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What we learned today, Wednesday 15 October
That’s it for today, but let’s recap the big events:
Thanks for tuning in!
Updated at 03.13 EDT
Queensland government blames police for overstated figures on drop in crime
Andrew Messenger
Queensland’s LNP state government has admitted overstating a reduction in crime, blaming the state police force for the error.
The police minister, Dan Purdie, told parliament on Wednesday that claims by the premier and minister for youth justice that the number of victims of crime had declined by 10.8% in recent stats were wrong. Purdie said:
The actual reduction in victim numbers per capita is 6.5%.
Purdie said the error had only been brought to his attention by the police commissioner, Steve Gollschewski, “in the last few hours”. He blamed “human error” in the “manual compilation and analysis of the rate of the victims between the period of January and September 2025”. He said:
Ahead of the media event on October 7, my office raised concerns with the verification of data when it was provided, but was reassured by police on multiple occasions that it was accurate.
The methods and processes applied to the analysis of this data will be examined and improved ahead of next month’s reporting. We have asked for the updated figures to be added to the forward facing public website as soon as possible, transparency and accuracy are fundamental to maintaining public trust.
The premier, David Crisafulli, promised during last year’s election campaign to resign if the number of victims of crime didn’t decline over his term, and each year.
Updated at 03.11 EDT
Anne Davies
‘Serious concerns Racing NSW engaged in conduct’ to do with witnesses, privileges committee says
Following on from that last post, the report by the privileges committee said:
This committee has serious concerns that Racing NSW has engaged in conduct that may have had the effect of deterring potential inquiry witnesses from coming forward to give evidence for fear of reprisals – the so-called ‘chilling effect’.
The chair, Labor’s Stephen Lawrence wrote:
While not finding contempt in this instance, this committee is concerned by the conduct of Racing NSW in a number of respects, particularly its deeply personal depictions of third-party individuals.
The committee is also concerned that similar material to that provided by Racing NSW to the Select Committee was broadcast on a radio program just after this inquiry was established. While not making any finding about this, the committee considered it a significant and questionable coincidence.
Updated at 02.54 EDT
Anne Davies
Racing NSW reprimanded for conduct that could have interfered with Rosehill racecourse development inquiry
Racing NSW has been reprimanded by the NSW Legislative Council’s privileges committee for conduct that could have interfered with witnesses to the select inquiry into the Rosehill racecourse development.
But it has stopped short of ruling the racing regulator was in contempt.
The investigation by the privileges committee stemmed letters from Racing NSW executives that attacked several employees.
In a submission to the privileges committee, Mark Latham a participating member on the select committee, asserted that the correspondence from Graeme Hinton and Michael Cleaver, which named individuals who Racing NSW believed had made or encouraged negative submissions about Racing NSW, was “part of a series of attempts by Racing NSW to identify and intimidate whistleblowers, interfering in the work of the Rosehill Committee”.
Latham drew attention to the “particularly personal and brutal” characterisations of the individuals identified by Racing NSW.
Latham stated that the people identified had not, in fact, provided information to the select committee and therefore Racing NSW was mistaken in its allegations.
Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney in 2020. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAPShare
Updated at 02.58 EDT
Jordyn Beazley
Former ADF member charged with possessing violent extremism material
A former member of the Australian defence force was charged in August with six counts of possessing violent extremism material.
Court documents show the 25-year-old Sydney man was also charged with three counts of possessing child abuse material, one count of distributing it, and two counts of accessing the material – with the first of these offences allegedly committed in 2021.
Guardian Australia revealed last month that the man had remained in the service for more than eight months after police found he had been involved in a gathering of the National Socialist Network, a neo-Nazi group.
Footage of the gathering, seen by Guardian Australia, shows about a dozen men clad in black exercise clothing in a public park. It is believed they had been conducting a “training” session.
It remains unclear when his employment with the Australian defence force began.
On Wednesday, the man was due to appear before Campbelltown local court via video from custody, but his matter was adjourned to December.
Court documents show he was charged with two counts of using a mobile to access child abuse material, with the first offence allegedly occurring in 2021 and the second in 2022.
He was also charged with one count of using a mobile to publish or distribute child abuse in 2023.
