Australia news live: cabinet shake-up in Victoria; Tabcorp and Sportsbet say ‘no evidence’ they provided drugs and escorts to customers | Australia news

Victorian premier says AI portfolio will focus on ‘guardrails’ and reform

Ben Carroll held a press conference earlier after his major cabinet overall. He says his new AI portfolio – held by Anthony Carbines – will be working on “guardrails and regulatory reform” in the sector.

He went on:

Artificial intelligence is the biggest transformation going through society and the economy right now. My government will be focused on workers. Artificial intelligence is a great opportunity, but it also needs guardrails and regulatory reform. So I want a voice at the cabinet table on that.

Asked whether the AI minister would be responsible for approving datacentres, he replied:

I’ll have more to say on that later. Except to say, we need guardrails, whether it’s datacentres, whether it’s AI, and it needs to make sure that workers are front and centre … Everything needs to be considered on its merits. Needs to be considered wisely. Its economic impact, its environment impact, its amenity impact, and what is best for that Victorian community.

Australians lodged nearly 120,000 complaints with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority in the most recent financial year, a record number that reflects the intense economic pressures being felt across the community.

That was about 20% more than the previous financial year, according to the preliminary numbers.

Personal transaction accounts, car insurance and credit cards were the most complained about products in 2025-26, AFCA said.

Complaints relating to the way banks dealt with customers in financial difficulty jumped by 17% in the year, and credit reporting complaints by 22%, AFCA said.

But AFCA said the largest growth was driven by major investment failures and rising superannuation disputes, most notably the collapses of the Shield Master Fund and First Guardian.

Complaints alleging failure to act in the client’s best interest remain the top issue with a 65 per cent increase on last year, up to 2081.

Deborah Jenkins, AFCA’s chief customer officer, said:

While most financial advice firms do the right thing, we are seeing a significant number of complaints stem from major financial collapses that have affected thousands of consumers. These matters are complex and can be incredibly stressful for individuals and their families.

Returning to government house, where new Victorian premier Ben Carroll’s cabinet has been sworn in.

Interestingly, there is no minister for transport infrastructure or the Suburban Rail Loop – a costly and controversial project Carroll is considering reviewing.

Gabrielle Williams previously held the transport infrastructure portfolio while Nick Staikos held SRL, as well as housing and building. Staikos will keep the latter two and adds precincts, homelessness and seniors under Carroll’s reshuffle.

Two other portfolios that were only created in April by former premier Jacinta Allan – men and boys and cost of living – also appear to be scrapped. The former was the first time an Australian government had signalled a focus on countering the impact of right-wing influencers and the manosphere.

The corresponding portfolio of women and girls was held by Williams but now under Carroll it has returned to “women and gender equality”.

Ingrid Sitt, meanwhile, has taken on health, ambulance services and retains mental health and special minister for state.

Jaclyn Symes – who lost treasury – takes on the environment and energy, two complex portfolios.

Businessman believes fellow Liberal passed on details of Reformers request to ABC

The inquiry hears that Maré told a fellow Liberal about the Reformers request. Counsel assisting, Juliet Curtin, reads out a text message from the friend, in which he says:

By the way, still can’t believe that approach due by Christian Ellis and [Jean-Claude] Perrottet was thinking $50,000 would stack more than Alex Hawke’s seat. I reckon it would actually be to supplement their incomes. I understand Ellis has been buying up property.

Asked if he believed the Reformers he met with were asking for money for personal use, Maré says he thought they were “genuine” at the time.

Maré says he believes the fellow Liberal he had shared the request with then passed on the the details with the ABC. “Shortly thereafter, I had a call from the ABC,” he says.

Corruption inquiry hears about request for $50k to branch stack against federal member

Retired businessman Frits Maré has been telling the NSW Independent Commision Against Corruption (Icac) about a 2020 meeting in which Reformers Jean-Claude Perrottet and Christian Ellis asked him to contribute $50,000 to an operation to unseat the Liberal member for Mitchell, Alex Hawke.

On Monday, Reformer Robert Assaf told the commission he was concerned that the Perrottets, including former premier Dominic Perrottet and brothers Jean-Claude and Charles Perrottet, had a “vendetta” against Hawke, who had “backstabbed Dom” and become a “kingmaker” in the party.

Neither Hawke nor Dominic Perrottet is accused of any wrongdoing. Jean-Claude and Charles Perrottet have previously denied any wrongdoing.

Maré, a Liberal party member who is not named in any allegations and is not accused of any wrongdoing, described meeting Jean-Claude Perrottet at Young Liberals fundraiser in 2019. After repeated attempts by Jean-Claude Perrottet to set up a meeting, Maré met with him and Ellis at Maré’s office in May 2020.

He says the men asked him for $50,000 to fund a call centre to sign up new members at the party, so that they could “get enough people to challenge Alex Hawke in his seat and then vote him out”.

“I found it strange,” says Maré. “I thought the sitting member was doing a good job in parliament.”

