Millions of Aussies will get an extra hour of sleep this long weekend

Millions of Aussies will get an extra hour of sleep this long weekend

Millions of Australians will get an extra hour of sleep this Easter long weekend as daylight saving time comes to an end.

All but three states and territories will wind their clocks back by an hour, earning a little sleep-in in the process.

Here's everything you need to know before that happens.

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End of daylight saving, dawn, Maroubra Beach.

When is daylight saving time ending in Australia?

Daylight saving time will come to an end this Sunday, April 5 at 3am Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT).

Do clocks go forward or backward in April?

Clocks will go back by one hour from 3am to 2am to give millions of Australians an extra hour of daylight in the morning.

Will my phone update automatically?

Most smartphones will automatically update their clocks when daylight saving time ends, but some older or 'dumb' phones may need to be updated manually.

Most microwaves and ovens that display the time will also have to be changed manually.

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A young woman snooze an alarm on her phone in the morning

Do I lose an hour of sleep on Sunday, April 5?

No.

Australians in all but three states and territories will actually gain an hour in the early morning this Sunday, April 5.

Enjoy the extra hour of sleep.

Which Australian states and territories change their clocks?

NSW, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and the ACT all observe daylight saving time.

Queensland, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory do not.

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Brisbane, Queensland

Why do we have daylight saving time?

Daylight saving exists to ensure Australians in the southern states and territories can make the most of the daylight hours at different times of the year.

Clocks are moved forward in the warmer months to give people an extra hour of sunlight in the evening, when it's balmy and mild.

As the weather cools down, the clocks are moved back for a little extra light in the mornings.

But not all states and territories opt in.

Queensland, WA and the NT never adopted daylight saving because the difference in daylight hours doesn't vary as much across the seasons up north.

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Dezi Freeman 'clearly' had help on the run, ex-detective says

Dezi Freeman 'clearly' had help on the run, ex-detective says

A former detective says wanted fugitive Dezi Freeman "clearly" received help in his months on the run before he was killed by police gunfire at a remote Victorian property yesterday.

Freeman, 56, had not been seen in public since two police officers were killed in a shooting ambush on his property in Porepunkah, Victoria, on August 26 last year.

In the seven months since, police received thousands of pieces of information, before a final tip led them to a property at Thologolong, about 150km by road from Porepunkah.

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A police "bearcat" with a tool that punched through the shell of a shipping container Freeman was inside.A makeshift awning and some chairs can be seen outside the shipping container Dezi Freeman was hiding inside.

Freeman, who was living in a shipping container on the property, refused to surrender to officers and was killed after he emerged from the container while armed with a gun and wrapped in a blanket.

Police are working to determine whether he was in possession of the gun used to kill Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart, 35, at Porepunkah.

Former Victoria Police detective Charlie Bezzina said police would have acted cautiously on the information that led them to the property, including surveilling it for more than a day to confirm Freeman was there.

He said the operation would have been a difficult one, given the openness of the property in particular.

"The only advantage (police) had, there were no other people that could be put in danger," Bezzina told Today.

"Ultimately, he's got nothing to lose."

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Police on the scene at a property near Thologolong where accused Police killer Desmond Freeman was shot dead by police this morning after a stand-off.

Bezzina said while Freeman, a self-declared "sovereign citizen", may not have needed much help, it's likely he would have received some while on the run.

"He had a head start before the actual SOG (Special Operations Group) got there," he said.

"I've learned since then, there are other sovereign citizens actually in Porepunkah that would have been sympathetic to his cause."

Bezzina suggested Freeman could have approached somebody for assistance, particularly given the distance and terrain between Porepunkah and Thologolong.

"He'd have to be assisted because he's getting food and nourishment and water to that location," he said.

"He couldn't walk into town, because country people know you're a stranger, and ultimately, he couldn't afford it."

There is no suggestion any particular person, nor anybody linked to the property where Freeman was found, offered assistance to the fugitive.

Yesterday, Victoria Police Commissioner Mike Bush said he was "sure" Freeman had received help.

"It would be very difficult for him to get to where he was, if that is in fact him, without assistance," he said.

"We will be speaking to anybody who we suspect may have assisted him to avoid detection or arrest."

He pledged to bring charges against anybody complicit in Freeman's flight.

