A casual ABC radio host will be paid $70,000 in damages by the national broadcaster for her unlawful dismissal after she was taken off air over a post on the conflict in Gaza.

Antoinette Lattouf was hired for a week-long stint on ABC Radio Sydney’s Mornings program before Christmas 2023.

She was let go after sharing a Human Rights Watch post that said Israel was using starvation as a “weapon of war” in Gaza.

The 41-year-old took her unlawful termination case to the Federal Court and Justice Darryl Rangiah handed down his judgment in a courtroom full of her supporters on Wednesday.

The judge ordered the ABC to pay $70,000 in compensation to Lattouf.

A potential pecuniary penalty will be determined at a later hearing.

He did not order any penalties against the national broadcaster as sought by the journalist.

During a hearing in February, she claimed she was fired from the job because of her race and political opinion after publicly commenting on the plight of Palestinians during the ongoing conflict with Israel

Justice Rangiah heard Lattouf was let go 48 hours into a campaign by a pro-Israeli group which sent a barrage of complaints to ABC executives including then-chair Ita Buttrose.

The public broadcaster was accused of taking a partisan view despite claiming to be an impartial news source.

However, the ABC denied this.

The broadcaster claimed it took Lattouf off the air because she failed to follow a direction not to post about Israel or the war in Gaza during her five-day shift.

She rejected this, saying her direct supervisor, Elizabeth Green, agreed she could post facts from reputable sources.

As well as Ms Buttrose, she also targeted the ABC’s former content chief Chris Oliver-Taylor and former managing director David Anderson as being responsible for the allegedly unlawful termination.

She blamed the broadcaster for making her sacking public after an article in The Australian was put out before she had returned home the day she was fired.

ABC executives blamed head of capital city networks Steve Ahern for putting the organisation in an “unacceptable position” by failing to assess Lattouf’s history before hiring her, the court previously was told.

Visiting more than one supermarket has proven to be the smartest approach for shoppers, as data shows prices for everyday essentials continue to vary widely.

Data from consumer advocacy group Choice found that, even without specials, prices differed across the big four supermarkets, with Aldi emerging as the best for overall value. 

Choice sent mystery shoppers to 104 supermarkets across Australia in March to compare the prices of 14 common grocery items.

The items included popular winter buys such as vegetable stock, sour cream, drinking chocolate, butternut pumpkin, quick oats, garlic, and onions.

Choice says the products were matched as closely as possible based on pack size, ingredients, and country of origin.

The data showed Aldi offered the most value, with the full basket of products costing just $55.35.

Woolworths was not far behind at $58.92, while the Coles basket without specials came in at $59.22.

The most expensive shop was IGA at $69.74, although it did prove cheapest for carrots and garlic. 

Without specials, Coles had the best deal on apples, while Woolworths had the cheapest chicken breasts and pumpkin.

“All up, if you’re planning a hearty porridge breakfast, or wanting a cup of hot chocolate to keep you feeling snug, Aldi should be your first stop,” Choice chief executive Ashley de Silva said.

“But, as always, there are lots of other ways to save on your weekly grocery shop. Checking the unit pricing, keeping an eye on specials, shopping around, and trying out house brand products can all add up to significant savings.”

The cost comparison comes just months after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission released its final report into supermarkets, finding major chains had little incentive to be competitive on pricing due to their large market share.

The commission said Coles, Woolworths and Aldi faced little competition and had increased average product margins over the past five years, but stopped short of accusing them of price gouging.

Aldi holds a market share of approximately 9.5 per cent, making it the third-largest supermarket chain in the nation, behind Woolworths at 37.1 per cent and Coles at 27.9 per cent.

The smallest of the four major supermarkets, IGA, holds a 6.9 per cent share of the market.

Blunt-speaking Australians shouldn’t “quibble” at Donald Trump’s F-bomb, after he voiced his frustration with Israel and Iran for violating the ceasefire he brokered.

The US president launched an attack on both nations for breaching the agreement, saying “they don’t know what the f*** they are doing” on live television.

