Brisbane Hustle

Homicide squad called after five-year-old boy dies at Grafton home

NSW Police have launched an investigation into the death of a five-year-old boy at a residential property in Grafton, with the homicide squad called in to assist.

Emergency services were contacted at approximately 6:40am on Monday, October 12, after reports the child was unresponsive inside the home. Officers commenced CPR, and paramedics arrived shortly afterwards, but the boy could not be revived.

Specialist Police Response and Forensic Examination

Specialist police were subsequently called to forensically examine the home. Authorities have confirmed a post-mortem examination will be carried out to further establish the circumstances surrounding the child's death. The matter has been referred to the coroner, and no charges have been laid.

The Department of Communities and Justice confirmed it is working alongside NSW Police to assist with inquiries. A departmental spokesperson issued the following statement:

• "The Department of Communities and Justice is aware of the tragic death of a young child in Grafton."
• "Our heartfelt condolences go out to those who knew and loved this child."

The investigation remains ongoing. Grafton is located in the NSW Northern Rivers region.

Global sugar prices hit 19-month high as Brazil election rattles commodity markets

Global raw sugar prices have surged to a 19-month high, delivering long-awaited relief to Australian cane farmers who have endured months of financial pressure — but analysts warn the gains remain fragile.

Raw sugar reached 21.10 US cents a pound on October 13, rebounding sharply from a low of 13.36 US cents a pound recorded in June. The rally has been driven by a combination of rising oil costs and significant crop uncertainty in Brazil, the world's largest sugar producer.

What's Behind the Price Surge

Green Pool Commodities chief executive Eder Vieto said a recent Brazilian crop report revealed two unexpected problems: a drop in the volume of cane crushed, and a sharp decline in sucrose content — the measure of how much sugar is recovered during the crushing process. Heavy rain forecast for October is expected to keep both figures suppressed.

• Lower sucrose levels and reduced cane volumes are set to continue through the season.
• High oil prices linked to Middle East conflict have made ethanol production more profitable than sugar for Brazilian mills.
• With mills favouring ethanol over raw sugar, global supply has tightened, pushing prices higher.

"It's going to get worse from here," Mr Vieto said of Brazil's crop outlook.

Brazilian Politics Add Uncertainty

Adding to market volatility, Brazil is heading into a presidential run-off between right-wing senator Flávio Bolsonaro — who narrowly won the first round — and incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Mr Vieto noted that government fuel pricing policy has been a central issue in the campaign, and a change of power from January 1 could alter the economics of ethanol production. If oil and ethanol prices reached parity, Brazilian mills would likely shift back toward sugar production, lifting global supply and pulling prices back down.

In North Queensland, Canegrowers Tully chairman Bryce Macdonald said the stronger market had given local farmers breathing room after months of uncertainty driven by high input costs. "We might be able to put some money in the bank and feel a bit more comfortable when we go to buy fertiliser or chemicals," he said. "It will give some comfort to some farmers for those expensive inputs, particularly fuel." Innisfail cane farmer Josh Oldarno said he was hopeful the market strength would hold, though analysts cautioned that speculative pressure was already testing the rally's durability.

Five killed as Houthis strike Aden presidential palace in first such attack

A Houthi missile strike on the al-Maashiq presidential palace complex in the southern Yemeni city of Aden has killed five people and wounded 16 others, Yemeni officials confirmed. The attack marks the first strike in the current conflict on the palace, which serves as the seat of Yemen's Saudi-backed and internationally recognised government.

Yemen's health minister confirmed the casualty figures, while Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani said the prime minister and cabinet members were unharmed. The Houthi military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, framed the strike as an attack on what he described as a Saudi military operations headquarters, claiming the site housed weapons depots and was run by Saudi officers. Reuters said it could not independently verify those claims.

Broader Escalation Across the Region

The Aden strike is part of a wider surge in fighting that resumed last month. Government forces last week launched a campaign to recapture Houthi-held territory, recovering ground near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical global shipping route. Residents of Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city and located north-west of Aden, have reported intensifying bombardment and dwindling supplies as Houthis tighten their hold on surrounding areas. Aid agencies have warned of rapidly deteriorating conditions across the country.

