Australia News LIVE: Cops unearth shocking find stashed among burgers and chips inside a family freezer

A man has been charged with a string of serious offences after police allegedly uncovered firearms, ammunition and more than 1kg of cannabis inside his home.

Police were called to a Woolooga home in Queensland’s Gympie region twice in recent days following reports of several disturbances.

Police allegedly seized a rifle and ammunition from the home on Monday and returned to the home a second time the next day after receiving reports of a man damaging property and shouting threats.

Police arrived at the scene to find the man allegedly armed with an axe handle.

A subsequent search of the home found 1.124kg of cannabis stashed in a freezer among frozen meat, chips, ice cream, and Gatorade bottles.

A 69-year-old Woolooga man was arrested at the scene.

He was charged with one count each of going armed in public so as to cause fear, trespass and possession of dangerous drugs.

He will appear in Gympie Magistrates Court on July 21.

Police investigations are ongoing.

Ben Cousins was rushed to hospital after almost passing out in pain at home last week.

The former West Coast and Richmond AFL star turned footy commentator underwent surgery to remove a hernia in Perth last Friday

The Brownlow medallist and premiership star recalled being ‘ready to pass out’ after attending the State of Origin match last Wednesday night.

More details in the link below.

Police were called Sexton Avenue in Castle Hill on Tuesday morning following reports of a brawl involving dozens of tradies.

Two men hospitalised with minor injuries have since been discharged.

Two men aged 22 and 44 were arrested at Castle Hill Police Station on Wednesday morning, where they’re currently being questioned.

Police also seek to identify several other men who may be able to assist with inquiries.

The brawl unfolded outside a new apartment development by Meriton.

The developer has since terminated contractors involved.

‘Meriton promotes safety and does not condone any violent or threatening behaviour on its job sites, whether employees, subcontractors or visitors,” a statement read

‘No direct Meriton employees were involved in the incident that took place on the street, outside of its Castle Hill construction site.

‘Appropriately, the local police were called who have since intervened and we have ascertained that there were no serious injuries.

‘The contractors involved in the fight have been immediately terminated.’

Police have offered a $500,000 reward for information leading to the remains of murdered backpacker Peter Falconio, as his killer remains silent on his deathbed.

Convicted murderer Bradley John Murdoch, 67, has been transferred out of jail to palliative care at Alice Springs Hospital as he battles terminal throat cancer.

Mr Falconio’s remains have never been found, and Murdoch is expected to take that 24-year secret to his grave.

Police on Wednesday doubled the reward in the hope that someone with information will finally come forward.

‘NT Police still hold out hope someone may be able to assist in … this search,’ Acting Commander Mark Grieve said.

More details in the link below.

The incident at Bonnyrigg High School in Sydney’s south-west unfolded at about 11.30am on Wednesday, where parents were urged to not contact their children.

A NSW Police spokesman said the lockdown had been initiated as a precautionary search was carried out on the campus.

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Dendy Cinema has been fined almost $20,000 by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission over its pricing practices.

The consumer watchdog claims Dendy failed to prominently display the total single price for tickets sold online, in a practice commonly known as ‘drip-pricing’.

It claimed prices displayed online did not include the unavoidable per-ticket booking fee or a total price for tickets until customers reached the final stages of the online transaction.

“Businesses must be upfront about the total minimum quantifiable price of a product or service,” ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.

“Consumers are sometimes lured into purchases they would not otherwise have made when businesses display only part of the price upfront and reveal the total price only towards the end of the purchasing process.

“By initially only displaying part of the total price for a movie ticket, Dendy has reduced the ability of consumers to make an informed purchasing decision,” Ms Lowe said.

Dendy Cinema, which has six locations across Australia has since paid the $19,800 fine.

The ACCC will now examine pricing practices across the broader cinema industry to ensure booking fees comply with pricing obligations.

‘We encourage all businesses to review their online pricing practices to ensure they are complying with their obligations under the law, including providing the total minimum quantifiable price of products and services in their advertising and at the earliest opportunity in the booking process,’ Ms Lowe said.

Sussan Ley is about to give a blunt assessment of the Liberals’ disastrous performance at the May 3 federal election.

