The former opposition leader Peter Dutton has been appointed to the Queensland Investment Corporation board by the state government.
Former Beattie government assistant minister Michael Choi was also appointed to be a director on the board.
The corporation is one of Australia’s largest institutional investment managers, with more than $135bn in assets under management.
Treasurer David Janetzki said the two appointments “will bring world class expertise to the Queensland Investment Corporation strengthening its ability to driving [sic] investment in our state, helping to grow our economy to benefit all Queenslanders”.
Australian War Memorial updates display dedicated to Ben Roberts-Smith
The Australian War Memorial has updated the display dedicated to Ben Roberts-Smith after the former Special Air Service (SAS) corporal was officially charged with five counts of the war crime of murder.
The changes, implemented on Friday, mean nearly half of the descriptive plaque in the museum’s Hall of Valour is now dedicated to events occurring after his military service, beginning with the initial reports of misconduct in 2016.
Previously, the display concluded by noting that Roberts-Smith had not been charged with any criminal offence. As of Friday, the updated text now reads:
In April 2026, Roberts-Smith was charged with five counts of the war crime of murder. The legal process is ongoing.
At a media conference on Friday, Matt Anderson, director of the Australian War Memorial, said the museum remained committed to keeping the public informed but also to the principle of the presumption of innocence.
“The memorial’s commitment throughout this entire process… has been to ensure that the panel in the galleries is up to date and covers the facts,” Anderson said.
I’m very conscious now, [given] the gravity of the charges that have been laid, the most important thing all of us can do now is allow justice to take its course…and there’s nothing I am going to say or do today or at any stage in the Australian War Memorial that will influence or impact on the opportunities of a fair trial.
What we’ve done consistently is update the panel in the galleries to keep the visiting public abreast of where that case is at, and that’s what we’ve done again today.
Anderson said Roberts-Smith’s equipment, uniform, and medal groups would remain on display.
“The reason Ben Roberts-Smith, VC, MG, is in the Hall of Valor at the Australian War Memorial is because of his actions in Tizak in the Shah Wali Kot district in Kandahar province in Afghanistan on the 11th of June, 2010,” he said.
“That’s why he’s up in the galleries in the Hall of Valor with other recipients of the Victoria Cross – for his actions on that day. “
The timing of the panel update as Roberts-Smith awaits a bail hearing has come at an inopportune time for the institution, which opened 7,000 square metres of gallery space on Friday as part of its controversial $500m expansion project.
The redevelopment was designed to modernise the site and provide more space to honour recent conflicts, but public and media attention has remained fixed on the Hall of Valour.
The Roberts-Smith panel in that hall is expected to remain in its current form until a verdict is reached in any criminal trial.
The ‘joint statement on economic resilience and essential supplies’
What does that signed “joint statement on economic resilience and essential supplies” actually contain?
An official statement has been released by Albanese and Wong, which says (in short) that the two nations officially agreed to keep supplying each other with essential fuels.
Singapore relies on Australia for Liquefied natural gas (LNG), and Australia relies on Singapore for refined oil, including diesel and petrol.
It acknowledges that Australia and Singapore are affected by global energy shortages caused by the Middle East crisis, and says:
We stated our determination to make maximum efforts to meet each other’s energy security needs … support the flow of essential goods …
They are writing supply-chain guarantees into their official Singapore-Australia free trade agreement (SAFTA) so that it is legally enforceable by international law.
The Australia-Singapore Economic Resilience Dialogue and inaugural Energy Ministerial Dialogue have also been established. These two permanent initiatives will allow senior officials and energy ministers from both countries to meet regularly, to monitor supply chains and energy reserves.
What happened in that presser?
Wong and Albanese shook hands to conclude their joint address to media this afternoon, from Singapore.
The pair met to discuss securing fuel supplies and have signed a “joint statement” on economic resilience and essential supplies.
Australia provides Singapore with LNG, while Singapore takes refined fuels.
The Singaporean PM said:
We will keep trade flowing between our two countries.
Albanese spoke about the strength of the relationship between Australia and Singapore. He also said the conflict in the Middle East is a long way from our region, but every country in the region is being affected by it. He went on to say the best way to deal with this energy crisis is to work together.
