Police arrest the release two people in Porepunkah
Cait Kelly
Police have taken two people into custody last night as part of their investigation into the fatal shooting of two police officers and serious injury to a third during the execution of a search warrant in Porepunkah this week.
In a statement they said:
Fugitive squad detectives, along with Special Operations Group members, attended a Porepunkah address about 8.40pm.
A 42-year-old woman and 15-year-old boy were safely arrested at the address and taken into custody.
The Porepunkah pair were interviewed and released pending further enquiries.
The arrests form part of the ongoing investigation into the deaths of Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart, who were killed in the line of duty.
A third officer, a 56-year-old male detective leading senior constable, remains in hospital after being shot in the lower body.
The officers were part of a group of 10 members who were attacked while executing a search warrant at a Rayner Track property shortly after 10.30am on Tuesday, 26 August.
Extensive searches remain ongoing for the offender Desmond Filby, also known as Desmond Freeman, whose location remains unknown.
We urge the public in and around the township of Porepunkah to remain vigilant and report any sightings or suspicious behaviour by calling Triple Zero (000).
Detectives from Crime Command, including the homicide squad and fugitive squad, are investigating the incident.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
Key events
Cait Kelly
N0-fly zone extended in Porepunkah
Victoria police have just extended the no-fly zone around Porepunkah until 11.30pm Sunday.
This includes aircraft and drones, and has been put in place both for safety reasons as it’s believed Dezi Freeman is heavily armed, as well as “potential implications associated with the suspect tracking police movements based off media coverage”.
Littleproud says net zero not the only way to address climate change
David Littleproud, the Nationals leader, addressed some in his party’s opposition to net zero on RN Breakfast earlier this morning, saying while he believes in climate change Australia would be better served by other methods to address it.
He told RN Breakfast:
I don’t think that net zero is the only way to address climate change. I believe in climate change. I believe that man has made a contribution to that.
But it’s a pure old debate to say that if you don’t believe in net zero, you don’t believe in climate change. What you can do is be sensible about reducing emissions, how you do it in a uniquely Australian way, and making sure that you do that in an affordable way for Australians. And we’re not going to run away from that.
Littleproud would not say what he believes the emissions target for 2035 should be, adding that any conversation round climate change should take into account the impact on everyday Australians:
What I’m saying is, we need to think logically about the opportunities that Australia has to reduce emissions, but not at any cost.
Read more here:
Byron shire council votes to boycott companies operating in illegal Israeli settlements
Daisy Dumas
Byron shire council will boycott companies operating in illegal Israeli settlements in Gaza and Palestinian territories after the council voted in favour of the motion on Thursday.
The original motion was co-sponsored by Greens councillor Elia Hauge and included the list of companies that were included in a report earlier this year by the UN’s special rapporteur, Francesca Albanese, which was titled From Economy of Occupation to Economy of Genocide, as well as a UN list from 2023.
A second motion, put by Labor councillor Asren Pugh and carried, referred to the 2023 list only.
Among the companies to be boycotted are Airbnb, Expedia, Tripadvisor and Booking.com, Hauge confirmed.
In a statement, she said:
Ethical procurement is core council business. People here don’t want their rates funding companies that demolish homes, displace families, or profit from killing civilians. This is good governance – and good conscience.
Subhi Awad from Northern Rivers Friends of Palestine said:
Our community, and communities across this country, do not want our money going to bombing hospitals and killing kids. This isn’t about division or anything else, it’s about basic human decency.
Byron council has previously divested from fossil fuels, nuclear power, weapons, tobacco, and gambling, according to the statement.
Cait Kelly
More from Porepunkah this morning
While police continued to raid properties overnight, the helicopter is out this morning flying low over the town of porepunkah.
The roadblock near Dezi Freeman’s old property that police have set up the last two afternoons has been removed.
There is now just a large sign telling people Mount Buffalo national park is closed.
Nine journalist’s question was not ‘personally derogatory to Bob Katter’, Littleproud says
Littleproud went on to say he didn’t believe the journalist had asked any question that was offensive, telling RN Breakfast:
I mean, this is all about show now rather than substance. And I don’t think from what I saw of the transcript, the journalist asked any question that was personally derogatory to Bob Katter, but that’s a matter for him.
