Australia news LIVE: Trump demands Hamas return hostage bodies to Israel, six Palestinians killed by Israeli fire; Instagram limits teens to PG-13 content as social media ban looms

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7.08am

McKenzie: ‘Less compassion’ needed to address Victoria’s soaring crime rates

By Emily Kaine

Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie has called for a “less compassionate” response to the crime crisis plaguing Victoria as rates of violent crime continue to soar across the state.

“It’s appalling here in Victoria... We need to see the response to crime being significant. We need it to be immediate. We need to resource police appropriately. The judiciary needs to have less compassion for life’s challenges that people go through and actually fix that revolving door of offenders that we’re seeing – 5000 offenders, repeat offenders, are committing 40 per cent of the crime,” McKenzie told Seven’s Sunrise this morning.

She also called for a crime summit to be held to address the growing crisis. “Let’s call a crime summit, and get those states that are getting the statistics down, like Queensland, like the Northern Territory, in the room to share the lessons that are working,” McKenzie said.

The senator’s comments follow a spate of violent crime incidents across Victoria and come as pressure ramps up on Premier Jacinta Allan to provide a prompt and appropriate response to the crisis.

6.46am

Instagram limits teens to PG-13 content

Instagram has limited teens to only seeing PG-13 content by default, with teenage users only able to change their settings with a parent’s permission, Meta has announced.

Kids using teen-specific accounts will now see photos and videos on Instagram that are similar to what they would see in a PG-13 movie – no sex, drugs or dangerous stunts, among others.

“This includes hiding or not recommending posts with strong language, certain risky stunts, and additional content that could encourage potentially harmful behaviours, such as posts showing marijuana paraphernalia,” Meta said in a blog post on Tuesday, calling the update the most significant since it introduced teen accounts last year.

Meta has announced that teenagers on Instagram will be restricted to seeing PG-13 content by default.

Anyone under 18 who signs up for Instagram is automatically placed into restrictive teen accounts unless a parent or guardian gives them permission to opt out. The teen accounts are private by default, have usage restrictions on them and already filter out more “sensitive” content – such as those promoting cosmetic procedures.

In November last year, Australia passed a law banning social media for teens that would require tech platforms to take reasonable steps to ensure children under 16 are not using their services. The ban is expected to be enforced from December 10 this year.

6.46am

Trump demands Hamas return hostage bodies to Israel, six Palestinians killed by Israeli fire

By Michael Koziol

At least six Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the Gaza Strip, local health authorities say, with the Israeli military reporting it had opened fire on suspects that were posing a threat.

Meanwhile, Reuters reported Hamas planned to return the remains of four more dead hostages late on Tuesday night (this morning, our time) amid accusations from Israeli officials and hostage families that it had violated the deal by leaving two dozen bodies unaccounted for.

Israel told the United Nations it would only allow half the planned number of aid trucks into Gaza each day due to the ceasefire violations, while the border crossing between Gaza and Egypt would remain closed on Wednesday.

US President Donald Trump boards Air Force One at Sharm El-Sheikh International Airport in Egypt to return to the US on Monday.

The developments came less than 24 hours after US President Donald Trump declared peace in the Middle East had been achieved, signing a manifesto with other leaders during a whirlwind visit to the region yesterday that spurred hope that a reset from decades of conflict could be within reach.

But cracks in the ceasefire and peace deal have already appeared. Hamas returned the remains of only four dead hostages on day one, leading an Israeli minister to accuse the terrorist group of violating its commitments, and Hamas militants also reportedly killed more than 30 people in a spree targeting enemy groups.

Overnight, Gaza local health authorities said the Israeli military had killed six Palestinians in two separate incidents across the enclave on Tuesday.

Read the full report from North American correspondent Michael Koziol.

6.46am

What’s making news today

By Emily Kaine

Good morning and welcome to our national news live blog for Wednesday, October 15. My name is Emily Kaine, and I’ll be helming our coverage this morning. Here’s what is making news today.

Cracks in the Gaza ceasefire deal have already begun to appear as at least six Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the Gaza Strip, local health authorities say, with the Israeli military reporting it had opened fire on suspects that were posing a threat. Meanwhile, Reuters reported Hamas planned to return the remains of four more dead hostages late this morning (AEDT), amid accusations from Israeli officials and hostage families that it had violated the deal by leaving two dozen bodies unaccounted for.
Instagram has limited teens to only seeing PG-13 content by default, with teenage users only able to change their settings with a parent’s permission, Meta has announced. Kids using teen-specific accounts will now see photos and videos on Instagram that are similar to what they would see in a PG-13 movie – no sex, drugs or dangerous stunts, among others. In November Australia passed a law banning social media for teens that would require tech platforms to take reasonable steps to ensure children under 16 are not using their services. The laws are expected to be enforced from December 10.
A taskforce has been established for missing South Australian boy, Gus Lamont, last seen on Saturday, September 27. Task Force Horizon was announced yesterday by SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens and will see the search expand to zones outside the original search area this week.