On the Saudi front, coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki told reporters that Houthi attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh this month alone had:

• Killed 17 people and wounded 333 others across 20 separate attacks
• Struck Abha airport in south-western Saudi Arabia, killing three and wounding 28
• Targeted dozens of Saudi airports, ports, and oil installations using ballistic missiles, drones, and explosive-laden fast boats

Mr Maliki said the Houthis had acquired advanced military technology with assistance from what he called "regional actors." Iran has provided weapons, funding, and training to the group, though Tehran officially denies arming them in breach of a UN arms embargo. The UN's International Civil Aviation Organization governing council condemned the recent attacks on civilian airports and aviation infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. Aden International Airport had also been targeted by ballistic missiles and drones earlier this month.

Parklea Correctional Centre returns to public hands after 17 years of privatisation

Parklea Correctional Centre, one of Sydney's largest prisons, has been handed back to public management after 17 years under two separate private contractors — a move the Public Service Association (PSA) is calling a "failed experiment" in for-profit corrections.

The PSA's general secretary, Stewart Little, was unequivocal in his assessment. "Locking people up for profit is no way to run a prison system," he said. The union has long pushed for the facility's return to Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW), which formally took over operations earlier this month.

Contraband Raid Marks the Changeover

To mark the transition, CSNSW conducted a surprise raid of the facility, uncovering a range of prohibited items. Officers searched inmates' clothing, bedding, bins, drawers, toiletries and every prison yard. Among the contraband discovered were:

• A smoking device for illegal substances concealed inside a milk carton
• A machete hidden under a mattress
• Drug paraphernalia found in a cereal box

Parklea's governor, Brian Gurney, said gang members entering custody bring their rivalries — and their outside networks — in with them. "Just because they come inside of custody … all their rivalries and that kind of thing, [don't] stop," he said. He added that smuggling methods have grown increasingly sophisticated, with drones now being used to drop contraband into yards in large quantities. "The traditional 'throw a tennis ball over the fence' has gone these days," Mr Gurney said.

Guards currently use cameras to detect incoming drones, which forces operators to attempt drops from greater heights, reducing accuracy. The PSA is pushing for officers to be equipped with signal-interference devices capable of bringing drones down. Corrections Minister Anoulack Chanthivong said the government was in the "latter stages" of procurement for suitable technology, noting the need for equipment that would not become obsolete quickly. "We don't want to invest millions of taxpayers money in technology which could be outdated within a few months," he said.

Parklea houses more than 1,500 inmates across minimum to maximum security classifications, with most residents on remand awaiting the outcome of court proceedings.

Whyalla steelworkers face redundancies as blast furnace closure takes effect

More than 250 workers at the Whyalla steelworks finished up this week in the first wave of redundancies, following last month's announcement that hundreds of positions at the South Australian plant would be cut.

The closures follow a September decision by the state government to permanently abandon plans to restart the steelworks' blast furnace, which had already been shut down for months. More than 600 jobs were placed in jeopardy by that announcement. The site, located on South Australia's upper Eyre Peninsula, entered administration for the second time in little more than a decade in February 2025.

Facing an uncertain future

Among those finishing up is Barry Drage, 58, who has worked at the plant for around two decades in roles including industrial cleaner, labourer, fitter, lime kiln attendant, and most recently furnace man. Mr Drage said he initially considered redeployment but decided against it. "By the time the new blast furnace was going to be operational, I was going to be near retirement age anyway," he said. He added that he hopes to find local work and remain in Whyalla, but acknowledged he may need to temporarily relocate to Adelaide. "I've got a mortgage — I'm not really keen on Adelaide … but if I've got to go, so be it."

Mr Drage also raised concerns about the broader economic impact on the regional city, warning that if workers dispersed across the country rather than staying as fly-in, fly-out employees, "it's going to hurt the town's economy for sure."