His comments came after Israel accused Iran of breaking the truce.

But Mr Trump lashed Israel for the number of bombs he claimed it dropped between the deal being made and the ceasefire taking effect.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said Australians shouldn’t be concerned about the words used.

“Far be it from for Australians to quibble with that kind of language,” he told Sky News on Wednesday.

“We heard some blunt speak from the president, and I think that just reflects the fact that the stakes are high in the Middle East.

“I think those who haven’t used that word privately can cast the first stone.”

Nationals Senator Matt Canavan had a light-hearted take on the president’s outburst.

“Ultimately, it’s better that F-bombs are dropped than real bombs, isn’t it? So let’s hope this ceasefire does hold,” he told Nine’s Today show.

Meanwhile, a Royal Australian Air Force jet carrying more than 100 Australians trying to escape the conflict in the Middle East, has flown out of Israel after airspace was reopened.

Speaking from the NATO summit at The Hague, Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed the 119 passengers left Tel Aviv in the early hours of Wednesday.

“We were very pleased to be able to provide that flight, and they’ve now been relocated to a place within the region, which is obviously outside of the danger zone,” he told reporters.

“We continue to have (military) assets in the region ready to be able to provide assistance.”

Mr Marles said the government had also chartered civilian aircraft for future departures “in certain circumstances”.

The evacuees were taken out in a KC-30 RAAF jet.

There are still about 3000 Australians in Iran who’ve registered with the government for help to leave, and more than 1000 in Israel. 

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said assisted departure flights from Iran were still not possible.

The latest conflict erupted on June 13, when Israel fired missiles at Iran in a bid to blow up military assets, arguing it was on the cusp of developing nuclear weapons.

The battle took a turn on the weekend when the US launched a bombing raid on Iran, blowing up three underground nuclear facilities.

The airspace in both countries was shut to passenger aircraft, leading to the evacuation of Australian embassy staff and their dependents from Tehran.

But the current ceasefire has not calmed the fears of Iranians in Australia.

The Australian-Iranian community lives in fear of US or Israeli bombs killing their friends and family while also worrying about the threat posed by Iran’s autocratic Islamic government to their loved ones.

Persian Australian Community Association member Nader Ranjbar, there was hope the conflict could help de-stabilise the Iranian autocracy and pave the way for a new, democratic government.

Without a new regime, he is concerned that the current administration will intensify its persecution of the Iranian people.

“That’s my worst fear,” he told AAP.

“That somehow they get away from this mess and the first thing they do is start killing Iranian people.”

McDonald’s and Krispy Kreme say they are ending their partnership in the United States on July 2, a little more than a year after it was announced.

Krispy Kreme said demand for its doughnuts at McDonald’s was not strong enough to recoup its costs.

Chicago-based McDonald’s announced in March 2024 that it would begin selling three types of Krispy Kreme doughnuts at participating US locations after a successful pilot in Kentucky.

The doughnuts were sold individually or in boxes of six.

The companies planned a phased rollout that would bring doughnuts to McDonald’s across the United States by the end of 2026.

At the time, Krispy Kreme president and CEO Josh Charlesworth said the partnership would give customers “unprecedented daily access” to Krispy Kreme’s doughnuts.

But the companies decided to call it quits after introducing doughnuts in just 2400 of McDonalds’ nearly 14,000 US stores.

“We had strong collaboration with Krispy Kreme and they delivered a great, high-quality product for us, and while the partnership met our expectations for McDonald’s and owner/operators, this needed to be a profitable business model for Krispy Kreme as well,” McDonald’s chief US marketing and customer experience officer Alyssa Buetikofer said in a statement.

Charlesworth said Charlotte, North Carolina-based Krispy Kreme will continue to offer its doughnuts at US groceries and other high-volume retailers.

A Royal Australian Air Force jet carrying more than 100 Australian citizens trying to escape the conflict in the Middle East has left the Israeli capital after the airspace was opened.

