Qantas rejects workers' strike claim, calls for arrests over Hezbollah flags on Melbourne streets: Australia news live

A 30-year commitment has paid off for a Brisbane couple after they landed more than half a million on the Saturday Gold Lotto.

The pair from Fig Tree Pocket said they were "still a bit stunned by it all" after learning of their $518,000 prize.

“My wife and I have been putting the same Saturday Gold Lotto numbers on for the past 30 years," the husband told lottery officials.

“The prize will help speed up our retirement and allow us to help our children.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has addressed the flying of Hezbollah flags at a protest over the weekend, stressing Australia "doesn't want people to bring radical ideologies and conflict here".

“Our multiculturalism and social cohesion cannot be taken for granted and it’s important that we continue to stress that that is the case as we go forward as well," he told reporters.

It comes as the Australian Federal Police said simply flying a flag with a terrorist organisation's symbol on it was not necessarily a crime on its own.

Victoria's Premier Jacinta Allan and Federal Opposition leader Peter Dutton are among those calling for arrests to be made over the flags' appearance at the anti-Israel protest.

Former US president Donald Trump has gone off on an odd tangent at one of his rallies and unsurprisingly got the internet talking.

Trump was distracted by a fly appearing in front of him before asking: "I wonder where the fly came from?"

"See, two years ago, I wouldn’t have had a fly up here. You’re changing rapidly. We can’t take it any longer." he continued.

See the clip for yourself below.

A search is ongoing for a missing woman believed to be with her four children including a two-week-old girl.

NSW Police are urging the public to help locate Rochelle Watts, 35, who was last seen in Goulburn on Friday afternoon.

"Police and family hold serious concerns for her welfare. Rochelle is believed to be with her four children, a boy aged 15, a boy aged 10, a girl aged 8 and a girl aged two weeks. It is believed the family’s German Shepherd; Elsa is also with them," police said in a statement on Monday.

"She is known to frequent the Goulburn and Tirrannaville areas. Police are also following up a report that Rochelle may be in the Murgon area in Queensland."

Police say anyone with information on their whereabouts should contact Crimestoppers.

Flying a flag with a terrorist organisation's flag on it doesn't necessarily constitute a crime, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) has said.

It comes after some protesters waved Hezbollah flags in Melbourne over the weekend, sparking outrage from the Jewish community while Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke "unequivocally condemned" showing support to a terrorist group.

The AFP said it was aware protests and political demonstrations would be used to amplify extremist messaging but simply displaying prohibited symbols doesn't reach the Commonwealth law threshold.

The symbol needed to be used in actions that spread ideas of racial superiority or hatred or were likely to offend, insult or intimidate a person for reasons such as their race, religion or nationality.

"The criminal code set outs very specific elements that must be met in order to charge an individual with a terrorism offence," an AFP spokesperson told AAP.

- With AAP

Labor has announced a second consecutive surplus – the first time a government has done so in 16 years.

The federal government announced today it recorded a $15.8 billion surplus for the 2023/24 financial year, a $6.4 billion improvement on its forecast in the May budget.

The final budget outcome showed the budget being $6.5 billion higher than forecasts put forward in May.

It's the first time a government has handed down consecutive surpluses since 2007/08.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the result largely came from lower government spending.

"The key to these two surpluses is the fact that when we've got upward revisions to revenue because the labour market's been a bit stronger, or our exports have been performing well, we've banked almost all of those," he told ABC radio.

WA is expecting heavy rain this week, with September records at risk for some parts of the state today.

“For WA there’s potential for some 60mm falls through parts of the interior, so some September records could be challenged again as this system moves through,” Sky News Weather meteorologist Rob Sharp said.

Read more about the week's weather across the country here.

Well how about this. Police are detecting illegal road users from the sky, with several unregistered motorbikes and a quad bike removed from Sydney's west.

The fleet of vehicles "riding in a dangerous manner" were spotted by a NSW Police helicopter before informing Liverpool City Highway Patrol who managed to apprehend the riders.

"An application to have every single one of these motorcycles forfeited to the crown will be submitted," NSW Police said.

"A friendly reminder that riding unregistered motorcycles on public roads, footpaths, car parks, or in parks is illegal, unless otherwise specified."

Some news just in now.

A man who kidnapped four-year-old Cleo Smith from her family's tent at a remote West Australian campsite has failed to have his sentence reduced after his lawyers argued his sentence was excessive.

