Number of children in custody in NSW up 34% over same month in 2023
234 children were in custody in NSW in June, an increase of 34% since the same month in 2023, the state’s crime statistics bureau said.
AAP reports it’s a reversal in a trend of declining numbers of children in detention, but the figure is still lower than it used to be, according to the bureau’s executive director, Jackie Fitzgerald. More than 300 children were in custody in June 2015. Fitzgerald noted:
Over the longer term, we have had much higher rates of kids in custody than we have now.
About 8% of kids in NSW are Indigenous, but the statistics bureau noted that in June, 140 Aboriginal young people were in detention, making up nearly 60% of the youth detention population.
The majority of children currently in NSW jails have not been convicted, with only 66 children in custody as a result of a sentencing. More than 70% of the children in jail are on remand while they go through the court process.
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Updated at 06.37 CEST
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What we learned, Thursday 14 August
We will wrap up the live blog here for the evening. This is what made the news today:
The Albanese government confirmed it will permit salmon farming to continue in Macquarie harbour in Tasmania, despite concerns from conservationists about the risks to the endangered Maugean skate.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said the media should be “very careful about the fact that Hamas will engage in propaganda because what is happening is the international community are united about isolating Hamas, about supporting a peaceful way forward”.
The opposition leader, Sussan Ley, sharply criticised the Labor government after the ABC received a leaked document from Treasury that includes a number of recommended outcomes for the productivity roundtable, which isn’t scheduled to take place until next week.
The unemployment rate has dropped to 4.2% in July, almost reversing a surprise jump to 4.3% the month before.
Luke O’Neill, the former CEO of the Wiggles Group, has filed a Fair Work claim in the federal court.
The CSIRO has officially opened a new building in Canberra, named “Diversity” – which includes a combined 13m specimens from the Australian National Wildlife Collection and Australian National Insect Collection.
Two Norwegian nationals have been jailed for attempting to smuggle 80kg of cocaine into Australia in 2023.
234 children were in custody in NSW in June, an increase of 34% since the same month in 2023, the state’s crime statistics bureau said.
David Stratton, the revered Australian film critic and beloved co-host of television programs The Movie Show and At The Movies with fellow critic Margaret Pomeranz, died aged 85.
The Australian federal police allege that a man accused of having child abuse material on his device at Sydney airport had AI-generated child abuse material found among the images.
Westpac’s third-quarter net profit hit $1.9bn for the three months to 30 June, a 14% climb over the first half of 2025.
Telstra’s profits have bounced back 31% after mobile phone plan users paid out a couple more dollars each than they did the year prior.
Until tomorrow, enjoy your evening.
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Updated at 09.14 CEST
Why people are coming to Australia or going away for a holiday, according to the ABS
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has published a list analysing why people visit Australia or head overseas, covering the last financial year.
In the data, the bureau reveals:
43% of people visiting Australia are here for holiday travel.
Three of five Australians going overseas were travelling for a holiday.
Kiwis make up 17% of visitors coming to Australia.
There was a 102% rise in trips from India compared to ten years ago, with the median duration of stays doubling.
Visitors from Japan have a median stay of six days compared to the overall median of 12 days.
Indonesia was the No 1 destination for Australian trips at 14%.
Japan was in third after NZ, representing a tripling compared to ten years ago.
The US has dropped from the third most popular destination last year to fourth, and the number of people travelling to the US is 25% lower than it was 10 years ago.
China is in the top five, after the USA.
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Updated at 09.02 CEST
Tasmanian police continue search for missing light plane
Tasmanian police say searching off the north-east coast of Tasmania and Flinders Island has not located any sign of a missing light plane or its occupants, Gregory Vaughn, his partner, Kim Warner, and their dog. They were reported missing almost two weeks ago.
The plane has not been sighted since it departed George Town airport at 12.45pm on 2 August.
Improved weather and visibility on Thursday allowed a Westpac rescue helicopter to conduct sweeps in Tasmania’s north east and over the Furneaux group of islands, but no wreckage or debris was spotted.
No decision has been made on suspending the search.
The missing plane is a small two-seater Bristell S-LSA in a distinctive green colour, pictured below.
The missing light plane. Photograph: Tasmania PoliceShare
Updated at 08.56 CEST
ASX closes breaking eight-session hot streak
Australia’s share market has hit a fresh intraday record, but couldn’t find the buyers to top its best close as the materials sector broke an eight-session hot streak, AAP reports.
The S&P/ASX200 hit 8,899.1 during the session, but finished 39.6 points, or 0.45% higher, to 8,866.7 as the broader All Ordinaries rose 39.4 points, or 0.43%, to 9,142.5.
