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Optus' triple-zero outage has been linked to three deaths across the country, but how does the emergency call system work and what exactly went wrong in the process?

Communications Minister Anika Wells said "confidence has no doubt been shaken" in the country's emergency service system after the embattled telco was unaware of a major systemic failure that affected more than 600 triple-zero calls over 13 hours on Thursday.

Optus CEO Stephen Rue revealed three people had died the following day, admitting the situation was "completely unacceptable".

An Optus phone sign hangs above its store in Sydney

The Australian Media and Communications Authority (ACMA) and Optus have launched separate investigations to determine what happened.

Here's what we know so far.

What happens if you call triple zero?

It's hard to say what went wrong without knowing how the triple-zero network works.

The country's main emergency service line connects people in need of urgent help with police, ambulance or fire services.

Telcos are legally obliged to ensure every call to emergency services is connected.

Once dialling 000 or the secondary line 112, a recorded message plays saying: "You have dialled emergency triple zero. Your call is being connected."

Telstra is nominated as the emergency call person, whose operators answer the calls, ask for information and transfer them to the required organisation, whether that is police, ambulance or fire services.

The operators will stay on the line until the call is answered.

If a caller is unable to speak freely on the phone, the operator will transfer them to an interactive voice response, which will ask them to press 55 if they require emergency help.

In extreme events, like a major bushfire or a storm, there may be short delays due to the high number of calls and callers go into a queue.

What happened with Optus triple-zero calls?

A botched firewall upgrade is to blame for an outage that failed to connect more than 600 emergency calls across NSW, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory between 12.30am and 1.30pm on Thursday.

The deaths of three people, two men aged 49 and 74 in Western Australia and a 68-year-old woman in South Australia, were linked to the outage.

The death of an eight-week-old baby boy in Adelaide was initially also linked, but the South Australian Police have said the outage was unlikely to have contributed to it.

Optus was unaware of the outage, which did not affect regular calls, for 13 hours.

Rue conceded five people had called Optus' customer service line during that time to alert the telco that emergency calls were not connecting, but their reports were not escalated.

"As we had not detected the triple-zero failures in our network at the time of these calls, there were no red flags for the contact centre to alert them to any live issues," he told the media yesterday.

ACMA chair Nerida O'Loughlin said Optus did not alert her agency or other stakeholders until the matter was resolved, which contradicts the typical process.

She said the authority expects to receive multiple emails per day "as soon as the telco is aware that something has gone wrong".

Instead, ACMA received an email that the outage was affecting 10 calls about 3pm on Thursday and did not hear anything more until 3.40pm on Friday.

It was told that the outage actually affected 100 calls, and about 20 minutes later, that figure was adjusted to over 600 calls and three deaths.

"The emails we received on Thursday were perfunctory and some were inaccurate," O'Loughlin said today.

At a press conference alongside O'Loughlin, Wells said Optus had "failed the Australian people".

Minister for Aged Care and Minister for Sport Anika Wells during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday 25 November 2024. fedpol Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

What comes next?

Wells said Optus will face "significant consequences" and be "held to account" after its second major triple-zero outage in about two years.

The telco was forced to pay $12 million after a technical issue left more than 2000 people unable to ring triple zero in 2023.

Any potential penalties Optus faces will be financial rather than criminal.

"I won't speculate on the size of penalties because they are complicated, in terms of number of contraventions but there are $19,000 per infringement notice and the court can impose up to $250,000 per contravention," O'Loughlin said today.

"The financial penalties we can also seek enforceable undertakings from Optus to take specific, actionable steps to improve their processes."

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he would "not be surprised" if Rue, who became CEO in November after his predecessor Kelly Bayer Rosmarin departed following fallout from the 2023 outage, also lost his job.

Customers line up outside an Optus shop fron

Optus is implementing a new compulsory escalation process if anyone reports issues to triple zero through the customer call centre, and conducting an internal investigation.

The telco is also working with ACMA, which is investigating and will also probe Telstra's compliance with new communication requirements.

ACMA will hand the government a report and recommendations in due time.

The outage may also prompt a wider review into the telco industry and emergency service network, as Optus is not the only provider to oversee triple-zero outages.

"We are considering what needs to be done holistically or as part of legislative relief for the Australian people, given their confidence has no doubt been shaken by what has happened here," Wells said today.

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This building has cost Aussies $1 billion, and could be about to get worse

2025-09-22 FreeNews

The cost of the multimillion-dollar renovation of the Reserve Bank's Martin Place headquarters could surge by even more than its current billion-dollar blowout.

