Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has urged leaders to &ldquo;not give in to bullies&rdquo; following a scathing social media post from US President Donald Trump.
Trump took to his Truth Social platform just before midnight on Sunday, and criticised Turnbull&rsquo;s leadership and his understanding of China.
&ldquo;Malcolm Turnbull, the former Prime Minister of Australia who was always leading that wonderful country from &lsquo;behind&rsquo; never understood what was going on in China, nor did he have the capacity to do so. I always thought he was a weak and ineffective leader and, obviously, Australian&rsquo;s agreed with me!!!,&rdquo; Trump wrote.
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The comments appeared to be a response to an interview Turnbull gave to Bloomberg, in which he suggested that Trump&rsquo;s erratic leadership style was playing into China&rsquo;s hands.
&ldquo;President Xi will aim to be the exact opposite of Trump: where Trump is chaotic, he will be consistent. Where Trump is rude and abusive, he&rsquo;ll be respectful. Where Trump is erratic, he will be consistent,&rdquo; Turnbull said.
He warned that the world was now witnessing an &ldquo;undiluted&rdquo; version of Trump, arguing that his unpredictable nature made Chinese President Xi Jinping a more appealing partner for many nations.
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&ldquo;For countries forced to choose between &lsquo;China on the one hand, and Trump on the other&rsquo;, many would &lsquo;find China a more attractive partner&rsquo;,&rdquo; Turnbull added.
<h2>Turnbull dismisses Trump&rsquo;s criticism</h2>
Following Trump&rsquo;s post, Turnbull told The Guardian that his Bloomberg comments &ldquo;speak for themselves.&rdquo;
&ldquo;His [Trump&rsquo;s] post proves that my comments hit the mark,&rdquo; he said.
During an interview on ABC&rsquo;s 7.30 with Sarah Ferguson on Monday night, Turnbull described Trump&rsquo;s remarks as &ldquo;rude and abusive&rdquo; and reiterated his belief that Trump&rsquo;s behaviour was pushing nations closer to China.
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&ldquo;If Trump abuses them, seeks to bully them, puts crippling tariffs on them, they will naturally edge closer to China,&rdquo; Turnbull stated.
He warned against appeasing the US president, likening it to schoolyard dynamics.
&ldquo;The reality is&mdash;if you suck up to bullies, whether it is... global affairs, or in the playground, you just get more bullying. I mean, are we just going to become just a conga line of sycophants creeping through the White House, paying homage to this guy and telling him he&rsquo;s a genius? It&rsquo;s ludicrous!&rdquo; he said.
<h2>A history of clashes</h2>
Trump and Turnbull have clashed before. In 2017, they had a tense phone call over a refugee resettlement deal brokered by Trump&rsquo;s predecessor, Barack Obama. Trump was highly critical of the agreement, saying accepting it would make him look like a &ldquo;dope.&rdquo;
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&ldquo;I have had it. I have been making these calls all day and this is the most unpleasant call all day. Putin was a pleasant call. This is ridiculous,&rdquo; Trump reportedly said before ending the conversation.
Turnbull served as Australia&rsquo;s prime minister from 2015 to 2018. He was not voted out in an election but lost the leadership in an internal Liberal Party contest to Scott Morrison.
(With inputs from agencies)

World: Former Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull described Trump’s remarks as “rude and abusive” and reiterated his belief that Trump’s behaviour was pushing nations closer to China

Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has urged leaders to “not give in to bullies” following a scathing social media post from US President Donald Trump. Trump took to his Truth Social platform just before midnight on Sunday, and criticised Turnbull’s leadership and his understanding of China. “Malcolm Turnbull, the former Prime Minister of Australia who was always leading that wonderful country from ‘behind’ never understood what was going on in China, nor did he have the capacity to do so. I always thought he was a weak and ineffective leader and, obviously, Australian’s agreed with me!!!,” Trump wrote. Also read: 'Ceasefire in sky and sea': What to expect from US-Ukraine talks in Saudi after Trump, Zelensky fallout The comments appeared to be a response to an interview Turnbull gave to Bloomberg, in which he suggested that Trump’s erratic leadership style was playing into China’s hands. “President Xi will aim to be the exact opposite of Trump: where Trump is chaotic, he will be consistent. Where Trump is rude and abusive, he’ll be respectful. Where Trump is erratic, he will be consistent,” Turnbull said. He warned that the world was now witnessing an “undiluted” version of Trump, arguing that his unpredictable nature made Chinese President Xi Jinping a more appealing partner for many nations. Also read: Trump confirms US in talks with four different groups interested in acquiring TikTok “For countries forced to choose between ‘China on the one hand, and Trump on the other’, many would ‘find China a more attractive partner’,” Turnbull added. Turnbull dismisses Trump’s criticism Following Trump’s post, Turnbull told The Guardian that his Bloomberg comments “speak for themselves.” “His [Trump’s] post proves that my comments hit the mark,” he said. During an interview on ABC’s 7.30 with Sarah Ferguson on Monday night, Turnbull described Trump’s remarks as “rude and abusive” and reiterated his belief that Trump’s behaviour was pushing nations closer to China. Also read: ‘Sorry I’m not in a suit’: Ukraine’s Zelensky makes sarcastic joke about Trump’s attire criticism “If Trump abuses them, seeks to bully them, puts crippling tariffs on them, they will naturally edge closer to China,” Turnbull stated. He warned against appeasing the US president, likening it to schoolyard dynamics. “The reality is—if you suck up to bullies, whether it is... global affairs, or in the playground, you just get more bullying. I mean, are we just going to become just a conga line of sycophants creeping through the White House, paying homage to this guy and telling him he’s a genius? It’s ludicrous!” he said. A history of clashes Trump and Turnbull have clashed before. In 2017, they had a tense phone call over a refugee resettlement deal brokered by Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama. Trump was highly critical of the agreement, saying accepting it would make him look like a “dope.” Also read: ‘Took money like candy from baby’: Trump slams ‘ungrateful’ Zelensky for extorting US ahead of talks with Kyiv “I have had it. I have been making these calls all day and this is the most unpleasant call all day. Putin was a pleasant call. This is ridiculous,” Trump reportedly said before ending the conversation. Turnbull served as Australia’s prime minister from 2015 to 2018. He was not voted out in an election but lost the leadership in an internal Liberal Party contest to Scott Morrison. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Don’t give in to bullies’: Former Australian PM fires back after Trump calls him ‘weak’ in late-night rant

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India Advances Exploration of Critical Minerals in Africa and Australia

Australia pulled off a record-breaking run chase to defeat England by five wickets in Lahore. Skipper Steve Smith won the toss and chose to bowl first, but England’s Ben Duckett stole the show with a stunning 165 off 143 balls. However, his efforts went in vain as Josh Inglis' maiden ODI ton powered Australia to a historic win.