Terence Darrell Kelly attempted to appeal against his 13-and-a-half years' jail term for snatching the girl at the Blowholes campsite, about 70km north of Carnarvon in the early hours of October 16, 2021, as her parents slept.

Cleo was missing for 18 days before finally being found by police alone in a room at a property in Carnarvon on November 3.

Her kidnapping by the 37-year-old sparked one of the biggest police searches in WA history and made headlines worldwide.

- AAP

A tradie has caused a bit of a stir on social media when he said he was "surviving" on a weekly wage of up to $3,000 after tax. If earning that consistently, that would mean he takes home more than $150,000 a year.

It's reignited debate about what is a good wage in Australia and there's been plenty of chatter online about $100,000 being the new $60,000 with the cost-of-living crisis taking hold.

So how do you feel about a $100,000 pay packet, a milestone many young professionals aim for. Have your say below.

One of Sydney's busiest train lines will shut for at least a year in what the government admits will be an "incredibly tough time" for commuters.

T3 Bankstown line to and from Sydenham will shut down today and be replaced with bus services – which could double some travel times.

The move comes as the line is being replaced to make way for the new Metro line.

“There’s no sugar-coating it – this closure will be an incredibly tough time for these communities, and we’ve been upfront that it could take longer than a year,” NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen said.

Read more here.

Relaxing on the beach in Fiji without a care in the world. Life could hardly get much better.

Well it did for one Central Coast man who discovered he was $100,000 richer during his holiday.

“I’ve been sitting on the beach all afternoon and noticed my phone kept buzzing," he told lottery officials who were trying to tell him he'd won the top prize in Friday's Lucky Lotteries Super Jackpot draw.

“My wife and I are looking out the sunset and grinning cheek to cheek," he said.

I bet you have been.

A search is ongoing after a man was stabbed in the back in Sydney's CBD on Sunday afternoon.

A 22-year-old man was rushed to hospital after the incident near the Chinatown light rail stop. The man was walking down the street when he was allegedly approached by the other man who then fled the scene.

NSW Police are looking to identify the man pictured below and anyone who sees the man are urged not to approach him but call Triple-0 immediately.

Country music superstar and A-list Hollywood actor Kris Kristofferson has died aged 88.

His family spokesperson confirmed the news, saying he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. No cause was given.

Read more about his remarkable career here.

Wildlife carers are trying to work out a plan after this kangaroo got itself in an unfortunate situation.

Wildwood Wildlife Shelter on the edge of the Grampians National Park in Victoria were called to assist the kangaroo after it got its head stuck in a bin lid at a nearby caravan park.

But due to becoming wary of people and being among a mob of 50 kangaroos, the team have so far failed to get near him. They'll be trying again this morning so good luck to them.

Well we're just hours away from a big announcement from British icons Oasis where Sydney and Melbourne are expected to be announced as locations for the band's expanded world tour.

The Gallagher brothers are set to make an announcement at 8am (ET) which is 10pm tonight (AEST), possibly with confirmation of dates and when tickets will be available.

Oasis stunned the world with their announcement last month they would be reuniting after 15 years and buying a ticket for their UK and Ireland gigs proved a very stressful experience for many, with millions missing out on tickets as fans rushed to be part of a historic comeback.

NME previously revealed Sydney and Melbourne are expected to be two of 13 locations around the world set to be included in the world tour.

Well, it's better late than never. After becoming hugely popular overseas, the Grimace shake and meal are finally coming to Australia.

The items donning the face of the beloved McDonald's character will be available from Friday for a limited period only.

The Grimace meal consists of either a Big Mac or 10 McNuggets, fries and the Grimace shake.

And what exactly is in the Grimace shake? Well while there's an element of mystery to it, the US version is said to be berry-flavoured and it comes topped with whipped cream.

A strike by Qantas engineers is ramping up today, with travellers warned of further disruption to flights.

More than 1000 Qantas engineers — including maintenance engineers, who tow and marshall aircrafts — are set to walk off the job from 7am until 9am on Monday as strike action remains ongoing since Thursday.

Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth airports are all expected to be affected by the action, which has been brought on by increased calls for better pay. However Qantas has moved to reassure customers the disruptions are minimal, the ABC reported.

Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union Secretary Steve Murphy told ABC News Breakfast it was hard to believe anything the airline said these days.