OPENING OF WESTERN SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

CANBERRA, ACT, Oct. 25 -- The Prime Minister of Australia issued the following media release: I begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet, and I pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging. I'd like to thank and Wurundjeri Elder Jason Tweedie for the smoking ceremony, and John Terrick for that wonderful yidaki performance. I would also like to acknowledge Her Excellency Governor Margaret Beazley, Western Sydney International chair Paul O'Sullivan,...


FIRST PASSENGERS LIFT OFF FROM WSI

CANBERRA, ACT, Oct. 25 -- The Prime Minister of Australia issued the following media release: At 11am Australian Eastern Daylight Time, JQ362 will take off from Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport, the first passenger flight for this brand new Airport. Hundreds of spectators will also be in attendance as the full capacity Jetstar Airbus A320 takes off for the maiden passenger voyage, connecting Western Sydney to the Gold Coast for the first time. This Airport has been 40 ...


AUSTRALIA'S FIRST MAJOR NEW AIRPORT HAS BEEN DECADES IN THE MAKING

CANBERRA, ACT, Oct. 25 -- The Prime Minister of Australia issued the following media release: This weekend, history will be made in Western Sydney. On Sunday, the first domestic flight will take off from Western Sydney International Airport. And on Monday, the first international flight will do the same. For the first time in more than 50 years, Australia is opening a major new airport. It's a milestone that has been decades in the making and one that belongs to the people of Western S...


PREMIER APPOINTS CHILD SAFETY MINISTER TO CONTINUE REFORM AGENDA

BRISBANE, Queensland, Oct. 24 -- The Queensland Department of the Premier and Cabinet issued text of the following statement: Premier and Minister for Veterans The Honourable David Crisafulli * The Honourable Amanda Stoker appointed Minister in the Crisafulli Government. * NatalieMarr appointed to assistant ministry. * Both appointments sworn in by Governor today and will join the Government's work to deliver a fresh start for Queensland. The Premier has today announced the appointment of...


BOOSTING COMPETITION AND PRODUCTIVITY IN THE FINANCIAL SECTOR

CANBERRA, ACT, Oct. 23 -- The Treasurer of Australia issued the following media release: Today we are opening consultation on the next phase of our deregulation agenda to boost productivity and competition in the financial sector. We are cutting red tape across the financial services industry by $780million a year which is good for customers and good for the economy. These reforms will make it easier for mid‑sized banks to compete and streamline reporting requirements for smaller banks ...


SYDNEY MAN SENTENCED FOR ONLINE THREAT AGAINST FOREIGN EMBASSY

CANBERRA, ACT, Oct. 23 -- Australian Federal Police issued the following media release: A Sydney man has been sentenced to a nine-month recognisance order by Penrith Local Court today (23 October, 2026) for an online threat targeted at a foreign embassy in Australia. The AFP's National Security Investigations (NSI) team began an investigation in June, 2026, after receiving a report from a foreign law enforcement partner of an online threat to harm a foreign embassy located in Australia. The m...


THREE PEOPLE CHARGED FOLLOWING ALLEGED 120 KG COCAINE IMPORT HIDDEN IN FURNITURE

CANBERRA, ACT, Oct. 23 -- Australian Federal Police issued the following media release: This is a joint media release by the Australian Federal Police, Victoria Police and Australian Border Force and Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission Editor's note: Arrest vision available in Hightail. Three people have been charged by the Victorian Joint Organised Crime Taskforce (JOCTF) for their alleged involvement in a plot to import 120kg of cocaine into Melbourne. The trio was arrested on Tue...


INTERVIEW WITH AMANDA COPP, THE CANBERRA PLAYBOOK, POLITICO PODCAST

CANBERRA, ACT, Oct. 23 -- The Treasurer of Australia issued the following transcript: Amanda Copp: Jim Chalmers, thank you so much for joining us on the show. Jim Chalmers: Thanks very much, Amanda, for having me on the podcast. Copp: Now we've had a pretty horrific week here in Canberra. Have you yourself experienced threats or threats of attacks since your time in politics? Chalmers: Absolutely. And the frequency of those kinds of threats has escalated pretty dramatically in recent tim...


FUTURE BRISBANE

CANBERRA, ACT, Oct. 23 -- The Prime Minister of Australia issued the following media release: Well, thanks very much, Jonesy, for the invitation to celebrate with you 10 years, a whole decade of dealing with Future Brisbane and being such a strong advocate for this great city and the way that the Courier Mail plays such a strong role. I'm sure that the Premier, David Crisafulli and I would agree, as would the former Premier Steven Miles, who's with us today as well, that when the Courier Mail ...


FUNDING FOR WORLD-CLASS GOLD COAST SPORTS FACILITY

CANBERRA, ACT, Oct. 23 -- The Prime Minister of Australia issued the following media release: The Gold Coast will be home to a new world-class facility with a strong focus on supporting women, girls and Para-athletes while creating a sporting legacy for the city. The Gold Coast Titans Community Hub and High Performance Centre in Carrara will bring the NRL and NRLW programs and Titans Netball together in one location, while opening up new facilities for community sport. The Albanese Government...