James Valentineās family reveal the broadcaster used voluntary assisted dying
James Valentineās family has released a statement after his death. Hereās what they had to say:
double quotation mark James passed peacefully at home surrounded by his family, who adored him.Throughout his illness, James did it his way, which lasted all the way until the end when he made the choice to do Voluntary Assisted Dying.
Both he and his family are grateful he was given the option to go out on his own terms. He was calm, dignified as always and somehow still making us laugh.
You can read our full report here:
Key events
Albanese says James Valentine was āso full of lifeā and a figure of Sydney culture
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, spoke earlier about the death of broadcaster James Valentine. He told ABC Radio Sydney:
double quotation mark James Valentine was a part of our lives and he was such a voice and therefore a figure in Sydney. He was someone who was always worth listening to, he was interesting, and he was so full of life, but he had a very difficult recent period.
The PM said the pair spoke about music often, describing himself as a āmusic nerd of no talent whatsoeverā.
double quotation mark We would often, both on air and off air, have a chat about music, indeed. Music can be very uplifting at times like this, we certainly need uplifting.I think amongst the sadness today there will be joy as well about a life very well lived. He had that sense of adventure and was always really positive as well and that shone through.
Cait Kelly
Families face being thousands of dollars worse off as Labor cuts NDIS lifeline
On Wednesday, the health minister, Mark Butler, announced that about 160,000 people are expected to be removed from the national disability insurance scheme by 2030.
The $50bn schemeās growth rate will be brought down to just 2% every year until 2030 in an effort to curb annual plan inflation and produce billions in savings. To get there, eligibility rules will be tightened, especially for children under 18.
Thereās confusion over what the new system will look like, whoāll be eligible, and how it will work for kids, for adults with autism, for people in rural communities.
Read more here:
Governor general says James Valentine made member of the Order of Australia days before his death
The governor general, Sam Mostyn, said the loss of Valentine had made it a āvery sad dayā. She told ABC Radio Sydney he was made a member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recent days, before his death, to recognise his contribution to the city.
James Valentineās family reveal the broadcaster used voluntary assisted dying
James Valentineās family has released a statement after his death. Hereās what they had to say:
double quotation mark James passed peacefully at home surrounded by his family, who adored him.Throughout his illness, James did it his way, which lasted all the way until the end when he made the choice to do Voluntary Assisted Dying.
Both he and his family are grateful he was given the option to go out on his own terms. He was calm, dignified as always and somehow still making us laugh.
You can read our full report here:
Mark Butler says he understands NDIS changes may be āconfrontingā
The health minister, Mark Butler, is making the rounds this morning after announcing major changes to the NDIS yesterday.
He said the intention of the changes were to secure the future of the scheme, which is not on financially sustainable footing. Butler told RN Breakfast:
double quotation mark I also understand that change, particularly significant change, is confronting to people. I wish I could say that change is not needed or not much needed, but that wouldnāt be the truth. The truth is that this scheme is, I think, at real risk in terms of its sustainability. Weāve not been able to get spending growth under control.
Butler maintained that the NDIS had expanded āwell beyondā its original intent and is now āriddled with poor practice, fraud and rortsā.
Two NSW police officers injured in separate incidents overnight
A NSW police officer was allegedly assaulted and another allegedly struck by a vehicle during a spate of incidents in Sydney overnight.
Officials said in one incident in Chester Hill, in Sydneyās south west, emergency services were called after reports of shots fired. Officers attended the area and were later called to Auburn hospital, where a man, 26, had presented with gunshot wounds. Police attempted to speak to another man, aged 30, in the emergency department, before that man allegedly assaulted the officer, repeatedly punching him in the head.
The man was arrested and taken to the police station. He has since been charged with assault of a police officer in the execution of duty. The 26-year-old who was shot remains in critical condition.
In another, unconnected incident in Greenacre, also in Sydneyās south west, officers were patrolling the area when they spotted an allegedly stolen vehicle. When an officer approached the car at an intersection, the driver allegedly accelerated, pinning the officer between two vehicles.
The officer discharged his firearm, striking the car before it drove off. He was treated by ambulance crews and taken to hospital in a stable condition.
Officers later found a man suffering from a gunshot wound in Ryde. He was taken to hospital in stable condition under police guard. No charges have been laid, and investigations continue.
James Valentine’s former colleagues pay tribute after death of broadcaster
Nick Miller
Friends and former colleagues of James Valentine say the much-loved musician and ABC radio presenter has died.
On social media, former Triple J and ABC Radio Sydney presenter Robbie Buck wrote this morning:
double quotation mark Vale to one of the greatest. The joyous, irrepressible & unbelievably sharp James Valentine has left us. What a wonderful human to have worked with. Thanks for all the laughs James. Godspeed.X
Another former colleague, Wendy Harmer, said:
double quotation mark Lovely, clever man. You will be so missed!
Valentine officially retired in February after almost 40 years, 25 of which he hosted Sydneyās Afternoons on ABC Radio.
The 64-year-old had oesophageal cancer and returned to treatment last year when new tumours were discovered.
Guardian Australia has approached the ABC for comment.
