Here is a look at what is making news around the country today.
Today’s national news includes ABF arresting a man for alleged import of date-rape drugs, LNP members slammed for misrepresenting their position on abortion, Vietnam and Australia aiming for a bilateral trade goal of US$20 billion, and buyer interest strong enough to offset significant rate hikes.
National
Australian Border Force arrests man for alleged import of date-rape drugs
Australian Border Force officers have stopped a massive alleged 22.6kg date-rape drug haul after seizing two packages imported from China into NSW with liquid bottles that allegedly tested positive for 1,4 Butanediol, colloquially known as a “date-rape” drug, News.com.au reported. The packages were marked for a Davoren Park address in Adelaide’s outer north. A 35-year-old man allegedly accepted the packages in a police sting operation, the ABF said on Saturday. The police have charged the man with importing a commercial quantity of border-controlled drugs and possessing a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported border-controlled drug. The man appeared at Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Thursday, where he was remanded in custody for a committal hearing on December 12.
Politics
LNP members slammed for misrepresenting their position on abortion
The Queensland Premier is demanding all LNP candidates and MPs reveal their stance on abortion – claiming they are lying about their intention to change laws to win next week’s state election, Sky News reported. This comes as LNP candidate for Stretton Freya Ostapovitch was recorded telling early voters she was ‘pro-life’ but had to hide it until after the election. Steven Miles is in the state’s far north – unveiling a plan to tackle youth crime and taste-testing the free school lunches he’s promised to serve if re-elected.
Trade
Vietnam and Australia aim for a bilateral trade goal of US$20 billion
Vietnam and Australia agreed to enhance their trade and investment ties, striving to reach the target of US$20 billion in bilateral trade at their 6th Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Adelaide last week, The Star has reported. Australia will continue supporting Vietnam in technological research and development, green technology, infrastructure development in energy transition, digital infrastructure, human resources development through official development assistance (ODA) and investment projects, grant more scholarships to Vietnamese students, and expand cooperation and connectivity between educational institutions of the two countries. Officials of both countries signed an action programme to implement the Comprehensive strategic partnership for 2024-27.
Real estate
Buyer interest strong enough to offset significant rate hikes
Sky News has reported that REA Group Senior Economist Paul Ryan says buyer demand has been “strong enough” in Australia to “outweigh the big increase” in interest rates. “The thing that has typified the housing market for the past two years has been robust buyer demand,” Mr Ryan said. “Really across the whole country, particularly in the smaller capitals, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth. Buyer demand has been strong enough to outweigh the big increases of interest rates we’ve been seeing since 2022.”
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