Global Pulse

标签： Oceania

大洋洲

  • Greens question Telstra $2.3bn profit after equipment claim in national outage

    Greens question Telstra $2.3bn profit after equipment claim in national outage

    Australia’s largest telecommunications provider Telstra is facing intense public and political backlash after a 12-hour nationwide service outage that disrupted critical emergency triple-0 services across the country, coming just months after the firm posted a $2.3 billion pre-tax annual profit. The outage last week marked the latest high-profile failure of a major Australian telecom, following a 2023 outage at competitor Optus that was linked to two preventable deaths when access to triple-0 was cut off.

    When the outage first occurred, Telstra CEO Vicki Brady — who was on personal holiday when the fault emerged — released a public statement attributing the widespread service collapse to an unexpected software glitch in the company’s internal time-tracking systems. Brady offered a full apology to Australian customers, acknowledging the central role Telstra services play in personal communication, business operations and public safety. “We know how much people rely on us to keep in touch, do their work, run businesses and stay safe. It’s extremely frustrating when mobile services aren’t available, and we’re deeply sorry for the impact this had on so many people,” Brady’s statement read. The company has committed to conducting a full internal investigation into the root cause of the failure.

    Political backlash has grown rapidly in the days since the outage, with Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young leading calls for accountability. Hanson-Young, who will chair a formal Senate inquiry launching Friday to investigate the incident, has raised sharp questions about Telstra’s profit-driven investment priorities, citing unconfirmed reports that the outage traces back to a $20,000 piece of outdated equipment that the company delayed replacing for years. Speaking on her weekly podcast Tuesday, Hanson-Young questioned how a company recording nearly a quarter of a trillion Australian dollars in annual profit could fail to invest in basic critical infrastructure. “If it is in fact true, then it really begs the question, how can a company that banked $2.3bn in profit last year, not keep its equipment up to date?” she said. “(That) has ended up costing the entire company … potentially billions of dollars more because of the massive failure.”

    Hanson-Young has gone further, calling for a fundamental rethink of how Australia manages critical emergency communications infrastructure, suggesting the nation’s triple-0 emergency system should be nationalized to prioritize public safety over corporate profit motives. “We should start considering whether we need to nationalise triple-0 built for the public interest, not the business model of the big telcos, who can pick and choose how much they want to invest in their systems,” she said. “How is it possible that there’s no legal requirement on these companies? This is political. It’s a political choice to force these companies to put their consumers first and public safety first, rather than just their profits.”

    Federal government officials have also joined in condemning Telstra, with Communications Minister Anika Wells noting that the company has long held a special position of public trust that is now at risk. “It’s time for Telstra to face the music,” Wells stated last week. “But, that trust really stands in peril today. It is going to take Telstra a lot of time and a lot of work to rebuild that trust with Australians.” Education Minister Jason Clare added that the company could face regulatory fines of up to 30 million Australian dollars for the failure, depending on the findings of official investigations.

    Alongside demands for accountability, the incident has also sparked unfounded misinformation, with One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce claiming without evidence that the outage may be linked to Chinese interference. Labor Party MPs have publicly rejected the baseless claim, pushing back against the unsubstantiated conspiracy theory.

  • ‘You can’t make that stuff up’: Benji Marshall fires back at false reports of a fractured relationship with Jarome Luai

    ‘You can’t make that stuff up’: Benji Marshall fires back at false reports of a fractured relationship with Jarome Luai

    Wests Tigers head coach Benji Marshall has publicly pushed back against fabricated media speculation that a personal rift with star playmaker Jarome Luai prompted the club’s controversial decision to release Luai from the final year of his contract. The decision, confirmed by the NRL club this past Saturday, has sent rugby league circles into a frenzy, with pundits and fans dissecting cryptic social media posts to uncover the root of Luai’s early exit.

    Luai, the Tigers’ co-captain, has already been locked in as the marquee signing for the PNG Chiefs when the expansion club enters the NRL competition in 2028. When he first signed that deal, both Luai and Marshall publicly reaffirmed that the five-eighth would see out his existing contract at Wests Tigers through the 2026 season, with Luai set to help the side end a more than decade-long finals drought. The sudden reversal to release him a year early has dominated rugby league headlines, prompting widespread unsubstantiated rumors of tension between Luai and his coach.

