Hybrid sales hit record high as petrol car sales shrink
Ima Caldwell
New data from the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) shows petrol-electric hybrid vehicles have reached record sales, while traditional fuel cars lose ground.
In the fourth quarter of 2025, 55,458 new hybrids were sold, accounting for 19.13% of all new light vehicle sales. This comfortably eclipsed the previous record of 16.7% set in the September quarter of 2024. In addition, 15,411 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles were sold – 5.32% of light vehicle sales, up from its previous record of 4.82% in the January quarter of 2025.
Internal-combustion engine vehicles fell to a record quarterly low of 66.3%, down from nearly 70% in the previous quarter.
Battery-electric vehicles (BEV) sales saw a slight dip in momentum: from 9.7% market share, to the to 9.25% in the final quarter of 2025.
While battery-electric vehicles briefly outsold hybrids in early 2023, hybrids have now outsold BEVs for 10 consecutive quarters.
A record 29,298 battery-electric vehicles were sold in the September quarter, 54 more than the previous three months’ total, the previous high.
Key events
Vape ignites on Virgin flight to Melbourne, prompting urgent landing
A vape activated in the cabin during a Virgin flight from Brisbane to Melbourne on Sunday afternoon, causing a small fire and prompting an urgent landing.
Virgin Australia said the flight, VA328, was on its descent into Melbourne when the vape activated, prompting the aircraft to declare a PAN, a radio signal that indicates a flight needs urgent assistance.
The flight landed safely and all guests and crew disembarked normally, in line with standard procedures. Firefighters followed the aircraft on arrival and removed the device.
A Virgin spokesperson said:
The safety of our guests and crew is our highest priority, and we thank our crew for their swift response in containing the device.
Three fishermen found dead off South Australia coast
Three fishermen have died in South Australia off the coast of Beachport.
Police said alarms were raised at about 2.30pm on Sunday after the three men did not return to shore. Officials immediately began searching for the trio using water operations, drones and aircraft.
All three men, aged 65, 67 and 74, were found dead and their bodies have been recovered. They were all from New South Wales.
A report will be prepared for the coroner.
Ben Smee
Discovery of fire ant nest at New Farm park reflects growing need to deal with threat, group says
Last week, the Invasive Species Council said fire ant nests had been detected and destroyed in World Heritage rainforest in the Gold Coast hinterland. The ants have also been detected on sporting fields across Brisbane and surrounds, including at Mount Gravatt, Rocklea, Coorparoo and the Redlands.
Reece Pianta, the Invasive Species Council advocacy manager, said the detection at New Farm underscored the need for ongoing suppression while eradication efforts were ongoing.
That’s an iconic location in Brisbane. If we don’t eradicate fire ants, this is going to happen everywhere in the country. Brisbane is getting a taste of it now.
Pianta said state funding for suppression efforts ran out in July and that it was important that it continue.
Local sporting clubs need to be alert to this. For the time being it’s an increased maintenance burden for them.
The council said it was continuing to work with state and federal governments to manage the spread of fire ants through south-east Queensland.
Fire ant nest discovered in popular inner Brisbane park
Ben Smee
A nest of red imported fire ants has been discovered in Brisbane’s popular New Farm park, raising new alarm about the spread of one of the world’s most invasive species across south-east Queensland.
Authorities in Brisbane confirmed that the nest was discovered last week on soccer fields on the outskirts of the heritage-listed public park, which is one of Brisbane’s largest and most significant public spaces.
“A fire ant nest was detected on the grounds of the New Farm Soccer Club last week,” a Brisbane city council spokesperson said, after questions about the detection from Guardian Australia.
An insecticide which instantly kills fire ants was injected directly into the nest. The affected area was temporarily closed while treatment was under way but has since reopened and is safe to use.
The ants are described as a “social menace”, swarm aggressively and inflict a sting that can itch and burn for an hour. In rare cases, people have died from allergic relations.
Man dead after shooting near Sydney Olympic Park
A man has died after receiving multiple gunshot wounds in an early morning shooting at a suburban apartment, AAP reports.
Emergency services were called to a unit in Lidcombe in Sydney’s west just after 4am on Monday following reports of gunfire.
They located a 38-year-old man at the scene suffering gunshot wounds. He was rushed to hospital, but died a short time later.
A second man was found at the scene with non-life threatening injuries and he was also taken to hospital. A crime scene has been established with a large police presence.
Katherine mayor says NT town in ‘recovery phase’ after severe flooding across Top End
Joanna Holden, the mayor of Katherine in the Northern Territory, said the town is moving into the “recovery phase” after severe flooding across central Australia and the Top End.