Seven of 11 local sectors finished higher, led by a 1.2% rebound in financials as they recovered from Wednesday’s CBA sell-off and a rally in utilities stocks after Origin soared almost 6% on strong earnings.
Raw materials finished in the red for the first time since 1 August, as iron ore prices rolled over and weighed on large cap miners.
The Australian dollar is buying 65.49 US cents, up from 64.32 US cents on Wednesday at 5pm.
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Updated at 08.38 CEST
‘Strong relationship’ between PM, Treasurer, Gallagher says
Gallagher is asked if there is tension between the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and the treasurer, Jim Chalmers. She said it’s important for the PM, the treasurer and the finance minister to work very closely together.
We have some role in deciding or looking at how to fund or looking at how to say no between the three of us, we all have a role to play there. So it’s an important relationship, and it’s a strong relationship. And we get a lot of things done.
She said it was an equal role across the three of them in discussions, and it is a “very constructive relationship, and it’s an important relationship”.
We’re all deeply involved in making sure that we deliver on those commitments we took to the last campaign and deliver on the ones that we had underway before the election.
Katy Gallagher in July. Photograph: Hilary Wardhaugh/AAPShare
Updated at 08.32 CEST
Roundtable outcome not decided in advance, Gallagher says
Gallagher is asked about leaked Treasury documents suggesting pre-decided outcomes from the roundtable next week if they’re all agreed to before the roundtable has occurred.
She says “not at all” but says they’re ideas and issues that have been raised – around the national construction code and cutting environmental red tape, for example – but nothing has been decided yet.
I can certainly tell you – and I operate at a pretty high level – that nothing has been predetermined or pre-decided. Issues have definitely been raised … along with the ones reported by the ABC.
My department has provided me advice with issues that have been raised with me, like around procurement, for example, which is one of those issues that’s raised fairly constantly with me by the private sector. I see it as part of the normal preparation and planning for the roundtable.
I think it’s going to be a really interesting and exciting opportunity to pull everyone together in a room and start talking all of these things through.
Asked what she thinks the low-hanging fruit that the roundtable can address, Gallagher said the roundtable needs to happen first to consider what the outcomes are.
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Updated at 08.31 CEST
Work needed before universal childcare, Gallagher says
The finance minister, Katy Gallagher, has said the prime minister has a priority of moving towards universal childcare. She told ABC’s Afternoon Briefing there is a need to build the workforce out first to provide that work.
Even if you went out tomorrow and said, ‘This is what we’re providing,’ you wouldn’t have the workforce or the centres to provide that care. And so that’s why, in the last budget, we had money set aside to help build more centres, particularly in areas where the market isn’t building them.
But also, how do we support – through wages and improvement in wages – people considering early education and care as a job? And also, within that, how do we support skill development, professional development, within that profession, similar to how we’ve seen other professions like nursing professionalised so that you actually think you’ve got a career in that, as opposed to … not huge opportunities unless you become trained at a teacher level?
We’ve got to do all of those bits of work before you can start saying that you can deliver universality.
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Updated at 08.30 CEST
Woman charged with manslaughter over death of baby during home birth
A 36-year-old woman who was working as a midwife will face court on Thursday charged with manslaughter following the death of a baby during a home birth near Newcastle last year.
Police allege that the woman – who had privately practiced as a midwife – attended a home in October, 2024 to assist a woman with a home birth and allege over the following two days the midwife did not act upon signs of complications and requests by the woman to attend hospital.
The woman giving birth attended John Hunter hospital, where the baby was delivered by emergency caesarean. Police allege that the mother and baby suffered significant medical complications as a result of the incident and the baby died in hospital on 10 October 2024.
The 36-year-old midwife was charged on Thursday morning with manslaughter and reckless grievous bodily harm. She was refused bail to appear before bail division court 2 today.
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Updated at 08.11 CEST
South coast man charged over alleged AI-generated child abuse material
The Australian federal police allege that a man accused of having child abuse material on his device at Sydney airport had AI-generated child abuse material found among the images.
The 58-year-old NSW south coast man has been charged with three child abuse material offences including allegedly possessing more than 1,000 illicit images and videos involving minors as young as one.
The man was initially arrested on 3 August 2025 after Australian Border Force officers allegedly found child abuse material on his device after he was selected for baggage examination at Sydney airport.
An AFP examination of the man’s device allegedly found AI-generated child abuse material that featured the man.
Following a search warrant executed at the man’s home on 8 August, a USB and desktop computer was seized. Police alleged the devices contained more than 1,000 images and videos of child abuse material, as well as bestiality material.
