The Altus CEO, David Young, said:<\/p>\n
double quotation markThe Trump International Hotel & Tower Gold Coast development I\u2019ve been pursuing for almost 20 years is going to be Australia\u2019s tallest building before the end of the decade. At 340 metres in height, and 91 [storeys], it will out-stretch the \u2018Australia 108\u2019 building in Melbourne by 15 metres and leave every other Australian resort property in its wake when it comes to luxury.<\/p>\n
\u2026 We are now deeply into a process of design, engineering, construction and fit-out that will cost a shade under AUD1.5 billion and bring the world\u2019s preeminent hotel-resort brand to our shores.<\/p>\n
Updated at\u00a000.10 EST<\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Show key events only<\/p>\n Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/p>\n What we learned, Monday 23 February<\/p>\n That is where we\u2019ll close the blog for the day but first a recap of the day\u2019s big stories:<\/p>\n The blog will be back bright and early tomorrow.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a002.02 EST<\/p>\n Unstaffed petrol stations fuelling higher earnings<\/p>\n Self-serve fuel-only stations are proving a success, the country\u2019s biggest petrol station owner says, in a sign Australians could be seeing more of them, AAP reports.<\/p>\n Ampol converted 27 of its Australian petrol stations to its unmanned U-Go sites in 2025, taking its portfolio to 46, and they have boosted fuel volumes while reducing costs.<\/p>\n U-Go sites operating for at least 12 months were showing a 50% uplift in fuel volumes and an average of $350,000 earnings improvement, the Ampol chief executive, Matt Halliday, told analysts on Monday. He said:<\/p>\n double quotation markWe\u2019re really pleased with it. We are seeing that it\u2019s taking about six months for the local market to settle on that operating model, but we\u2019re really pleased with the success we\u2019re seeing once it takes hold.<\/p>\n U-Go self-serve petrol station in Sydney. Photograph: AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a001.34 EST<\/p>\n Lesbian group argues tribunal erred in denying them exemption to exclude transgender women<\/p>\n A lesbian group is appealing against a court decision that found it was not able to exclude transgender women from its public events.<\/p>\n The Lesbian Action Group, which numbered seven members as of September 2024, had unsuccessfully sought an exemption under the Sex Discrimination Act<\/a> (SDA) that would allow it to hold events only for cisgender women.<\/p>\n The group is appealing a Victorian administrative review tribunal decision<\/a> that determined the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) was correct when it found the LAG could not hold the events, despite their claim they would provide a forum for political expression and celebrating culture.<\/p>\n In the federal court today, the group argued that the tribunal erred on four grounds and that the SDA should give priority to women as defined in the UN\u2019s Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The SDA was amended in 2013 to make it unlawful to discriminate against a person on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status.<\/p>\n In court documents, the AHRC submitted that the appeal should be dismissed with costs and said the tribunal\u2019s decision was not irrational nor unreasonable, and that the SDA does not allow discrimination against a vulnerable class of people.<\/p>\n The hearing continues tomorrow.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a001.12 EST<\/p>\n Proposed Gold Coast Trump tower would go through same approvals process as \u2018if you\u2019re building a bungalow\u2019, Leigh says<\/p>\n As we mentioned earlier, the Trump Organization has now announced it will build a tower on the Gold Coast beachfront at Surfers Paradise. What does Leigh think?<\/p>\n double quotation markDonald Trump came to Australia in the late 1980s to investigate real estate opportunities in Sydney and the Gold Coast, so this is a long-term interest of his.<\/p>\n The Gold Coast currently has the tallest building in Australia, the Q1 building, and so it would be unsurprising if it was to continue to have to tallest building.<\/p>\n Of course any of those proposals will have to go through the usual state and local planning approvals. You do it for the tallest tower in Australia just as you do if you\u2019re building a bungalow.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a000.52 EST<\/p>\n Australia will \u2018continue to advocate for zero tariffs\u2019 on exports to US, Leigh says<\/p>\n Asked about US tariffs which have now increased from 10% to 15%<\/a>, Andrew Leigh says \u201cwe\u2019ll continue to advocate for zero tariffs on our exports to the US just as we have zero tariffs on US exports to Australia.\u201d<\/p>\n Responding to a question of whether he was worried about the impact the new tariffs would have on our economy, Leigh says:<\/p>\n double quotation markAustralia\u2019s a free trading nation and as an economist I\u2019m a passionate believer in free trade. Free trade is simply an expression of the fact that countries can do better when specialise in their comparative advantage and trade with other nations.