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China issued a warning Friday of potential "live fire" naval drills in international waters off Australia's eastern coast but gave little prior notice, disrupting commercial air flights, the Australian government said.
Beijing described the manoeuvres as training exercises that were "safe, standard and professional" and in line with international law, without commenting on whether live ammunition was used.
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Australia's defence forces, joined by close ally New Zealand, have been monitoring the Chinese navy vessels -- a frigate, a cruiser and a supply tanker -- since they were spotted last week.
Defence Minister Richard Marles said China gave a warning that the vessels intended to engage in live firing as they sailed about half way between Australia and New Zealand in the Tasman Sea.
"By that I mean a broadcast that was picked up by airlines or literally planes that were commercial planes that were flying across the Tasman," he told national broadcaster ABC.
The Chinese naval ships were in international waters and acting within international law, Marles said, but Australian warships would typically give 12-24 hours' notice of such drills to give airlines time to react.
"That notice was not provided here," the defence minister said.
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"This was very disconcerting for the planes that were flying, but they were able to divert," he said, stressing that the aircraft had not been placed in danger.
Australia had made representations to China both in Canberra and in Beijing asking why the purported live fire drills were held there and why more notice was not given to avoid disruption, Marles said.
The government was still awaiting confirmation that live firing actually took place, he said.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed there had been "no imminent risk of danger" to Australian or New Zealand assets.
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Asked about the drills on Friday, China's foreign ministry said the country's military had "organised a naval formation to conduct training and exercises in distant waters".
<h2><hl2>Commercial fights change course</hl2></h2>
"The exercises were conducted in a safe, standard, and professional manner at all times, in accordance with relevant international laws and practices," ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a regular press briefing.
Australia's air safety agency warned commercial flights to alter their course after receiving "reports of live firing in international waters".
"As a precaution, we have advised airlines with flights planned in the area," government agency Airservices Australia said in a statement.
"We are also working together to coordinate advice to operators and pilots."
Qantas and its subsidiary budget airline Jetstar temporarily adjusted some flights between Australia and New Zealand, industry sources said.
Virgin Australia was also heeding the advice, while Air New Zealand said it had "modified flight paths as needed to avoid the area".
The ships were reportedly within 150 nautical miles (around 280 kilometres) of Australia's mainland earlier this week.
Last week, Canberra rebuked Beijing for "unsafe" military conduct, accusing a Chinese fighter jet of dropping flares near an Australian air force plane patrolling the South China Sea.
Beijing swiftly hit back, accusing the Australian plane of "violating Chinese sovereignty and endangering Chinese national security".
It was the latest in a string of tense encounters between China and Australia in the increasingly contested airspace and shipping lanes of the Asia-Pacific region.
A Chinese fighter jet was accused of intercepting an Australian Seahawk helicopter in international airspace in 2024, dropping flares across its flight path.
In 2023, a Chinese destroyer was accused of bombarding submerged Australian navy divers with sonar pulses in waters off Japan, causing minor injuries.
The United States and allies including Australia frequently cross through the 180-kilometre (112-mile) Taiwan Strait to reinforce its status as an international waterway, angering China, which claims jurisdiction over the waters.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

World: Beijing described the manoeuvres as training exercises that were "safe, standard and professional" and in line with international law, without commenting on whether live ammunition was used.

China issued a warning Friday of potential "live fire" naval drills in international waters off Australia's eastern coast but gave little prior notice, disrupting commercial air flights, the Australian government said. Beijing described the manoeuvres as training exercises that were "safe, standard and professional" and in line with international law, without commenting on whether live ammunition was used. Also read: Trump floats another idea on trade, this time with China Australia's defence forces, joined by close ally New Zealand, have been monitoring the Chinese navy vessels -- a frigate, a cruiser and a supply tanker -- since they were spotted last week. Defence Minister Richard Marles said China gave a warning that the vessels intended to engage in live firing as they sailed about half way between Australia and New Zealand in the Tasman Sea. "By that I mean a broadcast that was picked up by airlines or literally planes that were commercial planes that were flying across the Tasman," he told national broadcaster ABC. The Chinese naval ships were in international waters and acting within international law, Marles said, but Australian warships would typically give 12-24 hours' notice of such drills to give airlines time to react. "That notice was not provided here," the defence minister said. Also read: ‘It’s possible’: Trump eyes new trade deal with China "This was very disconcerting for the planes that were flying, but they were able to divert," he said, stressing that the aircraft had not been placed in danger. Australia had made representations to China both in Canberra and in Beijing asking why the purported live fire drills were held there and why more notice was not given to avoid disruption, Marles said. The government was still awaiting confirmation that live firing actually took place, he said. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed there had been "no imminent risk of danger" to Australian or New Zealand assets. Also read: Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi highlights border de-escalation efforts with China Asked about the drills on Friday, China's foreign ministry said the country's military had "organised a naval formation to conduct training and exercises in distant waters". Commercial fights change course "The exercises were conducted in a safe, standard, and professional manner at all times, in accordance with relevant international laws and practices," ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a regular press briefing. Australia's air safety agency warned commercial flights to alter their course after receiving "reports of live firing in international waters". "As a precaution, we have advised airlines with flights planned in the area," government agency Airservices Australia said in a statement. "We are also working together to coordinate advice to operators and pilots." Qantas and its subsidiary budget airline Jetstar temporarily adjusted some flights between Australia and New Zealand, industry sources said. Virgin Australia was also heeding the advice, while Air New Zealand said it had "modified flight paths as needed to avoid the area". The ships were reportedly within 150 nautical miles (around 280 kilometres) of Australia's mainland earlier this week. Last week, Canberra rebuked Beijing for "unsafe" military conduct, accusing a Chinese fighter jet of dropping flares near an Australian air force plane patrolling the South China Sea. Beijing swiftly hit back, accusing the Australian plane of "violating Chinese sovereignty and endangering Chinese national security". It was the latest in a string of tense encounters between China and Australia in the increasingly contested airspace and shipping lanes of the Asia-Pacific region. A Chinese fighter jet was accused of intercepting an Australian Seahawk helicopter in international airspace in 2024, dropping flares across its flight path. In 2023, a Chinese destroyer was accused of bombarding submerged Australian navy divers with sonar pulses in waters off Japan, causing minor injuries. The United States and allies including Australia frequently cross through the 180-kilometre (112-mile) Taiwan Strait to reinforce its status as an international waterway, angering China, which claims jurisdiction over the waters. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

