PM maintains Australia will do ‘nothing to help or repatriate’ girls and kids caught in Syria
Albanese maintains the federal government is not going to help any repatriation efforts for the group of ladies and kids caught in Syria to return residence. He stated:
We take nationwide safety recommendation and we’ll do what we will to maintain Australians secure throughout the regulation. We are going to implement the regulation to its fullest capability that we will.
We wish to ensure that Australians are saved secure. These are individuals who selected to go abroad to align themselves with an ideology which is the caliphate, which is a brutal reactionary ideology, and that seeks to undermine and destroy our lifestyle.
So what we will likely be doing, and are doing, is nothing to help or repatriate these folks.
Albanese was requested about kids caught abroad and the way they might be handled. He stated:
We’re doing nothing to repatriate or help these folks. I feel it’s unlucky that kids are caught up on this. That’s not their determination, nevertheless it’s the choice of their mother and father, or their mom, and we wish to ensure that we proceed to be very clear concerning the authorities’s place. And I can’t be … clearer.
Key occasions
Patrick Commins
Some stats behind Australia’s migration insurance policies
The brand new chief of the opposition, Angus Taylor, has promised an “immigration coverage that places Australians first, raises the requirements, reduces the numbers and says to individuals who don’t settle for our lifestyle that the door is shut”.
It’s reported that Sussan Ley’s draft migration coverage would have aimed to scale back web abroad migration (Nom) to 170,000 a yr, in comparison with about 240,000 main into the pandemic, and 305,570 in the newest monetary yr.
To be clear, we don’t have a Nom “goal” – we’ve got a everlasting migration program of 185,000 folks a yr, most of whom are already within the nation.
Consultants say exact concentrating on on Nom is unattainable, because it displays each arrivals and departures; you’ll be able to restrict the primary, however not the second.
Web abroad migration is excessive however has been trending down for a while. Arrivals are roughly again to the place they have been earlier than the Covid-19 border closures, however departures are nonetheless low.
Beware those that intentionally conflate abroad arrivals and departures knowledge (which rely border crossings) with Nom to make exaggerated claims about “mass migration”.
The ABS has stated “this knowledge doesn’t replicate the official ABS definition of migration and will result in inaccurate conclusions on migration”.
Removed from “uncontrolled”, consultants like Alan Gamlen from the ANU’s migration hub say the wildly oscillating web abroad migration figures replicate the delayed adjustment from the worldwide shock brought on by the pandemic.
Household of kidnapped 85-year-old says they’re dwelling ‘by means of a nightmare’
The household of Chris Baghsarian, the 85-year-old kidnapped from his residence apparently by mistake, stated final night time they’re “dwelling by means of a nightmare” and the person’s abduction “feels surreal”.
Baghsarian was alone in his North Ryde residence when he was taken and bundled right into a dark-coloured SUV on Friday morning, allegedly by underworld figures. Police say it was a case of mistaken id and so they maintain grave considerations for the grandfather, who wants every day treatment.
The household stated final night time:
Chris’s kidnapping feels surreal, and we’re struggling to make sense of the truth that he has been taken and that our household has been caught up in one thing that has nothing to do with us.
Chris is a faithful father, brother, uncle, and grandfather. He’s deeply cherished, mild, and the kindest individual we all know – somebody who would by no means harm a fly.
As we look forward to some type of closure or decision, we ask for privateness and respectfully request that the media cease publishing photographs of our prolonged household.
That is a very distressing time, and we’d like house to help each other and give attention to navigating what comes subsequent.
Ima Caldwell
Man charged with homicide after Merrylands stabbing spree had allegedly absconded from hospital
A person has been charged with homicide after a stabbing assault in Sydney’s west that killed a person and left two folks critically injured.
The 25-year-old accused had absconded from well being care 10 days earlier than the assault whereas being transferred between hospitals, authorities stated. Western Sydney native well being district stated the person had escaped from care 10 days earlier than the stabbings.
“The district is conscious an individual alleged to be concerned within the incident is a current affected person of Cumberland hospital, which gives acute inpatient look after folks with complicated psychological well being wants,” a spokesperson stated, including:
On 7 February, this individual absconded from care whereas being transferred from Cumberland hospital to Westmead hospital emergency division for additional medical evaluation.
Learn extra right here:
Melissa Davey
Authorities defends use of algorithm to evaluate aged care helps
A spokesperson from the Division of Health, Incapacity and Ageing has defended the federal government’s use of an algorithm to evaluate aged folks for aged care help, saying the Built-in Evaluation Device (IAT) “ensures service suggestions and referrals are tailor-made to a person’s wants”.
