News live: Dfat ‘urgently seeking’ welfare updates for 11 Australians taken from Gaza aid flotilla | Australia news

Dfat ‘urgently seeking’ welfare updates of 11 detained Australians on Global Sumud Flotilla

Caitlin Cassidy

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat) says it is “urgently seeking” confirmation of the welfare of 11 Australian citizens it believes have been detained off the coast of Cyprus.

A spokesperson said in a statement:

double quotation markWe will continue to make clear our expectation that any detainees receive humane treatment in line with international norms. We understand people want to respond to the humanitarian situation in Gaza, but we continue to urge Australians not to join others seeking to break the Israeli naval blockade as they will be putting themselves and others at risk of injury, death, arrest or deportation.

The spokesperson said Dfat encouraged those wishing to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza “to do so through established channels”.

double quotation markAustralia has been part of the international call on Israel to comply with the binding orders of the International Court of Justice, including to enable the provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance at scale.

Dfat remains in contact with local authorities in Israel. Last month, the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, arranged for Dfat to provide a briefing on the most current travel advice for the region and consular services ahead of future flotilla departures.

Updated at 01.56 CEST

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Albanese maintains that WA will get its ‘fair share’ of GST

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is speaking in Perth. He said he maintains his support that WA gets its “fair share” of the GST.

double quotation markI will continue to back WA consistently as I have throughout my time … I back WA across the board.

WA has an important role to play in our economy and we have a very strong WA contingent in our caucus.

The WA premier, Roger Cook, was asked if he could trust the prime minister.

“Absolutely,” Cook said. “The prime minister gave us a rock-solid commitment that WA will receive its fair share of the GST.”

Prime minister Anthony Albanese. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAPShare

Updated at 02.43 CEST

Penry Buckley

Man charged with three counts of DV murder after woman and children found dead inside Sydney home

A man has been charged with three counts of murder after the bodies of a woman and two children were found inside a Sydney home.

Officers attended the home in Campbelltown, in the city’s south-west, on Monday night “following a call from the home to triple zero” at about 7.50pm, New South Wales police said.

The bodies of a 46-year-old woman and two boys, aged 12 and four, were found inside.

A 47-year-old man was arrested at the house and taken to Campbelltown police station.

Early on Tuesday morning, he was charged with three counts of domestic violence murder.

Researchers find illicit, contaminated alcohol at many Australian bottle shops

Unsuspecting Australians could be drinking contaminated illicit alcohol stocked in regular bottle shops, leaving them at risk of serious health consequences, AAP reports.

Almost one-in-three bottle shops visited in Victoria contained suspected illicit alcohol products, researchers from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW and National Drug Research Institute found.

The team have since gone to over 200 stores across different socioeconomic areas in NSW, Victoria and Queensland to find the same proportion of bottle shops stocking suspected illicit alcohol. Some products stocked in bottle shops were found by researchers to contain methanol and plastic debris.

Postdoctoral research fellow Michala Kowalski said methanol concentrations in products they tested were lower than the deadly threshold. “But finding it at all is a really big concern about product quality, and we don’t know what’s out there in other products,” she told AAP.

Consumers could reduce their risk by sticking to their trusted brands and shops, keeping an eye on prices that don’t make sense, and paying attention to bottle quality, including missing pregnancy warnings or barcodes on labels.

Updated at 02.26 CEST

Patrick Commins

Rate hikes now to prevent recession later, Reserve Bank says

The Reserve Bank fears it would have to push the economy into recession if soaring fuel costs from the global oil shock become part of a wider and more entrenched inflationary outbreak.

Sarah Hunter, the RBA’s chief economist, in a speech this morning explained that the central bank was bent on preventing a temporary oil shock from getting “baked into” higher prices across the economy.

Central to this was containing “inflation expectations” – an intangible measure of whether employers and workers believe rapidly raising prices will continue beyond the Middle East war.

“If businesses and households expect high future inflation, this can become a self-fulfilling prophecy as these expectations get baked into contracts for goods, services and wages,” Hunter said.