I think the journalist did everything he did professionally, and I just think that we don’t need to get to that sort of level of puerile behaviour of a federal member of parliament.
Littleproud says Bob Katter’s threat towards journalist yesterday not ‘becoming’
Nationals leader David Littleproud said he would like independent MP Bob Katter to apologise after threatening to punch a journalist yesterday, but he “doubts” he will, adding such comments were not “becoming” of lawmakers in parliament.
Littleproud spoke to RN Breakfast after the incident, which came after a journalist commented on Katter’s heritage while asking about his support for an anti-immigration marches planned this weekend. Littleproud said this morning:
Look, I don’t think that’s becoming. It doesn’t matter who you are or how iconic you think you are. We’ve been given a privileged place in parliament to go and to actually debate ideas with intellect.
And we’ve got to be better than that. And, you know, yeah, Bob wears the big hat and it all seems all great and bravado. But I mean, I get questions that I don’t like to answer. But when you put yourself into the public sphere and you have that privilege of sitting in that great building of parliament facing the most sacred building, you’ve got to live up to your responsibility.
And I don’t think that sort of behaviour is appropriate for a federal member of parliament.
Ben Doherty
Expelled ambassador says allegations against Iran ‘baseless’ during Sydney airport exit
Iran’s former ambassador to Australia – now persona non grata – denied allegations his government was behind two antisemitic arson attacks in Australia, describing the accusations as “baseless” as he left the country.
Ahmad Sadeghi faced media questioning at Sydney airport before boarding a flight out of Australia yesterday.
On Tuesday, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said Iran’s paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was ultimately behind two antisemitic arson attacks last year: one on the Lewis Continental Kitchen in Bondi and another on the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne. There were no injuries in either attack.
The federal government has expelled Sadeghi – the first such expulsion since the second world war – and will move to prescribe the IRGC as a terrorist organisation. There was no accusation current Iranian diplomats or embassy staff were involved.
Read more here:
Cait Kelly
Neighbours of raided property say they saw flashing lights
Two neighbours on the street said they did not hear anything while the raid was conducted but one said he saw flashing lights.
They said they did not know the neighbours.
It’s at least the third raid on a property within the area in 24 hours.
Cait Kelly
Police raid Porepunkah property overnight
Guardian Australia confirmed a raid took place on a property in Chandler Court last night in Porepunkah.
The house was quiet this morning, but some residents appeared to be at home – with a note on the door saying private.
Victoria police have not commented on the matter yet.
Daisy Dumas
Gina Rinehart can be served a subpoena to produce documents, court finds
A court has ordered Gina Rinehart can be served a subpoena after Ben Roberts-Smith lost his appeal against Fairfax Media.
The federal court on Thursday ordered that Rinehart can be served a subpoena by a solicitor for Nine newspapers – formerly Fairfax Media – to oblige her to produce documents.
It is not known what the documents contain.
The order said that the original service of the subpoena in July should be dispensed with.
In May, former SAS soldier Roberts-Smith lost his appeal against a defamation case ruling, with three justices of the federal court agreeing he was not defamed by Nine newspapers and journalists Nick McKenzie and Chris Masters when they published reports in 2018 which claimed he had committed war crimes.
Rinehart criticised what she called the “relentless attack” on Roberts-Smith, arguing it weakened the nation and a defence force “already struggling with inadequate numbers to defend us”.
Australia’s richest person, who has donated to a fund designed to support the legal costs of former SAS soldiers, has declined to say whether she personally funded Roberts-Smith’s legal costs.—-
Andrew Messenger
Queensland nurses union reaches ‘bargaining consensus’ with state government
Queensland’s nurses union says it has reached a “bargaining consensus” with the state government after months of industrial action over a new enterprise bargaining agreement.
Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union secretary, Sarah Beaman, said the government had presented a new offer which the union has agreed to take to members.
“We’ve secured an offer that better respects the work nurses and midwives do every day across Queensland Health,” Beaman said.
The offer adds double-time overtime for all shift workers, in line with male-dominated frontline professions, Beaman said. The state government describes this as a nation-first.
It is based on a longstanding government pay offer of an 11% increase over three years.
It also includes a new pay point for RNs and midwives, raising the earning potential for more than 23% of nurses and midwives, Beaman said. Existing rights and entitlements are also protected, among other changes, she said.
