Updated at\u00a002.30 EDT<\/p>\n
Supermarket jalapeno brand recalled due to presence of glass<\/p>\n
Fans of pickled jalapenos will want to be careful, with a particular brand being recalled due to warnings of glass in the product.<\/p>\n
Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) has issued a recall notice for Riviana Foods\u2019 470g jar of Fehlbergs Pickled Sliced Jalapenos Chilli Medley with a best before date of 30\/04\/2028.<\/p>\n
They say consumers should not eat this product due to the presence of glass.<\/p>\n
Consumers should return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund. Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice.<\/p>\n
The product has been available for sale at Coles, Woolworths and independent retailers including IGA nationally.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a002.24 EDT<\/p>\n Bank branch closures hit 155 in 2024-25<\/p>\n Australia lost 155 bank branches and 333 ATMS on net over the year to June, new data shows.<\/p>\n One in three branches around the country have closed in the last five years, with 1,564 branches lost on net. Nearly half of all ATMS have been lost over the same period, or 4,478 on net, according to Canstar analysis of public data.<\/p>\n The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority figures show the branch losses have been most severe in the cities.<\/p>\n Canstar\u2019s data insights director, Sally Tindall, attributed the slower regional losses to the federal government\u2019s February deal with the big four banks to keep their regional branches open until at least mid-2027.<\/p>\n Tindall said:<\/p>\n As banking goes increasingly digital, there\u2019s no doubt more customers are happy to tap, click, transfer and apply online instead of queueing at a branch. The challenge for banks is making sure no one is left behind in this shift.<\/p>\n The country now has just 3,205 bank branches. Australia Post\u2019s Bank@Post services have endured the digital shift, with a total of 3,365 outlets offering this service.<\/p>\n Photograph: Joel Carrett\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a002.20 EDT<\/p>\n ASX200 sets new record high<\/p>\n The Australian share market ASX200 index has closed at a new record 9,068 points as persistent strong company profits and resurgent hopes of interest rate cuts boost confidence in the economy.<\/p>\n It\u2019s just the second time the benchmark index has closed above 9,000 points in its history, after the combined value of Australia\u2019s 200 biggest sharemarket-listed companies rose nearly $30bn today.<\/p>\n Markets cracked the 9,000-point record in August amid a strong company profits reporting season but slipped as prices rose faster than expected and predictions of interest rate cuts fell.<\/p>\n Rate cut hopes resurged today, sending the ASX200 flying to an intraday record of 9,109 points.<\/p>\n ANZ briefly reached a record market value of more than $110bn, as investors regain faith in the bank after its new chief executive revealed his plan to rejuvenate its lending business.<\/p>\n NAB and Commonwealth Bank also rose in the day, while steady growth in gold prices<\/a> sent miners surging, while Westpac slipped.<\/p>\n The broader All Ordinaries index, which captures the 500 biggest publicly listed companies, surpassed 9,000 points in July and is also at a record of 9,375 points.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The Bureau of Meteorology has released its long-range forecast for November to January. It shows:<\/p>\n Above average rainfall is likely across parts of northern Australia, with most of the country showing roughly equal chances of above or below average rainfall.<\/p>\n Daytime temperatures are likely to be above average for most of Australia except in parts of eastern New South Wales and the far north.<\/p>\n Overnight temperatures are very likely to be above average across almost all of Australia.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a002.11 EDT<\/p>\n Duniam says government should consider \u2018changed circumstances\u2019 in Gaza before approving Palestinian resettlement applications<\/p>\n Tony Burke, in his press club address, said there were approximately 600 to 700 people<\/a> on the government caseload from Gaza, who haven\u2019t been able to get out.<\/p>\n Duniam was asked whether he thinks they should be able to be resettled now if they had a visa but previously could not get out and get to Australia, he said:<\/p>\n Often with these visas, one thing that is taken into account is the circumstances of the country of where they\u2019ve come from, and circumstances have changed. I need to know more about the cohort that we are talking about but I do think the minister and the government need to take into account recent developments in the Middle East and the peace deal that is currently holding there \u2013 I think the fact that war, thankfully, seems to be over is a good thing. I know there are still issues with regard to accommodation and essential services like housing, clean water and food provisions. But there is a new consideration and I would hope the government does take that into account before they make any different decisions.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a002.03 EDT<\/p>\n New shadow home affairs spokesperson says government needs to justify immigration figures<\/p>\n The newly appointed shadow home affairs spokesperson, Jonathon Duniam, has also appeared on ABC Afternoon Briefing, speaking about his priorities in the role:<\/p>\n I think some of the priorities relate to get into the bottom of some of these problems that we do have when it comes to immigration debate in this country.