Assaf says:
I think you recall I referred to us being immature and young, using the account as an advance on our personal expenditure. This was one of those moments where we, I think, we had booked a venue for either my buck’s or [Reformer Christian Ellis’] buck’s. It required an upfront payment. I think it was cancelled maybe because of Covid, one of them, so it was waiting for it to get reimbursed.
Taylor refused to answer multiple questions about Reformers payments, saying he won’t give ‘running commentary’
The opposition leader, Angus Taylor, is speaking in Western Australia.
He declined to answer any questions about any donations to the Reformers, a group of hard-right Liberal operatives that plotted to take over the party from the inside.
Taylor said:
No payment was made. I’m not going to give a running commentary on this … I have answered your questions and I answered the question several days ago. If you have another question I am happy to take it.
Taylor is not accused of wrongdoing.
Dominic Perrottet’s brother to appear before Icac next week
Penry Buckley
Icac has also revealed the list of witnesses for next week. The first witness on Monday will be NSW upper house Liberal Damien Tudehope, whose name has come up frequently in hearings so far.
Many of the Reformers worked as staffers in Tudehope’s office, and Tudehope gave frequent talks at Reformers recruitment events. His former business partner Michael O’Hara, who the inquiry heard is alleged to have made illegal donations, was the inquiry’s first witness but has disputed whether his payments to the Reformers counted as political donations.
Tudehope, who has stood aside from his shadow cabinet roles during the inquiry, is not accused of any wrongdoing.
Next week’s witnesses also include Reformers members Jean-Claude Perrottet and Jeremy Greenwood. Yesterday the inquiry heard that Jean-Claude, the younger brother of former premier Dominic Perrottet, allegedly paid for memberships as part of branch-stacking efforts, forbidden under Liberal party rules. Dominic Perrottet is not accused of any wrongdoing. Jean-Claude has previously denied any wrongdoing.
Also appearing next week is businessman Frits Maré, a key witness at a 2023 parliamentary inquiry that preceded Icac’s inquiry. At that inquiry, Maré described being asked by members of the Reformers to contribute $50,000 to an operation to unseat Alex Hawke, the Liberal federal MP for Mitchell.
Penry Buckley
Icac resumes as next week’s witnesses revealed
The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption’s Operation Rosny hearings have resumed this morning.
The inquiry is investigating whether a group known as the Reformers allegedly solicited or accepted illegal donations to recruit or renew members to the party – a practice known as “branch stacking”. The group wanted more conservative policies on same-sex marriage, abortion and euthanasia.
Yesterday’s witness, Reformers member Robert Assaf, is giving evidence again. Yesterday morning counsel assisting, Peggy Dwyer, quizzed Assaf about federal opposition leader Angus Taylor’s knowledge of the Reformers activity, saying she would return to this later in evidence.
Josh Taylor
eSafety study sees decline in teens’ social media accounts, but no behaviour changes
The first report from the long-term study eSafety commissioned to track the progress of the under 16s social media ban has reported a decline in children aged between 10 and 15 holding a social media account in the first three months since the ban came into effect in December from 52.4% to 42.1%.
The study found, however, that many children retained their accounts after three months, and were using social media just as much as before, which the regulator blames on “ineffective implementation” of age assurance technology.
Most platforms included in the ban saw a decline in children reporting having accounts, however, YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok reported the highest percentages of children still on the platforms.
Just over half (50.2%) of children still on social media in the study reported that the platforms had not asked them to confirm their age, while 18.2% reported their age had been incorrectly estimated. More children reported they had listed their ages as 16 or above to bypass the restriction (37.1%).
The report found that most children reported “little to no change” in offline activities or “potentially problematic behaviour” such as going without eating or sleeping or spending less time with family and friends due to being online.
And there was little change in family dynamics.
Some children shifted to messaging more (52.3% up from 40.5%) or playing online games (29% up from 26.4%).
Suspected H5 bird flu detected in seagull in South Australia
Lisa Cox
A seagull, one of Australia’s most common coastal birds, has been found with suspected deadly bird flu in South Australia.
The SA government said state tests returned a suspected positive result for H5 bird flu in the silver gull found at Robe on the Limestone coast. Samples have been sent to the CSIRO for verification.
The CSIRO also confirmed overnight that four birds at Kangaroo Island – one at Seal Bay and three at D’Estrees Bay – announced as suspect detections on Wednesday were confirmed positive.
There have now been 19 confirmed positive H5 bird flu cases in SA. A further 21 suspect cases are awaiting verification.
Jack Gough, the chief executive of the Invasive Species Council, said:
This is a significant step change in the scale of impact. We’ re now seeing multiple species at multiple sites. People are going to start seeing this in birds they recognise and connect to.
Politicians should be aware of how quickly public sentiment on environmental issues could shift.
Separately, the Victorian government said state tests had returned a positive result for bird flu in a second greater crested tern found at Portland. One case in a greater crested tern at Portland was confirmed on Thursday.
A Victorian government spokesperson said the second greater crested tern was reported by a community member. They said samples were undergoing confirmatory testing at CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness.
