Helen Haines has lost one leg and surgeons are fighting to save the other. Witnesses say the driver reversed and rammed her a second time. The barber next door pulled him from the car.

1,067 reports of harassment or threats against high office holders last financial year, up from 951 the year before, Tony Burke says
Just under 30,000 people live in the wider Wangaratta council area where the alleged attack happened

"I had no choice but to take him out of the car because it was the right and safest thing to do"
Ricky Jefferies, the barber next door to Haines' office

Also weighing in

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke · says security agencies and police will work through what more could have been done to prevent the alleged attack and keep others safe.

Wangaratta mayor Irene Grant · says the barber was "extraordinarily modest about the very brave action that he took yesterday"

Earlier on r/InSnipNews: the thread

Adrian Portelli's LMCT+ supermarket opened in Melbourne on October 13. Analysts say beating Coles and Woolworths takes scale, supply chains and buying power, not a single store.

Roughly 67% of Australia's $148 billion supermarket sector is held by Coles and Woolworths together, with Aldi on nine per cent
2.6 to 3% is the net profit margin for Coles and Woolworths, says retail analyst Gary Mortimer, leaving little profit to cut
$99 a year for the LMCT+ membership you need before you can shop at Portelli's discount supermarket

"The reality is that supermarket competition is won through scale, logistics and supply chains, not through the opening of a single store."
Gary Mortimer, retail analyst

Also in interviews

Retail analyst Gary Mortimer · says Portelli's venture is "unlikely to materially alter grocery prices" because a single store has almost no bargaining power with suppliers.

Money expert Joel Gibson · says "the more supermarkets the better", but agrees Portelli's venture is unlikely to provide a solution to high grocery prices.

Pauline Hanson made it official policy on Monday: the trusts tax and the capital gains change go. Negative gearing stays grandfathered for anyone with more than two properties. The Coalition would axe all three.

50% capital gains tax discount Pauline Hanson says One Nation would restore
30% tax on trusts One Nation would scrap
3 tax changes of Labor's the Coalition would axe completely, a step further than One Nation

Where people land

Pauline Hanson · says unlimited taxpayer concessions for property tycoons are not working for Australians, and "The Liberal plan to back the broken model protecting property moguls makes no sense"

The Coalition · wants all three of Labor's tax changes axed completely.

Earlier on r/InSnipNews: the thread, 172 comments

The former industry minister says it is still not clear whether the planned energy and water standards will cover centres being built now. He calls Queensland's plan to power huge data centres with coal and gas lunacy.

5% hit to income for someone on an A$90,000 equivalent income between 2021 and 23, Husic says
Over ten years is how long Husic says he has been watching the AI space

Where people land

Labor backbencher Ed Husic · says Australia is going too fast on data centres and the government waited too long to move to mandatory standards.

Albanese government · plans national data centre standards on energy and water while trying not to lock out crucial investment.

A One Nation cartoon mocked Jacqui Lambie's vaginal prolapse. Pauline Hanson says it's satirical and Lambie should lighten up. The PM, Coalition and crossbench are backing Lambie.

About 1 in 12 Australian women are affected by pelvic organ prolapse, bladder or vaginal, says independent MP Monique Ryan
5 alleged murders involving unarmed detainees in Afghanistan that Ben Roberts-Smith has been charged over

Where people land

Senator Jacqui Lambie · says going public with her condition didn't make her health "fair game"

Pauline Hanson · says the cartoon is satirical and Lambie should "get over it"

Police allege he fired a semi automatic rifle at a home with seven people inside around 12.30am on Saturday. One man had minor injuries.

Eight charges, including unlawful use of a firearm, endangering life and no authority to drive
Seven people were inside the home when the shots were allegedly fired
One man had minor injuries and was taken to hospital

"When a child gains access to a firearm it creates an unacceptable risk to that child and to the wider community."
Acting Senior Sergeant Heath Atkinson

Independent MP Helen Haines is in critical condition after being struck by a vehicle outside the Wangaratta electorate office. Investigators say the motive is unknown. Threat reports were already climbing.

1,067 violent threats against high office holders recorded by federal police, up from 951 the year before
1,595 Australians were surveyed for the authors' research on conspiracy beliefs and violence against the government
Two police officers shot dead by self described sovereign citizen Dezi Freeman, who was then hunted for seven months

Also weighing in

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese · describes what happened to Helen Haines as a deliberate targeted act.

The new terms let Meta use bots on websites linked to business accounts. Meta says owners can block them with robots.txt. One marketing boss says leaving Meta can carry a serious commercial cost.

Where people land

Meta · says businesses can block its crawlers through robots.txt and that the terms are about ads and business products, not scraping news sites.

In Marketing We Trust CEO Paul Hewett · calls the terms a take it or leave it approach and says leaving Meta can carry a serious commercial cost.

Angus Taylor and Pauline Hanson have both responded. Albanese says there's no intelligence of a further threat and it's being treated as an isolated incident.