She then warned that if that were to happen, the RBA may have to engineer a dramatic slowdown in the economy to get entrenched high inflation back towards the 2-3% target.

double quotation markDoing so may require a more substantial slowing of economic activity, as we saw during the early 1990s recession. So it’s crucial for central banks to keep inflation expectations anchored around the inflation target.

The central bank’s board has hiked its cash rate target three times this year, to 4.35%. Financial markets are pricing in only a small chance of a hike at the next meeting in mid-June, but a much higher 76% chance at the August 10-11 meeting.

Dfat ‘urgently seeking’ welfare updates of 11 detained Australians on Global Sumud Flotilla

Caitlin Cassidy

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat) says it is “urgently seeking” confirmation of the welfare of 11 Australian citizens it believes have been detained off the coast of Cyprus.

A spokesperson said in a statement:

The spokesperson said Dfat encouraged those wishing to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza “to do so through established channels”.

Updated at 01.56 CEST

Caitlin Cassidy

Global Sumud Flotilla participants urge Australian government to intervene and ‘keep us safe’

The Australians that the Global Sumud Flotilla allege have been kidnapped by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are academics, doctors, students, activists and film-makers.

They include Anny Mokotow, Dr Bianca Pullman-Webb, Neve O’Connor, Violet Coco, Gemma O’Toole, Sam Woripa Watson, Zack Schofield, Helen O’Sullivan, Juliet Lamont, Isla Lamont and Surya McEwan.

Ethan Floyd, who returned to Australia after being temporarily detained by the IDF when 22 boats were intercepted off the coast of Greece two weeks ago, said it wasn’t a “radical act” to attempt to deliver food, water and medicine to a “starving population”.

double quotation markThis is now the second time Israel has illegally abducted Australian citizens in international waters, and our government has said nothing … For as long as Australia continues to support Israel’s genocide, Australians will keep sailing.

In a video distributed by flotilla supporters as the boats were being intercepted on Monday, documentary film-maker and mother, Juliet Lamont, can be heard saying “it’s all on now”.

double quotation markYou never know the minute when the Israelis decide that ‘yeah, let’s fuck over some ordinary people,’ 500 of them, who have got a whole load of baby food in boats trying to break their illegal siege in international waters.

Here we are in international waters, and our governments are completely failing us. Do everything that you can to keep us safe.

The foreign minister, Penny Wong and Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade have been approached for comment.

A boat left abandoned at sea off the coast of Cyprus after allegedly being intercepted by the IDF en route to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid. Photograph: Global Sumud FlotillaShare

Updated at 01.58 CEST

Melissa Davey

Lifeblood calls for urgent donations of A and O blood in Victoria

Australian Red Cross Lifeblood is urgently calling for 5,500 Victorians with A and O blood to donate within the next week as its blood supplies run very low.

Victoria needs more people to donate than anywhere else in the country. It is one of the most populated states, and demand is high after a long and intense 2025 winter saw people cancel donations due to cold and flu infections.

More donors are needed urgently to prevent Lifeblood’s stocks falling to critical levels by June, and to protect the blood supplies hospitals rely on for cancer treatment, surgery, trauma care and childbirth.

Lifeblood spokesperson Cath Stone said Type O and A blood are among the types most frequently ordered by hospitals.

“Winter is always a challenging time for blood donation,” she said.

double quotation markWhen people are unwell with colds or flu, they can’t donate, even if they want to. But the need for blood doesn’t slow down. Patients undergoing cancer treatment, people needing surgery, and those injured in accidents rely on blood every single day.

To book a donation, call 13 14 95, or visit lifeblood.com.au

Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAPShare

Updated at 01.23 CEST

Butler says risk of Ebola to Australia ‘still low’, but officials monitoring situation very closely

Health minister Mark Butler said the Centre for Disease Control has been monitoring the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republican of the Congo and Uganda, which was declared a public health emergency of international concern this weekend.

The health minister said Australian officials had been working with the World Health Organization to monitor the spread of the virus, adding the chief health ministers of every state and territory met yesterday. Butler told RN this morning:

double quotation markThe risk to Australia is still low, but we’re monitoring it very closely because, first of all, the case numbers are increasing almost every day there. The number of deaths, as I think one of your reports said, is now over 100. And it’s a rare strain that’s not responsive to vaccines or treatments that we have. So we’re monitoring it very closely.