On Thursday, displaced workers gathered at a local hotel for an employment event called Employer Connect. Steelworks power and services operator Jill Allcock, who has not yet been told whether her own position will be retained, described the event as helpful. "I think it's going to help a lot of people decide where their futures might head now," she said, adding that her strong preference is to remain in Whyalla, where she owns a home and has family. Mechanical engineer Jeffrey Duance, whose job at the steelworks' pellet plant is due to end within a fortnight, said local businesses were already feeling the impact. "One engineering company I know of used to get a lot of work but ever since this happened, their work has just stopped," he said.

Car insurance premiums up nearly 60% in four years as transparency concerns grow

Australians renewing their comprehensive car insurance policies are facing another 10 per cent increase this year, continuing a steep run of hikes that has pushed premiums up by as much as 57 per cent since 2023 and 96 per cent since 2020, according to figures cited in a report by ABC News.

An ASIC report released in August found that premiums across the industry had surged more than 42 per cent from 2019 to 2024, with a further 8 per cent rise recorded in the 12 months to July 2025. The same review found that 73 per cent of insurers were providing only generic reasons for premium increases, failing to detail how their calculations were made.

Higher Repair Costs and Workforce Shortages

The Insurance Council of Australia attributed the increases to the rising cost of claims, noting the average motor claim had grown 32 per cent to $6,266 over the four years to 2026. A council spokesperson pointed to several contributing factors:

• Higher vehicle replacement, parts and labour costs
• Longer repair times due to parts and skills shortages
• Specialised equipment and expertise required by modern vehicles

The Motor Trades Association of Australia has separately warned of a 38,000-person shortfall in automotive trade professionals and technicians, with the vacancy fill rate for automotive workers sitting at just 48 per cent. Average applicant numbers per job have fallen from 8.2 in 2024 to three in 2026.

Federal Response and Calls for Reform

Federal Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services Daniel Mulino said the government had committed $2.4 million to reforms aimed at improving insurer transparency, though he acknowledged the funding was currently targeted at home and contents insurance. "I have also called on the industry to step up with fairer pricing, greater transparency, and better value for Australians," he said. An ASIC spokesperson confirmed that misleading pricing practices affecting the cost of living remained an enforcement priority this year.

Danika Mason departs Today show as fourth high-profile exit since June

Sport presenter Danika Mason has announced she is leaving the Nine Network's flagship breakfast program, the Today show, becoming the fourth high-profile departure from the program since June.

Mason's exit adds to a string of notable changes at the long-running morning show, raising questions about the current direction of one of free-to-air television's most prominent breakfast formats.

No further details regarding Mason's next move or the circumstances surrounding her departure were provided at the time of the announcement.

Danika Mason confirms Today show exit as fourth presenter departs since June

Sports presenter Danika Mason has announced she will not return to Nine's Today show after her maternity leave, becoming the fourth high-profile departure from the breakfast program since June 2026.

Mason broke the news on air Friday morning, explaining that the demands of her NRL commitments, the Today show, and a new baby could not all continue simultaneously. "Something had to give, so I've made a pretty tough decision ... when I return next year, I won't be coming back to the show," she told viewers. Mason joined Today in May 2025, having been with Nine since 2012. She announced her pregnancy in July; she is married to former NRL prop Liam Knight.

A difficult stretch for Nine's breakfast program

Mason's exit follows a turbulent period for Today. The departures include:

• Karl Stefanovic, whose multimedia contract was terminated in June after an interview with far-right British activist Tommy Robinson
• Sarah Abo, who confirmed while on maternity leave last month that she would not return
• Weather presenter Tim Davies, who announced his departure in August

Sylvia Jeffreys and Tom Steinfort were named the program's new hosts in September, though Jeffreys has since revealed she is pregnant with her third child and is expected to be on maternity leave for at least several months early next year.

The ongoing presenter shuffle comes as Today continues to trail Seven's Sunrise in the breakfast ratings. On Wednesday, Sunrise recorded a total national average audience of 421,000, while Today drew 273,000. Despite the turbulence, Mason struck a warm tone on her way out. "I've absolutely loved my time with everyone. We have the best audience, we have the best team," she said on air.