TRANSCRIPT:
- Anthony Albanese says a mass cyber-attack is a reminder of the need for vigilance;
- The Coalition to support the return of a construction industry watchdog;
- A horror opening round for Cameron Smith in the British Open.
The Prime Minister says cyber security remains a priority for the government, following a massive data breach at an electronic prescriptions provider.
MediSecure has revealed almost half of Australia's population was impacted by the cyber attack in May, with personal and health-related data of almost 13 million Australians stolen.
Anthony Albanese says the government is committed to protecting Australians against these kinds of attacks.
"We need to be ever vigilant. Cyber security is a threat to individuals, to corporations, most importantly to their customers, but to us as a nation as well. That's why we've ramped up our funding of the Australian Signals Directorate. That's why we have a cyber security taskforce working with the business community on these issues."
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A woman has been arrested outside the prime minister's Sydney office after police claimed she refused to leave.
Anthony Albanese's Marrickville office, in Sydney's inner-west, has been the subject of months-long protests against Australia's response to the conflict in Gaza.
In a recording of the arrest on her Instagram page, the woman has claimed she was a local constituent.
She says she was attending the office to ask for assistance after a visa application for her family members in Gaza had been declined.
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The Coalition says it supports the return of a construction sector regulator amid allegations of criminal activity in the CFMEU.
The opposition will bring forward laws for the Australian Building and Construction Commission when parliament next sits in August.
The controversial body had been introduced by the former coalition government, and disbanded by Labor in 2023 with the ALP maintaining the body was anti-union.
But Opposition leader Peter Dutton has told Channel 9 it is time to bring the Commission back.
"We'll reintroduce that legislation for the building construction watchdog. We hope the government can support it because they abolished it at the request of the CFMEU."
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The U.N. envoy for women in the Occupied Palestinian Territory says women and girls are being disproportionally displaced and affected by the war in Gaza.
Calling it “a war on women,” Maryse Guimond has said what she saw during a recent trip to Gaza was unlike anything she’s ever witnessed.
“Wars are never gender neutral but…and no doubt in Gaza, 1 million women and girls are bearing the worst brunt of nine months of war. There are losing their lives. They are sick, hungry, exhausted, holding families together despite their constant fear and loss.”
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Thousands of students armed with sticks and rocks have clashed with armed police in Dhaka during ongoing anti government protests.
The nationwide demonstrations have been fuelled by high unemployment among young people, with nearly a fifth of the 170 million population out of work or education.
Protesters are demanding the state stop setting aside 30 per cent of government jobs for families of those who fought in the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan.
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It has been revealed that Julian Assange's trip back to Australia cost more than $781,000.
Documents tabled in the Senate show an additional 47,000 taxpayer dollars were spent on travel expenses for the two ambassadors, Kevin Rudd and Stephen Smith, to accompany Mr Assange.
But a private organisation focused on freedom of communication - the German-based Wau Holland Foundation - has agreed to pay the bill.
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Health authorities in Victoria have urged people to keep records of their sexual partners as the state deals with a growing mpox outbreak.
Victoria has recorded 76 cases over the past three months compared with only eight cases last year, with the illness spreading through close physical contact, and mostly affecting men who have sex with men.
Chief Health Officer Dr Clare Looker says records will assist in contact tracing, if that becomes necessary.
Monash Health Professor Rhonda Stuart says people should also consider limiting their sexual partners.
"The mpox vaccine certainly decreases the risk of getting mpox and really decreases the risk of severe symptoms but we do know that people who are double vaccinated are still getting mpox if they are in that risk group and having lots of contacts."
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Australian golfer Cameron Smith has had a horror opening round at the British Open at Royal Troon in Scotland.
The 2022 title holder finished nine over, struggling in the wet and windy conditions.
The 30 year old says that in 33 majors stretching back nine years, he has never had an experience like this.
"I mean if you had have told me yesterday that I was going to shoot that I wouldn't have said that was possible. But it's just a bit of a crappy start and didn't really manage to hole any putts when I needed to, to try to get back in it."
