Australia news live: Andrew Hastie pulls out of Liberal leadership contention, saying ‘I do not have the support needed’

Andrew Hastie pulls out of Liberal leadership contentionDan Jervis-BardyAndrew Hastie has declared he won’t challenge for the Liberal party leadership, conceding he doesn’t have the numbers to roll Sussan Ley.Hastie ended a week of speculation about his intentions with a statement on Friday afternoon.“Over the past few weeks there has been speculation about the future leadership of the Liberal Party of Australia.“I’ve previously stated that I would welcome the opportunity to serve my party and our country as leader of the Liberal Party.“But having consulted with colleagues over the past week and respecting their honest feedback to me, it is clear that I do not have the support needed to become leader of the Liberal Party.“On this basis, I wish to make it clear I will not be contesting the leadership of the Liberal Party.”The statement comes after Hastie and Angus Taylor held secret talks on Thursday to determine which right faction MP would potentially challenge Ley.The talks ended without a resolution.Taylor’s office has been contacted for comment.Liberal MP Andrew Hastie says he won’t challenge for the leadership of the party. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPShareUpdated at 06.41 CETKey eventsShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this featureVicky Sheppeard, Executive Director of Health Protection NSW said people should monitor for symptoms of measles and check the list of locations: If symptoms develop and you’ve been at one of the locations at the time listed above or on the website, see your doctor or health service, including an emergency department. Call ahead to let them know that you may have come into contact with measles, so you don’t spend time in waiting rooms with other patients. Symptoms to watch out for include fever, runny nose, sore eyes and a cough, usually followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash that spreads from the head to the rest of the body. It can take up to 18 days for symptoms to appear after an exposure, so it’s important for people who visited these locations to look out for symptoms for this period. ShareNSW Health is advising people to be alert for signs and symptoms of measles after being notified of a confirmed case who was infectious while visiting locations across Sydney.The case recently returned from South-East Asia where there are ongoing outbreaks of measles.There is currently an increased risk of measles in NSW, with 14 cases confirmed since 1 December 2025. As people return from overseas holidays, it is expected that additional cases may be identified.People who were on board the flight below or who attended the following locations should watch for symptoms of measles. These locations do not pose an ongoing risk.Tuesday, 27 January 2026: Cebu Pacific Flight CEB39 from Manila to Sydney International Airport, arriving at 10:50am. Sydney International Airport arrivals and baggage claim, from 11:00am to 12:00pm. Sydney T8 Train Line from International Airport Station to Central Station, 12:30pm to 1:20pm. Sydney T1 Train Line from Central Station to Hornsby Station, from 12:50pm to 2:20pm. ShareAndrew Hastie pulls out of Liberal leadership contentionDan Jervis-BardyAndrew Hastie has declared he won’t challenge for the Liberal party leadership, conceding he doesn’t have the numbers to roll Sussan Ley.Hastie ended a week of speculation about his intentions with a statement on Friday afternoon.“Over the past few weeks there has been speculation about the future leadership of the Liberal Party of Australia.“I’ve previously stated that I would welcome the opportunity to serve my party and our country as leader of the Liberal Party.“But having consulted with colleagues over the past week and respecting their honest feedback to me, it is clear that I do not have the support needed to become leader of the Liberal Party.“On this basis, I wish to make it clear I will not be contesting the leadership of the Liberal Party.”The statement comes after Hastie and Angus Taylor held secret talks on Thursday to determine which right faction MP would potentially challenge Ley.The talks ended without a resolution.Taylor’s office has been contacted for comment.View image in fullscreenLiberal MP Andrew Hastie says he won’t challenge for the leadership of the party. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPShareUpdated at 06.41 CETMelissa DaveyHumidity in Queensland making heat more dangerous, doctor saysElderly and isolated residents in remote Queensland are among the most vulnerable during extreme heat, with humidity making conditions particularly dangerous, according to Dr Clare Walker, director of medical services at Longreach hospital in western Queensland.She said the region is accustomed to hot weather, but heat combined with humidity creates additional risks for patients.“When you’ve got humidity, your sweat doesn’t work anymore,” Walker said.“It can catch up on you gradually, and people can end up in quite a bit of trouble by the time they come to hospital.”Walker said the hospital commonly sees people with heat stress during summer, particularly those working outdoors, but some of the most at-risk patients are elderly residents living alone without access to reliable cooling.