PM to announce new-look front bench

• Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will reshuffle his front bench to account for the exit of Linda Burney, the Minister for Indigenous Australians, and Skills and Training Minister, Brendan O’Connor, at the upcoming election. The prime minister said the retirements would allow for a refresh of the front bench, to be announced on Sunday.
• Infrastructure Minister Catherine King has ordered a review of construction projects overseen by government business enterprises following allegations that criminals had infiltrated construction sites. Ms King said she had asked the Department of Infrastructure to provide an assurance that there were no issues with any contracting carried out by government business enterprises.
• Australia is not planning to increase its naval presence in the Red Sea, according to the Chief of Navy, who said the country would continue to support security efforts in the region. Australia is due to take command of international security efforts in the Red Sea, where threats to the trade route from Houthi rebels persist, with tensions recently escalating after the successful interception of a missile launch.
• The United States Navy’s highest-ranking officer says her country’s commitment to AUKUS would remain the same, no matter who occupied the White House. Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the US Chief of Naval Operations, said what mattered to the US were its allies and partners, brushing aside concerns over a second Donald Trump presidency and a more isolationist stance from Washington.
• A considerable drop in solar and wind output in the June quarter sparked a surge in the use of gas, which was 70 per cent higher than in the March quarter. The drop in renewables output, combined with increased demand due to cold weather and planned and unplanned network outages, led to a spike in wholesale prices, exceeding the prices seen this time last year.
• Medical specialists are over-charging and over-diagnosing patients in an effort to boost their income, according to a leading psychiatrist. Patrick McGorry — a former Australian of the Year and founder of the mental health service Headspace — said some private psychiatrists were charging up to A$3,000 to diagnose mental health disorders. The end result, warned Professor McGorry, was inflated medical costs.
• The Wentworth Group has developed what it calls a ‘Blueprint to Repair Australia’s Landscapes’, which outlines 24 actions and investments across five key environmental asset groups to repair Australia’s degraded landscapes.
• Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil says cyber is Australia’s “fastest-growing national security threat” and has urged businesses to do more to secure their systems and help others do the same. Ms O’Neil said she wanted tech vendors and Australian companies to do more to help educate customers and staff about basic protection measures.

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