Australia news LIVE: Hanson to front Press Club; Trump criticises Israel’s Hezbollah campaign; Oil price continues to fall

Good morning and welcome to our national news live coverage for Wednesday, June 17. Here’s what’s making news today.

Pauline Hanson: One Nation leader Pauline Hanson takes centre stage at the National Press Club in Canberra today for her first formal speech. With recent polls showing a surge in support for her party, Senator Hanson faces growing pressure to clearly explain One Nation’s long-term vision for Australia’s future.

US-Iran peace agreement: US President Donald Trump has criticised Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah, suggesting Syria take responsibility for combating the group instead. Despite a US-Iran peace agreement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to keep troops in Lebanon. Relations are strained, with reports claiming the US denied Israel access to the agreement.

Politics: One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts called the US “the world’s greatest terrorist organisation” in a 2024 podcast interview, creating pressure on Pauline Hanson as the party gains support. Critics say the remarks raise concerns about One Nation’s suitability for government and potential influence over foreign and defence policy.

Petrol: Oil prices have fallen below US$80 a barrel for the first time since March as hopes of a US-Iran deal eased supply concerns. A decision from the Federal Government is expected next week on whether to continue halving the fuel excise and some road user charges.

Workplace: Seven’s latest redundancy round has disproportionately affected female on-air staff, with nine women and one man publicly identified among newsroom departures in Sydney and Melbourne. The cuts follow Southern Cross Media’s announcement of up to 300 job losses.

Two more men have been charged over the alleged kidnapping and murder of 85-year-old Sydney grandfather Chris Baghsarian, who police say was taken in a case of mistaken identity.

Baghsarian was allegedly abducted from his North Ryde home on February 13, prompting a major investigation under Strike Force Chabot. His remains were found 11 days later near a golf club in Pitt Town in Sydney’s north-west.

NSW Police arrested a 19-year-old man in Shalvey and a 21-year-old man in Silverwater on Tuesday following further inquiries.

Both men were charged with murder and take/detain in company with intent to ransom occasioning actual bodily harm. The younger man was also charged with failing to comply with a digital evidence access order direction.

They were refused bail and appeared in Mt Druitt Local Court on Wednesday.

Four people had previously been charged over the alleged abduction and killing. Police investigations are continuing.

The Australian government has lowered its travel advisory for the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, removing a major obstacle for travellers seeking insurance when flying through key Gulf hubs.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade downgraded both countries from Level 4 (Do Not Travel) to Level 3 (Reconsider your need to travel) following the announcement of the preliminary US-Iran peace agreement.

The change is a boost for major carriers including Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways, which connect Australian travellers to Europe and the UK via Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha. Under the Level 4 warning, most insurers would not cover travel through the region.

The conflict disrupted travel for months, forcing airlines to reroute flights and damaging confidence in the Gulf’s reputation as a safe transit corridor.

Australian Travel Industry Association board member Cinzia Burnes welcomed the decision, saying Australia was among the last countries to maintain the highest warning level.

“Once the restriction is lifted, insurers will be willing to cover travel through the hubs. Such a change will definitely motivate people who had been hesitating to book,” she said.

Kyle Sandilands has reached a settlement with his former employer ARN Media over the termination of his $100 million contract, ending all claims between the parties in the Federal Court.

According to a statement to the ASX on Wednesday morning, ARN will pay Sandilands $12.09 million, including an initial $3 million payment in July, with the remainder paid in monthly instalments until June 2029. Sandilands is also barred from working with ARN’s direct competitors until March 2027.

The agreement clears the way for Sandilands to launch an online subscription breakfast program, tentatively titled Kyle Sandilands Live, featuring former members of his radio team.

As part of the agreement, ARN Media will provide $1.5 million worth of advertising over the next three years to support Sandilands’ new broadcast business on its platforms.

Members of Australia’s largest police force who lost their jobs after refusing to get vaccinated during the COVID-19 pandemic will be invited to apply to rejoin.

“We will offer expressions of interest to a number of those officers who were dismissed with a view to getting them back into the NSW Police Force,” Commissioner Mal Lanyon told 2GB this morning.

The offers are expected to go out in early July but there are a range of processes to go through, Lanyon said.

“We will treat it very similar to professional mobility, where we bring officers in from other jurisdictions, but I have been looking at an appropriate pathway because this is the first time that we have reinstated officers who were dismissed by a commissioner.”

Childcare workers have called off planned industrial action after the Federal Government committed $3.6 billion to extend a 15 per cent wage increase for early childhood educators by another 18 months. The pay rise, first introduced in 2024 for about 200,000 workers, was due to expire in November, prompting concerns from unions and employers.