Both leaders called for the strait of Hormuz to be reopened.
A reporter asks two questions, the first addressed to Albanese: Is the government considering any changes to the tax treatment for new gas export contracts in the May budget?
Albanese says there are three priorities when it comes to energy, both now and in the immediate period:
They are supply, supply and supply.
That is our priority. That is what we are focused on. That is what I’m engaged with … if there’s a fourth, it’s price.
Singapore restricting exports ‘a hypothetical that won’t happen’, says PM Wong
Both leaders are in agreement that the two countries will keep sending each other existing stocks of LNG and fuel.
A reporter asks prime minister Wong: If Singapore does have to start restricting exports, will Australia be prioritised?
Wong calls it a hypothetical that won’t happen:
We do not plan to restrict. We didn’t have to do so even in the darkest days of Covid. And we will not do so during this energy crisis. It’s hypothetical. It won’t happen.
Albanese quips:
The prime minister is just as confident in private as he is in public.
A reporter asks about the leaders’ position on reopening the strait of Hormuz.
Albanese has a simple response: “We think the strait of Hormuz should be opened.”
Wong goes into more detail:
Our position on the strait of Hormuz is clear …
This is international law. It’s important to us that countries uphold international law, including the right of transit passage through international waterway like the strait of Hormuz …
Oil is fungible.
As long as more oil enters the global energy market,
It is good for the world.
Watch live:
Albanese says he and PM Wong have signed a joint statement that will protect “Our mutual energy security and support the flow of fuels and LNG between our two countries. The conflict in the Middle East is a long way from our region.”
As partners, and neighbours I look forward to continuing to engage with the prime minister in discussion, today, and that’s what friends can do …
With that position of trust and mutual interest how Australia and Singapore could work with other nations as well, like-minded countries, to expand what we are achieving here today.
PM Wong assures that Singapore will continue supplying refined fuels to Australia
Singapore’s prime minister Wong, says the meeting has helped take “concrete steps to reinforce our resilience and to keep supply lines open.”
He said:
First, we will keep create flowing between our two countries. Essential goods will continue to move between Australia and Singapore. That includes liquefied natural gas, or LNG, which Australia supplies to Singapore, as well as refined petroleum products like diesel which Singapore supplies to Australia.
I appreciate prime minister Albanese’s assurance that Australia will continue supplying LNG to Singapore, because this is vital for us.
Natural gas is our main source for power generation. Likewise, I have assured prime minister Albanese that Singapore will continue supplying refined fuels to Australia. As a global refining hub We will keep these floors going. As long as upstream supplies continue.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese is now speaking at a media conference, live from Singapore with his counterpart Lawrence Wong.
The leaders have so far visited an oil refinery and a gas tanker.
Wong is speaking first, and says he wishes they were meeting under “more favourable circumstances.” He says:
Unfortunately, these are difficult times. Not just for Australia and Singapore but for countries everywhere. The conflict in the Middle East is disrupting global supply chains and energy markets …
Singapore and Australia feel these pressures directly. That is why in times like these, we must work closely, move faster and stand together. Not just to manage the risk but to protect the wellbeing of our people.
Some background on Anthony Albanese’s Singapore trip
This trip is Albanese’s third official visit to Singapore as prime minister.
Singapore is our largest trade partner in south-east Asia, one of Australia’s closest strategic and economic partners.
The Middle East conflict has shaken both nations: Australia is facing potential shortfalls of oil, petrol and diesel. Iran’s targeting of LNG facilities in Qatar has threatened Singapore’s gas supply.
Singapore makes up more than a quarter of Australia’s total refined fuel imports, including 55% of our petrol, 22% of jet fuel and 15% of diesel worth more than $10bn. Australia supplies 32% of Singapore’s LNG, worth about $5bn.
Albanese to address media in Singapore
Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is expected to address the media this afternoon. The PM is in Singapore today, meeting his counterpart, Lawrence Wong.
The two prime ministers hold a leaders’ meeting annually, but the summit takes on a new focus this year, with the fuel crisis likely at the top of the agenda.
Why Singapore is so important to Australia’s fuel stocks and why Albanese brought forward the meeting?
