‘I forgive you, Daniel, but you need to be held accountable.’

Could MP property holdings influence policymaking?

Regional Queensland has the most unaffordable rental market of the regions nationally, with even average earners being pushed into rental stress, paying more than 30 per cent of their income in rent, according to new data.

The annual Rental Affordability Index (RAI) report reveals median rent in the regions is now soaring above Brisbane, despite those areas typically having lower household incomes.

Affordability is worst along the south-east coast, where the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and surrounding areas are classed as Unaffordable to Severely Unaffordable.

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A single pensioner living in regional Queensland would be required to pay 61 per cent of their income in rent, the report showed.

The situation is even more dire for single working parents, single people living on welfare and even full-time workers on minimum wage.

Perth, Sydney and regional New South Wales are also among the least affordable parts of the country.

While rents are stabilising in some cities, they are still considered unaffordable, with the exception of Canberra.

Ellen Witte, Principal and Partner at SGS Economics and Planning and the lead author of the report, said rental prices are only stabilising in the cities because renters cannot absorb any further rent increases.

"We have finally seen affordability stabilise in many places after rapid declines to record low levels since 2021," she said.

"The stabilisation may have less to do with relief and more to do with renters reaching their limit and being unable to pay more, combined with some easing of housing supply constraints."

Robert Pradolin, Founder and Executive Director of Housing All Australians warned key workers across the country are being priced out of living close to their jobs, putting community services under strain.

"Housing that people can afford is critical economic infrastructure, and without it, our national prosperity and productivity are being held back," Pradolin said.

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Billionaire James Packer held nothing back in a new tirade against former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews, claiming the one-time state leader had almost ruined his life.

Packer gave one of his most revealing interviews in recent times, detailing his addiction issues and naming one of the world's most divisive leaders as the man who saved him.

The notoriously reclusive Packer was on board his mega yacht off Fiji when he opened up to journalist and friend, former Australian Financial Review columnist Joe Aston.

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And he was candidly blunt when speaking of Andrews.

"I couldn't speak more lowly of Daniel Andrews. I think he's human filth," he told Rampart Talks, Aston's new venture.

"I hope he sues me."

He said Andrews was "about my least favourite person in the world".

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"I think Daniel Andrews not only ruined Victoria, he almost ruined my life," he said.

In a wide-ranging talk, Packer was equally open about his feelings on other controversial political figures.

And he spoke about his personal issues, including his battle with the bottle.

"The reality is that I had substance abuse issues," he told Rampart Talks.

"I had a lot of debt obligations, a lot of pressure, and I was drinking way too much."

The man he credits with pulling him back from the brink is Benjamin Netanyahu.

"The prime minister of Israel was a dear friend to me when I needed help and I will never forget that," he said.

The Israeli PM might be unpopular among many at home and abroad for the war on Gaza but Packer has a different take.

"He's obviously an incredibly divisive figure and I will never forget that," Packer said.

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He also revealed another friend in high places.

"I've met Donald (Trump) a few times and he's been nothing but nice to me. He liked my father," he said.

Packer once rented a house in Palm Beach, Florida, next to Trump's Mar-a-Lago compound.

"We had dinner. He could not have been nicer," Packer said.

He's worth about $5 billion but Packer marks himself down as a businessman.

"I give myself five out of ten, when my dad died I thought I would be an eight or nine," he said.

Packer turned his back on Australia years ago but he plans to return next month to spend Christmas here with his mother.

"There's always the risk I'll run into someone I've fallen out with but I'm looking forward to getting back to Sydney," he said.

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Skye Gyngell, the first Australian female chef to win a Michelin star, has died aged 62.

Her family announced the award-winning chef had passed away in London on Saturday while surrounded by her loved ones. 

"We are deeply saddened to share news of Skye Gyngell's passing on 22nd November in London, surrounded by her family and loved ones," her family said in a statement.

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"Skye was a culinary visionary who influenced generations of chefs and growers globally to think about food and its connection to the land.

"She leaves behind a remarkable legacy and is an inspiration to us all."

Gyngell had been battling Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare and aggressive skin cancer, after discovering a lump on her neck last year.

The acclaimed chef was born in Sydney in 1963 into an established broadcast family.

Her father, Bruce Gyngell, was the first face and voice on Australian television in 1956, earning him a place in the Australian Media Hall of Fame.

Her mother, interior designer Ann Gyngell, died just days before she did last week.

Her brother David was chief executive of Nine, the publisher of this website, across two stints between 2007 and 2015.

Gyngell initially studied law at Sydney University before she moved to Paris to train under renowned chefs.

She worked in kitchens abroad before moving to London, where she became one of the country's most famed chefs.

She took on the role of head chef at Petersham Nurseries, where her distinctively seasonal and elegant cooking awarded the organic greenhouse Italian restaurant a Michelin star in 2011.

READ MORE: Fina strengthens to category 4 on path to Western Australia

She was appointed culinary director of Heckfield Place in 2012 and opened up Spring Restaurant, her first solo venture in the arts and cultural heart of London, in 2014.