She will become the first Liberal leader to address the National Press Club since 2022 and the first female opposition leader to use the platform when she outlines her vision to win back voters on Wednesday.

Australians handed the Coalition its worst loss at the federal election in May.

Ley said that her appointment to the opposition’s top job represented a fresh approach but acknowledged there was still some way to go.

‘Let’s be honest and up front about last month’s election. We didn’t just lose, we got smashed,’ she will say in her address.

‘We respect the election outcome with humility, we accept it with contrition and we must learn from it with conviction.

‘The task before me – and my team – is to lead a Liberal Party that respects modern Australia, reflects modern Australia and represents modern Australia.’

Pre-election polls suggested the Coalition would not form government, but the depth of the defeat was a shock.

The Coalition was left without a leader after Peter Dutton was booted from his own electorate by voters.

Policies such as an end to working-from-home arrangements for public servants and vague threats to cut jobs in government departments were blamed for its unpopularity with voters, alongside a perceived tendency to wade into culture wars.

These platforms failed to win over women and younger Australians, in particular.

But Ley has committed to bringing them back into the Liberal fold, vowing to represent young and older Australians, professionals, everyday workers and families.

‘Aspiration is the thread that connects every single part of Australian society,” she will say.

‘Aspiration is the foundation of the Australian promise.

‘That promise feels distant for many Australians today.’

The casual radio host and Palestine advocate was hired for a week-long stint on ABC Radio Sydney‘s Mornings program in December 2023.

Ms Lattouf, 41, was let go after sharing a Human Rights Watch post that said Israel was using starvation as a ‘weapon of war’ in Gaza.

More details about the verdict in the link below.

At least 4,200 Aussies are still trying to escape the conflict in the Middle East, the federal government has confirmed.

More than 3000 Australians and family members in Iran who have registered with the government for assistance to be evacuated.

Another 1200 Aussies stranded in Israel have also registered for assistance.

The update comes after a Royal Australian Air Force jet carrying more than 100 Aussies departed Israel overnight

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the Australian government has a ‘series of contingencies’ to help evacuate more Australians.

‘When these opportunities arise, we can get Australians out of there, out of harm’s way to safety, where they can organise then an onward journey,’ Chalmers told Sky News on Wednesday morning.

A RAAF jet carrying 118 Australians and a Kiwi departed Israel overnight when the airspace was reopened.

‘We were very pleased to be able to provide that flight, and they’ve now been relocated to a place within the region, which is obviously outside of the danger zone,’ Defence Minister Richard Marles said.

‘We continue to have (military) assets in the region ready to be able to provide assistance.’

Commercial flights from Israel have resumed with some restrictions.

Foreign minister Penny Wong said that DFAT officers remain at the Iran-Azerbaijan border to help Aussies escape Iran.

Visiting more than one supermarket has proven to be the smartest approach for shoppers, as data shows prices for everyday essentials continue to vary widely.

Data from consumer advocacy group Choice found that, even without specials, prices differed across the big four supermarkets, with Aldi emerging as the best for overall value.

Choice sent mystery shoppers to 104 supermarkets across Australia in March to compare the prices of 14 common grocery items.

The items included popular winter buys such as vegetable stock, sour cream, drinking chocolate, butternut pumpkin, quick oats, garlic, and onions.

Choice says the products were matched as closely as possible based on pack size, ingredients, and country of origin.

The data showed Aldi offered the most value, with the full basket of products costing just $55.35.

Woolworths was not far behind at $58.92, while the Coles basket without specials came in at $59.22.

The most expensive shop was IGA at $69.74, although it did prove cheapest for carrots and garlic.

Without specials, Coles had the best deal on apples, while Woolworths had the cheapest chicken breasts and pumpkin.

‘All up, if you’re planning a hearty porridge breakfast, or wanting a cup of hot chocolate to keep you feeling snug, Aldi should be your first stop,’ Choice chief executive Ashley de Silva said.

‘But, as always, there are lots of other ways to save on your weekly grocery shop. Checking the unit pricing, keeping an eye on specials, shopping around, and trying out house-brand products can all add up to significant savings.’