The man has been charged with one count possessing child abuse material obtained using a carriage service, one count of producing child abuse material, one count of possessing child abuse material, one count of possessing bestiality material, and one count of failing to comply with bail acknowledgement.
He is next expected to appear in Parramatta local court on 30 September, 2025. AFP detective acting superintendent Luke Needham said:
Online simulations, fantasy, text-based stories, animations and cartoons, or material which is created using AI are all illegal. Producing and possessing this material, even by AI, normalises this behaviour and contributes to the harm of children.
The AFP and its partners will not rest until alleged perpetrators are apprehended and put before the courts.
This month the NSW government introduced legislation to make the production of a sexually explicit deepfake designed to be a genuine depiction of a real person an offence punishable by up to three years’ jail.
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Updated at 08.20 CEST
Asic takes Mercer Super to court over alleged investigation comms failures
The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (Asic) has alleged superannuation fund Mercer Super failed to tell the regulator about investigations into serious member service issues, including incorrect insurance premium refunds for dead members, it has alleged in new proceedings launched today in the federal court.
Asic alleges that between October 2021 and September 2024, Mercer Super had inadequate systems in place to comply with the reportable situations regime. Asic alleges Mercer Super failed to report seven investigations at all, and another investigation reported more than a year late.
Asic’s deputy chair, Sarah Court, said:
We allege a pattern of longstanding and systemic failure by Mercer Super to comply with the law.
These aren’t just technical breaches. Allowing investigations into significant issues to drag on for months or, in some cases, over a year without reporting them to ASIC demonstrates a lack of care for customers and can put more at risk.
Asic is seeking declarations and penalties from the court. Mercer Super said in a statement it acknowledges the action, has cooperated with Asic during the investigation and is currently reviewing the claim.
We note that Asic has expressly stated in its pleading that it does not allege that [Mercer Super] set out to deliberately mislead Asic in respect of the matters set out in the claim.
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Updated at 07.47 CEST
Greens say figures on children in custody ‘devastating and predictable outcome’
Sue Higginson, the Greens’ spokesperson for justice, claimed the figures on the number of children in custody were directly linked to NSW premier Chris Minns’ controversial youth bail laws. The reforms make it harder for 14 to 18-year-olds charged with serious break-and-enter and motor vehicle theft offences while on bail to get bail again.
Higginson said in a statement:
Premier Chris Minns’ youth bail laws are doing exactly what he designed them to do, locking up more children and young people, for longer, before they have even been found guilty of anything. …
This is a devastating and predictable outcome. We know that locking up kids is the most criminogenic thing we can do to them, it increases the likelihood of reoffending, entrenches disadvantage and drives higher crime rates.
Sue Higginson. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAPShare
Updated at 07.33 CEST
Film critic David Stratton has died
David Stratton, the revered Australian film critic and beloved co-host of television programs The Movie Show and At The Movies with fellow critic Margaret Pomeranz, has died aged 85.
His family confirmed Stratton had died peacefully in hospital near his home in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney.
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Updated at 07.28 CEST
Australia’s Molly Picklum and Jack Robinson dominate Teahupo’o swell to win Tahiti Pro titles
Australian surfers Molly Picklum and Jack Robinson have dominated the waves at Teahupo’o to take out the Tahiti Pro titles, AAP reports.
Picklum out-pointed American rival Caitlin Simmers to win the women’s competition in a statement result before her Fiji world title charge. The Australian had already secured the No 1 seeding for the World Surf League finals later this month by reaching the final in pumping Teahupo’o swell.
Australia’s Molly Picklum said ‘it was sick’ to surf well and win at Teahupo’o with the Fiji WSL finals on the horizon. Photograph: Beatriz Ryder/World Surf League/Getty Images
With his win in Tahiti, Robinson has surged into the World Surf League’s finals at compatriot Ethan Ewing’s expense.
Read more here:
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Two men charged on allegations of trying to fix football matches
A football team raised the alarm after two men allegedly approaching a Queensland player in an attempt to fix matches for financial gain, AAP reports.
Queensland police have extradited the men, aged 55 and 45, from Sydney and charged them after a months-long investigation into alleged attempted sports match-fixing at Gold Coast-based football games.
Police allege that on 12 May and 20 June, two employees of an offshore investment group acted as “player agents” and approached a football player on the Gold Coast in a “coordinated effort” to match fix in exchange for payment.
Match-fixing is the act of deliberately manipulating the outcome of a sports event for illicit financial gain, often involving betting or bribery.
Detective Ch Insp Melissa Anderson said there is no evidence that a game was compromised, but alleged it was an attempt at match-fix.
Police became aware of the alleged attempt after Football Australia made a complaint. The men have been charged with one count each of procuring a person to engage in match-fixing pecuniary benefit. They appeared before court today.