The health minister, Tim Nicholls, said Queensland health and the unions had reached “a consensus focused on attracting, retaining, valuing and respecting nurses and midwives”.
“The Crisafulli government’s proposal will ensure nurses and midwives on the health frontline in public hospitals get ahead and stay ahead on wages, conditions, penalty rates and cost-of-living,” Nicholls said.
The offer will be put to members of the union in coming months.
Negotiations have been under way since January and industrial action has been under way since July, the union’s first since 2002. The parties have conducted more than 150 hours of bargaining and 13 “intensive conciliation sessions”.
Read more here:
Good morning, Nick Visser here to take over for Martin Farrer. Let’s get rolling.
Australia’s Roo-ver to the moon
Sarah Basford Canales
Australia will send its first ever rover to the moon in a partnership with Nasa, which the federal government says will be the furthest any Australian space project has travelled.
The rover, called Roo-ver, will be sent to the moon by 2030 with a Nasa payload capable of analysing its surface and collecting data to assist with future space exploration trips.
Its mission will help global efforts to determine whether a human presence in space could be sustainable, the government said.
The moon rover was created by a consortium of around 20 Australian organisations in partnership with the Australian Space Agency. The federal government will invest $42m in the project to send Roo-ver to the moon.
The science minister, Tim Ayres, said:
This is one of the most specialised robotics and advanced manufacturing projects in the country. It’s accelerating the development of Australia’s advanced technical capabilities and deepening local manufacturing expertise.
Severe weather due in Porepunkah as manhunt continues
Cait Kelly
The search for gunman Dezi Freeman will enter its fourth day today, with the weather again expected to create a major hurdle for the manhunt.
Yesterday, the Bureau of Meteorology released a severe weather warning that included parts of the alpine region. It also warned of snow for lower areas.
It could also bring the risk of blizzards about elevated alpine areas on Friday and early Saturday … As the strong winds combine with snow.
The bureau said there would be snow showers in areas above 1000m, before moving lower to 600m. Porepunkah is at 280m but the slopes of Mt Buffalo rise sharply from the town with the summit at 1723m so show does seem likely to affect the manhunt.
Yesterday, the search was affected by low cloud cover and near-constant rain. The bushland Freeman has disappeared into is thick and dangerous – filled with sheer cliffs, granite tors and, locals say, plenty of old mine shafts.
🌦️Showers increasing to rain later across #Victoria on Friday
⛈️Possible small hail and thunderstorms
❄️Snow showers initially above 1000 metres down to 600-700 later
🌡️Cold day with temperatures below average.
🌬️Fresh to strong and gusty winds https://t.co/UYVuRwgKlp pic.twitter.com/bjL3QoCLCz— Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria (@BOM_Vic) August 28, 2025
The police presence in the area is large, with detectives raiding homes, a helicopter often searching around the hills, and police creating roadblocks.
We will bring you updates from the scene and situation as they come. Stay with us.
Police raid house in Porepunkah
Police reportedly raided a house in Porepunkah last night.
The Herald Sun reported that local residents saw police arrive at a property in Francis Street and remove “five or six” people. There were no reports of any arrests.
Police issued an emergency alert to people in the town warning them to avoid the area.
Earlier, Freeman’s estranged extended family issued a statement to Seven News in which they said that he had “detached himself” from the family “decades ago”.
They also said that they were “devastated” about the death of the two police officers allegedly shot dead by Freeman.
Seven News said a family member who wanted to remain anonymous said:
The family are actively assisting police with their investigation and are providing details of our knowledge of the area and property,” the family member said.
We are devastated, heartbroken and sickened by the loss of two police officers.
Decades ago, Dezi detached himself from us in both name and ideology.
We stand with the brave members of the Victoria Police and the families of the murdered officers.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the best overnight stories and then Nick Visser will guide you through the day.
Poor weather is expected to hamper the search for suspected Porepunkah gunman Dezi Freeman as the manhunt enters its fourth day today. There was also a reported police raid on a property in Porepunkah last night. More coming.
Australia will send its first ever rover to the moon in a partnership with Nasa, which the federal government says will be the furthest any Australian space project has travelled. More to follow.
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