Australia news live: Littleproud says Australia should not ‘be trading its beef industry away’; BoM forecasts Sunday as ‘coldest day of the year’ for some areas | Australia news

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) conceded one of its warships inadvertently blocked wireless internet services across swathes of New Zealand’s north and south islands.

The incident occurred on Wednesday morning, with one local tech boss claiming disruptions began shortly after 2am local time, as HMAS Canberra, the largest ship in the Royal Australian Navy, was on its way to Wellington, where it ultimately arrived on Thursday.

During its approach to Wellington, HMAS Canberra’s navigation radar interfered with wireless and radio signals over a large area spanning Taranaki in the North Island to the Marlborough region in the south.

The New Zealand Defence Force said it contacted its Australian counterpart after the issue was reported. An ADF spokesperson said:

HMAS Canberra became aware that their navigation radar was interfering with Wi-Fi in the Taranaki to the Marlborough region on approach to Wellington.

On becoming aware, HMAS Canberra changed frequencies rectifying the interference. There are no ongoing disruptions.

Matthew Harrison, founder of NZ telecommunications company Primo, said “it’s not every day a warship takes your gear offline”. Harrison wrote in a post on LinkedIn:

This wasn’t just a blip. It was full-scale, military-grade radar triggering built-in safety protocols designed to protect airspace … and it rolled across our network in sync with the ship’s movement. We’ve never seen anything like it here before!

Harrison then joked: “Hey Royal Australian Navy … where can we send the bill?”

Tom McIlroy

Boele says clear signals from Labor on climate change could supercharge investment in renewables

The incoming independent MP Nicolette Boele says Labor should send clearer signals to investors about climate change and energy supply, warning business confidence on the transition to renewables is being held back.

In an interview for Guardian Australia’s Australian Politics podcast, Boele said Labor should consider implementing a price on carbon or other decisive policy settings to supercharge renewables investment. She said:

This Labor government, so far, is still walking both sides of the fence and it’s confusing as hell for the private sector in terms of investing their money.

If we just had some certainty – some long, loud and legal signs from the government about a direction and pace of travel on climate – we could have literally tens, if not hundreds of billions of [dollars of] investment from superannuation, private wealth, flowing into those solutions in large-scale wind, and solar, and storage and batteries, and energy efficiency, and all of those things.

Read more here:

Tasmania Police seeking information about missing tourists

Police in Tasmania are appealing for information about two missing tourists. An official said Leannedra Kang and Takahiro Toya, both in their 20s, were believed to be visiting the St Helens/Scamander area recently.

The pair were scheduled to leave Tasmania and fly home to Brisbane from Launceston on Wednesday, 4 June, but never boarded their flight or returned their rental car. Police said they may be travelling in the car, a white Toyota Corolla, with registration L67GW. Police included a note in a media release:

Leannedra and Takahiro if you see this, you’re not in any trouble, please phone police or family to let them know you’re OK.

Nicolette Boele speaks to Guardian Australia about climate, business and making a difference

Nicolette Boele was declared the winner in the Sydney seat of Bradfield this week. She is preparing to take her seat in parliament after a wafer-thin victory of just 26 votes.

Boele speaks to chief political correspondent Tom McIlroy about why Labor needs to stop “walking both sides of the fence” on climate and energy and where she thinks the government could improve productivity.

Ima Caldwell

Endangered sharks being killed at alarming levels in the Pacific, Greenpeace claims

Endangered sharks are being killed at alarming levels in the Pacific and industrial fishing is putting marine biodiversity at increasing risk, Greenpeace claims, after its activists disrupted a Spanish vessel operating north of New Zealand.

The campaign group said activists on the Rainbow Warrior this week observed a longline fishing operation by the Playa Zahara in the South Fiji Basin.

Georgia Whitaker, a senior campaigner with Greenpeace Australia Pacific, was on board during the operation. She claimed the activists watched as the vessel hauled in and killed three endangered mako sharks in half an hour. Whitaker said:

It was devastating seeing these beautiful creatures being caught, often on their gills, in their mouth, by huge baited hooks. They were fighting for their lives and then minutes later you’d see blood spilling over the side of the boat.

Read more below:

Cattle Australia says it is vitally important biosecurity system ‘not compromised’

Cattle Australia released a statement earlier today in response to the ongoing talk about US beef, noting that while American producers have had access to the Australian market for years, any imports must remain subject to strict rules. Chris Parker, the chief executive of the group, said:

Under current arrangements, United States beef producers have had access to Australian markets since 2019 if they can ensure that the animals are born, raised and slaughtered in the US. These are the same standards that Australian beef exporters adhere to in order to sell beef into the US.

Cattle Australia added the US “needs to be able to demonstrate it can either trace cattle born in Mexico and Canada, or has systems that are equivalent to Australia’s traceability, before imports of meat could occur from non-US cattle”.

The group says it is in contact with the Albanese government to stress “the vital importance that our science-based biosecurity system is not compromised as part of trade discussions with any country”.

