Queensland premier says he wasn’t warned before minister’s referral to AFP
Andrew Messenger
The Queensland premier revealed he was taken by surprise by the news that his Olympics minister had been referred to the Australian federal police, because Tim Mander didn’t warn him.
Mander reportedly received the news of his police referral on Wednesday night, while in New Zealand. He then spoke at length with his lawyer.
But the minister didn’t communicate the news with him, premier David Crisafulli said.
Crisafulli said he was in a budget meeting on Thursday, around lunchtime, when a staff member passed him a note to inform him of Mander’s AFP referral.
Tim Mander. Photograph: Darren England/AAP
Asked why Mander didn’t tell him earlier, the premier said: “He stepped aside, so I would suggest to you there’s been a consequence for him.”
Mander stood down yesterday over claims he misled the Australian electoral commission about where he lived.
The former Scripture Union head was allegedly enrolled to vote at the home of a staffer, after moving out of his home, due to having an affair with fellow minister Amanda Camm.
Updated at 21.53 EDT
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Aussie shares up despite mixed signals from Iran talks
Australia’s share market continues to recover on optimism about a potential peace deal between the United States and Iran, despite division remaining on key issues, AAP reports.
The S&P/ASX200 rose by midday on Friday to be up 0.48%, as the broader All Ordinaries lifted by 0.51%.
ASX-listed miners were doing some heavy lifting heading into the weekend, with materials up 1.4% and strong leads from BHP and Rio Tinto. Mexican-themed fast food chain Guzman Y Gomez rocketed more than 14% higher after calling off its US expansion because it failed to meet its financial targets.
The Australian dollar was buying US71.38 cents, up from US71.13 cents on Thursday at 5pm.
Updated at 23.11 EDT
Man mentioned in Brisbane court over alleged AK-47 threat to mosque
A man accused of storming a mosque and threatening to shoot worshippers with an AK-47 assault rifle has had his matter mentioned in court, AAP reports.
Louis Francesco Rapisarda, 33, of Mitchelton, did not appear in Brisbane magistrates court on Friday for the first mention of charges of creating a public nuisance and disturbing a place of worship.
Police allege Rapisarda went to the Masjid Taqwa mosque at Bald Hills on 10 May and made verbal threats, telling worshippers he had an assault rifle in his vehicle outside.
He’s accused of entering the mosque shortly before 11am and making the threat before he was chased off the grounds by members of the congregation.
No one was physically injured.
Rapisarda, a care support worker, did not enter a plea and was ordered not to attend the mosque or Mitchelton Presbyterian church. His matter was adjourned until 19 June.
Muslim leaders said the case was part of a growing wave of intimidation, abuse and violence targeting mosques and Islamic institutions.
The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils said the incident was “frightening” for worshippers and formed part of a “disturbing national pattern of threats, intimidation and violence” against Muslim communities.
Updated at 22.48 EDT
Jonathan Watts
Risk of snakebites increasing as reptiles adapt to changing world, study finds
The risk of snakebites is increasing across the world as reptiles shift their habitats to cope with rising temperatures and growing human pressures, a study of venomous snakes has found.
Spitting cobras in Africa, vipers in Europe and South America, cottonmouth moccasins in North America and kraits in Asia are coming into greater contact with people as a result of climate disruption and landscape change, according to the research, which was led by the World Health Organization.
A Lowland copperhead in Australia. Photograph: kristianbell/Getty Images/RooM RF
This trend is forecast to become more pronounced in the coming decades as snakes – like many other species – adjust their range to escape hotter conditions.
Most species will suffer a decline of habitat, but a significant number of the deadliest snakes are likely to spread more widely, taking them into areas where they have not been seen before and potentially affecting billions of people.
Read more here:
Updated at 22.29 EDT
Kelly Burke
State Library of New South Wales still reeling from cybersecurity incident
A crippling cybersecurity incident at the State Library of New South Wales has entered its fourth week, following the detection of suspicious activity in its digital systems last month.