The minister added that the government would work with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Border Force if needed to determine if any changes to travel advice were warranted.

Updated at 01.05 CEST

Eleven Australians intercepted on global aid flotilla to Gaza

Caitlin Cassidy

Eleven Australians onboard a Global Sumud Flotilla that was attempting to transport humanitarian aid to Gaza have been intercepted off the coast of Cyprus.

According to a live tracker, 60 boats have been intercepted in recent hours, carrying hundreds of activists, including the Australians.

The Global Sumud Flotilla alleges those on board have been “illegally attacked” and “abducted” by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), with footage posted to social media showing armed military boarding the boats. Guardian Australia has not independently verified these claims.

In a statement, the Flotilla said:

double quotation markWe are outraged by the normalization of these violations of international maritime law and the kidnapping of peaceful civilians in international waters. We demand the immediate release of our participants, the safe passage of our entire fleet, and an end to the illegal siege of Gaza.

Among the Australians onboard are five who were intercepted a fortnight ago by the IDF off the coast of Greece and temporarily detained.

The Israeli foreign ministry and the Israeli embassy have been approached for comment.

Updated at 01.08 CEST

Queensland rescue crews helped 42 stranded students near the Gold Coast overnight

Brad Moore, coordinator with the Queensland State Fire Control Centre, said officials helped rescue 42 schoolchildren and their teachers trapped by flood waters near the Gold Coast last night.

Moore spoke to the ABC this morning, saying rescue crews undertook 15 rescues overnight, mostly around the Gold Coast area. The group of year 12 students and their teachers phoned in to get help after they were stranded and realised they couldn’t cross a dangerous area.

Moore said the rescue took some time, but they were able to safely transport the group around 9.30pm last night. He added:

double quotation markThe conditions can change quite quickly, particularly with the amount of rainfall … the water heights can change dramatically. …

It’s very important for people if they are in those areas or visiting those areas to kind of look ahead and plan the worst-case scenario.

Liberal senator says Coalition’s migration policy ‘alienates’ migrants and ‘doesn’t meet the needs’ of the community

Liberal senator Andrew McLachlan said he has “deep concerns” the Coalition’s immigration policy will divide the nation, saying he doesn’t think the country should take a “negative approach to migration”.

McLachlan broke with opposition leader Angus Taylor, who said last week the nation should heavily restrict immigration, tying migration rates to the ongoing shortage of housing. The senator told RN Breakfast this morning:

double quotation markI have deep concerns, coming from a multicultural community, that we are going to create two types of members in the community going forward with this policy suite. … If you’re both contributing to the wealth of the nation and one is entitled to certain entitlements, you could have almost a form of a strata-ing of our society. And I’m not sure that’s the Australian way.

McLachlan went on:

double quotation markI don’t think our rhetoric meets the needs of the broader community. I think our rhetoric used alienates migrant communities. I don’t think we should take a negative approach to migration. Certainly it should be controlled and we don’t want to invite people here without giving them a society that can accommodate them. Both economically and culturally. But we cannot continue to blame migrants for the problems of our economy.

Liberal senator Andrew McLachlan. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAPShare

Updated at 00.25 CEST

More than $57bn of Victorian infrastructure at risk due to climate hazards

Petra Stock

More than $57bn of public infrastructure across Victoria will be at risk from extreme weather by 2030, with bushfires, flooding and heat posing the greatest threat, according to new research by Infrastructure Victoria.

The independent adviser assessed risks to $318bn in government-owned or regulated assets, finding that transport, energy and health assets were the most exposed to climate hazards. By 2070, the value at risk could increase to more than $71bn.

Dr Jonathan Spear, chief executive of Infrastructure Victoria said it highlighted the importance of climate resilient infrastructure.

double quotation markFollowing a summer that saw bushfires, flooding and landslides hit many Victorian communities, we know extreme weather is a reality now.

