Australia news live: police locate parents of toddler found wandering Sydney street alone at 2am

Police find parents of toddler found wandering Sydney street alone at 2am

NSW police have located the parents of a toddler found wandering the road alone just after 2am this morning.

Official initially issued a public appeal for information after the young child was found in Ramsgate, a suburb in southern Sydney, without his parents or carers. He was thought to be about two years old.

Police said just before 8am that his parents had been found. An official said:

double quotation markPolice would like to thank everyone who shared our appeal. Inquiries are continuing into the incident.

Updated at 21.45 EDT

Key events

Beetaloo gas set to flow in NT, despite environmental concerns

The first gas from the controversial Beetaloo Basin fracking projects in Australia’s north is set to flow to homes and businesses in a territory touting its vast energy supply potential, AAP reports.

The basin is a major onshore shale gas resource in the Northern Territory’s Sturt Plateau, about 500km south-east of Darwin.

On Tuesday, first gas is set to flow, with more than 40 terajoules a day going into the territory’s gas grid. The territory uses about 60 terajoules a day of gas at peak levels for power generation and mines.

The NT chief minister, Lia Finocchiaro, said:

double quotation markEvery time Territorians flick on a light switch, or pull a cold beer from the fridge, they’ll see the benefits of the Beetaloo Basin at work.

Beetaloo fracking, construction of pipelines to get the gas to market, and using the gas to power AI datacentres have all been vigorously opposed by environmental groups. Fracking could see up to 6,000 wells drilled through underground water supplies, which supply 90% of the territory’s water needs, Environment Centre NT acting chief executive, Bree Ahrens, said:

double quotation markWater is life in the territory and we are calling for a ban on fracking and AI datacentres before it’s too late.

A drone view of Tamboran Resources’ Shenandoah drilling site in the Northern Territory’s Beetaloo Basin. Photograph: Tamboran Resources/ReutersShare

Updated at 22.00 EDT

Police find parents of toddler found wandering Sydney street alone at 2am

NSW police have located the parents of a toddler found wandering the road alone just after 2am this morning.

Police said just before 8am that his parents had been found. An official said:

double quotation markPolice would like to thank everyone who shared our appeal. Inquiries are continuing into the incident.

Updated at 21.45 EDT

Penry Buckley

Continuing on from the last post …

Dowling, who told estimates she first met Hutley when she came to the bar in 1997, said she knew “most of the senior members of the inner bar after 30 years in Sydney”. Asked if she and Hutley were friends, she said:

double quotation markI know him professionally and socially and have utter respect for his professionalism, and if Mr Hutley considered that he had some kind of conflict that meant that he shouldn’t accept that from the attorney general, I have total confidence that he would have informed the attorney general of that.

She said her signing a statement of support for Hutley’s candidacy for the NSW bar council in 2015 did not give rise to a conflict, saying she was one of 26 other barristers who signed the letter “ten years ago”.

She said none of the names were interstate lawyers. Asked if it would have been more appropriate for someone from interstate to write the review, she said:

double quotation markIt’s a matter for the attorney general whom he seeks advice from.

On Monday morning, Daley told estimates he rejected the suggestion that Dowling and Hutley were friends. He said he had “full and absolute confidence” in Dowling and that Hutley’s review had provided “an objective and expert analysis of [the report’s] shortcomings”.

Penry Buckley

NSW state’s top prosecutor discussed barristers to review findings against her office

The NSW director of public prosecutions (DPP), Sally Dowling, says she discussed a list of barristers to lead an independent review into controversial findings against her office with the NSW attorney general, before he appointed someone she had known “personally and professionally” for nearly 30 years.

Last month, a parliamentary committee voted 4-3 to find Dowling had given false evidence about the pitching of a story about an Indigenous child performing an acknowledgement of country at a sentencing hearing to radio station 2GB. Dowling admitted her office had pitched the story, but denied she had authorised it.

NSW director of public prosecutions, Sally Dowling. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

Daley and the DPP rejected the committee’s findings. At budget estimates on Monday, Dowling said that she and the NSW attorney general, Michael Daley, had spoken before Noel Hutley SC was appointed to lead an independent review, which found there was “no positive basis” to find she had given false evidence. Dowling said:

double quotation markThe attorney [general] called me to tell me that he was appointing a senior counsel to review the evidence that was before the inquiry and its report of the majority. He raised quite a number of [senior counsel’s] names that he was considering, including Mr Hutley’s name, and some of those people did have a conflict, they had acted for the ODPP, for me, and that was about the extent of the discussion.

She said Daley had not asked for “advice”. “He mentioned some names, and I responded to those names,” she said. Dowling said of the list of eight to 12 people, she said two “would not be appropriate”, but she did not raise Hutley as inappropriate as she did not believe there was a conflict of interest. Under further questioning, Dowling said she had indicated to Daley that she knew Hutley, but had not given any further detail.

Updated at 21.10 EDT

Here’s a dispatch from our reporter Cait Kelly in Nepal

Rescue efforts continue as 43 Australians remain missing in Nepal – video

Border area between Nepal and China where 33 Australians are missing still almost entirely cut off

Guardian Australia’s Cait Kelly has another dispatch from Nepal. She writes:

double quotation markIt has been almost a week since the catastrophic floods in Nepal and not even a vehicle can get into the area where the majority of missing Australians were last heard from.

