Australia news live: Richard Marles left adrift as UK counterpart quits hours before scheduled visit to naval yard
Richard Marles wishes John Healey ‘all the best’ after he abruptly quit UK governmentBritain’s defence secretary, John Healey, has abruptly quit the Starmer government, in another blow to the leader’s teetering authority.Our UK colleagues have all the coverage (it was apparently over a new defence spending plan that Healey considered didn’t “commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country at this time of rising threats”):But it’s also a blow to Richard Marles, who was in the UK for the Aukmin summit of defence and foreign ministers, and had been due to head to a naval base at Portsmouth alongside Healey, overnight our time.The event was cancelled. Some time later Marles put out a rather mournful statement, saying:
double quotation markI have deeply valued the close and collaborative working relationship with my good friend John Healey as Secretary of Defence, as I have with his predecessors on the Australia-UK defence relationship. I have worked closely with all of them particularly in respect of Aukus.
Our defence relationship is enduring, with deep connections, values and shared interests.
Acknowledging that ultimately this has been a decision for John, I wish him all the best for the future.
Marles did go to Portsmouth anyway, Guardian Australia was told, to meet the Royal Navy, hosted by a junior defence minister.The day before, Marles had expressed “a sense of confidence” in the commitment of the UK to the Aukus submarine project.(Left to right) UK defence secretary John Healey, Australian foreign minister Penny Wong, UK foreign secretary Yvette Cooper, and Australian defence minister Richard Marles at press conference during Aukmin Summit in London, 10 June 2026. Photograph: Tolga Akmen/EPAShareUpdated at 23.18 CESTKey eventsVictoria’s Secret chair survives removal bid by Australian Brett BlundyJonathan BarrettThe Victoria’s Secret chair, Donna James, has been re-elected to the board of the lingerie company after surviving a push by a dissident shareholder, the Australian billionaire Brett Blundy, to have her removed.James received 83% of all votes cast, according to Reuters, at the US company’s annual meeting held overnight.View image in fullscreen Photograph: Molly Darlington/ReutersBlundy, who is the second-biggest shareholder at Victoria’s Secret, with a near 13% stake through his investment firm BBRC International, has been pushing for changes at the company since about 2021.He has previously sought a position on the board, and has built a stake that could be used as a platform to launch a hostile takeover.The Monaco-based Australian has a net wealth of $4.5bn, according to the AFR’s rich list, and is chair of the Lovisa jewellery brand, founder of the Léays lingerie stores and former owner of the Bras N Things and Honey Birdette brands.ShareUpdated at 01.04 CESTTeens who use social media two hours daily at higher risk of depressive symptoms, study findsTeenagers who spend hours glued to social media are likely to experience poorer mental health and a decline in wellbeing, a decade-long study shows, with young girls most at risk.AAP reports social media has transformed young people’s lives through instant connection but raised concerns about cyberbullying, harmful algorithms and impacts on health, including reduced sleep and fewer offline activities, the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute study published on Friday found.It comes as a world-first ban for under-16s reaches its six-month mark, with its effectiveness in reducing harm still unclear.The research found adolescents who used social media for at least two hours a day were at higher risk of experiencing depressive symptoms and poor wellbeing, compared with those who used the platforms less than one hour a day.Young people aged 12-18 found using heavier amounts of social media was associated with small but increased mental health problems one year later.The strongest impact on mental health was seen in girls 12–13 years old.ShareUpdated at 00.45 CESTDani AnguianoEl Niño forms in Pacific as experts say it will likely turbocharge extreme weatherEl Niño, the climate phenomenon that supercharges weather around the world, has officially arrived and could intensify to historic levels in the (northern hemisphere) autumn, US officials said on Thursday.US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) forecasters confirmed the formation of El Niño in the warmer than usual Pacific Ocean near the equator, which affects global weather patterns.View image in fullscreen Photograph: Charlie Riedel/APScientists have previously advised that this year’s El Niño could be the strongest of the century. António Guterres, the UN secretary general, described El Niño as an “urgent climate warning”.There was a 63% chance that the El Niño will get so intense this late (northern hemisphere) autumn and early winter that it “would rank among the largest El Niño events in the historical record going back to 1950”, according to Noaa.Read more here:ShareUpdated at 00.25 CESTSix Australian music acts inducted into Aria hall of fameThe Aria hall of fame has six new members after the body inducted iconic Australian acts into its anointed halls.Gurrumul, Jenny Morris, Kate Ceberano, Spiderbait, the Living End, and Vika and Linda Bull were awarded in Sydney on Thursday night.Aria typically inducts one artist a year to its hall of fame, but elevated six to top-tier status on Thursday night as part of its 40th-anniversary celebrations, AAP reports.Accepting Gurrumul’s hall of fame nod, Mark Grose, the artist’s former manager and collaborator, thanked the fewer than 10,000 people who speak the native Yolngu language for keeping it alive.View image in fullscreenThe Living End. Photograph: Hanna Lassen/Getty Images for ARIA Hall of FameShareUpdated at 00.10 CESTResignation of Britain’s defence secretary will have ‘no effect’ on Aukus, minister saysTim Ayres, the minister for innovation, said the resignation of John Healey in the UK, Britain’s defence secretary, will have “no effect” on the Aukus partnership.View image in fullscreenFederal minister for industry and innovation, and federal minister for science, Tim Ayres. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAPHe told RN Breakfast this morning:
double quotation markThis is a partnership that has deep support across all three countries’ political systems, within the public service and the defence agencies in all three countries, and indeed with the defence industry, because it’s in the interests of all three countries.
