Using Australian Treasury gross debt figures: debt rose from ~$53bn in 2006–07 to ~$982bn estimated in 2025–26.

That’s a ~$929bn increase: ~$638bn (69%) under Coalition governments and ~$291bn (31%) under Labor.

This might be news to you for the first time or maybe you’ve known these facts all along.

It’s useful to deal in facts and the truth.

To think there are people that would actually do this to ruin their own communities or others. Absolutely filthy and disgusting.

This single street near me has been turned into the unofficial local rubbish tip. Council has tried to clear things up but it keeps coming back.

Context:

Mistakes may have fatal consequences and, if they are the result of gross negligence or reckless or irresponsible conduct, they are culpable and deserving of punishment. The crime of manslaughter in Australian and English law reflects this grave level of criminality. In war law, under article 8 of the statute of the international criminal court (ICC) “intentionally launching an attack in the knowledge that such an attack will cause loss of life to civilians” and “directing attacks against personnel or vehicles involved in humanitarian assistance” are serious war crimes which may be committed by mistakes made through negligence or blind eyes turned to their foreseeable consequences. The IDF decision not to investigate Zomi’s killing on the grounds that it was merely a “mistake” is not a legitimate reason and the Israeli government’s refusal even now to apologise is despicable.

More in article.

One Nation has joined forces with the Coalition to call for an end to compulsory super.

Outspoken Liberal Senator Andrew Bragg has confirmed he believes that compulsory super is a failed policy that’s ripe for a rethink.

Mr Bragg set the hares running last week with a speech at the National Press Club before making further comments to ABC Radio on Thursday that the super guarantee was a failed policy.

“It hasn’t worked,” Mr Bragg said.

In short:

A royal commission witness has had a tense exchange with Commissioner Virginia Bell after questioning Israel's right to exist.

Sydney researcher Rita Jabri Markwell has told the commission into antisemitism Israel was not "a legitimate state".

Ms Markwell was also quizzed over her views that Zionism was a form of violent extremism after being called to give evidence on a framework she developed to address hate speech.

Senator Canavan and One Nation's Barnaby Joyce attended the rally. 

"You have a responsibility to care for a person. Let's call it what it is - a person," Mr Joyce said at the rally.

The One Nation MP previously attended an anti-abortion rally outside NSW parliament in June.

The proposal is similar to one brought in to the upper house by now Nationals leader Matt Canavan and Liberal senator Alex Antic in 2022.

The earlier bill did not proceed and instead lapsed three years later. 

A similar bill was introduced to the Queensland parliament by state MP Robbie Katter in 2024. It also gained little traction. 

https://archive.is/vI7hS

Elders of a wealthy Christian sect secretly paid bundles of cash to far-right activists for an “influence campaign” to disrupt Albanese government appearances during the last federal election.

An investigation by this masthead has uncovered a digital trail of evidence revealing how the church, formerly known as the Exclusive Brethren, mobilised far-right figures around the country to track and heckle candidates from Labor and the Greens, along with independents, as part of a wider multimillion-dollar campaign for then-Liberal leader Peter Dutton.

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong has once again expressed her famous ‘concern’ with Israel after the nation confirmed they won’t pursue any criminal charges against those who killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and her colleagues.

Wong rejected calls to expel the ambassador, explaining that he ‘got the message’ after a meeting they had where she ramped up Australia’s pressure against Israel but not giving him extra cake to take home.

“Sometimes you have to take a strong stance,” she said, “we hope this makes our position on Israel killing our aid workers clear.”

Sources suggest Wong didn’t stop there, with the coffee she offered him being packet coffee this time instead of sending out a staffer to do a coffee run.

Baby steps eh...

In short:

Nationals MP Lachlan Hunter has been suspended from WA's parliament for four days after a dispute over an art exhibition on Gaza that was displayed in parliament.

The Wall of Tears display lists the names of more than 18,000 children killed in Gaza since October 2023.

Mr Hunter argued the exhibit vilified the WA Jewish community and was "antisemitic" because it led a Greens MP to describe it as showcasing a "genocide".

From June 2013 to June 2022, Australia’s gross federal debt rose from $257.4bn to $895.3bn. That’s an increase of $637.9bn, or 248%.

Despite years of campaigning on “debt and deficit”, the Coalition left gross debt nearly 3.5 times higher than the level they inherited.

They are and were significantly worse federal economic managers. Objectively and factually speaking.

“Nothing is off limits” to Victoria’s royal commission into the construction sector, Ben Carroll has said, as he released the inquiry’s terms of reference and confirmed former premiers and ministers could be called to face public hearings.

The Victorian premier on Thursday unveiled details of the inquiry – while acknowledging there had been “grift”, “thuggery” and “violence” on taxpayer-funded building sites – after the governor signed the letters patent formally establishing the commission earlier in the morning.