Holden told RN Breakfast that hundreds of residents were displaced by the floods:
There are still a lot of people in the community impacted, but it will take them a long time to be able to rebuild, to clean up and get back to where they were a week and a half ago. And I’m encouraging the community to remember them. …
We have community members where it will be months before they will be back to where they were a week and a half ago. So we need to keep reaching out. We need to keep checking in on them. We need to keep giving them support.
Australians in with a chance as Oscars kick off this morning
Rose Byrne is Australia’s greatest hope at the Academy Awards but the Sydney-born actor will take to the stage for the ceremony whether or not she wins an Oscar, AAP reports.
Byrne is one of the award presenters at the 98th Oscars, to be hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien, that kick off at 10am AEDT on Monday at the Dolby theatre in Los Angeles.
Australian Hollywood duo Byrne and Jacob Elordi are nominated for best actress and best supporting actor respectively. They are joined by a third Australian potentially in line for a major gong, with Nick Cave getting a surprise nod for best original song.
Byrne’s performance in indie film If I had Legs I’d Kick You has already earned her the best actress prize at four key pre-Oscars events including the Golden Globes.
Minister says members of Iranian women’s football team would have faced ‘very, very difficult’ choice
Catherine King added the government had done what it could to let members of the Iranian women’s football team know there were opportunities for them in Australia when granted them asylum.
She told RN those decisions were obviously “incredibly hard and very, very difficult” to make, adding:
We can’t remove the context in which these players are making incredibly difficult decisions. And so we’ve obviously made the offer for humanitarian visas. They have been accepted and then we understand there are a number who have taken the decision now to return to their home country. …
They would have been facing enormous pressure from what was happening overseas in their home country as well … Certainly we are very proud that Australia has offered that choice to these women.
Minister maintains Australia well prepared to withstand oil turmoil
Catherine King, the minister for infrastructure, maintained Australia is well prepared to withstand the turmoil in the Middle East, which has affected petrol prices across the globe.
King said Australia currently has 37 days of petrol, 30 days of diesel and 29 days of jet fuel in reserve as part of its minimum stock obligation.
King told RN Breakfast:
We’re obviously well placed. We’ve been conscious for a long period of time that fuel security is a significant issue for Australia, given how reliant we are on overseas markets. And the volatility of the global world has obviously had our attention for some time in relation to this. It’s why we introduced the minimum stock holding obligation.
Fifth member of Iranian women’s football squad leaves Australia
A fifth member of the Iranian women’s football squad left Australia overnight after withdrawing her claim of asylum.
The office of the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, confirmed the woman had left after Australia initially granted asylum to seven team members, including a player handler, last week while they were in the country for the Asian Cup.
Yesterday, after three of the women decided to return to Iran, Burke said:
After telling Australian officials they had made this decision the players were given repeated chances to talk about their options.
While the Australian government can ensure that opportunities are provided and communicated, we cannot remove the context in which the players are making these incredibly difficult decisions.
Read more here:
Hybrid sales hit record high as petrol car sales shrink
Ima Caldwell
New data from the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) shows petrol-electric hybrid vehicles have reached record sales, while traditional fuel cars lose ground.
In the fourth quarter of 2025, 55,458 new hybrids were sold, accounting for 19.13% of all new light vehicle sales. This comfortably eclipsed the previous record of 16.7% set in the September quarter of 2024. In addition, 15,411 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles were sold – 5.32% of light vehicle sales, up from its previous record of 4.82% in the January quarter of 2025.
Internal-combustion engine vehicles fell to a record quarterly low of 66.3%, down from nearly 70% in the previous quarter.
Battery-electric vehicles (BEV) sales saw a slight dip in momentum: from 9.7% market share, to the to 9.25% in the final quarter of 2025.
While battery-electric vehicles briefly outsold hybrids in early 2023, hybrids have now outsold BEVs for 10 consecutive quarters.
A record 29,298 battery-electric vehicles were sold in the September quarter, 54 more than the previous three months’ total, the previous high.
Good morning
Good morning, and happy Monday. Nick Visser here to take you through the day’s news. Here’s what’s on deck:
Hybrid vehicle sales have surged to a new record, while those of traditional petrol-powered cars have reached a quarterly low, according to new data from the Australian Automobile Association. The figures come shortly after Australia said it would release nearly 20% of its fuel stockpile amid surging petrol prices.
A man has died from multiple gunshot wounds in an early morning shooting at an apartment near Sydney Olympic Park. Emergency services were called to the area just after 4am, where they tried to revive the man. He died at hospital a short time later.
The Oscars will take place this morning, with both Rose Byrne and Jacob Elordi up for acting awards. Byrne will also be one of the presenters at the 98th Academy Awards, hosted by Conan O’Brien. The event begins at 10am AEDT.
Stick with us.
