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Ninety per cent of Andrew Zanker's crops failed last year.(Supplied: Andrew Zanker)

Farmers are burying themselves under mountains of debt to cover ongoing operating costs.

Three years of drought have put immense pressure on local councils and farms.

The SA government says it is open to exploring different ways to use its support package.

Crippling debt is growing by the day for drought-stricken South Australian farms with local councils pleading for state government intervention in the form of rate relief.

Despite recent rains, the past three years of poor rain have seen farmers continue to borrow to cover their overheads.

After 90 per cent of his crops failed last year, Appila farmer Andrew Zanker, in South Australia's Mid North, said he was reliant on loans to pay bills.

"Everything that we pay [for bills] at the moment increases our debt month by month," he said.

By the end of the year, Mr Zanker expects he will be overdrawn by hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Dean Johnson, Kimba mayor and president of the Eyre Peninsula Local Government Association (EPLGA), said providing council hardship relief was difficult because local governments were already "battling" sustainability issues.

"We want to support our primary producers as much as we can, but we've still got to provide the services that they need to keep their communities growing," he said.

Eyre Peninsula Local Government Association president Dean Johnson.(ABC News: Che Chorley)

According to the Essential Services Commission of South Australia, the District Council of Tumby Bay and the Flinders Ranges Council are unsustainable or projected to remain unsustainable.

Despite the findings, Flinders Ranges Council Mayor Ken Anderson said it was trying to alleviate as much financial pressure as possible.

"Our focus is on trying to make savings in these hard times, across the board for everybody," he said.

Flinders Ranges Council Mayor Ken Anderson.(ABC News: Angelique Donnellan)

Mr Anderson said that, although the budget had not been finalised, his council was hoping to limit its rate rise to below 4 per cent.

Both the EPLGA and Flinders Alliance of Councils have called on the state government to provide further and more targeted support to assist councils and primary producers.

In a letter to Premier Peter Malinauskas, the Flinders Alliance called for a 12-month waiver of state government-imposed levies and taxes, such as the landscape levy and emergency services levy.

The alliance has also requested that the state government subsidise rates for affected local governments.

"For those councils with primary producers that can demonstrate financial hardship resulting in the inability to pay rates, the state government [should] 'spot' councils for the rates that cannot be paid," the letter read.

The request echoed similar calls from the EPLGA that said in a letter to the government that councils were "bearing the cost" of certain hardship measures, such as deferring rate obligations.

"These additional financial pressures further strain council resources, which are limited," it said.

Streaky Bay farmer Dion Trezona said deferred or delayed payments still represented a bill for landholders and impacted councils' cash flow.

"Especially for your prime production land holders, those rates should just be picked up by the state government just to give us a hand … and not have another bill come through your household," he said.

Streaky Bay farmer Dion Trezona.(Supplied: Dion Trezona)

Minister for Primary Industries Clare Scriven said the government was open to the idea, but it would mean one of the 20 different streams of grant funding available under the $73-million support package would have to be cut.

"We developed that with primary producers, with peak bodies and with regional stakeholders," Ms Scriven said.

"It was based on the feedback that we were hearing about what was needed by farmers and by regional communities.

"It's not clear to me where anyone thinks that should be cut to be able to fund this, so I guess that's something that would need to be clarified."

Topic:Defence and National Security

Two youths have been charged over several incidents in the Glenorchy bus mall in Hobart's northern suburbs.(ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)

Tasmania Police alleges youths have stolen coins and damaged a window with an emergency hammer in multiple incidents aboard Hobart buses.

Bus operator Metro has instructed its drivers to hide coin trays and refuse all fares at the Glenorchy bus mall during specific times.

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union says the Tasmanian government has reneged on a promise to introduce transit officers on buses, and wants driver safety to be a top priority.

Tasmania's government-owned bus company has instructed drivers to hide their coin trays when within a major bus mall in Hobart after a series of thefts.

Police this week laid charges as a result of investigations into multiple incidents.

Police allege two youths stole coins from the money trays of Metro buses on multiple occasions.

They also allege after getting off the bus, the youths removed an emergency hammer and damaged a bus window. No one was injured during the incidents.

