Coalition back together
The Liberals and Nationals are officially back together, announcing their new shadow ministry. Meanwhile, the Albanese government is facing blowback for approving the extension of Australia's largest gas project.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
21 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Albion family reveal how rare reno move helped smash price record
An Albion family who spent years plotting the perfect renovation for their home have smashed the suburb's house price record by almost $150,000. Owners Dean and Emily were nervous as the home went under the hammer, and when it started out slowly with a $1.2m vendor bid needed to get buyers involved. But with a crowd close to 150 watching, the bids for their 33 Adelaide St home kept coming as three buyers pushed it to $1.402m. CoreLogic records show 34 Burnewang St set the previous house price benchmark for Albion at $1.255m in 2021. The record-result for Emily and Dean followed a painstaking renovation in which they spent years getting a feel for where the sun would be at different times of year, mapping out what was needed in an extension and borrowing the idea for a scissor truss roof over the rear from popular TV show Grand Designs. The pair said a big part of the result was the exhaustive effort they put into renovating it, more than doubling the size of the interior floorplan as well as installing energy efficient features — and even a series of openable skylights. 'We have lived through it every step of the way, when it was hard and cold and hot, we have had the dogs and the kids getting into the mud and the dirt, and it's nice to put a full stop on it and see it through to the finish.' Dean said. 'Every time you do another one, you find out more of what works and what doesn't. This one was a bit more involved than the last time, but we have a much better idea of what works and doesn't — and the next one will be even better.' But first they're planning a holiday. 'We need that break before we channel all our energy into the next project,' Emily said. Ray White Sunshine's Marcus Fregonese handled the sale and said the result had been a bit of a shock — with bidding becoming so fierce he only got a chance to call it on the market at $1.35m, well after it reached the point of sale. 'They have done an unbelievable job, it's a renovation you just don't see around here — it's something you might see in Northcote or Brunswick,' Mr Fregonese said. A local family bought the home, with the result something he said should give any owners thinking of a reno the confidence to do so.
ABC News
30 minutes ago
- ABC News
Yalgoo residents wary of new FI Joint Venture iron ore mine's groundwater impacts
Residents of a small inland community in Western Australia fear plans by a Chinese-backed company to build a large iron ore mine will cause irreversible damage to their underground water supply and damage a historic tourist hotspot. FI Joint Venture (FIJV) received environmental approval last year to build a 310-million-tonne open pit iron ore mine less than 20 kilometres from Yalgoo, a small Mid West WA community with historic roots in mining and pastoral operations. FIJV is owned by Hong Kong-based joint venture company Mineral Investment Technology Group (MITG), with shareholders in the Sultanate of Oman. Yalgoo residents are worried about the impact of the planned mine on their groundwater, and the potential destruction of the historic Jokers Tunnel tourist attraction, a tunnel carved through solid rock by pioneering gold miners in the 1800s. The Yogi mine has received a groundwater licence to extract 4.5 gigalitres each year from the region. A gigalitre is 1 billion litres of water. The Environmental Protection Authority has instructed that there must be "no impact to quantity or quality of the Yalgoo Water Reserve" and "no adverse impacts to nearby groundwater users identified at risk within the drawdown area, including pastoral stations for stock use". Shire of Yalgoo chief executive Ian Holland said he was worried. "The paleochannels are not terribly well known. We won't see the effects of the drawdown and de-watering of the mine until it has physically happened," Mr Holland said. "There's unfortunately no way of knowing until the water starts getting pumped out. "It will definitely affect stock water. Chances are more bores will be needed in different areas." After identifying that several bores used to water livestock could be impacted by FIJV plans, the company said it would find an alternative water supply for any impacted pastoralists. The shire has lodged an objection in WA's mining Wardens Court against FIJV's plans for mining in the Yalgoo area, which Mr Holland said could result in mining of a hill containing the tourist attraction Jokers Tunnel, placing it at risk of destruction. Mr Holland said the shire had unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate compensation from the company if the tunnel were destroyed. "We would like to see it protected into the future; it is a fantastic cultural and local tourist spot that has existed for the past 100 years," he said. Mr Holland said he hoped the prospect of the mine's 1,000 workers "just up the road" in a camp would benefit the small town of 300 people, which had a pub, a shop and a nursing post. He said the shire was hoping for co-location of essential services, such as healthcare. He also hoped some people working at the mine would choose to live in Yalgoo, rather than a fly-in, fly-out, or drive-in, drive-out to the mining camp. But he said the miner would build its own airstrip rather than using the existing facility in Yalgoo. Trucks carrying iron ore from inland mines to the closest port in Geraldton pass through Yalgoo every few minutes. Along with its Yogi magnetite iron ore mine, FIJV wants to construct a 250-kilometre slurry pipeline from the mine to the Geraldton port as a way to transport the mineral. It also plans a return water pipeline and a gas supply pipeline from Dampier in the north to the Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline in the south. Mr Holland welcomed a proposal that would not put more trucks on the road. But he said the prospect of an above-ground pipeline through the shire presented concerns for livestock and native animal movement, and bushfire control. "It would be nice to see co-investment for things like rail," he said. In a statement, FIJV director Leon Taylor said the company was confident and excited about its mining development in the Yalgoo area, saying it would benefit the community and the region. Mr Taylor said the shire's concerns about groundwater impact were misplaced. "The water licence was granted subject to anticipated and strict conditions, including monitoring, and the company will comply with all conditions," a statement read. Mr Taylor said the mining warden had asked the shire to produce statements in support of its objections by July 4, 2025. He said the company would consider any written statements that it received from the shire, but could not comment further while the process was still in the Wardens Court. Earlier this year, FIJV announced an agreement with Green Iron and Steel Australia to develop a magnetite processing hub, producing shippable hot briquetted iron as part of a supply chain for low-emission steel production.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
New claim that William Tyrrell person of interest ‘took that little boy' 250km away from where he went missing
A second person has come forward alleging a 'person of interest' in the William Tyrrell investigation was identified by his own brother as being involved in the three-year-old's disappearance The woman, Donna Bulley, said she reported this to police months after William was reported missing in September 2014, but it was not followed up by detectives. The NSW Police Force has instead focused on William's foster mother in recent years but has not charged anyone over what took place and has been described in court as having 'no forensic evidence' and 'no eyewitness'. The person of interest, Frank Abbott, is currently in prison for child sex offences against multiple victims. Detectives investigating William's disappearance did not focus on Abbott until around 2019, years after Ms Bulley attempted to tell police about him. Recorded prison phone calls from November 2019 reveal police suggested Abbott 'borrowed somebody's car and went down, enticed [William] out with lollies and ice cream out of the yard'. He has privately denied any involvement, however, and is not suggesting the new allegations about his brother are true, just that they have been made and have not been followed up by police. Abbott was also never questioned at the inquest investigating what happened to William, with the coroner ordering her decision on whether to do so cannot be made public. Our investigative podcast Witness: William Tyrrell spoke to dozens of people about Abbott, including two men who now live in his old house in the town of Johns River, a short drive from Kendall, where William was last seen. Last month, we revealed the older of these men said Abbott's late brother Jeffrey – also known as Bluey – 'always said, when the stories were going around with Tyrrell, that he didn't do it. '[But] pretty close to when he died, Bluey said to my son, 'He did do it … and he's buried up on Big Bird Mountain there, where that big tree is '. 'No one ever checked that out.' The man's son said he did not remember the conversation, saying instead that Jeffrey Abbott 'didn't … believe Frank had anything to do with it. 'But … I think he was under the belief that Frank needed the jail time,' he continued. 'He deserved to be in jail because of things he'd done in his past.' The new alleged witness, Ms Bulley, came forward last week, after we reported this disputed claim. Ms Bulley said she had been working in the Royal Hotel in Kew, a small town a few kilometres from where William was reported missing and where Abbott was often seen around the time. A regular customer 'got talking a bit and he said, 'Have you seen that bloody Frank Abbott around love?', said Ms Bulley. 'And I went, 'Actually, now that you say that, no I haven't'. He went, 'No, that's because the bastard's in jail'. 'He said, 'His brother Bluey told me that he took that little boy to Tamworth the next day',' Ms Bulley continued. 'I rang the police and I told them what he said. They rang me back … and I missed the call and then I rang them back and left a message and nobody ever got back to me.' Ms Bulley said this conversation took place in late 2014 or early 2015. Abbott was jailed over unrelated child sex charges in April 2015 – seven months after William was reported missing. Her account does differ from that of the first person to allege Jeffrey Abbott claimed his brother was involved. That man claimed William was said to have been buried near a local landmark known as the Bird Tree, while Ms Bulley claimed William was said to have been taken to Tamworth. Other evidence before the inquest alleges a close friend of Abbott called Ray Porter claimed to have given 'my best mate' and William Tyrrell a lift in his car, driving them 300 kilometres north. Tamworth is about 250km northwest of Kendall. Other evidence heard at the inquest suggests Abbott did travel to Tamworth along with 'a little boy', although this was not confirmed. Other evidence before the inquest also said Abbott repeatedly claimed to know where William was, suggesting various places linked to other potential suspects. Mr Porter, as well as Abbott's brother Jeffrey, have died in the years since William's disappearance, while the age of the customer identified by Ms Pulley makes it possible he too has died. The inquest into William's disappearance has been running for almost five years, with its findings still not expected for months. The police investigation has been running for over ten years, yet no one has been charged. The NSW Police Force, Coroner's Court of NSW and Abbott have all declined to answer questions. Abbott has claimed in court that he is no longer a person of interest to the investigation but this has not been confirmed.
