Key Points
- Triple murderer has chance of parole in 33 years
- Consultation open in plan for airlines to compensate for cancelled flights
- Carlos Alcaraz takes US Open title, praises opponent Jannik Sinner
Triple murderer Erin Patterson has been given a life sentence for the murders of Don and Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson, and for the attempted murder of Ian Wilkinson.
The sentence comes more than two years after she served a death cap mushroom-laced lunch that killed three of her husband's relatives.
The 50-year-old was expressionless as Justice Beale described her crimes as falling in the worst category.
Justice Beale imposed a non-parole period of 33 years on the sentence, which means there is a possibility Patterson could leave prison around 2055.
"Fixing a non-parole period is not to undermine the horrendousness of your offending. Your total effective sentence is life imprisonment. And the period during which you'll be ineligible for parole will be a very substantial one.”
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Airline passengers who face cancelled or delayed flights could soon be entitled to a guaranteed refund by the airline, under a new national code.
Public consultations begin today for an aviation consumer protection scheme, to nationalize standards for passengers when flights don't leave as scheduled.
Under the scheme, airlines would be required to give affected passengers a minimum level of assistance.
Refunds, access to food or accommodation and a quick re-booking to a similar flight, are among the compensatory acts being considered.
Transport Minister Catherine King told Channel Seven the government wants to hear from the public before finalizing the scheme.
"We're putting out this consultation paper today. It's the last round of consultation to get passengers to have their say. They can go to infrastructure.gov.au, get on the website and fill out a form quickly there to let us know what you would like to see as part of these Australian aviation consumer protections."
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Questions are being raised about the use of shark nets following a fatal shark attack between Sydney's Long Reef and Dee Why beaches on Saturday.
The New South Wales government spends more than $21 million on its annual shark management program, with nets installed at 51 beaches between Newcastle and Wollongong from the start of September, and drumlines used to provide real-time alerts about sharks near the shore.
A trial of net-free beaches had previously stalled because Premier Chris Minns said agreement could not be reached on locations.
The Premier now says a decision on proceeding with the trial will not be made until after the Department of Primary Industries completes its inquiries on the fatal mauling of the surfer.
"Given this terrible event, we believe the right thing to do is to wait for the investigation to come back about how this happened, what happened, and the circumstances surrounding it. You're right, it happened on a netted beach. It didn't happen on a drumline or an open access to shore. But I want to get the information in front of us so we can make a decision."
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Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba says he waited to seal a tariff deal with the United States, before announcing his resignation on Sunday.
Mr Ishiba came to power less than one year ago, overseeing a coalition that has lost its majority in elections for both houses of parliament, amid voter anger over the cost of living.
He had refused to step down in the wake of those losses, but says it's now time to go.
“Now that negotiations concerning the U.S. tariff measures have reached a turning point, I thought this was the appropriate time to step aside and make way for the next one (prime minister).”
Under the recent tariff deal, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to reduce tariffs on Japanese autos from 27.5 per cent to 15 per cent.
The order also ensured the 15 per cent levy on Japanese imports agreed in July, would not be stacked on top of those already subject to higher tariffs, like beef.
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Carlos Alcaraz has reasserted his superiority over Jannik Sinner with a 6-2 3-6 6-1 6-4 victory in the U-S Open final.
It's the third grand slam in a row where these young rivals met to decide the champion — and secures Alcaraz his second trophy at Flushing Meadows and sixth overall at a major.
President Donald Trump sat in a sponsor's suite in Arthur Ashe Stadium and received a mix of cheers and boos from fans.
It's the first time a sitting president has attended the tournament since Bill Clinton in 2000, but Alcaraz kept his focus on Sinner in his post-match interview.
"Great level during the, you know, every tournament you you're playing, I'm seeing you more than my family - Jesus - so it's great to share, to share the court, share the locker rooms, to share everything with you, watching you improve, improve every day, working really hard with your team really great people around. So just congratulations for everything you you're doing."