China’s ‘live fire’ drills near Australia disrupt flights

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Australia has accused a Chinese fighter jet of releasing flares that almost hit one of its military aircraft flying over the South China Sea earlier this week.
The Australian Defence Ministry expressed its concerns to Beijing about the incident, which took place on Tuesday (Feb 11).&nbsp;
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<h2>&lsquo;Unsafe and unprofessional&rsquo;</h2>
In a statement, Canberra said that one of the Chinese J-16 fighter jets engaged in an &ldquo;unsafe and unprofessional interaction&rdquo; with one of its P-8A surveillance jets, posing a risk to its personnel. The ministry said that no one was injured in the incident and there was no damage to Australia's aircraft.
&ldquo;Australia expects all countries, including China, to operate their militaries in a safe and professional manner,&rdquo; the statement added.
Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-vice-president-jd-vance-warns-against-ai-deals-with-authoritarian-regimes-in-a-jab-at-china-at-paris-summit-8710681" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank"> 'Cheap tech': JD Vance warns against AI deals with 'authoritarian regimes' in a jab at China at Paris Summit</a>
However, China alleged that the Australian aircraft &ldquo;intentionally intruded&rdquo; into its airspace, and Chinese jets responded in a &ldquo;legitimate, lawful, professional, and restrained&rdquo; manner.
Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles told Sky News on Thursday (Feb 13) that the flares fired by the Chinese plane passed the Australian jet at a less than 30 metres distance.
&ldquo;The J-16 was so close that there's no way you could have been able to ensure that the flares did not hit the P-8,&rdquo; he said.
&ldquo;Had any of those flares hit the P-8, that would have definitely had the potential for significant damage to that aircraft,&rdquo; he added.
<h2>First clash in nine months</h2>
The recent incident is the first clash between the military of the two countries in nine months.
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In May last year, Australia said that one of its helicopters, which was part of a Security Council mission, had to perform an evasive action to avoid flares from a Chinese J-10 fighter plane over the Yellow Sea.
In November 2023, Canberra also accused the Chinese navy of using sonar pulses in international waters off Japan, which injured Australian divers.
<h2>Monitoring Chinese vessels, says Australia </h2>
In a separate statement on Thursday (Feb 13), Australia said that it was monitoring three Chinese navy vessels that entered its maritime approaches.
Watch | China deploys Naval, Air Forces near Taiwan after US strait transit
<iframe width="600" height="auto" style="width: 100%; aspect-ratio: 4/3;" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="external-video publive-iframes-block" src="https://cdn.thepublive.com/wion/static/kaltura_player/wion_video_player_iframe.html?thumbnail=wion/media/post_attachments/screenshot/1202_wion_china_7pm/00000002.jpg&amp;videourl=https://vodakm.zeenews.com/vod/WION/1202_wion_china_7pm.mp4/index.m3u8&amp;duration=119&amp;tags=china, taiwan, us, taiwan strait, us warships," title="China deploys Naval, Air Forces near Taiwan after US strait transit " id="PL_iframe_block-m73f3dec-quej7z46-n94l05xx"></iframe>
"Australia respects the rights of all states to exercise freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law, just as we expect others to respect Australia's right to do the same," it said.
(With inputs from agencies)
&nbsp;

World: In a statement, Canberra said that one of the Chinese J-16 fighter jets engaged in an “unsafe and unprofessional interaction” with one of its P-8A surveillance jets, posing a risk to its personnel.