Josh Butler
Albanese goes on one week of leave
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is taking a week of leave, his office has announced, with Richard Marles acting in his stead.
“The Prime Minister will be on leave from Friday 31 July until Thursday 6 August 2026,” reads a statement posted on Albanese’s website.
During this time, the Deputy Prime Minister will be Acting Prime Minister.
Gina Rinehart responds after report she lobbied to move 2032 Olympic rowing to crocodile-inhabited river
Gina Rinehart has responded to a report yesterday that she had lobbied for a controversial plan to move the 2032 Olympic rowing events to the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton, a natural habitat for saltwater crocodiles.
The Guardian’s Ben Smee reports the decision prompted significant backlash.
A spokesperson for Hancock Prospecting said in a statement yesterday:
Mrs Rinehart has also for decades been a huge champion of regional Australia and her insights expressed in the letter were done so for the reason of outlining the benefits hosting Olympic events would bring to a regional town like Rockhampton. Too often regional towns are forgotten.
Given that Mrs Rinehart is also the Patron of Rowing Australia, has been involved in the sport for many years, and she knows Queensland well, so it’s hardly surprising that she would offer insight on this matter, as other similar sporting representatives also did.
To suggest she has done so for any ulterior motive or to gain any kind of personal benefit is completely false!
Graham Readfearn
Conservationists say massive marine park expansion ‘a win’ for the ocean
Marine conservationists have said a federal government plan to massively expand marine park areas around two remote islands will be a win for the ocean.
The environment minister, Murray Watt, has announced this morning the government wants to add an area almost 10 times the size of Tasmania to marine parks around Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island that would ban fishing and mining.
Fiona Maxwell, oceans manager at Pew Charitable Trusts, said the proposal “represents a huge step forward in protecting Australia’s extraordinary marine life”.
Paul Gamblin, the chief executive of the Australian Marine Conservation Society, said the step would “safeguard these underwater wonderlands” but the action needed to be replicated across federal waters.
Graham Readfearn
Proposal to add area almost 10 times size of Tasmania to two remote marine parks
The Albanese government wants to ban fishing and mining from an extra 671,500 square kilometres of ocean around Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island – an area almost 10 times the size of Tasmania.
The proposal is part of a review of 44 marine parks and, if it survives the current consultation period unscathed, would see the government reach its target to have at least 30% of Australia’s ocean estate in highly protected marine park zones by 2030.
The government said the two marine parks, hundreds of kilometres off Australia’s east coast, were ecologically significant as they supported a mix of cool and tropical marine habitats and were important corridors for migratory seabirds, cetaceans, fish and sharks.
Acclaimed rock music journalist Glenn Baker dead at 74
Glenn Baker, an Australian music journalist and rock historian, has died at the age of 74, his longtime friend and collaborator said this morning.
A tribute posted to Baker’s Facebook page this morning reads:
Glenn’s contribution to the Australian rock ’n’ roll music landscape was immense, but his family remembers him as a loving father of six and grandfather of thirteen. Glenn’s passion for music, travel, food and his family (still not entirely sure of the order) was, like his personality, larger than life.
Baker’s son, Orson, told The Sydney Morning Herald this morning his father had an “amazing life”.
He was so deeply involved in the music industry that we are talking about a man who absolutely had a life fully lived.
Jack Snape
Rose Davies makes history in Australian 5,000m one-two at Commonwealth Games
In the fading Glasgow light, the two fluorescent yellow figures powered around the final bend of the 5,000m at the Commonwealth Games, leaving the rest of the field behind.
Megan Keith, the young Scot who had broken the field apart with a mile to go, could not keep up. Behind her was Kenya’s last hope of making it six 5,000m women’s golds in a row, Caroline Nyaga, as well as Ugandan Esther Chebet and England’s Hannah Nuttall. All of them, now irrelevant.
Australian Rose Davies had stayed within this leading group for the entire race, before surging past Keith with 200m to go. History was in her grasp: a woman had never done the 10,000m-5,000m double at the Commonwealth Games.
Read more here:
Parents of Australian facing possible death penalty in Syria disappointed with government action so far
The parents of an Australian man facing the possible death penalty in Syria spoke to the ABC last night, saying diplomatic efforts to aid their son had not been fruitful.
Patrick Stevenson, 20, has been detained for seven months over the alleged shooting death of another Australian, Abdullah Glen Charles Burgess in December.
Angela Bell, Stevenson’s mother, told the ABC she was disappointed in her dealings with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat) so far.
Bell told ABC’s 7.30 program:
They say … that their policy is that he shouldn’t have been travelling to Syria … and that’s where the conversation gets stuck. They use the word ‘limited’ a lot. They don’t use the word failure, but basically the sense is they … have limited capacity to help in this situation.
Bell said she hadn’t seen a “single document” detailing the charges against her son, and there was “no access” to him.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese said yesterday while legal processes would “take their course overseas”, the government was providing support for Stevenson’s family.
Australia has no embassy or consulate in Syria.