The price tag attached to the project was initially $260 million, but that has since ballooned to $1.2 billion due to a huge amount of asbestos found in the building.

When asked about the renovation by federal parliament's economics committee today, RBA governor Michele Bullock warned the cost could blow out even further.

The Reserve Bank of Australia building at 65 Martin Place.

"I'd have to say not 100 per cent confident," Bullock said when asked how sure she was that the budget would stay at the current $1.2 billion.

"But that's part of the reason why, under the new governance board, we've got some very targeted stage gates, which we're going to be looking at, and how the costs are lining up.

"The very first piece, though, is that we have to remove the asbestos."

Bullock said there was substantially more asbestos in the RBA headquarters than what is typically found in other buildings constructed around 60 years ago.

"We built a building, it seems, that had 4-5 times more asbestos than any other building of a similar time, and we have to remove (it)," she said.

"So that'll be the first bit, and from then, we can start to look at where the costs might be.

"But my confidence? I'd have to say low."

Michele Bullock, Governor, Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), during a hearing with the Standing Committee on Economics, at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday 22 September 2025.

The amount of asbestos has turned the project from what would have been a refurbishment of 65 Martin Place into almost a full knock-down, with the building to be stripped back to its steel frame and rebuilt once the asbestos has been removed, before it is then properly fitted out.

Bullock also said the bank hadn't started to look in detail at the cost projections for stages 2A and 2B – the rebuild and refit, respectively – of the project.

"Let me just say that renovation is not what it is anymore, and I really would rather not be in this position," she said.

"I'm not a developer, and what we are now faced with is a development."

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Man charged with murder after mother’s body found in river following family dinner

2025-09-22 FreeNews

A man has been charged with murder over the death of mother-of-two Crystal Beale, whose body was found in a river earlier this year in Brisbane.

Police combed through 1000 hours of CCTV footage in a "complex and protracted" seven-month investigation after Beale, 49, was found dead on Saturday, February 22.

A member of the public saw Beale's body in the Brisbane River about 5.40am and contacted police.

Crystal Beale was found in the Brisbane River by a member of the public at 5.40am on February 22.

Investigators believe that at 8.30pm on Friday, February 1, Beale left a family dinner at a Sunnybank restaurant and travelled with a 49-year-old West End man, who was known to her.

He was allegedly the last person to see Beale alive when she got out of the car at 9.30pm on Ryan Street, West End.

But police now allege the man killed Beale and put her body into the Brisbane River.

Police searched an Equestrian Drive address in Maudsland at 5.11am today.

A 49-year-old man was arrested and charged with domestic violence murder and misconduct with a corpse.

Detective Inspector Wayne Francis could not confirm the nature of Beale's relationship with the man but said police will allege there was a history of domestic violence.

Francis said Beale's children were doing "as best they can" given the circumstances.

"They've lost their mother through horrible circumstances, no matter what court action occurs subsequently, they can't get their mother back," he said.

Queensland Police Detective Inspector Wayne Francis

Police are still keen for anyone with information to still come forward.

Francis said a White Ford Ranger was identified as a car of interest during the investigation.

"I would just like to thank the investigators involved for their dedication and professionalism," he added.

The charged man is expected to appear in court today.

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

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Charlie Kirk memorial brings Trump and Musk together again

2025-09-22 FreeNews

Charlie Kirk's memorial was a who's who of the second Trump administration, past and present – including Elon Musk, the former Department of Government Efficiency chief who has been at odds with Trump in recent months.

Before the president's speech, Trump and Musk were spotted sitting next to each other in the president's suite, along with UFC CEO Dana White.

During Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's speech, Trump leaned in and said something to Musk, the two both gesturing and the tech billionaire nodding repeatedly.

President Donald Trump and Elon Musk talk at the memorial for Charlie Kirk

The reunion of Trump and his onetime "first buddy" appears to be the first time the two have been seen together publicly since the president honoured Musk at the conclusion of his government service with DOGE in May. 

The two subsequently had a high-profile falling-out on social media over disagreements about the president's policy agenda bill and threats by Musk to start a new political party.

Kirk was somewhat of a mediator between Musk and Trump after their falling-out.

https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/1969929930944422333

He had remained in touch with Musk, often texting him, including to tell him that his negative rhetoric about the policy bill would harm Trump's overall agenda, a source told CNN. 

Musk was receptive to Kirk and his feedback, the source said.