Australia has accused a Chinese fighter jet of releasing flares that almost hit one of its military aircraft flying over the South China Sea earlier this week. The Australian Defence Ministry expressed its concerns to Beijing about the incident, which took place on Tuesday (Feb 11). Also read | China's steel industry warns of 'adverse impact' of US tariffs ‘Unsafe and unprofessional’ In a statement, Canberra said that one of the Chinese J-16 fighter jets engaged in an “unsafe and unprofessional interaction” with one of its P-8A surveillance jets, posing a risk to its personnel. The ministry said that no one was injured in the incident and there was no damage to Australia's aircraft. “Australia expects all countries, including China, to operate their militaries in a safe and professional manner,” the statement added. Also read | 'Cheap tech': JD Vance warns against AI deals with 'authoritarian regimes' in a jab at China at Paris Summit However, China alleged that the Australian aircraft “intentionally intruded” into its airspace, and Chinese jets responded in a “legitimate, lawful, professional, and restrained” manner. Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles told Sky News on Thursday (Feb 13) that the flares fired by the Chinese plane passed the Australian jet at a less than 30 metres distance. “The J-16 was so close that there's no way you could have been able to ensure that the flares did not hit the P-8,” he said. “Had any of those flares hit the P-8, that would have definitely had the potential for significant damage to that aircraft,” he added. First clash in nine months The recent incident is the first clash between the military of the two countries in nine months. Also read | Canada detects 'malicious activity' linked to China targeting Liberal party candidate Chrystia Freeland In May last year, Australia said that one of its helicopters, which was part of a Security Council mission, had to perform an evasive action to avoid flares from a Chinese J-10 fighter plane over the Yellow Sea. In November 2023, Canberra also accused the Chinese navy of using sonar pulses in international waters off Japan, which injured Australian divers. Monitoring Chinese vessels, says Australia In a separate statement on Thursday (Feb 13), Australia said that it was monitoring three Chinese navy vessels that entered its maritime approaches. Watch | China deploys Naval, Air Forces near Taiwan after US strait transit "Australia respects the rights of all states to exercise freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law, just as we expect others to respect Australia's right to do the same," it said. (With inputs from agencies)

Australia accuses Chinese fighter jet of nearly damaging its surveillance aircraft

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As countries across the world continue to ban the usage of Chinese artificial intelligence DeepSeek, South Korea's industry ministry has become the latest government to restrict DeepSeek's access.&nbsp;
The ministry issued a temporary ban on employees' access to the AI service and urged ministries and agencies to exercise caution when using generative AI technologies like DeepSeek and ChatGPT.&nbsp;
The decision by South Korea is followed by several other nations, who have raised concerns over data security and the possibility of foreign influence through AI technologies.&nbsp;
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Prior to this, state-run Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power blocked access to DeepSeek and other generative AI services.&nbsp;
<h2>Australia</h2>
In the line of countries, banning the use of Chinese AI, Australia also banned the use of DeepSeek as its government took action against the app's services and banned its use in government systems and devices, citing national security risks.&nbsp;
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke emphasised that the decision was based on concerns about the potential threats DeepSeek poses to Australia&rsquo;s national security, rather than the company's Chinese origins.
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<h2>India</h2>
Indian Finance Ministry on Wednesday, asked employees to stop the use of Artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek for official purposes citing sensitive government data, Reuters reported.&nbsp;
The ministry repeatedly said the use of such platforms breaches the confidentiality of government documents and data.&nbsp;
<h2>Taiwan&nbsp;</h2>
Taiwan also restricted government agencies and critical infrastructure providers from using DeepSeek, citing concerns over cross-border data transmission and the risk of information leaks.&nbsp;
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The Ministry of Digital Affairs stressed that the AI tool threatens national information security due to its links to Chinese authorities.
<h2>Italy</h2>
Italy's privacy regulator blocked DeepSeek for protecting consumer data and launched an investigation into the company's data collection practices.&nbsp;
<h2>United States</h2>
The US Department of Defense also blocked the access to DeepSeek last month. The Chief Administrative Officer said that DeepSeek is currently under review and unauthorised for official House use.&nbsp;
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It further highlighted the risks associated with the Chinese AI bot and cited examples where "threat actors are already exploiting" the chatbot to deliver malicious software and infect devices.
Moreover, Belgium, France, and Ireland also banned the usage of the Chinese AI DeepSeek.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

