More young Aussies than ever living at home + When will women be safe?

Sacha Barbour Gatt (0:08)

Hi, Sacha Barbour Gatt with you. Welcome to The Briefing. Australia's domestic violence death toll surged by four this week, after three women and a child lost their lives in alleged murders over the weekend. So are we completely failing in the fight to curb DV in our community?

Dr Hannah Tonkin (0:23)

These numbers are horrific, they're shocking, and they make me angry that we're not making progress, at least when we look at these numbers.

Sacha Barbour Gatt (0:34)

A chat with the New South Wales Commissioner for Women's Safety is coming up in the second half of this episode. First, it's time for the headlines with Chris Spyrou on Thursday, the 24th of September.

Chris Spyrou (0:47)

Morning, Sacha. Iran's president has stood in front of the world's leaders in New York and accused the US and Israel of terrorism against his people.

Mazoud Peseshkian has addressed the UN General Assembly, where he held up a photo of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the opening days of the war and others showing the more than 150 school children who were also killed in those first days. His tone was defiant. He said Iran had only been defending itself, that they are not terrorists and that they did not and will not bend the knee to the US or Israel. But he said Iran is still open to diplomacy, just not under threat.

Sacha Barbour Gatt (1:23)

And it was just under 24 hours ago that US President Donald Trump stood at the exact same podium and delivered his own address in which he mulled annihilating the country.

Donald Trump (1:32)

Do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again? Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness or generations? But I believe we'll make a deal right after the election.

Sacha Barbour Gatt (1:52)

Now, since that speech window, Trump has hosted a reception for world leaders, which Anthony Albanese did attend. The PM even snapping a selfie with the president and posting it to socials with the caption, always good to catch up with POTUS. Now, the post has racked up thousands of comments. It's gone viral. Most of those comments call on Albo to read the room. Many accuse him of being on the wrong side of history. Others have questioned whether Trump knew who he was and that maybe he had him confused with a fan.

Chris Spyrou (2:21)

Yeah, and look, Trump is just one of the leaders Albo's crossed paths with in recent days. There's Japan's Sanae Takeiichi, famously the Prime Minister that was that big storm around the Mellon Commons. France's Emmanuel Macron, Canada's Mark Carney, and the UK's brand new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who Albo says he's now a fan of. I mean, not that he wouldn't be a fan of a Labour leader, but he says he's now a fan of.

Also this morning, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, where they signed a 10-year security deal in which Australia put up another $60 million to support the country in its fight against Russia.

Volodymyr Zelensky (2:56)

I'm very thankful to Anthony personally, and thank you for such great support from the very beginning of this war. Australian people have always been on the side of Ukraine. Today, we signed into, I think, that the strongest document between our countries.

Anthony Albanese (3:13)

This agreement, this bilateral security agreement, is a proud date for Australians.

Chris Spyrou (3:19)

So there's Zelensky essentially saying he's very thankful, sorry for that bad audio, but he's saying he's very thankful to Anthony Albanese personally, and Australia has always been on the side of Ukraine. Now, most of that money will go towards military equipment. The rest will go towards energy support and humanitarian aid. It takes Australia's total help since Russia invaded to around $1.9 billion.

Sacha Barbour Gatt (3:42)

Back home now to South Australia, where the parents of missing 4-year-old Gus Lamont have made an emotional plea for any information about their little boy.

It's the first time his parents, Joshua and Jessica, have spoken on camera. Their message was put out by South Australia Police yesterday, ahead of Sunday's one-year anniversary of Gus' disappearance.

Joshua or Jessica Lamont (4:02)

We miss Gus more than we can describe. We are desperate to have him return home to us, and we are desperate for answers.

Chris Spyrou (4:11)

Gus vanished from his grandparent's outback sheep station near Yunta, about 300 kilometres north of Adelaide. He was last seen playing on a mound of dirt outside the homestead. Despite one of the biggest searches in the state's history, no trace of him has been found. He's missed his fifth birthday, as well as his baby brother's first.