The 119 passengers left Tel Aviv in the early hours of Wednesday, Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed to reporters in The Hague, where he is attending a summit of the NATO military alliance.

“So I can confirm that there was an assisted departure that left Tel Aviv in the last few hours,” he said.

“We were very pleased to be able to provide that flight, and they’ve now been relocated to a place within the region, which is obviously outside of the danger zone.

“We continue to have (military) assets in the region ready to be able to provide assistance.”

Mr Marles also said the government had chartered civilian aircraft for future departures “in certain circumstances”.

The evacuees were taken out in a KC-30 RAAF jet.

There are still about 3000 Australians in Iran who’ve registered with the government for help to leave, and more than 1000 in Israel. 

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said assisted departure flights from Iran are still not possible.

“We’ve got DFAT consular staff, who are in Azerbaijan, also providing assistance for those who cross that border by land out of Iran,” Mr Marles said.

The evacuation was made possible after a ceasefire between Israel and Iran brokered by the US on Tuesday (AEST).

The latest conflict erupted on June 13, when Israel fired missiles at Iran in a bid to blow up military assets, arguing it was on the cusp of developing nuclear weapons.

The battle took a turn on the weekend when the US launched a bombing raid on Iran, blowing up three underground nuclear facilities.

The airspace in both countries was shut to passenger aircraft, leading to the evacuation of Australian embassy staff and their dependents from Tehran.

But the current ceasefire has not calmed the fears of Iranians in Australia.

The Australian-Iranian community lives in fear of US or Israeli bombs killing their friends and family while also worrying about the threat posed by Iran’s autocratic Islamic government to their loved ones.

No one person or voice can speak for an entire group, Australian Iranian Community Alliance vice-president Suren Edgar said, however, he believed most Iranians were not happy with the current regime.

“This is not our war, we didn’t create this war but we are paying the price,” he told AAP.

“If the outcome of the ceasefire would be to keep the Islamic Republic in power, that won’t be safe for the international community and won’t be safe for the people inside Iran.”

For some, like Persian Australian Community Association member Nader Ranjbar, there was hope the conflict could help de-stabilise the Iranian autocracy and pave the way for a new, democratic government.

Without a new regime, he is concerned that the current administration will intensify its persecution of the Iranian people.

“That’s my worst fear,” he told AAP.

“That somehow they get away from this mess and the first thing they do is start killing Iranian people.

“We are all worried about our family and friends and the whole country.”

There was also confusion about whether the ceasefire will last.

Iran’s state media on Tuesday reported the truce and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed he had accepted the ceasefire after achieving his war goals.

More homeowners are falling behind on their house repayments despite a cut in interest rates.

Figures from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority showed 1.68 per cent of all mortgages were in arrears during the first quarter of the year, a slight rise from 1.64 per cent in the final three months of 2024.

The time period coincided with the Reserve Bank cutting interest rates by 25 basis point, the first reduction in the cash rate since 2020.

Housing experts say the number of loans in arrears has remained contained despite recent cost-of-living pressures.

Most mortgage holders had largely kept on top of their payments due to tight labour markets and stronger financial standards from lenders, Cotality research director Tim Lawless said.

“Lending standards have been unquestionably strong throughout the recent cycle, with a consistently low portion of mortgage originations considered risky,” he said.

“Interest-only lending comprised 19.7 per cent of originations in the March quarter and has consistently held well below the previous temporary limit of 30 per cent set by APRA between 2017 and 2018.”

Mortgages are considered in arrears when they are more than 30 days overdue.

The amount of mortgages in arrears during the past quarter is below the record high of 1.86 per cent during the second quarter of 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Lawless said savings by households during the pandemic may also be one of the factors mortgages in arrears remained relatively stable.

“The household saving ration held above 10 per cent between mid 2020 and early 2022,” he said.

“Households have been able to draw down on their savings as higher debt servicing costs and cost-of-living pressures eroded balance sheets.”

Mr Lawless said as interest rates started to come down further and inflation eased, it was likely the rate of arrears would also subside.