Spring reflects Gyngell's passion for seasonal menus, with the restaurant describing its cooking as "wholesome, produce-driven and cooked by a team of people who are passionate about what they do".

Gyngell was awarded a lifetime achievement award at the National Restaurant Awards in June.

Spring paid tribute to her "remarkable legacy", saying that she was more than a chef.

"She was a mentor, an anchor, and a force who helped so many of us find our place in what we do," the restaurant said.

"Her presence shaped our culture and the way we see the world around us in profound and lasting ways, and we remain deeply grateful for the time we were able to share with her.

"She will be deeply missed by all who knew her."

Chefs and food professionals have shared their heartbreak over news of her passing and appreciation for her trailblazing impact on the industry.

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"This is terribly sad news. She was an amazing woman, and incredible cook, and kind-hearted. She will be very very, very missed," celebrity chef Jamie Oliver said.

"Thank you for all that you did to inspire young cooks."

"Skye was one of the greatest cooks of all time," Australian chef Kylie Kwong said.

Gyngell leaves behind her daughters, Holly and Evie, and her granddaughter Cyprien.

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While the immediate impact of Tropical Cyclone Fina is over, its impact on weather conditions for southern Australia will be felt this week, forecasters say.

The fierce storm that lashed Darwin over the weekend generated a huge hot air mass, which is gradually moving into the south-east of the country, reports Weatherzone.

Its impact will cause a late spring mini heatwave in multiple states today, with the mercury climbing to a maximum 47 degrees in south-west Queensland and 46 degrees in parts of South Australia.

READ MORE: Cyclone Fina cuts power, fells trees across Northern Territory

Queensland officials have put out an extreme heat warning for the Peninsula, Gulf Country, Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders, North Tropical Coast and Tablelands, Herbert and Lower Burdekin, Central Coast and Whitsundays and North West districts.

Residents in SA's Eastern Eyre Peninsula, Flinders and Mid North regions are being warned to expect extreme fire danger today.

Warm temperatures will also extend to north-west NSW and parts of the Northern Territory, where maximums in the low forties are forecast.

NSW authorities have issued a severe heatwave warning for the Northern Rivers, Mid North Coast, Northern Tablelands and Upper Western districts lasting until Wednesday.

In the Northern Territory there is a severe heatwave warning today and tomorrow for Barkly, Simpson, Lasseter and Tanami.

The origin of the heat burst is over the Timor Sea, off Darwin, where Fina sucked in huge amounts of heat from the water and propelled it into the upper atmosphere.

By today, this air has reached southern states powered by a high pressure system.

Meteorologists say much of the moisture has been lost, but air will gradually become hotter as it descends to central Australia, a process they call adiabatic warming.

While these conditions are not unusual for late spring, they may nudge seasonal heat records.

Exclusive: Most teenagers still at high school hopefully only worry about passing their driver's licence test or the upcoming maths exam.

But Brisbane high schooler Chris, 17, said he and his friends suffer from the same stressful financial anxieties as adults.

It's hard to ignore the constant stream of catastrophic reporting about the state of the country's housing crisis – and teenagers are listening closely.

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Do you have a story? Contact reporter April Glover at Google Play.

US President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency has disbanded with eight months left to its mandate, ending an initiative launched with fanfare as a symbol of Trump's pledge to slash the government's size but which critics say delivered few measurable savings.

"That doesn't exist," Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor told Reuters earlier this month when asked about DOGE's status.

It is no longer a "centralised entity," Kupor added, in the first public comments from the Trump administration on the end of DOGE.

The agency, set up in January, made dramatic forays across Washington in the early months of Trump's second term to rapidly shrink federal agencies, cut their budgets or redirect their work to Trump priorities. The OPM, the federal government's human resources office, has since taken over many of DOGE's functions, according to Kupor and documents reviewed by Reuters.

At least two prominent DOGE employees are now involved with the National Design Studio, a new body created through an executive order signed by Trump in August. That body is headed by Joe Gebbia, co-founder of Airbnb, and Trump's order directed him to beautify government websites.

Gebbia was part of billionaire Elon Musk's DOGE team while DOGE employee Edward Coristine, nicknamed "Big Balls", encouraged followers on his X account to apply to join.

The fading away of DOGE is in sharp contrast to the government-wide effort over months to draw attention to it, with Trump, his advisers and cabinet secretaries posting about it on social media. Musk, who led DOGE initially, regularly touted its work on his X platform and at one point brandished a chainsaw to advertise his efforts to cut government jobs.

"This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy," Musk said, holding the tool above his head at the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, in February.

DOGE claimed to have slashed tens of billions of dollars in expenditures, but it was impossible for outside financial experts to verify that because the unit did not provide detailed public accounting of its work.

"President Trump was given a clear mandate to reduce waste, fraud and abuse across the federal government, and he continues to actively deliver on that commitment," said White House spokeswoman Liz Huston in an email to Reuters.

