Australia

AFL draft: Dougie Cochrane leads top prospects as Essendon set to bid at No.1

Essendon will bid on Port Adelaide next-generation academy prospect Dougie Cochrane with the No.1 pick in next month's AFL draft, Port Adelaide list boss Jason Cripps has revealed. Cochrane, who missed the under-18 championships after undergoing surgery for patella tendonitis, tops the latest prospect rankings compiled by this masthead based on discussions with AFL club recruiting staff and junior coaches.

WA student Alaxandrea O'Brien becomes first from state university selected for NASA Indigenous space program

A University of Western Australia student from the remote Kimberley region has become the first person from a WA university selected for the National Indigenous Space Academy, a Monash University program that sends First Nations tertiary students to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California for a 10-week placement.

2 Oct·2 min·3 sources

Swans condemned over Heeney's best and fairest win amid sexual assault investigation

A sexual assault advocacy group has criticised the Sydney Swans for allowing players at the centre of sexual assault allegations to remain eligible for the club's best and fairest award, after midfielder Isaac Heeney took home the Bob Skilton Medal on Thursday night.

Greens hope new leader David Shoebridge can replicate global populist wave

The Australian Greens have elected hard-left senator David Shoebridge as their new leader in a rare contested ballot, following Larissa Waters' shock resignation due to health issues. The party is wrestling with why it has failed to capture the same populist energy that has propelled left-wing candidates like New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and UK Greens leader Zack Polanski, despite Labor's vote slipping in the polls.

Greene heads to Geelong as AFL trade period kicks off; Collingwood open to De Goey departure

The AFL free agency period has begun with Geelong securing GWS Giants star Toby Greene in a done deal, while Collingwood has indicated it will not stand in the way of veteran midfielder Jordan De Goey should he seek a move when the trade period opens on Monday.

2 Oct·1 min·2 sources

Labor targets 'visa hopping' international students in migration crackdown

The federal government has announced further restrictions on international students transferring between courses, requiring a separate visa for such moves, as part of a broader crackdown on 'visa hopping' and attempts by migration agents and lawyers to game the system.

2 Oct·1 min·2 sources

CBA chief says November rate rise 'live' possibility, housing market expected to bounce back

Commonwealth Bank chief executive Matt Comyn says the Reserve Bank has likely finished raising interest rates for now, but the board's November meeting is a 'live' possibility for another rise, dependent on quarterly inflation figures due at the end of October. Speaking with the ABC, Mr Comyn highlighted the growing burden on households and businesses from higher borrowing costs, while expressing optimism that Australia's falling housing prices would recover once rates eventually ease.

The mullet that became a city's symbol: How Fletcher Sharpe embodies Newcastle

If Newcastle had a reflection, it would be Fletcher Sharpe: a mullet-wearing, greyhound-owning son of a coal miner who still lives at home in Cessnock. The 22-year-old Knights star has become an accidental emblem of the city, his blonde tips and ear-to-ear grin as recognisable as the harbour itself. More than 12,000 fans turned out to a recent open training session, many sporting their own versions of his haircut.

Almost 60 and the avocado sofa: Kate Halfpenny on time, reinvention and a family Moran

Columnist Kate Halfpenny marks her approaching 60th birthday with a reflection on a family heirloom: a Moran modular sofa in avocado velvet that arrived in her Tasmanian childhood home in the late 1970s and stayed.

2 Oct·1 min·2 sources

Yarra Mayor Stephen Jolly found not guilty of assaulting protester

Yarra Mayor Stephen Jolly has been found not guilty of unlawfully assaulting a masked protester at a post-election celebration in Fitzroy in November 2024, with a magistrate ruling that while contact occurred, the prosecution could not prove it was intentional.

At 85, Roosters chairman Nick Politis still chasing premiership glory with relentless deal-making

Nick Politis, the 85-year-old billionaire chairman of the Sydney Roosters, will fly back into Sydney on Saturday ahead of Sunday's NRL grand final against Newcastle, 24 hours after returning from a business trip to Japan. His long-time club director Mark Bouris has described Politis as a relentless negotiator who 'will not let up until he gets the deal', often operating on just three or four hours of sleep a night. The Roosters are favourites to win their fifth premiership since Politis took charge in 1993, returning to the grand final for the first time in seven years.

