Tom Flanagan
Australian news live: Woman, 19, found dead in Bondi unit identified, Million Dollar Fish winner's on-air apology
Another woman's body has been found at a Brisbane unit, with the nation's leaders meeting to discuss the country's domestic violence crisis.
Tom Flanagan
·Homepage and Live Editor
Updated
Yahoo's live blog for Wednesday, April 1 has now concluded.
One of the biggest stories from the day was Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's near-$1 billion pledge to women facing domestic violence situations. Women fleeing dangerous relationships will be able to apply for $5,000 in support as part of the reform agreed today with state and territory leaders.
The 19-year-old woman found dead in a Bondi unit on Tuesday has been identified as Yolonda Mumbulla, who friends say was "full of joy".
Below is more information on those stories and other talking points of the day.
LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER11 updates
House set to become Australia's most expensive
A huge harbourside home in Sydney is expected to sell for over $200 million, making it the most expensive residence in the country by some distance.
The four-storey home in the exclusive suburb of Point Piper, in between Double Bay and Rose Bay, has its own movie theatre, an eight-car garage and surprisingly just four bedrooms, however has a separate two-bed apartment attached.
Listing agent Ken Jacobs told Nine the home should easily eclipse the $130 million paid for another Point Piper home in 2022, and should achieve north of $200 million.
- Tom Flanagan
Qantas apologises after serious data breach
Qantas has "sincerely apologised" to customers after a security breach on Wednesday morning saw multiple passengers' details and boarding passes widely distributed, with many travellers claiming they could make changes and even cancel bookings of complete strangers.
Read more here.
- Tom Flanagan
Iconic pub removes meat from its menu in Aussie first
The chicken parmi (or parma depending on where you're from) is a staple on any Aussie pub menu. But for one long-running pub, it's had a major makeover.
The Chippo Hotel in Sydney's inner-city Chippendale has become what it says is the first ever all-vegan pub in the country.
But they stress their vegetarian replicas of classic pub meals "satisfy even the most die-hard meat eaters".
Owner Bhavani Baumann said he hoped the venue could become a "go-to spot for the community".
What are your thoughts on the unprecedented move?
- Tom Flanagan
Women at risk of domestic violence able to access $5,000 in support
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has committed close to $1 billion dollars to tackle violence against women after meeting with state and territory leaders on Wednesday.
Under the reforms agreed upon, women looking to get out of dangerous situations will be eligible to access $5,000 in support and receive access to referral services and risk assessments.
Read more here.
- Tom Flanagan
Staff member pretending to be patient took ambulance to hospital
A hospital staff member pretending to be a patient arrived by ambulance in a bid to convince visiting Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas the facility was busier than it was.
New details have been shared about the August incident in a report released this week, which detailed how several staff members at Colac Area Health claimed they were patients needing urgent care.
“These staff members were registered as patients in the urgent care centre registration system. Their registrations were later cancelled after I had left," Thomas said.
One fake patient was a staff member on a trolley, the minister said, and at the time she did not think anything untoward was happening at the facility.
“I’m very disappointed. I don’t need our health services to be staging fake patients to know that our health system is facing challenges,” she said.
Read more here.
- Tom Flanagan
Teen found dead in Bondi apartment was 'full of joy'
Warning: Readers are advised the following report contains the name and image of a deceased Indigenous person.
The 19-year-old woman found dead in a Bondi apartment on Tuesday has been identified by a friend as Yolonda Mumbulla.
“With such sad and sudden news, we ask for your help in giving her a beautiful send off," they said in a GoFundMe post.
“Yolonda always had such an uplifting spirit, she was funny, full of joy and she was always there to help anyone.”
A post-mortem examination will be conducted to determine the cause of her death.
Two men have been charged with drug offences after the discovery of Mumbulla's body.
- Tom Flanagan
Teen winner of Million Dollar Fish reveals dark past
A Northern Territory teen who scooped the life-changing top prize in the territory's Million Dollar Fish competition has issued an apology live on TV after his troubled past was brought up.
Keegan Payne, 19, was pressed by Sky News’ Peter Stefanovic about a story circulating on social media claiming the teen being involved in vehicle theft, the NT News reported.
“There is a claim online that you stole a Polaris Ranger and Polaris quad that you and your friends stole and damaged from a business a few years back, first of all, is that true?” Stefanovic asked.
Payne confirmed it was, saying it was a "big regret" from his younger years.
He addressed the business owner directly telling him he's "finally done it, I’m richer".
“Sorry about your buggy, and I wish I could pay you back," he continued. “I’m very sorry. Sorry for you and your wife and your business.”
- Tom Flanagan
Council crackdown as residents' bin rates go elsewhere
A local government minister has vowed to crack down on councils after dozens were accused of lacking transparency on where ratepayers' money was going.
An investigation from Council Watch revealed some councils in Victoria were using millions of dollars collected for kerbside rubbish services for other costs, Nine News reported.
According to data obtained by Council Watch, Frankston City Council used close to $3 million for street cleaning, $425,000 for graffiti management and $2.1 million for rubbish pickup in public places. The costs were attributed as "waste charges" and from funds collected for residents' bins.
"They're meant to be collecting fees for the services they actually provide but instead what they've decided to do is move things like street sweeping and graffiti into kerbside waste levies," Council Watch CEO Dean Hurlston said.
While Frankston Council says what it is doing is legal, Victoria's Local Government Minister Melissa Horne said the move was "outside the guidelines".
- Tom Flanagan
Two men charged after teen's body found at Bondi unit
Two men have been charged with drug offences after a 19-year-old woman's body was found in a Bondi unit on Tuesday.
A 32-year-old man was hit with multiple charges including entering a vehicle or boat without consent, hindering police, and possessing suspected stolen goods.
A 34-year-old was arrested after a search warrant was executed on a home 2km away, and was charged with two counts of possessing prohibited drugs.
The 32-year-old will font court today while the 34-year-old is due to appear in court in June. They have not been charged in relation to the teen's death.
Police say investigations into the cause of the woman's death are ongoing, with misadventure a line of inquiry.
- Tom Flanagan
Update after world-famous tree cut down
Months after the felling of an iconic tree made headlines around the world, two men have finally been charged over the incident.
The 200-year-old Sycamore Gap tree in the UK county of Northumberland, which appeared in the Kevin Costner film Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves, was felled in September last year, sparking outrage across Britain.
A 38-year-old and 31-year-old have been charged with causing criminal damage to the tree and the adjacent Hadrian's Wall.
Read more here.
- Tom Flanagan
King Charles returns to royal duties after cancer diagnosis
King Charles has returned to royal duties following his cancer diagnosis. The 75-year-old visited a cancer treatment centre in London and met with fellow cancer sufferers.
Speaking with one female patient, he said: "It's always a bit of a shock, isn't it, when they tell you?"
He revealed hours later he too would be receiving treatment.
Read more here.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.