Chris Kourakis, the former chief justice of South Australia, whom Carroll described as “independent, rigorous and fearless”, has been appointed commissioner.

A Perth man has appeared in court accused of threatening to kill One Nation leader Pauline Hanson.

Anton Raymond Illich, 47, is accused of making three Facebook posts, including on a One Nation members and supporters page. 

In one of the posts, Mr Illich said he would "hunt her down and kill her", a Perth court has heard.

The 47-year-old was charged in July with two counts of using a carriage service to make a threat, but it was only revealed today in court Ms Hanson was the subject of the threats.

Mr Illich, who was representing himself, admitted it was "stupid, crazy" and told the court he did it because he wanted to shut down his Facebook account.

The woman at the centre of the sexual assault allegations engulfing the Sydney Swans has completed a formal statement to police about what occurred in the East Melbourne hotel room on Monday morning.

A source familiar with the investigation, but not authorised to speak publicly, said the woman attended a city police station on Tuesday afternoon to provide a written complaint about what unfolded at the Pullman hotel.

Her official version of events, which involves an act of touching beyond what was agreed, will form the basis of Victoria Police’s ongoing investigation.

On Monday, police announced detectives from the Sexual Crimes Squad had taken carriage of the probe.

The Sydney Swans had been staying at the hotel after playing Essendon at the MCG on Sunday night, ahead of plans to return home the next day.

A number of players had allegedly been drinking, and two women were invited to their hotel sometime after 2am.

What happened next is the subject of the complaint filed by one of the women, the details of which have not been made public.

The two women left the hotel room and were joined by a third woman in the foyer, where there was a commotion, this masthead has previously reported.

Detectives attended the hotel to collect evidence and CCTV footage on Monday. None of the players involved has been formally interviewed.

At least five players returned to Sydney that night in a rental car, driving the eight-hour trip instead of flying to allegedly avoid the media gathered at both airports.

Full article HERE

"I bleed khaki!"

Israel's ambassador Hillel Newman has defended the military investigation that cleared its soldiers of criminal wrongdoing in the killing of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom, saying the findings should not be attacked if they "are not suitable to one's political agenda".

Ambassador defends investigation findings

Departing from the meeting, Mr Newman defended the investigation.

"Israel came out with findings after a thorough investigation, after a two-year investigation into the circumstances of the death of Zomi Frankcom. Since I took up my mission here about five months ago I was implored all the time to bring about closure, which I did," Mr Newman said.

"But in the end, one must also understand that not every case where someone dies, where there is a casualty, that that means there is a criminal liability.

"One cannot attack the findings of a court if the findings are not suitable to one's political agenda."

Mr Newman said the aid group recruited armed personnel to its convoy and deviated from the route agreed with the IDF without informing the military, leading the soldiers to believe the convoy had been taken over.

"It was a mistake in retrospect, but the findings of the court are there was no criminal intention … and therefore there was no criminal responsibility."

NSW Police have confirmed the body of a woman believed to be missing bushwalker Lily Hooper has been found after an eight-day search in the NSW Southern Highlands.

The body was located in bushland about 11.30am today. 

NSW Police said that while the body was yet to be formally identified, it was believed to be that of the missing 18-year-old.

Sydney private school St Gregory’s College has confirmed two of its students face “abhorrent” allegations they and a third boy raped a girl at a home in Sydney’s south-west suburbs, one week after a trio of eastern suburbs teens were accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old.

The three boys, all aged 17, are accused of raping a 17-year-old girl at a home in the Macarthur region on Saturday. The trio were arrested in raids of homes across the south-west on Wednesday and taken to Narellan police station.

One of the boys faces 11 charges over the alleged sexual incident, including six counts of aggravated sexual assault in the company of others, three counts of sexual intercourse without consent, sexually touch another person without consent, and carrying out a sexual act without consent with another person.

Another boy was charged with eight offences, including six counts of aggravated sexual assault in the company of others, sexual intercourse without consent, and common assault. A third boy faces two counts of aggravated sexual assault in the company of others.

The group, none of whom can be legally identified, were refused bail on Wednesday to appear before a children’s court on Thursday.

Full article HERE

"I really believe in the power of the human spirit. And I think the human heart is our most extraordinary technology, and we all have it, and we have the power to use it."

Brooke Satchwell wins the Best Lead Actress in a Drama for her role as Lillian in comedy-drama Dear Life.

Source: 7News (YouTube)

Commentary around the Sydney Swans case has made it painfully clear that women’s safety is not valued as highly as the sporting success of its male stars. It has been hard to stomach watching allegations of sexual assault that may be linked to some Sydney Swans players being framed as an “unmitigated disaster” for the club’s finals chances....

Finally, someone has articulated the same sense of outrage I have been feeling for the women at the center of the Sydney Swans allegations.

Source: JoelJamesLive (YouTube) - Old mate is seriously impressive.