<\/p>\n I heard the minister [Tony Burke] also today about laying down a challenge to the Coalition about landing where we can if we do need to reduce numbers. But my challenge for the minister is, tell us the why. What is the basis behind the number we have and what are we doing in terms of work to underpin the decisions we make when it comes to the immigration intake in this country?<\/p>\n What are we doing to analyse and assess truly \u2013 not just speculative numbers \u2013 how many houses we have coming online for completion in the next two or so years. How we track with hospital bed vacancy so we can provide essential services to new Australians? What are we doing when it comes to spacing public schools to assist some of these new Australian families who come with children?<\/p>\n These sorts of factors are not being brought into the decision making process and I think it\u2019s time as a country \u2013 who deserve an immigration system that works for the people that are here now and the people that are wanting to come and get to come \u2013 that can provide all those things we love about this country, that\u2019s where should start.<\/p>\n Jonathon Duniam (left). Photograph: Mick Tsikas\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a001.57 EDT<\/p>\n Victorian Labor MP Natalie Hutchins to step down at 2026 election<\/p>\n Victorian government minister Natalie Hutchins has announced she will not recontest the 2026 state election.<\/p>\n Hutchins, the MP for Sydenham and minister for government services, treaty and First Peoples, prevention of family violence, and women, was first elected to parliament in 2010 and has served in cabinet for more than a decade. She said in a statement:<\/p>\n After 15 years as the member for Sydenham, and over a decade as a minister, the time has come for me to focus on my health. I have dedicated my life\u2019s work to improving gender equality and workers\u2019 rights and fighting for justice alongside First Peoples.<\/p>\n She said after hearing the calls for treaty as minister in 2014 she was proud the bill was now before the parliament.<\/p>\n The premier, Jacinta Allan, said Hutchins \u201cputs equality at the heart of everything she does\u201d:<\/p>\n Born in public housing and having grown up in the western suburbs of Melbourne, she has always been a passionate advocate to create opportunities for others and has been a fierce voice for the diverse and growing communities she now represents.<\/p>\n Natalie Hutchins will not recontest the 2026 state election. Photograph: James Ross\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a001.50 EDT<\/p>\n Marles says \u2018opportunity and need\u2019 to diversify critical minerals production beyond China<\/p>\n Richard Marles is being asked about whether Australia will follow the lead of the US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, who says if China wants to be an unreliable partner to the world, the world will have to decouple from its economy when it comes to things like critical minerals.<\/p>\n Marles responds to whether Australia would be willing to decouple from its biggest trading partner:<\/p>\n We are very much proponents for building industry beyond China. We are proponents for building Australian industry in this sector and that is our focus and there are Australian companies doing that right now. But we do think there\u2019s opportunity to work with the US on this and not just the US but also the UK \u2026<\/p>\n We see there is opportunity and indeed need to diversify the range of production and refinement activities beyond China. That is a project that we want to be a part of given that so many of these raw materials are being extracted from Australia and the first place.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a001.41 EDT<\/p>\n Marles insists there is \u2018a good story to tell\u2019 in Australia-US defence relationship<\/p>\n The defence minister, Richard Marles, says there\u2019s been a \u201cvery positive relationship in respect of defence\u201d with the Trump administration.<\/p>\n Asked on ABC\u2019s Afternoon Briefing program about whether he\u2019s been able to assuage some of the concerns that the US had been raising about Australia\u2019s defence spending, he said:<\/p>\n In all the conversations I have had with my counterpart, Pete Hegseth, now acting national security adviser, Secretary [Marco] Rubio and vice-president [JD] Vance, there is a good story to tell about building Australian defence capabilities. It is really about looking at what capabilities we need and resourcing them. What\u2019s that resulted in is the biggest peacetime increase in Australia\u2019s defence spending in our history. Relative to what we inherited, that\u2019s an additional $70bn.<\/p>\n I make that point and it is one well understood. It is also well understood that we are like-minded countries and share values and we want to see rules-based order applied in the Indo-Pacific and around the world, and there is much work to do together to ensure that. All of our conversations are very much focused on the shared task we have before us and actually that is going very well.<\/p>\n![\"Luca](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1760614570_241_Luca_Ittimani.png\")
Luca Ittimani<\/p>\nLuca Ittimani<\/p>\n![\"Benita](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1760614571_291_Benita_Kolovos.png\")
Benita Kolovos<\/p>\n
![\"Andrew](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1760614571_249_Andrew_Messenger.png\")
Andrew Messenger<\/p>\n