Brisbane Hustle

Australia's first Indigenous-owned water testing lab opens in regional Queensland

Australia's first Indigenous-owned water testing laboratory has opened beside the Burnett River at the Bundaberg Port, about 400 kilometres north of Brisbane, marking a significant step in First Nations-led environmental science and land management.

The facility, named Nyamgim Gung — meaning "looking at water" in the Gurang language — was established by the Gidarjil Development Corporation, which oversees projects in Gladstone and Bundaberg on behalf of the Bailai, Gurang, Gooreng Gooreng and Taribelang Bunda traditional owner groups.

Building Self-Determination on Country

Environmental scientist and lab manager Nirali Vadgama has been working to establish the facility since 2022. In September, the lab achieved national and international accreditation through the National Association of Testing Authorities. "That means science can thrive right here in regional areas," Ms Vadgama said. Built with sophisticated technology and automation, the lab is capable of testing a wide range of parameters, including nutrients, trace elements, hardness and alkalinity. While specialising in seawater, it can also analyse river water, fresh water and brackish water.

Previously, water samples collected on country were sent to Brisbane for analysis. The new lab will test samples gathered by Gidarjil's Indigenous rangers to help manage water quality, while also offering testing services to other organisations as an additional income stream for the not-for-profit. Gidarjil CEO Margaret Blackman described the decision to establish the lab as "out of the box" thinking, saying the goal was to empower Aboriginal organisations along the coast to manage their sea country and build self-determination. "It means our people can test our own water, on our own country, to a standard the whole world recognises," she said. Ms Blackman added that Gidarjil is working with on-site training organisation Yalga Binbi Institute to teach young Indigenous leaders about on-country management, with the longer-term ambition of an entirely Indigenous-staffed laboratory.

Canavan nominates for Capricornia preselection, One Nation showdown looms

Nationals leader Matt Canavan has confirmed he will seek preselection for the Central Queensland seat of Capricornia, setting the stage for a potential high-profile contest with One Nation ahead of the next federal election, expected in 2028.

The seat is being vacated by retiring LNP member and Nationals chief whip Michelle Landry. Senator Canavan, who lives in Yeppoon within the electorate, said Ms Landry approached him a few months ago to signal she was considering leaving politics — a decision the ABC reported last week. He stressed he had nominated for preselection only, and was not yet the endorsed candidate. "We're a grassroots party, and whether I'm leader or whatever, I've got to go and present before the Capricornia branch of the LNP and seek their support," he said.

A move from the Senate to the lower house would strengthen Canavan's prospects of becoming deputy prime minister in a Coalition government and satisfy those within the Nationals who believe their leader should sit in the House of Representatives alongside other major party leaders. Canavan became Nationals leader in March this year, replacing David Littleproud. He currently holds the number two spot on the LNP Senate ticket behind Liberal James McGrath.

One Nation Factor

James Ashby — One Nation's party director and former chief of staff to Pauline Hanson — has not ruled out contesting the seat. "There's going to be a real fight on for the next election," Senator Canavan told ABC Radio Capricornia. Senator Hanson said she herself would not run in Capricornia, and declined to comment on Ashby's intentions at this stage. Nationals deputy Bridget McKenzie acknowledged the risks, saying: "In this current political environment there is always a risk running for lower house seats," while also urging One Nation to target Labor-held electorates rather than Coalition seats. Canavan said he was willing to accept personal political risk: "I'm happy to sacrifice potentially my own political future to do that."

Carpenter nets fifth WSL goal as Chelsea rout Charlton 6-0

Australian defender Ellie Carpenter extended her remarkable scoring run in the Women's Super League, finding the net for the fifth time this season as Chelsea demolished Charlton Athletic 6-0 at The Valley to remain at the top of the table.

Carpenter's growing attacking role at Chelsea has transformed the nominally full-back into a consistent goalscoring threat from right wing-back under coach Sonia Bompastor. With Chelsea already two goals up inside 10 minutes through Nathalie Bjorn and Melvine Malard, Carpenter arrived in the box in the 13th minute to slot home the rebound after a Lauren James effort was parried by Charlton goalkeeper Anna Koivunen. The goal was her fifth in 13 appearances across all competitions this season — including four in the league — a sharp improvement on the three she managed across all 29 games last season.

Malard added a second before half-time, and despite Charlton withdrawing Matilda Emily Van Egmond at the break in a tactical reshuffle, Chelsea still found the net twice more through Aggie Beever-Jones and Giulia Dragoni, completing the 6-0 result.

Meanwhile, Chelsea's lead at the summit remains only marginal. Reigning champions Manchester City stayed level on points with the Blues — separated only by goal difference — after a late 2-1 win at London City Lionesses, in which fellow Australian Mary Fowler came off the bench and delivered a pinpoint cross from the right that Lauren Hemp headed home. Home striker Jana Fernandez had equalised in the 72nd minute after Khadija Shaw's league-leading ninth goal gave City the lead, but Fowler's intervention proved decisive.

