Australia news live: Luke Sayers steps down as Carlton president; Queensland thunderstorms forecast amid heatwave

Carlton president resigns, despite AFL finding he did not post lewd image
The president of the Carlton football club, Luke Sayers, says he will step down from the role, despite the AFL finding his X account was compromised when a lewd photo was published on it earlier this month.
He said in a statement:
The past two weeks have been very tough for everyone who has been impacted by an unauthorised social media post.
I did not post the image, either deliberately or accidentally.
I fully cooperated with an independent inquiry by the AFL which concluded that access to my X account was compromised.
I am aware of speculation that the naming of another person in the post explains why it happened. It does not, and that narrative is wrong. I am so sorry for the hurt that has caused.
I deeply regret that many other people including my family, friends and colleagues, and my football club, have been caught up in this matter.
That is why I have decided to step down as Carlton President and take some time away from work.
Leading the Carlton Football Club has been one of the great honours and privileges of my life.
I leave knowing the Club is in great shape, and with my deepest gratitude for its understanding and support.
I will now deal with this away from the glare of the public and media spotlight.
This decision draws a line in the sand.
Key events
The AFL said in a statement regarding its investigation into the post:
The Integrity Unit’s inquiries, which included multiple interviews and review of other evidence, have now concluded and the AFL has found, based on the available evidence, that access to Mr Sayers’ X account was compromised, resulting in the posting of the image (i.e. by a person not being Mr Sayers) and tagging of another person.
Accordingly, the AFL has determined that Mr Sayers did not breach AFL Rules in connection with the posting of the image.
Once he was made aware of the post, Mr Sayers immediately acted to have the image removed and to shut down his X account.
The AFL wishes to thank the executive who was unwittingly tagged in the post, her cooperation and assistance throughout the inquiries have been extremely helpful.
The AFL takes all matters of respect and responsibility seriously and when alerted to matters of concern there are professional processes in place to triage and work through such matters. These matters are very sensitive in nature, and we acknowledge the effect and distress caused to numerous individuals beyond those bound by the AFL Rules and Regulations.
Carlton president resigns, despite AFL finding he did not post lewd image
The president of the Carlton football club, Luke Sayers, says he will step down from the role, despite the AFL finding his X account was compromised when a lewd photo was published on it earlier this month.
He said in a statement:
The past two weeks have been very tough for everyone who has been impacted by an unauthorised social media post.
I did not post the image, either deliberately or accidentally.
I fully cooperated with an independent inquiry by the AFL which concluded that access to my X account was compromised.
I am aware of speculation that the naming of another person in the post explains why it happened. It does not, and that narrative is wrong. I am so sorry for the hurt that has caused.
I deeply regret that many other people including my family, friends and colleagues, and my football club, have been caught up in this matter.
That is why I have decided to step down as Carlton President and take some time away from work.
Leading the Carlton Football Club has been one of the great honours and privileges of my life.
I leave knowing the Club is in great shape, and with my deepest gratitude for its understanding and support.
I will now deal with this away from the glare of the public and media spotlight.
This decision draws a line in the sand.
Elias Visontay
NSW government hopeful of securing new pay deal with rail unions
The New South Wales government is hopeful it will be better able to negotiate a new pay deal with rail unions after they committed to halt industrial action work bans that had wrought havoc across Sydney’s train network.
On Wednesday afternoon the NSW transport minister, Jo Haylen, said that after the six combined rail unions committed to halt work bans, the government had dropped its legal attempt to quash the industrial action at the Fair Work Commission on an argument it was causing economic harm.
The government dropped the legal action at the FWC despite only five of the six rail unions – with whom the government has been locked in a bitter dispute over a new pay deal for eight months – agreeing to halt their work bans.
However, there was still conflicting messaging on Wednesday afternoon as to whether fresh industrial action could be launched if the negotiations, which have gone on for eight months, continue to falter.
The NSW transport department secretary, Josh Murray, characterised the unions’ commitment to drop work bans as allowing talks to occur “without the gun at the head of any parties”.
But Murray and Haylen acknowledged that the unions could still technically lodge fresh industrial actions – though these would have to be entirely different to the 350 work bans which the unions have committed to halting, and require a 10-day notice period.
Thunderstorms set to hit Queensland amid heatwave
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned that thunderstorms with severe winds could hit parts of central Queensland this afternoon.
According to the bureau, a hot and unstable air mass combined with an upper trough would generate the severe thunderstorms which were likely to produce damaging winds.
The areas which may be affected include Springsure, Bogantungan, Mantuan Downs and Carnarvon national park, it said.
In a post on X, the BoM said the storms may hit Springsure about 3pm AEST.
The storms come as the Bom also has current heatwave warnings in place across the state. Much of the state is classified as expecting a low-intensity heatwave today, with areas of severe and extreme heatwave forecast, mostly in the south-east.
The heatwave was expected to become less severe after today.
Village for 2032 games to cost $3.5bn, Queensland government says
Stadiums, infrastructure and now athlete villages are part of Queensland’s ongoing Olympic Games finger-pointing saga as the state government alleges costs have blown out, AAP report.
The new Liberal National party government has accused its Labor predecessors of a multibillion-dollar funding hole for athlete accommodation.
Labor has denied the claim and questioned the government’s figures.
On Wednesday, the deputy premier, Jarrod Bleijie, said figures from his department and Treasury indicated the four athlete villages would cost $3.5bn to build.
Victoria police will not participate in Melbourne pride march
Victorian police officers will not participate in this year’s Midsumma pride march after organisers announced officers would only be allowed to march if they did not wear their uniforms.
Approximately 100 police, including the chief commissioner, Shane Patton, marched in the event last year, but police were confronted by a group of 50 protesters, leading to a clash between the two groups.
Police participation in pride events is controversial among the LGBTQ+ community, given the origins of pride events as a protest movement against their treatment by police.
You can read more on this story here:
More than half of primary school kids accompanied to school by parents, survey says
A national survey of 1,000 Australian adults, conducted by Pure Profile on behalf of insurer AAMI, shows 56% of primary schoolchildren are driven or accompanied to and from school by another adult, AAP report.
More than a third (37%) of parents allow their children to travel to school unaccompanied or with other kids, compared to previous generations when 69% walked, biked or scooted there themselves, the research said.
Safety concerns were the main reason for escorting children, with 61% of parents fearing drivers were not paying attention and 17% blaming their children’s lack of awareness.
A quarter of drivers admitted to speeding through school zones as they did not notice signs, with 12% doing so when they didn’t see any children around.
Another 12% reported being distracted by their phone while driving or queueing in a drop-off zone.
“Speed signs in school zones have been around for decades, so there is no excuse to be confused by them or to be caught speeding during those designated times,” Russell White, the chair of the Australian Road Safety Foundation, said.
There were several deadly crashes in school zones in 2024.