Over the life of this agreement … there will be many ministers for defence for all three countries, many secretaries for war in the United States case, who are there charged with delivering this program.
ShareUpdated at 01.02 CESTJordyn BeazleyTwenty-five anti-Isaac Herzog protesters to face joint trial in SydneyTwenty-five people who were charged after they protested against the visit of the Israeli president will face a six-week joint trial in July next year.The protesters had their matters heard before Downing centre local court on Thursday after their lawyers made a successful application for the joint hearing, arguing there were common legal issues across the cases.The acting deputy registrar Soly Najm set down a week-long pre-trial hearing for 8 March 2027, and a six-week long trial beginning 19 July 2027.Felicity Graham, who was one of nine lawyers to appear on behalf of the protesters, told the court she expected the police commissioner, Mal Lanyon, to be the first witness called.Read more here:ShareUpdated at 23.34 CESTNSW police find human remains in search for woman missing since 2018NSW police have located human remains in a long search for a woman allegedly murdered in 2018.Officials said officers have been investigating the disappearance of Nadire Sensoy, 71, who vanished from her home in Prospect in December 2018. A coronial inquest into her death began in 2023, but it was suspended after new information came to light.Later in 2023, police arrested a man, 47, in Wagga Wagga, NSW. He was charged with murder and remains before the courts.NSW police said this morning they will allege he murdered the woman, who was known to him.Officials said officers searched a property in Seven Hills in Sydney this week, where they located human remains. They have not yet been formally identified.ShareGood morning, Nick Visser back on deck to take over the blog reins. Let’s get into it.ShareJim Chalmers defends jibe about Angus Taylor's backgroundIma CaldwellThe treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has defended remarks he made about Angus Taylor, saying he has no issue with wealthy Australians - but maintained the opposition leader is disconnected from the reality of the housing market.In a speech on Thursday, Chalmers said Taylor was born “at the top of the ladder”.Appearing on the ABC’s 7.30 program last night, Chalmers was asked by host Sarah Ferguson whether he has a “problem with wealthy Australians.”Chalmers said:
double quotation markNot at all. I want more people to succeed in our economy and in our society...
Angus Taylor talks about a ladder and the point that I’ve made about the ladder is it’s not much point in having a ladder if the first few rungs are missing. Angus Taylor was born at the top of the ladder, good on him, but I think that that means he doesn’t understand that a lot of people are struggling.
When pushed on whether people who inherit wealth are worthy of criticism - given Labor boasts historically wealthy figures of its own, such as Paul Keating and Kevin Rudd - Chalmers said:
double quotation markThe point that I’m making about Angus Taylor is that not everybody is born already at the top of the ladder... Not everybody has had the same experiences that Angus Taylor has had.
Our responsibility, which we embrace enthusiastically, is to make it easier for more people to do well, whether that’s at work with better wages, whether it’s helping with the cost of living and tax cuts, or whether it’s helping people get a foothold into a housing market that’s been too difficult for too long, especially for young people.
ShareRichard Marles wishes John Healey ‘all the best’ after he abruptly quit UK governmentBritain’s defence secretary, John Healey, has abruptly quit the Starmer government, in another blow to the leader’s teetering authority.Our UK colleagues have all the coverage (it was apparently over a new defence spending plan that Healey considered didn’t “commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country at this time of rising threats”):But it’s also a blow to Richard Marles, who was in the UK for the Aukmin summit of defence and foreign ministers, and had been due to head to a naval base at Portsmouth alongside Healey, overnight our time.The event was cancelled. Some time later Marles put out a rather mournful statement, saying:
double quotation markI have deeply valued the close and collaborative working relationship with my good friend John Healey as Secretary of Defence, as I have with his predecessors on the Australia-UK defence relationship. I have worked closely with all of them particularly in respect of Aukus.
Our defence relationship is enduring, with deep connections, values and shared interests.
Acknowledging that ultimately this has been a decision for John, I wish him all the best for the future.
Marles did go to Portsmouth anyway, Guardian Australia was told, to meet the Royal Navy, hosted by a junior defence minister.The day before, Marles had expressed “a sense of confidence” in the commitment of the UK to the Aukus submarine project.View image in fullscreen(Left to right) UK defence secretary John Healey, Australian foreign minister Penny Wong, UK foreign secretary Yvette Cooper, and Australian defence minister Richard Marles at press conference during Aukmin Summit in London, 10 June 2026. Photograph: Tolga Akmen/EPAShareUpdated at 23.18 CESTWelcomeGood morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it will be Nick Visser with the main action.We kick off with news from the UK, where our deputy PM and defence minister, Richard Marles, was visiting for a ministerial summit but had the wind taken from his sails when his British counterpart abruptly quit over defence funding.More on that coming in a minute or two.ShareUpdated at 22.30 CEST
