TRANSCRIPT
- Optus to pay $100 million fine for sales practices targeting vulnerable Australians
- Inflation hits a 12-month high
- The Wallabies suffer injury blow ahead of Bledisloe opener
Israeli forces have killed at least 29 Palestinians in their recent airstrikes on the Gaza Strip - 17 of those were killed in an attack near a market in central Gaza City.
This is according to a medical source at al-Ahli Arab Hospital who spoke to Al Jazeera Arabic.
Meanwhile, the attacks happened as crew and activists on board the Sumud aid flotilla heading to Gaza were reportedly being targeted by drones.
Organisers and pro-Palestinian activists said they heard explosions from a number of boats.
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Optus' CEO Stephen Rue has revealed their preliminary investigation suggests the first step out of three steps with the network upgrade was not followed.
He says there was a deviation from the established process, saying the independent review - led by an experienced executive and board director Kerry Schott - will look further into why all 000 calls did not divert correctly.
"Firewall upgrade program that caused the triple zero failures on Thursday September 18 was scheduled to be completed over two nights. Our preliminary investigations have determined that on the first night of the upgrade the steps taken on past successful upgrades of similar nature were not followed."
Mr Rue also says their early investigation revealed 25 per cent of the 631 customers that failed to connect did get through the network.
He says approximately 86 of 631 customers did get through and 65 of them reached emergency services through another carrier, and there were approximately 480 customers who did not get through.
It comes on the same day the network company is at the Federal Court on a separate incident to appeal a $100 million dollars fine for unconscionable sales conduct, following action taken by the A-triple-C [[Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
Optus has admitted it had engaged in "unacceptable" dodgy sales tactics, including pressuring customers to buy mobile goods they did not want or need, which affected Indigenous and disabled customers.
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Inflation has hit a 12-month high for the month of August.
Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows headline inflation increased to 3 per cent in August from 2.8 per cent in July.
It comes after the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development report overnight highlights the uncertainty and volatily weighing in global economy, but also states Australia will grow fast in the current economy.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has addressed the latest monthly inflation data, saying it's "a very good thing" to see underlying inflation down to two-point six [[2.6]] per cent - which is around the middle of the Reserve Bank of Australia's target.
He says the latest figures reveals there was still a lot of work to do, but the country's economy is in a good position.
"Today’s figures show the very substantial and sustained progress that we have made together when it comes to underlying inflation. Despite that increased volatility in the global economy, underlying inflation is within the target range and that’s a promising result in uncertain times. Headline inflation fell slightly in the month but the annual rate increased slightly by three-point-zero per cent."
Dr Chalmers also says under the Labor government - inflation is down, real wages are up, unemployment is low and Australia has seen interest rates come down three times this year.
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New South Wales Police's new commissioner, Mal Lanyon has acknowledged concerns of two controversial incidents in the past, following the announcement of his appointment for the role.
He says his responsibility will be fronting up to challenges directly, listening to the community and working tirelessly on a police force that people can believe in that keeps them safe.
"I have made mistakes in the past, and I have been open about them. I’ve always sought to learn from those experiences and to lead with honesty, accountability and integrity. Public confidence is earned not just by big results but by consistency, transparency and treating people fairly."
Mr Lanyon - who will assume his duties on October 1 - was long considered a frontrunner to replace former commissioner Karen Webb, who was the force's first female leader.
He's been a deputy police commissioner since 2019 and in 2024 was seconded as chief executive to the New South Wales Reconstruction Authority after helping lead flood recovery efforts in the Northern Rivers in 2022.
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A monument honouring Wiradjuri servicemen has been defaced with racist graffiti in the New South Wales Riverina town of Narrandera.
Wirajuri local Geoffrey Johnson posted a video of the graffiti at Marie Bashir Park on a Narrandera community Facebook page [[on Sunday]].
Mr Johnson has told NITV he was really upset to stumble upon that.
"I was angry and disappointed. I believe we live in a really beautiful little town, on the riverina. And the community is really good. We've got a good community. I was surprised to see something like that on a wall that represents our mob in so many ways. It was horrifying to see. And I've got a young family and I don't want them to experience that type of rhetoric."
Mr Johnson's video showed a white supremacist slogan and an incorrectly drawn swastika on the monument.
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And to sport, in rugby union, Max Jorgensen is set for the Bledisloe Cup starting at fullback, as Andrew Kellaway has been ruled out of the Eden Park Test on Saturday.
Kellaway's calf injury that happened while training in Auckland means that he will join first-choice custodian Tom Wright who sustained a knee injury on the sidelines.
The New South Wales Waratahs speedster is the second player ruled out of the match with a calf issue, after star back-rower Rob Valetini.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt is set to start 21-year-old Jorgensen at the back, as he looks to keep his preferred centre pairing of Len Ikitau and Joseph Akuso-Suaalii intact.
This will be Jorgensen's first Bledisloe match at a venue where Australia haven't won since 1986.