Emily Wind
Many thanks for joining me on the blog today, I’ll hand over to Nino Bucci to take you through the rest of today’s news. Take care.
Watch: Inquiry on antisemitism at Australian unis sees heated exchange over alleged Nazi salute
As Caitlin Cassidy reported earlier, the ANU vice-chancellor, Genevieve Bell, had a testy exchange with Labor MP Josh Burns during a federal inquiry on antisemitism at university campuses, over revelations an investigation into an alleged Nazi salute during a student union meeting has cleared students of any wrongdoing.
You can read more earlier in the blog here, and you can now watch the exchange below:
Private Hospitals Association calling for moratorium on overseas-trained psychiatrists to be lifted
The Australian Private Hospitals Association is calling on the federal government to lift a 10-year moratorium on overseas-trained psychiatrists, as 200 psychiatrists prepare to quit in New South Wales.
The association said it was “incomprehensible” for the federal government to restrict the supply of qualified and accredited psychiatrists in private hospitals “in the midst of a national crisis in accessing mental healthcare”, and the situation in NSW.
The APHA CEO, Brett Heffernan, said the moratorium should be lifted “today”, as “Australians are being denied the mental healthcare they urgently need due to bureaucratic red tape and ministerial intransigence”.
The situation in NSW should be a catalyst for the federal government to move now. With the NSW government seeking to accommodate mental health needs in private psychiatric hospitals, the availability of more psychiatrists, is paramount.
The moratorium restricts overseas-trained doctors from practising in most private hospitals, limiting their activity to areas of designated workforce shortage. This definition ignores the ongoing critical need with respect to private in-patient psychiatric services that have arisen post-pandemic.
He said lifting the moratorium would “provide immediate relief” for the sector, helping “both public and private healthcare providers to manage patient load and reduce strain on hospital staff”.

Jordyn Beazley
What are the NSW hate speech laws under consideration after Sydney’s recent antisemitic attacks?
Critics have accused the New South Wales government of ignoring its own 2024 review into hate speech laws, as it tries to respond to a spate of antisemitic vandalism and arson attacks in Sydney that has left Jewish communities on edge.
The NSW Council for Civil Liberties says the government risks making “reactionary” legislative decisions and has warned state officials that they “cannot arrest your way into social cohesion”.
The criticism comes amid growing calls for the government to do more to stem the attacks. You can read our full explainer on what laws are under consideration in the state below:
Tropical Cyclone Sean well offshore, will weaken below cyclone strength today
Tropical Cyclone Sean, which brought intense rainfall to the Pilbara coast earlier in the week, is expected to weaken below tropical cyclone strength today.
The Bureau of Meteorology said it has currently weakened to a category one level and is forecast to remain “well offshore”.