Australian defence force soldier. Photograph: LCPL Jessica Gray/APShare
Updated at 02.24 EDT
SA police say no new evidence in search for missing four-year-old Gus Lamont
No new evidence has been found on the second day of the renewed search for missing four-year-old Gus Lamont in South Australia’s mid-north.
South Australian police released a statement saying:
More than 100 search team members, including SA Police, ADF members and SES volunteers, have each been walking between 20 and 25 kilometres each day in hot, harsh conditions.
With temperatures of 36 degrees and strong northerly winds expected in the search area on day 3, Thursday 16 October, searching is expected to start at sunrise and conclude at midday.
Gus was last seen at his family’s homestead on Saturday 27 September. The continued search for the little boy is being conducted as part of Task Force Horizon.
ADF assisting in the search for missing boy Gus Lamont in South Australia’s mid-north. Photograph: SA PoliceShare
Updated at 02.03 EDT
‘It is about time we stopped this worldwide apology tour’: Hume praises Paterson’s speech
The Liberal senator Jane Hume has also praised James Paterson’s speech, saying it is “so dull and boring when Liberals talk about themselves”.
I read it and thought it was excellent, reminding us that the Liberal Party when it began in the 1940s brought together 11 different political groups that were non-Labor and those group sorted out their differences, worked at the values that bound them together and the objectives they had of presenting a solid opposition, an alternative government to a Labor government what we are facing today and what we should be doing.
It is so dull and boring when Liberals talk about themselves, it is about time we stopped this worldwide apology tour and started getting together that legislative agenda, alternative policy agenda we can take to the next election and hold this terrible government to account for its failures to deliver on its promises, whether it be lower energy prices or cheaper housing or lower cost to go to the doctors, all those things they are failing on. That is what we should concentrate on, not talk about ourselves.
Liberal senator Jane Hume. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPShare
Updated at 02.08 EDT
Trump administration and Congress have shown ‘strong enthusiasm’ for Aukus, Conroy says
Pat Conroy says there is “strong enthusiasm” in both the Trump administration and Congress around Aukus.
Congress is a co-equal branch of the government and they are very enthusiastic about it and I’ve had good engagement with the Trump administration, obviously being respectful and giving them space to conduct their review and not prejudging it.
But I’ve had very successful meetings with senior members of the Trump administration about how Aukus is meeting every milestone and giving the ADF access to the best equipment in the world but supporting US efforts to upgrade their submarine force and solve some challenges they have.
Updated at 01.58 EDT
Conroy says defence partnership with US gives Australia control of selling missiles built here
Asked to explain how the new defence partnership provides more independence if it is being done in concert with the US, and what capacity is there for Australia to operate these facilities independently or sell them to other countries, Pat Conroy says:
Well we will be building the missiles ourselves rather than relying on long supply lines – so the first factory being built is the first that builds these missiles – the joint naval strike missiles … outside of Norway.
We will be … just building them for our region and the second factory will be the first factory outside the US building what’s called the guided multiple rocket system.
We won’t be relying on imports for these missiles. It gives us more sovereignty and ultimately we will have control of who we sell them to but the logical partner of the factory is the United States since there is a 14,000 backlog there …
This is a definition of a win-win. We get more independence by building missiles we use in Australia and more jobs but we contribute to our Alliance – and this is an example of a shift to a co-designed coproduction co-sustainment model.
Updated at 01.40 EDT
Defence industry minister says deal with US will give Australia greater manufacturing capacity at home
The defence industry minister, Pat Conroy, is in Washington DC, meeting with senior Trump administration figures and announcing the progression of a defence partnership, which will see Australia prepare to begin producing guided missiles.
Speaking to ABC’s Afternoon Briefing, Conroy explained the two strategic objectives behind it:
The first is self-reliance and greater sovereignty in Australia. We’re at the end of very long supply chains and both the Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine have demonstrated you need to be able to manufacture more defence equipment than previously we have.
We’ve committed to building two missile factories in this country to equip the Australian Defence Force with long-range strike, to help deter conflict in our region.
The second is recognising we have a strong partnership with the US, who faces their own constraints and a large backlog of orders – so by building factories with excess capacity beyond what we need, we have the opportunity to be a second supply source for the United States and other partners which means more jobs for Australians, more security for our ally and greater options for the Australian Defence Force.
