Australia news live: Chinese fighter jet allegedly released flares near RAAF aircraft in South China Sea, defence department says | Australia news

This morning a truck driver died after a two-truck crash on the Hume Highway near Gunning, NSW, about 35km east of Yass.

One of the drivers died at the scene after a truck veered off the road and rolled over before a second truck collided with the overturned vehicle.

Chinese fighter jet allegedly released flares near RAAF aircraft in South China Sea, defence department says

Josh Butler

In breaking news, the Department of Defence has released information about an “unsafe and unprofessional interaction” between Australian and Chinese aircraft in the South China Sea on Tuesday, where flares were allegedly released near the Australian plane.

Defence says the federal government “expressed its concerns to the Chinese Government” after the interaction on 11 February. From a press release shared by defence:

“On 11 February 2025, a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft conducting a routine maritime surveillance patrol in the South China Sea experienced an unsafe and unprofessional interaction with a PLA-AF J-16 fighter aircraft.”

“The PLA-AF aircraft released flares in close proximity to the RAAF P-8A aircraft. This was an unsafe and unprofessional manoeuvre that posed a risk to the aircraft and personnel.”

Defence said no injuries were sustained, and no damage was sustained to the aircraft.

“Australia expects all countries, including China, to operate their militaries in a safe and professional manner,” it said.

“For decades, the ADF has undertaken maritime surveillance activities in the region and does so in accordance with international law, exercising the right to freedom of navigation and overflight in international waters and airspace.”

Update on Tropical cyclone approaching WA

Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia is expected to make landfall between Karratha and De Grey on Friday afternoon.

Authorities have just been speaking on the ABC. The commissioner said:

The intensity of Tropical Cyclone Zelia means there is significant threat to lives and property and I urge people to follow the directions of emergency services in the Pilbara.

Hi everyone – this is Cait Kelly. I am here to take you through the afternoon.

First up – we have news the cyclone approaching WA is now a category five system.

Krishani Dhanji

Thank you all for joining me for the sitting fortnight. I’ll leave you now with the fabulous Cait Kelly for the rest of the afternoon.

Have a great weekend!

Tldr: what did we learn in question time?

• It certainly felt a bit like the final question times of the election cycle, with the government honing in their lines on cost of living.

• There was a bit of drama near the start of QT, when the opposition accused the Greens of antisemitism.

• The opposition asked an array of questions on different policies like housing and health, but the questions were always broadened out at the end to Albanese’s “weak leadership” or “wrong priorities” which gave the government plenty of space to talk about all areas of cost-of-living.

• Long time Labor MP Graham Perrett got kicked out for possibly his last question time ever, to a sea of cheering and applause. Perrett’s no stranger to 94a, he was one of the first MPs to get kicked out of the chamber after Labor came to government in 2022, and it seemed like a fitting end to his two decade career.

Question time ends

Our last question is a dixer to the PM on cost-of-living (no surprises there).

And with that question time is over – maybe for the last time before the election.

Andrew Wilkie asks why Tasmania is ‘allowed to slow-walk’ rental reforms

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie is up next, and asks the housing minister, Clare O’Neil:

In 2023, national cabinet agreed on nine reforms under a better deal for renters. Both National Shelter and the tenants union note that in Tasmania the state government is not pursuing six of the nine reforms so why is the Tasmanian government allowed to slow-walk these reforms and will the federal government inject some urgency into nationally consistent protections for renters?

O’Neil says that the latest data that she has from Tasmania is:

Tasmania reported that they are complete on seven of nine of their requirements and two of nine are in progress.

Wilkie is shaking his head at that update from Tassie.

O’Neil says Wilkie’s data from the shelter and tenants union is a few months older than what she has, but will sit down with him and push the state to move faster.

Albanese asked again about ‘bad decisions’ and ‘wrong priorities’

Liberal MP Bridget Archer is asking the question this time – her preamble goes to housing, mortgage and rental stress, but her question again goes to the PM’s “bad decisions” and “wrong priorities”.

But as we know here, when the question goes broadly to why the PM is a “weak leader”, the PM can take the question largely where he likes.

Albanese starts off on the stage three tax cuts the government changed, Medicare urgent clinics and childcare.

With 48 seconds left on the answer, Archer raises a point of order and says he hasn’t mentioned housing. (Milton Dick mentions the broadness of the question) before Albanese stands up again and says:

I will tell you what will happen with housing … [the Coalition] have the free lunches, the nuclear reactors and a third policy, cuts to pay for it – including cutting the Housing Australia Future Fund, less money for public and social housing.

Labor is asked why petrol prices are higher in some regions

From the crossbench, Andrew Gee (formerly a Nationals MP) asks about petrol prices in his electorate. He says petrol prices in Mudgee are 30c per litre higher than other parts of the region.

Jim Chalmers says he’ll take up the charge:

Happy to take that up with the ACCC. The ACCC does have an important role when it comes to monitoring petrol prices and from time to time there is a risk that petrol stations, particularly in the regions, they can do the wrong thing and when about doing the wrong thing we should be reporting them to the ACCC to make sure it is not happening.