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State leaders double down on refusal to offer free public transport

State leaders double down on refusal to offer free public transport

The New South Wales government has doubled down on its decision to not offer free public transport to residents to ease the cost-of-living pain caused by fuel prices.

Commuters in the state have missed out on any relief after Victorians were offered one month and Tasmanians were given three months of fare-free travel.

State Treasurer Daniel Mookhey told 2GB that the government wanted to avoid an "expensive" knee-jerk reaction to the ongoing conflict.

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Sydney, NSW, Australia - March 12, 2015. People standing and sitting on the Cityrail train in Sydney. Trains in Sydney have two levels for seating.

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While he didn't rule it out completely, the treasurer said it was a waiting game to see how the war in the Middle East unfolds.

"I can't tell you when this conflict is going to end," Mookhey said, when asked why NSW passengers couldn't travel for free for at least the Easter long weekend.

"When it comes to public transport, as I think you flagged earlier, we are obviously looking at what our options would be, but I can definitely tell you it's an expensive decision."

Moohkey said it would make a "big difference" to NSW motorists if the government cuts the fuel excise, adding that it was a federal decision.

Transport Minister John Graham yesterday ruled out the possibility of fare-free travel in NSW amid growing calls from the opposition and transport unions.

"We've seen some other states move on some calls for free public transport. I want to be clear, the NSW government isn't going down the path of free public transport for a couple of days or for a month," Graham said. 

"This situation will last more than a month. We need to keep our powder dry to be able to assist the broader economy.

"It's millions of dollars every single day."

In Victoria, commuters will travel on trams, buses and trains for free from tomorrow until the end of April.

It is expected the Victorian government will lose around $71 million in revenue during the fare-free period.

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A single one-way trip in Victoria costs $5.70.

Tasmanians were yesterday offered three months of free trips on buses and ferries as part of the state's response to petrol and diesel prices.

State and territory leaders have pushed for a national approach to the escalating fuel prices and shortages.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will hold a second national cabinet meeting today to coordinate a federal response.

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Apple almost went broke – now it's celebrating 50 years

Apple almost went broke – now it's celebrating 50 years

Apple is now one of the most valuable companies in the world — a market capitalisation of more than $3.5 trillion — but a core part of Apple's history is the time it almost went broke.

As the company marks its 50th anniversary, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, Greg Joswiak, spoke exclusively to 9News to reflect on 50 years - including the mid-1990s when the future of the business was far from certain.

"You just have to imagine that this was a company that was really struggling if we were going to make payroll," Joswiak said, reflecting on the years before Steve Jobs returned to Apple.

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Jobs famously returned to the company in 1997 and refocused Apple on creating standout products, paving the way for devices including the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad.

Joswiak, who has worked at Apple for 40 of its 50 years, said the turnaround shaped the company's modern philosophy.

"The great companies fail because they forget about creating great products," he said.

Apple's success since then has helped redefine entire industries, including music, smartphones, and personal computing.

Despite the milestone anniversary, Joswiak says Apple is not a company that spends much time looking backwards.

"We are not nostalgic people… we're built to work on things in the future," he said.

Instead, he says the 50-year milestone is more about recognising what customers have achieved using Apple technology. "People have changed the world with the things they've done with our products."

That philosophy dates back decades, with the original Macintosh famously described as a "bicycle for your mind", technology designed to help people achieve more and express their creativity.

Later this year, it will be fifteen years since Steve Jobs lost his battle with pancreatic cancer. Reflecting on this, Joswiak admitted that Jobs' philosophies still guide the company today. "We learned so much from Steve," he added. "We were almost out of business in 1996 and in 97, and he came back in 1997 and the company was rebirthed."

The problem was simple; the solution the same, says Joswiak. "Apple had forgotten about creating great products. So we were going to focus all of our efforts on how to create the greatest products in the world and how to tell people why they're great."

As they say, the rest is history. "That began the journey with the iMac, and it led to the iPod and iTunes, and then the iPhone and App Store and iPad, and eventually then the Apple Watch, AirPods, you know, Apple Vision Pro, incredible services, iCloud, all these things that came from this company that was nearly out of business." Said Joswiak.

In simple terms, "the belief that if you create great products, everything else will work out. And it seems to be working."

The artwork It's Beautiful Down Here by Rebecca Mills.

