High court overturns NT housing policy which tripled rent in some remote Indigenous communities 03. December 2025 (07:01) Rental changes were introduced in Northern Territory without giving notice to tenants, which the court unanimously ruled was a denial of procedural fairnessFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA public housing policy which saw tenants in the Northern Territory charged a flat rental rate based on the number of bedrooms in their home has been ruled unlawful by the high court, after a three-year challenge brought by residents from two remote Indigenous communities.The Remote Rental Framework, introduced in stages by the NT government between December 2021 and February 2023, raised rent by up to 200% for two-thirds of Aboriginal tenants living in remote communities in the NT, with more than 5,300 homes affected. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Final Hillsborough report ends investigation with no consequences 03. December 2025 (07:00) Failings of legal system mean 97 people were unlawfully killed, but no one will be held accountableWhen the Independent Office for Police Conduct published the final report on its mammoth investigation into the Hillsborough disaster, the response from bereaved families and survivors was conflicted.Some of the IOPC’s findings could be regarded as historic, in particular that 12 former officers would have had cases to answer for gross misconduct, including Peter Wright, the chief constable of South Yorkshire police at the time of the 1989 disaster. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Tesla privately warned UK that weakening EV rules would hit sales 03. December 2025 (07:00) Elon Musk-owned electric carmaker also called for support for the secondhand market, documents revealBusiness live – latest updatesTesla privately warned the UK government that weakening electric vehicle rules would hit battery car sales and risk the country missing its carbon dioxide targets, according to newly revealed documents.The US electric carmaker, run by Elon Musk, also called for “support for the used-car market”, according to submissions to a government consultation earlier this year obtained by the Fast Charge, a newsletter covering electric cars. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Victorian Labor to introduce stand-alone coercive control offence in backflip to match opposition policy 03. December 2025 (06:44) Exclusive: Allan government acknowledges ‘more must be done’ and will introduce new offence despite insisting laws already protect against itFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Victorian government will introduce a stand-alone coercive control offence in 2026, marking a major policy reversal after the new opposition leader, Jess Wilson, made the reform her first election commitment.Wilson last week announced she would create the offence within her first 100 days in office if the Coalition wins the election in November 2026. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
National Trust launches fundraiser to help buy land around Cerne Giant 03. December 2025 (06:00) Deal expected to pave way for further scientific study, boost conservation and open up access to Dorset chalk figureThe mystery of when, how and – perhaps most importantly – why a giant naked figure was carved into a dizzyingly steep hillside in the English West Country has been a source of wonder and intrigue for centuries.Future generations may come closer to solving the puzzle of the Cerne Giant after the National Trust stepped in to buy 340 acres of land around the 55-metre (180ft) figure. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Future Fund spent $20,000 to send CEO’s former executive assistant on business class trip to scope hotels in US 03. December 2025 (05:43) Government also reveals it spent nearly $100,000 sending Annika Wells and two others to the US during the UN General Assembly Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Future Fund spent $20,000 to send the CEO’s then-executive assistant on a scoping trip to assess hotels in the US and negotiate hotel rates, Senate estimates has been told.It comes as the government is also under fire for charging taxpayers nearly $100,000 to send the communications minister, Anika Wells, her staff member and a department official to the US during the United Nations General Assembly. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 to resume over 11 years after plane went missing 03. December 2025 (04:21) The country’s transport ministry said the search would resume on 30 December and confirmed that US robotic company Ocean Infinity would take part The search for the missing Malaysia Airline flight MH370 will resume this month, over a decade after the plane was lost, Malaysia’s transport ministry has announced.In a statement on Wednesday, the transport ministry said the search would resume on 30 December, and confirmed that US robotic company Ocean Infinity would take part in a search of the seabed that would run for 50 days. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Republican Matt Van Epps wins US House special election in Tennessee 03. December 2025 (03:50) Van Epps defeats Aftyn Behn in congressional election closely watched for signs of Republican weaknessRepublican Matt Van Epps defeated Democrat Aftyn Behn in a congressional special election in the western Nashville suburbs, which was being closely watched for signs of Republican weakness going into congressional midterms next year.The Associated Press called the race at 9.47 EST with Van Epps holding a 52% to 46% lead. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump administration pauses all immigration applications from 19 non-European countries 03. December 2025 (03:40) Pause, including Afghanistan and Somalia, indicates plan to tie US security to increased focus on legal immigrationThe Trump administration on Tuesday said it had paused all immigration applications, including green card and US citizenship processing, filed by immigrants from 19 non-European countries, citing concerns over national security and public safety.The pause applies to people from 19 countries that were already subjected to a partial travel ban in June, placing further restrictions on immigration – a core feature of Donald Trump’s political platform. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Bruce Lehrmann loses appeal in defamation case that found he raped Brittany Higgins 03. December 2025 (02:53) Former political staffer was seeking to overturn 2024 ruling by federal court judge which found on the balance of probabilities he raped colleague Brittany Higgins Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastBruce Lehrmann has lost his appeal against a defamation judgement which found he raped Brittany Higgins.But the full bench of the federal court went further than the defamation trial judge, arguing federal court judge Michael Lee should have found Lehrmann knew Higgins did not consent to sexual intercourse. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