A 13-year-old from Risdon Vale and a 14-year-old from Lutana have been charged over several incidents.

It had just passed 10pm on Friday night when Bronny Walsh took a call from her son who said he had been assaulted while working as a bus driver in Launceston. She is now calling for change.

In a safety alert issued to Hobart drivers on Wednesday seen by the ABC, Metro addressed "ongoing incidents in the Glenorchy bus mall", instructing drivers between 4-8pm to "pull over at a stop prior to entering the mall" and "remove their cash trays and store them out of sight" while within the mall.

Metro drivers have been instructed to hide their coin trays when within the Glenorchy bus mall.(ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)

The notice also said fares including cash or GreenCards should not be collected while in the bus mall during the given times, and fares could be reversed if customers tap on by mistake.

The notice is valid until Sunday.

In a statement, Metro Tasmania said it took a risk-based approach when deciding to implement safety controls.

"Metro believes that this temporary safety measure is appropriate given the recent incidents in the Glenorchy mall."

Metro Tasmania says it takes a risk-based approach when deciding to implement safety controls.(ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)

Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) state secretary Byron Cubit said not enough was being done to improve driver safety.

In 2023, the Rockliff government started a pilot program to introduce transit officers on buses, but Mr Cubit said they were never delivered permanently.

Mr Cubit said the government's planned implementation of transit officers needed improvement.

"When the Liberal government committed to transit officers, they would be privately employed and they would not have that power to detain.

The union is also worried about a half-price fare scheme which is soon to come to an end.

"If adult fares double on July 1st, the bus drivers are going to cop the brunt of frustration from passengers," Mr Cubit said.

Half-price bus fares are due to come to an end next month.(ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)

Transport Minister Eric Abetz said the RTBU was "central to the security screen trials, being heavily involved in consultation, and is aware that they are being rolled out as quickly as possible".

"Screens are being installed as we speak, and have already protected drivers on the job," Mr Abetz said.

The bus drivers' union says not enough is being done to improve driver safety.(ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)

In a statement, Labor's transport spokesperson, Meg Brown, said "affordable, accessible public transport is vital to keeping communities connected — especially when services have already been cut under the Liberals".

"Nobody should have to fear for their safety simply for doing their job. The situation is a direct result of a government that has failed to act when it comes to driver safety," Ms Brown said.

"The Liberals promised to introduce the transit safety officers more than two years ago. Two ministers and too many attacks later, there's still a gap in frontline driver safety. These aren't optional extras — they're essential protections for drivers and passengers.

In May, Tasmania Police unveiled Taskforce Respect, a community campaign involving high-visibility patrols in Glenorchy and surrounds.

The task force was established in the wake of a string of incidents involving large groups of youths causing disturbances in the area.

Glenorchy Police Inspector Jason Klug said businesses had reported a significant drop in anti-social behaviour while the task force has been active.

"Whilst at the moment, its focus is on anti-social behaviour and retail crime, the task force is there and able to adapt to any crime trends or any community concerns that we see.

Topic:Defence and National Security

Topic:Urban Development and Planning

An artist's impression of the two-tower development, which would include the southern hemisphere's tallest building.(Supplied)

A consortium has lodged plans to build Australia's tallest tower on the Gold Coast.

One Park Lane would include a razor-thin 101-storey tower with 198 residential apartments and a 60-storey office building.

If the project is approved by council the developer says work could start before Christmas.

A consortium has submitted plans for a two-tower development on the Gold Coast that would include the tallest building in the southern hemisphere.

Melbourne developer Anthony Goss first proposed One Park Lane in 2022.

The group has spent the past two and a half years negotiating with the Queensland government to amalgamate a small parcel of state-owned land adjacent to the site, and obtain approval to build underneath a state-controlled road.

The project will include a razor-thin 101-storey tower with 198 residential apartments and a 60-storey office building.

The towers will be connected by a sky bridge on the 22nd floor and a three-storey sculptural canopy at their base.

If built, the development will rise 393 metres above the Southport broadwater, towering over the spire of the nearby Q1 (322m) and Melbourne's Australia 108 (316m).

