Seven teens arrested and questioned over stabbing deaths of Dau Akueng and Chol Achiek
Benita Kolovos
Seven teenagers have been arrested and are being questioned over the stabbing deaths of 15-year-old Dau Akueng and 12-year-old Chol Achiek earlier this month.
Police on Friday confirmed homicide squad detectives raided homes in Melton South, Thornhill Park, Caroline Springs, Sunbury, Wollert, Hillside and Sydenham and arrested the seven teens.
They are a 19-year-old Thornhill Park man; a 19-year-old Caroline Springs man; an 18-year-old Wollert man; three 16-year-old boys and a 15-year old boy, all from the north west suburbs of Melbourne.
They are now being interviewed by police.
Key events
Penry Buckley
NSW opens fast-charging electric bus depot in Australian first
The NSW government has announced the first conversion of a major Sydney bus depot to electric fast-charging technology as part of its efforts to electrify the state’s 8,000-strong fleet.
The Brookvale bus depot in the northern beaches has been fitted out with Australia’s first gantry-mounted charging systems. A mechanical arm connects the buses to overhead power lines via a “pantograph”, similar to the system used to power trains. An electric bus recharges in 20 minutes to an hour, providing up to 300km of travel.
The NSW transport minister, John Graham, says the program has begun in the northern beaches, which has faced serious issues with bus shortages:
The Northern Beaches experienced the worst of the bus driver shortage … and also lost high-capacity bendy buses when they had to be withdrawn from service for body work. Bus passengers here can look forward to a brighter, all-electric future.
As of August this year, greater Sydney had 220 electric buses in operation. Brookvale, the first of Sydney’s 11 bus depots to be fitted out, has 13 electric buses in service, although the government says the 13 charging stations and eight plug in-chargers will support 229.
AMA Queensland opposes the pill testing ban
The Australian Medical Association of Queensland opposes the ban and warned it could put lives at risk, AAP adds. AMA Queensland President Nick Yim said:
We are disappointed with the government’s move to ban pill testing. Pill testing provides an opportunity for individuals to have a conversation with a health professional about their drug use.
As doctors, we are concerned we’ll see an increase in presentations to our emergency departments, particularly in the upcoming summer festival season, where we know people may use drugs.
Queensland bans pill testing despite warnings crackdown puts lives at risk
Queensland has become the first Australian state to ban pill testing, with medical experts warning the move could cost lives, AAP reports.
The legal crackdown follows state government moves to scrap $1.5m in public funding for pill-testing services run by CheQpoint – one in Brisbane, the other on the Gold Coast – forcing services to close in April.
The ban passed in state parliament late Thursday night makes any pill-testing operations illegal.
The health minister, Tim Nicholls, said:
The Crisafulli Government has a zero-tolerance approach to illicit drugs. I want to make it absolutely clear that there is no safe way to take illegal drugs and this government does not support publicly or privately funded pill testing.
Drug-checking services send the wrong message to Queenslanders.
Some services or trials remain in place in the ACT, Victoria and NSW. Queensland was the first state to establish a fixed pill-testing strategy by the ALP.
Jordyn Beazley
Bocsar chief says small number of charges highlights complexity surrounding such abuse
Jackie Fitzgerald, the executive director of Bocsar said:
The small number of charges highlights the complexity of investigating and prosecuting this form of abuse.
With a median time of 131 days from the police report to charge, it’s clear that building a prosecutable case under this new legislation requires time, evidence, and a deep understanding of the patterns of behaviour involved.
Fitzgerald said the true test of the legislation will come when a case that proceeds to trial for the first time allows “the courts to examine the evidence, interpret the law, and set important precedents for how coercive control is prosecuted in NSW”. She added:
In the first 12 months, only three coercive control charges were finalised in court.
In two cases, the charges were withdrawn by prosecution. And in the third case, the defendant pleaded guilty, meaning no contested charges have yet been tested through the judicial process.