Political reporter Josh Butler explains here:
That’s all from me. Ima Caldwell will take things from here and guide the blog into the weekend. Take care.
Watchdog finds no serious misconduct over former commissioner’s gin gifts, but says NSW police needs new policies
The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) recommended NSW police develop a policy over the acquisition and distribution of gifts by the force’s commissioner, but did not find any serious misconduct on the part of former commissioner Karen Webb.
The body tabled a report after finding that Webb authorised the purchase of 50 bottles of gin to be used as commemorative gifts to dignitaries and other persons during her tenure. While Webb did not choose the supplier, she eventually learned the gin came from a company owned by a friend. Webb left the role in 2025.
LECC said Webb noted in hearings she should have declared a potential conflict of interest, but said there was no serious misconduct, saying:
The report notes that several Commissioners of Police had given bottles of alcohol as commemorative gifts and Commissioner Webb continued that tradition. There were no guidelines within the NSW Police Force governing the acquisition, distribution and record keeping associated with corporate gifts.
The watchdog said a policy should be drafted to govern such gifts in the future.
Thousands of electric vehicles recalled in Australia due to battery fire risk
Thousands of Australian drivers will be asked to check their electric vehicle batteries as part of a global recall involving more than 100,000 cars, AAP reports.
Hyundai issued a local recall for almost 5,000 vehicles on Friday due to a fault with its battery management software that could cause a fire while the car is recharging or while it is parked.
The recall involves two Hyundai models: the Kona EV manufactured between 2018 and 2023, and the Ioniq EV made between 2018 and 2022.
The federal transport department announced the recall of 3,478 Hyundai Kona electric cars and 1,402 Ioniq EVs, warning drivers they would be contacted by the manufacturer to organise an assessment.
Read more here:
More on the NSW coalmine given a two-year extension
An underground coalmine has been given the green light to dig for a further two years, with the New South Wales planning commission arguing it’s needed to guarantee electricity supply as the state transitions to renewables.
The NSW Greens have warned the move could be challenged in court after the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) gave the green light to Delta Electricity’s extension of its Chain Valley colliery operations, in the Lake Macquarie region, for two years.
But it explicitly prohibited transport of the coal for export or any other domestic use beyond supplying coal to the Vales Point power station.
The commission said the approval was justified because it would support “reliable baseload electricity during NSW’s transition to renewable energy sources”.
In its published statement of reasons, it said the two-year extension “represents the outer limit of what can reasonably be justified in NSW’s policy context of working towards decarbonisation”.
Read more here:
Greens say Australia should step up pressure on Israel over ‘disastrous, illegal, immoral war’ on Lebanon
The Greens want the federal government to put direct pressure on Israel to stop its deadly strikes on Lebanon, including cancelling weapons contracts to protest against the “disastrous, illegal, immoral war”.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, have insisted southern Lebanon should be included in the fledgling ceasefire agreement negotiated between the US and Iran in recent days.
The Greens defence spokesperson, David Shoebridge, said tougher economic and diplomatic pressure was needed. He told ABC radio on Friday:
I welcome Australia joining so many other countries around the world in making that clear statement that Lebanon should be part of the ceasefire, and I note that the Pakistan negotiators made it clear from the outset that a ceasefire in Lebanon was part of the ceasefire.
Read more here:
AHRC accepts human rights complaint after Indigenous families allegedly told to leave public pool
The Australian Human Rights Commission has accepted a complaint against NSW police and Belgravia Leisure after an alleged incident at the Inverell public pool in northern NSW, AAP reports.
The complaint says First Nations families enjoying the pool were ordered to leave on 16 March 2025, after staff called police, alleging some children were disobeying the rules. The families say they were never asked to leave the pool before police arrived.
Officers told the families they could be arrested for trespassing if they did not leave before escorting them out, the complaint alleges.
The families and the National Justice Project say the actions of staff and police breached the Racial Discrimination Act.
Belgravia Leisure was contacted for comment on Friday, but chief executive Nick Cox had previously addressed the claims in a letter five days after the incident, saying the company “strongly” refuted the claims.
You can read more here:
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: theguardian.com