    In a blunt, on-the-record address, Marshall pushed back hard against those claims, labeling accounts of a fractured relationship between the pair as completely manufactured. “A lot of things have been made up, insinuated, or guessed in terms of our relationship,” Marshall said. “This process hasn’t just happened overnight. We’ve been talking for the last four or five weeks openly and honestly about where we’re at as a club, and also where we’re at in terms of Jarome and his role moving forward.”

    Marshall explained that Luai’s long-term commitment to join PNG was never a point of conflict, and the club had fully supported his decision to sign with the expansion side when it was first announced. The early release, he said, stemmed solely from a long-term strategic call to prioritize the development of the Tigers’ emerging young playmakers Javon Andrews and Latu Fainu. Holding back the pair for another 12 months to accommodate Luai, Marshall argued, would put the club’s future at risk by potentially losing the promising young talents.

    “What baffles me is that off a hint of a few things or a situation, people think you should have a rift on it. It’s not right. You can’t make that stuff up,” Marshall said. “I don’t mean this to anyone personally in here, but in the media, some shit has been made up that he and I have a fractured relationship, which is far from the truth. The best part about this whole thing is we’ve been open and transparent together on it and had open conversations as men.”

    Marshall also downplayed a recent social media comment from Luai’s father that had been interpreted by many as confirmation of a rift, noting that the relationship between player and coach remains solid. He added that Luai had responded to the decision with grace, even offering to structure his exit in a way that freed up salary cap space to benefit his current teammates at the Tigers.

    “To Jarome’s credit, he accepted it really well and even said he wanted to leave a parting gift to some of the players, so even though he goes, it benefits other players here. That speaks volumes of Jarome,” Marshall said. “The club can never repay Luai for what he’s done since he left Penrith to join us last season, and that the four-time premiership winner’s influence in the locker room will never be fully appreciated externally.”

    Luai will remain the Tigers’ starting five-eighth for the remainder of the 2026 NRL season, and Marshall is confident the playmaker will not attempt to poach current Tigers players to join him at the PNG expansion side. The coach also acknowledged that the club’s poor form—eight losses from 10 matches since Luai signed his PNG deal—has been partially his responsibility, saying he is still learning to manage off-field contract distractions as a first-time head coach.

    “As a coach, I probably need to learn how to manage those situations better and understand what the team needs to get us out of that. That’s something I’m constantly evolving and learning as not only a coach but as a man,” Marshall said. “The buck starts and stops at me as the coach. I said to the team it will become a distraction if we let it become a distraction, and I think I let the players down there where I probably let it become a distraction. We haven’t given up on making the finals for the first time since 2011, and we’re moving forward with this decision because it puts our club in the best position long-term.”

    Following his release from Wests Tigers at the end of the 2026 season, Luai is widely expected to sign a short-term deal with the Parramatta Eels for the 2027 season before joining the PNG Chiefs for their inaugural NRL campaign the following year.

  • AFL 2026: Melbourne is ‘getting close’ to ruling one of its decorated star’s out for the season

    AFL 2026: Melbourne is ‘getting close’ to ruling one of its decorated star’s out for the season

    The Melbourne AFL club is nearing a final call to wrap up veteran midfielder Jack Viney’s 2024 campaign, after a grueling season plagued by persistent Achilles and back injuries, senior coach Steven King has confirmed.

    A fan-favorite warrior of the club, Viney left the door open to a potential return as recently as last week, even as he acknowledged he had not yet mapped out a clear timeline to resume full running after his ongoing injury battles. Currently sitting sixth on the AFL ladder, the Demons are gearing up for a push through the final stretch of the regular season to secure a strong finals position, but club leadership has made clear that protecting Viney’s long-term health will always take priority over a rushed comeback this year.

    “I think it’s getting close to that point now,” King told reporters on the decision to rule Viney out for the remainder of the season. “Without speaking on Jack’s behalf, it’s getting to a point now where he has progressed to a level but whether it’s still on the table, we’ll have to sit down with the medical team and really nut that out. Obviously with each week that goes on it’s getting more and more difficult, but I’d love to have him out there. Especially at this time of year and what’s coming ahead for us, he’d be valuable. But we don’t want to compromise Jack in any way and his long-term health is going to be more important than trying to get him back just for this year. That’s something we still have to manage.”

    While Viney’s season looks all but over, the Demons have received promising injury updates on three other key players, with a return to the senior side on the near horizon for most.

    Veteran defender Christian Salem, who has been sidelined by a foot injury, recently made his comeback through Melbourne’s reserve VFL affiliate Casey, where he got through a full half of match play. King said the club is not rushing Salem’s return, but expects the experienced defender to push for senior selection in the coming weeks after he builds up more match fitness.

