Australia news live: Crisafulli makes first speech as premier-elect; Telstra and Optus begin switching off 3G networks

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Victorian opposition leader, John Pesutto, said the state government had 10 years in office to get housing issues “right” but had failed to do so. He said:

We’ve seen a rush of announcements in the last week simply to try to pretend that there’s real action being undertaken and nothing of substance has actually been delivered.

The government hasn’t come clean on what the costs of their policies will actually be, because, remember, they are shifting basic infrastructure costs to renters and home buyers through higher charges.

They’re not indicating that they have any willingness to bring down the costs of construction, whether that’s through tax reform or tackling CFMEU misconduct on major construction sites. And let’s remember large, high density apartment complexes will be run by the CFMEU.

Victorian opposition says fast-tracked building path has ‘no substance’

Victorian opposition leader, John Pesutto, has criticised the government’s fast-tracked pathway for well-designed buildings, saying it has “no substance”.

As we brought to you earlier, the planning minister, Sonya Kilkenny, announced plans for a “great design fast track” which would grant affordable, well-designed buildings an accelerated pathway through the planning approvals process.

But Pesutto says the government can not be trusted to deliver on quality housing. He told reporters in Melbourne:

The question has to be asked, how can they announce this fast-tracking process when they haven’t even finalised guidelines for better apartment design?

What it says is that the government is more interested in rushing out announcements with no substance. You would think that a responsible and prudent approach would be first to get the design guidelines right, as part of an announcement that will improve timelines for approvals and permits.

We support reductions in timelines – subject to community input for approvals – for building permits and for planning. Of course, that’s a good thing to reduce unnecessary delay.

But to announce that before you’ve actually settled on better apartment designs means that we risk seeing poor-quality stock come into the housing market.

In 2022, a parliamentary inquiry into apartment design recommended the government introduce minimum sizes for apartments, rooms and balconies and specific sunlight requirements to ensure more quality developments.

The government accepted the recommendations, but earlier this year said new apartment design standards will not be introduced until 2026.

PM says Queensland election sends message to Greens to be progressive, not blockers

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, says the Queensland election sends a big message to the Greens party and leader Adam Bandt. He said:

People who elected Greens party representatives to state and federal parliament expected them to play a progressive role, not to play a blocking role; to seek to bring people together, not to divide people.

Albanese said outgoing Labor premier Steven Miles ran an effective campaign, but it was hard to win a fourth term in office.

Australia’s Jillaroos will take on the Kiwi Ferns from New Zealand in the women’s rugby league test in Christchurch, NZ.

You can follow the Guardian’s live coverage of the match, which kicks off at 1.35pm AEDT, here:

Victorian government announces fast-track pathway for ‘well-designed’ buildings

Well-designed apartments and townhouses will be fast-tracked through the planning approval process in Victoria, the state’s planning minister, Sonya Kilkenny, has announced.

At a press conference in South Melbourne on Sunday, Kilkenny announced plans for a “great design fast track” which would reward affordable, well-designed buildings by granting them an accelerated pathway through the planning approvals process.

The focus of the state-wide plan will be on townhouse and apartment projects of three to six storeys in height. She says it will provide developers confidence that cost-sensitive projects will not get stuck in “an expensive state of limbo”.

The government is also expanding its state design book of “future homes” – projects that are planned on paper alongside artists’ impressions, but don’t yet exist – by welcoming into its pages high-quality developments that are already complete.

The design book, due to be complete by the end of the year, will also establish best-practice principles and guidance for well-designed apartments and townhouses to guide developers and give communities confidence about the long-term quality of new homes.

The public will also be able to nominate buildings they think meet the good design criteria and deserve to be replicated across the state. Kilkenny:

The community deserves affordable buildings that look great on the outside and feel solid as a rock on the inside. Our plan is for more grand designs but without the grand cost.

We have an incredible opportunity before us to renew our suburbs and streets with well-designed apartments and townhouses that are great for singles, families and downsizers and which add to the architectural fabric of our state.

It is the ninth housing announcement by the Victorian government in eight days focused on helping millennials achieve home ownership. Here’s our weekend read on how the premier, Jacinta Allan, is pining her political hopes on the demographic:

Queensland’s director general for premier’s department steps back

The director general of Queensland’s Department of Premier and Cabinet, Mike Kaiser, acknowledged he would not be continuing in the role after yesterday’s LNP victory.

In a post to networking site LinkedIn, Kaiser congratulated premier-elect David Crisafulli and said:

I fully respect his decision and hope my attitude goes some way to overcoming the nonsense that premiers can’t choose their head of department in a modern democracy.

Kaiser thanked the former premier Steven Miles for the opportunity.

Crisafulli makes first speech as premier-elect

David Crisafulli has spoken at Queensland parliament house for the first time as premier-elect.

The LNP leader again thanked unsuccessful candidates from both sides before declaring he would get to work quickly.