Gabriella Cilmi reflects on FHM pressure as October tour approaches

Gabriella Cilmi, the Melbourne singer who became a global pop star at 16 with 'Sweet About Me', has spoken about being pressured into a sexually suggestive FHM photo shoot at 18, saying she was told she was 'sexy and confident' but that the experience left her in tears. Cilmi will tour in NSW and Victoria in October.

Undercover officer bluffed his way past bikies with shotgun, reveals grief after partner's suicide

An undercover Queensland police officer known as 'Donny Wilson' survived a potentially fatal confrontation with bikies by daring a gunman to kill him, later revealing he was driven by a desire for a 'death by crooks' following the suicide of his life partner, Karen, on New Year's Day 2000.

Russian-Australian charged with foreign interference over Ukraine spying appears in Brisbane court

A Russian-Australian citizen accused of gathering intelligence from the Ukrainian military while believing he was acting for Russia has made his first court appearance, with prosecutors revealing they are analysing data from 17 seized devices.

NSW Health Minister names illicit tobacco as state's biggest preventable health challenge

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park has declared illicit tobacco the single biggest preventable health challenge facing the state over the next decade, while acknowledging the government was caught off guard by the rise of vaping. Speaking at the NSW Great Health Debate on Thursday evening, Park said he is worried a generation of young people will become hooked on nicotine if stronger action is not taken.

2 Oct·2 min·3 sources

AFP bribery investigation into SMEC ends with $9 million settlement, no prosecution

The Australian Federal Police have accepted a $9 million settlement from engineering company SMEC, formerly the Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation, to end a 13-year-long bribery investigation into the company's conduct in Sri Lanka and Vietnam. Police will not pursue a prosecution and SMEC made no admissions of wrongdoing.

Three separate crashes across Australia leave four dead, multiple injured

A series of serious road crashes across Australia over the past week have resulted in four deaths and multiple injuries, including a late-night collision in northern Tasmania that killed a 15-year-old boy, a fatal crash in Melbourne's Cranbourne area, and a two-vehicle tragedy in Victoria's Grampians region involving a learner driver.

1 Oct·2 min·7 sources

Farrell offers super backed US lamb investment in bid to avoid tariffs

Trade Minister Don Farrell has proposed using Australian superannuation savings to invest in American meat processing facilities, pitching the idea to Trump administration officials as a way to head off a looming US trade investigation into lamb imports that could impose additional tariffs on Australian farmers.

Sidney Nolan's Ned Kelly series reunited at Art Gallery of NSW for first time in decades

For the first time in nearly 30 years, all 27 paintings from Sidney Nolan's iconic Ned Kelly series will be displayed together, with the National Gallery of Australia lending its collection to the Art Gallery of NSW for a new exhibition examining the artist's formative years.

In praise of queuing: columnist argues standing in line is a form of mindfulness

John Bailey, writing for Brisbane Times and Sydney Morning Herald, argues that queuing in modern life offers an unexpected form of mindfulness and social democracy. Drawing on an accidental two-hour wait for a Mario Kart ride in Osaka, he contends that queues reward patience and foster solidarity among strangers.

Federal crackdown targets rogue migration lawyers

Lawyers who lodge visa applications they know have little chance of success will face tougher consequences under a federal crackdown on misconduct in Australia's migration system. Assistant Minister for Citizenship Julian Hill will use a speech today to outline the proposed changes, as separate developments unfold on card surcharges, the Bell Bay smelter bailout and the Middle East.

Howard-era minister De-Anne Kelly co-founded online casino after voting to ban them, leaked documents show

De-Anne Kelly, a minister under John Howard who voted to outlaw offshore casinos in Australia, has been revealed as a co-founder and former part-owner of LuckyBet, an online casino registered in the Caribbean. The revelations come from leaked internal documents from the Curaçao Gaming Authority released last week by a German activist.

Morry Schwartz reopens Collingwood pub as Bar Nero, listing it for sale

Publisher and property developer Morry Schwartz has reopened the British Crown Hotel in Collingwood as Bar Nero, a move he described as fun but ultimately aimed at selling the pub rather than running it long-term.

'Seriously bonkers': Knights-mania sweeps Newcastle ahead of NRL grand final

Newcastle is in the grip of Knights-mania ahead of Sunday's NRL grand final, with the Electric Pantera Tattoo Parlour among the busiest spots in town as fans rush to ink their allegiance before the big game.

