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Beau Lamarre-Condon visits McDonald’s drive-thru in van allegedly used to dispose of bodies, in CCTV shown to jury

22 October 2026 at 08:07

CCTV footage shows the police officer buying fast food, attending hospital, and visiting three separate Bunnings stores in the days after the alleged murder

Beau Lamarre-Condon ordered food from a McDonald’s drive-thru in a van allegedly used to dispose of two bodies, footage released by the court has shown.

Lamarre-Condon, 31, is accused of fatally shooting Sydney couple, Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, with his police service weapon in Baird’s Paddington home on 19 February 2024.

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© Photograph: NSW police

© Photograph: NSW police

© Photograph: NSW police

Airbnb guests freed from chores involving ‘significant effort’ under new global rules

Accommodation platform acts after long-standing guest complaints over doing dishes, taking out rubbish and stripping beds

Airbnb hosts will no longer be able to ask guests to strip beds or wash dishes under the accommodation platform’s new rules.

The changes, which apply to Airbnb reservations covered by the platform’s global policy, including bookings in Australia, will come into effect on 20 November and limit chores imposed on guests.

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© Photograph: Mikhail Sedov/Getty Images/iStockphoto

© Photograph: Mikhail Sedov/Getty Images/iStockphoto

© Photograph: Mikhail Sedov/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Man fined after 700 frozen and taxidermied animals found on Victorian property

22 October 2026 at 03:24

Antiques store owner, 74, pleads guilty to 13 charges after regulator uncovers hundreds of animals at his home and shop

The white-walled room packed with magpies, galahs and sulphur-crested cockatoos, foxes and possums is eerily quiet. As a video pans across shelves filled with these and many other species, there is no flapping or squawking or hissing; the animals are frozen and silent.

They are among the more than 700 native animals that were found illegally taxidermied and frozen that were seized from the property of a Victorian antiques store owner last year.

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© Photograph: Conservation Regulator Victoria

© Photograph: Conservation Regulator Victoria

© Photograph: Conservation Regulator Victoria

Man charged after allegedly making threats at Hannah Beazley’s electorate office while armed with nunchucks

Perth man charged with ‘being armed in a way that may cause fear’ – days after Helen Haines was allegedly attacked with 4WD outside her Victorian office

A man has been charged after allegedly threatening staff and wielding nunchucks at the electoral office of the Western Australian local government minister, Hannah Beazley.

The Perth incident came days after the federal independent MP Helen Haines was hospitalised with severe injuries following an alleged attack outside her electorate office in Wangaratta in Victoria on Monday.

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© Photograph: Richard Wainwright/AAP

© Photograph: Richard Wainwright/AAP

© Photograph: Richard Wainwright/AAP

‘Almost looks fake’: two Sydney beaches closed after whale carcass washes up

22 October 2026 at 04:15

Swimming banned at Maroubra and Coogee while council prioritises ‘culturally respectful’ approach to remains

A whale carcass has forced the closure of two busy swimming and surfing spots after washing up between Coogee and Maroubra beaches in Sydney – but there are no plans to remove it.

The whale’s heavily decomposed body was found on Thursday morning at Lurline Bay, a rocky cove surrounded by cliffs in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

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© Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

© Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

© Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

Sam Wood makes bid for bail to supreme court over domestic violence charges

Former reality star and wellness influencer stands accused of choking and assaulting wife at Noosa in Queensland

Former reality television star Sam Wood will go to the Queensland supreme court seeking release from custody, more than two weeks after he was denied bail over allegations he choked and assaulted his wife.

Wood, a 46-year-old wellness influencer from Melbourne, was arrested at Noosa on 4 October on domestic violence allegations.

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© Photograph: Joe Castro/AAP

© Photograph: Joe Castro/AAP

© Photograph: Joe Castro/AAP

House prices falling in every Australian capital city for first time in 15 years

House prices in Sydney are at a two-year low after falling 4.7% in the September quarter to $1.66m, according to Domain report

House prices are falling across every capital city for the first time in 15 years and the second time on record, according to figures from Domain’s September Quarter 2026 House Price report.

House prices in Sydney are at a two-year low after falling 4.7% in the September quarter, to $1.66m.