Trump officials have been signalling DOGE's demise

Trump administration officials have not openly said that DOGE no longer exists, even after Musk's public feud with Trump in May. Musk has since left Washington.

Trump and his team have nevertheless signalled its demise in public since this summer, even though the US president signed an executive order earlier in his term decreeing that DOGE would last through July 2026.

In statements to reporters, Trump often talks about DOGE in the past tense. Acting DOGE Administrator Amy Gleason, whose background is in healthcare tech, formally became an adviser to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy in March, according to a court filing, in addition to her role with DOGE. Her public statements have largely focused on her HHS role.

Republican-led states, including Idaho and Florida, meanwhile are creating local entities similar to DOGE.

A government-wide hiring freeze – another hallmark of DOGE – is also over, Kupor said.

Trump on his first day in office barred federal agencies from bringing on new employees, with exceptions for positions his team deemed necessary to enforce immigration laws and protect public safety. He later said DOGE representatives must approve any other exceptions, adding that agencies should hire "no more than one employee for every four" that depart.

"There is no target around reductions" anymore, Kupor said.

Former DOGE employees move on to new roles

DOGE staff have also taken on other roles in the administration. Most prominent is Gebbia, whom Trump tasked with improving the "visual presentation" of government websites.

So far, his design studio has launched websites to recruit law enforcement officers to patrol Washington, DC, and advertise the president's drug pricing program. Gebbia declined an interview with Reuters via a spokesperson.

Zachary Terrell, part of the DOGE team given access to government health systems in the early days of Trump's second term, is now chief technology officer at the Department of Health and Human Services. Rachel Riley, who had the same access according to court filings, is now chief of the Office of Naval Research, according to the office's website.

Jeremy Lewin, who helped Musk and the Trump administration dismantle the US Agency for International Development, now oversees foreign assistance at the State Department, according to the agency's web site.

Musk shortly after Trump's election said he had a mandate to "delete the mountain" of government regulations. He made undoing government regulations and remaking the government with AI two key tenets of DOGE, in addition to eliminating federal government jobs.

The administration is still working toward slashing regulations. The White House budget office has tasked Scott Langmack, who was DOGE's representative at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, with creating custom AI applications to pore through US regulations and determine which ones to eliminate, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Musk, meanwhile, has reappeared in Washington. This week, he attended a White House dinner for Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

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Pressure is increasing for the former prince Andrew to give evidence to a US congressional committee investigating the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after Britain's prime minister suggested he should testify.

Keir Starmer declined to comment directly about King Charles III's disgraced younger brother, but told reporters travelling with him for the Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg that as a "general principle" people should provide evidence to investigators.

"I don't comment on his particular case,'' Starmer said on Saturday (Sunday AEDT).

"But as a general principle I've held for a very long time is that anybody who has got relevant information in relation to these kind of cases should give that evidence to those that need it.''

The former prince, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, has so far ignored a request from members of the House Oversight Committee for a "transcribed interview" about his "long-standing friendship" with Epstein.

Andrew was stripped of his royal titles and honours last month as the royal family tried to insulate itself from criticism about his relationship with Epstein.

Starmer's comments came after Representative Robert Garcia of California, the committee's ranking Democrat, and Representative Suhas Subramanyam, a Democrat from Virginia, said Andrew "continues to hide" from serious questions.

"Our work will move forward with or without him, and we will hold anyone who was involved in these crimes accountable, no matter their wealth, status or political party," they said in a statement released on Friday.

"We will get justice for the survivors."

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).

The federal government will move to ban "subscription traps" and drip pricing in Australia.

Assistant Minister for Competition Andrew Leigh said Labor would bring legislation to parliament to ban the practices.

Leigh said traps had plagued three out of four Australians with subscriptions.

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"Many people have reported problems in cancelling a gym membership or in getting out of an online subscription," he said today.

"Some subscriptions can be signed up for online, but to cancel you've got to pick up the phone.

"In other cases, we've heard about subscriptions that can be started immediately online, but then if you want to cancel, it takes 28 days."

The Consumer Policy Research Centre estimates subscription traps are costing Australians $46 million a year.

"There's a place for subscriptions in a modern economy, but they should be as easy to get out of as they were to get into," Leigh said

"A simple rule for businesses: if you can't cancel a subscription through the same process that you started the subscription, then perhaps there's a subscription trap going on."

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The government is also looking to ban drip pricing, where additional costs are added during the purchasing process.

"In one instance, a concert ticket that was advertised for $89 ended up costing $129 once additional surcharges were added in," Leigh said.

"We had the case of a home internet plan which was advertised for a low introductory price, until the person went through and discovered that there was a non-negotiable $79.99 fee that was going to be added through the process.

"Right now, firms that don't engage in drip pricing are finding themselves undercut by rivals who are offering a beginning price which isn't actually the ending price."

Leigh said the government would confirm a timeline for the reforms soon.

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