The prolonged digital blackout has paralysed the library’s public-facing services, locking researchers, academics and students out of historical archives, digital collections and subscription databases.
In a statement tracking the disruption on its website, the library confirmed that Cyber Security NSW had been called in to investigate.
“As soon as we became aware of suspicious activity in our catalogue on 27 April, we took immediate action to secure library systems, including shutting down access to the member portal as an additional precautionary measure,” it said.
double quotation markFollowing a comprehensive investigation supported by incident response specialists, we have found no evidence that personal information or the integrity of catalogue records has been compromised.
The State Library of New South Wales. Photograph: Bjanka Kadic/Alamy
While the virtual library remains heavily restricted, the State Library’s physical buildings, reading rooms and public galleries in Sydney remain open to the public during normal operating hours.
The library has issued an apology to its users for the ongoing disruption and said that technical teams continued to work “around the clock” to bring core operations back online, hopefully by 29 May, a full month after the external interference was detected.
The Guardian has sought comment from the library and Cyber Security NSW.
Updated at 22.18 EDT
Ten’s I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! cancelled after 12 seasons
Amanda Meade
Network 10 has axed reality show I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, hosted by Julia Morris and Robert Irwin, after 12 seasons.
The network confirmed the decision to trade publication Mediaweek today, saying that:
double quotation markWe have made the decision to rest I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! in 2027 as we focus on offering our audience a range of content on all platforms.
We look forward to working with Julia Morris and Robert Irwin on other projects.
First launched in Australia in 2015, contestants have included influencer Abbie Chatfield, chef Colin Fassnidge and singer Paulini, but the local version has never reached the heights of popularity it has in the UK.
The hosts both commented on the decision, with Morris saying:
double quotation markI’m A Celebrity and our whole jungle family who make this show have made it the best working experience of my lifetime. I have loved every moment and will be forever grateful to Beverley and the whole team at Network 10 for not only believing in this show but nurturing it for 12 years. And to our jungle family watching from home, we love you.
Her co-host, Irwin, said:
double quotation markI want to express what an absolute privilege it has been to work on this show for the past three seasons. I grew up watching this show as so many Aussies do, so to be part of the fantastic team that make this series a reality felt like a dream come true.
Updated at 21.56 EDT
Josh Butler
Labor MPs expect eventual concessions for startups after backlash to CGT changes
Labor MPs expect the government will agree to capital gains tax concessions for startup businesses after a meme-fuelled backlash to the budget, with some wary that scare campaigns could “get out of hand” without clearer explanation of the changes from Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers.
Guardian Australia spoke to a number of Labor MPs nationwide. Speaking on condition of anonymity, several MPs said they were keen to see change on CGT, with some engaging directly with Chalmers’ office.
“If an unintended consequence has caused a headache, let’s fix it,” one Labor MP said about the CGT changes, which have dominated media headlines all week.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers and prime minister Anthony Albanese. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP
But several Labor MPs say they believe the government will eventually decide on some kind of concessional treatment for startups, in recognition of the unique settings of such businesses and concerns about how the new cost-base inflation model would affect them in ways that other businesses would not.
Read more here:
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Continued from previous post …
The Labor opposition recently referred Mander to the Queensland crime and corruption commission over a separate claim, that the two ministers had failed to declare a conflict of interest created by the relationship.
The premier was repeatedly asked, at a press conference on Friday morning, if he trusts his minister.
“He has assured me he has done the right thing … the matter is being investigated by the AFP and, I assure you, at the end of it I will make a decision based on what the AFP says, and what happens during that process,” Crisafulli said, in a press conference this morning.
Asked again whether he trusted the minister, the premier said: “he’s assured me that he’s been truthful, and now it’s up to the AFP to investigate that”.
Crisafulli said the conflict of interest claim would also be “tested” as a result of the police referral.
double quotation markI want them tested across all of those bodies … but the standard of accountability will be there.