    “He got through a half so I think he’d need at least another week to play a full game,” King explained. “Without putting any timeline on it, just let him get back to feeling good again about playing after such a long time out. His experience and class is going to help us, so we just let him tick another box this week and then hopefully he puts his hand up for selection following that.”

    Two other key Demons players, Harrison Petty and Bayley Fritsch, are also on track to return this weekend. Petty pulled out as a late starter ahead of Melbourne’s victory over Richmond on Sunday due to a hamstring issue, while Fritsch sat out the entire round to recover from a finger injury. King confirmed the pair are slated to train fully on Thursday, and are expected to be available for selection for Melbourne’s Saturday afternoon clash against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium.

    “I expect them both to train on Thursday, hopefully they can both come back this week,” King said. “Which will be great to add a bit to our front end and put the squeeze on selection a little bit as well. We’re hoping they’re both available.”

  • Messi meets England at last with World Cup final place on the line

    Messi meets England at last with World Cup final place on the line

    After a storied 19-year international career spanning 200 appearances for Argentina, 39-year-old Lionel Messi will finally check one unfulfilled box off his legendary resume Wednesday: squaring off against England for the first time, with a place in the World Cup final hanging in the balance.

    Messi’s journey with the Albiceleste began far more dramatically than anyone could have predicted back in August 2005. Fresh off leading Argentina to an Under-20 World Cup title in the Netherlands and breaking into FC Barcelona’s senior squad just months prior, the 18-year-old wunderkind was handed his senior international debut by manager Jose Pekerman in a friendly against Hungary in Budapest. Coming on as a 64th-minute substitute to partner strike legend Hernan Crespo up front, Messi was shown a red card just 90 seconds later for an elbow offense, marking one of the most humbling debuts in modern international football.

    Crespo, Messi’s strike partner that day, later criticized the officiating for the harsh treatment of the young debutant, saying: “An 18-year-old kid who is making his debut for the national team and has so much hope — he can’t be punished like that. The referee needed to be more understanding.” That red card triggered a three-month suspension that forced Messi to miss a subsequent friendly against England in Geneva, a coincidence that set up the years-long wait for this first meeting.

    That long-awaited clash will finally kick off under the roof of Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with a spot in the World Cup final at stake. Speaking after Argentina’s quarter-final victory over Switzerland in Kansas City, Messi acknowledged the historic weight of the moment: “I have played against everyone except England and it is special because they are a major nation, a powerhouse, and it is always nice to play against a side like that, especially in a World Cup semi-final.”

    This match carries extra historic resonance for Argentina, recalling the iconic 1986 World Cup quarter-final between the two sides where Diego Maradona cemented his legacy with the infamous “Hand of God” goal followed by what many still call the greatest World Cup goal of all time – a solo run that sliced through half of England’s defense. Now, four years after Messi emulated Maradona by lifting the World Cup trophy in Qatar, he will look to channel that legendary magic against England once again.

    Entering this semi-final, Messi already holds the all-time record for most World Cup appearances at 32, and leads the tournament’s 2026 golden boot race with 21 total World Cup goals, one ahead of France captain Kylian Mbappe. He notched goals in nine consecutive World Cup matches before the quarter-final against Switzerland, where he stepped back into a playmaking role to let forward Julian Alvarez lead the attacking charge.

    For Argentina, a win on Wednesday would book their spot in a third World Cup final in four tournaments, and make them the first nation to retain the World Cup title since Brazil in 1962. Should Messi reach the final, he will match an achievement only Brazil great Cafu has pulled off in modern history – appearing in three consecutive World Cup finals, a mark even Maradona never hit, having only played in two.

    Messi emphasized the rarity of the moment, saying: “Getting to another semi-final is not a normal, mundane thing, so this is something we should really enjoy because we don’t know if it will happen again.”

    For the England side, the opportunity to face the player widely regarded as the greatest to ever step onto a football pitch is already being framed as a career-defining moment. Defender Nico O’Reilly, who is expected to start at left-back and mark Messi if he retains his place in the starting eleven, called the clash a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in comments to BBC Radio 5 Live: “He’s coming towards the end of his career. For me personally, he’s the best player to ever touch a football pitch. And yeah, I can’t wait for the challenge.”