Gyirong Port, the border area between Nepal and China, was the first to be hit. Images from Chinese rescue teams who have managed to get in by helicopter or hiking show the area has been completely flattened. The immigration building, the power lines, everything, just wiped away.

News that phone connectivity to the area was back on spread quickly on Monday around the families of lost Australians who have come to Kathmandu to wait. In WhatsApp groups and over Facebook, they shared any updates they had.

Read more here:

Updated at 20.58 EDT

China pledges ‘consequences’ over Taiwan’s presence at Pacific Islands Forum

China has promised “consequences” for Taiwan’s presence at the Pacific Islands Forum opening ceremony, which put the two rivals in the same room, AAP reports.

Palau’s National Gymnasium in Koror was the unlikely venue for the geopolitical flashpoint on Monday night. On the stage were traditional dancers, Pacific leaders and speeches pleading for unity and climate action.

Palau is one of just 12 nations that recognise Taiwan and Taipei has used the Micronesian nation’s hosting rights to engage in diplomatic efforts. That outreach extended to the foreign affairs minister, Lin Chia-lung, attending the opening ceremony on Monday night, prompting a stern reaction from Chinese officials.

Taiwan’s foreign affairs minister, Lin Chia-lung, speaks in Palau. Photograph: Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images

China’s Pacific envoy, Qian Bo, said he had lodged diplomatic objections at Taiwan’s presence at the summit.

double quotation markWe certainly have serious concern. We have made our position very clear to the government of Palau and the (Pacific Islands Forum) secretariat.

Asked if there would be consequences, Qian said “there will always be consequences”.

double quotation markIt should not have happened. We think it’s very inappropriate.

Updated at 20.06 EDT

Sarah Basford Canales

The Nationals criticise Albanese government’s ‘go-slow’ visa approach

The Nationals have criticised the Albanese government’s decision to hit the brakes on visa processing, warning it could drive up grocery prices if farmers can’t get enough workers to harvest crops.

In a press release this morning, the shadow agriculture minister, Darren Chester, said the quietly announced “go-slow” approach – which aims to address political pressure over higher immigration levels in recent years – was causing farmers “enormous uncertainty”.

Chester said:

double quotation markWorking holidaymakers are a critical part of the seasonal agricultural workforce, particularly during peak harvest periods, so the timing of Labor’s delays is critical. This is not just an inconvenience for farmers.

If growers cannot access the workers they need when crops are ready, it affects food supply, supermarket shelves and the prices Australian families pay at the checkout … we need practical migration settings that support agriculture, strengthen regional communities and help keep food on Australian tables.

The government is considering ways to bring down net overseas migration levels after it became a key political attacking point by One Nation and the Coalition. It’s understood a number of different levers are being considered, including tightening conditions for British backpackers exempt from regional working requirements and stopping those enrolled in higher education from making visa category.

Updated at 19.45 EDT

Patrick Commins

AI will likely have ‘profound’ impact on jobs in Australia

Treasury officials believe the adoption of artificial intelligence will likely have a “profound” impact on Australian jobs.

Jim Chalmers requested a departmental briefing paper on what AI means for productivity, investment and employment, ahead of the release of the government’s latest intergenerational report later this month.

To what degree AI replaces or augments Australian jobs remains an open question, and the answer depends on how transformational you believe the general purpose technology (or GPT) will prove to be.

The Treasury briefing note says:

double quotation markBecause AI has the potential to automate a significant share of cognitive, non-routine tasks currently performed by high-skilled workers, and accelerate productivity and economic growth, labour market impacts could be materially different to past waves of technology.

In either case, the effects are likely to be profound.

Jobs and Skill Australia has found that most occupations in Australia have more potential to be augmented rather than simply replaced by AI automation.

Separate research from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations found no evidence that AI was having a big impact on jobs – so far.

It says:

double quotation markEarly uptake of AI in Australia is promising but task automation is still at an early stage and greater reorganisation within firms is needed to capture AI’s productivity benefits.

NSW police hold press conference after man shot and killed inside Sydney home

NSW police are holding a press conference after a man was shot and killed during a home invasion in Sydney’s south-west early this morning.

Acting Supt Gretchin Atkins said it was still very early stages and she couldn’t say much about the incident, which is being investigated as a homicide. She said:

double quotation markWe believe at this point in time it is a targeted attack, that is all the information that we’ve been able to gather at this time … Everything is certainly subject to our inquiries.

Atkins said police believe there were multiple offenders but there remains “a lot we don’t know”.

The victim was only known to police for a traffic offence but no other activity. There were family home at the time of the shooting and they are cooperating with police.

Atkins urged anyone in the community with information or footage to contact police.

Updated at 19.14 EDT

Benita Kolovos

Victoria opposition says Labor has ‘twice promised and twice failed’ on transport upgrades

The former Labor premier Daniel Andrews first promised to electrify the Melton and Wyndham Vale lines, which still operate regional V/Line trains, in 2018. He made the same commitment at the 2022 election. In May, state and federal governments announced $152.7m for design and preparation works for the extension of the Metro rail network to Melton.