Musk posted a photo on X of his reunion with Trump, with the caption: "For Charlie".

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1969897602524328440

In his speech, Trump noted all the VIPs who had gathered in Arizona for the memorial, including the vice president, House Speaker Mike Johnson and a number of Republican senators.

He praised Kirk's ability to draw a big crowd.

"This is like an old-time revival, isn't it?" Trump said.

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Outrage after pharaoh’s gold bracelet stolen from a Cairo museum is melted down

2025-09-22 FreeNews

Egyptians reacted with outrage this week after officials said that a 3000-year-old bracelet that had belonged to an ancient pharaoh was stolen from Cairo's famed Egyptian Museum and then melted down for gold.

Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy said in televised comments late Saturday that the bracelet was stolen on September 9 while officials at the museum were preparing artifacts for an exhibit in Italy.

He blamed “laxity” in implementing procedures at the facility and said that prosecutors were still investigating.

The bracelet, containing a lapis lazuli bead, belonged to Pharaoh Amenemope, who reigned about 3000 years ago.

Authorities said it was taken from a restoration lab at the museum and then funneled through a chain of dealers before being melted down.

The minister said the lab didn't have security cameras.

Four suspects have been arrested, including a restoration specialist at the museum who confessed to giving the bracelet to an acquaintance who owns a silver shop in Cairo’s Sayyeda Zainab district.

It was allegedly later sold to the owner of a gold workshop for the equivalent of about $3800.

It was eventually sold for around $4000 to a worker at another gold workshop, who melted the bracelet down to make other gold jewelry.

The suspects confessed to their crimes and the money was seized, the ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

The ministry also released security camera video showing a shop owner receiving a bracelet, weighing it, and then paying one of the suspects.

Local media reported Sunday that a judge ordered the restoration specialist and her acquaintance to remain in detention for 15 more days pending further investigations.

He ordered the release of the two remaining suspects if they posted bail set at 10,000 Egyptian pounds ($207) each.

The loss of a treasure that had survived for three millennia was painful to many people in Egypt, where there is great esteem for the nation's ancient heritage.

Some questioned security measures at the museum and called for tightening these measures around the country’s treasures.

Monica Hanna, a prominent Egyptian archaeologist, called for suspending oversees exhibits “until better control” is implemented to secure the artifacts.

Hanna is the dean at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport, and campaigns for the return of Egyptian artifacts exhibited in museums overseas.

Malek Adly, an Egyptian human rights lawyer, called the theft “an alarm bell” for the government and said better security is needed for antiquities in exhibition halls and those in storage.

Amenemope ruled Egypt from Tanis in the Nile Delta during Egypt’s 21st Dynasty.

The Tanis royal necropolis was discovered by the French archaeologist Pierre Montet in 1940, according to the Egyptian Museum.

The necropolis’ collection exhibits about 2,500 ancient artifacts, including golden funerary masks, silver coffins and golden jewels.

The collection was restored in 2021 in cooperation with the Louvre Museum in Paris.

The theft reminded some of past cultural losses, including the disappearance of Vincent van Gogh’s “Poppy Flowers” — then valued at $50 million — from another Cairo museum in 2010.

The painting was first stolen in 1977 but was later recovered.

However, since its theft in 2010 it has not been found.

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Trump declares ‘hate’ for opponents at Charlie Kirk’s memorial

2025-09-22 FreeNews

US President Donald Trump praised Charlie Kirk as a "great American hero" and "martyr" for freedom as he and other prominent conservatives gathered Sunday evening to honour the slain conservative political activist whose work they say they must now advance.

The memorial service for Kirk, whom Trump credits with playing a pivotal role in his 2024 election victory, drew tens of thousands of mourners, including Vice President JD Vance, other senior administration officials and young conservatives shaped by the 31-year-old firebrand.

"He's a martyr now for America's freedom," Trump said in his tribute.

"I know I speak for everyone here today when I say that none of us will ever forget Charlie. And neither now will history."

A group of church members from Houston, including Paul Vu, left, gather outside of a memorial for conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Trump's speech was by far the lengthiest, longer even than the one given by Kirk's widow Erika.

Erika Kirk, who is the new chief executive of Turning Point USA, said Kirk's goal had been to "save" young men, including the man accused of killing him.

"I forgive him," Erika Kirk said of the alleged murderer.

Trump, in his own remarks, appeared to deviate off-script several times, including to address Erika Kirk's comments.

"(Charlie Kirk) was a missionary with a noble spirit and a great, great purpose. He did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them," Trump said.

