Man charged after wild brawl at Sydney soccer match

Man charged after wild brawl at Sydney soccer match

A man has been charged after a wild brawl broke out at a soccer match in south-west Sydney, where an 18-year-old was allegedly bitten in the back.

The fight began at about 3.30pm yesterday at an under 17s boys soccer match at Amour Park in Revesby.

Police were told a number of spectators entered the field after a fight between players in the match.

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The fight began after spectators entered the field of play at Amour Park.

An 18-year-old was treated by paramedics at the scene, before being taken to Liverpool Hospital for further treatment for several injuries.

These included a bite mark to his back.

After investigations began, police arrested a 47-year-old Greenacre man.

He was taken to Bankstown Police Station, where he was charged with affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He was granted conditional bail to appear in Bankstown Local Court next month.

First home deposit scheme backfires as house prices tumble

First home deposit scheme backfires as house prices tumble

Investors have left the market and buyers aren't biting, leaving house prices, particularly those on the more expensive end, tumbling in the past few weeks.

"We could be talking five to 10 per cent perhaps, depending suburb to suburb," auctioneer Jason Keen told 9News.

The sharp downturn has hit one mortgage-heavy cohort hardest first home buyers, who are now facing negative equity.

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First home deposit scheme backfires

"I regard it essentially as the second worst financial position outside of bankruptcy," Louis Christopher from SQM Research told 9News.

Across Sydney and Melbourne, 50,000 thousand people from have used the government's five per cent deposit scheme.

And that's where experts are tipping prices to drop.

"For those who've bought in a falling market with the maximum leverage, it just compounds the losses," Christopher said.

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First home deposit scheme backfires

This means, for a home bought for $1 million using the government's five per cent deposit scheme, there'd be a $950,000 mortgage on the property.

If that home now drops in value by six percent, it becomes worth $940,000, meaning you're actually carrying negative equity of $10,000.

"Now these changes aren't a level up for young Australians wanting to own a home," Opposition leader Angus Taylor said about Labor's budget proposals for housing.

But Energy Minister Chris Bowen disagrees.

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First home deposit scheme backfires

"There'll be short-term fluctuations in the housing market, but you've got to set your policies for the medium and long-term," he said.

The tip for those in a crunch is don't panic and, if you can, don't sell.

"If there's any way to hold on, hold on," Keen said.

"We know that things can correct themselves."

Trump lashes out after judge stops him renaming Kennedy Centre after himself

Trump lashes out after judge stops him renaming Kennedy Centre after himself

Donald Trump has lashed out at a judge who ruled that arts institute The Kennedy Centre could not be renamed after him.

The US president lashed out on Truth Social after Judge Christopher Cooper ordered his name to be taken off the venue.

Cooper said the Kennedy Centre cannot be renamed without congressional authorisation.

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President Donald Trump has lambasted a judge for blocking the renaming of the Kennedy Centre.

"May the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts be renamed absent Congressional authorisation?" the judge wrote.

"The answer, plain from the face of the statute, is no."

Cooper also blocked the Trump administration from closing the venue for renovations.

In December the board of trustees appointed by the president voted to rename it The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Centre for the Performing Arts.

Trump had fired the previous board and appointed himself chairman.

Trump then closed the centre after an exodus of musicians who were scheduled to perform there.

The Centre has been given 14 days to take Trump's name off all signage.

In a 582-word post on Truth Social this morning, Trump raged at the judge.

"Judge Cooper should be ashamed of himself!" he wrote.

Trump then announced he was not going to be involved in renovations of the building, even though he described it as "structurally dangerous".

"I cannot be involved with a situation where danger to the Public is allowed to flourish in plain and open sight. 

"Unless I am free to do what I do better than anyone else, bring this Institution back, physically, financially, and artistically, I have no interest in continuing what could only be a hopeless journey into 'NEVER NEVER LAND.'"

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New signage, The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts, is unveiled on the Kennedy Centre.

Trump said he had directed his staff to transfer control of the Kennedy Centre to Congress.

Democrats have celebrated the judge's decision.