However, it will not come close to the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai (830m).

One Park Lane would transform the Gold Coast skyline and tower over the nearby Q1.(Supplied)

Baracon development manager Brett Rogers said if the project was approved quickly, early works could start before Christmas, but would not say how much the apartments would cost.

"This development will help address the desperate need for more housing on the Gold Coast and stimulate broader economic activity," Mr Rogers said.

There is no height limit in that part of Southport, which is zoned as a priority development area.

The 1,500 square metre site is next to a light rail station and close to a public park where Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate hopes to build a $480 million indoor arena before the 2032 Olympics.

The city wants to build an indoor arena a few hundred metres away.(Supplied: City of Gold Coast)

He said it was a "vote of confidence" for his vision to transform the suburb into the growing city's business district.

"It's great to see an application of this magnitude in Southport, which has the potential to be a great boost to the city's housing stock," Cr Tate said.

It would neighbour a 200-unit social housing apartment complex that broke ground this week.

An urban planner said the tower contained a relatively small number of apartments for its size and appeared to include 40 levels of full-floor penthouses.

A render of the sky bridge included in the development application.(Supplied)

Sustainability and urban planning lecturer at RMIT, Liam Davies, said it was healthy to have a mix of people of varying income levels within a single community.

"There are two ways of looking at it. The first is that it feels weirdly unjust," Dr Davies said.

"A luxury building where people live in apartments that span multiple levels, and then next to it is social housing that has much higher density.

"But we can also look at it and see what we want is a distribution of dwellings across an urban area of dwellings to accommodate a variety of households."

He said the Gold Coast was likely able to attract these developments because it was a permissive planning environment where people wanted to live, compared to Neom's The Line project in Saudi Arabia.

"They're trying to deliver mega permissive things but no-one wants to live there so they never get the capital whereas the Gold Coast has both," he said.

Local councillor Brooke Patterson supported the ambitious development and said there was a lot of demand for office space in the suburb.

"I don't think they're going to have any issue filling it," she said.

Proponents hope the project will help to revitalise the Gold Coast CBD.(Supplied)

Ms Patterson's predecessor, long-serving Southport councillor Dawn Crichlow, said because the site was so small — boxed in by the light rail line on one side and local bowls club on the other — construction would cause traffic chaos.

"The whole thing won't work, it's as simple as that," she said.

"You will have to change all of Scarborough Street, nobody would be able to get in and out.

"They're not looking at the area, they are not talking to the people, they are just looking at pretty pictures. It's a mess."

Topic:Regional Development and Planning

Construction and Real Estate Industry

Regional Development and Planning

Topic:Defence and National Security

Former Liberal Party member for Wagga Wagga Daryl Maguire has denied any wrongdoing.(ABC News: Ethan Rix)

Former Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire has been found guilty of giving false or misleading evidence at an ICAC inquiry in 2018.

Maguire appeared as a witness at the inquiry looking into claims of corruption against councillors at Canterbury City Council.

A non-publication order was rejected by the magistrate.

Former Liberal MP Daryl Maguire has been found guilty of giving false or misleading evidence to the NSW corruption watchdog at a hearing in 2018, as it investigated the former Canterbury City Council.

Maguire had denied wrongdoing, but prosecutors argued the former member for Wagga Wagga engaged in a "money making exercise" when he allegedly discussed a commission with a local councillor over a multimillion-dollar property deal.

He appeared as a witness in Operation Dasha, the Independent Commission Against Corruption's (ICAC) investigation into allegations of corruption against councillors and whether they dishonestly exercised their official functions in relation to planning proposals.

During his appearance at the public hearing, Maguire initially denied ever doing business with former councillor Michael Hawatt, or seeking payment for brokering a deal on behalf of a Chinese property developer.

Magistrate Clare Farnan on Friday found him guilty of the single charge, following a hearing in the Local Court earlier this year.

That outcome was delivered after apparent confusion about listing locations caused the parties to appear before a registrar in a different courtroom, who adjourned the case until September.

The Downing Centre's lower level suffered flood damage due to a burst water main on Tuesday, and will remain shut for four weeks on the latest estimates.

