Australia news live: hiker Hadi Nazari discharged from hospital; cold-case murder accused to remain in custody

Hiker Hadi Nazari leaves hospital

The 23-year-old hiker who was lost in the NSW Snowy Mountains for 13 days has been discharged from Cooma hospital.

The hospital had been treating Hadi Nazari for dehydration, and the NSW southern local health district said in a statement he would continue his recovery at home.

Cooma hospital in southern NSW. Photograph: Lukas Coch/EPA

Key events

Cinema tickets and Black Friday fuel household spending rise

High-profile movie releases, along with Black Friday promotions and discounting, helped drive the 0.4% increase in discretionary spending in November, in the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ monthly household spending indicator.

As well as extra spending on clothing and footwear and household equipment and furnishings, new car purchases were also strong, especially for SUVs.

The ABS head of business statistics, Robert Ewing, said Black Friday boosted sales in recreation and culture by 0.9%, making it the largest contributor to overall spending growth.

Spending in cinemas continued to grow strongly, with major releases such as Wicked, Gladiator II and Moana 2 all opening in November.

Overall spending rose 0.4% in November, a smaller rise than the 0.9% increase in October. In September, the indicator fell 0.2%.

While still experimental, the household spending indicator covers a wide range of spending areas, drawing on bank card transactions, supermarket payments and new vehicle sales figures.

While spending momentum has been picking up, Commonwealth Bank economist Harry Ottley said this was to be expected given real household disposable incomes were finally increasing and interest rate cuts were approaching.

CBA is tipping a February start to interest rate cuts, a view now shared by ANZ.

– AAP

Lisa Cox

Climate Council chief executive Amanda McKenzie said 2025 “must be game on for climate action in Australia”.

When the alarm bells are ringing, you act immediately. Slashing climate pollution this decade is critical to safeguard our children’s future. This is the challenge for our political leaders this election year.

She said Australia had started to make real progress with an energy grid that was more renewable than ever, a record number of electric vehicles hitting the market, and “a bumper year for big clean energy and storage projects”.

Global climate experts and the residents of Los Angeles have just shown us exactly what’s at stake: lives, livelihoods, community safety and our way of life. We need to act before our kids’ futures go up in smoke.

Lisa Cox

Slashing climate pollution ‘critical’ over coming decade

The Climate Council says slashing carbon pollution over the next decade is critical following confirmation that 2024 was the planet’s hottest year on record, with the global average temperature eclipsing the 1.5C warming barrier for the first time.

Climate councillor Prof David Karoly said:

These are not the records any climate scientist wants to see broken. When it comes to rising temperatures, rising sea levels and rising damage bills from unnatural disasters, every fraction of a degree matters.

The average temperature in 2024 was 1.6C above preindustrial levels, data from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) shows – 0.12C above the previous record set in 2023.

The Paris agreement to try to limit warming to no more than 1.5C is measured over 20-30 years, so the data does not mean the target has been missed. But as my colleague Damian Carrington writes, it shows the urgency of the climate crisis continues to intensify.

Karoly said the agencies and scientists behind the latest findings “remind us the future is in our hands”.

Slashing climate pollution this decade is critical. The further and faster we’re able to cut climate pollution this decade, the better the prospects for our kids’ future.

Star shares fall to all-time low as Crisafulli dismisses casino bailout

A casino giant may be wishing on a shooting star if it expects to be bailed out of financial trouble, after a state government shut down talk of a lifeline, AAP reports.

Shares in Star Entertainment plunged by more than 19% to an all-time low of 10.5 cents on Friday, building on the 20% decline suffered on Thursday. The embattled casino operator opened Brisbane’s $3.6bn Queens Wharf hub in the city’s CBD late last year.

The Queen’s Wharf precinct and Star casino in Brisbane. Photograph: Darren England/AAP

The former state Labor government had ruled out a lifeline for the company’s Brisbane casino in the form of a tax deferral for Star after its financial woes spelt trouble for the new Queens Wharf precinct.

Now with the shares of the parent company falling and concerns around the future of the infant restaurant and bar hub in Brisbane, Liberal National premier David Crisafulli has vowed to save jobs but not the casino. He told reporters on Friday:

I want Queenslanders to know that we’re not in the business of being concerned about the corporate suits who sit around a company. Our focus is on the people who work there.

