TRANSCRIPT
- A royal commission exposes what they've called "deep-rooted cultural" issues in the military.
- The Prime Minister says Labor's by-election win proves Australians don't care for fear-based politics.
- And in football, Manchester City beat United 3-1 courtesy of rising star Phil Foden.
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The Australian Defence Force's greatest enemy lies within itself, says the chair of a royal commission which has found the military faces deep-rooted cultural issues.
Opening the final public hearings block of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, chair Nick Kaldas has urged cooperation and accountability to address systemic challenges.
Mr Kaldas says the inquiry has consistently sought not to undermine Australia's defence capability or disrespect its proud military history.
"We are not the cause of the ADF's troubles, our data analysis has confirmed that their greatest enemy lies within the ADF itself and its resistance to change. It's apparent from the evidence we've uncovered that there are deep- rooted cultural and systemic challenges within the ADF and DVA (Department of Veterans' Affairs) which have had dire consequences. They need to be urgently addressed."
The commission has previously expressed its frustration at the slow response from commonwealth agencies to requests for information, as well as claims of confidentiality, parliamentary privilege and public interest immunity.
The final report was originally due in mid-June, but a three-month deadline extension was granted and it will now be handed down in early September.
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the Dunkley by-election proves Australians aren't interested in negative campaigns.
Liberal MP Sussan Ley has been criticised for posting an inflammatory tweet ahead of the polls, which read "if you do not want to see Australian women being assaulted by foreign criminals, vote against Labor.”
Mr Albanese told 5AA radio that the community isn't interested in that kind of rhetoric.
"We don't want that sort of stuff in Australia, and it was rejected by the voters of Dunkley and our vote went up, which is remarkable during a by-election. But we know there's more work to be done. We're concentrating on cost of living measures each and every day and on getting things right."
Labor candidate Jodie Belyea won the Victorian electorate at Saturday's by-election, but Labor recorded a 3.6 per cent swing against it at the poll.
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And in New South Wales, police could consider installing GPS trackers on all firearms, following allegations a serving officer murdered a Sydney couple.
Police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon is in custody charged with murdering Jesse Baird and Luke Davies in Sydney and disposing of their bodies 200 kilometres away in Goulburn.
Investigators allege the 28-year-old used a police-issued firearm to kill the couple.
Premier Chris Minns says Victoria Police Commissioner Shane Patton will conduct an independent inquiry into New South Wales Police policies and procedures.
Mr Minns has told Channel 9 he will consider all recommendations, including possibilities like installing GPS trackers on firearms.
"People can have confidence that we've got an independent assessor looking at all of it. Those recommendations will be made public and of course we'll keep the inquiry public as well, so as that the public can have an understanding of what's happened here. Something's gone badly wrong, we know change needs to be made, and I feel so desperately sorry for the family and friends."
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Two Russian nationals have been charged with money laundering after more than $2.3 million in cash and cryptocurrency was seized on the Gold Coast.
Australian Federal Police said a man and a woman in their 40s laundered money through hundreds of cash deposits at bank branches and ATMs across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia in 2022.
The deposits were allegedly kept below $10,000 in a bid to avoid detection by authorities.
The AFP says a search of a Hope Island property and solicitor's office on the Gold Coast found $1.95 million in cash and $425,000 in cryptocurrency last December.
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In football,
A rising star of the English Premier League has secured a critical 3-1 win victory for Manchester City against Manchester United.
23-year-old Phil Foden turned the tide in the second half of the nail-biting match, scoring a goal in the 56th minute and then beating Andre Onana with a precise finish after 80 minutes.
Manchester City Manager Pep Guardiola says Foden shows potential to be a legend in the game.
"Always had the feeling he'd score goals. In the training sessions always I had the feeling. But now he's winning games. So, to become a world class player you have to win games. And always play good, always have incredible work ethic, doesn't matter the positions no complaints. He lives to play football but now he's winning games."
