Australia news LIVE:Biloela family return home;Albanese and Ardern meet in Sydney;Calls for national COVID-19 database;state and federal ministers disagree over fossil fuels

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Wrapping up today’s live coverage

ByAngus Thomson

That’s where we’ll leave today’s live coverage. Thanks for joining us.

Here’s a summary of today’s top stories:

Thanks for following along. Our live coverage will resume next Tuesday. Until then,we hope you have a happy and safe long weekend.

LATEST UPDATES

Please Explain:Adele Ferguson on blowing the whistle on the cosmetics industry

Australians spend more than one billion dollars a year on body-altering cosmetic procedures. From Brazilian butt lifts to fat-zapping procedures,breast enhancements and facelifts,the cosmetic surgery industry is huge.

Now,a joint investigation byThe Sydney Morning Herald,The Age,and60 Minutes has uncovered how the industry leaves patients unprotected,puts profits before safety and the laws that allow doctors with minimal surgical training to call themselves cosmetic surgeons.

Adele Ferguson is the journalist who investigated Australia’s cosmetic cowboys and she joins hostNathanael Cooperfor today’s episode ofPlease Explain.

A wrap of today’s markets

ByColin Kruger

The ASX200 dropped below 7,000 points for the first in four weeks - down 1.25 per cent to 6,932 - ensuring the market had its biggest weekly decline for the year.

The interest rate sensitive finance and real estate sectors took the biggest hammering after the RBA’s shock rate rise.

All sectors finished lower on Friday with real estate dropping 2.85 per cent while the communications sector,tech,financials,consumer discretionary,energy and materials all closed more than 1 per cent lower.

Queues look to have eased at Sydney Airport

ByAngus Thomson

Hi everyone,Angus Thomson here taking you into the long weekend.

As we reportedthis morning,thousands of travellers looking to get a head start on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend faced long queues at Sydney Airport as early as 5 am.

Nicola Kypteos and Maddy Caesar battle lengthy queues at Sydney Airport on Friday morning.

Nicola Kypteos and Maddy Caesar battle lengthy queues at Sydney Airport on Friday morning.Oscar Colman

TheHerald spoke to travellers Nicola Kypteos and Maddy Caesar,two of 80,000 holidaymakers expected to move through the airport today,who “just made it” on the plane to Brisbane for their connecting flight to Bali tomorrow.

Barista Sonya Paridisis was charged with easing the pain for passengers by providing free coffee in the overflowing queue. Crowds started to ease from 10 am but may peak again later this afternoon.

Sonya Paridisis serving coffee in the overflow area at Sydney Airport.

Sonya Paridisis serving coffee in the overflow area at Sydney Airport.Oscar Colman

A further 60,000 travellers are expected on both Saturday and Sunday,followed by 70,000 on Monday.

An airport spokesperson said it was important that holidaymakers continued to arrive at the airport two hours before their scheduled departure time.

Tamil family happy to start ‘new life’ among friends in Biloela

ByStuart Layt

Priya,Nades and supporters spoke to media outside Thangool Airport a short time after touching down.

Priya said she was “very happy” to be home.

Priya and Nades Murugappan and their daughters Kopika and Tharnicaa arrive home to Biloela.

Priya and Nades Murugappan and their daughters Kopika and Tharnicaa arrive home to Biloela.Getty

“Me and my family are very happy again[to] start our journey back to my community Bilo,” the mother of Kopika,6,and Tharnicaa,4,said.

“Thank you to all in Bilo community. I’m starting a new life … so happy,thank you.”

Family friend and supporter Bronwyn Dendle said the family’s return proved that “love really does conquer all”.

“It’s a special day for me personally because I haven’t had the opportunity to see my friends in the flesh since they were unnecessarily taken from us over four years ago,” she said.

“But it’s also a really special day for the community of Biloela and Australia.

“We are so,so grateful to have our beautiful little family home with us in Biloela.”

WATCH:A ‘very special day’ for the Biloela community

ByAngus Thomson

The Murugappan family spoke to the media after being reunited with friends and supporters in the Queensland community of Biloela.

Here’s what they had to say.

The Murugappan family have finally arrived back in Biloela.

Returned traveller confirmed as eighth monkeypox case

A man in his 40s returning to Victoria from travel overseas has been confirmed as the eighth case of monkeypox detected in Australia.

He is in isolation as the Victorian Health Department contacts a small number of his close contacts. Victoria’s Deputy Chief Health Officer,associate professor Deborah Friedman,said anyone with monkeypox symptoms including fever,head and muscle aches and exhaustion should seek immediate medical care,wear a mask and isolate.

The disease can be transmitted from person to person through air droplets,close bodily contact or sharing contaminated linens or objects.

Monkeypox is endemic in some parts of Africa,but a number of cases have been reported in several countries over the past month.

Eight cases have been confirmed in Australia so far,including five in NSW and three in Victoria.

AAP

Tears and cheers as Tamil asylum seeker family finally arrive ‘Home to Bilo’

ByStuart Layt

The family of Tamil asylum seekers held in immigration detention for four years have arrived back in the regional Queensland town of Biloela.

The family - mother Priya,her husband Nades and their Australian-born daughters Kopika,6,and Tharnicaa,4 - were greeted with cheers from a small but vocal contingent of local supporters.

Isabelle Kelleher holds a welcome sign ahead of the Murugappan family’s return to Biloela.

Isabelle Kelleher holds a welcome sign ahead of the Murugappan family’s return to Biloela.Getty

The family flew into the town from Brisbane on Friday,after the change in the federal government paved the way for their return from immigration detention in Perth.

They were taken from Biloela in March 2018 and were held at the Christmas Island detention centre for two years until former immigration minister Alex Hawke moved them to community detention in Perth in mid-2021.

Since their removal from Biloela,locals and activists launched a campaign to bring the family “Home to Bilo” where they have strong ties to the local community.

Today’s headlines at a glance

ByAshleigh McMillan

Thanks for reading our live news blog today. Here’s a recap of what has been making headlines so far:

I’m off for the day,Angus Thomson will be taking over our live blog for the rest of your Friday. Thanks again for your company and have a wonderful weekend!

Trump incited January 6 Capitol attack,says congressional committee

ByFarrah Tomazin

Washington:Former US president Donald Trump incited the January 6 Capitol attack and was central to a sweeping and methodical conspiracy to overturn the 2020 US election despite the advice of his top aides and family members,a year-long investigation has found.

In its explosive first public hearing,the Congressional committee investigating last year’s violent insurrection claimed that the attack was an “attempted coup” that put “2½ centuries of constitutional democracy at risk”,and that Trump was central to its execution.

The US Capitol riot. Inset:Former US President Donald Trump.

The US Capitol riot. Inset:Former US President Donald Trump.Supplied

“There is no room for debate. Those who invaded our capital and battled law enforcement for hours were motivated by what president Trump had told them:that the election was stolen,and that he was the rightful president,” said the committee’s vice-chair,Republican Liz Cheney,who has broken ranks with her party to lead the committee.

“Trump summoned the mob,assembled the mob and lit the flame of this attack.”

The January 6 insurgency took place shortly after Trump gave an incendiary speech to thousands of supporters repeating his false claims that the 2020 election was rigged,urging them to “fight like hell” to stop Joe Biden’s victory from being certified by Congress that day.

The attack on the Capitol left several people dead,about 150 police officers injured and a nation shocked and divided.

We also ran a live blog of the Congressional committee hearing,you can read back here.

Ashleigh McMillan is a breaking news reporter at The Age.

Angus Thomson is a reporter covering health at the Sydney Morning Herald.

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