World: The ministry issued a temporary ban on employees' access to the AI service, urging ministries and agencies to exercise caution when using generative AI technologies.  

As countries across the world continue to ban the usage of Chinese artificial intelligence DeepSeek, South Korea's industry ministry has become the latest government to restrict DeepSeek's access. The ministry issued a temporary ban on employees' access to the AI service and urged ministries and agencies to exercise caution when using generative AI technologies like DeepSeek and ChatGPT. The decision by South Korea is followed by several other nations, who have raised concerns over data security and the possibility of foreign influence through AI technologies. Also read: Indian Finance Ministry bans employees from using ChatGPT, DeepSeek: Report Prior to this, state-run Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power blocked access to DeepSeek and other generative AI services. Australia In the line of countries, banning the use of Chinese AI, Australia also banned the use of DeepSeek as its government took action against the app's services and banned its use in government systems and devices, citing national security risks. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke emphasised that the decision was based on concerns about the potential threats DeepSeek poses to Australia’s national security, rather than the company's Chinese origins. Also read: US Congress bans employees from using DeepSeek over potential security risks India Indian Finance Ministry on Wednesday, asked employees to stop the use of Artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek for official purposes citing sensitive government data, Reuters reported. The ministry repeatedly said the use of such platforms breaches the confidentiality of government documents and data. Taiwan Taiwan also restricted government agencies and critical infrastructure providers from using DeepSeek, citing concerns over cross-border data transmission and the risk of information leaks. Also read: Italy restricts access to Chinese AI app ‘DeepSeek’, opens probe The Ministry of Digital Affairs stressed that the AI tool threatens national information security due to its links to Chinese authorities. Italy Italy's privacy regulator blocked DeepSeek for protecting consumer data and launched an investigation into the company's data collection practices. United States The US Department of Defense also blocked the access to DeepSeek last month. The Chief Administrative Officer said that DeepSeek is currently under review and unauthorised for official House use. Also read: India looking for AI winners tracking Deepseek success It further highlighted the risks associated with the Chinese AI bot and cited examples where "threat actors are already exploiting" the chatbot to deliver malicious software and infect devices. Moreover, Belgium, France, and Ireland also banned the usage of the Chinese AI DeepSeek. (With inputs from agencies)

From South Korea to India, eight countries that banned use of Chinese AI DeepSeek over security concerns

Australia women's football captain Sam Kerr is on trial for racially abusing a white police officer after getting into a dispute with a cab driver in London. Body cam footage was released of Kerr abusing the officer.

On camera: Australia women's football captain abuses police officer

Australia’s northeast faces further devastation from deadly floods, as emergency efforts intensify to manage the destruction and support affected communities.

Australia braces for more destruction as deadly floods hit Northeast

Annabel Sutherland and Travis Head have claimed top honors at the Australian Cricket Awards in Melbourne, with Sutherland winning the Belinda Clark Award and Head securing the Allan Border Medal.

Travis Head, Annabel Sutherland win top Cricket Australia awards

Heavy rainfall has triggered dangerous flash floods in northeast Australia, causing widespread damage and evacuations. Watch this report for more details!

Australia ravaged by heavy floods, authorities order mass evacuation

Heavy rainfall has triggered dangerous flash floods in northeast Australia, causing widespread damage and evacuations. Watch in this report for more climate updates!