If you’re asking me whether or not I think it is a good use of taxpayer money to prop up individual companies, I would suggest to you the focus should be on individual workers.

Regardless of what happens with the ownership, our focus has to be on making sure there’s jobs.

Man arrived at Annerley address ‘completely randomly’, police say

The police spokesperson said the investigation into the incident remained “very active”, including the lead-up to the incident itself. The 26-year-old appeared to arrive at the address “completely randomly”, he said.

I would highlight that policing is an extremely dangerous profession. It involves officers attending jobs such as this where a simple job can very quickly escalate into something that becomes a life-threatening situation.

Our thoughts go out to the officers concerned. I attended both the scene in the hospital, I spoke to the two officers involved and the senior constable is in good spirits, he is receiving the best treatment there.

There will be two parts to the investigation – ethical standards and a criminal investigation – which will take “some time”.

I will just reinforce that it is a very fluid situation in relation to the investigation and having occurred just a few hours ago, we are still piecing together the exact circumstances.

‘Very agitated’ man bit officer after being shot, police say

The Queensland police spokesperson described the situation as “very dynamic” and “very traumatic” for all involved, including witnesses.

He said straight after shots were fired, the first-year constable applied a tactical first aid to the injured officer before additional officers arrived and “dealt with the male”, who was “still in a very agitated position” after being shot twice in the stomach.

Those officers were forced to actually deploy a Taser to take that individual into custody which was finally achieved … During the incident, the first-year constable received a bite from the male, who is a 26-year-old male, and also received first aid treatment.

All three parties were transported to hospital.

The 26-year-old male is now undergoing surgery and is in a serious condition, while the 40-year-old senior constable is in a stable condition and also receiving treatment. The first-year constable has been treated for their bite injury and released.

Police speaking to media after two men shot in Brisbane altercation

Police in Queensland are addressing the media after the shooting of a police officer and another man in Brisbane earlier today.

Police alleged a 26-year-old man was creating a disturbance in the back yard of a property at Annerley before the arrival of police. He was allegedly armed with a piece of timber.

The owners of the property did not know that individual at any stage. Police responded shortly after and two officers, a senior constable who is 40 years old and a first-year constable, approached the male in the back yard, who was armed with a piece of timber.

Officers attempted to de-escalate the situation by engaging … however the male approached the officers and a struggle commenced, in which case the offender lunged for a firearm … during the struggle for that particular firearm, the firearm discharged and the senior constable received a gunshot wound to the left inner thigh … the struggle continued and the first-year constable was then forced to discharge their firearm and has struck the male on two occasions in the resulting altercation.

Continued in next post.

Officer suspended and charged with unlawfully accessing police database

A Sydney police officer has been charged over the alleged unauthorised access of the police computer system.

In April last year, an investigation was launched into reports alleging an officer had illegally accessed private information of individuals held on the police computer database over a period of three years.

Following inquiries, the 29-year-old constable attached to a command in Sydney’s north-west was arrested at his home this morning and taken to Penrith police station.

A search warrant was issued, and investigators seized electronic devices, mobile phones and documents to be forensically examined.

He was charged with public office misconduct and ten counts of unauthorised access to or modification of restricted data.

The man was suspended from duty and refused bail to appear before court today.

Labor pro-Palestine group calls on Dreyfus to clarify purpose of Israel visit

Labor Friends of Palestine says party members and the broader community “hold deep concerns” about an upcoming week-long trip by the attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, to Israel, urging the federal government to “clarify the purpose” of his visit.

In a statement, the group pointed to the ICC arrest warrants issued against Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, and said any message from Dreyfus should be consistent with international law, positions taken at the United Nations and in bilateral statements.

The attorney general needs to emphasise Australia’s unwavering support for the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination. This should include immediate recognition of the State of Palestine in line with official ALP policy.

We call on the federal government to inform the Australian people about the purpose of Mark Dreyfus’ Israel visit. The only justification could be to deliver this clear message: that Australia stands unequivocally with international law, and Israel must immediately cease its genocidal actions or face comprehensive sanctions.

