Sydney train travellers face delays to afternoon commute because of unscheduled track repairs
Penry Buckley
Sydney commuters are being advised to allow for extra time before this afternoon’s peak hour, as a train track fault this morning has continued to cause delays on some of the city’s busiest lines.
In a statement, Sydney Trains said urgent track repairs were finished at 11.30am today after a fault between Town Hall and Central stations caused trains to stop running on the city circle via Museum station.
Trains resumed running at 12.00pm, but passengers on the T2, T3 and T8 lines are being warned of knock-on delays this afternoon. Train crew were displaced by this morning’s incident, which also led to a temporary speed restriction on other lines.
“It is easing as we get closer to the peak, but obviously we’re getting very close to the peak now,” said a spokesperson for Sydney Trains, advising commuters to allow plenty of time and check service updates.
Key events
The deputy prime minister, Richard Marles, says Israel’s decision to revoke the visas of Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority is “disappointing and unjustified”.
In a post to X on Monday night, Gideon Sa’ar said the decision was made following the Albanese government’s cancellation of Simcha Rothman’s visa on Monday ahead of his speaking tour this month.
The Israeli foreign minister said he had also instructed the embassy in Canberra to “carefully examine any official Australian visa application for entry to Israel”.
Marles addressed the issue during a press conference:
This is a disappointing and unjustified reaction to Australia and our decision around the recognition of a Palestinian state.
This is a moment where we need to be promoting dialogue between our countries, and this is a very disappointing and unjustified step, which has been taken by Israel.
Australia leading international action to protect humanitarian aid workers
Australia has pledged tangible action to protect humanitarian aid workers, at a time when people who dedicate themselves to helping others in war are killed in record numbers.
More than 380 humanitarian workers were killed in conflict zones in 2024, marking the deadliest year on record and a 31%rise from the previous year, according to Aid Worker Security Database statistics released on today.
The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, is spearheading a pledge to protect humanitarian personnel after convening a ministerial group with several other nations at a United Nations conference in September 2024.
The international development minister, Anne Aly, has confirmed it will be launched on the margins of the United Nations meeting in New York during the final week of September:
The declaration will be an important demonstration of our collective commitment to upholding international humanitarian law. It will also include practical steps that will increase aid worker safety.
– AAP
Sydney train travellers face delays to afternoon commute because of unscheduled track repairs
Penry Buckley
Sydney commuters are being advised to allow for extra time before this afternoon’s peak hour, as a train track fault this morning has continued to cause delays on some of the city’s busiest lines.
In a statement, Sydney Trains said urgent track repairs were finished at 11.30am today after a fault between Town Hall and Central stations caused trains to stop running on the city circle via Museum station.
Trains resumed running at 12.00pm, but passengers on the T2, T3 and T8 lines are being warned of knock-on delays this afternoon. Train crew were displaced by this morning’s incident, which also led to a temporary speed restriction on other lines.
“It is easing as we get closer to the peak, but obviously we’re getting very close to the peak now,” said a spokesperson for Sydney Trains, advising commuters to allow plenty of time and check service updates.
Nick Visser
That’s all from me. Henry Belot will take over from here to guide you through the afternoon’s news. Take care.
Patrick Commins
EV popularity prompts consideration of broader road-user charges
Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers have all but confirmed an EV road user charge is in the works.
But Guardian Australia understands the government is considering phasing in the charge over a number of years, and that it could start with the country’s small fleet of electric trucks.
While the vast majority of vehicles on the road remain petrol- and diesel-powered, that is expected to change in coming decades.
As combustion engines disappear, so will the revenue from the fuel excise – which is worth about $17bn a year and is ostensibly paid to the states to help them pay for road maintenance.
In fact, the money just pours into the federal government’s coffers like any other tax.
You can read more about the plan here:
Patrick Commins
NSW treasurer says its a ‘good time’ to figure out future of road user charges as EVs grow in popularity
Daniel Mookhey, the NSW treasurer, says as more electric vehicles hit the roads, “it’s a good time for us to be figuring out what is the future of the road user charging system”. He told the ABC earlier today:
I think it’s fair and reasonable that everybody who uses our roads should be making a contribution.
NSW has legislated a road user charge for EVs from mid-2027, starting at 2.9c per kilometre for battery and hydrogen fuel cell EVs, or 2.4c for a plug-in hybrid EV. Mookhey, who is representing the states and territories at this week’s economic reform roundtable, says:
We do think that shows one example of how the nation could make some quick progress here.
The NSW charge would not start if a national scheme is adopted beforehand.
Queensland legal challenge against Gaza protest to be heard Thursday
Andrew Messenger
A legal challenge against a planned pro-Palestine protest on the Brisbane Story Bridge will be heard on Thursday.
The Queensland Police Service is seeking to halt a march by Justice for Palestine Magan-djin planned for 1pm this Sunday. Brisbane magistrates court will hear the application at 9am.