"Trump tried to slap his name on the Kennedy Centre like it was one of his tacky hotels," Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said.

"The Kennedy Centre belongs to the American people. Now and always."

Meanwhile, it has been reported that the Trump Administration set aside close to $A7 million to have four prominent statues in Washington DC coated in gold.

The four bronze horses surrounding the Lincoln Memorial will receive a thick 23.75-karat gold leaf coating after a non-bid contract was awarded.

"This comes from the same administration that said we don't have enough money for cancer research or to feed hungry kids," Democratic Representative Dwight Evans said.

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Trump still has total control of the GOP - and that could doom them

Trump still has total control of the GOP - and that could doom them

With months to go before the US mid-term elections, Donald Trump's iron grip on the direction of the Republican Party shows no sign of loosening - and that could spell trouble for them.

Early primary contests in Republican races around the US have almost entirely gone to Trump-backed candidates, even those running against incumbent GOP representatives who Trump perceives as disloyal.

Republican Thomas Massie, a Kentucky congressman, is perhaps one of the highest-profile victims, losing in a primary race to retain his own seat after pushing back on Trump's war with Iran and consistently advocating for the full release of the Epstein files.

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But increasingly, there are fears that while Trump's MAGA movement remains in control of the Republican Party, it represents an increasingly small circle of voters.

The apparent paradox is that while kowtowing to Trump is the only way to get ahead in the GOP, it could result in a major thrashing for the party at the national polls.

"Trump's control is definitely not helpful in general elections, but I don't think there's evidence he cares much about the general election," United States Studies Centre research director Jared Mondschein told 9news.com.au.

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Pro-Trump supporters storm the US Capitol

"Trump's name helps Republicans when it's actually on the ballot, but not when it isn't."

Mid-term elections in the US tend to go against the party in power, and Trump's popularity has taken a decided plummet.

Mondschein said Trump was reaching levels of historic unpopularity in the US, including among Republican-leaning voters, though he still enjoys near-universal approval among self-identified MAGA loyalists.

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Kamala Harris

"If the 2024 election were to be held again today, he'd lose it," Mondschein said, pointing to a collapse in support from demographics that backed Trump against Kamala Harris, including Hispanic voters and youths.

The unpopular Iran war, the recent "anti-weaponisation" Justice Department fund, the White House ballroom project, and ballooning living costs are all factors in this alienation.

But Mondschein said Trump, halfway through his second and final term as president, was "much more passionate" at this point about maintaining control over the GOP and MAGA, rather than broadening his appeal.

"It's hard to imagine him being popular," Mondschein said.

After the midterms

Among US political circles, it's a running joke that the Democratic Party is adept at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

Nonetheless, most pundits are predicting a "blue wave" even in red-heavy states that could see the Democrats overtake the slim Republican majority in the House, and possibly even the Senate.

But regardless of what the Capitol looks like when the dust settles, Mondschein forecast changes ahead for the GOP.

"We're seeing the last of (Trump's) weight thrown around," he said.

Trump will officially be a lame-duck president after the midterms, with no more elections before the end of his term.

Mondschein said it was likely Republican lawmakers would begin to distance themselves - some with relief, some with reluctance - from the White House if the president's popularity continues to languish.

He said this would not be about their personal feelings for Trump but out of "naked self interest" in their political survival.

"Even in the reddest of red districts, you're seeing Republicans now pushing back," he said.

US government pushes to put Donald Trump's face on new $250 bill

US government pushes to put Donald Trump's face on new $250 bill

The US government is working on a $250 note to bear the face of Donald Trump, his treasury secretary has announced.

The draft revealed by Secretary Scott Bessent features Trump's face taken from the mugshot from his arrest in Georgia in 2023.

The bill will also include his signature, a departure from previous US currency.

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The bill will feature Donald Trump's mugshot and signature.

"I don't think there's anything untoward about having the president of the United States on the 250th anniversary bill," Bessent said.

But he did concede that the law would need to change to allow Trump's face on money.

Under a law passed in 1866, living people cannot appear on US currency.

But legislation introduced by Congressman Joe Wilson, a conservative Republican, would change that.