Pressure point: Knights and Roosters face contrasting grand final expectations

The NRL grand final on Sunday pits the Newcastle Knights against the Sydney Roosters in a clash defined by contrasting pressure narratives. The Knights are playing their first grand final in a quarter of a century, while the Roosters return after a comparatively short seven-year absence. Roosters coach Trent Robinson's response to a question about the pressure after last Friday's preliminary final drew attention.

WACE overhaul: New Access pathway for students with disability, ATAR requirement for tertiary preparation courses

Western Australian Year 12 students will face significant changes to the WACE system over the next two years, including a new pathway for students with disability from 2028 and a requirement for tertiary preparation students to complete at least one ATAR course from 2027.

Labor targets 'rogue' migration lawyers with new code of conduct

The Albanese government will announce a crackdown on migration lawyers and agents who lodge visa applications they know have little chance of success, proposing changes to the industry's code of conduct that would ban assisting with applications lacking a reasonable factual or legal basis.

Waleed Aly argues Greens have lost anti-establishment identity as Labor faces electoral headwinds

In a column published Thursday, Waleed Aly argues that this week may prove to be an inflection point for the Albanese government, with the Greens appearing to have shed their anti-establishment credentials just as Labor faces a difficult electoral environment.

eSafety report finds 'significant gaps' in child safety on Steam, Roblox, Fortnite and Minecraft

Australia's eSafety Commissioner has found 'significant gaps' in how some of the world's most popular gaming platforms protect children, with a new report revealing that Steam, Roblox, Fortnite and Minecraft all fail to adequately prevent predators, sexual extortionists and violent extremists from contacting minors. The report, published on Friday, singles out Valve's Steam Chat for not using industry-standard tools to proactively detect harmful content, while noting that self-declaration of age remains common across platforms.

1 Oct·3 min·3 sources

EU envoy warns Australia against losing free trade pact opportunity

The European Union's new ambassador has warned that Australia's economy could be $10 billion a year worse off if parliament fails to ratify the recently negotiated free trade agreement, urging against any attempt to renegotiate the deal. Ambassador Lawrence Meredith, who presented his credentials this week, described the pact as 'comprehensive, ambitious, and balanced' and said he hopes it could come into force early next year.

1 Oct·1 min

NRL Selection Reports Published Across Nine Network Sites

Articles titled "Robinson, Holbrook answer big selection questions" were published on 1 October 2026 across Sydney Morning Herald, Brisbane Times, and The Age, but the full content of the selection announcements was not available in the source material provided.

1 Oct·1 min·3 sources

Anika Wells named in Time100 list for social media ban work

Federal communications minister Anika Wells has been named on Time magazine's Time100 list as one of the 'world's most influential rising stars', with the publication citing her efforts on Australia's under-16 social media ban and taking on big tech companies.

1 Oct·1 min

Anthropic pushes for opt-out copyright model in Australia as ABC and SBS warn of news ‘cannibalisation’

AI company Anthropic, maker of the Claude chatbot, has urged the Australian government to adopt an opt-out model that would grant conditional approval for AI training on copyrighted content, acknowledging it will not secure a blanket exemption. The proposal faces sharp criticism from public broadcasters ABC and SBS, who warn the technology risks undermining public interest journalism and call for strict media regulations and compensation.

Future Fund Rewards: 11 Public Servants Earned Over $1m, Topping PM's Salary

Eleven staff at Australia's Future Fund were paid over $1 million last year, including one executive who received a $1.5m package, more than double the Prime Minister's base salary. The remuneration, which includes bonuses and allowances, has drawn criticism as "insulting" during a cost-of-living crisis and while the public service faces job cuts.

Matt Kean slams approval of largest coal mine in NSW history, says climate cost ignored

Matt Kean, the chair of the Climate Change Authority and a former NSW treasurer and energy minister, has criticised the state’s Independent Planning Commission for approving the largest coalmining development in New South Wales’ history without accounting for the economic cost of climate change caused by burning the coal. The Hunter Valley Operations mine extension was given the green light to operate until 2045.

Government lifeline saves hundreds of smelter jobs

Reports from Sydney Morning Herald and Brisbane Times on October 1, 2026 indicate that a government lifeline has saved hundreds of smelter jobs, though the specific smelter, the government involved, and the nature of the support have not been detailed in the available source material.