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© Photograph: Diego Fedele/AAP

© Photograph: Diego Fedele/AAP

© Photograph: Diego Fedele/AAP

‘Huge moment’: long-awaited extension to Sydney’s metro line to open next week

21 October 2026 at 21:01

The south-west metro extension will open on Friday 30 October, more than two years after the former T3 heavy rail line closed

A long-awaited extension to Sydney’s metro line will open next week, bringing an end to more than two years of replacement buses for residents in the city’s south-west.

In a video shared on Instagram on Thursday morning, the New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, announced that the south-west metro extension would open on Friday 30 October. In a statement, the government said the first service would commence at 4.31am.

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© Photograph: Bianca De Marchi/AAP

© Photograph: Bianca De Marchi/AAP

© Photograph: Bianca De Marchi/AAP

NSW passes ‘human compost’ laws with several MPs saying they will utilise practice after they die

21 October 2026 at 20:37

Australia-first laws provide a third legal option other than burial and cremation for the treatment of bodies

Several New South Wales MPs say they want their own bodies turned into “human compost” after Australian-first laws were passed allowing the unusual practice.

The laws, passed on Wednesday, provide a third legal option other than burial and cremation for the treatment of bodies.

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© Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

© Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

© Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Labor, Coalition and crossbench MPs afraid at home and work after alleged attack on Helen Haines

Home and office safety a common concern in Australian federal police and Asio safety briefings with politicians following alleged attack on MP Helen Haines

Security agencies will review safety precautions for MPs’ homes and offices after numerous federal politicians told police and Asio in safety briefings that they were worried about widening threats after the alleged attack on Helen Haines.

The Labor government and politicians across the parliament are still considering how they will respond when they return to Canberra next week, with ideas being floated including a new committee on MPs’ safety, greater resources for police, and motions of condolence for Haines, who lost both her legs after Monday’s incident. Renewed calls from the crossbench for reforms to question time and the tone of debate in parliament are unlikely to be taken up by the major parties.

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© Photograph: James Ross/EPA

© Photograph: James Ross/EPA

© Photograph: James Ross/EPA

Majority of Australians who report penicillin allergy not truly allergic

21 October 2026 at 15:00

Peak body for immunologists changes guidelines as evidence shows up to 90% of those reporting allergy don’t have one

The majority of Australians who report a penicillin allergy are not truly allergic, prompting the peak body for immunologists to change its guidelines in a bid to reduce hospital stays and tackle antimicrobial resistance.

Penicillin, one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics in Australia, was thought to cause allergies in 10% of Australians, or about 2.8 million people.

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© Photograph: Ange/Alamy

© Photograph: Ange/Alamy

© Photograph: Ange/Alamy

Soft-spoken David Pocock has big ambitions – but first he wants politicians to ‘double down’ on kindness

21 October 2026 at 08:55

Independent senator’s goals ‘much bigger’ than prime ministership, he reveals in first speech to National Press Club

He’s six foot tall and full of muscle, but David Pocock’s real strength is often sounding like the most sensible, commonsense voice in the room.

At his first speech to the National Press Club on Wednesday, he said he wasn’t launching a bid for prime minister – no matter how much some people might like the softly spoken senator to have more say in federal politics.

A 25% tax on gas exports, which he said could fund anything from boosting welfare to health reforms and aged care.

A 5% levy on datacentres to capture more benefits from the AI boom.

Transparency reforms to shine a light on lobbyists, secret meetings with politicians and vested interests.

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© Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

© Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

© Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Helen Haines has lost both legs after alleged attack but ‘her heart and mind are in good shape’, husband says

Haines is in stable condition. Surgeons tried to save her right leg but both have now been amputated due to injuries

The independent MP Helen Haines has lost both legs but remains in a stable condition, two days after an alleged targeted attack near her electorate office in north-east Victoria.

Haines, the federal MP for Indi, had been in a critical but stable condition after she was struck by a car in Wangaratta on Monday afternoon. Surgeons were trying to save her right leg on Tuesday, but both legs had to be amputated due to the seriousness of her injuries.

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© Photograph: Jay Kogler/Reuters

© Photograph: Jay Kogler/Reuters

© Photograph: Jay Kogler/Reuters

AFP warns Australia of ‘tsunami of youth crime’ and radicalisation accelerated by AI

21 October 2026 at 06:18

Children as young as 12 among dozens subject to federal police operations since 2020, parliamentary inquiry hears

Australia is facing a “tsunami” of youth crime as artificial intelligence accelerates the pace and scale of radicalisation, a parliamentary inquiry has heard.