"Grateful to commemorate President Trump's legacy of greatness and the 250 anniversary of America," Wilson said.

"The most valuable President on our most valuable bill."

While the president has frequently minted commemorative coins bearing his face, this note is intended to be legal tender widely used across the country.

The plan was strongly criticised by Democratic Congressman Emanuel Cleaver.

"While Americans are struggling to put food on the table, keep up with rising energy costs, and pay for health care, the administration is focused on illegally putting the president's face on money," Cleaver said.

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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent touting the bill.

"As the president made very clear: 'I don't think about Americans' financial situation'."

Congresswoman Judy Chu noted that inflation was at a three-year high.

"And what are Trump's priorities? Slapping his face on a $250 bill, just to boost his own ego," she said.

"Every day he makes it more clear that he doesn't care about the American people, only himself."

The move to put Trump's face on money comes as the president's approval rating continues to sink.

A poll released fby YouGov this week shows him with just a 34 per cent approval rating, with 59 per cent disapproving.

Trump has previously intervened to stop a 2016 plan from the Obama administration to replace President Andrew Jackson on the $20 note with abolitionist Harriet Tubman.

He decried the plan to replace the now-maligned former president with Tubman as "pure political correctness".

Donald Trump has lost four cabinet members in the last few months, all women.

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End in sight for rain, storms hammering east coast

End in sight for rain, storms hammering east coast

The heavy rain and storms hammering parts of Australia's eastern coast should ease by this afternoon and lead into a sunny weekend, forecasts show.

The Queensland and NSW coasts, as well as regions further inland, have copped a soaking this week, driven by a low-pressure system off the coast.

Falls of up to 80mm have been recorded in south-eastern Queensland, and up to 70mm in NSW down to the Central Coast.

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Weatherzone said current modelling indicated Friday would continue to be wet and grey for most of the day before the weather eased in the afternoon.

The weather website's lightning detector showed 460,000 strikes within 800km of Dalby in southern Queensland in the 24 hours to 9 am yesterday. 

A severe weather warning from the Bureau of Meteorology remains in place as of this morning for parts of the Mid North Coast, Hunter, North West Slopes and Plains, and Northern Tablelands districts.

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Six-hourly rain totals of between 40mm and 70mm are expected, with isolated falls of up to 80mm.

Severe thunderstorms could strike the eastern Hunter and south-eastern Mid North Coast this morning, with the threat easing mid-afternoon.

The Bureau also has a flood warning in place for the Hunter and Mid North Coast regions.

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No severe weather warning has been issued for Queensland today.

The forecasts for Brisbane and Sydney show sunny weekends ahead for both cities, with temperatures peaking in the low 20s.

"At this stage, rain and storms should ease on Friday afternoon and evening as the low moves away from the coast," Weatherzone said.

Nine-months' pregnant nursery owner chases down alleged plant thief

Nine-months' pregnant nursery owner chases down alleged plant thief

A heavily pregnant nursery owner has chased down a thief at her Adelaide business, stopping him from stealing plants worth hundreds of dollars.

Footage shows the thief yesterday pushing a trolley full of plants from Exotic Botanic in the city's north-east into a carpark.

Moments later, the owner who is nine months pregnant, runs after him.

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She managed to regain the trolley and pushed it back to the store.

The nursery later took to social media to explain what happened and appeal for thieves to stop.

"Please don't let me chase you while I'm nine months pregnant," the owner said.

"And, oh, please don't steal hundreds of dollars' worth of plants from us."

Police say they have not received any reports from the incident.

McKenzie insists she didn't misuse taxpayer money to attend son's wedding

McKenzie insists she didn't misuse taxpayer money to attend son's wedding

Coalition Senator Bridget McKenzie has defended billing taxpayers for a trip that included a family wedding, and signalled she won't pay the money back.

She spoke with Today about the February 2023 four-day trip to Tasmania which costed taxpayers $853.52, and included her attending the wedding of her son.

It was first reported in The Age.

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McKenzie has insisted her travel was genuine political business, saying taxpayers did fork out for any expenses over the wedding.

"Taxpayer funds should never be used for private business, nor were they in this case," she told Today.

