Update on Samantha Murphy's phone found at dam, Alex de Minaur's 20-year first: Australia news live

While many Aussie households are struggling to put food on the table in our biggest cities, spare a thought for those in remote areas.

It's no secret prices are higher in such areas, but a picture of a popular treat really shows what thousands are facing in remote Australia.

The photo from the ABC of a pack of Tim Tams from the local store in the northern WA community of Kalumburu costs $11.70, way up from what you might pay in Melbourne or Sydney.

"The cost of food is twice what it is in urban settings, and people know it's impacting health and wellbeing," Monash University's Julie Brimblecombe told the public broadcaster.

Bird flu is spreading in Australia after a third Victorian farm confirmed the deadly strain was detected on its property.

Some 500,000 birds were culled after avian influenza was detected at two farms operated by Avgo and Surf Coast Eggs Farms, which share management, staff and machinery across sites in Meredith and Terang.

It is unclear if birds at the third site in Meredith will be culled.

While the US has put a ban on Victorian poultry imports, authorities stress there is no risk to consumers.

A homeless man has been charged over the murder of a young surfer who was stabbed while still wearing his wetsuit.

Police are still trying to track down the weapon used to kill Kye Schaefer, who was stabbed multiple times in the chest and neck during the attack on May 2.

He was found injured in a car park at Coffs Harbour, on the NSW north coast, after arriving at the beach for an early morning surf.

The 21-year-old died after being rushed to Coffs Harbour hospital.

More than a month later, a 36-year-old man was arrested at a local prison on Tuesday and charged with Mr Schaefer's murder.

Read more here.

Labor frontbencher Bill Shorten has waved off backlash over a $600,000 two-year contract his department awarded to a professional speechwriter.

Services Australia confirmed during Senate estimates that Sydney-based writer Julianne Stewart secured a contract worth about $300k per year despite the agency having 200 communications staff on its payroll.

Mr Shorten told ACA later that the writer had “done a very good job” and said his department was responsible for negotiating the contract, not him.

“The hiring of a speechwriter was done by Services Australia. I have no idea what the payment was, so if you’re trying to link me to that, you know, good luck,” he said.

During a morning radio appearance shadow treasurer Angus Taylor said the costs were “extraordinary” and an example of “government waste.”

He said at the rate Shorten made speeches, it worked out at about $20,000 a speech.

Read more here.

Budget airline IndiGo, one of India's main airlines, is giving female customers the chance to see where other women are sat on a flight as they choose their seats.

“IndiGo is proud to announce the introduction of a new feature that aims to make the travel experience more comfortable for our female passengers,” the airline said in a statement, according to CNN.

The airline did not specifically state the reasons behind the move, but said it aligns with their “#GirlPower ethos.”

Would you like to see such a feature rolled out in Australia? Have your say below.

Former Australian of the Year Grace Tame has revealed she's been forced to undergo surgery after learning she has endometriosis.

Tame said she had dismissed ongoing symptoms as a result of "persistent sexual abuse" when she was 15.

In May's federal budget, the government announced a $49.1m investment into tackling endometriosis, a chronic condition involving the uterus one in nine Australian women have but who often struggle to receive a diagnosis.

OK, let's not get ahead of ourselves here, but this is exciting praise for Aussie no.1 Alex de Minaur.

After defeating slam winner Daniil Medvedev in four sets at the French Open, the Russian said de Minaur "can beat anyone" as the tournament progresses to the quarter-final stage.

It's the first time in 20 years an Australian male has been at that stage of the tournament, where de Minaur faces Germany’s Alexander Zverev.

World No.1 Novak Djokovic could be de Minaur’s semi-final opponent but revealed he could withdraw from his quarter-final clash against Casper Ruud after aggravating an existing knee injury.

Read more here.

It's a trick many Aussies use when flying. Tying a ribbon around our suitcase so we can quickly identify it on the baggage carousel is nothing new, but for one baggage handler, it's not a good idea.

The Dublin Airport worker told RSVP Live said it could actually cause your bag to miss your flight.

“Ribbons that people tie onto their suitcases to help identify them can cause issues with the bag being scanned in the baggage hall,” he said.

“If the bag can’t be scanned automatically it can end up in manual processing, which could mean your bag doesn’t make it to the flight”.

Well that's certainly food for thought.

McDonald's is launching a meal to help amid the gruelling cost-of-living crisis, offering two burgers, fries and a drink for just $6.95.

The McSmart meal is available from this Wednesday and allows diners to choose between two Cheeseburgers or two Chicken n' Cheese or one of each and will be available until September 3.

A juror in the US has claimed a woman dropped off $120,000 (A$180,000) at her home and offered more if she voted to acquit seven people charged with stealing more than $40 million (A$60 million) from a program meant to feed children during the pandemic.

The juror said she immediately handed the money over to police and has since been dismissed.

“This is outrageous behaviour. This is stuff that happens in mob movies," Assistant US Attorney Joseph Thompson said in court.

Read more here.

Lawyers representing several injured passengers from the deadly Singapore Airlines turbulence flight are questioning the airline's claims about what caused the terrifying moment onboard the plane.

Peter Carter, Director of Carter Capner Law, said it was a possibility the cause was not just simply turbulence.

"[Possible causes] include possible failure to take the normal precautions to avoid an obvious and large area of thunderstorms, and the failure to alert passengers to fasten seat belts," the firm said in a media release on Tuesday.

If it was determined there were failures on Singapore Airlines' part, compensation claims from passengers would not be capped at $260,000, Carter said.

“Our working theory is that the aircraft flew through the top of a thunderstorm or in too close proximity to one as it passed over an area notorious for thunderstorm activity in the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone,” he said.

“The cockpit voice recorder will answer questions about the attention the air crew was paying to developing thunderstorms including whether they were even checking the weather radar.”

“Furthermore, despite a suggestion from the airline that a return to seat announcement had been made and the seatbelt sign illuminated prior to the incident, passengers we represent tell us there was no seatbelt warning at all, and that service by the flight attendants was proceeding normally.”

A mobile phone belonging to missing woman Samantha Murphy is undamaged and in near-perfect working condition, after police made the astonishing discovery in a dam near Ballarat.

Forensic testing on the phone is ongoing after police located the item during a renewed search in the Ballarat area last week.

7 News reports the phone is in near-perfect condition and undamaged - which could provide vital clues on the final movements of Ms Murphy.

Read more here.