As a result, dozens of cases have had to be relocated to the nearby John Maddison Tower, including Mr Maguire's matter.

When Magistrate Farnan delivered her decision, no media were in the courtroom, and Maguire's barrister Rebecca Gall applied for a non-publication order.

Flooding earlier in the week at Downing Centre caused the relocation of Maguire's case.(ABC News: Ethan Rix)

Later in the afternoon, the magistrate put on the record that she had come into court in the morning expecting to deliver judgment.

The magistrate said there was nothing "deliberate" about what occurred, and she had gone to "all the trouble I could" to have parties notified on Thursday of the impending decision.

She denied the application for a non-publication order, after hearing submissions from barrister Dauid Sibtain SC, representing the ABC and Fairfax.

Magistrate Farnan said the case had already been the subject of media attention, and the interest of the community in open justice outweighed Mr Maguire's interests in the circumstances.

A non-publication order was rejected by the magistrate.(ABC News: Ethan Rix)

At a hearing in late May, the court was told of intercepted phone calls between Maguire and Mr Hawatt in which the pair discussed the sale of a property on Canterbury Road at Campsie, in Sydney's inner south west.

Maguire was recorded saying: "What have you got on your books? What is DA approved?".

The pair then discussed the sale of the site of the former Harrison's Hardware store on Canterbury Road, for which a 300 unit development was proposed.

Maguire and Mr Hawatt estimated the development to be worth up to $48 million, with Maguire asking: "What's the margin for you?".

The court heard Mr Hawatt suggested a margin of between 1.5 and 2 per cent was likely, to which Mr Maguire replied: "1.5 per cent isn't enough divided by two, if you know what I mean."

Deputy Senior Crown Prosecutor Phil Hogan argued the two were expecting to make money from the sale and that it would be divided equally between them.

"The story that he'd prepared [for the ICAC] was, 'I'd never asked for a dollar, they never offered a dollar, nor would I ask for a dollar,'" Mr Hogan told the court.

"The Crown says that statement is demonstrably misleading."

Mr Hogan argued the communications between Maguire and Mr Hawatt amounted to an attempt to do business with the expectation they would both make money from that business.

Topic:Defence and National Security

Topic:Defence and National Security

Anne Webster had interim personal safety orders in place against Dean Lampard leading up to May's federal election.(Supplied: Anne Webster and ABC News: Tyrone Dalton)

Federal Shadow Minister and Nationals MP Anne Webster and her husband Philip have dropped an application for personal safety orders against One Nation supporter Dean Lampard.

Mildura Magistrates Court has heard Mr Lampard accused Dr Webster and her husband of corruption and paedophilia.

The Victorian Solicitor General's Office has told the court there is not enough evidence to support a personal safety intervention order.

National Party MP Anne Webster and her husband Philip Webster have dropped a request for personal safety intervention orders against a One Nation supporter after an altercation at a Mildura car show.

The Mildura Magistrate's Court put interim orders in place in April barring One Nation supporter Dean Lampard from contacting or approaching the Websters until Mr Lampard could obtain a lawyer.

On Friday, the Victorian Solicitor General's Office dropped the application, saying it was unlikely to be approved.

Magistrate Patrick Southey told the court Mr Lampard had made "nonsense" allegations against the Websters of corruption and paedophilia.

"[They] were offensive, defamatory, crackpot, conspiracy theory allegations that hold no basis whatsoever," Magistrate Patrick Southey told the court.

"If there was any shred of truth, [Anne Webster] wouldn't be a Member of Parliament and [Philip Webster]wouldn't be a doctor."

Mr Lampard's lawyer Jamie Griffin said there was no evidence to suggest Mr Lampard's allegations against the Websters were "crackpot" or "conspiracy theory”.

Dean Lampard was barred from contacting or approaching Anne Webster and her husband, Philip.(ABC News: Tyrone Dalton)

The court heard Mr Lampard made the accusations against the Websters when he went to Anne Webster's Mildura office on March 1.

The court heard on that occasion, she did not like what was said by Mr Lampard and asked him to leave.

