Australia news LIVE: Joyce acknowledges contentious debate over Hastie, Roberts-Smith issue; UN’s atomic watchdog confirms activity at Iranian site suspected of housing nuclear activities

Emily KaineUpdated September 11, 2026 — 7:47am,first published 6:45amKey PostsWhat’s making news todayBy Emily KaineHello and welcome to our coverage of national news for Friday, September 11. Here’s what is making headlines today. Today marks 25 years since 9/11, when twin planes hit the World Trade Centre towers in New York. Terrorists hijacked four passenger planes. Two were deliberately crashed into the towers in New York, another into the Pentagon building in Virginia. The final plane exploded in a field in Pennsylvania. The death toll from that day was 2977, including 10 Australians.Former prime minister Kevin Rudd used a National Press Club address yesterday to warn that Australia is operating on borrowed time, as he challenged the prime minister and business leaders to pursue a more ambitious policy agenda, including sweeping government intervention in the economy.One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce has acknowledged the “contentious” political debate swirling around accused war criminal Ben Roberts-Smith, after apologising to Andrew Hastie for a cartoon that branded the Liberal frontbencher a traitor.The Coalition rejected Labor’s proposed Digital Duty of Care Bill yesterday, which would fine social media companies for not preventing harm to users under the age of 18, calling it censorious.The United Nations atomic watchdog says it has observed construction activity at Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain, a heavily fortified site suspected of housing nuclear-related activities. remote imagery indicates new movement at the site just south of Tehran’s main uranium-enrichment plant, IAEA director general Rafael Mariano Grossi said.Latest Posts7.47amPM, deputy and foreign minister commemorate lives lost on 9/11By Emily KaineThe prime minister, deputy prime minister and foreign minister have commemorated the thousands of lives lost 25 years ago, as the world halts to remember the anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks in the US. Here’s what their joint statement said. Today marks 25 years since the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, which claimed the lives of thousands of innocent people in the United States and from countries around the world. On this solemn day, we remember the 2,977 people killed in New York, Washington DC and in Pennsylvania, including 10 Australians whose lives were tragically cut short far from home.We acknowledge the grief carried by their loved ones. We also honour the courage and selflessness shown in the face of unimaginable horror. First responders ran towards danger to help others. Ordinary people reached for one another. In the worst of circumstances, we saw extraordinary acts of courage, compassion and humanity. Today is also a moment to reflect on the resilience shown in the face of profound loss. Australia remembers those whose lives were taken, those who survived, those we’ve lost since, and all those who continue to carry the weight of that day. We honour their memory and we reaffirm our resolve to stand against terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms.7.25amMarles: One Nation’s attacks on Hastie ‘an insult to all veterans’By Emily KaineMinister for Defence Richard Marles has said that One Nation’s attacks on Andrew Hastie are “an insult to all veterans” as he joined calls for the party to remove a cartoon which labelled the former SAS member a “traitor”.“Andrew Hastie is most definitely not a traitor. I, you know, I know Andrew well, and I’ve said this publicly before. I very much honour the service that Andrew Hastie has given to our country, wearing our nation’s uniform, and I think to use that word in respect of a veteran is extremely tasteless,” he told ABC’s News Breakfast this morning.Defence Minister Richard Marles.Alex Ellinghausen“As the defence minister, I’ve not served in the way Andrew has, but I feel an enormous sense of responsibility, but also privilege for being able to work with those who serve, and I know what comes with that.”Marles said One Nation should take down the video. “It is utterly tasteless … I do think it’s an insult to all veterans.” 7.09amSharma: Lambie’s attack on Hanson ‘entirely deserved’ By Emily KaineLiberal senator Dave Sharma said Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie’s attack on Pauline Hanson was “entirely deserved” as pressure mounts on the One Nation leader to remove a cartoon labelling Liberal MP and former SAS veteran Andrew Hastie a “traitor”.“Andrew Hastie, anyone who served in uniform deserves the respect of our nation, and for Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce and One Nation to denigrate his service in a cartoon, I think is just beyond the pale,” Sharma told Nine’s Today show.Liberal senator Dave Sharma.Alex EllinghausenYesterday, Lambie, who served in the army for more than a decade, called Hanson a “bloody maggot” for her attack on a veteran.“What [Hanson’s] doing in those cartoons is absolutely disgusting. They are full of bloody violence. I mean, how people can watch that rubbish is beyond me,” she said.“That woman is nothing less than a bloody coward. She always has been, and she always will be. She wouldn’t last one day in that goddamn uniform. Leave our veterans alone.”6.45amUN nuclear watchdog confirms activity at Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain; Trump threatens attackBy The United Nations atomic watchdog says it has observed construction activity at Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain, a heavily fortified site suspected of housing nuclear-related activities.The International Atomic Energy Agency has yet to inspect inside the tunnel complex but remote imagery indicates new movement at the site just south of Tehran’s main uranium-enrichment plant, IAEA director general Rafael Mariano Grossi said.“There are some indications that there is movement around this construction site,” Grossi said.Grossi commented after the IAEA’s board of governors referred Iran’s nuclear file to the UN Security Council for non-compliance with requirements related to its atomic activities.“We notice there’s a little activity at Pickaxe,” US President Donald Trump said at a Republican rally on Wednesday. “I would advise Iran not to get cute because we will have to hit them very hard.”6.37amJoyce acknowledges ‘lots of contention’ around Ben Roberts-Smith By Brittany BuschOne Nation MP Barnaby Joyce has acknowledged the “contentious” political debate swirling around accused war criminal Ben Roberts-Smith, after apologising to Andrew Hastie for a cartoon that branded the Liberal frontbencher a traitor. Party leader Pauline Hanson, who has backed Roberts-Smith as he faces allegations of the war crime of murder, has refused to scrub the episode of Please Explain from her social media. In it, Hastie is labelled a traitor for testifying in Roberts-Smith’s failed defamation action against this masthead.Asked on News24 last night whether he was worried about backlash from veterans for the party’s attack on a former SAS captain, Joyce said many of his close friends had served, and he had been in the reserves.“I’m not blind to this issue,” he said.“I know that there’s a lot of contention around Mr Roberts-Smith. And you know, I’ve heard both sides of the argument on this one.”What’s making news todayBy Emily KaineHello and welcome to our coverage of national news for Friday, September 11. Here’s what is making headlines today. Today marks 25 years since 9/11, when twin planes hit the World Trade Centre towers in New York. Terrorists hijacked four passenger planes. Two were deliberately crashed into the towers in New York, another into the Pentagon building in Virginia. The final plane exploded in a field in Pennsylvania. The death toll from that day was 2977, including 10 Australians.Former prime minister Kevin Rudd used a National Press Club address yesterday to warn that Australia is operating on borrowed time, as he challenged the prime minister and business leaders to pursue a more ambitious policy agenda, including sweeping government intervention in the economy.One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce has acknowledged the “contentious” political debate swirling around accused war criminal Ben Roberts-Smith, after apologising to Andrew Hastie for a cartoon that branded the Liberal frontbencher a traitor.The Coalition rejected Labor’s proposed Digital Duty of Care Bill yesterday, which would fine social media companies for not preventing harm to users under the age of 18, calling it censorious.The United Nations atomic watchdog says it has observed construction activity at Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain, a heavily fortified site suspected of housing nuclear-related activities. remote imagery indicates new movement at the site just south of Tehran’s main uranium-enrichment plant, IAEA director general Rafael Mariano Grossi said.1 of 1