A plan to resurrect the coalition from the ashes of its election loss will be revealed by the opposition leader as she vows to represent modern Australia.

Sussan Ley will become the first Liberal leader to address the National Press Club since 2022 and the first female opposition leader to use the platform when she outlines her vision to win back voters on Wednesday.

Australians handed the coalition its worst loss at the federal election in May and, although Ms Ley has said her appointment to the opposition’s top job represented a fresh approach, there is still some way to go.

“Let’s be honest and up front about last month’s election. We didn’t just lose, we got smashed,” she will say in her address.

“We respect the election outcome with humility, we accept it with contrition and we must learn from it with conviction.

“The task before me – and my team – is to lead a Liberal Party that respects modern Australia, reflects modern Australia and represents modern Australia.”

Polls before the election suggested the coalition would not form government but the depth of the defeat was a shock.

The coalition was left without a leader and with less than half as many seats as Labor.

Policies such as an end to working-from-home arrangements for public servants and vague threats to cut jobs in government departments were blamed for its unpopularity with voters, alongside a perceived tendency to wade into culture wars.

These platforms failed to win over women and younger Australians, in particular.

But Ms Ley has committed to bringing them back into the Liberal fold, vowing to represent young and older Australians, professionals, everyday workers and families.

“Aspiration is the thread that connects every single part of Australian society,” she will say.

“Aspiration is the foundation of the Australian promise.

“That promise feels distant for many Australians today.”

By promising to reward, back and empower Australians, Ms Ley hopes to offer a strong alternative vote at the next federal election.

The coalition has been urged to move back towards the political centre, but many of its moderate members were wiped out at the election, leaving a significant contingent of conservatives that could threaten Ms Ley’s leadership during the next three years.

She also has to navigate the relationship with the National Party after the long-term coalition partners split briefly during the fallout from the calamitous election result.

Economic leaders will be told NSW is open for business, as the treasurer continues selling a budget welcomed by property developers and the building sector.

But others have questioned why NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey’s budget did not do more for a struggling health sector, on cost-of-living measures or to fund social services.

Mr Mookhey will address a Committee for Economic Development of Australia event on Wednesday, a day after delivering a budget some have suggested was tailored to the “big business” types that will be in the room.

The state’s $128 billion 2025/26 budget featured increased investment in essential services and lower debt, complete with a $1 billion housing development fund to finance developers behind low- to mid-rise buildings.

Ray White Group research head Vanessa Rader said the Labor government’s use of the public purse was a “fundamental transformation in commercial property dynamics”.

“Unlike traditional budgets focused primarily on CBD enhancement, this budget demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of distributed economic development and the need to adapt commercial property strategies to contemporary business requirements,” she said.

Others were less impressed with the government finances, with Greens MP Abigail Boyd labelling it “a budget for big business” rather than for the people.

“It’s a betrayal to all those in our communities doing it toughest – failing to address the rising cost of living in this state or lift people out of poverty, while leaving billions in uncollected revenue on the table from big business,” she said.

Among the Greens’ gripes was a failure to tweak gambling taxes that mean clubs do not pay tax for their first million in poker machines profits each year.

Hotels begin paying tax at $200,000.

“While public schools, public transport and hospitals are crying out for investment, Labor has refused to touch on a reform that could have delivered an estimated $1 billion into the state budget,” Greens MP Cate Faehrmann said.

The Australian Medical Association noted that same absence in their response and found “little meaningful funding for the state’s ailing public health system”.

“Doctors on the frontline are grappling with more acutely unwell patients with increasingly complex healthcare needs and the funding provided in this budget fails to address that,” AMA NSW president Kathryn Austin said.

The budget forecast a deficit of $3.4 billion for the 2025/26 financial year, falling to $1.1 billion in 2026/27.

Modest surpluses of $1.1 billion are projected in the following two years.

With fresh figures set to show inflation comfortably within target, the federal government is turning its attention to how it can harness artificial intelligence to boost productivity.