In a press conference this week, Anthony Albanese said it was “appropriate” that Dreyfus was the one travelling to Israel.

The attorney general is an appropriate person to visit Israel. A range of others have visited Israel in recent times.

Mark Dreyfus will spend a week in Israel. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

US lawmaker says Congress maintains bipartisan support for Aukus ahead of Trump inauguration

A leading US lawmaker has reassured bipartisan support for the Aukus partnership in a “powerful signal to naysayers,” less than two weeks out from Donald Trump’s inauguration, AAP reports.

Under the agreement, Australia has been promised at least three Virginia-class submarines from the US in the early 2030s, with a new class of nuclear-powered boats to be built for delivery from the 2040s.

Democratic congressman Joe Courtney, co-chair of the Congressional Friends of Australia Caucus, said in an opinion piece for The Australian the passage of the National Defence Authorisation Act through Congress last December demonstrated strong support for the trilateral partnership.

In the same year congress was marred with record low productivity and high levels of division, the AUKUS mission still saw real momentum among lawmakers in both chambers and on both sides of the aisle.

Anthony Albanese said he was confident Trump could be convinced against imposing tariffs on the nation’s exports due to the trade surplus the US has with Australia.

He told 96FM Perth radio on Friday tariffs would actually disadvantage the United States.

I had a constructive first discussion with Donald Trump and I’m confident that we’ll continue to act in both our countries’ interests.

Krishani Dhanji

Thanks for following along on the blog with me today! I’ll leave you now with Caitlin Cassidy. Have a fabulous weekend.

Rafqa Touma

What to do if you’re lost in the Australian bush

This week Hadi Nazari was found alive after being lost in the remote Kosciuszko national park for almost two weeks.

Nazari survived in some of Australia’s most unforgiving terrain by drinking creek water, foraging for berries and – fortuitously – finding two muesli bars in a remote hut.

We asked the experts how to prepare for a hike, and what to do if you become “geographically embarrassed”.

Cold-case murder accused allegedly disappeared after interview with detectives

Continued from previous post:

The Queensland Homicide Cold Case Investigation Team obtained an arrest warrant for Keith Lees in July 2023 after he allegedly disappeared after an interview with detectives in Victoria.

Meaghan Rose’s body was discovered on 18 July 1997 at the base of Point Cartwright cliffs at Mooloolaba on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. The disability and aged care nursing assistant had previously moved from Victoria to Queensland with Lees, who was more than 20 years her senior.

The death was initially ruled a suicide, but investigators reopened the case in 2009 and a $500,000 reward for information was announced in June 2023.

The body of Meaghan Rose was found at the base of Point Cartwright cliffs at Mooloolaba, Queensland, on 18 July 1997. Photograph: AAP Image/Supplied by QLD Police

In charges dropped by prosecutors yesterday, NSW police alleged Lees spent roughly 18 months evading an arrest warrant by using a fake identity.

Queensland detectives travelled to Victoria in June 2023 and spoke to Lees, before his car was found abandoned at Portland on the state’s south-west coast the following day.

Lees was later spotted in Geelong and Shepparton in Victoria before being arrested in Dural in NSW.

Queensland police have confirmed the $500,000 reward remains on offer for information that leads to a conviction for Rose’s murder.

“In addition to the reward, an appropriate indemnity from prosecution will be recommended for any accomplice, not being the person who actually committed the crime, who first gives such information,” they said in a statement yesterday.

Cold-case murder accused to remain in custody

A man extradited to face court over the alleged murder of his partner almost 30 years ago will remain in custody after the case was heard for the first time.

Keith Lees, 72, was flown from NSW to Queensland yesterday in the company of detectives after being arrested in a rural area north of Sydney on 2 January and accused of the murder of Meaghan Louise Rose, 25, on the Sunshine Coast in 1997.

Lees was not required to appear in Brisbane magistrates court today during a brief mention of his murder charge.

Lee’s defence solicitor, Zane Playle, applied for the case to be transferred to Maroochydore magistrates court within four to six weeks. Police prosecutor Harry Coburn told magistrate Lewis Shillito that four weeks “was more than sufficient” and it could be done within two weeks.

The magistrate ordered the case be next heard on 24 January at Maroochydore magistrates court and remanded Lees in custody.