65 year old Haines was airlifted to The Alfred hospital in Melbourne in a critical condition
43 year old man from Tarrawingee was held at the scene by a passerby, police say

Also weighing in

Opposition Leader Angus Taylor · says the nation cannot become a place where violent attacks are normalised.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson · says violence against any elected representative is never acceptable in Australia.

Adjusted for inflation, Australian incomes are back where they were in 2011. The writer says spending alone isn't the problem, it's the gap between tax revenue and spending.

2011 levels is where Australian incomes sit once inflation is taken into account, the writer says
126 per cent is America's debt to GDP, far higher than during World War II

Also weighing in

RBA governor Michele Bullock · says rates are not going back down to zero or very close to zero, though she doesn't know if this level is the new normal.

The federal opposition · argues federal government spending is firing up inflation and driving interest rates higher.

Robert McClelland, a senior federal judge and former Labor attorney general, will head the NACC, the federal corruption watchdog, after Paul Brereton quit.

What happened

• McClelland, 68, and ASIC's Christopher Savundra as deputy start five year terms on 11 January, subject to the governor general's approval.
• He was Labor's attorney general from 2007 to 2011. Liberal attorney general George Brandis made him a Family Court judge in 2015.
• Brereton quit in May, two years short of his five year term, saying criticism of his performance was distracting from the watchdog's purpose.

"The first commissioner to the NACC didn't even last a full term, with there being serious concerns about his conduct and the way the commission is run." Michaelia Cash, shadow attorney general

The split: Appointee 3 · Brereton 2 · Government 1

On the appointee

The Guardian · Former Labor attorney general turned judge Robert McClelland named new anti-corruption boss

• Notes the NACC inspector found the robodebt decision "affected by apprehended bias", but made "no finding of intentional wrongdoing".
• Helen Haines, who helped design the NACC, says the reset is necessary and timely.

The Sydney Morning Herald · Judge and former Labor MP to be new national integrity commissioner

• Says the oversight committee backed him unanimously, and he starts with the task of restoring public confidence.
• Notes his father was a Whitlam minister and his grandfather a state Labor MP.

The Conversation · Former Labor attorney-general to be new head of the National Anti-Corruption Commission

• Recalls him switching from Beazley to Latham in the shower on the morning of the 2003 leadership vote. Latham won 47 to 45.
• Says he was dropped from the ministry after backing Kevin Rudd against Julia Gillard in the 2012 leadership vote.

On Brereton

The Australian 🔒 · Robert McClelland to lead NACC after Brereton scandal

• Ties it to the "Brereton scandal" and calls the NACC a "nascent integrity agency plagued by scandals since it was formed".

ABC News · Robert McClelland named as new corruption watchdog chief after Brereton resignation

• Says Brereton was found in 2024 to have engaged in officer misconduct over the decision on robodebt referrals.
• Cites its own investigation: Brereton kept providing "critical" capability to the IGADF despite assurances he had resigned.

On the government

The Canberra Times 🔒 · Albanese government unveils new National Anti-Corruption Commissioner

• Frames it as the Albanese government's pick, five months after Brereton resigned amid scrutiny of his defence connections.

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The council wanted money for a temporary crossing at Foxlow Bridge or for the Briars Sharrow project. The minister says there are limited grants for bridges. The council is still looking at repairs.

10 minute drive from Bungendore is the Briars Sharrow Road causeway being replaced
8 am to 4 pm planned power outage on 23 October while powerlines are moved for the bridge work

Where people land

Mayor Kenrick Winchester · asked the state for urgent support, either extra funding for Briars Sharrow or money for a temporary crossing at Foxlow Bridge.

NSW Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison · turned the council down, saying there are currently limited grant funding opportunities for bridge maintenance or replacement.

The ACT Government introduced a bill to the Legislative Assembly on 20 October. It is the second part of its gambling reforms, and the bill is expected to undergo committee scrutiny before returning to the Assembly for debate next year.

The rule: Every poker machine player in Canberra will be required to create an account with their identity verified and set a spending limit before gambling. The bill also bans ATMs from venues with poker machines, and includes mandatory breaks in play.

Who it catches: Every poker machine player in Canberra.

Source: Region

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The town was tasked with removing the whale on September 27. First estimates were $40,000 to $100,000. The mayor says if the state won't chip in, the town will likely pull money from projects already approved this year.

$180,000 is what removal cost, against first estimates of $40,000 to $100,000
44 kilometres to Red Hill landfill, in a sealed truck so whale exudate stayed off the freeway
$10,000 is what Karratha spent removing a 14 metre humpback in 2009

Where people land

Town of Cambridge · a motion slated for October 27 calls on the state to set up a state-funded whale carcass response that reimburses local governments for the cost of removal.

Western Australian government · says the cost of removing whale carcasses falls to the land owner, in this case the local government.

The modelling says Victoria will build 287,000 homes by July 1, 2029, nearly 32,000 over its target. Right now it lags by about 6000 homes in its annual quota.

$350m from the federal government for community infrastructure in growth suburbs and regional areas
Nearly 32,000 more homes than Victoria's minimum target under the accord, says new council modelling
3% of a project's value is the fee developers can pay instead of building 10% affordable homes

Also weighing in

Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny · declined to say whether Victoria should take up the 25% target, and says Victoria builds more homes than any other state.