It follows a report from Guardian Australia today, the place aged care employees described the IAT as “inhumane” and “merciless,” locking aged folks right into a classification of want that have to be accepted by assessors to safe help. However aged care professionals say the IAT usually will get this evaluation incorrect, recommending decrease ranges of help and subsequently funding to aged folks.
“The IAT classification algorithm doesn’t substitute assessor enter and depends on assessors documenting their recommendation within the IAT first,” the division spokesperson stated, including:
Assessors nonetheless play a vital position in reaching top quality evaluation outcomes by utilizing their scientific judgment and powerful communication and engagement expertise to finish the IAT in the course of the evaluation.
However impartial MP Dr Monique Ryan says this “misses the purpose”.
“The enter (by the assessor) could be proper, however the algorithmic output may be solely incorrect,” Ryan stated.
Ryan stated she is more and more listening to from constituents involved that the IAT “is stripping the sector of scientific judgment and nuance” and leaving aged folks with insufficient care.
The division didn’t reply to questions from Guardian Australia about how the IAT algorithm assesses folks together with complexities and different issue.
Learn extra:
PM maintains Australia will do ‘nothing to help or repatriate’ girls and kids caught in Syria
Albanese maintains the federal government is not going to help any repatriation efforts for the group of ladies and kids caught in Syria to return residence. He stated:
We take nationwide safety recommendation and we’ll do what we will to maintain Australians secure throughout the regulation. We are going to implement the regulation to its fullest capability that we will.
We wish to ensure that Australians are saved secure. These are individuals who selected to go abroad to align themselves with an ideology which is the caliphate, which is a brutal reactionary ideology, and that seeks to undermine and destroy our lifestyle.
So what we will likely be doing, and are doing, is nothing to help or repatriate these folks.
Albanese was requested about kids caught abroad and the way they might be handled. He stated:
We’re doing nothing to repatriate or help these folks. I feel it’s unlucky that kids are caught up on this. That’s not their determination, nevertheless it’s the choice of their mother and father, or their mom, and we wish to ensure that we proceed to be very clear concerning the authorities’s place. And I can’t be … clearer.
Albanese says new shadow ministry ‘reheated leftovers’ of Morrison authorities
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is talking in Tasmania concerning the authorities’s efforts to open pressing care clinics and develop entry to well being providers.
He supplied up a jab on the new shadow cupboard following the elevation of Angus Taylor because the opposition chief, saying:
That’s what we’ve got been targeted on entrance and centre whereas the Coalition are simply targeted on themselves and this week, yesterday, we noticed an announcement of the shadow ministry that’s primarily the reheated leftovers from the Morrison authorities.
Learn extra concerning the opposition frontbench right here:
Not secure to return to bushfire space north of Melbourne
VicEmergency says it’s nonetheless not secure to return to an space south of the Victorian city of Seymour, about 75km north of Melbourne.
This Watch & Act – Bushfire – Not Protected to Return is for North of Strath Creek, South of Trawool and West of King Parrot Creek Street Kerrisdale.
When you’ve got left the world, it’s Not Protected to Return. Pay attention to probably harmful hazards.
Extra particulars at https://t.co/AJT5BRChSW pic.twitter.com/RRDApgaZUm
— VicEmergency (@vicemergency) February 17, 2026
The realm, encompassing elements of Strath Creek, Trawool and Kerrisdale, are nonetheless being impacted by a bushfire that has but to be managed. The hearth is now gradual transferring as a result of a change in climate circumstances.
When you’ve got left the world, it isn’t secure to return. Pay attention to potential harmful bushfire and tree hazards and emergency automobiles.
South Australia police not ruling ‘something out’ in seek for Gus Lamont
South Australia police say they don’t seem to be ruling “something out” within the ongoing seek for Gus Lamont, the four-year-old who went lacking on 27 September.
Grant Stevens, the commissioner of SA police, held a press convention earlier, the place he maintained officers would proceed to make use of “each useful resource obtainable to us, if it can contribute to resolving the disappearance of Gus Lamont”. He stated:
Little Gus went lacking on 27 September and we nonetheless don’t have readability as to precisely the place Gus could be. So I feel it’s truthful to imagine there may be extra work to be completed. As with every main crime investigation, we don’t relaxation till we’ve got a decision.
It’s a truthful assumption that we are going to be engaged on the [search for] Gus for a while to come back but.
Randa Abdel-Fattah celebrates inclusion in Sydney writers’ pageant program
Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah confirmed her inclusion at this yr’s Sydney writers’ pageant, sharing a quick touch upon Instagram:
Within the midst of suffocating repression and racism, have fun the wins. Might all of us stay undisciplined.