Crisafulli wouldn’t say if there will be a reshuffle as a result of the move, but predicted the federal police would move to resolve the matter quickly.
David Crisafulli. Photograph: Darren England/AAPShare
Updated at 21.32 EDT
Queensland premier says he wasn’t warned before minister’s referral to AFPAndrew Messenger
The Queensland premier revealed he was taken by surprise by the news that his Olympics minister had been referred to the Australian federal police, because Tim Mander didn’t warn him.
Mander reportedly received the news of his police referral on Wednesday night, while in New Zealand. He then spoke at length with his lawyer.
But the minister didn’t communicate the news with him, premier David Crisafulli said.
Crisafulli said he was in a budget meeting on Thursday, around lunchtime, when a staff member passed him a note to inform him of Mander’s AFP referral.
Tim Mander. Photograph: Darren England/AAP
Asked why Mander didn’t tell him earlier, the premier said: “He stepped aside, so I would suggest to you there’s been a consequence for him.”
Mander stood down yesterday over claims he misled the Australian electoral commission about where he lived.
The former Scripture Union head was allegedly enrolled to vote at the home of a staffer, after moving out of his home, due to having an affair with fellow minister Amanda Camm.
Updated at 21.53 EDT
Josh Nicholas
One Nation leads Labor and Coalition as voters sour on budget
One Nation has outpolled both the Labor and Coalition in a new poll from Capital Brief and DemosAu.
The poll puts One Nation’s primary support at 28%, compared with Labor’s 26%, the Coalition on 23%, and the Greens on 13%. The poll has a margin of error of 3.6%.
A bar graph showing One Nation support
The numbers show crumbling support for the major parties – Labor got 34.6% of the primary vote in the 2025 federal election and the Coalition received 31.8%. One Nation got just 6.4% and didn’t win any seats.
“We can no longer speak of One Nation as a minor party” says Dr Luke Mansillo, a political scientist at the University of Sydney.
George Hasanakos, head of Research at DemosAU, said if the poll results were reproduced at an election, the most likely outcome would be a hung parliament.
He said the government’s release of the 2026 federal budget on 12 May had not provided the political lift Labor needed, with voters broadly negative on the budget.
Updated at 20.40 EDT
Lisa Cox
Feral horse numbers surge in Kosciuszko national park
Feral horse numbers in the Kosciuszko national park have surged, with new survey data estimating populations climbed by thousands after the New South Wales government paused aerial culling in 2025.
Conservation advocates say the rebound in numbers demands an urgent rethink of retention zones that allow thousands of horses to remain in the park.
Brumbies or feral horses on the plains above Kiandra in the Kosciuszko National Park. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
The government’s annual survey of feral horse populations, released Friday, estimated there were between 6,476 and 16,411 feral horses in the national park in late 2025.
This is a sharp increase on the previous year – the first survey after aerial shooting of horses resumed – when numbers dropped to an estimated 2,131-5,639 horses.
Read more here:
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Dan Jervis-Bardy
Pauline Hanson announces Norway-inspired gas policy
In case you missed it last night:
One Nation has vowed to replace the contentious offshore gas profits tax and acquire 30% equity stakes in new ventures under an interventionist policy designed to extract “vastly greater returns” for Australian taxpayers from the resource.
The proposal for the commonwealth to co-own gas projects drew a mix of criticism and cynicism from the government, industry and the Coalition, which accused One Nation of importing ideas from Venezuela.
Pauline Hanson used a speech to a major gas industry conference in Adelaide on Thursday to detail a policy first flagged on the night of One Nation’s win in the Farrer byelection.
Hanson said the public was “rightly unhappy” and “public unrest is building” about the return to taxpayers from the Australian oil and gas sector, voicing the same concerns as the broad coalition of groups campaigning to replace the petroleum resource rent tax (PRRT) with a 25% export levy.
Read more here:
Pauline Hanson. Photograph: Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 19.54 EDT