  • Australian consumer confidence near 50-year lows despite slight July rise

    Australian consumer confidence near 50-year lows despite slight July rise

    A small uptick in Australian consumer confidence recorded in July is at serious risk of being erased by a new wave of rising fuel costs, shifting global oil market dynamics and looming interest rate changes, new economic surveys have revealed.

    The closely watched Westpac-Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment Index registered a 4.1% improvement between June and July, pushing the overall reading to 83.9 points. Despite this month-on-month gain, the index remains firmly in negative territory – any score below 100 signals a majority of consumers hold pessimistic views about the future, and the current reading sits near 50-year record lows.

    Matthew Hassan, Westpac’s head of Australian macro-forecasting, explained that the modest July improvement stemmed largely from consumers breathing a sigh of relief after worst-case economic scenarios – including extreme energy price spikes, aggressive interest rate hikes and widespread job losses – failed to materialize. “Some of the July improvement looks to be relief that ‘worst-case’ scenarios – around energy prices, interest rates and jobs – are not playing out,” he noted, adding that “however, family finances are clearly under intense pressure and the outlook is uncertain.”

    The temporary drop in national fuel prices was the single largest driver of the confidence bump. During the survey period, average retail petrol prices across Australia fell to $1.60 per litre, fully reversing the price surge triggered by the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East earlier this year. Consumers also reported slightly less anxiety about their personal financial outlook over the coming 12 months and growing confidence in job security, with Hassan adding that “while they are still downbeat on the economy, consumers are more comfortable about the labour market outlook.”

    Even with these small gains, consumer willingness to make large discretionary purchases remains stagnant: the subindex tracking attitudes toward buying major household goods held broadly steady at depressed levels, indicating households are still holding back on big spending.

    Crucially, the positive fuel price trend that supported the July gain was already reversed just days after the survey concluded. Global oil prices jumped 15% in the following days, climbing above $US84 per barrel, and new pressures are set to push pump prices even higher in the coming months. AMP economist My Bui projected that the confidence uptick will almost certainly be wiped out in next month’s reading, as the temporary benefits of stable interest rates and lower fuel prices fade. “Fuel prices look to increase further throughout July and August with the reintroduction of fuel excise and higher global oil prices, while we think the Reserve Bank has a high chance of raising the cash rate in August,” she explained.

    Geopolitical instability is adding extra uncertainty to the outlook. Hassan warned that consumer sentiment remains highly vulnerable to developments in the Middle East, noting that “sentiment also remains hostage to developments abroad, with daily responses showing a significant weakening as the situation in the Strait of Hormuz deteriorated over the course of the survey week.”

    In contrast to the gloomy household outlook, separate data from National Australia Bank (NAB) shows Australian business confidence has staged a notable recovery in recent months. The NAB Monthly Business Survey recorded a 9-point rise in business confidence in June, bringing the index to -5 points. While confidence still remains in negative territory, the reading marks a major rebound from the sharp drop recorded in March amid escalating Middle East tensions. Business conditions held steady at +3 points for the third consecutive month, matching earlier stable readings.

    NAB chief economist Sally Auld explained that fading fears over the economic impact of Middle East conflict and easing cost pressures have driven the uptick in business sentiment. “Business confidence has now recovered much of the sharp decline we saw in March, reflecting some easing of concerns around energy markets and as broader geopolitical risks have tempered,” she said.

    Auld added that businesses are reporting lower-than-expected inflation expectations tied to Middle East tensions, alongside improving profitability and broadly stable trading conditions. From a policy perspective, the survey offers encouraging signals for inflation management: the sharp spike in input cost growth recorded in March has largely reversed, and price increases have moderated across most Australian industries. “Labour costs remain elevated and margins are still under pressure, but the broader trend is toward easing capacity constraints and more moderate price growth,” Auld noted.

  • France and Spain prepare to duel at World Cup

    France and Spain prepare to duel at World Cup

    The stage is set for a blockbuster 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final showdown at Arlington, Texas’ AT&T Stadium on Tuesday, where two European football heavyweights, France and Spain, will battle it out for a coveted spot in the tournament’s final in New York.

    France, the only team in modern history to reach back-to-back World Cup finals, enters the clash with deep-rooted motivation to claim a historic third world title. Les Bleus lifted the trophy in 2018 in Russia, before falling agonizingly short in a penalty shootout against Argentina in the 2022 Qatar final, despite a memorable hat-trick from their star forward Kylian Mbappe. That bitter defeat in Doha still fuels the squad’s hunger, especially with a potential rematch against Messi’s Argentina looming if the South American side beats England in Wednesday’s second semi-final in Atlanta.

