Central-west NSW hit by region's largest earthquake
Part of Australia’s east coast experienced shaking from an earthquake that was felt hundreds of kilometres away.
A 4.5-magnitude earthquake occurred at 8:19pm last night at a depth of 5km, approximately 30km southwest of Orange in central-west New South Wales, near the Cadia gold mine.
More than 2,000 reports of tremors were received from the region. A senior seismologist described the tremors as weak to light and noted they were felt as far as hundreds of kilometres southeast in Batemans Bay.
Phil Cummins told AAP that only five earthquakes had been recorded within 50km of the quake site since 1977, with the previous largest being a 4.3 magnitude event in 2017.
“This is a large earthquake for this area,”
he said. The ABC reported this morning that the event was “record-breaking” for the region.
Cummins anticipated aftershocks but indicated they would likely be much lighter and felt over a smaller area.
Latitude Financial pays nearly $4m for spam law breach
Latitude Financial has paid a $3.96 million fine after the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found the company breached spam laws more than 2.7 million times. These breaches included sending 2.3 million marketing messages without accurate contact information and 344,416 messages lacking an un function.
This marks the second time the financial institution has been fined, having previously paid a $1.55 million penalty for similar violations.
The breaches occurred during March 2024 and April 2025 and were identified by Latitude through mandatory compliance reporting implemented after the prior fine.
The messages related to credit card products and financial services. Although recipients were informed they could reply ‘STOP’ to opt out, many of the messages were not capable of receiving replies.
Latitude is now a two-time offender and it is disappointing that it let consumers down again.
The spam laws have been in place for more than 20 years, and there is simply no excuse for ongoing noncompliance, particularly after a prior enforcement action.
Latitude was approached for comment.
Chalmers travels to Washington
Jim Chalmers will travel to Washington DC this morning to meet finance ministers, treasurers, and central bank governors from around the world amid the ongoing US-Israeli conflict with Iran.
The Treasurer stated he will continue to advocate for an enduring ceasefire, an end to the conflict, and the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz following a failed effort over the weekend.
Prior to the G20 finance ministers’ meeting, Chalmers said:
From an economic perspective, a proper end to this war can’t come soon enough. Australians are paying a hefty price for events on the other side of the world.
Chalmers also indicated he will work to strengthen partnerships and supply chains during his brief trip to the US capital. He is scheduled to meet with key representatives from Australia’s major fuel suppliers, including South Korea, Singapore, and China.
The Treasurer noted that global forecasts predict slower growth, higher inflation, and extreme volatility as a consequence of the ongoing conflict.
This trip coincides with Chalmers preparing his fifth budget amid turbulent times. Tax cuts passed last year will be part of the government’s relief package for struggling households, but further announcements are expected as the conflict continues to impact the global economy.
PM touches down on fuel diplomacy visit
Anthony Albanese has arrived in Brunei Darussalam, becoming the first Australian prime minister to visit the oil-rich country for a meeting with the Sultan to discuss fuel supplies, as reported by Andrew Greene from the travelling media pool.
Arriving in Bandar Seri Begawan yesterday for his second trip to Asia in a week, Albanese was officially welcomed on the tarmac before proceeding to the Brunei Darussalam-Australia memorial to lay a wreath.
He is accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong for the overnight visit, during which he will meet Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah today to discuss fuel and food trade between the two countries.
Brunei Darussalam supplies 9% of Australia’s annual diesel imports, as well as 11% of annual crude oil imports and 11% of annual fertiliser-grade urea imports.
The last Australian leader to travel to Brunei Darussalam was Tony Abbott in 2013 to attend the East Asia Summit, but Albanese is the first prime minister to be invited for a bilateral visit.
Following his discussions with the Sultan, who has ruled Brunei Darussalam since 1967 and is among the world’s wealthiest individuals, Albanese will fly directly to Kuala Lumpur to discuss fuel supplies with his Malaysian counterpart.
Australia was one of Brunei Darussalam’s first diplomatic partners after the country’s full independence in 1984, although historic ties date back to 1945 when Australian forces landed there as part of an allied campaign to liberate Borneo.
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories before Nick Visser takes over.
Anthony Albanese will meet the Sultan of Brunei today to discuss the fuel supply crisis, having arrived in the small nation yesterday as part of his ongoing diplomatic efforts in Southeast Asia. Later, he will travel to Malaysia. More details will follow shortly.
While the Prime Minister holds talks in Brunei, Treasurer Jim Chalmers will fly to Washington to join the G20 finance ministers’ summit. Following recent developments, the primary focus will likely be on preventing a global recession triggered by the war in the Middle East. Further updates will be provided.