The Australian federal police acting deputy commissioner Sandra Booth told the hearing on Wednesday that, while radicalisation had traditionally taken years or months, that process could now happen within days.

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© Photograph: Oleg Elkov/Getty Images/iStockphoto

© Photograph: Oleg Elkov/Getty Images/iStockphoto

© Photograph: Oleg Elkov/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Australia’s largest datacentre operator NextDC’s shares dive as Melbourne expansion delayed

NextDC tells investors plans to double the size of its west Melbourne datacentre have hit obstacle after community objects to 22 metres-high power poles

Australia’s largest datacentre operator has been forced to delay the controversial expansion of its M3 site in Melbourne’s west amid a pause in construction of new 22m power poles following community protest.

On Wednesday, NextDC told the Australian Stock Exchange that delays to electricity provider Jemena’s upgrade of the power poles – essential to delivering the increased electricity required by the expanded West Footscray site – would mean the expansion would be pushed back to the 2027/2028 financial year.

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© Photograph: Christopher Hopkins/AAP

© Photograph: Christopher Hopkins/AAP

© Photograph: Christopher Hopkins/AAP

Beau Lamarre-Condon allegedly played Taylor Swift’s No Body, No Crime during body disposal, court told

21 October 2026 at 06:23

Friend of accused double murderer tells supreme court that van had lemony smell and blue tarp in back before Bunnings stop

Beau Lamarre-Condon played Taylor Swift’s song No Body, No Crime while attempting to dispose of two corpses, a court has heard.

The NSW supreme court has been told he was driving to Bungonia with a friend when the song was played in the van.

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© Photograph: NSW Supreme Court

© Photograph: NSW Supreme Court

© Photograph: NSW Supreme Court

Fast-fashion giant Shein outperforms several Australian retailers on ethics, report says

21 October 2026 at 03:36

Ghanda and Windsor Smith are among lowest-rated in Baptist World Aid ethical fashion report based on metrics such as wages and sustainability

Online fast-fashion giant Shein is outperforming many Australian high street retailers on ethical standards, according to an industry review.

The 11th Baptist World Aid ethical fashion report, released on Tuesday, assessed the ethical practices of 138 Australian and international companies, representing 543 fashion brands.

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© Photograph: Tingshu Wang/Reuters

© Photograph: Tingshu Wang/Reuters

© Photograph: Tingshu Wang/Reuters

No bail for alleged Helen Haines attacker as police chief warns of Australia’s ‘febrile’ political environment

AFP commissioner says MPs are generally concerned about growing volume of abuse and intimidation

The head of the Australian federal police has condemned a “febrile” political environment that has seen one person charged every week over the alleged threatening of MPs, as Victoria announces new steps to protect politicians.

But the AFP and Victoria police insist they had no intelligence to suggest 43-year-old Brendan Nugent would go on to allegedly drive a Toyota LandCruiser into the independent MP Helen Haines in a targeted attack.

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© Photograph: PR IMAGE

© Photograph: PR IMAGE

© Photograph: PR IMAGE

Odds of fifth interest rate hike this year shorten as RBA deputy warns inflation outlook ‘worsening’

Andrew Hauser says central bank faces ‘hard choices’ as it looks to balance risks of entrenched inflation with desire to protect labour market

The chance of a fifth interest rate hike on Melbourne Cup day has jumped after Andrew Hauser, the Reserve Bank’s deputy governor, warned of “hard choices” amid a “materially worse” inflation outlook.

Hauser, speaking at an investment bank conference in Sydney on Wednesday morning, said the RBA monetary policy board members were juggling a slowing economy with fears that Australians were starting to lose faith in the central bank’s ability to bring inflation back to the 2.5% target.

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© Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

© Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

© Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

‘I forgot to pay’: Victoria’s premier Ben Carroll drives off without paying for petrol, sparking police inquiries

After being contacted by officers, politician says, he has paid bill and is ‘grateful for the team at the servo for their understanding’

On Tuesday night, Ben Carroll received a phone call: police were looking for him.

The Victorian premier had met with the state’s police commissioner earlier that morning – so he wasn’t exactly hard to find.

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© Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

© Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

© Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

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