Six weeks later, on Good Friday, Dr Webster's husband approached Mr Lampard at a car show with two of her staff and a security guard.

Mr Griffinpreviously told the courtthere was "a conversation and pushing and shoving", with Mr Webster shoving Mr Lampard.

He said there were no allegations of assault or threats by his client at the car show, and that he left of his own accord.

"How can it be said that Mr Webster has any fear at all when he approaches my client, assaults my client, and my client leaves?" he asked the court.

The court heard Mr Griffin contested the legitimacy of the interim orders that he described as baseless and without proof of criminal conduct.

Mr Griffin told the court he found it questionable that a senior detective at Mildura Police Station brought the application to court in the first place.

"It's exceptional that a matter like this, first of all, is prosecuted by a senior detective where there is no crime alleged here," Mr Griffin told the court.

"The base of the claim is that there is a chance Mr Lampard may, in the future, make some other comment or approach Ms Webster."

The media was denied a copy of the affidavit supporting the allegations made by the Websters against Mr Lampard because "it was protected information".

The Victorian Solicitor General's Office dropped the applications for personal safety orders against One Nation supporter Dean Lampard.(ABC Mildura-Swan Hill: Tamara Clark)

Magistrate Southey told the court he believed the application for the interim orders had been made in good faith, despite them being withdrawn.

"Is that largely because it's unlikely you can prove there is an ongoing likelihood of misbehaviour, is that the reason?" Magistrate Patrick Southey asked the lawyer for the Websters.

Solicitor for the government, Nadia Deltondo, replied, "There are a number of reasons that unfortunately I can't answer."

An application to have the Websters pay Mr Lampard's court costs was refused.

Dr Webster retained the seat of Mallee in the May election with a slight swing toward her, in what is considered a safe seat.

She was elevated three weeks ago to shadow minister for regional development, local government and territories and shadow minister for regional communications.

The Websters were not in court for Friday's hearing.

Topic:Defence and National Security

Topic:Defence and National Security

Prabowo Subianto's decision to dodge the G7 may have been partly motivated by domestic political factors.(Reuters: Anatoly Maltsev)

The decision by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to skip the G7 meeting in Canada and visit Russia has raised eyebrows in Western capitals.

The official reason provided was that his meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin was pre-planned.

Prabowo, being a man of his word, had decided to skip the G7 meeting of wealthy liberal democracies in favour of attending the little-known St Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Known as "Russia's Davos", the forum is where Russia —facing crippling Western sanctionsover its invasion of Ukraine — seeks to attract foreign investment and showcase the best of its business and technology.

Participants at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.(Reuters: Anton Vaganov)

Prabowo was invited as the Kremlin's guest of honour.

"It's possible that he wasn't fully aware of the optics," said Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior analyst Gatra Priyandita.

"But at the same time, I can also sort of imagine him thinking this might incentivise the West to try harder."

Prabowo's decision cameafter reports earlier this yearthat Moscow was lobbying Jakarta to house long-range bombers in Indonesia's Papua province, causing anxiety in Australian foreign policy and defence circles.

Indonesia buys some Russian military equipment, making defence a key pillar of the relationship.(Reuters: Yusuf Ahmad)

During a meeting with Putin this week, the pair inked a strategic partnership.

Indonesia and Russia's respective sovereign wealth funds signed an agreement worth 2 billion euros ($3.5 billion).

Putin was praised for supporting Indonesia's bid tobecome a full member of BRICS— the 16-member grouping of non-Western nations founded by Russia along with China, India, Brazil and South Africa.

Prabowo revelled in the fact that his Foreign Minister Sugiono, who goes by one name, had visited Russia three times within just eight months.

While 70 per cent of Australians surveyed hold a "very unfavourable" view of Russia, that's only the case for 6 per cent of Indonesians.

"Russia is clever in giving attention to Prabowo," said Radityo Dharmaputra, head of the Centre for European and Eurasian Studies at Airlangga University in Indonesia.

"It's not about the forum, but his personal relations with Putin … his willingness to meet with this so-called great man in the global arena."