Jordyn Beazley
Only nine people charged during first year of NSW’s landmark coercive control laws
Only nine people have been charged in New South Wales under the state’s landmark coercive control laws, despite there being nearly 300 recorded incidents.
The data, released today by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (Bocsar), tracked the impact of the legislation – which criminalises coercive control in intimate partner relationships – in the year since it was introduced last July.
The legislation marked a significant shift in the way domestic violence was recognised in the state amid a nation-wide reckoning over how many women continue to be murdered by their intimate partners.
Bocsar found there were five distinct controlling behaviours on average in the 297 recorded incidents. The most common were harassment and monitoring or tracking. Meanwhile threats or intimidation, financial abuse (48%) and shaming or humiliation were recorded in around half of the incidents.
The rates were higher in the regions, with the Far West and Orana and Central West recording the highest in the state. Nearly half of those that alleged a coercive control incident had a recorded history with police of being victim-survivors of domestic violence.
Benita Kolovos
Victoria police have been undertaking ‘significant investigation’ after deaths
Police say since the deaths of Akueng and Achiek, in two separate incidents on the night of 6 September, a “significant investigation” by the homicide squad has been under way to “identify those responsible and collect all available evidence”.
They say local police also increased patrols in the Cobblebank area as part of their community reassurance efforts, and met with local schools, council and community leaders.
The investigation into the deaths remains ongoing and urged anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit an online confidential report.
Seven teens arrested and questioned over stabbing deaths of Dau Akueng and Chol Achiek
Benita Kolovos
Seven teenagers have been arrested and are being questioned over the stabbing deaths of 15-year-old Dau Akueng and 12-year-old Chol Achiek earlier this month.
Police on Friday confirmed homicide squad detectives raided homes in Melton South, Thornhill Park, Caroline Springs, Sunbury, Wollert, Hillside and Sydenham and arrested the seven teens.
They are a 19-year-old Thornhill Park man; a 19-year-old Caroline Springs man; an 18-year-old Wollert man; three 16-year-old boys and a 15-year old boy, all from the north west suburbs of Melbourne.
They are now being interviewed by police.
Jack Snape
Gout Gout misses out on 200m final but says better performances are ‘coming’
The promising debut of Gout Gout on the international stage has come to an end after he was eliminated at the world championships in a competitive semi-final in Tokyo.
The 17-year-old finished fourth last night in his race behind winner Bryan Levell, and missed out on the two additional time-based qualification places on offer after running at 20.36sec.
Although Torrie Lewis couldn’t progress in the women’s 200m either, Australia’s middle distance runners and high jumpers found success in the National Stadium on Thursday.
In the men’s 200m, Gout’s time was marginally slower than the 20.23sec he ran in his heat, and was well off the 20.02sec he produced to lower his own national record in a meet in Czechia in June.
But he was positive afterwards, and said he would build on this experience. “Semi-finalist, and to go out there and compete against the big guys, I couldn’t be prouder of myself for sure,” the teenager said.
Read more here:
Patrick Commins
Nearly one in three single-parent households in Australia live in poverty, Hilda report shows
A major national survey has revealed a “silent crisis” among Australian families, with nearly one-in-three single-parent households living in poverty.
The newly released statistical report on the long-running Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey found that, after adjusting for housing costs, 31.3% of single-parent families were living below the poverty line in 2023.
This group is nearly three times more likely to be in poverty than two-parent households, the survey showed.
The latest reported figure was down from a record high reported in 2022, but was still well above the 25% share of single-parent households in poverty a decade earlier and higher than the 28.3% in poverty in 2003.
Hilda’s co-director, Roger Wilkins, said the history of the survey revealed a worsening trend over the past 10 to 15 years as changes under the Howard and Gillard governments forced single parents – predominately mothers – off parenting payments and on to less generous unemployment benefits.
Read more:
Study finds stroke ‘miracle cure’ no more effective than a placebo
A so-called miracle cure for stroke is no more effective than a placebo, a study has found.
AAP reports the treatment, known as perispinal etanercept, involves injecting an arthritis medication into the back of a patient’s neck and tilting them downwards so it travels towards their brain.
Unavailable in Australia, stroke survivors have flown to the United States to receive the treatment, often at great expense.
But a trial conducted by scientists from The Florey research centre has shown it offers patients no benefits above a dummy treatment.
Some 126 patients from Australia and New Zealand took part in the randomised trial, published in the peer-reviewed journal Neurology, with half receiving the treatment and half the placebo.
Neither group nor doctors knew which one they had until afterwards. In total, 52% of those who received the treatment reported feeling better 28 days later, compared to 57% of those who received the placebo.
The difference in the results is considered statistically insignificant.
Gradual electric vehicles uptake a ‘challenge’, says Bowen
Luca Ittimani
Bowen was asked on 7.30 last night about electric vehicle uptake in Australia and he admitted that reducing emissions from transport is a “challenge” that will “take quite a while” due to Australians’ slow uptake of electric vehicles.
The climate change minister admitted EV adoption had been gradual and was yet to significantly impact Australia’s emissions after announcing the government’s 2035 emissions reduction target of 62% to 70%.
He said:
It’s been a challenge, because … you buy a car today and it’s operating for 15 or more years, so it takes time to turn that around.
Reports released alongside the new target said electric vehicles would have to account for half of new cars sold between now and 2035, alongside dramatic transformation of the country’s energy grid, to even reach the lower end of the target.
Bowen acknowledged transport emissions were yet to slump despite tax breaks for EVs, new vehicle emissions standards and an increasing range of cars:
I’m not here to pretend to you that that has all of a sudden impacted on emissions yet. It’s going to take quite a while to have the full impact on our emissions.
Littleproud says Nationals do not reject climate change
David Littleproud, the Nationals leader, rejected Bowen’s assertion in an interview with RN Breakfast, saying:
I believe in climate change. I believe that man has made an impact on climate change. Just because I don’t believe in Chris Bowen’s plan doesn’t mean I’m a climate denier. …
We believe there’s ways to do it, but not necessarily Labor’s way.
Littleproud said he remained concerned about the cost behind the plan to lower emissions, adding the Nationals were working on their own effort to ensure “we’ve adapted to climate change and protected our economy”.
What I intend to do is lead a party that will maturely work through this, look through all aspects of this, and say to the Australian people: we believe in climate change, but there is ways to achieve this, and it’s not just one way to achieve it.
Open your minds, have the conversation.
Bowen says the Coalition ‘doesn’t believe in climate action’
Bowen was asked about the Coalition’s fierce criticism of the target. The opposition leader, Sussan Ley, yesterday said the targets failed on both counts of cost and credibility. Bowen said of those criticisms:
The Coalition doesn’t believe in climate action. There’s no surprise there, nor do they accept climate science. [These] guys are just on the wrong side of modernity and they will always play that cheap politics. …
I think Australians know better than that and see through that climate denial sort of rhetoric.
Bowen says emissions reduction targets ‘no small thing’
Chris Bowen, the climate change minister, maintained the government’s emissions reduction target was “no small thing”, saying he believes the plan is achievable “but ambitious”.
Bowen spoke to RN Breakfast this morning, addressing criticism from many in the environmental community that the target of a reduction between 62% and 70% by 2035 over 2005 levels was too low to rein in the worst effects of climate change. Bowen said:
This is no small thing … And it certainly compares well internationally. Over the last 24 hours, Europe’s been considering a 63% to 70% cut, which shows on the same accounting basis as ours. So, that shows that we are right up there with the most ambitious countries in the world, as we should be, as we need to be. But also … it has to be achievable. …
With all due respect to those commentators who say we should be doing more, they don’t need to deliver – government does and the government has set out yesterday not only a target but a comprehensive plan to help us get there.
Nick Visser
Good morning, Nick Visser here to take over for Martin Farrer. Let’s get to it, and happy Friday!
Julie Bishop denies bullying allegations in Senate inquiry
Krishani Dhanji
Julie Bishop has categorically denied allegations of bullying made against her during a Senate inquiry, issuing a 25 page right of reply, published on the Senate committee’s website.
The ANU chancellor had told the media and staff at a town hall meeting last week that she denied the allegations and she had first heard the allegations when they were aired at the inquiry.
Liz Allen, an demographer at the ANU, made the allegations while giving evidence to a committee investigating higher education governance.
In the letter, Bishop said the way the allegations were made raised “grave concerns”.
The way the hearing … was used to ventilate serious allegations against me and other senior ANU officers raises grave concerns for a range of reasons – both individually and for the ANU.
I wish to state on the record that I categorically deny the allegations levelled against me during the hearing on 12 August 2025.
I cannot in good conscience publicly give testimony to the committee that may further compromise the workplace grievance process as well as other ongoing.
Bishop said her conduct has always been professional and she rejects the allegations that “I am ‘hostile and arrogant’ to staff, that I have ‘godlike powers, unchecked’ and the more general allegations that, under my chairmanship of council meetings, there is a ‘culture of fear and intimidation’ … that council is ‘dysfunctional and toxic under the current regime’, [or] that elected members are ‘afraid’”.
Plane crashes as it returns to Sydney
Luca Ittimani
A plane has crashed in dense bushland on the state’s south coast while returning to Sydney, sparking a search last night on foot by emergency services for the crash site and the lone pilot.
The pilot had taken the small recreational aircraft out on a solo trip earlier on Thursday, flying south from Bankstown airport in Sydney’s west, police said.
The pilot was flying back to Sydney but crashed in Budawang national park about 25km north of Batemans Bay, activating the plane’s emergency location transmitter.
Emergency services were called to the scene at 4.30pm on Thursday, with the state’s ambulance helicopter assisting police, fire and maritime services in locating the crash site from the air.
First responders could not reach the crash by vehicle or air due to the dense bush and adverse weather and were continuing their effort on foot, police said.
Guardian Australia understands police were considering using drones to assist the search.
Bowen tells 7.30 he can’t promise lower energy prices
Luca Ittimani
The climate change minister has declined to promise energy prices will fall, while acknowledging retail prices would determine the political success of the Albanese government’s new emissions target.
Speaking on ABC’s 7.30 last night, Chris Bowen said prices were “very important” to public support for the 2035 emissions reduction target of 62% to 70% but said the government had balanced climate change and living costs. He said:
Australians do want to see climate action but they also care about cost of living because it’s right before them every day … [but] the fundamental fact is that what’s good for your pocket is good for the planet and vice versa.
Bowen declined to guarantee that electricity prices would fall as the country adopted renewable energy or to specify a timeframe for Australians to see savings from solar and wind uptake. He instead pointed to government modelling showing lower prices were likely, saying:
I can guarantee that renewables are the cheapest form of energy. … We’ve never pretended, in the face of international energy pressures, that all this happens easily or quickly but we also don’t walk away from the fact that renewables are the cheapest form of energy ever known to humankind.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the best of the breaking news and then your news guide will be Nick Visser.
Chris Bowen, the climate change minister, told ABC’s 7.30 last night that he can’t promise energy prices will fall. As he defended the his new emission target, Bowen acknowledged retail prices would determine the political success of the government’s policy. More to come.
Julie Bishop has categorically denied allegations of bullying made against her during a Senate inquiry, issuing a 25 page right of reply which has been published on the Senate committee’s website. More shortly.
And Rescue teams are searching dense bushland on foot near Batemans Bay in New South Wales to try to find a crashed plane and its lone pilot. The aircraft went missing yesterday on its way back to Sydney. More coming up.