Torrential rains cause flooding in Australia

New South Wales (NSW) Transport Minister Jo Haylen has apologised for misusing her ministerial driver to attend a private lunch with friends over the Australia Day weekend, costing taxpayers $750.
&ldquo;I made the wrong decision,&rdquo; Haylen acknowledged she made a mistake and confirmed she would repay the money for the 13-hour, 446km trip to the Hunter Valley.
Asked why she didn&rsquo;t just book an Uber, the minister told reporters: &ldquo;In retrospect, I should have.&rdquo;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mexico-fires-back-at-us-over-cartel-alliance-accusation-8683490">Mexico fires back at US over cartel alliance accusation</a>
<h2 dir="ltr">Housing and Mental Health Minister Rose Jackson also attended the trip</h2>
According to the logbook, the trip started on Jan 25 at 8 am and ended at 8.50 pm and was coded as a &ldquo;business trip during working day&rdquo;.
For the trip, which was also attended by Housing and Mental Health Minister Rose Jackson, the driver took a 13-hour trip from Sydney to the minister&rsquo;s holiday house, before driving them to a separate jaunt at the Brokenwood winery for a three-hour lunch.
While Jackson was on the trip, she was not involved in organising the ministerial driver. Haylen said she alone took full responsibility.
After picking up the ministers at the holiday house in Caves Beach, south of Newcastle, the driver then took them to the Brokenwood Estate, where the set menu is $105 per person before wines are paired.
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<h2 dir="ltr">Opposition demands resignation</h2>
According to the NSW rules, government ministers and the opposition leader are granted the use of a ministerial vehicle and driver. The vehicles can be used for both public and private purposes, and government sources were insisting on Sunday that no policies had been breached by the trip.&nbsp;
While the government insists no rules were broken on the trip, opposition leader Mark Speakman demanded their resignation for what he called a clear misuse of public money. &ldquo;This shows a contempt for the taxpayer,&rdquo; he said.
While Haylen said she would not resign over the issue, Minns described her use of the ministerial vehicle as &ldquo;clearly unacceptable&rdquo; and said he had ordered the NSW Cabinet Office to review the guidelines for drivers &ldquo;so this can&rsquo;t happen again&rdquo;. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not on for drivers to be used in this way,&rdquo; he said.
However, in a statement, a spokesperson from the Department of Premier and Cabinet said the driver&rsquo;s shift had not exceeded 12 hours because of the inclusion of &ldquo;mandatory breaks&rdquo;.
(With inputs from agencies)

World: NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen issues an apology for using her official driver for a personal outing, leading to a $taxpayer expense during the Australia Day weekend.

New South Wales (NSW) Transport Minister Jo Haylen has apologised for misusing her ministerial driver to attend a private lunch with friends over the Australia Day weekend, costing taxpayers $750. “I made the wrong decision,” Haylen acknowledged she made a mistake and confirmed she would repay the money for the 13-hour, 446km trip to the Hunter Valley. Asked why she didn’t just book an Uber, the minister told reporters: “In retrospect, I should have.” Also read | Mexico fires back at US over cartel alliance accusation Housing and Mental Health Minister Rose Jackson also attended the trip According to the logbook, the trip started on Jan 25 at 8 am and ended at 8.50 pm and was coded as a “business trip during working day”. For the trip, which was also attended by Housing and Mental Health Minister Rose Jackson, the driver took a 13-hour trip from Sydney to the minister’s holiday house, before driving them to a separate jaunt at the Brokenwood winery for a three-hour lunch. While Jackson was on the trip, she was not involved in organising the ministerial driver. Haylen said she alone took full responsibility. After picking up the ministers at the holiday house in Caves Beach, south of Newcastle, the driver then took them to the Brokenwood Estate, where the set menu is $105 per person before wines are paired. Also read | Flight data of Washington mid-air collision raises more questions as discrepancies arise Opposition demands resignation According to the NSW rules, government ministers and the opposition leader are granted the use of a ministerial vehicle and driver. The vehicles can be used for both public and private purposes, and government sources were insisting on Sunday that no policies had been breached by the trip. While the government insists no rules were broken on the trip, opposition leader Mark Speakman demanded their resignation for what he called a clear misuse of public money. “This shows a contempt for the taxpayer,” he said. While Haylen said she would not resign over the issue, Minns described her use of the ministerial vehicle as “clearly unacceptable” and said he had ordered the NSW Cabinet Office to review the guidelines for drivers “so this can’t happen again”. “It’s not on for drivers to be used in this way,” he said. However, in a statement, a spokesperson from the Department of Premier and Cabinet said the driver’s shift had not exceeded 12 hours because of the inclusion of “mandatory breaks”. (With inputs from agencies)

Australian Minister Haylen asked chauffeur to drive 446km for weekend lunch; apologises later

Usman Khawaja becomes the first Australian batter to score a double century in Australia. While centuries from Steve Smith and Josh Inglis put Australia in a commanding position in the Galle test. WION's Esha Hanspal gets you the details.