Prabowo's Culture Minister Fadli Zon has previously gone as far as declaring his boss Indonesia's Putin.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs of 32 per cent against Indonesian goods have burned goodwill in Jakarta.

"Increasingly, there is some degree of disillusionment about the United States and the future of US power," Dr Priyandita said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Indonesian counterpart Sugiono, who has visited Russia three times in less than a year.(Reuters: Yuri Kochetkov/File)

Mr Dharmaputra said Russia was stepping up its engagement at a time when the US and some European countries had cut their funding for several programs in Indonesia.

"Other countries are struggling to compete with Russia and China in that regard," he said.

Still, Prabowo's Russia trip should hardly be interpreted as a full-scale rejection of Indonesia's partnerships in the West.

Since its creation as a nation, Indonesia has practised "free and active" foreign policy — meaning it is non-aligned to either the West or the West's adversaries.

That was shown by the warmth of Anthony Albanese's visit to Jakarta last month after the Australian prime minister won re-election.

Prabowo gave a gift for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's dog Toto during his visit to Jakarta.(Supplied)

As was the visit of Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles to Jakarta earlier this month.

French President Emmanuel Macron also visited Jakarta to great fanfare only a few weeks ago.

Analysts say Jakarta's ties to the US and Australia on a range of fronts remain much stronger than those with Moscow.

Russia had never been a reliable investment partner for Indonesia, said Mr Dharmaputra.

For example, Russia withdrew as an investor from the Borneo railway project in 2022 — which had been billed as a "historic milestone" for a Russian-backed initiative in the country.

While Indonesia may purchase some arms from Russia, economic ties are lacklustre.

Last year, China was the third largest foreign investor in Indonesia and the US was the fourth.

Prabowo's decision to dodge the G7 may in fact have been partly motivated by domestic political factors, Dr Priyandita said.

Indonesia, like most of South-East Asia, is out of step with Western powers in relation to Israel, its war in Gaza and attacks on Iran.

The G7 leaders' statement affirmed Israel's "right to defend itself" and declared Iran was the "principal source of regional instability and terror".

Being seen to buy into that narrative in Indonesia — a Muslim-majority country that has never recognised Israel and where public support for the Palestinian cause is immense — could be politically disastrous.

A protest against Israel outside the US embassy in Jakarta in 2021.(Reuters: Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/File)

Prabowo only recently attracted criticism for comments he made during Macron's visit, indicating that Indonesia might establish diplomatic relations with Israel if Israel recognised a Palestinian state.

So, the visit to St Petersburg may have been motivated more by Putin's flattery and avoiding headaches at home than a pointed snub of the West.

Prabowo has declared his foreign policy philosophy is "one thousand friends and zero enemies".

His visit to Russia is a timely reminder that Indonesia, the largest economy in South-East Asia, does indeed have many friends.

Occupied Palestinian Territories

Topic:Defence and National Security

Alex Chidiac is back in the frame for the Matildas.(Getty Images: Stephanie Meek)

Coach Joe Montemurro has named a 33-player squad for upcoming friendlies against Slovenia and Panama.

Julie Dolan medallist Alex Chidiac and Victory striker Emily Gielnik return to the national team after being overlooked regularly by Tony Gustavsson and Tom Sermanni.

The Matildas face Slovenia on June 26 and 29, then Panama on July 5 and 8, in WA.

New Matildas coach Joe Montemurro has given Australia's next generation of football talent the nod as he plots a path to the 2026 Asian Cup.

Montemurro has cast a wide net for his first Matildas team and named 14 A-League Women players in a 33-strong squad for upcoming games against Slovenia and Panama.

Matildas captain Steph Catley, forward Caitlin Foord and midfielder Katrina Gorry will not feature in the four-game window, with the trio taking leave.

Montemurro, well familiar with the domestic league after stints with Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City, says the four-game window in Western Australia presents the perfect opportunity to experiment with personnel.

Caitlin Foord (left) and Steph Catley (centre) will miss all four games, while Arsenal teammate Kyra Cooney-Cross will only face Slovenia.(Getty Images: Robert Cianflone)

Reigning Julie Dolan medallist Alex Chidiac and Victory striker Emily Gielnik return to the national team after being overlooked regularly by Tony Gustavsson and Tom Sermanni.