    Mbappe, currently tied with Lionel Messi at the top of the tournament’s Golden Boot race with eight goals, leads what many pundits call the most dangerous attacking lineup in the competition. Alongside the Real Madrid superstar sits Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele and dynamic English-born forward Michael Olise, whose blistering pace and tight dribbling skills stretch opposing defenses open, creating the space Mbappe needs to exploit. With talented backup options Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue, both of Paris Saint-Germain, waiting in the wings to add firepower off the bench, France’s attacking depth remains unmatched.

    This tournament also marks the final campaign for long-serving France head coach Didier Deschamps, who has led the national side for 14 years. One of only a handful of people to win the World Cup as both a player and a coach, Deschamps is desperate to cap his legendary tenure with a third world title, though he remains realistic about Tuesday’s challenge. Noting that Spain has beaten France in their last two consecutive meetings, Deschamps labeled his side the underdogs, pointing out that Spain have grown steadily stronger since their opening tournament draw against debutants Cape Verde. “Ever since then Spain have confirmed that they are the favourites,” Deschamps said.

    For Spain, the clash carries its own sense of destiny: the nation, despite its unparalleled footballing heritage, has only claimed one World Cup trophy, back in 2010 in South Africa. A new generation of young talent has this year’s squad widely tipped as title contenders, led by teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal, who celebrated his 19th birthday on the eve of the semi-final. The Barcelona winger, who inspired Spain to Euro 2024 glory last year, entered this World Cup still regaining match fitness after a hamstring injury, and looked rusty in the opening goalless draw with Cape Verde. He has found his rhythm as the tournament has progressed, however, claiming player-of-the-match honors in Spain’s tense 2-1 quarter-final victory over Belgium.

    Yamal made headlines last week after saying France, not Spain, should be afraid ahead of the tie, a comment that sparked widespread discussion. Appearing relaxed at Monday’s pre-match press conference, the teenager clarified his remarks, noting that he was simply responding to a question about whether he feared Mbappe and France’s attack. “We are European champions. It’s simply football,” Yamal said. The 19-year-old showed off a new jewel-encrusted necklace he bought to mark his birthday, but made clear what he really wants as a gift: a win on Tuesday and a place in the World Cup final. “The best gift would be a win on Tuesday and a trip to New York,” he added.

    Yamal isn’t the only advantage Spain brings into the tie: the teenager pointed to Spain’s recent winning record against France, with La Roja claiming 2-1 victory over Les Bleus in the Euro 2024 semi-final, followed by a dramatic 5-4 win in a 2025 Nations League semi-final. Unlike France’s all-out attacking approach, Spain has built their run to the semi-final on a combination of solid defensive organization and the trademark possession-based playing style that defined the great Spain teams of the 2000s and 2010s, masterfully restored by head coach Luis de la Fuente. Remarkably, Belgium’s quarter-final goal was the first Spain has conceded throughout the entire tournament, putting the onus on Mbappe and his attacking teammates to break down a disciplined, confident defense to advance.

  • Adelaide man jailed over attack on brother after ‘trivial and petty’ row

    Adelaide man jailed over attack on brother after ‘trivial and petty’ row

    A 37-year-old South Australian man has been handed a fixed non-parole period of five years behind bars after carrying out a brutal, premeditated attack on his own younger brother that left the victim clinging to life, and assaulted his own mother when she tried to intervene to stop the violence.

    Kane Swift’s violent rampage, which unfolded at his Elizabeth Park home on April 1, 2025, was sparked by what the sentencing judge described as a “trivial and petty” disagreement over moving household furniture. Court documents reveal that Swift was already waiting for his mother and brother when they arrived at his residence just after 12:30 pm that afternoon, armed with two kitchen knives that he held one in each hand before launching his assault.

    In graphic sentencing remarks delivered at the Supreme Court of South Australia on Monday, Justice Sandi McDonald laid out the full horrific details of the attack that shocked the local suburban community. “You immediately went after your brother and chased him around a car until he fell over,” Justice McDonald said in her address to the offender. “You then stabbed your brother in the stomach multiple times. When you attempted to pull the knife from your brother’s abdomen and he begged you to stop, you responded by saying ‘I want to see you slowly bleed out, you motherf**ker.’”

    After the repeated stabbings, Swift proceeded to choke his brother until he lost consciousness. When his mother rushed over to intervene, begging him to stop and warning he would kill his sibling, Swift reportedly replied, “Well, that’s what I wanna do.” As the 56-year-old woman tried to pull Swift off her injured son, the offender pushed her to the ground, causing her to hit her head, before tearing a large clump of hair directly from her scalp.