Aldi holds a market share of approximately 9.5 per cent, making it the third-largest supermarket chain in the nation, behind Woolworths at 37.1 per cent and Coles at 27.9 per cent.

Five government staffers threatened with arrest for not fronting a parliamentary inquiry into laws passed following the discovery of an explosives-laden caravan have agreed to appear.

Empty chairs at an otherwise routine inquiry into the passage of religious hate laws sparked a threat that staff for NSW Premier Chris Minns and Police Minister Yasmin Catley could be arrested.

Committee chair Rod Roberts says the five staffers will now appear.

‘That’s the undertaking they’ve given us,’ the independent MP told Sydney radio 2GB on Wednesday.

It came after upper house president Ben Franklin sought legal advice from eminent barrister Bret Walker SC, which affirmed the house was within its rights to seek arrest warrants for the staffers who fail to appear.

The premier and minister, as members of parliament’s lower house, cannot be compelled to appear.

The inquiry was formed to probe the passage of protest and speech laws rushed through parliament in February after explosives, anti-Semitic messaging and a list of addresses of Jewish people and institutions were found inside a caravan at Dural in Sydney’s northwest in January.

Investigators later revealed the discovery was part of a ‘criminal con job’.

Committee member Sue Higginson said the committee had powers to compel attendance under threat of arrest.

‘They are written in black and white in the parliamentary evidence act in no uncertain terms,’ she told ABC radio.

‘No person in NSW is above the law, a summons duly issued means that an individual must comply with that.’

The premier’s chief of staff James Cullen, deputy Edward Ovadia and staffer Sarah Michael were summoned to appear, along with Ms Catley’s chief of staff Ross Neilson and deputy Tilly South.

‘They were present in meetings and briefings that the inquiry is concerned with,” Ms Higginson said.

‘We believe these individuals hold information that could genuinely assist us in exercising our forensic capacity’

The staffers are expected to appear before the inquiry on Friday.

Aussies shouldn’t ‘quibble’ at Donald Trump’s F-bomb, after he voiced his frustration with Israel and Iran for violating the ceasefire he brokered.

The US president launched an attack on both nations for breaching the agreement, saying “they don’t know what the f*** they are doing” on live television.

His comments came after Israel accused Iran of breaking the truce.

But Trump lashed out at Israel for the number of bombs he claimed it dropped between the deal being made and the ceasefire taking effect.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said Australians shouldn’t be concerned about the words used.

‘Far be it from for Australians to quibble with that kind of language,’ he told Sky News on Wednesday.

“We heard some blunt speak from the president, and I think that just reflects the fact that the stakes are high in the Middle East.

‘I think those who haven’t used that word privately can cast the first stone.’

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was also unfazed.

‘Well, I think that President Trump made some pretty clear statements. I don’t think it needs any further reflection. I think that he stated his views pretty abruptly and I think they were very clear,’ he told reporters in Tasmania.

‘As I have said this week, we want to see peace in the region, we want to see a ceasefire, we want to see de-escalation, and that is consistent with the very clear comments of President Trump.’

Nationals Senator Matt Canavan had a light-hearted take on the president’s outburst.

‘Ultimately, it’s better that F-bombs are dropped than real bombs, isn’t it? So let’s hope this ceasefire does hold,’ he told Nine’s Today show.

Six teens were rushed to hospital following a crash involving an allegedly stolen vehicle in the NSW Hunter region.

Police were patrolling Woodberry Road at Millers Forest about 4.15am on Wednesday, when they spotted a vehicle which had been reported stolen during an aggravated break-and enter at a home in East Maitland hours earlier.

A short pursuit was initiated after the driver allegedly failed to stop when directed.

The car left the road and crashed at Woodberry, about 5km north of Hexham.

Six teens in the vehicle were treated at the scene and taken to John Hunter Hospital.

A boy, 15, suffered head and pelvic injuries, along with fractured ribs.

A girl, 14 suffered a broken leg and suspected pelvic injuries

‘Initial inquiries indicate a 15-year-old boy was driving the car at the time of the crash, police said.

Inquiries into the incident continue.

Anyone with information, CCTV or dashcam is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.