"It's a good opportunity to roll out some new ideas and obviously the focus is the Asian Cup," former Lyon coach Montemurro said.

"This camp is really an identification process. It's a process for the players to understand where we're heading.

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"It's really, really important that we give every player an opportunity."

Cortnee Vine remains on leave after Montemurro flagged reaching out to the North Carolina Courage winger.

Vine, who shot to stardom when she scored the winning spot-kick in the Matildas' epic quarter-final penalty shootout at the Women's World Cup, hasn't played for the national team since the Paris Olympics.

ABC Sport Daily is your daily sports conversation. We dive into the biggest story of the day and get you up to speed with everything else that's making headlines.

Brisbane Roar midfielder Tameka Yallop remains sidelined with a leg injury, while recent debutant Kahli Johnson has been ruled out with a thigh injury.

In their place, Montemurro has handed Roar forward Grace Kuilamu and Western United's Adriana Taranto their first call-up.

Meanwhile, vice-captain Ellie Carpenter returns from personal leave, while Mackenzie Arnold, Hayley Raso and Sharn Freier will make their comebacks from injury.

Midfielder Jacynta Galabadaarachchi, who has yet to find a new home after her time at Portuguese club Sporting CP came to an end, returns to the Matildas for the first time since June 2022.

The Matildas face Slovenia on June 26 and 29, then Panama on July 5 and 8, in WA.

Goalkeepers:Mackenzie Arnold*, Chloe Lincoln**, Sally James**, Teagan Micah, Jada Whyman*

Defenders:Ellie Carpenter, Charlotte Grant, Clare Hunt, Alanna Kennedy*, Winonah Heatley*, Alexia Apostolakis*, Jessika Nash**, Courtney Nevin, Natasha Prior, Jamilla Rankin

Midfielders:Kyra Cooney-Cross*, Alex Chidiac, Emily Van Egmond, Clare Wheeler*, Chloe Berryhill**, Amy Sayer, Jacynta Galabadaarachchi**, Alana Murphy, Adriana Taranto**

Forwards:Emily Gielnik, Michelle Heyman, Holly McNamara, Hayley Raso, Kaitlyn Torpey*, Sharn Freier*, Bryleeh Henry**, Grace Kuilamu**, Remy Siemsen*

* Participating in Slovenia series only

** Participating in Panama series only

Topic:Defence and National Security

Natalie Webb had a traumatic birth with daughter Allarah.(ABC Riverina: Penny Burfitt)

NSW mothers involved in the historic Birth Trauma Inquiry have welcomed an $83 million investment in maternity care.

The funding includes almost $45 million to give more women access to midwife-led care, with an additional 53 midwives for regional and rural NSW.

The government hopes the workforce is in place within two years.

Parents involved in a landmark inquiry into birth trauma are welcoming an almost $45 million investment in maternity care described as the "gold standard".

The NSW government has allocated $83 million to maternity care in the upcoming state budget.

More than half, $44.8 million, will go towards expanding the state's midwife-led program, Midwifery Group Practice (MGP).

The MGP funding will include an additional 53 midwife roles in regional and remote NSW, with improved training for clinicians in respectful maternity care and enhanced antenatal education for patients in the wider package.

The announcement comes 12 months after the inquiry, widely described as a "me too" moment for birth trauma, handed down its final report.

It attracted more than 4,000 submissions and held six hearings.

The report recommended more access to continuity of care programs like the MGP, and more midwives.

Natalie Webb lives in Tumbarumba and was one of the first women to go public with her experience of birth trauma, also giving evidence at the Wagga Wagga hearing of the inquiry.

Natalie Webb hopes the funding will improve birth outcomes.(ABC Riverina: Penny Burfitt)

She said her traumatic birth, in which pain relief was withheld, could have been avoided with access to continuity of care.

"That would have made a huge difference to me — having someone I knew and could trust and who could have advocated for [me] when I couldn't advocate for myself," she said.

She still deals with the trauma three years on and hopes the funding will improve outcomes.

