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Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has been accused of going "rogue" after penning a letter to US Republicans vowing to reverse Australia's recognition of Palestinian statehood.

In an unprecedented move, Ley wrote to US Republicans to assure Congress members a Coalition government would revoke Palestinian recognition if elected.

The letter was reportedly sent to a group of Trump allies ahead of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's address to the United Nations in New York City, after he formally confirmed Australia's position on a Palestinian state.

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"I write to reassure you, and the Congress, that this decision taken at this time by the Labor government does not enjoy bipartisan support here in Australia," Ley wrote in an excerpt of the letter published by the Sydney Morning Herald.

"The federal opposition opposes this decision and would reverse it should we form government."

The opposition leader said the decision "does not reflect the view of a majority of Australians" and references an August Resolve poll which said 44 per cent of voters believed the government should not recognise statehood.

Another 32 per cent said Labor should have waited until Hamas was destabilised and a further 24 per cent supported the federal government's announcement.

Ley later said she spoke with Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar to "express my disappointment" with Albanese's announcement.

"I expressed my disappointment at this break with bipartisanship and reiterated the Coalition's long-held position that recognition must only come at the end of a genuine two-state process," Ley said in a post on X.

"Now is the wrong time while Hamas holds hostages and while conflict still rages.

"I voiced concerns for Australia's Jewish community, the rise of antisemitism, and the humanitarian toll of the conflict. I also expressed my hope for the safe return of hostages and a ceasefire as soon as possible.

"The Coalition will continue to stand firmly with Israel and oppose reckless decisions that reward terrorists."

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Liberal Senator Andrew Bragg told Today this morning that Ley wanted American politicians to "know that this is not something that's widely supported here in Australia".

Bragg also described Albanese's move as a "deeply unserious" proposal.

Communications Minister Amanda Rishworth said it was Ley simply "shoring up" her interests locally.

She said Ley was hurting Australia's reputation as a united front.

"I do think that she has misstepped here," Rishworth told Today. 

"I think, quite frankly, I think this is more about her shoring up her political survival than it actually is about what's in Australia's interests."

Foreign Minister Penny Wong backed Rishworth's remarks.

She told the ABC's Radio National Breakfast that Ley was running a "rogue foreign policy" by contradicting Australia's official position on Palestine.

"It is possible to back Australia and still be an effective opposition, and really, it's time that Ms Ley and the Liberals understood that," Wong said. 

"We know we're strongest when we speak with one voice, we all understand that as Australians, and the opposition should understand that too."

Albanese addressed the UN General Assembly in New York hours after Australia formally recognised a Palestinian state.

"Working together, we can build a future where instead of children in Gaza dying in pain, living in fear, or being taught to hate – they can go to school, build a 'life in larger freedom', aspire to raise children of their own," he said earlier today.

"That future depends on recognition being followed by reconstruction and reform."

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A serial rapist known as the "Night Stalker" has admitted sexually assaulting eight women after a decades-old crime spree that terrified millions of Australians.

WARNING: This story contains details and content that some readers may find distressing.

At least 10 women reported being assaulted in Sydney's Moore Park and Inner West areas between 1991 and 1993, leading media to decry the "Night Stalker" or the "Moore Park Rapist".

After more than three decades, breakthroughs in forensic technology led to the arrest of Glenn Gary Cameron at Sydney International Airport in February 2024. 

The 61-year-old was charged with dozens of offences related to eight of the women who were targeted after dark during the years-long crime spree.

After managing to keep his identity as the rapist secret for 30 years, Cameron appeared in the Downing Centre Local Court today to admit 18 sexual assaults and one attempted sexual assault.

The Alice Springs resident wore rectangular glasses on a clean-shaven face, with his white hair contrasting his green prison tracksuit.

He admitted raping eight women while wielding a variety of knives, which he threatened to use on the victims.

Then aged in his 20s, he indecently assaulted each of the eight women and detained one of them at knifepoint for his sexual gratification.

One of the complainants was groped and raped five times in the span of half an hour at Moore Park.

Cameron pleaded guilty to 13 charges, with another 14 to be taken into consideration when he is sentenced later in the year.

Nine charges – including that Cameron punched two women in the head, hit another in the face multiple times, and robbed two women – were withdrawn by prosecutors. 

He will face the NSW District Court on October 24 before being sentenced for his crimes. 

Cameron's arrest was made possible by a forensic review of the historical sexual assaults, which used modern DNA and fingerprint technologies.

At the time, a magistrate made suppression orders that prevented the media from identifying Cameron or publishing the charges against him.

The court order was quietly revoked in May.

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

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Hugo McGregor lived for only five days before his parents made the heartbreaking decision to turn off his life support.

An inquest into Hugo's hospital death is under way in the Queensland coroners court at Townsville, detailing the string of problems encountered before the family's gut-wrenching call.

Hugo was born on March 11, 2023, and died five days later when parents Jenna and Andre made the painful decision to turn off life support.

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The cause of death was listed as a brain injury from a lack of oxygen or blood flow at birth.

There had been no sign of trouble throughout McGregor's pregnancy, but when she went into labour and was transferred to Mackay Base Hospital on March 11, her delivery failed to progress.

After hours of labour, nurse Sharni Dolphin told the coroner she was concerned when Hugo's heart rate began to drop just after 4pm.

"I noticed that Hugo's heart rate had a bradycardia (abnormally slow heart rate), it was reduced down to 50 to 60 beats per minute," she told the court.

When medical attempts to progress the labour failed, the doctor ordered an emergency caesarean.

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Dolphin said there was disagreement over treatment between medical staff in the operating theatre.

"I had voiced my concern in the room to say that I could no longer hear Hugo's heart rate, and that because they were discussing wanting to do a spinal anaesthetic, and I said it wasn't appropriate," she said.

"I said 'no, we need to do a general anaesthetic. Hugo's heart rate had been down for some time, and a spinal is not appropriate' and he (the doctor) told me pretty much that he wasn't talking to me.

"My concern was that I didn't think a spinal should have been performed. I feel a general anaesthetic should have been done straight away … so we could have got baby Hugo out faster."

Midwife Jesse Potts also gave evidence that there had been concerns surrounding an epidural administered earlier in labour as McGregor was still suffering breakthrough pain.

"(The anaesthetist) looked at the pump and advised that the epidural infusion settings were incorrect," the midwife said.

The medical team leader disagreed and overruled the correction ordered by the anaesthetist.

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McGregor was given Syntocinon, a medication to increase the speed of labour, and the baby's heart rate plummeted.

While the fetal alarm sounded, doctors tried to slow contractions using Terbutaline before determining Hugo would be delivered by emergency caesarean.

More problems were encountered during the procedure, the court was told.

Hugo had no heartbeat when delivered and when suction was ordered to clear his airway and start his breathing, the machine failed, and staff resorted to CPR to resuscitate the newborn.

Despite the efforts of the medical staff, Hugo was unable to survive when life support was turned off.

Hugo's death followed a damning report into Mackay Hospital's obstetrics and gynaecology services in 2022, which found catastrophic failings led to the death of three infants.

The report called for systematic change, issuing 122 recommendations that included improving communication, culture and empathy towards patients.

The inquest before Deputy State Coroner Stephanie Gallagher is scheduled to run until Friday.

The Red Nose Grief and Loss Support Line is available 24/7 for anyone affected by the loss of a pregnancy, stillbirth or death of a baby or child on 1300 308 307.

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Five days of rugby to decide Hawke’s Bay’s representative primary schools champions.