Maré said he asked the men if they had budgeted how they would spend the $50,000. He says Ellis said “he hadn’t done a budget, but he’d go and do one”, but Maré declined their request for a contribution. “For the record, I never paid the money. I never caused it to be paid by anyone else or by a corporation,” he says.

Gambling companies grilled over VIP accounts

Tabcorp and Sportbet are being asked to explain their offerings to so-called VIP customers, under some intense questioning from Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young.

Tabcorp’s Julian Whealing says his company has 800,000 active customers, of which about 400 are classified as VIPs.

Whealing says he does not know exactly how many account managers are employed by the company but estimates it is around 20 people. He stresses they do not receive incentive payments or bonuses based on recruitment of customers or on customer spending.

Jules Norton Selzer, director of corporate affairs for Sportsbet, says his firm has about the same number of account managers.

Hanson-Young asks Norton Selzer if account managers ever ask customers if they want drugs.

“I don’t accept that characterisation,” he says. “We’re a legal, licensed, regulated product.”

He says Sportsbet adheres to dozens of regulatory requirements across federal and state laws.

The inquiry was told yesterday that VIP account managers for unnamed gambling companies had provided drugs, alcohol and access to sex workers to customers, to try and keep them betting. No companies were specifically identified in Monday’s evidence.

I’m at government house where the new Victoria premier Ben Carroll’s cabinet is being sworn in. Unlike his predecessor Jacinta Allan’s reshuffle in April, this appears to be a major shake-up of portfolios.

Gabrielle Williams, the deputy premier, takes on Carroll’s portfolio of education, amid a long-running pay dispute with the state’s public school teachers.

Colin Brooks has been given the treasury portfolio, ending Jaclyn Symes’s time in the job. Symes was the state’s first female treasurer.

Anthony Carbines, one of Carroll’s most loyal supporters, has lost his police portfolio but keeps racing and picks up major events, AI and the digital economy – the latter appears to be a newly created role.

Paul Edbrooke – who was only recently elevated to cabinet – has scored a major promotion, taking on the police portfolio.

Sonya Kilkenny, an Allan supporter who made a surprise bid for leadership during last week’s Labor caucus meeting, has retained her attorney general and planning portfolios and adds prevention of family violence. But she loses finance to Enver Erdogan.

Another Allan supporter, Steve Dimopoulos, has lost major events but takes on WorkSafe, TAC and equality alongside sport. The ceremony is ongoing.

Gambling giant Tabcorp is up in the Senate inquiry this morning.

The company’s head of government affairs, Julian Whealing, says claims of illicit drugs, sex workers and alcohol being provided to problem gamblers is not “part of Tabcorp’s customer offering”.

“Tabcorp has zero tolerance for this behavior, we are Australia’s most regulated wagering company, and we take our responsibilities to compliance seriously,” he said.

Any evidence of this illegal activity should be referred to the relevant authorities.

Betting giant Sportsbet says it has no evidence to substantiate allegations made in Monday’s hearing about the Albanese government’s gambling bill, including that gambling companies provided illegal drugs and sex workers to customers.

Jules Norton Selzer, director of corporate affairs, has told the inquiry today the company has “zero evidence of the allegations”.

“We have no tolerance for that kind of deplorable conduct and information,” he said, going on:

No information has been provided to us beyond what was referenced yesterday, and we will gladly investigate it.

Our objective is for adult customers to enjoy our product safely and responsibly, and that is why we continue to support measures to reduce underage exposure and strengthen consumer protections across the range of federal and state regulatory models that we operate within.

Along with the industry lobby group Responsible Wagering Australia and Tabcorp, the company is expected to face more questions about the evidence this morning.

NSW Icac’s Operation Rosny hearings resume

The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) has resumed its hearings as part of Operation Rosny.

Appearing first today is businessman Frits Maré, a key witness at a 2023 parliamentary inquiry which preceded Icac’s inquiry. At that inquiry, Maré described being asked by members of the Reformers to contribute $50,000 to an operation to unseat Alex Hawke, the Liberal federal MP for Mitchell.

Later today, the inquiry expects to hear from NSW shadow attorney general and Liberal leader in the upper house, Damien Tudehope. Tudehope, who has stood aside from his shadow cabinet roles during the inquiry, is not named in any allegations and is not accused of any wrongdoing.

His name has been mentioned frequently during hearings so far. Reformers Jean-Claude Perrottet and Christian Ellis worked as staffers in Tudehope’s office, and Tudehope gave frequent talks at Reformers recruitment events. His son, James Tudehope, is not named in allegations but has declined a request to give evidence to Icac after moving to New Zealand earlier this year.

Tudehope’s business former partner Michael O’Hara, who is alleged to have made prohibited donations, was the inquiry’s first witness. O’Hara disputed whether his payments to the Reformers counted as political donations.

Matt King has described the NSW State of Origin team as the “love of his life” after being named as Laurie Daley’s permanent replacement as the new Blues head coach.