Organisers say they expect about 7,000 people to attend.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner says the bridge will be closed to traffic for the protest if the march is approved, but he says he is concerned about people’s safety. He says some marchers might use closed footpaths attached to the main deck of the bridge, which are currently closed for safety reasons. Schrinner says:
We’re also concerned about the safety of the wider community as well, and the harmony of the wider community.
Peaceful protests, they’re great, you know, it’s a right of every Australian. But there have been some points where it’s gone too far. And terrorist chants, waving around photos of terrorist leaders, [it’s] not something that contributes to a harmonious community.
Sarah Basford Canales
Opposition has ‘serious concerns’ amid escalating diplomatic row between Israel and Australia
The opposition has criticised the Albanese government for its handling of its relationship with Israel after the Netanyahu government revoked the visas of Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority in an escalating diplomatic row.
Simcha Rothman, a far-right politician in Netanyahu’s governing coalition, was barred entry into Australia before a speaking tour this month, on the basis of his previous commentary and concerns it would ignite domestic tensions.
In response, Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, announced Australian diplomats in the West Bank would have their visas revoked and the Israeli embassy in Canberra would now “carefully examine any official Australian visa application for entry to Israel”.
The shadow foreign affairs minister, Michaelia Cash, today said the Coalition held “serious concerns” about the escalation, accusing the government of “deepening diplomatic rifts and undermining Australia’s standing on the world stage”.
Cash said:
The Albanese government has badly mismanaged this relationship at a time when careful diplomacy is more important than ever. Instead of maintaining trust with Israel – one of our closest democratic allies – Labor has recklessly inflamed tensions and undermined Australia’s credibility.
Rothman accused the Australian government of “blatant antisemitism” for cancelling his visa.
Patrick Commins
Consumers are the most confident they’ve been in 3.5 years
The “long period of pessimism” in Aussie households is “finally coming to an end”, according to a new Westpac survey showing consumer confidence has reached a three-and-a-half-year high.
It’s been 42 months since Australia last registered a consumer sentiment index score above 100 – the threshold above which optimistic survey responses outnumber pessimistic ones.
That’s the second longest period of consistent gloom since the survey began in 1974, beaten only by the period around the early 1990s recession.
As inflation and interest rates have dropped, we are now “much less anxious” about our finances, and even “cautiously positive” about the state of the economy, according to the monthly sentiment survey.
The Reserve Bank’s third rate cut of the year – announced last week – has certainly helped, but Westpac reported a lift in mood across households, not just those with mortgages.
Indeed, the biggest jump in confidence was among renters.
Experts hope a more upbeat consumer will spend a bit more and give the economy a bit of a boost this year after a sluggish start.
Caitlin Cassidy
Reversing Morrison-era fee hike to arts degrees will require ‘significant dollars’, Clare says
Education minister Jason Clare also pointed to the Job-ready Graduates (JRG) package, introduced by the Morrison government, which drastically increased prices for humanities degrees.
He agreed the policy had been an “abject failure” because more people were doing arts degrees than when it was introduced to encourage students into other courses, but said reversing it would be a “significant change” with “significant dollars attached to it”.
We’re taking reform one step at a time. Whether it’s the structure of universities or whether it’s fixing JRG, reform is a bit like eating an elephant – one bite at a time. I’ve never ruled out reform here. It’s all about what you do first.
Caitlin Cassidy
University governance ‘not up to scratch’, education minister says
The education minister says you’ve been “living under a rock” if you don’t think Australia has challenges with university governance, after announcing reforms to strengthen the powers of the regulator.
Asked about tearful testimony by an academic at a Senate inquiry into higher education last week, Jason Clare told the AFR higher education summit today that university governance was “not up to scratch”.
Whether it’s the evidence of sexual assault and harassment at universities or in student accommodation, whether it’s evidence of wage theft in our universities or whether it’s the really distressing evidence that we witnessed last week in the Senate inquiry, all of this tells us that university governance is not up to scratch and that we need to fix it.
Catie McLeod
ACCC to investigate energy retailers about concerns they are misleading customers
Australia’s consumer regulator will investigate whether energy retailers are misleading customers with the way they describe and promote their plans, after a “designated complaint” was lodged by consumer advocacy group Choice.
The Albanese government gave Choice, the Consumer Action Law Centre, and the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia the ability to make a “designated complaint” to the ACCC.
These are effectively super complaints about a systemic or significant problem affecting consumers or small businesses, which compel the regulator to respond within 90 days.
The ACCC said today it was satisfied that Choice’s complaint met the relevant conditions, with the regulator’s deputy chair, Catriona Lowe, saying:
We are concerned that consumers may be misled or deceived by plan names or descriptions of plans that offer ‘savings’ that are not genuine, or that consumers may be discouraged from switching to cheaper plans that are available to them.
Choice said in May it had analysed nearly 400 energy bills between January and March 2025, which found many retailers were reusing identical names for energy plans, despite offering them at different prices.
Penry Buckley
Sydney CBD’s busiest train lines face delays because of urgent track work
Passengers on some of Sydney’s busiest train lines face delays this afternoon, after an incident requiring urgent track repairs, this morning.