As part of the global anniversary celebrations, Australia has featured prominently, with artwork created on iPad projected onto the sails of the Sydney Opera House using the Australian-developed app Procreate.

Joswiak described the Opera House projection as one of his favourite expressions of the milestone, calling the display "absolutely stunning".

Looking ahead at the next 50 years, Joswiak says the same core ideas that guided its early years will continue to shape the future. "Safe to say, I think some of the things that made us successful for these 50 years, putting the customer at the centre of everything we do, unleashing human potential through technology, making it personal, making it easy to use, making it fun to use. I think all those sorts of things are things that are going to hopefully be just as true in the next 50 years as they have been in the previous."

"I think we will continue to do revolutionary products. I think there are many more to be had over the next five decades."

Two tonnes of cocaine found on sailboat in island paradise

Two tonnes of cocaine found on sailboat in island paradise

The turquoise blue ocean and lush greenery of Vanuatu's Havannah Harbour turned into an international crime scene last week after nearly two tonnes of cocaine were found on a half-sunken sailboat.

The drugs, believed to be headed to Australia, were found by the Vanuatu Police Force after the turned-over sailboat sparked concerns from locals.

It's believed the boat was docked offshore near Havannah Harbour, but a storm blew it up onto the reef, tipping it over in North West Efate.

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1.6 tonnes of cocaine found on sail boat in Vanuatu, allegedly headed for Australia

According to local media reports, two men approached a man in the middle of the night, asking for his help to dig the sand out from under the boat to get it sailing again.

The local resident found the interaction suspicious and called police, leading to the discovery of 1.6 tonnes of bagged white powder on the deck of the boat.

Forensic testing later confirmed the drugs were allegedly "pure cocaine".

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1.6 tonnes of cocaine found on sail boat in Vanuatu, allegedly headed for Australia

A Lithuanian man and a British national have been arrested and are being detained in relation to the alleged smuggling incident.

Nine.com.au has reached out to the VPF for comment about when they are expected to front court.

Local news outlet The Daily Post reported on Tuesday that AFP officers were already monitoring the boat and were planning to arrest the crew when they arrived in Australia, but the sailboats' crash onto a coral reef derailed the alleged drug smugglers' plans.

While the AFP pointed nine.com.au to the Vanuatu Police Force for comment, the South Pacific branch of the federal agency posted about the drug bust on Facebook last week, confirming they were assisting in the investigation.

1.6 tonnes of cocaine found on sail boat in Vanuatu, allegedly headed for Australia

"At the request from VPF, the AFP is working side by side with the VPF, providing operational, specialist investigative and forensic support to their investigation into a yacht that had run aground close to the shoreline in the harbour, believed to have contained the drugs," the Facebook post reads.

As the investigation continues, Vanuatu locals told nine.com.au they have growing concerns over the South Pacific drug trade.

One Port Villa resident, who has asked to remain anonymous, says locals are "terrified" that illegal drugs will eventually find their way onshore, adding they don't want their peaceful island paradise overrun by alleged syndicates.

1.6 tonnes of cocaine found on sail boat in Vanuatu, allegedly headed for Australia

Last week's bust is the latest in a string of operations dedicated to cracking down on alleged drug smugglers routing through the South Pacific to reach Australia by the AFP and their Pacific partners.

The route has become so popular that the AFP announced a focused South Pacific organised crime branch in collaboration with the Fiji Police Force in December last year.

"Australia's insatiable appetite for illegal commodities, and the high price the Australian public pays to consume these really dangerous substances, is putting significant pressure on our Pacific family,'' Commissioner Barrett said at the time.

"While the majority of these drugs are still trafficked to Australia, there is a growing concern that organised crime is now sending illicit commodities directly to the Pacific to find another market."

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'Businesses are going under now': Truckies knock Albo's fuel crisis plan

'Businesses are going under now': Truckies knock Albo's fuel crisis plan

The peak body for road transport says fresh national measures to combat the burgeoning fuel crisis is inadequate and overdue, warning businesses are going under "today".

Prime Minister Anthony Albanesetoday announced the government will be granted new powers to help private importers bring more fuel into the nation as the government attempts to curb spiking fuel prices and panic buying.

But Australia's transport industry needs instant relief, National Road Transport Association (NatRoads) chief executive Warren Clark said.

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"It's simple, if you don't have the funds to buy fuel – which has doubled in cost for most – or to meet your financial obligations, you're cooked," he said.

