Optus must cover the cost of replacing compromised identity documents, including passports, after a massive data breach at the telco, the government says. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told parliament it shouldn't fall to taxpayers to help affected customers when it was the telecommunications giant's fault.
The U-S has opened a first of its kind summit with Pacific Island leaders, with the Secretary of State reinforcing a united front for a free and open Indo-Pacific. Leaders from 12 Pacific Island states are taking part in the two-day summit in Washington, with Australia and New Zealand attending as observers. It’s the first time the United States has hosted so many leaders of the Pacific region, where China has made continual advances. U-S Secretary of State Antony Blinken says that a declaration of partnership has been agreed to. Source: Twitter
Australia's largest electricity generator A-G-L Energy will go "net zero” and shut down all coal-fired generation by the end of fiscal year 2035. A-G-L chair Patricia McKenzie says the company will go from 40 million tonnes of annual greenhouse gas emissions to zero, representing one of the most significant decarboniation projects in the country. The Loy Yang power station - which provides almost a third of Victoria’s power - is among those closing, and will cost around $700 million. Victoria’s energy minister, Lily D’Ambrosio says with the power plant closing ten years earlier than expected, the government will help workers find other employment.
The United Nations Security Council will convene at the request of Russia to discuss damage to two pipelines as the European Union promised a "robust" response to any intentional disruption of its energy infrastructure. The EU has said it suspects sabotage was behind gas leaks discovered this week on subsea Russian pipelines to Europe.
