- Early voting underway in the Queensland election
- Police say they prevented a third assassination attempt of Donald Trump
- Australian all-rounder Cameron Green will miss this summer's cricket series against India
Queenslanders can now cast their ballot to decide on the next premier with Labor hoping to retain government for a fourth term and the Liberal National Party hoping to upset the incumbent's record.
Early voting has begun with around 3.7 million people set to cast their ballot in person or via the post between now and the October 26 poll.
_
A man with a shotgun, loaded handgun, ammunition and several fake passports has been arrested in what a sheriff says was likely a third assassination attempt of Donald Trump.
The former president had yet to arrive a rally in California when a 49-year-old Las Vegas resident attempted to gain entry by claiming to be a journalist.
The suspicion of law enforcement officers was raised when they noticed the fake number plate on his vehicle, a search revealed the illegal possession of the multiple firearms.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco says law enforcement officers deserve praise for how they handled the incident.
He says he believes a third assassination attempt of Donald Trump was thwarted, but he refused to speculate about the suspect's motives or frame of mind, saying that will be a matter for the F-B-I to investigate.
"I couldn't care less what political party he belongs to. I honestly, I think that is the stupidest thing in the world that we have to label something. And we're labelling this as politics. From my perspective in law enforcement that group if in fact it turns out that he is part of the Sovereign Citizen's group. They are certainly considered a far right group. So I think it is fringe. One way or another, I couldn't care less. It is people trying to do harm. And thank God, we prevented it."
The man arrested has been identified as Vem Miller. He has been released on bail and is due to appear in court on January 2.
_
The federal government has pushed back on industry groups lobbying to reform the definition of small business.
Under the Fair Work Act, a small business is defined as an enterprise with fewer than 15 full-time, part-time or casual employees.
But the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is seeking to change that to 25 in a move it says would grant more companies access to laws and regulations covering small businesses.
Chief Executive of the A-C-C-I Andrew McKellar says small businesses are struggling.
"They face too many hurdles. The level of regulation has gone up significantly in the past 12 months, in the past two years. Earlier this year, we surveyed small business. For 82 per cent of small businesses, said that they are struggling with the level of regulation compliance. At the moment, nearly half of all businesses, 45 per cent of small businesses, said that they had considered shutting their doors in the last 12 months."
_
Asylum seekers rejected under a Coalition-era assessment scheme are calling for a final resolution of their visa status.
It comes as a new Review Tribunal has officially opened, promising a fairer and more transparent system for Australians trying to overturn government decisions.
The A-R-T replacing the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, which dealt with Fast Track Reviews.
All matters before the A-A-T have automatically been transferred to the new system but cases that've been finalised will not be considered again.
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus says people will be able to go to the Tribunal and receive a just decision.
"Through the reform process, we heard about the importance of accessibility for people with disability, people for whom English was not their first language. People experiencing hardship and people not versed in the intricacies of administrative law. While the creation of the AAT in 1976 was a significant step forward in 2024, we must go further. We must ensure that all people can come to the tribunal, tell their story, and receive a just decision."
_
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has defended the state's laws after neo Nazis stormed the regional town of Corowa on Saturday.
A group of around 50 white supremacists travelled to the regional town on the Victorian border holding a large banner reading white men fight back.
There are now calls for New South Wales to strength its laws related to the Nazi salute and related symbols, following similar action in Victoria.
Mr Minns says he's open to the idea of strengthening the laws as it's important to rule out this kind of behaviour.
"It is illegal, and whether that's a horrifying Nazi salute or the use of the flag, it's not allowed in New South Wales. I just think they're kind of lonely, pathetic people who have tried to get some kind of meaning in their life by adopting this horrifying, racist ideology. But you've brought shame on yourself and on your families, in my view, and we have to call it out for what we see when we see it. It's not acceptable here."
_
In cricket, Australian all-rounder Cameron Green will miss this summer's series against India.
Green has opted to have an operation on a stress fracture in his lumbar spine.
It had previously been thought that Green could avoid surgery, and play in the high-profile home series against India, albeit with limited capacity as a bowler.