Clark urged the Alabanese Government and National Cabinet to urgently introduce more "practical measures" for operators, including emergency financial support payments for transport businesses.

"Even if operators can renegotiate contracts, it will take weeks for payments to catch up," Clark said.

"We're not talking small change here. This month alone we know of operators who have outlaid half a million dollars in cash or more to cover the gap between what their contracts pay and the pump."

NatRoad also wants to see the Road user charge for heavy vehicles canned immediately, and a six-month grace period on loan repayments for heavy vehicle equipment.

"Businesses are going under now — not in weeks, not in months. Today," he said.

"Drivers are having fuel cards declined. Operators are travelling between stations just to find diesel.

"This is happening right now and if we don't see action it will be too late."

Clark said most small to medium operators simply could not survive until Fair Work Changes flowed through

Long-term operators have been forced to stand down staff, park up their trucks and walk away from their businesses, the association said.

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NatRoad is now receiving multiple calls from members daily, desperate for help. Many long term operators have parked up trucks, stood down staff and walked away from their businesses.

The impact of the fuel crisis is only expected to worsen for the industry in coming weeks, when March fuel bills are due.

"When the fuel card bills arrive next month, for many, that will be the end of the road. When trucks stop, Australia stops," he said.

"This will affect us all if we don't act. We need to keep supermarket shelves stocked, construction moving and essential goods flowing."

The federal government's private importer powers are set to come into effect on Monday and will allow the government to use public funds to underwrite the purchase of fuel by the private sector.

The prime minister said it will also allow for the purchase of fertiliser and other essentials.

Albanese said that the government is in talks with local and international fuel suppliers "to help firm up and source new cargoes required to keep Australia moving".

"Put simply, we will use Export Finance Australia to underwrite the purchase of shiploads of fuel that will add to supply here in Australia.

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Anthony Albanese.

"This support from the government will not be business as usual."It has to be additional supplies that are available on the international market, and it literally will be underwriting the purchase of shiploads of fuel to get here to Australia.

Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen said Australia currently has 1.6 billion litres of petrol, which roughly equates to nine days' worth, which is up "very slightly".

He also said the nation has 2.7 billion litres of diesel, which is approximately one month's worth, and is "pretty flat".

"What that tells me is that while the fuel is flowing strongly out the door, especially to regional Australia."

Australians need to remain prepared as the war in the Middle East escalates, so too will volatile fuel prices, Bowen said.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission found the daily average diesel price across five of the largest cities was $3.03 a litre on Wednesday, up by 10 per cent from the previous week.

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'Not the Australian way': PM announces new plan to tackle fuel crisis, calls out fuel hoarders

'Not the Australian way': PM announces new plan to tackle fuel crisis, calls out fuel hoarders

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced that the government will be granted new powers to help private importers bring more fuel into the nation as the government attempts to curb spiking fuel prices and panic buying.

The new powers are set to come into effect on Monday and will allow the government to use public funds to underwrite the purchase of fuel by the private sector.

The prime minister said it will also allow for the purchase of fertiliser and other essentials.

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Anthony Albanese.

"I want us to have the strongest possible plants, so we're ready for what may come. I want to keep our people, our economy and our nation moving," he said.

Albanese said that the government is in talks with local and international fuel suppliers "to help firm up and source new cargoes required to keep Australia moving".

"Put simply, we will use Export Finance Australia to underwrite the purchase of shiploads of fuel that will add to supply here in Australia.

"This support from the government will not be business as usual.

"It has to be additional supplies that are available on the international market, and it literally will be underwriting the purchase of shiploads of fuel to get here to Australia."

The prime minister said the measures are being enacted to keep Australia prepared and ensure fuel "gets to the right places".

He said that recent footage circulating on social media showing people filling multiple jerry cans at petrol stations to hoard fuel is "not the Australian way".

"People need to take what they need and no more," he said.

"I don't want things to be mandated, common sense should apply as well."

"This isn't toilet paper that's been piled up in some garages. It's actually fuel.

"That's not sensible on a range of levels. One, it's not doing the right thing by your fellow Australians. But importantly, as well, it can be dangerous."

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Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen.Independent petrol stations in regional Queensland were being affected by supply issues, Goondiwindi Mayor Lawrence Springborg said.

Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen backed the prime minister's sentiments, saying that fuel demand in rural Australia is at "a very busy time".

"[Demand] remains exceedingly high, and this supply is still not enough, but we are increasing supply and working in a very complicated supply chain to get the fuel to where it needs to go."

"The fact of the matter is, cargo internationally available, but is getting increasingly expensive and increasingly risky in a volatile environment."

Bowen said Australia currently has 1.6 billion litres of petrol, which roughly equates to nine days' worth, which is up "very slightly".

He also said the nation has 2.7 billion litres of diesel, which is approximately one month's worth, and is "pretty flat".

"What that tells me is that while the fuel is flowing strongly out the door, especially to regional Australia."

Bowen said that Australians need to remain prepared as the war in the Middle East escalates, so too will volatile fuel prices.

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Queensland could fast-track the opening of an oil lake the size of Singapore

Queensland could fast-track the opening of an oil lake the size of Singapore

As the fuel crisis continues to deepen, the Queensland government is reportedly looking to fast-track the opening of an oil lake the size of Singapore.

The Queensland government has already granted several companies approval to conduct exploration work at the Taroom Trough, an oil lake the size of Singapore, just 300km west of Brisbane.

The investigation of the site will allow the government to learn by the end of 2026 whether it is viable to drill into the lake and extract the supplies.

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The Taroom Trough is just 300km north of Brisbane.

While it is not an immediate relief from the ongoing shortage, if it is deemed usable, oil could be extracted from the site as early as 2028.

In Queensland alone, more than 100 service stations were out of fuel yesterday, with even more shortages across the nation.

The reports come just days out from the federal government being poised to reveal a national emergency fuel plan that will allow industries that require the supplies most to secure quantities.

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An Ampol petrol station in Neutral Bay, a favourite for motorists on Sydney's Northern Beaches, has been run dry.

The plan would aim to create safeguards for supplies going to industries, such as farming, trucking and emergency services, as well as to regional areas.

There are calls from the opposition, however, to slash the fuel excise to immediately reduce costs for drivers.

"When you fill up your car, about 52 cents every single litre goes to taxation," Shadow Foreign Minister Ted O'Brien told Today.

"So we need to cut that taxation in half for a three-month period."

Cutting the tax would carry consequences for the federal budget, which brings in billions of dollars each year.

However, the fuel crisis is expected to affect the budget regardless.

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Donald Trump to put his name on all US paper money

Donald Trump to put his name on all US paper money

Donald Trump's signature will be added to all US banknotes in a first for a sitting president.

Historically, the only signatures to appear on American money are the Treasury Secretary and the Treasurer.

But Treasurer Brandon Beach's name will be taken off the cash to make room for Trump.

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Donald Trump speaking about his favourite pen at a cabinet meeting today.

The announcement was made in a statement by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

"Under President Trump's leadership, we are on a path toward unprecedented economic growth, lasting dollar dominance, and fiscal strength and stability," Bessent said.

"There is no more powerful way to recognise the historic achievements of our great country and President Donald J Trump than US dollar bills bearing his name, and it is only appropriate that this historic currency be issued at the Semiquincentennial."

The United States is marking its 250th anniversary this year.

Beach will become the first treasurer of the United States since 1861 to not have their name on American paper money.

But in a statement, Beach did not mention his own name getting bumped.

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US money.

"The President's mark on history as the architect of America's Golden Age economic revival is undeniable," Beach said.

"Printing his signature on the American currency is not only appropriate, but also well deserved."

The decision has been panned by California Governor Gavin Newsom.

"Now Americans will know exactly who to blame as they're paying more for groceries, gas, rent, and health care," he wrote on Bluesky.

"Americans now have to pay a dollar more on average for a gallon of gas because of Donald Trump's war with Iran.

"But don't worry! Our beloved president is moving heaven and earth to make sure he...can golf all day at his private golf course this weekend."

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Historically all US paper money bears the signature of the Secretary of the Treasury and the Treasurer.

As Trump staffers tout his economic achievement, Wall Street has seen its biggest drop since the beginning of the Iran war overnight.

The S&P 500 fell 1.7 per cent, as it braces for its fifth week of losses.

The Dow Jones and the Nasdaq composite also saw steep falls.

The ASX 200 also began the morning down on the back of Wall Street's drop.

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