The extension bridges the gap until a broader wage increase ordered by the Fair Work Commission is fully implemented by 2029. The United Workers Union welcomed the decision, arguing it effectively secures the pay rise permanently and helps address chronic staff shortages in the sector.

The funding will be tied to compliance with National Quality Standards, while childcare providers must continue limiting fee increases. Family daycare workers will also become eligible for the subsidy for the first time.

Education Minister Jason Clare said the wage boost had already strengthened workforce participation, with an additional 20,000 workers entering the sector and vacancies falling significantly.

Victorian business leaders have warned of a “lawyers’ picnic” over Victorian government plans to legislate a right for employees to work from home two days a week.

Premier Jacinta Allan introduced the laws on Tuesday, framing them as a win for families facing cost-of-living pressures ahead of a state election where Labor faces a challenge from the right. The policy allows full-time, part-time, and casual staff to split their time where practically possible.

However, business groups and legal experts warn the mandate will trigger widespread workplace disputes and overwhelm the already backlogged Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Business leaders criticised the proposal as unnecessary regulation, arguing flexible work arrangements are already common and warning the laws could deter investment. Employment lawyers predicted uncertainty over which jobs can reasonably be performed remotely. Unions welcomed the reforms, describing them as a practical measure that reflects changing workplace expectations. Read more

US Vice President JD Vance appeared on American ABC’s The View to promote his newly released memoir on faith and was put on the spot from the first question, peppered for nearly an hour on Jeffrey Epstein, the economy, immigration and other issues facing the Trump administration.

Vance was questioned at length about the Epstein files, as well as recent reporting from The New York Times that he had been a major advocate for releasing the materials, including during meetings in the White House Situation Room.

“I am, frankly, kind of a conspiracy theorist on the Epstein stuff,” Vance admitted.

The vice president said he did want to defend his boss on the issue, referring to assertions that Trump ejected Epstein from membership in his private club because of a business deal gone wrong and not Epstein’s nefarious sexual proclivities.

US authorities say they foiled an alleged plot to attack a UFC event held on the White House lawn, arresting five people accused of planning a coordinated assault involving explosive drones and sniper fire.

According to court documents, the group intended to strike the north side of the White House with drones carrying explosives, forcing crowds toward an exit where gunmen would target fleeing politicians and attendees. The event, attended by US President Donald Trump and senior Republican figures, proceeded without incident.

Investigators allege the suspects were motivated by anti-government conspiracy theories and anger over the handling of files linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. At least three have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, alongside other weapons and conspiracy offences.

The FBI said the alleged plot was uncovered after the mother of a 19-year-old suspect alerted police to concerning behaviour and weapons purchases. Authorities are now investigating whether a broader network helped coordinate or finance the planned attack. Read more.

Australian police are joining counterparts from the Five Eyes intelligence alliance in a push for greater cooperation from technology companies to combat a surge in online crime, including violent extremism, child exploitation and “sextortion”.

At talks in London this week, law enforcement agencies from Australia, the United States, Britain, Canada and New Zealand are seeking commitments from major tech firms to deploy more advanced tools, including artificial intelligence, to identify suspicious behaviour and disrupt criminal networks.

Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said authorities were particularly concerned by a rise in online groups that encourage self-harm, violence and sadistic abuse, often targeting young women. In some cases, victims are manipulated or blackmailed into harming themselves or others.

Barrett said police were also seeing more young people exposed to extremist material online, leading to rapid radicalisation. The Five Eyes agencies are pressing tech companies to improve detection systems as online offending grows in scale, sophistication and reach. Read more.

Good morning and welcome to our national news live coverage for Wednesday, June 17. Here’s what’s making news today.

Pauline Hanson: One Nation leader Pauline Hanson takes centre stage at the National Press Club in Canberra today for her first formal speech. With recent polls showing a surge in support for her party, Senator Hanson faces growing pressure to clearly explain One Nation’s long-term vision for Australia’s future.

US-Iran peace agreement: US President Donald Trump has criticised Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah, suggesting Syria take responsibility for combating the group instead. Despite a US-Iran peace agreement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to keep troops in Lebanon. Relations are strained, with reports claiming the US denied Israel access to the agreement.

Politics: One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts called the US “the world’s greatest terrorist organisation” in a 2024 podcast interview, creating pressure on Pauline Hanson as the party gains support. Critics say the remarks raise concerns about One Nation’s suitability for government and potential influence over foreign and defence policy.

Petrol: Oil prices have fallen below US$80 a barrel for the first time since March as hopes of a US-Iran deal eased supply concerns. A decision from the Federal Government is expected next week on whether to continue halving the fuel excise and some road user charges.

Workplace: Seven’s latest redundancy round has disproportionately affected female on-air staff, with nine women and one man publicly identified among newsroom departures in Sydney and Melbourne. The cuts follow Southern Cross Media’s announcement of up to 300 job losses.