Arsenal's difficult run continued with a 1-1 draw at home to Aston Villa, despite three Matildas — Caitlin Foord, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Steph Catley — all starting. Chasity Grant put Villa ahead against the run of play in the 25th minute, and it took an 85th-minute equaliser from Alessia Russo to salvage a point. Arsenal registered 28 attempts on goal, including a combined seven from the Australian trio, compared to Villa's sole successful effort. Elsewhere, Tottenham Hotspur beat Birmingham City 4-1 away to move into fourth place, and West Ham United defeated Liverpool by the same margin.

Nine killed as Learjet 60 crashes into Palm Beach County neighbourhood

All nine people aboard a private Learjet 60 were killed Sunday when the aircraft plunged from the sky and erupted into a giant fireball near a busy roadway in Palm Beach County, Florida, US officials confirmed.

The jet, bearing tail number N722BD, had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was en route to the Bahamas at the time of the crash, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, confirmed the aircraft was privately operated but said he could not immediately provide details about those on board.

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the incident as a "horrific tragedy" in a statement posted to X. The crash came down near Military Trail and 10th Avenue North, with thick black smoke blanketing the site. Video recorded by motorists captured the moment the jet fell from the sky before striking near the roadway and exploding. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office closed roads in both directions and urged drivers to avoid the area while firefighters and emergency personnel responded. A woman working in the vicinity reported that electricity in the area had been out for approximately two hours following the incident.

Cause and Victims Still Unknown

Authorities did not immediately identify who was on board or disclose what caused the jet to go down. It remained unclear whether the crash caused damage to nearby homes. The US Federal Aviation Administration said it was dispatching a team to support a National Transportation Safety Board investigation into the cause of the crash.

WA's October swings from 42C heat and frost to rare Exmouth hailstorm

Western Australia endured a dramatically varied October, with the month delivering above-average heat in the north, unusually cold mornings in the south, thunderstorms, and a rare hailstorm in a coastal town where locals say such events almost never occur.

The month opened with relatively mild spring conditions across the Perth metro, with daytime temperatures sitting in the low 20s. That calm didn't last long. A slow-moving low-pressure trough triggered isolated thunderstorms across the Goldfields, the Gascoyne and parts of the Interior, while a separate system combining surface and upper-level troughs sent thousands of lightning strikes across far northern and eastern parts of Perth and into the Mid West and Central Wheatbelt. Despite the dramatic electrical activity, rainfall totals from that system remained low — the highest recorded was 12 millimetres at Kalannie.

Rare Hail Surprises Exmouth Residents

One of the month's more unusual moments came when hail fell on Exmouth during a thunderstorm — a rare occurrence in the coastal town, where conditions are typically too warm for hail to form. Local resident Jackie Brooks, who has lived in Exmouth for 30 years, said it was the first time she had witnessed hail there. "It was a huge surprise to be woken up at 5am, sounded like bullet holes," she said. "Being in Exmouth, usually with blue skies, to have hailstones here has just been incredible."

Temperature Extremes Across the State

The north of the state sweltered through well-above-average heat. Several towns recorded notable peaks against their October averages:

• Wyndham reached 43.9C against an average of 38.8C
• Marble Bar peaked at 43.5C against an average of 39C
• Broome hit 41.2C, nearly 10C above its October average of 33C
• Halls Creek topped out at 42.2C, above its average of 37.2C

Perth also ran warmer than usual, recording at least 12 days above its October average maximum of 23.4C. Meanwhile, the south told a different story — a weak cold front late in the month pushed frost into parts of the Great Southern and Goldfields. Narrogin dropped to 0C, well below its October average minimum of 7.5C, and Collie recorded a low of 0.1C against its average of 7.4C.

For Perth, rainfall again fell short of the mark. The city recorded 38.6mm for the month against an average of 40mm — its sixth consecutive month of below-average rainfall, following a dry winter and September. By contrast, parts of the south-west and interior finished the month wetter than average, with North Walpole receiving 118 millimetres and Warburton ending October with five times its average rainfall.

What to stream in November 2026: Top new TV shows across Netflix, Prime and Stan

November 2026 brings a packed slate of new and returning series across Australia's major streaming platforms, with standout dramas, thrillers and prestige productions vying for attention.

The Altruists leads Netflix's November lineup

Netflix's most anticipated new release is The Altruists, arriving November 19. Written by Graham Moore (The Imitation Game), the series examines the collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX — a $12 billion finance scandal that ended in bankruptcy in 2022 and prison sentences for its founders. Julia Garner (Ozark) plays Caroline Ellison, while Anthony Boyle (Say Nothing) portrays the now-notorious Sam Bankman-Fried. Also returning on Netflix is Black Doves (November 5), with Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw back for a second season. Neve Campbell joins the cast as Knightley's character takes on the role of undercover wife to Britain's new prime minister. Rounding out Netflix's month is The Body (November 19), a horror-thriller set at a Catholic girls school where a drug-fuelled initiation spirals into an occult ritual across eight episodes.