"That's where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent, and I don't want the best for them."

Offering a shrugging apology to Erika Kirk, Trump said it just wasn't in his DNA.

"Erika, you can talk to me and the whole group, but maybe they can convince me that that's not right, but I can't stand my opponent," he said.

Trump again alluded to his thus-far unfounded claim that the "radical left" was responsible for Kirk's death.

"The gun was pointed at him, but the bullet was aimed at all of us. That bullet was aimed at every one of us," Trump said.

"Charlie was killed for expressing the very ideas that virtually everyone in this arena and most other places throughout our country, deeply believed in."

He also deviated from his prepared remarks to reveal an upcoming announcement about autism in the White House.

"I think you're going to find it to be amazing," he told the crowd. "I think we found an answer to autism."

The stadium, which had spent the previous several hours listening to remembrances of Charlie Kirk, responded politely with applause.

Trump, without revealing what he planned to say about autism, said his administration "won't let it happen anymore."

"I think it's going to be one of the most important news conferences I'll ever have, and I look so forward to it," he said, adding he believed Kirk would have also looked forward to the event.

At the end of his speech, Erika Kirk returned to the stage and she and Trump embraced.

Among the other high-profile speakers was far-right commentator Tucker Carlson, whose appearance on stage marked the blurring of a religious memorial into a political rally.

Pretending to mimic the imagined train of thought of Kirk's accused killer, Carlson said, "We'll just kill him. That'll shut him up. That'll fix the problem," followed by a giggle.

People attend a memorial for conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Attendees hold up Turning Point USA signs at the memorial service for political activist Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium on September 21, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona.

So far only one person has been charged over Kirk's death, and while the investigation is ongoing, no evidence has emerged that Kirk's death was orchestrated by any kind of network, despite furious claims by the MAGA movement all the way up to Trump that the "radical left" is at fault.

"We're going to celebrate the life of a great man today," said Trump, who told reporters he was bracing for a "tough day" as he left the White House for the service in Arizona.

Kirk's assassination at a September 10 appearance on a Utah college campus has set off a fierce debate about violence, decency, and free speech in an era of deep political division.

The shooting also has stirred fear among some Americans that Trump is trying to harness outrage over the killing as justification to suppress the voices of his critics and political opponents.

The service is at State Farm Stadium, the home of the NFL's Arizona Cardinals west of Phoenix, where Kirk's Turning Point organisation is based.

Security was tight, with a similar level of federal law enforcement presence as for the Super Bowl or other high-profile event.

Members of the public began lining up outside the stadium before dawn to secure a spot, and the 63,400-seat stadium quickly filled with people dressed in red, white and blue, as organisers suggested.

"I think that this is going to change things, and I think he made such a difference," said Crystal Herman, who travelled from Branson, Missouri.

"He deserves us to be here."

Photos of Kirk at work or with his wife, Erika, were on easels throughout the concession areas of the main concourse level. Some people posed for photos next to them.

Comments about Kirk have become a Trump administration target

Trump has blamed the "radical left" for Kirk's death and threatened to go after liberal organisations and donors or others whom he feels are maligning or celebrating Kirk's death.

Dozens of people, from journalists to teachers, have lost their jobs as prominent conservative activists and administration officials target comments about Kirk that they deem offensive or celebratory.

The retaliation has in turn ignited a debate over the First Amendment as the Republican administration promises retribution against those who air what are seen as disparaging remarks in the wake of Kirk's death.

ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show off the air indefinitely following backlash from affiliated broadcasters and the Trump-appointed head of the Federal Communications Commission over the comedian's remarks about Kirk.

A 22-year-old Utah man, Tyler Robinson, has been charged with killing Kirk and faces the death penalty if convicted of the most serious charges.

Authorities have not revealed a clear motive in the shooting, but prosecutors say Robinson wrote in a text to his partner following the shooting that he "had enough" of Kirk's hatred.

Kirk's legacy of conservative political influence

Turning Point, the group Kirk founded to mobilise young Christian conservatives, became a multimillion-dollar operation under his leadership with enormous reach.

The crowd expected to fill the stadium in Glendale for Kirk's memorial is a testament to the massive influence he accumulated in conservative America with his ability to mobilise young people.

"I think he spoke on more than just politics," said Michael Link, 29, who stopped outside the stadium to take in the scene.

"Now that he's gone, it's like who's gonna speak for us now?"

His impact on modern-day conservatism went beyond US shores.

