Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts.
TRANSCRIPT
- Anzac Day dawn services marred by booing
- The federal government says it's not playing any role in helping to repatriate the Australian families of IS fighters
- Thee AFL sacks the head of its appeals board
Welcome to Country speeches at Anzac Day dawn services in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth have been been interrupted by racist booing and heckling.
There's been widespread condemnation of the behaviour which has been labelled disrespectful, disgraceful and bastardry.
Police in Sydney have charged one man for his alleged involvement in booing and WA Police issued 10 move on notices to people at the Perth service.
WA RSL State President Duncan Anderson says the dawn service should be a politics-free zone.
"Those cretins are entitled to their own views. Ironically, that's what we served for to uphold the freedom of speech and democracy. Everyone just needs to realise that Anzac Day, particularly the dawn service, is a politics-free zone."
WA Premier Roger Cook thanked the RSL for calling out the behaviour.
"To disrespect one of our elders and a veteran themselves is just disgusting and disrespectful. And I want to thank RSL CEO Stephen Barton for calling that disgraceful act out."
In the days leading up to Anzac Day, members of an anti-immigration and nationalist group discussed online their plans to disrupt the Welcome to Country ceremonies.
.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles says the government is not playing a role in the repatriation of Australian women and children with ties to IS.
A group of four women and nine children and grandchildren have left the Al Roj detention camp in Syria and are making their way to Damascus where it's believed they'll try to make their way back to Australia.
Richard Marles says the federal government is monitoring the situation.
"This government is not participating in the repatriation of people in this circumstance but given the significance of Anzac Day, I won't comment any further on that."
.
Police in Melbourne have arrested three men after an alleged arson attack on a bar in Melbourne's central business district.
The fire is the latest in a series of arson attacks that have targeted hospitality venues.
Police say criminals are paying young people to commit the offences.
They're yet to establish a motive, saying there have been no reports of extortion or threats being made to the venue operators.
.
It's been twenty years since a minor earthquake at Beaconsfield sent thousands of tonnes of rock crashing through a mine, killing one man and entombing two others deep underground.
Tasmanian premier Jeremy Rockliff says the collapse and extraordinary rescue that brought Todd Russell and Brant Webb back to the surface is etched in the nation's collective memory.
On Anzac Day of 2006, a rockfall deep inside the gold mine claimed the life of Larry Knight and trapped miners Todd Russell and Brant Webb almost a kilometre underground - a small steel cage became a makeshift sanctuary.
Initially believed dead, the pair's faint cries for help were finally heard by searching workmates days after the collapse.
.
Hollywood star Rebel Wilson has been accused of orchestrating a cyber attack on the social media account of a rising star which led to her nude photo being leaked.
The Pitch Perfect star is being sued by Charlotte MacInnes, the Australian lead actor of her recently released directorial debut, musical comedy The Deb.
MacInnes claims she was defamed by Wilson in four social media posts which claimed the young actor made a sexual harassment complaint and then retracted it to further her career.
In a shocking affidavit filed in the Federal Court, the young star blames Wilson for arranging for her social media account to be hacked and a nude photo leaked.
MacInnes claims her Snapchat account was breached and there was an attempt to hack her Facebook account days after she filed legal proceedings against Wilson in September 2025.
.
In sport, the AFL has sacked the head of its own appeals board for describing the use of homophobic language as "commonplace" when justifying its controversial decision to drastically reduce Lance Collard's homophobia ban.
After Collard was initially suspended for seven weeks for using homophobic language towards an opponent in a VFL match, the appeals board reduced the ban to two weeks.
In handing down its decision, the board noted that it is commonplace that players can employ language from time to time which is racist, sexist or homophobic whilst on the field.
The AFL rejected that finding and has sacked lawyer Will Houghton KC as the chair of the appeals board.