A casual ABC radio host and Palestine advocate who was taken off air after three days on the job will soon learn if she is owed damages for unlawful termination.

Antoinette Lattouf was hired for a week-long stint on ABC Radio Sydney’s Mornings program before Christmas 2023.

She was let go after sharing a Human Rights Watch post that said Israel was using starvation as a ‘weapon of war’ in Gaza.

She has taken her unlawful termination case to the Federal Court, which is due to hand down its judgment on Wednesday.

The 41-year-old is seeking compensation and penalties.

She claims she was fired from the job because of her race and political opinion after publicly commenting on the plight of Palestinians during the ongoing conflict with Israel.

During a hearing in February, Justice Daryl Rangiah heard Lattouf was let go 48 hours into a campaign by a pro-Israeli group, which sent a barrage of complaints to ABC executives, including then-chair Ita Buttrose.

The public broadcaster has been accused of taking a partisan view despite claiming to be an impartial news source.

However, the ABC denies this.

The broadcaster claims it took Lattouf off the air because she failed to follow a direction not to post about Israel or the war in Gaza during her five-day shift.

She rejects this, saying her direct supervisor Elizabeth Green agreed she could post facts from reputable sources.

As well as Ms Buttrose, she has also targeted the ABC’s former content chief Chris Oliver-Taylor and former managing director David Anderson as being responsible for the allegedly unlawful termination.

She has blamed the broadcaster for making her sacking public after an article in The Australian was put out before she had returned home the day she was fired.

ABC executives blamed head of capital city networks Steve Ahern for putting the organisation in an “unacceptable position” by failing to assess Lattouf’s history before hiring her, the court previously was told.

With Australian Associated Press

A man has been charged over a head-on crash which killed a woman and seriously injured another, causing her to lose her unborn child.

The 19-year-old was behind the wheel of a Holden Commodore when it collided head-on with a Hyundai sedan on Newcastle Road at North Lambton, in Newcastle, at about 2.40am on Sunday.

The 55-year-old female passenger in the Hyundai, who was on holiday from India, died at the scene. Her pregnant daughter, who was driving the Hyundai was seriously injured and has since lost her unborn child.

The man was arrested at a home in Mayfield on Tuesday.

He was charged with three counts of causing bodily harm by misconduct – in charge of motor vehicle, one count each of aggravated dangerous driving occasioning death – escaping pursuit, aggravated dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm – escaping pursuit, using a vehicle displaying misleading number plates and never licensed person driving a vehicle on a road.

He will face court on Wednesday.

Millions of Aussies have woken up to chilly conditions as a cold front sweeps across NSW.

A severe weather warning for damaging winds is in place for large parts of the state and the ACT

The warning impacts the Sydney, Illawarra and Hunter regions, the South Coast, Southern Tablelands and parts of Mid North Coast, Central Tablelands, South West Slopes, Snowy Mountains, Australian Capital Territory and Northern Tablelands.

In Sydney’s south-east, strong winds averaging 50-60 km/h with damaging wind gusts of up to 90 km/h possible throughout the day.

The Blue Mountains, Illawarra and Wollongong regions can expect winds averaging 55-65 km/h with peak gusts of up to 100 km/h.

Overnight, winds reached up to 91km/h in Albion Park about 2.30am, and 115km/h in Bellambi after.

High winds also wreaked havoc at two of Australia’s busiest airports on Wednesday morning.

Travellers heading to Sydney Airport have been warned of possible delays.

‘Due to high winds, airport operations may be affected throughout the day,’ an airport spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

‘We recommend passengers check the status of their flight with their airline before traveling to the airport and we thank passengers for their patience and understanding.’

Delays have also been reported at Melbourne Airport due to increasing wind speeds.

The delays have impacted all airlines.

The State Emergency Services urges residents in impacted regions to move their vehicles undercover and away from trees and to secure loose items in backyards and on balconies.

Sydney will reach a top of 18C with the chance of afternoon showers.

Elswehere across Australia, damaging wind gusts and blizzard conditions are possible over Victoria’s north-east ranges.

Damaging wind gusts are also forecast for South Australia’s south-east coastal fringes.