The pageant will run from 17-24 Might at venues throughout town, together with Carriageworks and city corridor.
Patrick Commins
Constructing 1.2m houses will barely put a dent in Australia’s housing affordability, one skilled says. Right here’s why
Is constructing extra houses the reply to Australia’s housing disaster? No, it’s not. Not even shut.
In reality, delivering an unrealistically huge overbuild of houses over the following twenty years would barely put a dent in housing affordability, in accordance with Christian Nygaard, a professor of housing economics on the UNSW’s Metropolis Futures analysis centre.
Regardless of finest efforts at federal and state degree, no person thinks we’ll get there.
Learn extra right here:
Hanson ‘not match to guide main get together’ after Muslim feedback, Canavan says
Tom McIlroy
Outspoken Nationals senator Matt Canavan has pushed again on Pauline Hanson’s more and more inflammatory statements about Australian Muslims this week, saying she isn’t match to guide a serious political get together.
Hanson was on Sky Information on Monday night time, discussing the thwarted makes an attempt by Australian girls and kids caught in Syria to return residence.
The One Nation chief stated the group hated westerners, saying: “You understand, you say, ‘oh, effectively, there’s good Muslims on the market’. Properly, I’m sorry, how are you going to … inform me there are good Muslims?”
Talking on Channel 9 this morning, Canavan known as remarks by his fellow Queensland senator “completely un-Australian”.
“This assertion from Pauline was divisive, inflammatory,” he stated, occurring:
Completely un-Australian, for somebody to say that of all these Australians who’re Muslim, there’s no good folks amongst them.
Clearly, I feel she went too far, and now she received’t apologise as a result of she doesn’t try this … She’s not match to guide a serious political get together with most of these ill-disciplined statements that she received’t appropriate that insult [to] tons of of hundreds of Australians.
On ABC radio, Hanson walked again a number of the feedback on Wednesday, mentioning {that a} Muslim candidate had run for her get together. However she refused to apologise.
Are Lime bikes match for function?
Would you belief your life to a motorcycle that’s been dropped and left within the rain by a stranger?
There are literally thousands of share bikes scattered throughout Sydney proper now, competing in your subsequent journey. Guardian Australia’s Luca Ittimani met up with a motorcycle mechanic and hit the streets to search out out: are Sydney’s share ebikes truly match for function?
Deaths in 50km/h zones surge as infrastructure group urges rethink of security measures
Governments are being urged to bolster street security measures because the variety of deaths in native streets rise dramatically, AAP experiences.
Roads Australia says an pressing overview and extra federal and state help for councils are wanted because the nation veers away from reaching a key street toll goal, echoing calls from street security advocates.
Greater than 155 street deaths have been recorded within the first seven weeks of 2026, and in a report launched on Wednesday, Roads Australia spotlighted fatalities on roads with 50 km/h velocity limits, which have risen considerably lately.
Greater than 150 folks have been killed in these zones in 2025, nearly 20% increased than the yr prior.
Weak street customers have been disproportionately affected, with pedestrian deaths up 13% year-on-year in 2025 and bike owner deaths up 32%.
The group, whose members embrace main street infrastructure gamers akin to Downer, John Holland and Transurban, stated the report confirmed a must rethink how city streets have been designed and managed.
That included lowering some areas’ limits to 40 or 30 km/h.
Benita Kolovos
Byelection date set for Sam Groth’s seat in Victoria
A date has been set for the byelection sparked by the resignation of the previous deputy Victorian Liberal chief Sam Groth.
The speaker, Maree Edwards, has confirmed writs have been issued for a 2 Might byelection within the Mornington Peninsula seat of Nepean. Writs will likely be issued on 13 March, the electoral roll will shut on 20 March and the ultimate day for candidates to appoint is 10 April, Edwards stated in an announcement final night time.
Groth, a former skilled tennis participant, had deliberate to give up politics on the November election amid get together infighting, however introduced his resignation ahead to final week, triggering the byelection.
Nepean is taken into account a secure Liberal seat with a 6.4% margin, however challengers are circling: One Nation has confirmed it can area a candidate, and the Independents for Mornington Peninsula group is trying to find a contender.
The Liberal’s state government (previously generally known as the executive committee) will bypass a vote of the native department to decide on its candidate, citing an absence of time.
As we revealed on Monday, many of the government is ready to again the Mornington Peninsula mayor, Anthony Marsh, as Groth’s successor in a vote deliberate for twenty-four February, a lot to the anger of native department members.
We’ve already heard from members of the department this morning who need the manager to rethink an area vote given a Might byelection.
You possibly can learn extra right here:
