9 October 2026The government backs down on credit card payments to the tax office, and new UK sanctions on Russia.
Featured image: A card payment terminal. Photo: Syced, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
In brief
Top story: The government backed down on a plan to stop credit card payments to the Australian Taxation Office after a backlash from small businesses.
Australia
1. Government backs down on tax office credit card ban
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the government will cover processing costs so credit card payments to the ATO remain available until the end of June next year. The ATO had planned to stop accepting cards in December, and the fees cost taxpayers around $200 million a year. Chalmers said the government took the feedback from small businesses very seriously.
2. Plea to keep Darwin crisis shelter open
Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy urged the Northern Territory Government to reconsider closing Yissa, a crisis shelter for First Nations people in Darwin. The Commonwealth offered $6.5 million to keep it open, but the NT Government rejected the deal over who would run the service. The shelter is due to close on Sunday, leaving around 120 residents, some of whom are to be relocated to Batchelor.
3. Bail granted after crash into Newcastle Knights fans
An 18-year-old driver accused of crashing into a crowd of Newcastle Knights fans, injuring 10 people, was granted bail on nine charges. The crash happened as supporters gathered to farewell the team before the NRL grand final. He is banned from driving and subject to a nightly curfew, and three people remain in hospital in a stable condition.
Around the World
4. UK announces new sanctions on Russia
UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced sanctions targeting the shadow fleet, oil companies, crypto and war financing during a visit to Ukraine. SBS reported that Russian strikes on two buses in Kramatorsk killed 30 people, and UN human rights chief Volker Turk said he was appalled. Ukrainian authorities reported at least 85 civilians killed and 346 injured in attacks since Monday.
5. Zelenskyy urges Washington to press Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Donald Trump to push Russia harder to end the war, saying Vladimir Putin seeks to escalate rather than negotiate. He said the United States can do more.
6. Nobel Prize in Literature awarded to Anne Carson
The Nobel Prize in Literature for 2026 was awarded to Anne Carson.