The consumer price index for May is expected to remain steady at 2.4 per cent annually when the Australian Bureau of Statistics provides its latest inflation update on Wednesday.

While the monthly numbers bounce around more than quarterly inflation data – which is more influential to the Reserve Bank’s interest rate decisions – another month within the central bank’s 2-3 per cent target band is a good thing, Treasurer Jim Chalmers says.

“This will be a very substantial indication that we have got inflation down substantially and sustainably in our economy,” Dr Chalmers said on Tuesday. 

Given it’s the second month of the quarter, the monthly indicator includes more items in the services side of the CPI basket, such as insurance and hairdressing.

That means a better gauge of price growth in parts of the economy more sensitive to the labour market and domestic demand, which are key drivers of homegrown inflation.

NAB head of markets economics Tapas Strickland expects the CPI to come in even lower than the market consensus at 2.2 per cent year-on-year, because of the later timing of Easter causing a larger-than-usual fall in travel prices.

“This is also expected to drive a sharp drop in the annual trimmed mean measure,” from 2.8 per cent to 2.4 per cent, he said.

With inflation largely under control, Dr Chalmers has turned his attention to lifting productivity growth, bringing the budget back in balance and making the economy more resilient, including through a reform roundtable in August.

Shadow treasurer Ted O’Brien will be reserved a seat at the table, if he chooses to accept, Dr Chalmers revealed on Tuesday.

One issue to be hotly debated at the summit is artificial intelligence, with a fight brewing between unions – which want more regulation to ensure workers get a cut of the AI windfall – and businesses, which fear over regulation will stifle adoption and innovation.

Workers need not fear losing their jobs to AI, with evidence showing job growth is most rapid among firms that are early adopters of AI, Assistant Minister for Productivity Andrew Leigh says.

“In fact, the biggest employment risk from AI may not be job displacement – it may be working for a business that doesn’t adopt it and falls behind or fails entirely,” he will tell the McKell Institute on Wednesday.

In his speech, Dr Leigh will lay out the government’s rationale of incremental regulation to manage risks such as privacy and misinformation, confirming Labor’s preference for a light-touch approach.

“Start by applying existing laws. Where those fall short, make technologically neutral amendments. Only if these approaches are insufficient should AI-specific rules be considered,” he will say. 

“The goal is to protect the public while allowing productivity-enhancing innovation to flourish.”

A casual ABC radio host and Palestine advocate taken off air after three days on the job will soon learn if she is owed damages for unlawful termination.

Antoinette Lattouf was hired for a week-long stint on ABC Radio Sydney’s Mornings program before Christmas 2023.

She was let go after sharing a Human Rights Watch post that said Israel was using starvation as a “weapon of war” in Gaza.

She has taken her unlawful termination case to the Federal Court which is due to hand down its judgment on Wednesday.

The 41-year-old is seeking compensation and penalties.

She claims she was fired from the job because of her race and political opinion after publicly commenting on the plight of Palestinians during the ongoing conflict with Israel.

During a hearing in February, Justice Daryl Rangiah heard Lattouf was let go 48 hours into a campaign by a pro-Israeli group which sent a barrage of complaints to ABC executives including then-chair Ita Buttrose.

The public broadcaster has been accused of taking a partisan view despite claiming to be an impartial news source.

However, the ABC denies this.

The broadcaster claims it took Lattouf off the air because she failed to follow a direction not to post about Israel or the war in Gaza during her five-day shift.

She rejects this, saying her direct supervisor Elizabeth Green agreed she could post facts from reputable sources.

As well as Ms Buttrose, she has also targeted the ABC’s former content chief Chris Oliver-Taylor and former managing director David Anderson as being responsible for the allegedly unlawful termination.

She has blamed the broadcaster for making her sacking public after an article in The Australian was put out before she had returned home the day she was fired. 

ABC executives blamed head of capital city networks Steve Ahern for putting the organisation in an “unacceptable position” by failing to assess Lattouf’s history before hiring her, the court previously was told.