    Mr Drechsler, Swift’s brother, somehow regained consciousness mid-assault and managed to stagger across a nearby road, screaming for help from neighbours before collapsing against a tree. Undeterred, Swift retrieved a heavy metal pipe from his home and followed his victim, again attempting to choke him to death before neighbours who had responded to the calls for help were able to wrestle the weapon away from him.

    Instead of surrendering, Swift then fled the scene by stealing his brother’s Ford SUV, which had been left with the keys in the ignition. He reversed the vehicle at high speed directly toward his injured brother, who was still lying on the ground, before speeding away from the area erratically. The chase ended just minutes later when Swift crashed the SUV into a tree, bringing the vehicle to a stop.

    The court confirmed that both victims suffered lasting physical and emotional harm from the attack. Mr Drechsler was left with multiple deep stab wounds, fractured ribs, and a severe laceration to his hand that cut all the way through to the tendon, in addition to extensive soft tissue damage. Beyond the immediate physical injuries, Justice McDonald noted that the attack has caused irreversible damage to the entire family. Swift’s immediate family members have cut all ties with him, have refused to forgive his actions, and have made clear they want no further contact with him.

    Originally, Swift was charged with attempted murder, but prosecutors dropped that charge after he agreed to plead guilty to two reduced aggravated charges: intentionally causing serious harm, and recklessly causing harm. Justice McDonald acknowledged that Swift has expressed remorse for his actions, and that he had no prior criminal record, meaning the violence was out of character for him. The court also heard that the attack came after a sustained period of substance abuse, where Swift’s personal life had spiralled out of control amid addiction to drugs and alcohol.

    Despite these mitigating factors, Justice McDonald stressed that the sentence needed to reflect both the severity of the crime and the need to deter similar violent offending in the community. “Senseless acts of violence, particularly under the influence of intoxicating substances, are all too prevalent in the community,” she said. “The sentence that I impose must reflect the need for both personal and general deterrence and the need for the community to see that those who have engaged in such behaviour, particularly involving the use of knives, are adequately punished.”

    Swift was sentenced to eight years in prison on the leading charge of causing serious harm with intent, and five years on the second charge of recklessly harming his mother. Justice McDonald ordered that the sentences be served concurrently, setting a non-parole period of five years, meaning Swift will not be eligible for release before 2030.

  • Marat Ganiev: Man charged after missing teenager Isla Bell found dead at tip seeks rare stay of proceedings

    Marat Ganiev: Man charged after missing teenager Isla Bell found dead at tip seeks rare stay of proceedings

    A legal battle is unfolding in Victoria’s Supreme Court after a Melbourne man accused of tampering with a missing teenager’s remains is pushing to have the entire case thrown out, claiming the prosecution’s actions amount to a fundamental abuse of the court process. The case centres around 19-year-old Isla Bell, who disappeared without a trace from Melbourne in October 2024. Roughly six weeks after her disappearance, her partial remains were located at a Dandenong South waste depot, triggering a homicide investigation that has now reached a critical crossroads.

    Prosecutors initially advanced a serious manslaughter allegation against 55-year-old Marat Ganiev, claiming he killed Bell inside his St Kilda residence before hiding her body in a refrigerator and moving the container across multiple Melbourne locations. Forensic investigators, however, ran into significant dead ends during their examination of Bell’s remains: experts could not confirm an official cause of death, could not rule out death by drug overdose, and could not determine whether visible injuries on the body were inflicted before death or caused by a waste compactor after the remains were dumped at the depot.

    Weeks before Ganiev was set to stand trial on the manslaughter charge in May 2024, prosecutors made the rare decision to abandon the count, acknowledging publicly that there were no reasonable prospects of securing a conviction before a jury. Instead of closing the case entirely, prosecuting authorities later filed a new indictment charging Ganiev with attempting to pervert the course of justice, a charge directly tied to the alleged handling and concealment of Bell’s body after her death.

    When the case reached the Victorian Supreme Court on Tuesday, Ganiev’s senior barrister Sally Flynn KC told Justice James Elliott that the prosecution’s pivot from dropping the manslaughter charge to laying a new equally serious charge violates basic legal fairness. Flynn argued that the defense had always maintained the original manslaughter charge was legally unsound and doomed to fail. She told the court that after the defense pushed to have the first charge thrown out, prosecutors instead discontinued the original count and filed a new charge, creating an unfair outcome that justifies the extraordinary step of a permanent stay of proceedings.