"When we're undertaking whether it be community engagement, media engagement, stakeholder meetings, you know, assisting colleagues, there are arrangements in place to assist us to do that work that is right and appropriate, and it is not right and appropriate to bill the taxpayer, as you say, for personal activities. And I did not do that.

"So when I was on personal business, I absolutely paid my own way."

When asked if she stood by her decision, she replied: "Yep".

McKenzie maintained she had behaved correctly when fellow guest James Willis from 2GB suggested the Coalition front bencher should pay the money back.

The episode has dogged her over past days, with a leading Liberal MP and shadow minister saying the optics didn't appear good.

Coalition treasury spokesman Tim Wilson said the trip to Tasmania was technically within parliamentary guidelines, but it failed the "pub test".



Australia's richest people - and how they amassed their fortunes - revealed

Australia's richest people - and how they amassed their fortunes - revealed

As ordinary Australians have battled cost-of-living pressures over the past year, some of the country's richest people have grown their substantial fortunes.

The Australian Financial Review has revealed its 2026 Rich List, and the country's 200 largest fortunes have collectively leapt by $39 billion to a total of $707 billion.

When the rich list was first published in the Business Review Weekly magazine in 1983, the total worth of Australia's wealthiest people was $4.6 billion.

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Gina Rinehart has topped the Rich List for the seventh consecutive year.

Mining magnate Gina Rinehart has topped the rich list for the seventh consecutive year, with an estimated wealth of $39 billion, up $900 million from last year.

Meriton founder Harry Triguboff is number two on the list.

The property developer is worth an estimated $32.29 billion, up from $29.65 billion.

Visy executive chairman Anthony Pratt and his family are ranked third on the list.

Their fortune is worth an estimated $25.19 billion, which they amassed by running Australia's biggest packaging and recycling company.

Former Glencore chief executive Ivan Glasenberg saw his wealth explode from $13 billion last year to $22.38 billion this year.

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Meriton founder Harry Triguboff has amassed his fortune through property.

Out of the top 178 rankings of this year's Rich 200 list, just less than one in nine people carried estimated fortunes of $1 billion and above.

While total wealth is up, there have been some falls in the technology sector, as a result of the billions of dollars wiped off the value of listed software-as-a-service companies.

Mike Cannon-Brookes went from 13th on the Rich List to 22nd after his estimated fortune dropped from $12.18 billion last year to $6.71 billion this year.

His Atlassian co-founder Scott Farquhar and wife Kim Jackson, who leads Skip Capital, have dropped from fourth to 13th after the couple saw their wealth plummet from $21.4 billion to $11.7 billion.

WiseTech founder Richard White went from 15th to 17th after his wealth dropped by nearly $2 billion to $8.8 billion.

Marriage breakdowns continue to reshape the top Rich List rankings, with miner Andrew Forrest falling from Australia's second-richest person in 2023 to eighth this year, with a fortune worth $15.93 billion.

He was overtaken by his former wife, Nicola, who is ranked seventh at $17.32 billion.

Some Rich Listers have amassed their fortunes from artificial intelligence and data centres, including Swipejobs founder Katrina Leslie (worth $2.5 billion), Firmus co-founder Oliver Curtis (worth $1.25 billion) and Grafana Labs co-founder Anthony Woods (worth $881 million).

Nicola and Andrew Forrest outside the State Library of NSW in Sydney, NSW. 13th October, 2021.

Australian Financial Review Rich List editor Hannah Tattersall said behind each Rich Lister was a story about they built their wealth and where their ideas came from.

"Mining, property and tech always dominate the Rich List but this year's list shows there's money to be made in waste management, in chicken restaurants, in hoodies and of course AI," Tattersall said.