Kirk "was very effective because he was convinced of his views and knew how to argue them," Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said at a political rally Sunday in Rome. "But he never stopped smiling, never stopped respecting his interlocutor and anyone who challenged him."

Kirk was a provocateur who at times made statements that some called racist, misogynistic, anti-immigrant and transphobic. That has drawn backlash from conservatives who view the criticism as cherry-picking a few select moments to insult the legacy they see of an inspirational conservative leader.

Kirk was a MAGA celebrity with a loyal following that turned out to support or argue with him as he travelled the country for the events like the one at Utah Valley University, where he was shot. Kirk grew the organisation, in large part, through the force of his personality and debating chops.

Arizona is the adopted home state of Kirk, who grew up outside Chicago and founded Turning Point there before moving the organisation to Phoenix. Vance has said Kirk's advocacy was a big reason Trump picked him to serve as vice president.

Scheduled speakers at the service include Trump, Vance, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

Donald Trump Jr, right-wing commentator Tucker Carlson, and White House aides Stephen Miller and Sergio Gor are also set to speak.

Also speaking will be Kirk's widow, who has been named Turning Point's new leader and has pledged that "the movement my husband built will not die."

Democratic Governor. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, whose official residence was set ablaze by a suspected arsonist in April while Shapiro was celebrating Passover with his family and friends inside, said in a television interview broadcast Sunday that Americans must now come together to find "our better angels."

"We've got to universally condemn political violence no matter where it is," Shapiro told NBC's "Meet the Press."

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One in four Australian jobs are at ‘high risk’ of automation, new research reveals

2025-09-22 FreeNews

One in four Australian jobs are at high risk of automation as robotic processes, chatbots and AI models take over tasks previously performed by humans.

AI alone could transform up to 1.5 million jobs by 2030, according to new research, and roles in retail, finance, and media are among the most affected already.

Research from Pearson has revealed that the nature of work in Australia is changing and Australians are struggling to keep up due to a growing skills gap, which could soon become a "skills chasm".

One in four Australian jobs are at 'high risk' of automation, new research reveals

And workers could lose a fortune in earnings if they don't start upskilling now.

Current employee capabilities don't always align with what employers need, and that's likely to get worse as more industries embrace AI and automation.

"Almost one in four people in Australia are going to have automation impact their employment and impact their job in the next five years," Pearson's country head Taha Haidermota told 9news.com.au.

"Jobs will change, but that doesn't mean they're going to be eliminated, they'll just be transformed into a shape or nature that you may not necessarily have today.

"It's very easy to think, oh my gosh, the robots are coming. And that isn't true."

Workers who can adapt and reskill to work alongside AI and automation will thrive.

Those who can't are likely to struggle because their existing skills won't fit new employer needs.

Such skills gaps are already making it hard for Aussies to transition from education to work and between jobs, whether due to an involuntary exit or automation disruption.

These slow transitions take a toll on individuals though lost income, job insecurity, and diminished wellbeing.

They also have a massive impact on Australia's economy, costing the nation up to $104 billion each year.

And if Australians can't adapt to new ways of working, these impacts will only get worse.

"Adaptability is going to be absolutely key over the next few years," Haidermota said.

"Because things are changing, the pace at which things are changing has increased, and the impact on ordinary Australians is how are they equipped to deal with that change?"

Which is why it's so important for workers to start future-proofing their careers now.

Pearson's report suggests the best ways to do so are by prioritising upskilling and "learning to learn", and moving away from outdated linear career paths.

Workers who learn to adapt to career changes and reskill effectively are less likely to be negatively impacted by automation and AI.

They could see wage growth of up to 12 per cent within two years, and boost the economy by slashing the time it takes workers to transition between roles.

Large industrial warehouse with machinery and yellow support structures , with steel and metal processing equipment

Employers should prioritise upskilling opportunities for staff, whether it be on-the-job training or external education, to better prepare them for the changing nature of work.

Skills that will be most in-demand in the coming years will include collaboration, customer focus, and cultural and social intelligence.

Gone are the days where one-time education could launch workers into a career they'd stick to for the rest of their working lives.

Instead, Aussies will need to embrace career pivots outside the traditional path of attending university and climbing a linear career ladder.

Have you got a story? Contact reporter Maddison Leach at Google Play.

What happens if you call triple zero?

What happened with Optus triple-zero calls?

What comes next? ﻿

Comments about Kirk have become a Trump administration target

Kirk's legacy of conservative political influence

What comes next?