    “It’s so unfair as to mean that this court ought take the extraordinary step of staying the prosecution,” Flynn stated in court. Outside the courtroom on Tuesday, dozens of supporters of Bell’s family gathered to rally, holding signs demanding justice for the 19-year-old, while members of Bell’s family sat inside the court gallery to observe the proceedings.

    Crown prosecutor Jeremy McWilliams pushed back against the defense’s application on Tuesday, arguing that permanent stays of prosecution are only granted in the most extreme, exceptional legal circumstances, and Ganiev’s case does not meet the required legal threshold. McWilliams noted that it is standard practice for prosecutors to regularly review the strength of cases as evidence evolves, and there is no proof that the defense’s pressure to dismiss the original manslaughter charge influenced the prosecution’s decision. “There’s nothing relevantly unfair about that process being undertaken in this case,” McWilliams said, adding that “Nothing in the way the case will proceed from here is different, new or unexpected.”

    Justice Elliott has reserved his decision on the defense’s application for a permanent stay, and will release his ruling at a later, unannounced date.

  • Origin Energy forced to repay thousands over misleading electricity saver plan

    Origin Energy forced to repay thousands over misleading electricity saver plan

    A major Australian energy retailer is set to issue hundreds of thousands of dollars in compensation after Australia’s competition regulator confirmed the company overcharged thousands of households on a misleadingly marketed plan. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has ordered Origin Energy to refund a total of $270,000 to 4,500 residential customers who were incorrectly billed on the provider’s so-called “ongoing savers” plan.

    The investigation into Origin’s pricing practices launched after consumer advocacy group Choice submitted formal complaints, raising alarms that energy suppliers across the country were using confusing, misleading plan names to falsely advertise cost savings to households. ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey explained that many customers who signed up for the “ongoing savers” plan ultimately ended up paying higher rates than customers on Origin’s basic, no-frills plan, directly contradicting the value promised by the plan’s branding.

    “Energy plans are inherently complex, with layered usage and supply charges that make it challenging for the average consumer to accurately compare potential savings across offerings,” Brakey noted. “It is the core responsibility of retailers to deliver clear, accurate information about their plans so consumers can make fully informed choices that fit their household budgets.”

    Under the remediation order, each affected household will receive an average refund of approximately $60, though impacted customers have the option to apply the amount as a credit to their future energy bills instead of claiming a cash refund. In an official statement following the regulator’s announcement, Origin Energy acknowledged the error and apologized to the affected customers, who make up just 0.5% of all customers enrolled in the “ongoing savers” plan. The company added that the average overcharge per affected household sat at roughly $28, and that it has already implemented internal pricing adjustments to prevent a repeat of the error, with refund disbursements currently underway.

    Beyond the Origin Energy case, the ACCC used the announcement to issue a broader warning to all Australian energy consumers: long-term loyalty to a single provider rarely benefits the customer, and instead pads the bottom lines of energy companies. The watchdog urged all households to proactively shop around for cheaper energy plans, noting that consumers can request a better rate directly from their current provider. Under Australian regulations, retailers are legally required to disclose how a customer’s existing plan pricing stacks up against the national regulated price safety net.

    Brakey encouraged consumers to take advantage of free, government-run energy comparison tools to find plans aligned with their specific usage needs, adding that the gap between the cheapest and most expensive energy plans on the market remains substantial, leaving hundreds of dollars in potential annual savings on the table for inactive customers.

  • ‘Hero, legend, sweetheart’: Tributes to Jurassic Park actor Sam Neill, who has died aged 78

    ‘Hero, legend, sweetheart’: Tributes to Jurassic Park actor Sam Neill, who has died aged 78

    The global entertainment community is mourning the sudden, unexpected passing of beloved New Zealand actor Sir Sam Neill, who died at the age of 78 in Sydney, Australia. His family confirmed the news in an official public statement, noting that Neill died peacefully surrounded by loved ones, carrying the quiet dignity that defined his decades-long public and private life.

    Neill first revealed a diagnosis of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a form of blood cancer, in 2023, when he announced he had begun ongoing monthly chemotherapy after the disease went into remission. Just three months prior to his death, in April 2026, Neill shared that a full-body scan showed no remaining cancer cells in his body, a status his family confirmed he maintained up until his sudden passing. In a statement released after his death, Neill’s family thanked medical staff who cared for him, and requested privacy as they grieve their immeasurable loss, noting that additional funeral details will be shared at a later date.