The Financial Review Rich List 2026's top 10

1. Mining magnate and businesswoman Gina Rinehart – $39.01 billion – Mining
2. Meriton founder and managing director Harry Triguboff - $32.29 billion - Property
3. Visy Industries executive chairman Anthony Pratt and family – $25.19 billion – Manufacturing
4. Former Glencore CEO Ivan Glasenberg – $22.38 billion – Mining
5. Mining magnate Clive Palmer – $19.56 billion – Mining
6. Canva founders Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht – $17.56 billion – Technology
7. Philanthropist Nicola Forrest - $17.32 billion - Mining
8. Miner Andrew Forrest - $15.93 billion – Mining
9. Stonepeak founder Michael Dorrell - $13.82 billion - Investment
10. Chemist Warehouse founders Mario, Marcello & Adrian Verrocchi - $12.76 billion - Retail

Where Australia's Rich Listers are based

NSW – 78 Rich Listers
Victoria – 52 Rich Listers
Queensland – 21 Rich Listers
Western Australia – 19 Rich Listers
South Australia - Five Rich Listers
Australian Capital Territory – 0 Rich Listers
Northern Territory – One Rich Lister
Tasmania – Two Rich Listers
USA - Eight Rich Listers
New Zealand - Two Rich Listers
United Kingdom - Three Rich Listers
China - Three Rich Listers
Switzerland - One Rich Lister
Argentina - One Rich Lister
Bahamas - One Rich Lister
Cyprus - One Rich Lister

Pauline Hanson says tax reforms will leave younger people worse off

Pauline Hanson says tax reforms will leave younger people worse off

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson says her party will oppose the federal government's capital gains tax reforms, claiming it will leave younger Australians worse off.

In a Facebook post today, she says negative gearing - under which homeowners were able to deduct a net loss from a residential investment property from their overall income, thereby reducing their yearly tax bill - should be allowed for a maximum of two homes for everyone.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced in this month's federal budget the tax concession for property investors would be wound back from next July as part of major tax overhauls.

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One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday 19 January 2026.

The government claims it will help younger Australians gain a foothold on the property ladder, but Hanson says it will have the opposite effect.

"The Labor government claims to be helping the younger generation, yet they're taking away an investment strategy that has been used by generations before them."

"We completely oppose the changes to CGT."

From July 2027, negative gearing will only apply to new build homes, superannuation funds and those who purchased their properties prior to budget night.

One Nation has witnessed a record rise in support in the polls, largely due to the cost-of-living crisis. It is also attracting more younger people voters.

The populist party has ridden a wave of support to win seven new state MPs at the South Australian election before its stunning victory in the Farrer federal byelection.

Labor's changes will likely sail through the House of Representatives, where they hold the majority, but they will need either the Greens or the Coalition to pass the Senate.

Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has already vowed to fight the changes and, if elected, repeal them.

Labor to consult all businesses on tax reform amid criticism

The federal government will consult all businesses, not just tech start-ups as was initially suggested, on its proposed tax reform.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed broad consultation would take place as he outlined the process of how the capital gains tax and negative gearing changes would be introduced to parliament.

"Treasury are going about consulting not just in tech, but consulting COSBOA, for example, ACCI, the Tech Council," he told reporters earlier this week.

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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra.

"There'll be a policy position paper for consultation produced as well after the first round of consultations. That was all foreshadowed there on budget night."

The legislation is set to go before parliament on Thursday and will tie the tax reform to the tax cuts and $1000 standard deduction the government promised workers.

It will be debated and then go before the Senate in June. 

Then, following a period of consultation, the government will introduce a second piece of legislation that contains the details of how the reforms will be implemented.

Albanese said it was the normal process and consultation couldn't occur before the proposed reforms were announced. 

"If you go back and have a look at tax reform and the way that it's been implemented, this is the normal way," he said.

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Treasurer Jim Chalmers holds a copy of the 2026 budget while speaking with the media at Australian Parliament House on May 12, 2026 in Canberra, Australia.

"When you are doing changes to tax policy, that begins on budget night.

"What you cannot do is go out there and sit down with people and say from budget night, this change is definitely going to occur in detail, because there are implications of that. That's called insider knowledge.

"Because changes are dated from, in capital gains and from negative gearing from budget night, that is why you can't have the level of consultation that you want to see people coming forward in a common-sense way."

The government has been fielding criticisms from businesses who say they will be swept up in tax changes meant to address intergenerational inequity in the housing market.