AAP reports Daley walked away from the role on Monday after leading the Blues to a series victory last month and the NSWRL has wasted no time in appointing King as his replacement on Tuesday.

King played nine games for the Blues and has been part of the coaching staff under Daley and Michael Maguire over the last three series.

The 45-year-old King, who played for Melbourne, Souths and Warrington, has never been a senior coach but has spent the best part of the last decade working as an assistant to Trent Robinson at the Sydney Roosters.

King said:

I’ve had a front-row seat the last couple of years with Laurie and 12 months before that with Michael Maguire and I have a true understanding of what it means to lead this great state of ours.

The one true rugby league love of my life has been the NSW Blues and to know now that I have the opportunity to guide the team moving forward, means the absolute world to me.

Thomas Bradley, a Queensland supreme court judge, will be appointed Queensland’s new governor. Bradley will replace the former state chief health officer Jeannette Young, who has served in the role since 2021.

He will be appointed in November.

The premier, David Crisafulli, announced the decision at a press conference in the state’s defunct upper house chamber on Tuesday, flanked by his deputy premier, committed royalist Jarrod Bleijie, and Bradley.

Crisafulli said Bradley had been selected in May, but the king had only approved his appointment last week.

“I share the goals of my predecessors as governors of Queensland to carry out the constitutional responsibilities with dignity, fairness, and a commitment to the rule of law,” Bradley said, on Tuesday. He went on:

I look forward to spending time with as many Queenslanders as possible across the state as I serve, I call to mind all that we have in common as Queenslanders, the joy that we share in each other’s successes, and the comfort that we give each other in our sorrows. I’m reminded that in communities large and small, we are part of one common endeavor.

He has served on the supreme court since 2018 after a career as a legal academic and commercial barrister, and was promoted to the court of appeal in 2025.

Labor reaching ‘right balance’ on gambling laws: Marles

The acting prime minister, Richard Marles, says Labor’s changes to gambling advertising laws are reaching the right balance on community safety, even after a day of damning evidence in a parliamentary inquiry.

Anti-gambling advocates Tim Costello and Luke Bateman told a Senate inquiry on Monday about instances where gambling companies had provided problem gamblers with drugs, sex workers and alcohol to keep them betting.

Company representatives from Sportsbet and Tabcorp will give evidence today.

Marles was asked about the allegations during a press conference in Sydney.

“Certainly the evidence that was given tells an appalling story,” he said. “That’s that’s really clear, and I found that evidence quite shocking.”

Asked if the government would go further on limiting inducements, the promotional tools used by companies to keep gamblers betting, he said Labor had already done more than any other government.

We’ve looked at this issue in detail over a long period of time. There is a balance that has to be struck here, and we intend to reach that balance. But in the process, we’ve engaged in the toughest set of reforms in respect of gambling and gambling advertising that we have seen.

Andrew Hastie said he’s “not worried” about the next election, but hopes he receives preferences from One Nation when it comes down to it.

Hastie spoke to News24 (formerly Sky News) this morning ahead of One Nation’s expected launch in his seat of Canning in Western Australia. He had this to say:

I’m not worried. Everyone who comes in this job has to have a sense of their political mortality, and if this is the end, this is the end. You do your best, and it’s up to the Australian people.

We’re also a democracy. So I don’t have a problem with any political party starting a branch.

Hastie maintained the Coalition had ruled out any deal with One Nation for a joint government, saying the Nationals were the “one Coalition partner” for the Liberals. But he said he still hopes One Nation preferences flow to him:

We’re in a two-party preferred system. So preferences matter.

Labor receives preferences from the Greens, and I’d hope we’d receive preferences from one nation. But in the end, I want to form government under Angus Taylor by winning on primary votes.

Most Sydney road tolls to keep rising after Transurban accused of blocking reforms

The cost of using Sydney’s biggest toll road will continue to rise at least 4% a year after the multinational private operator was accused of blocking the state government’s push for sweeping reforms.

Only a handful of Sydney’s motorways will receive one-off toll cuts under a deal announced by the state Labor government on Monday, as the tolling bill footed by taxpayers surpasses $1bn.

Eleven of Sydney’s toll roads are run by Transurban, a $47bn company with operations in Victoria, Queensland and the US, with most under contracts granting exclusive operating rights into the 2040s or later.

The deal will see the state pay $850m to widen the M2-M7 tollway, boosting traffic flows, which Transurban expects will increase its toll revenue. The government will separately spend $143m to settle the deal, negotiated over two years.

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Your guide to Alan Jones’ trial – Full Story podcast

Alan Jones is fronting court on 22 indecent assault and sexual touching charges, spanning a nearly two-decade period. He denies all charges.

But how did we get here? Once a media giant who enjoyed the height of influence and power, he is now the centre of one of Australia’s highest-profile criminal cases. The Guardian’s media correspondent, Amanda Meade, joins Nour Haydar to get us up to speed on the trial.