7News Just In

The Liberal Party is considering gender quotas to address female representation, which currently sits at 33% of MPs across Australia. A proposed Victorian outdoor recreation agency has sparked controversy for potentially promoting gun ownership and shooting activities for children as young as 12. The debate over banning tuna from offices due to its strong smell highlights workplace etiquette concerns around pungent foods.

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Carlton midfielder George Hewett is expected to return for Saturday night's AFL clash against Collingwood at the MCG after missing last week's match against Hawthorn due to a back spasm. Interim coach Josh Fraser confirmed Hewett trained well and is hopeful he'll be available for selection. Round 19 of the AFL begins with Geelong versus St Kilda, broadcast live and free on Channel 7 and 7Plus from 7pm.

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The United States has launched strikes on Iranian ports for the fifth consecutive day, escalating tensions in the Middle East after ceasefire hopes collapsed. Donald Trump is threatening to target Iranian bridges and power plants unless Iran returns to negotiations, while Iran retaliates by attempting to strike US military bases across the region, including a reported drone attack on a warehouse in Kuwait. The conflict centres on control of the Strait of Hormuz, with both sides refusing to back down.

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U.S. Vice President JD Vance has publicly admitted the Trump administration mishandled the release of the Epstein files during a podcast interview with Joe Rogan. Vance attributed the botched release to poor communication rather than an intentional cover-up, stating the administration 'absolutely screwed up the comms'. He also claimed Jeffrey Epstein had connections to intelligence agencies including the CIA and Israel's Mossad.

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Four women and girls were murdered in four days last week, prompting peak body No to Violence to host a national roundtable examining youth intimate partner violence and early intervention strategies. Three in 10 Australian women aged 18-19 report experiencing violence from intimate partners, with technology exacerbating coercive control through monitoring and stalking behaviours. Early intervention programmes for young men remain severely underfunded across Australia, though successful models like Mellie's programme in Geelong demonstrate that behaviour change is possible with dedicated support services.

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Adelaide Crows defender Josh Worrell is facing criminal charges after hitting a pedestrian with his Toyota Hilux on Port Road in Woodville while driving to training. He transported the 29-year-old victim to Queen Elizabeth Hospital but failed to report the crash to police within the required 90-minute timeframe. The charges of careless driving and failing to report carry maximum jail terms of 12 months and 15 years respectively, though Worrell is expected to play against the Sydney Swans despite the pending legal proceedings.

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Partnered Health, a medical group operating more than 50 GP and skin cancer clinics across Australia, has been hit by a major cyber attack on June 23. Hackers accessed sensitive patient data including names, dates of birth, addresses, Medicare numbers, private health insurance details, and medical records such as consultation notes, referral letters and pathology results. Cyber experts suggest criminals may hold the company to ransom or use the stolen information to target individuals directly.

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A furniture warehouse in Westmeadows, Melbourne's northwest, was deliberately firebombed in a ram raid attack around 4am when offenders drove a Nissan Patrol through the front doors and set the vehicle alight. The blaze was controlled within 20 minutes by fire crews, but caused collateral damage to neighbouring businesses, with one owner expressing concern about reputational damage despite not being the intended target. Detectives and forensic investigators are working to establish the motive behind the attack and retrieve evidence from the burnt-out vehicle.

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The Australian Federal Police have released images of clothing from child abuse material to help identify victims of 35-year-old Hamish Tait, who faces 320 charges of alleged child abuse. Police are seeking information from anyone who recognises clothing from children who attended childcare and early education facilities in Sydney's northwest. AFP officers have contacted 121 families during the victim identification process.

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The federal government has outlined its AI framework, promoting technology like DrumBeat.ai which uses artificial intelligence to detect ear disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in remote communities. The Opposition has criticised the framework as containing motherhood statements and accused Labor of giving unions veto power over AI implementation. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has been photographed with Gina Rinehart at a luxury hotel in Sicily during a break from her UK tour, where she has been meeting far-right political figures including Liz Truss and Tommy Robinson.

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