Wilson said Labor had “twice promised and twice failed to deliver” the services commuters in the growing western suburbs deserved. She said:

double quotation markLabor says one thing before an election then does another afterwards. Our plan will deliver metro-quality train services to Melbourne’s west sooner – meaning more trains, more seats and greater capacity.

Guy said:

double quotation markOur hybrid suburban trains will deliver metro-quality services now and are able to run seamlessly across both electrified and non-electrified train lines.

Benita Kolovos

Victoria opposition touting more trains during peak hour in election pitch

Commuters in Melbourne’s west would be able to get more trains during peak hours under a proposal the Coalition opposition is taking to the November state election.

Under the plan to be announced today by the opposition leader, Jess Wilson, and the public transport spokesperson, Matthew Guy, a Liberals Nationals government would spend $1.7bn to buy 25 new hybrid trains for the Melton and Wyndham Vale lines.

The trains – which would run on the overhead electric suburban network and then switch to battery power on V/Line, non-electrified corridors – would run during peak hours and increase passenger capacity.

The opposition said the proposal would deliver electrified train services to the west quicker than the government’s plan, which requires waiting until the Sunshine station upgrades are complete.

Updated at 19.11 EDT

NSW HSC students limited to one take-home assessment per subject

Year 12 students in New South Wales will be limited to just one take-home assessment worth no more than 15% of the school-based assessment mark for each HSC course, under new rules to combat the use of AI announced this morning.

School-based assessment is worth 50% of a student’s HSC result, meaning the sole take-home assessment would only be worth 7.5% of the total HSC mark under the changes. The plan comes after the state’s minister for education, Prue Car, asked the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) to look at measures to protect student learning.

Right now, schools can determine how much of that 50% school assessment is given through take-home tasks. Schools will still be able to use a range of assessment types for each course, including exams, oral tasks and process diaries, but the take-home component will be dramatically reduced in value.

HSC major works are not included in the restrictions, but schools will still be required to authenticate the work.

The limit will apply to students in the class of 2027 beginning HSC studies in term 4 this year, and to students beginning year 11 in term 1, 2027.

Car said in a statement:

double quotation markThe message this sends to schools and communities more broadly is that we are committed to protecting the teaching and learning happening in schools.

When students outsource their learning – whether that is to tutors, classmates or artificial intelligence, they are missing out on the rigorous, high-quality education they need to set themselves up for the future.

Updated at 18.34 EDT

Rowland says One Nation needs to look at its own behaviour amid political extremism

Rowland also spoke about the One Nation leader, Pauline Hanson, and her criticism of the Albanese government. After the Secret Harbour byelection, Anthony Albanese told Queensland Labor’s state conference that One Nation was “dangerous, divisive and downright dishonest”.

In a strongly worded riposte on social media, Hanson on Monday said Albanese’s comments “crossed a line” and that “words have consequences”.

“That is how political violence is incited,” she wrote.

Rowland yesterday backed the PM, saying:

double quotation markI think some of One Nation’s elements, particularly where they have been recruiting or otherwise giving a platform to extremist views … that is dangerous … I think it is also dangerous, at a time when social cohesion has never been more important, to trade on the politics of division.

The attorney general said this morning being a high-profile woman in politics is dangerous, as is being a politician in general, and observed “extremism” currently confronting politicians across the spectrum. But Rowland suggested Hanson’s own rhetoric was also playing a role in this political landscape. She told RN:

double quotation markWhen you admit that you have a party that has been infiltrated by extremists … this is exactly the kind of dangers to which politicians are being put in this country.

I don’t wish ill on Ms Hanson in a physical way. I don’t wish any politician any ill will, irrespective of their political persuasion. But I think sometimes when comments like this are made, one needs to look at oneself and one’s behaviour and the kinds of standards that they accept into their own party and their own ideology.

Michelle Rowland. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAPShare

Updated at 19.22 EDT

Attorney general says any action on smartglasses needs to strike ‘balance’ without ‘stifling innovation’

Michelle Rowland, the attorney general, said the spread of smartglasses has become an important issue and concern to many Australians, but the government needs to fully understand the pros and cons to new technology before banning or limiting its use.

Rowland spoke to RN Breakfast this morning after Australia’s online safety regulator urged smartglasses companies to automatically blur people’s faces among other changes as the government faces pressure to ban the technology.

The attorney general told RN Breakfast this morning there were legitimate reasons to use the glasses, including for those with vision impairment, but there were legitimate concerns as well:

double quotation markOne of the key points here when we talk about addressing digital harms is that we identify the harms and we need to address those harms without stifling innovation … and we need to understand that Australians have always been early adopters. So it is about striking that balance.

I do want to stress that whilst I completely understand and there are very legitimate concerns that people have about nefarious use, the government doesn’t want to see that nefarious use. But we do want to make sure that we get this right.

A pair of smartglasses. Photograph: Amr Abdallah Dalsh/ReutersShare

Australia news live: police locate parents of toddler found wandering Sydney street alone at 2am | Australia news

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