The government needs to update and fund its adaptation plans. Funding high-priority, cost-effective infrastructure adaptation actions can save millions in recovery costs and lost productivity.

Photograph: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Erwin Jackson, the head of Australia programs at Climateworks Centre – who was not involved in the research – said:

double quotation markThe policies at a high level need to start integrating both reducing emissions and adaptation, but also focusing on the key risks, whether that be heat, bushfire, coastal inundation.

Part of the challenge was the scale of investment required to make infrastructure more resilient, he said. So, governments needed to identify the communities and assets that were most vulnerable, and work with the private sector to unlock investment in adaptation and resilience building.

Updated at 23.59 CEST

Health minister acknowledges change to private health insurance rebates for seniors ‘unwelcome’ but says they are necessary

The health minister, Mark Butler, said he understands changes to private health insurance rebates for older Australians have left many seniors troubled, but said it was “difficult to sustain” a system that benefited people based on age, but not on income.

If legislated, the budget would remove subsidies that encourage people over 65 to take out private health insurance. Australians aged 65-69 would see their rebates cut from 28% to 24%, and those 70 and over would see their rebate cut from 32% to 24%. The savings would be funnelled back into aged care.

Butler said he understood it was an “unwelcome change”, but added:

double quotation markWe’ve taken this hard, but I think responsible decision to re-equalise, if you like, private health subsidies based on household income rather than household age, and putting every single dollar we save there back into aged care. …

I know it’s unwelcome to many, but at a time of real challenge in our budget and the need to find every dollar we can into aged care, we just took the view that where there are two households next door to each other on the same income, paying them a different subsidy for their private health insurance simply based on age was not sustainable.

Mark Butler. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPShare

Updated at 00.00 CEST

Restricting welfare to citizens not ‘punishing’ but ‘incentivising’, shadow minister says

Josh Taylor

The shadow immigration minister, Jonno Duniam, has said Angus Taylor’s budget reply proposal to limit welfare payments only to Australian citizens was not a punishment for permanent residents but a “pro-migration policy” that would “incentivise that pathway to Australian citizenship”

ABC 7.30 host Sarah Ferguson asked Duniam how does “punishing tax-paying permanent residents appeal to would-be migrants that the country so badly needs?”

Duniam responded that “countless” people who have migrated to Australia and have become wealthy because of the opportunities have not been punished, and people like them who want to come won’t be punished either.

He said:

double quotation markBut they’ll still have to wait under the visa system a number of years, in almost all cases, to receive the kinds of welfare benefits that you are talking about.

And in many cases now, under Labor’s current approach, there are wait times between 4 and 10 years for various supports that people may want to take advantage of.

So this is not about punishment, but it is about trying to incentivise that pathway to Australian citizenship.

Jonno Duniam. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

He said the Coalition is pro-migration, noting Australia’s ageing population, but says that “we want to determine who is coming here [and] in what number”:

double quotation markWe want to ensure that we have houses for them to live in.

And can I say, we want to preserve, for those who eventually become Australian citizens – which I hope is all of them that want to come here – the services that we provide in this country.

That’s a pretty pro-migration policy, if ever I’ve seen one.

But there will always be critics, and they will say what they say.

Updated at 23.58 CEST

Good morning

Good morning, it’s Nick Visser here again to dive into this gloomy Tuesday, in Sydney at least. Here’s what’s on deck in the news:

More than $57bn of infrastructure in Victoria is at risk due to climate hazards, according a new study. An independent adviser assessed risks to government-owned or regulated assets, and found many were exposed to climate hazards. By 2070, the value could rise to more than $71bn.

A flood warning remains in place for the Nerang and Coomera Rivers in the Gold Coast after moderate to heavy rainfall in the region since Sunday night, and there are reports of flash flooding across roads. Rainfall is forecast to continue into Tuesday, with further river and creek level rises and flooding expected, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

We’ll bring you more soon.

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Ref: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/may/19/australia-news-live-queensland-weather-rain-flash-flood-victoria-infrastructure-environment-climate-jim-chalmers-budget-cost-of-living-tax-housing-anthony-albanese-angus-taylor-ntwnfb