Australia news as it happened: ATO has dodgy landlords in sights; Australian brothers may have been killed for ute tyres

McBride felt he had a duty to go public with the information as he believed soldiers were being unduly investigated for actions that weren’t war crimes as a “PR exercise” so the department could say it was doing something, Odgers said.

The sensitive documents were initially only collected to back up a complaint he would make to the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force, Odgers contended.

McBride’s “impaired emotional wellbeing” because of PTSD and substance abuse as well as his sense of duty then compelled him to go to a journalist and have senior officials investigated when he believed his complaint wouldn’t go anywhere.

“Good soldiers were put through serious trauma, that was his complaint,” Odgers said.

“His goal was to get somebody to investigate properly his suspicions of criminality.”

McBride knew he was breaking internal defence codes and would face disciplinary actions but didn’t think he was committing a criminal offence as a court would find he acted in the public interest, his barrister said.

“While ignorance of the law is no excuse, it lessens culpability” he said.

AAP

Defence sources have told Nine News only the quick reflexes of the Australian pilot averted disaster - the Seahawk normally operates with a crew of four to six. No-one was hurt.

Marles condemned the incident and said Beijing had been formally notified of Australia’s concerns.

HMAS Hobart was taking part in Operation Argos, a United Nations mission to prevent North Korea smuggle sanctioned goods across the high seas.

Read the full story here.

Nine vigorously defended the case, saying its articles were true, in the public interest and based on the honest opinions of journalists Nick McKenzie and David Crowe.

The publisher, in its defence, said it could prove Synergy and Milo “engaged in corrupt conduct” with Robert when he sat on the Liberal front bench.

“(Milo and Synergy) received a financial benefit from the conduct, including in the form of retainer payments and success fees from clients of (Synergy) who procured federal government contracts,” Nine’s defence said.

But whether Nine’s claims are true will no longer be tested in court after the lawsuit was discontinued by Synergy 360 and Milo on April 26.

The articles remain online and no apology has been issued.

After a parliamentary inquiry, Robert was referred to the National Anti-Corruption Commission in September over claims Synergy 360 channelled money to a company linked to him to win government work.

Robert previously denied any impropriety, labelling the NACC referral as a “farce” and example of political payback.

He represented the Queensland seat of Fadden before resigning from parliament in May 2023.

A Nine spokesperson declined to comment on the case being dropped.

Robert and Milo have been contacted for comment.

AAP

The governing Liberals, who signed the deal, command just 14 of 35 lower-house seats in minority and faced a tough ask to get the required numbers.

The stadium now has the backing of 10 lower-house Labor MPs.

Labor leader Dean Winter, who took over the role from anti-stadium Rebecca White after the election, said the change in position was about jobs.

“A stadium will mean thousands of jobs in construction, including hundreds of apprenticeships,” he said.

“That’s why Labor will be backing a new stadium.”

AAP