Welcome to the 9News.com.au live blog for Friday, November 25, 2022. A man who is suspected to have murdered 24-year-old Queensland woman Toyah Cordingley has been arrested in India. A report into former prime minister Scott Morrison's secret ministries has described his actions as 'troubling' and 'corrosive of trust in government'. A Sydney scaffolding company has been fined over a collapse that killed a young apprentice in 2019. A boy has been bitten and dragged into a NSW pool by a python. And new figures show COVID-19 cases have jumped in New South Wales and Victoria.
– Morrison's secret ministries 'unnecessary'
– Five-year-old boy bitten and dragged into NSW pool by huge python
– COVID-19 cases jump in New South Wales and Victoria amid fourth wave
It's getting late on a Friday afternoon, which means it's time for us to wrap up the 9News live blog for the day – and week.
This is what made headlines on a busy Friday:
The Bell inquiry, which examined Scott Morrison's secret ministerial appointments of Scott Morrison at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, released its report today, which was scathing of the former PM's actions.
Morrison's successor, Anthony Albanese, said the federal government will accept all six recommendations of the report. As for the former prime minister himself, he said he welcomed the report and was glad the matter has now concluded.
The man accused of murdering 24-year-old Queensland woman Toyah Cordingley four years ago, Rajwinder Singh, has been arrested in India. Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said the day was "a long time coming", while federal Attorney-General said Singh's extradition was a "high priority" for the government.
A Sydney scaffolding company has been fined over a collapse that killed a young apprentice in 2019, but the tradie's family has slammed the penalty as "laughable".
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Opposition Leader Matthew Guys have made their final pitches to voters as residents prepare to go to the polls in tomorrow's state election.
All drive-through PCR testing sites for COVID-19 will close in South Australia by January 8, although free rapid tests will be available for anyone in the state at collection points until the end of the year. It comes as cases across Australia rise once again, but at a much more gradual rate than in previous weeks.
And Clive Palmer's planned Waratah thermal coal mine in Queensland should be rejected because it "risks unacceptable climate change impacts", a court has found.
Our breaking news blog will return for a rare Saturday showing tomorrow, as we take you through the Victorian state election with live rolling coverage.
As always, you can stay up to date with the latest stories at 9News.com.au and nine.com.au. For the latest news headlines on Monday, November 28, click here.
Here's a bit more information on that earlier tweet about PCR testing sites closing in South Australia.
Five free rapid antigen tests (RATs) will be offered to all South Australians over the next five weeks, before all drive-through PCR tests close across the state.
SA Chief Public Health Officer Professor Nicola Spurrier made the announcement this afternoon, saying COVID-19 cases had begun to plateau across the state.
But she said it was too early to definitively say whether the state had hit the peak of the current COVID-19 wave.
SA recorded exactly 9000 cases of the virus in the week from November 18 to 25, with 140 people hospitalised, including 11 in ICU.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has released a statement on the arrest of the man suspected of murdering Toyah Cordingley.
"I can confirm that Rajwinder Singh has been arrested today in India following Australia's extradition request," Dreyfus said.
"Mr Singh is wanted to face prosecution in Queensland in relation to the murder of Toyah Cordingley in 2018.
"This matter is a high priority for the Australian Government, and Australian agencies continue to work closely with Indian authorities to pursue Mr Singh's extradition to Australia, to enable him to face justice.
"I acknowledge the work of the Queensland Police, Australian Federal Police, the Attorney-General's Department as well as the Indian authorities in this matter."
Dreyfus said it would not be appropriate to comment further given the matter is before the courts in India.
Queensland police are giving an update on the arrest of the main suspect in the murder of Toyah Cordingley.
"We are so thrilled to announce that the suspect in Toyah Cordingley's murder has been arrested in India," Commission Katarina Carroll said.
"This day has been a long time coming," she added.
The suspect had been hiding out in the Punjab region, and will face a court in India before being extradited to Australia.
Police Minister Mark Ryan said while the development was promising, "this is very early days in this next step of delivering justice for Toyah".
Queensland Police are about to speak following the arrest of Toyah Cordingley's suspected murderer in India.
You can watch the livestream of the press conference in the video player above.
A cleaner has died inside a Woolworths supermarket in the Newcastle suburb of Jesmond this morning.
Emergency services responded to reports a staff member had been injured at the supermarket on Blue Gum Road, about 7.30am today.
Paramedics went to the supermarket but found the woman had died at the scene.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
A Sydney police officer had a shift he would never forget after he helped to deliver a baby on the side of the road.
Senior Constable Tim Burnett was operating a speed gun on Williamson Road at Ingleburn last month when a ute pulled up beside him and the driver asked for help.
"I noticed a blue ute going from the right-hand lane to the left-hand lane quite quickly and then the driver got out of the car and came over shouting, 'My wife is in labour'," Burnett said.
READ THE FULL STORY
The Queensland Police press conference about the arrest of Toyah Cordingley's alleged murderer has been pushed back by 45 minutes.
It will now be held at 3:15pm local time – that's 4:15pm AEDT.
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