<\/p>\n Free trade doesn\u2019t just boost incomes, it boosts the interconnectedness and makes the world a safer place which is why Australia successively has reduced our tariffs and why we haven\u2019t responded with retaliatory tariffs when countries like China and the United States have put bans on our products. And we\u2019ll continue to advocate for zero tariffs on our exports to the US just as we have zero tariffs on US exports to Australia.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a000.55 EST<\/p>\n Australian law would not permit separating children of IS-linked women from their parents, Leigh says<\/p>\n Patricia Karvelas asks Leigh about Save the Children CEO, Mat Tinkler\u2019s argument that the nation has an obligation to the children of the Australian women in Syria<\/a>, and that it would make Australia safer to have them repatriated here.<\/p>\n Leigh:<\/p>\n double quotation markI have all the respect in the world for Mat. He\u2019s somebody who\u2019s devoted his life towards assisting children.<\/p>\n But one important principle for people to bear in mind is Australian immigration law typically does not separate parents from their children. Children have their parents\u2019 immigration status.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t think there\u2019s a world in which we would be envisaging bringing children back without their parents, and that brings you to the issue of culpability that I spoke about before. The decision to go over and fight alongside one of the most brutal terrorist regimes that we have known in our lifetimes.<\/p>\n Andrew Leigh. Photograph: Mick Tsikas\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a000.55 EST<\/p>\n Labor has \u2018concerns about constitutionality\u2019 of Coalition<\/a> plan to criminalise assisting IS-linked Australians<\/p>\n What does Andrew Leigh, the assistant minister for productivity, competition and charities, think of the Coalition\u2019s plan to make it a criminal offence<\/a> to help Australians with links to the Islamic State to return home?<\/p>\n As we mentioned earlier in the blog, Save The Children are very concerned<\/a> about the proposal, but the attorney general, Michelle Rowland, has not closed the door. Appearing on ABC\u2019s Afternoon Briefing, Leigh is asked if he thinks it\u2019s a bad idea. He responds:<\/p>\n double quotation markWe certainly have concerns about its constitutionality, but I would say that in the case of this cohort, they made an appalling mistake in choosing travel to Syria. To support [Islamic State] was to support one of the most appallingly barbaric groups in human history, which left behind a litter of enslaved women, murdered children and mass graves. So, the government doesn\u2019t want these people back in Australia. But the law requires that if you\u2019re an Australian citizen you can be granted a passport.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a000.38 EST<\/p>\n Regional Qantas base closures a \u2018significant issue\u2019, former executive says<\/p>\n A former Qantas executive has expressed disappointment at the airline\u2019s decision to close several bases, saying local staff are crucial for tourism and flight reliability, AAP reports.<\/p>\n QantasLink, the airline\u2019s regional arm, has announced its bases in Canberra, Hobart and Mildura will shut from April, with 71 flight and cabin crew affected.<\/p>\n The company said the closures would improve reliability by making more staff available at major airports to respond to flight disruptions.<\/p>\n But unions, councils and some regional transport groups have raised concerns about the potential flow-on effects, while a Senate inquiry continues to examine the viability of aviation in regional Australia.<\/p>\n Tourism Tasmania\u2019s Steve Farquer, who established the Hobart base when he was a general manager at Qantas, said the airline was entitled to make business decisions but the closure would have ramifications. Farquer told the inquiry sitting in Wynyard, in the state\u2019s north-west:<\/p>\n double quotation markThe impact for a number of Tasmanians who have chosen to live in Hobart, who have brought their families to Hobart and established a life in Hobart \u2013 schools, education, health \u2013 it\u2019s a significant issue for them.<\/p>\n The Senate committee released an interim report<\/a> into the QantasLink closures on Wednesday afternoon, finding the move was poorly managed and had devastated both staff and regional communities.<\/p>\n In response, Qantas said all staff at the bases had been offered roles in other locations, \u201cwhich most have taken up\u201d.<\/p>\n Regional airline QantasLink announced its bases in Canberra, Hobart and Mildura will shut from April, with 71 flight and cabin crew affected. Photograph: Jenny Evans\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a000.24 EST<\/p>\n Man dead, another under guard at Geelong mental health facility<\/p>\n A psychiatric patient is dead and another is under police guard after an incident at a mental health facility, AAP reports.