That’s all from us tonight, if you’ve just joined us, here are the biggest news events of the day:
- National cabinet met today and agreed to end mandatory COVID isolation on October 14 but there will be no changes to vaccine mandates.
- Optus has agreed to pay for replacement passports for those affected by the recent data hack but the AFP hasn’t yet determined how many passport numbers were taken saying it could take some time.
- Labor is being lobbied to extend Sinodinos’ plum US posting until at least the middle of next year as Australia enters a crucial phase of negotiations to secure nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS pact. And speculation is mounting about who will be appointed to the pivotal position of US ambassador.
- Former Rudd minister Stephen Smith has been named the new high commissioner to the UK.
- Companies are expected to cut back on the amount of sensitive customer data they retain as part of changes to privacy laws being considered by the Albanese government.
- Australia’s first anti-corruption commissioner has called for a 12-month deadline on major inquiries by the nation’s new integrity watchdog.
- The manufacturing industry and union are teaming up to slam the Albanese government’s new supply deal with gas exporters, claiming it won’t reduce prices or stop business closures and job losses.
- And in international news, the Queen’s time and cause of death has been revealed, US President Joe Biden declared Florida a natural disaster zone after Hurricane Ian lashed the state. Biden says the storm could end up as the “deadliest hurricane in Florida’s history” and at least 23 people were killed and 28 wounded in a Russian missile strike that hit a convoy of vehicles carrying civilians near the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, the regional governor said.
Thanks for following along, I hope you enjoy the long weekend, if you have Monday off! We will be with you bright and early on Monday morning to take you through the news of the day.