“A lot of elderly people don’t have access to air conditioning and are often confined indoors,” she said. “Most rural towns out here don’t have shopping centres or cinemas where people can go and escape the heat. The main street, or even at home, is probably the hottest place to be.”She said many older residents rely on evaporative air conditioning, which becomes ineffective during humid conditions, and cannot afford to upgrade to split-system air conditioning.Walker said climate change, an ageing population, and social isolation are intersecting to increase health risks in remote communities.ShareUpdated at 06.35 CETMore than 1,500 structures destroyed or damaged by Victoria bushfiresWiebusch says more than 1,550 structures across the state have been damaged by bushfires, including hundreds of homes. We’ve now seen just over 1,550 structures that have either been damaged destroyed across the state. The most significant number of those have been with the Longwood Fire, where we’ve seen 320 homes destroyed 19 severely damaged. View image in fullscreenThe burnt remains of a house in Gellibrand. Photograph: Michael Currie/EPAShareUpdated at 06.22 CETAlbanese on climate change: ‘There is a real cost’The PM has been asked how Australia will continue to afford managing natural disasters.Albanese says: Australia has always had natural weather events, so you can’t say any specific event is just because climate change. What you can do though is say that the science told us that there would be more frequent events and they’d be more intense. That’s why my government, as the Victorian government and most state governments, are taking action on climate change. There is a real cost, a real economic cost. View image in fullscreenAnthony Albanese speaks to reporters in Melbourne. Photograph: Michael Currie/AAPShareUpdated at 06.19 CET‘We need the community to remain vigilant’Wiebusch says: Our landscape does remain very dry – we know the bureau is forecasting dry lightning during Saturday and the early parts of Sunday. And so we need the community to remain vigilant. If you do see flames or new fires start, then please be ringing three to 000 so that we can get our fire crews onto those as soon as we possibly can. ShareUpdated at 06.17 CETFour major bushfires still active in VictoriaThere are still four major fires active: Longwood, the Wonnangatta and Dargo fires in Gippsland, and the Carlisle River fire in the Otways.On the last two, Wiebusch said: Both of those fires really won’t be safe until we see decent rain, and there is no forecast rain in the near future. But both of those fires have remained in containment lines in recent days and we’re hoping come, early next week those fires may be deemed, in fact contained. ShareUpdated at 06.17 CETCool change on the way for much of VictoriaEmergency management commissioner Tim Wiebusch is up now and he has good news – a cool change is on the way for a lot of the state. We’re now entering into our sixth day of what is an eight day extreme to severe intensity heatwave here in Victoria. For our communities in the north of the state, they are still under those conditions that are in the 40s during the day and in the mid 20s overnight. The good news is there is relief on the way. The vureau is forecasting that the cool change that will come through the southern parts of the state late on Saturday will reach the north of our state during Sunday morning. ShareUpdated at 06.16 CETThe premier thanked the volunteers and first responders who have helped fight the fires.Alan says: It’s an opportunity for me to also thank Victorians who have been both supporting fire affected communities donated to the bushfire appeal fund, but also taken and listened to the advice. That is continues to be incredibly important to keep monitoring conditions, keep tuned to the Vic Emergency app if you are told to leave and a given a message from our emergency services, please do so. ShareUpdated at 06.14 CETHarcourt coolstore gets $500,000 in supportPremier Jacinta Allan is speaking now:“We’re here to announce another package of support for fire-affected communities.”Allan said the “significant component of this funding is for the clean-up effort”, but it would also include mental health support and temporary accommodation. Like the prime minister has mentioned, I too want to call out the funding of $500,000 for the Harcourt cooperative coolstore. We’ve heard really clearly how important it is to the local community, both in terms of business support, in getting some certainty around the rebuild for this important asset in the local community. But also it’s a big and powerful symbol of the start of the rebuild. The Harcourt cooperative coolstore is a much loved building and landmark building in Harcourt, as it is part of the economic activity in the local community. View image in fullscreenJacinta Allan speaks alongside Anthony Albanese at the State Control Centre in Melbourne. Photograph: Michael Currie/AAPShareUpdated at 06.13 CETFederal and Victorian governments to provide $158m more to bushfire recoveryThe PM says the total support package for the Victorian fire is now $329m, split between the commonwealth and the Victorian government. We’ve already committed up to $171m under the joint commonwealth disaster funding arrangements, and today we’re expanding our partnership with Victoria to provide an additional $158m, co-funded with Victoria. This includes funding for clean-up programs and emergency recovery support programs to support businesses and local governments.ShareUpdated at 06.09 CETAnthony Albanese and Jacinta Allan give press conference on bushfire supportThe prime minister is speaking in Melbourne. He said communities across the country are “facing extreme and dangerous conditions”. I’ve often said, though, at