There are delays across the T2 Leppington, T3 Liverpool and the city circle lines after an incident affecting the section between Town Hall and Central stations, Transport for NSW says.
⚠ Allow plenty of extra travel time due to urgent track repairs between Town Hall and Central earlier.
Stops may change at short notice.
Please listen for announcements, check information screens and transport apps before getting on trains. pic.twitter.com/mempchNh0Q
— T2 Sydney Trains (@T2SydneyTrains) August 19, 2025
Trains came to a standstill earlier, although a spokesperson for Sydney Trains says they have since resumed. Route planner TripView is showing services on both T2 and T3 lines from this morning running more than 90 minutes late, with delays in both directions of travel.
Transport for NSW has advised passengers to allow plenty of extra time, warning that departure platforms may change at short notice.
Luca Ittimani
Former RBA governor says Albanese government made him take cost-of-living blame
Former Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe says the Albanese government pushed the blame for the rising cost of living on to the RBA and “fed into” his personal unpopularity.
Lowe oversaw 12 of the 13 interest rate hikes in 2022 and 2023 as the RBA fought inflation by increasing borrowing costs, and pushing mortgage payments higher just as Labor came to power. He left the bank in September 2023 when the government declined to extend his term.
The former governor said the government had pushed blame on to him and the bank to avoid being punished by voters.
It’s much easier for the political class to say ‘things need to slow, we’ll get our central banks to do that, and they can take the blame’. I remember, there was a period that I was the most unpopular person in the country, at least according to the media, and the government kind of fed into that.
The central bank governor doesn’t get elected … so they can play the baddie. It’s much harder for the political class to play the baddie.
Lowe made the comments when he joined a talk with the UNSW Business School’s Richard Holden and the e61 thinktank’s chief executive, Michael Brennan, advocating for a new framework to limit federal government spending ahead of the Albanese government’s economic reform roundtable.
Lowe said the RBA’s interest rate policy had pushed against profligate government spending much of his career because governments wanted to avoid public blame for living costs. He said:
We were exercising restraint, and the government was busily compensating people for the fact that things are so tough, adding to spending in the economy.
Josh Butler
Canavan says Nationals still considering position on net zero
Nationals senator Matt Canavan says his party is still considering its position on net zero, as he helps lead a party room discussion on the climate crisis measure reviled by many in the Coalition.
Canavan, who is hosting his own productivity roundtable tomorrow in parliament house about energy issues, said his party had been “forced” into supporting net zero under former Liberal prime minister Scott Morrison:
He never allowed a debate the joint party room. At least now, with the policy being up for review, hopefully that debate will occur, and I’m hoping that it will be informed by some very good work that we are planning to commission.
Canavan said it would take “a few more months to have the debate”, indicating there might not be an imminent timeline for a final decision – but with loud voices like himself, Barnaby Joyce and Michael McCormack opposing net zero, there is a direction of travel very clearly emerging for the Nationals.
Canavan was out front of parliament spruiking his own sideline event, which will run tomorrow in APH. He said former treasury officials, former representatives of major business groups, and economists would attend. We asked if we should call it the “rogue roundtable” or “shadow roundtable”, which Canavan laughed off.
With all the action from today’s summit occurring behind closed doors in the cabinet room, people like Canavan are looking to grab some attention while things are quiet.
CSL says Trump tariffs won’t touch pharmaceuticals, but shares plummet
Luca Ittimani
Australia’s largest biotech company, CSL, says it expects to avoid Donald Trump’s pharmaceutical tariffs, but its share prices have plummeted anyway.
The company today released its annual report and announced a restructure, splitting out its vaccine production arm and sacking about 3,000 staff. Revenue for 2024-25 came in lower than expected, although profits beat analyst expectations, rising 14% to US$3.2bn on an adjusted basis.
The US president has threatened tariffs and crackdowns on pharmaceutical imports, potentially including those from Australia-based CSL, but the company expects its blood plasma and other products should manage to get an exemption. CSL’s chief executive, Paul McKenzie, told investors:
The plasma is sourced all in the US … [and] for many other parts of our portfolio, the active pharmaceutical ingredient is actually sourced in the US, as well. So, that would mitigate it. And for other parts of the organisation, we will look at our supply chain [and] where the products come from.
But investors didn’t like the revenue undershoot or the surprise restructure, selling the stock and driving the share price down $33, or 12%, which would be one of CSL’s biggest-ever one-day falls if sustained.
Benita Kolovos
Victorian opposition leader denies shift in position on Suburban Rail Loop
Victoria’s opposition leader, Brad Battin, has denied the party’s position on the Suburban Rail Loop has changed.
Asked about Matthew Guy’s comments this morning, Battin says his position was “identical”. He went on:
The government have a responsibility right now, they could stop the project before December, before the holes have been dug. But should they not do that and they dig two holes in the ground, the project will continue but we want to make sure that it is in the best interest of Victorians.
Battin also added that he doubted tunnelling would begin on time, citing delays on other projects including the West Gate tunnel:
Let’s wait and see what happens when it comes to the boring machines, and if the government can get anything [done] on time. But we know the chances of that are quite unlikely.