Amazon Prime Video's headline title is Blade Runner 2099 (November 25), directed by Silka Luisa and set 50 years after Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049. Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once) plays Olwen, a replicant police detective whose expiration date is approaching, while Hunter Schafer (Euphoria) stars as a human survivor posing as a replicant. The series imagines a dystopian Los Angeles where bioengineered replicants have become the ruling class. Also on Prime, The Greatest (November 4) is an eight-episode drama tracing Muhammad Ali's early 1960s rise from Olympic gold medallist to heavyweight champion of the world, with Jaalen Best in the lead role.

On Stan, The Good Daughter (November 13) reunites Rose Byrne and Meghann Fahy (The White Lotus) as estranged sisters and attorneys drawn back together when their father — played by Brendan Gleeson — falls ill and hands them a high-stakes murder case. Crime author Karin Slaughter adapted her own 2017 novel for the series. Returning for a second season on Stan is The Hunting Wives (November 26), which made a bold impression in its first run in 2025.

Elsewhere, local streaming platform Binge carries a new sitcom from Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) titled Dig, while ABC iview is premiering Shakedown, a drama centred on the Robodebt scandal.

Irish 1,500m European champion Ciara Mageean dies at 34 after cancer battle

Ciara Mageean, who won gold in the 1,500 metres at the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome, has died at the age of 34 following a battle with cancer.

A statement posted on her Instagram page confirmed she passed away on Sunday morning. "At 6:30am this morning, Ciara lost her battle with cancer surrounded by her loved ones," the statement read. "A beloved daughter, sister, wife, friend and inspiration to so many, she will be deeply missed."

Tributes from athletics world

Mageean had also claimed silver in the 1,500m at the 2022 European Championships in Munich, placed fourth at the 2023 World Championships, and represented Ireland at two Olympic Games. Athletics Ireland described her as "a much-loved and inspirational figure who touched the lives of so many," adding that "her courage, warmth and spirit will leave a lasting legacy."

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe was among those paying tribute, saying: "A European champion and inspiration to many, it is a sad day for our sport — her loss will be felt across the athletics community." World Athletics itself called her "an inspiration to many, on and off the track."

Australian middle-distance runner Jessica Hull also shared her condolences on Instagram. "There are no words. Just the most beautiful person in every way imaginable," Hull wrote. "Lucky to have shared some miles with you but even more special to have celebrated milestones at the finish line together, I'm so grateful for every moment, rest easy Ciara."

Michelle Payne names her Melbourne Cup pick from 24-horse field

It takes more than talent to win a Melbourne Cup — it takes the right weight, the right barrier, and a fair slice of luck. That is the view of 2015 winning jockey Michelle Payne, who has joined The Age racing writer Danny Russell to assess every runner in the 2026 edition of the race that stops a nation.

Trainer Ciaron Maher dominates the field with seven runners, while Irish handler Joseph O'Brien saddles up five. The horses are listed in order of saddle cloth number, from top weight down.

Payne's Runners to Watch

Of the O'Brien quintet, Payne singles out Trustyourinstinct as the stable's best hope. "For me, he is the pick of Joseph O'Brien's runners," she says, noting the barrier is not ideal but can be overcome on a firm track. The seven-year-old gelding, owned by Irish billionaire JP McManus, carries 57kg and arrives off a fourth placing in the G1 Irish St Leger over 2816m. Russell rates him a top-five hope and points to McManus's betting activity on Cup eve as a signal worth watching.

For the Maher yard, Payne lands on Middle Earth as the stable's best chance. The seven-year-old drew barrier one, finished third in the 2025 edition, and has been given what Russell describes as an "old-fashioned Cup preparation" — racking up 9.94km across five lead-up runs, just shy of Bart Cummings' famed 10-kilometre benchmark. "Proven at two miles, and if he gets luck in running, he'll figure in the finish," Payne says.

Defending champion Knight's Choice, trained by John Symons and Sheila Laxon, is back after missing the 2025 race entirely. Russell notes the horse was effectively sidelined by a strangles outbreak — a contagious bacterial disease — detected at Macedon Lodge on the eve of last spring's carnival. Payne acknowledges a solid run in the Herbert Power two starts back but Russell is unconvinced: "Can't win."

Among the internationals, Enfjaar catches the eye after finishing third in the G1 Caulfield Cup. Payne flags the step up beyond 2400m as an unresolved query, but Russell is more positive: "Internationals need an impressive lead-up run in Australia if they are to win the Melbourne Cup. He ticks that box."

Vauban, lining up for his fourth Melbourne Cup at age nine under trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, is described by Payne as a horse she cannot rule out despite an unusual preparation — just one lead-up run in the Geelong Cup. Top-weight Sons And Lovers (57.5kg) is given little hope by Russell, who quips the gelding "has more chance of winning an Emmy than the Melbourne Cup" carrying that burden first-up in Australia.