the worst of times, we’re seeing once again the best of the Australian character and it’s been good to be here at the centre to say thank you to the workers who are really protecting their fellow Victorians and fellow Australians. We are seeing right across regional Victoria neighbours helping neighbours and people stepping up for people that they may never have met and might never meet in the future as well. ShareUpdated at 06.05 CETWe have more on the suspected double murder-suicide in Perth here:ShareNick VisserThat’s all from me. Cait Kelly will handle things from here as we finish off the week. Take care.ShareSt John Ambulance WA said it sent five crews to the house this morning just before 8.30am on priority one conditions, which reflect potentially life-threatening calls.Two crews remain on scene.ShareUpdated at 04.47 CETPolice investigating suspected double murder-suicide in Perth after four people found deadTwo adults and two children have been found dead in the Perth suburb of Mosman Park this morning in a suspected double murder-suicide, police say.Emergency services received a call from a concerned party at about 8.15am who had arrived at the home on Mott Close. Responders found the bodies of two adults, a man aged 50 and a woman aged 49, and two children aged 14 and 16 – a family unit.Police said it didn’t appear to be a “violent” incident, saying no weapon was used. The family did not have any reported family violence matters with police.Police added that both children had “significant health challenges” and had engaged with care services.A note was left at the premises but police were not able to reveal the letter’s contents. They said the letter was the main reason they were treating it as a murder-suicide.Police said it was a confronting situation, noting: The officers are understandably in shock after being confronted with such an incident like this. It’s not often that our officers come across such a tragic event with this many persons deceased. That’s why we employ a health and welfare and our police chaplain to attend the scene as soon as possible, speak to the officers, wrap our arms around them and make sure they are OK. ShareUpdated at 04.52 CETJane Hume says opposition not at its best after ‘dummy spit’ from former Coalition partnersThe Liberal senator Jane Hume says the Coalition was not doing a good enough job presenting a “credible alternative” to the current government amid an ongoing spat with the Nationals that saw the partnership shatter this month.Hume spoke to Channel 7’s Sunrise this morning, where she said the Liberal opposition was at its “very best when we are unified”. When asked if that meant the opposition was now at its very worse – amid speculation that a squad of male Liberals are vying to replace Sussan Ley – Hume said: The Liberal opposition is at its very best when we are unified, when we’re focused on the job at hand … presenting a credible alternative to make sure that at the next election Australians can see that the Liberal Party is the choice that represents their dreams, their hopes and their aspirations. We are not doing that right now, quite clearly, starting with a dummy spit from our Coalition partners, or former Coalition partners, in the Nationals. And right now we need to be focusing on the job at hand. Parliament returns next week. The economy is tanking. Inflation’s going up. The growth is stalling. Productivity is going backwards and living is going backwards and living standards are going backwards. This is what we should be talking about every single day, not ourselves. View image in fullscreenJane Hume. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAPThe health minister, Mark Butler, was also on the program, where he said the Liberals would do well to “listen to Jane Hume”: She’s been talking all week about the need for unity on that side because Australians know if you can’t manage your own party there’s no way you can challenge for the privilege of managing the country. ShareUpdated at 04.36 CETAustralian and European officials moving fast to seal elusive free trade dealAustralian and European officials are scrambling to bridge the gap for an elusive free trade agreement as diplomatic heavyweights prepare a meeting to seal the deal, AAP reports.Plans are being drawn up for the trade minister, Don Farrell, to meet with his European counterpart Maroš Šefčovič, likely in Europe, before European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen travels to Australia at the end of February or start of March.The EU president’s visit could be viewed as a good omen after she travelled to India to sign a free trade agreement in mid-January, sealing a long-awaited deal between Europe and the world’s most populous state.View image in fullscreenUrsula von der Leyen. Photograph: Nicolas Tucat/AFP/Getty ImagesFarrell was scheduled to meet with Šefčovič last Friday before the meeting was postponed. The final hurdles include quotas for the amount of beef and sheep Australian exporters can ship into Europe, with Canberra pushing for more than what’s been offered.Geographic indicators – when Australian producers use names of foods that come from specific regions, such as prosecco and feta – have also been a sticking point as Europe aims to protect the naming rights of products.If beef and sheep quotas are sorted, the final negotiations over naming rights would then need to be finalised, but negotiators are confident of compromises here to get the agreement over the line.ShareUpdated at 04.23 CET

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