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Updated at 07.00 CEST
Nick Visser
That’s all for me. Josh Taylor will guide you through the rest of Thursday’s news. Take care.
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Childcare staff should report crimes to police, head of child abuse squad tells inquiry – video
Staff in the childcare sector who suspect or see abuse should first “report it to police” and not the regulator, the head of the New South Wales police child abuse squad, Det Supt Linda Howlett, said during a public inquiry into the childcare sector.
If you’re walking down the street and you saw someone being assaulted, nine times out of 10 most people would contact the police. I don’t really understand why this sector sees a criminal offence or an offence and they choose to report it to the regulator.
Childcare staff should report crimes to police, head of child abuse squad tells inquiry – videoShare
Number of children in custody in NSW up 34% over same month in 2023
234 children were in custody in NSW in June, an increase of 34% since the same month in 2023, the state’s crime statistics bureau said.
AAP reports it’s a reversal in a trend of declining numbers of children in detention, but the figure is still lower than it used to be, according to the bureau’s executive director, Jackie Fitzgerald. More than 300 children were in custody in June 2015. Fitzgerald noted:
Over the longer term, we have had much higher rates of kids in custody than we have now.
About 8% of kids in NSW are Indigenous, but the statistics bureau noted that in June, 140 Aboriginal young people were in detention, making up nearly 60% of the youth detention population.
The majority of children currently in NSW jails have not been convicted, with only 66 children in custody as a result of a sentencing. More than 70% of the children in jail are on remand while they go through the court process.
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Updated at 06.37 CEST
Josh Butler
Nine says statement from top Hamas official actually came from his office
Nine newspapers have clarified that a statement attributed directly to a top Hamas official actually came from a spokesperson in his office and that the man himself is currently in jail.
It came after the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said it should be “a warning to the media of being very careful about the fact that Hamas will engage in propaganda”.
Nine reported on Wednesday that the Hamas co-founder and senior official Sheikh Hassan Yousef welcomed Australia’s decision to recognise Palestine, praising Australia’s “political courage” and calling on other countries to “follow Australia’s example”.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese. Photograph: Darren England/AAP
But a statement on social media service Telegram, attributed to Hamas – which Guardian Australia has not independently verified – said the terror group “denies the issuance of any statement by Sheikh Hassan Yousef, detained in the occupation jails since October 19, 2023, on the Australian position regarding the recognition of the Palestinian state” and that Yousef had “no means of communication with any local or international press outlets”.
Nine clarified on Thursday that their earlier statement, attributed to Yousef, had been provided by Yousef’s political office in the occupied West Bank “which issues statements on his behalf,” and that his spokesperson on Thursday “confirmed it had released the statement and that Yousef was still in jail”.
Outlets, including Guardian Australia, had earlier referenced the Nine reporting and the quotes attributed to Yousef.
Nine on Wednesday had said: “Yousef, one of Hamas’ most senior leaders in the occupied West Bank, said in a statement to this masthead.”
Nine has now added a clarification to the original story, noting it had “been updated to clarify the statement was issued by Sheikh Hassan Yousef’s office and that he is held in prison. A subsequent statement issued via a Telegram channel in Hamas’s name has also been added to the story”.
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Norwegian diving duo sentenced over thwarted $26m cocaine import plot
Ima Caldwell
Two Norwegian nationals have been jailed for attempting to smuggle 80kg of cocaine into Australia in 2023.
A man, 53, was sentenced on Wednesday by the Newcastle district court to nine years’ and 11 months’ imprisonment, with a non-parole period of four years and 11 months. His accomplice, a 35 year-old man, was already sentenced by the same court in March this year, to 10 years’ and two months’ imprisonment, with a non-parole period of five years and nine months.
Seized cocaine. Photograph: Australian Federal Police
NSW police had received an anonymous tip-off that a bulk carrier from Brazil, due to arrive in the Port of Newcastle, was transporting illicit drugs.
The pair were arrested on shore in January 2023 after witnesses on a ferry reported seeing them in the water of Newcastle harbour. They were each charged and pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to possess a large commercial quantity of a border controlled drug.
Police divers retrieved six waterproof duffle bags hidden in the hull of the carrier, with 82 packages weighing about 80kg total discovered inside which tested positive for cocaine.
An AFP diver locates an underwater scooter under a jetty. Photograph: Australian Federal Police
Australian Federal Police (AFP) divers later found two seabobs – underwater scooters – fastened to a pier pylon in the Hunter River in Newcastle. AFP Det Supt Peter Fogarty said the cocaine, which had an estimated street value of $26m, equated to about 400,000 street-level deals.
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Updated at 06.22 CEST