Cold, wintry forecast for south-east Australia over long weekend, BoM says

The BoM is forecasting a cold, windy and wet long weekend for much of south-eastern Australia, although it may be good news for skiers going into the official first day of ski season tomorrow.

Jonathan How, a forecaster and senior meteorologist for the agency, said many people across NSW and Victoria will feel a wind chill coming through from Saturday as two cold fronts push across the region.

For many people Sunday will be the coldest day of the year.

How said the forecast showed the possibility for the most significant amount of snow in the south-east of the country so far this year. In good news for ski resorts, some parts of the alpine mountains could see “very high accumulations” between 30cm and up to 70cm.

On Sunday, there may be snow across central parts of NSW, including the Blue Mountains and Oberon, although the cold conditions bring the risk of black ice across parts of Victoria and NSW.

Victoria police and the Australian federal police executed “a number” of search warrants in Melbourne this morning as officials investigate an arson attack on a synagogue last year.

Police have been investigating the fire at the Adass Israel synagogue on 6 December 2024 as a terrorist attack, and say they are still seeking to speak with anyone “who observed any suspicious activity in the area either in the lead up to or following the fire”.

The AFP said last month investigators had combed through hundreds of hours of CCTV footage. The agency released video of three people dressed in hoodies and masks who allegedly drove to the synagogue in a blue VW Golf before using an axe to damage the entrance to the building.

Footage then shows the individuals allegedly pouring the contents of red jerry cans inside, which they then ignited.

The building was heavily damaged in the incident.

Virgin Australia will move ahead with new IPO

Elias Visontay

Virgin Australia has confirmed its intention to proceed with an initial public offering (IPO) and re-list on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), five years after it left the stock market as part of its pandemic-induced restructure.

In a heavily anticipated development, the airline confirmed on Friday it had lodged a prospectus with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and filed with the ASX, as its owners Bain Capital move ahead with a $685m initial public offering.

The IPO is comprised of an offer of 236.2 million fully paid ordinary shares at an offer price of A$2.90 a share. On completion, investors participating in the offer are expected to hold 30.2% of shares in the airline. It’s expected trading of shares on the ASX will begin on 24 June.

The Virgin Australia chair, Peter Warne, said:

We believe it is now appropriate for the business to transition to a publicly listed company. This provides an opportunity for new investors to share in the success of Virgin Australia as the airline enters its next phase.

The Nationals leader, David Littleproud, said Australia should not “be trading its beef industry away” and urged the Albanese government to look elsewhere to negotiate around Donald Trump’s tariffs.

The health minister, Mark Butler, confirmed earlier today the government is reviewing a ban on imports of American beef into Australia, saying the restrictions had been under review “for some time”. The remarks come just a week before the PM heads to the G7 meeting in Canada, where he is expected to advocate for an easing of Trump’s punishing tariffs. The beef restrictions could be a bargaining chip in those talks.

Littleproud said Australia should remain focused on its biosecurity:

The United States uses cattle from Mexico and Canada in their supply chain that poses a potential risk to our industry and ignoring those risks would be dangerous.

Rather than jeopardise our beef industry, Australia should be leveraging off our strong historical ties and areas such as critical minerals and Aukus, using real leadership to obtain a fair deal.

Albanese stressed earlier today he had no plans to ease biosecurity rules, calling them his “first priority”:

If things can be sorted out in a way that protects our biosecurity, of course we don’t just say no.

Apple warns against Australia’s proposed changes to boost competition on digital platforms

Australians could lose more money to fraudsters, miss out on cutting-edge tech features, and fail to see lower prices under changes proposed to boost competition on digital platforms, Apple has warned.

The US tech giant issued the warnings today, urging the government not to “follow a handful of untested laws” from other countries in its submission to a Digital Competition Regime consultation.

But experts say consumers could benefit from greater competition, with the pushback coming as Apple fights regulatory changes in Europe and the US that could force it to allow third-party payments without taking commissions.

Changes were proposed to rules governing digital platforms after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Digital Platforms inquiry, with consultation on regulations closing in February.

Australian businesses and consumers needed greater rights on digital platforms and upfront rules to govern their conduct, the consultation paper said, as a concentration of power could lead to “higher prices, reduced choice and lower innovation”.

Apple rejected these outcomes in its submission and, in a separate statement, insisted the company’s ecosystem helped developers and security features protected consumers from fraud and scams.

Australian Associated Press

Ian Thorpe reported an alleged robbery to NSW Police yesterday after watches, jewellery and some personal items were taken from his home.

James Erskine, Thorpe’s manager, confirmed the incident to 2GB’s Ben Fordham:

He has had some things stolen from his house, watches jewellery some personal items. He called up his insurers, they said you have to go make a police report. … That’s all I know.

He hasn’t lost Olympic medals or things like that, but you know it’s not very nice.

Erskine could not speak to the value of the items taken, but Fordham reported the figure could be around $150,000.

I wouldn’t imagine he’d have cheap watches, but I have no idea the value.

NSW Police confirmed a 42-year-old man reported an alleged theft incident on Thursday at Paddington police station. Officials have opened an investigation into the incident.