Dan Jervis-Bardy
Greens call for a rent freeze during the fuel crisis
The Greens are calling on Anthony Albanese to use Thursdayās meeting of the national cabinet to coordinate a country-wide rent freeze and a moratorium on evictions for the duration of the fuel crisis.
The prime minister will meet with premiers and chief ministers for the third time since the US and Israelās war with Iran sent global energy prices spiralling.
The Greens want Albanese to take a leaf out of Scott Morrisonās Covid-19 playbook and work with the states and territories to shield renters from evictions.
The party is also renewing calls for a national freeze on rent increases – a policy it unsuccessfully pushed in the last term of parliament.
The Greens leader, Larissa Waters, said:
double quotation mark Renters around the country are facing some of the worst housing insecurity in living memory. We saw a rare example during Covid of a government doing their job and protecting renters from the volatility of global economic circumstances by putting a ban on rent increases and evictions. Thereās nothing stopping that happening again.
Good morning, Nick Visser here to snag the blog. Letās get to it.
Dan Jervis-Bardy
Mark Butler says NDIS funding changes necessary to get scheme back on track
Sweeping changes to the national disability insurance scheme are expected to save the federal budget $35bn over four years, the health minister, Mark Butler, has confirmed.
Butler announced a major overhaul yesterday to contain the schemeās rising costs, including changes to eligibility rules that are expected to remove at least 160,000 participants from the program by 2030.
Instead of costing more than $70bn at the end of the decade, the NDIS budget will be brought down to about $55bn.
In an interview on ABCās 7.30 program last night, Butler said the changes would save the federal budget about $35bn over four years.
The minister said that figure covered a recent $13bn blowout in the schemeās projected cost over the four-year period, meaning the net saving was closer to $22bn.
He said:
double quotation mark Itās a significant figure but one that we are confident is necessary to get this thing back on track. After all, what we are trying to do is secure its future in the long term.
Butler met state and territory disability ministers after his announcement to the National Press Club, the first time his counterparts had been briefed on the shakeup.
He said the disability ministers wanted further detail, including the modelling that underpinned the changes.
double quotation mark But they were up for the challenge. Disability ministers are talking with participants every single day. Theyāre talking with disability providers and all of them are saying they want a better quality of service delivered to them.They want, they want this sort of free-for-all market thatās grown up over the last 10 years or so cleaned up. They want to see the fraud cleaned up. They want to see more integrity into the system. So thereās a lot of enthusiasm for the job of getting this thing back on track.
Cheaper homes outpace luxury price growth
Jonathan Barrett
Properties valued below the price caps of the federal governmentās 5% deposit guarantee scheme are rising faster than more expensive homes, according to analysis by Cotality.
Over the first six months since the schemeās expansion, homes under the price caps increased in value by 6.7%, outpacing the 3.6% rise recorded for properties valued above the caps.
The 5% guarantee slashed the deposit requirements for a loan, reducing the savings wait time for many first-time homeowners.
The government significantly raised price caps in October, which allowed first home buyers to buy properties worth up to $1.5m in Sydney and $950,000 in Melbourne.
Cotality says several factors may explain the price movements with some buyers fast-tracking their purchases in anticipation of increased competition. Investors have also been very active, and may have bid up prices, according to the property analytics company.
Cotality says: āOverall, it is likely the first home buyer deposit guarantee will gradually lose its stimulatory power, with more homes exceeding the price thresholds and a growing portion of prospective buyers running into a finance hurdle that is set to rise further.ā
There have been mixed reactions to the low deposit scheme. While it helps first homeowners better compete with investors, economists have warned it may also accelerate prices, making it harder for prospective buyers to find an affordable home.
Rental market is tightest on record as rents rise $25 a week
Luca Ittimani
Figures from Domain show that the rental market is tighter than ever, adding $25 a week to the typical advertised rent price.
Median rents in capital cities have climbed to $680 a week for houses and $675 for units. Price growth had slowed in 2025 but has now picked up in most cities.
The national vacancy rate is at a record low 0.7%, with levels of vacant rental stock at record lows in Sydney (0.6%), Perth (0.3%), and Darwin and Hobart (0.2%). Melbourne, the city with the highest vacancy rate, is sitting at just 1%, down from 1.6% in December.
With so few properties on the market, rents would be growing even faster if renters could afford to pay more ā but they canāt, says Domainās chief residential economist, Dr Nicola Powell.
double quotation mark Vacancy rates are lower than ever and supply remains incredibly tight, but rent growth is no longer accelerating everywhere. That tells us households simply canāt stretch any further.
Realestate.com.au found median advertised rents are up $30 a week in the first three months of 2026, to $680 a week, in data also released today.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. Iām Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it will be Nick Visser with the main action.
Mark Butler told the ABC last night that the Albanese governmentās sweeping changes to the national disability insurance scheme are expected to save the federal budget $35bn over four years. More coming up.
Data on the housing market today shows that properties valued below the price caps of the federal governmentās 5% deposit guarantee scheme are rising faster than more expensive homes. Another set shows how the rental market is tigher than ever before. Details coming soon.
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