However, the defence say it was a “joint plan” to get the accusations dropped.

Brian Tamaki says he is exploring possible defamation action over the flag.

It is the third Sky Sport price rise since February 2024, when the service was $37.99.

A supermarket giant fighting allegations of manipulating grocery prices as part of a nationwide "down down" promotion insists it "genuinely cares" about its customers.

Coles is fiercely defending claims by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission that it deliberately misled customers during the campaign that first launched in 2010.

The retail giant has also admitted strong-arming suppliers, threatening to strip products from shelves if they refused to meet the retailer's pricing demands, the Federal Court in Melbourne was told today.

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The watchdog alleges Coles systematically jacked up prices on everyday items, before offering discounts at prices higher or equal to the original shelf price.

The "down down" discounts on everything from biscuits to dog food tricked shoppers into thinking they were getting value for money – such as Nature's Gift pet food, it says.

One Nature's Gift item sold for 10 months at $4, then was bumped up to $6 for a week before reduced to the "down down" price of $4.50, the court was previously told.

Senior category manager for pets, Paul Carroll, admitted the "down down" campaign helped drive sales.

The company effectively used the tactic during the pandemic to increase pet product sales, as the number of Australians adopting animals skyrocketed during lockdown.

"I can't speak on the perception of customers – every customer is different. But in my experience, I've seen a sales increase by offering promotions, yes – specifically to the pet category," Carroll said.

"I wouldn't perceive it as volume of sales, but I would say that it gave a good perception of value to the customer."

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While Carroll repeatedly insisted that the "down down" intention was to make products "accessible", he conceded that the primary motive was to drive sales.

Coles received rebates from suppliers when their products were discounted and promoted.

During negotiations with Real Pet Food Company, the supplier of Nature's Gift pet products, Carroll threatened to pull the range from shelves over pricing and a dispute over rebates, the court was told.

Emails read out to the court revealed Carroll also offered Real Pet Food a "steer" to reach an agreement that the supermarket giant could accept, before placing existing product shipments on hold.

"You told him in the email that you were happy to give him a steer as to where you would require investment," ACCC barrister Garry Rich SC said.

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"By that, you meant you were happy to tell him what additional promotional funding or other benefits he could provide Coles to enable you to accept the CPI (cost price increase) request in full.

"You were telling him that you would be able to provide him with suggestions as to the amount of promotional funding or other benefits Real Pet Food could provide to Coles."

While Carroll admitted writing the emails, he said his intention was to reduce costs for the benefit of customers.

"You keep talking about benefits to a customer, and we keep having this debate. But the reason you want benefits for customers as you describe it is so they'll buy your product," Rich said.

Carroll argued he "genuinely cared about the customers" before ultimately agreeing that it was about driving sales for the supermarket giant.

The competition watchdog is seeking significant penalties for alleged breaches relating to Woolworths' "prices dropped" and Coles' "down down" promotions across 15 months.

The case continues before Justice Michael O'Bryan.

Australia's largest telco has recorded more than $1 billion in profit in the first half of the financial year.

Telstra announced its half-yearly results today, showing it had made an 8.1 per cent profit in the first half of the financial year, totalling $1.2 billion.

The company claimed the growth, which was higher than expected, was off the back of "strong momentum" across the business.

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"We delivered ongoing growth in earnings," CEO Vicki Brady said, "reflecting… strong cost control and disciplined business management."

The profits came despite income from items being sold by the company falling by $132 million.

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Telstra said they had decreased their labour expenses by 5.8 per cent, saving $118 million.

Much of this has come from a reduction in the workforce, with the company saying it had shed 2356 jobs in 2025.

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Over 1000 of these have come in the last half of the year, meaning Telstra's workforce has been reduced by 7.4 per cent.

The company cut around 550 jobs in one go in July, citing "improvements to the structure and processes of other teams across our organisation."

Telstra's share price rose in response to today's news, rising around four per cent to $5.20 at the time of writing.

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Kiwis pay an estimated $45m to $65m a year in card payment surcharges.

Coalition earmarks money for minerals miners, even as one loses fast-track bid.

MP Grant McCallum has called for a meeting with the region’s mayors about dog control.

Intensification will be pushed to the CBD, rail links, busways and town centres.

An online retailer has been taken down for trying to take advantage of the Bondi terror attack by claiming its owners were directly impacted by the shooting.

According to NSW Fair Trading, Bondi United claimed several times its founders "have a connection" to the shooting – the worst ever terror attack on Australian soil – and that the store would give proceeds of sales to victims and their families.

The retailer sold clothes and other accessories through two different websites.

EXCLUSIVE: What Bondi hero said to alleged gunman

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"NSW Fair Trading's investigation has found these assertions to be false," a statement said.

Bondi United's websites and social media pages were shut down, but shoppers are being warned to be on the lookout for new websites created by the founders who have tried to profit from the tragedy.

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"Other traders may take a similar approach", NSW Fair Trading warned.

People who bought items from Bondi United's website are entitled to refunds, and can also lodge a complaint at the official NSW Fair Trading Website.

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