Lord Howe Island's palms challenge Darwin's evolutionary theory
Members of the National party have voted for David Littleproud to stay on as party leader after facing a challenge from Matt Canavan. Earlier the Prime Minister unveiled his new look cabinet while most high-profile ministers will remain in their roles, Anthony Albanese has swapped around some key portfolios after Labor's landslide election victory.
Darkinjung was considered an endangered Aboriginal language, but community elders on the NSW Central Coast hope a new program for preschool students will change that.
In the North of Victoria, along the Murray River, Barmah National Park is blooming. Ecologists are celebrating the return of animal and plant species which haven't been seen in the national park for years. The reason behind the bounce back is simple, the removal of hundreds of feral horses.
Elizabeth Wray and Rohan Samara are two of the thousands of children evacuated from Vietnam at the fall of Saigon 50 years ago as part of Operation Babylift. They're embarking on a quest to find their biological families.
The number of women playing team sport continues to rise, but facilities aren't keeping up. A southern Tasmanian cricket club says it risks losing players unless it gets help to upgrade its change rooms.
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News.com.au
24 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Labor confirms international student cap will rise with focus on Southeast Asia
The international student cap in Australia will increase from next year with an extra 25,000 placements on offer for universities. The Albanese government has announced this week that 295,000 places, up from 270,000, will be available after it was forced to limit enrolments in 2024 due to record migration that led to a spike in home rental prices. Students from Southeast Asia will be prioritised in ongoing efforts to boost engagement with the region, a close strategic partner of Australia. Universities will receive the same allocation next year as they did in 2025 and can apply to have their allotment increased if they can prove domestic and international students have 'access to safe and secure housing' and increased engagement with Southeast Asia. International students moving from secondary schools in Australia to publicly-funded universities or TAFE are exempt from the cap. Education Minister Jason Clare said the international education sector is an 'incredibly important export' to Australia but the growth has to be managed to ensure its sustainability. 'International education doesn't just make us money, it makes us friends,' he said. 'This is about making sure international education grows in a way that supports students, universities and the national interest. 'The new planning level gives the sector certainty to continue delivering a high-quality educational experience to international students, while addressing national priorities.' Data from the Department of Home Affairs showed there were more than 257,000 student visa applications in 2024-25, with just over 234,000 granted. The Coalition had argued during the federal election for a limit of 240,000 international student placements, 30,000 less than Labor's policy.
West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
Australian consumers unlikely to see US beef on supermarket shelves as giants support local farmers
Australia's major supermarkets and fast food chains have no plans to stock beef from Canada or Mexico and slaughtered in the US, despite the Albanese Government lifting a long-standing import ban last month. The Federal Government last month controversially ended a 22-year-old ban on beef from Canadian and Mexican cattle slaughtered in the United States, declaring the move followed a decade-long scientific review and posed no risk to food safety. But leading retailers — including Woolworths, Coles, Aldi and McDonald's — have confirmed they will continue sourcing 100 per cent of their beef from Australian producers, with no intention of selling imported meat. A Woolworths spokesperson said the supermarket sourced about seven per cent of the nation's total beef production and remained committed to its local-first approach. 'We apply an Australian-first approach, and 100 per cent of our fresh red meat is sourced directly from Australian farmers, with whom we have long-standing relationships,' he said. 'We have no plans to change that approach.' A Coles spokeswoman echoed Woolworths commitment to provide local beef, and said there would be no changes to its meat supply or products made available to customers. 'At Coles, we continue to partner with top beef producers across Australia to bring our customers the high-quality, 100 per cent Australian-sourced Coles brand fresh beef that they enjoy today,' she said. An Aldi spokeswoman also confirmed the chain has no plans to change its position in sourcing meat from Australian farmers. American fast-food giant McDonald's has also thrown its support behind local beef producers — choosing to shun US beef for its burgers. Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins announced the removal of the ban in July on the basis of a 'rigorous' and decade-long review based on science, and declared any food coming into Australia was 'safe'. The Nationals leader David Littleproud called for an independent review of the Federal Government's decision to lift the beef ban, and said he was concerned biosecurity standards were being 'sacrificed' for a meeting with US President Donald Trump. But the call for an independent inquiry into the import decision was knocked back in the Senate last week. Myalup beef producer and WAFarmers livestock president Geoff Pearson also questioned lifting of the beef ban and said he would like to see the detail behind the Federal Government's move. 'The biggest concern is that they preach the fact that the science has been done and there's no biosecurity risk to industry,' he said. Mr Pearson said he was not concerned with the importation of US beef affecting the price of local beef, with Australia exporting more beef into the US than there is US product coming into Australia. 'The effect for the bottom line of Australian producers is fairly limited,' he said. The ban lift came just before Australia was hit with a 10 per cent tariff on exports to the US — the lowest tier under a tariff schedule introduced during Donald Trump's presidency.
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
First Nations group launches bid to protect Victoria Park from Olympic stadium development
An application to prevent the development of a 63,000-seat Olympic stadium at Brisbane's Victoria Park has been lodged with the federal government. The Yagara Magandjin Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC), which lodged the application, considers it "one of the city's most important First Nations sites". The Queensland government's decision to proceed with plans to construct the stadium for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games has been met with some criticism. YMAC spokesperson and Yagarabul elder Gaja Kerry Charlton said the group was "resolute" to protect the site. "[Victoria Park] Barrambin is living Country … we know this place is of great significance and history … it was a complete shock when the premier came out with his stadium plans," she said. The application — made under Section 10 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act (ATSIHP) — allows the Commonwealth to declare long-term protection of a significant Aboriginal area. ATSIHP predates the Mabo decision and the Native Title Act and does not grant property rights. Rather than be presided over by the court, a decision to approve or reject the request lies with the federal environment minister. If the minister is satisfied that a specific area is of significance and under threat, they may issue a legally binding order to protect it. In this case, the application will be decided on by Environment Minister Murray Watt. In a statement, a spokesperson from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water said the application was received on Tuesday morning. "The department is currently reviewing this application and will take all standard steps to progress it, including engaging with the applicant, the proponent and the Queensland government," they said. The 60-hectare park is managed by Brisbane City Council, but legislation passed by the Queensland government last month to exempt venues for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games from planning laws will see the site converted to a 63,000-seat stadium. In a statement, a state government spokesperson said the new laws underpin the delivery of Games infrastructure. 'The new laws provide a bespoke process that recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage matters, incorporating engagement and consultation with relevant parties and preparation of a cultural heritage management plan," they said. Yagara elder Uncle Steven, who consulted on the application to the federal government, said there were "not many places left around south-east Queensland that still contain that significance in cultural heritage". "If that [stadium] goes ahead, we lose part of our history," he said. "It's not only First Nations history, it's Australia's history, Brisbane's history."