Crisafulli and his deputy, Jarrod Bleijie, will visit the governor tomorrow to be sworn into interim roles. The full cabinet will be sworn in later.

The director general of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, Mike Kaiser, will be replaced by the public service commissioner, David Mackie.

“[Kaiser] was incredibly gracious in that phone call. He has prepared an incoming brief for us,” Crisafulli said.

I want to thank Mike for the way he’s conducted himself this morning.

The Labor leader, Steve Miles, is expected to speak at parliament later today.

NT inmate numbers hit record high

Record high inmate numbers in the Northern Territory have triggered a mass shift of prisoners.

The NT corrections commissioner, Matthew Varley, ordered a mass shift of prisoners after the territory’s inmate numbers hit a record high of 2,370 on Friday.

The record numbers have put “significant pressure” on the Darwin and Alice Springs correctional centres and police watch houses.

More than 90 prisoners would be transferred under Varley’s directions.

– AAP

Why is Kmart thriving and other questions about retailers in a cost-of-living crisis

The last full-sized Kmart in the US closed this week – yet another casualty of online buying habits proving to be an existential threat to department stores around the world.

But in Australia the discount retailer that shares the same branding is bucking the global trend after engaging in a years-long transformation to shed its daggy image. The result? Supercharged profits for its owner.

Revenue at the Wesfarmers-owned Kmart Group jumped almost 5% last financial year to $11.1bn, even as cost-of-living pressures dampened the mood of many shoppers. Meanwhile, revenues have been sliding at rival Big W.

Read more:

What does the Queensland election show about the state’s new political realities?

The Queensland electorate has delivered a change of government, but it was not the overwhelming Labor defeat expected at the start of the campaign and has left the ALP with a sizeable opposition.

Labor clawed back support during the campaign and only suffered modest losses in the south-east of the state.

But it was hit hard in the regions, bringing Queensland Labor in line with the federal party and other state branches who have found their support increasingly concentrated in the big cities.

It now looks like the Liberal party will end up with a majority similar to the modest majorities Labor has governed with since 2017.

Read more:

Whales spotted in Sydney Harbour

Two whales have been spotted in Sydney Harbour, according to scientist Dr Vanessa Pirotta.

Tony Burke cancels visa of US conservative Candace Owens ahead of scheduled tour

Immigration minister Tony Burke has cancelled the visa of controversial US conservative commentator Candace Owens, according to the SMH.

Burke said Owens had the capacity “to incite discord in almost every direction”:

Australia’s national interest is best served when Candace Owens is somewhere else.

Owens has shows scheduled in November in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide.

Dutton: ‘Queenslanders wanted change, and they’ve voted for it’

The federal opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has congratulated his party mate David Crisafulli for his win in the Queensland state election overnight.

Dutton tweeted this morning:

Queenslanders wanted change, and they’ve voted for it. They wanted action on crime, cost of living, health and housing, and they’ve voted for it.

The federal Coalition leader and fellow Queenslander had campaigned for Crisafulli’s election in the campaign’s final days, but questions remain over the disconnect between the two men on the Coalition’s signature nuclear policy.

Crisafulli had said he wasn’t planning on nuclear in Queensland’s power grid – but Dutton has indicated the federal Coalition, if elected to government, would stick with that policy even if state leaders didn’t back it.

Upon Crisafulli’s election win, there will be further questions about how the nuclear issue will be addressed.

Dutton continued:

I wish David and his new LNP Government all the best on delivering a fresh start for Queenslanders.

Abortion cost LNP votes in Queensland poll – Littleproud

The federal s leader, David Littleproud, has conceded that the incoming Queensland premier David Crisafulli’s handling of the pregnancy termination debate cost the LNP votes.

Speaking on Sky News, he said:

David, on reflection, would probably prefer to have been stronger in his language – in being certain that there won’t be any changes to the laws.

Abortion emerged as one of the biggest issues in the Queensland election after crossbencher Robbie Katter announced he would introduce a bill to repeal abortion laws before walking back his proposal to “born alive” legislation.

Though signs are pointing to a majority government for the LNP, the win was not the landslide predicted by opinion polls leading up to the vote.

As the polling date drew nearer, the LNP leader was asked more than 100 times about his stance on abortion before finally clarifying he was pro-choice.

– AAP

Telstra and Optus begin switching off 3G networks

Telstra and Optus will begin switching off their 3G networks from tomorrow.

Customers still using 3G are urged to check their devices, especially phones, medical monitors and Eftpos machines, for compatibility with 4G and 5G networks.

The telecommunications companies say the closure will improve the speed and reliability of 4G and 5G networks.

In August, the Telstra CEO, Vicki Brady, said:

We have been communicating to customers about the need to prepare and make the move for almost five years. This has included multiple letters, bill messages, SMS, public awareness campaigns, advertising – even door knocking and sending free phones to people in vulnerable circumstances, and our support for customers won’t end the day the network closes.

TPG Telecom (formerly Vodafone) switched off its 3G network in December 2023.