"I'm not going to have another child now because it's too traumatic, and that's something my husband and I are going to have to deal with for the rest of our lives," she said.

Sharon Settecasse (front right) and the Better Births Illawarra organisation were a pivotal part of the inquiry.(ABC Illawarra: Penny Burfitt)

The president of Illawarra-based advocacy group Better Birth Illawarra, Sharon Settecasse, fought back tears as she described the announcement as "phenomenal".

"We're overjoyed by this announcement … we're a bit speechless to be honest," she said.

In the MGP, a woman sees the same midwife before, during and after birth.

The Birth Inquiry's final report identified it as the "gold standard" of maternity care, calling for increased investment in it.

It also recommended funding for other programs and services, including the GP obstetrician workforce.

Naomi Bowden tried to hold back tears as she recounted what happened following her daughter's stillbirth.(ABC News: Sarah Moss)

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) welcomed the funding, calling women's health an "underfunded" area.

"Whilst investment in bolstering the midwifery workforce is valuable, RANZCOG emphasises that a multidisciplinary framework is essential to meet the complex needs of all women and birthing people," they said.

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the inquiry had "a huge impact" on him, and the funding decision was made off the back of advocacy he heard before and during.

"Time and time again [I heard] continuity of care with a known midwife is really important, and I've also spoken to obstetricians who said that is an area where we need to improve," he said.

"To be blunt, I was sick of reading about [birth trauma], I was sick of hearing about it, I wanted to use this budget to try and deal with some of the issues."

He said the funding will begin to roll out "straight away" and new midwives should be on the ground within two years, depending on recruitment.

Ryan Park says the inquiry had "a huge impact" on him.(ABC News: Keana Naughton)

The birth inquiry was announced off the back of a mass complaint about maternity care at Wagga Wagga Base Hospital, submitted by the Maternity Consumer Network (MCN) on behalf of 30 women.

MCN founder Alecia Staines said today's funding was a win for the women who came forward.

"Credit where credit is due; those initial women of Wagga Wagga were crucial and hats off to them," she said.

"It's not easy, and it's such a brave thing they have done, and this is a lasting legacy and something they can be proud of that has come from their pain and suffering."

Topic:Defence and National Security

Linzi Wilson-Wilde was appointed as FSQ director in September 2024.(ABC News: Stephen Cavenagh)

The director of Forensic Science Queensland (FSQ) has been immediately suspended by the state's attorney-general after "contamination issues" were identified.

Attorney-General Deb Frecklington said she moved to immediately suspend the director, Linzi Wilson-Wilde, who was appointed in September 2024, pending a show cause notice for removal.

"This action was taken following advice I received today that FSQ was placing a general pause on routine DNA testing after contamination issues were identified," Ms Frecklington said in a statement.

Ms Frecklington's office could not provide any further details on the contamination issues.

It is not known how long Dr Wilson-Wilde has to respond to the notice.

Deb Frecklington says she moved to immediately suspend the director of FSQ pending a show cause notice for removal.(ABC News: Cameron Lang)

FSQ is an independent statutory authority and forensic service provider, which supports the criminal justice and coronial systems with specialised services in forensic biology and forensic chemistry.

Two commissions of inquiry, in 2022 and 2023, found serious failings over many years at the FSQ lab, including a "fatally flawed" automated testing method that might have seen offenders escaping conviction.

More than 120 recommendations were made during the commissions of inquiry to address "disturbing and troubling" issueswhich have meant tens of thousands of samples may need retesting.

Dr Wilson-Wilde became director in September 2024 after joining FSQ as interim chief executive in January 2023.

Ms Frecklington said FSQ's pause in operations would be for a preliminary period of seven days followed by a review to determine the next steps.

"The government has been advised FSQ will continue to progress urgent matters in a limited capacity during this time and that this can be done with appropriate controls," she said.

Ms Frecklington said the government was "firmly committed to fixing the long-standing issues at Forensic Science Queensland".

When contacted by the ABC Dr Wilson-Wilde declined to comment.

Topic:Defence and National Security

Topic:Defence and National Security