<\/p>\n Homicide detectives are investigating the alleged altercation at Barwon Health\u2019s Swanston Centre, on the corner of Myers and Swanston streets in Geelong, about 2am on Monday.<\/p>\n Police discovered the body of a man, who is yet to be formally identified, inside a room at the facility.<\/p>\n Another man, who was known to the victim and also a patient at the hospital, is under police guard.<\/p>\n Barwon Health\u2019s chief medical officer, Prof Ajai Verma, confirmed the incident on Monday. She said in a statement:<\/p>\n double quotation markThere was an unexpected death of an inpatient in the acute mental health ward (Swanston Centre) overnight. We extend our condolences to the family of the deceased patient. Support has been extended to staff.<\/p>\n The Victorian health minister, Mary-Anne Thomas, said the incident was \u201cvery distressing\u201d.<\/p>\n double quotation markWell, obviously what happened is very distressing, but it is an active police investigation and I\u2019m not going to cut across that. A crime scene has been established and it\u2019s important that police are able to get on and do their job.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a000.11 EST<\/p>\n Trump Tower on Gold Coast will be ‘Australia’s tallest building’, developer says<\/p>\n The Trump Organization has announced Australia\u2019s first Trump-branded hotel will be coming to the Gold Coast, with a 91-storey tower in Surfers Paradise.<\/p>\n The organisation run by the family of US president Donald Trump, says Trump International Hotel & Tower, Gold Coast is \u201cset to become Australia\u2019s tallest tower\u201d.<\/p>\n The hotel will be built alongside \u201c272 exclusive residences, a private Beach Club, and premier retail and dining,\u201d the announcement said.<\/p>\n In its own announcement<\/a>, Queensland developer Altus Property Group said it had signed the final agreement with the Trump Organization at Mar-a-Lago on Valentine\u2019s Day (Florida time).<\/p>\n The Altus CEO, David Young, said:<\/p>\n double quotation markThe Trump International Hotel & Tower Gold Coast development I\u2019ve been pursuing for almost 20 years is going to be Australia\u2019s tallest building before the end of the decade. At 340 metres in height, and 91 [storeys], it will out-stretch the \u2018Australia 108\u2019 building in Melbourne by 15 metres and leave every other Australian resort property in its wake when it comes to luxury.<\/p>\n \u2026 We are now deeply into a process of design, engineering, construction and fit-out that will cost a shade under AUD1.5 billion and bring the world\u2019s preeminent hotel-resort brand to our shores.<\/p>\n Artist\u2019s impression of the proposed Trump resort on the Gold Coast. Illustration: Altus Property GroupShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a000.10 EST<\/p>\n That\u2019s all from me. Natasha May will take things from here. Enjoy the afternoon!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a023.22 EST<\/p>\n Who was El Mencho, the former police officer who co-founded an ultraviolent cartel in Mexico?<\/p>\n Following on from our earlier post about the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade warning Australian travellers<\/a> considering a trip to Mexico \u2026<\/p>\n Who was El Mencho?<\/p>\n The drug lord, who was killed on Sunday by Mexican special forces, was the co-founder and leader of a gang that in recent years had become the country\u2019s most powerful criminal organisation: the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).<\/p>\n A burned car seen on a highway in Mexico. Photograph: Ulises Ruiz\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n While less internationally famous than the Sinaloa cartel of the now imprisoned Joaqu\u00edn \u201cEl Chapo\u201d Guzm\u00e1n, the CJNG is a household name in Mexico, where it is known for its displays of ultraviolence and its big, military-style arsenal.<\/p>\n The cartel, based in the state of Jalisco, has been one of the most aggressive in its attacks on the military \u2013 including on helicopters \u2013 and is a pioneer in launching explosives from drones and installing mines. An effort to capture El Mencho, real name Nemesio Rub\u00e9n Oseguera Cervantes, a 59-year-old former police officer, ended badly in 2015, with cartel gang members shooting down an army helicopter with a rocket launcher.<\/p>\n Dfat recommends Australians in Mexico stay alert, follow the advice of the local authorities and subscribe to Smartraveller for the latest updates.<\/p>\n Australians in need of emergency consular assistance in Mexico should contact Dfat\u2019s 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre.<\/p>\n Read more here:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.58 EST<\/p>\n![\"Artist\u2019s](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/900.jpg\")
Artist\u2019s impression of the proposed Trump resort on the Gold Coast. Illustration: Altus Property GroupShare<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Daisy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Daisy_Dumas.png\")
Daisy Dumas<\/p>\n![\"Nick](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nick_Visser.png\")
Nick Visser<\/p>\n