    Born Nigel John Dermot Neill in Omagh, Northern Ireland in 1947, Neill moved to New Zealand with his family as a young child. He adopted the stage name Sam at the age of 12 to avoid confusion with multiple other students named Nigel at his secondary school, and cut his acting teeth while studying at the University of Canterbury. He made his feature film debut in 1971’s *The City of No*, and earned his first international recognition for his leading role in 1977’s *Sleeping Dogs*—one of the first New Zealand films to secure wide global distribution. He relocated to Australia shortly after, where his star turn in 1979’s *My Brilliant Career* cemented his status as a rising leading man.

    Neill’s rise to global superstardom came in 1993, when he starred in two career-defining roles: the romantic lead in Jane Campion’s Oscar-winning drama *The Piano*, and the sharp, quick-witted palaeontologist Dr. Alan Grant in Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster cultural phenomenon *Jurassic Park*. He would go on to reprise the role of Dr. Grant in 2001’s *Jurassic Park III* and 2022’s *Jurassic World Dominion*, and even voiced the character for three *Jurassic Park* franchise video games. Beyond his iconic film roles, Neill earned widespread acclaim for his television work, most notably his portrayal of the corrupt, brutal Major Chester Campbell in the first two seasons of the hit BBC drama *Peaky Blinders*. Over a career that spanned more than 55 years, Neill accumulated more than 150 screen credits, with additional standout roles in *Dead Calm*, *The Hunt for Red October*, and *Event Horizon*. His final on-screen performances came in 2025, in the feature film *The Fox* and the Netflix series *Untamed*. Two posthumous releases, *Godzilla x Kong: Supernova* and *The Last Resort*, are scheduled to hit theaters in 2027.

    Honored for his contributions to the arts throughout his lifetime, Neill was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1991, named a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2007, and accepted a knighthood in 2022 after changes to New Zealand’s honors system allowed recipients to accept titular distinctions. After his cancer diagnosis in 2023, Neill released a memoir titled *Did I Ever Tell You This?*, where he opened up about his treatment and his perspective on mortality. In an interview with the BBC that year, he shared: “I’m not afraid of dying. What I don’t want to do is to stop living, because I really enjoy living. I’ve regarded it as an adventure, quite a dark adventure, but an adventure nevertheless.”

    Following the announcement of his death, tributes poured in from across the globe from political leaders, co-stars, and entertainment figures. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon called Neill “one of the greats,” noting that for more than half a century, Neill brought New Zealand stories to global audiences and helped grow the country’s film industry into one of its most celebrated cultural exports. Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern remembered Neill as “such a thoughtful, curious, and decent person,” adding that “we’ve lost another incredible kiwi, and I feel profoundly sad.” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote on X that Neill “starred in so many beloved Australian stories and he earned a special place in Australian hearts.”

    Longtime co-stars and collaborators also shared heartfelt remembrances. Laura Dern, who starred opposite Neill as Ellie Sattler in all three of his *Jurassic Park* franchise appearances, called him “my beloved lifetime friend,” writing: “He showed me the depths of loyalty, protectiveness and love always with the driest of wit. He was a true and noble gentleman, wrapped up in my dream leading man. I will love you forever, Dr Alan Grant.” Australian acting icon Toni Collette wrote: “I love you, dear Sam. You hero. You legend. You sweetheart. Our great friend. You are already missed so very much.” British actor Richard E. Grant, who counted Neill as a friend for 30 years, shared that Neill supported him through an incredibly difficult personal period, calling him “an officer and a gentleman in the truest sense.” *Jurassic World Dominion* director Colin Trevorrow remembered Neill as “a deeply soulful and beautiful man,” writing: “He was a friend and collaborator at a challenging time, and his strength gave us all strength. I’ll remember him for his tranquillity, his love of wine, and for the calm assuredness he brought to his characters. It’s not every lifetime you get to befriend a legend.” Global pop superstar Kylie Minogue paid her respects with the message “Vale [goodbye] Sam” paired with a broken heart emoji, while *Peaky Blinders* co-star Joe Cole simply posted “Rest in peace big dog.” Daisy Ridley, who will appear alongside Neill in the upcoming 2027 release *The Last Resort*, shared a personal photo of the pair to her Instagram story with three broken heart emojis.

    Sir Sam Neill is survived by his four children and eight grandchildren.