Opposition planning spokesman David Southwick · declined to comment on the 25% target and says the Liberal Party wants to lower property taxes.

Andrew Barr is the longest current serving state or territory leader in Australia. Labor has won seven straight elections but had an outright majority only once, in 2004.

9,131 days of Labor in control of the ACT, across seven straight election wins
8 of 37 years is all the Canberra Liberals have spent in government since self government began
Almost 200,000 extra people now call the ACT home since the 2001 election

Where people land

Chief Minister Andrew Barr · says Labor has shown it can "renew in office" and brought "stability of purpose and consistency in values"

Professor Frank Bongiorno · says it has not been good for democracy and a government in that long "can undermine the democratic process"

He was 17 when arrested in November 2025 and was due at a three week trial next month. Instead he pleaded guilty, and will be the first person in the ACT sentenced for planning a terrorist act.

Two charges of acts in preparation of a terrorist act, which he admitted this week
Three weeks was how long the Supreme Court trial was due to run, starting next month

National Australia Bank says it will cut up to 2,500 jobs, or about 6 per cent of its workforce, by the middle of 2027.

If you work at NAB: Up to 2,500 jobs will go by the middle of 2027, about 6 per cent of the workforce. As many as 1,500 of those cuts have been flagged within months.
If you own NAB shares: The shares were down 2.9% after the first few hours of trade. The bank expects to take a $300 million pre-tax hit on restructuring costs.
If you own shares in CBA, Westpac or ANZ: The fall for NAB is being reflected in its peers, with more modest losses in a falling market. CBA was down 1.1%, Westpac 1.2% and ANZ 1%.

Source: abc.net.au

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Scientists say there is no credible evidence that hydrogen water has any health benefit, even as wellness trends promote it as a way to live longer.

Further down the story: Hydrogen is also sold to be breathed in, through a nasal cannula or in a sauna-like chamber. Oliver Jones has not heard of anyone dying from it, but warns it is still potentially dangerous, and that hydrogen is highly flammable in air.

"if you breathe in enough hydrogen, it can displace the oxygen in your lungs, and you could potentially asphyxiate." Oliver Jones, professor of analytical chemistry at RMIT University

Why it is worth knowing: Jones says the risk depends on the amount, concentration and duration, and that inhaling hydrogen is still potentially dangerous.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

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Fights broke out inside the Kelmscott Agricultural Show on Saturday. Then some young people cut fences and cable ties trying to get in. It's the first lockdown in the president's eight years.

50 to 70 juveniles estimated to have tried to enter the venue after fights inside the showgrounds
About 5pm when all entrances were shut and padlocked until police arrived to deal with the crowd outside
1 juvenile got a caution for disorderly behaviour, with police confirming no charges were laid

"We ejected people that were causing disruptions in the show and it built up, out on River Road it just got worse and worse so unfortunately we had to go into a lockdown."
Daryl Dawes, Kelmscott Agricultural Society President

Also weighing in

Society President Daryl Dawes · calls the incident "disappointing" and says the security team did a great job ejecting anyone who got in.

Western Australia Police · say the crowd dispersed after they arrived, with no charges laid and one juvenile cautioned.

Dr Darren Roberts says there's no way of knowing what's in the vials, and the real number is likely much higher. Young people are at particular risk.

32 per cent of peptide related hospital presentations were people aged 25 to 34
25 per cent of presentations were 16 to 24 year olds
Eight times higher semaglutide than the TGA approves, found in a product sold as retatrutide

Labor limits negative gearing to new homes from July 1 next year. Hanson says One Nation would open it to established homes too, and scrap Labor's capital gains and trust tax changes.

Two properties is the cap One Nation would set on negative gearing for investor landlords
50 per cent capital gains discount that One Nation would restore from Labor's 30 per cent minimum tax
New 30 per cent tax on discretionary trusts from July 1, 2028 under Labor, which One Nation would scrap

Where people land

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson · wants negative gearing for all investor landlords, capped at two properties, and the 50 per cent capital gains discount kept.

Albanese Labor Government · is limiting negative gearing to new properties from July 1 next year and replacing the 50 per cent discount with a 30 per cent minimum tax on gains.

9% Australians who were aware monitoring was used in their own workplace.

A March 2026 poll commissioned by Minderoo found 43% of Australians were aware some employers use technology including AI to monitor workers. Only 9% were aware it was used in their own workplace.

Source: The Guardian

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One in 10 cafes lifted coffee prices after the ban. A writer who went cash only for three days got no cash discount on their coffee but saved just over $2 on a pizza.

1 in 10 cafes have raised coffee prices since the ban started on October 1
Seven cents the card surcharge that used to take their oat latte to $5.57 before October 1; paying cash got no extra discount
Just over $2 off a $41.65 pizza meal deal, from a five per cent cash discount

"Contactless payment has made it far too easy to spend without a second thought."
April Glover, who wrote the opinion piece