The defence industry minister Pat Conroy. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPShare
Updated at 02.10 EDT
Australian shares eye record as banks and miners rally
Strong performances from the banking and mining sectors have helped lift Australia’s stock market to a second-straight session of gains, as gold hit yet another record high, AAP reports.
The S&P/ASX200 gained 80.1 points on Wednesday, up 0.90%, to 8,979.5, as the broader All Ordinaries rose 79.4 points, or 0.86%, to 9,287.9.
Nearly all 11 local sectors ended higher, led by a bounce in banking stocks and continued strength in the raw materials segment, which notched a record close for a second-straight session.
Iron ore giants BHP and Rio Tinto were strong, along with goldminers as the precious metal topped $US4,190 ($A6,433) an ounce for the first time, buoyed by safe haven inflows and dovish talk from US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell.
The Australian dollar is slightly stronger against the greenback, buying 65.15 US cents, up from 64.69 US cents on Tuesday at 5pm.
The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) in Sydney. Photograph: Steven Markham/AAPShare
Updated at 02.17 EDT
Achieving Labor’s 1.2m homes target requires ‘nearly a miracle’
Patrick Commins
New figures confirm that the government’s goal of building 1.2m homes in a decade was always a “pipe dream”, experts say.
We needed to build an average of 240,000 homes a year for five years starting in mid-2024 to reach Labor’s self-styled “ambitious” 2029 target embedded in its housing accord.
Given the country has never built that number of homes in a year before and there are well-known issues with the high cost and complexity of construction, expectations were already rock-bottom.
So it’s no surprise that in the first year, we are already running 65,700 homes behind.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows 174,271 new homes were completed in the 2024-25 financial year.
Cameron Kusher, an independent property expert, said the housing accord “was always a pipe dream and remains so”.
Shane Garrett, the chief economist at Master Builders Australia, said the bar was now “significantly” higher for the remaining four years if Labor hoped to reach the 1.2m homes target. He said:
It would take nearly a miracle for them to actually hit the target.
Updated at 00.45 EDT
Bruce Lehrmann argues government should foot legal bill for anti-corruption raid over ‘James Bond-like allegations’
Disgraced former political staffer Bruce Lehrmann will head to mediation to push his bid to have the government foot his legal bill after a raid on his home, AAP reports.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission raided his home in June 2024 amid an investigation into claims he misappropriated secret documents related to French submarines.
Read the full story here:
Updated at 00.41 EDT
Amanda Meade
Bronte Adams appointed as new chair of Australian Press Council
The Australian Press Council has appointed a new chair, Dr Bronte Adams, who will take over the watchdog in December.
Adams has held senior roles in government, was a consultant at McKinsey & Co, and is the founder of consulting firm Dandolo Partners.
Adams succeeds Neville Stevens, who has served as chair since January 2018.
Stevens said:
Dr Adams’ breadth of expertise in governance, innovation and the media landscape, combined with her deep commitment to public service, will be an invaluable asset to the Press Council as it continues its vital role in upholding high editorial standards and protecting freedom of expression.
The press council is the self-regulatory complaints body for most of the Australian print and digital media.
Newspapers have been regulated by the industry-funded Australian Press Council since 1976. News Corp Australia is the body’s largest funder.
Updated at 00.22 EDT
Thirteen-year-old boy among five teenagers charged with murder over alleged stabbing near Wollongong
Nick Visser
Police have upgraded charges against five teenagers to murder after an alleged fatal stabbing near Wollongong earlier this year.
NSW police said emergency services were called to Dunmore, NSW, in January after a man, 25, was found suffering serious stab wounds. He later died at the scene, despite treatment from paramedics.
Police initially charged a boy, 15, and a woman, 38, with murder. Both of their cases remain before the courts. Six other teens, aged between 12 and 15, were also charged in relation other the incident.
Officials said today five of those six have now been charged with murder. They will appear before children’s court at various dates later this month.
Updated at 00.09 EDT
Nick Visser
That’s all for me, Natasha May will be your blog extraordinaire for the rest of the day. Take care!