Khawaja makes history in Galle with double century

Steven Smith joined the elite club of batters to complete 10,000 runs in Test cricket on Wednesday, the first day of the opening Test in Galle. Watch this report for more details!

Australian batter Steve Smith reaches 10,000 test runs

In Sydney, thousands of visitors flocked to see the rare and infamous corpse flower bloom, known for its powerful odor, drawing crowds eager to experience this unusual natural phenomenon.

Australians Gather To Witness Rare, Smelly Corpse Flower Bloom in Sydney

A child care center in Sydney was set ablaze early Tuesday and Anti-Semitic graffiti was sprayed on the wall as per authorities. This marks the latest in a spate of attacks in Australia targeting the Jewish community. Watch this video to find out more.

Childcare centre set on fire in latest anti-semitic attack in Australia | Gravitas

A 34-year-old Australian woman has been arrested for allegedly poisoning her one-year-old daughter to gain financial donations and boost social media followers.
According to the authorities, the Queensland woman used unauthorised medications to induce medical distress in her child, subsequently photographing and filming the baby&rsquo;s pain to solicit funds online.
<h2>Child suffered serious medical episodes</h2>
The doctors raised concerns in October when the baby was admitted to the hospital following a serious medical episode. After investigation, the woman was charged with torture, administering poison, making child exploitation material and fraud.
Detective Inspector Paul Dalton said that the woman obtained leftover prescription medicines meant for others and used them for her child. He said that the woman administered these drugs to her child to boost social media followers and obtain financial gain.
&ldquo;We believe the person we have charged administered these drugs to increase her social media profile and obtain a financial benefit,&rdquo; ABC News quoted Dalton.
<h2>Woman raised AUD 60,000&nbsp;</h2>
The woman allegedly raised AUD 60,000 ($37,300 USD) by claiming her child had a terminal illness. She is also scheduled to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday.
The authorities further noted that the child is stable now and is no longer in her mother&rsquo;s care. The police emphasised that the hospital staff involved had acted appropriately and expressed sympathy for their distress in handling the case.&nbsp;
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World: The doctors raised concerns in October when the baby was admitted to the hospital. After investigation, the Australian woman was charged with administering poison and fraud. 

A 34-year-old Australian woman has been arrested for allegedly poisoning her one-year-old daughter to gain financial donations and boost social media followers. According to the authorities, the Queensland woman used unauthorised medications to induce medical distress in her child, subsequently photographing and filming the baby’s pain to solicit funds online. Child suffered serious medical episodes The doctors raised concerns in October when the baby was admitted to the hospital following a serious medical episode. After investigation, the woman was charged with torture, administering poison, making child exploitation material and fraud. Detective Inspector Paul Dalton said that the woman obtained leftover prescription medicines meant for others and used them for her child. He said that the woman administered these drugs to her child to boost social media followers and obtain financial gain. “We believe the person we have charged administered these drugs to increase her social media profile and obtain a financial benefit,” ABC News quoted Dalton. Woman raised AUD 60,000 The woman allegedly raised AUD 60,000 ($37,300 USD) by claiming her child had a terminal illness. She is also scheduled to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday. The authorities further noted that the child is stable now and is no longer in her mother’s care. The police emphasised that the hospital staff involved had acted appropriately and expressed sympathy for their distress in handling the case.

Australian influencer charged with poisoning her baby for donations

Grey ball-shaped debris found washed up along shore TO be tested by Environment Protection Authority, local council says. Watch to know more!

Australia: Mysterious Ball-shaped Debris Shuts Down Nine Sydney Beaches | WION | World DNA

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