40 Years Since Parramatta's Last Premiership Win

Australian news sites including the Sydney Morning Herald, Brisbane Times and The Age have published articles marking 40 years since the Parramatta Eels last won a rugby league premiership, though full details are limited in available excerpts.

1 Oct·1 min·3 sources

Carlton overcomes torrential rain to down Hawthorn in AFLW round eight

Carlton have weathered torrential rain at Ikon Park to defeat Hawthorn 5.6 (36) to 3.6 (24) in AFLW round eight, moving into the competition's top four with a gritty 12-point victory.

Mike Flanagan's Carrie Miniseries Updates Classic with Cyberbullying and Modern Themes

Mike Flanagan's eight-episode miniseries adaptation of Stephen King's Carrie has landed, bringing the classic horror story into a modern setting with a focus on cyberbullying. Starring Summer H. Howell in the title role, the series has been awarded three stars by critics, who note it respects the original while setting up Flanagan's vision of a three-season arc.

Heeney wins third straight Bob Skilton Medal as suspended Swans dominate top 10

Suspended Sydney Swans star Isaac Heeney has won the Bob Skilton Medal for the third consecutive year, delivering a video message to the club's best and fairest ceremony on Thursday night. Heeney was one of five players absent from the event after being suspended for breaching behavioural standards in August, following an incident at the Pullman East Melbourne hotel after round 23. Club chairman Andrew Pridham defended the decision not to rule the suspended players ineligible for the award, calling it 'inappropriate and in excess of the sanction'.

1 Oct·2 min·8 sources

Zach Merrett wins seventh Essendon best and fairest as Hawks trade stand-off continues

Zach Merrett has claimed Essendon’s best-and-fairest award for the seventh time, equalling club legends Bill Hutchison and Dick Reynolds, as the Bombers remain locked in a trade stand-off with Hawthorn over his future.

HSC advice for 'the great middle': Don't do it for me, do it for yourself

With HSC exams beginning on October 13, one parent is calling on families to rethink the pressure they place on average students. In an opinion piece published in The Sydney Morning Herald and Brisbane Times, communications consultant Liz Nable argues that while a high ATAR matters for students aiming for medicine, law or astrophysics, the message for the 'great middle' of students should be different.

Column 8 readers explore AI, celebrity encounters and cryptic coincidences

This week's Column 8 brings together reader submissions covering the philosophical implications of AI, a recalled encounter with Marlon Brando at Los Angeles International Airport, and a series of curious wordplay coincidences spanning recent editions of the column.

Renshaw hit on forearm adds to Australian cricket injury worries

Australian cricket has fresh injury concerns after batsman Renshaw was struck on the forearm, according to a report carried by The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Brisbane Times on September 30, though the versions available contained no further details of the incident.

1 Oct·1 min·3 sources

Ten injured in Newcastle crash as Knights chase premiership on grand final day

Grand final day in the NRL arrives in the shadow of a Saturday crash that injured ten people in Newcastle, where a P-plater struck Knights fans. The Newcastle Knights, seeking their first premiership in 25 years, will field a record five Indigenous players against the Sydney Roosters at Stadium Australia tonight.

1 Oct·2 min·14 sources

South Africa omits Johannesburg from Australia Test tour in strategic venue choice, says Chappell

Cricket South Africa has selected Durban, Gqeberha (East London) and Cape Town for Australia's upcoming Test tour, notably excluding the Wanderers ground in Johannesburg – a move former Australian Test captain Greg Chappell argues is a deliberate strategic decision based on 25 years of results.

Tom Hiddleston joins Everest film Tenzing after director's letter promises real snow, real crevasses

Tom Hiddleston says he took just moments to agree to play Sir Edmund Hillary in Tenzing, an Australian-led film about the first ascent of Mount Everest, after receiving a letter from director Jennifer Peedom that included a promise the production would film on real mountains in Nepal. “We will be in real ice, real snow, real crevasses,” the letter said, a pledge that sealed the deal for the actor who called the project “one of the most extraordinary, unique opportunities of my life.”

Dueling airport rail promises expose Coalition coordination failure

Victoria's major parties have both promised a new train station at Keilor East as part of the airport rail link, but an apparent attempt by the Liberal Party to gazump Labor's announcement has backfired after the opposition's own public transport spokesman publicly condemned the station as unnecessary and politically motivated.