What we learned today, Monday 11 December
We will wrap up the blog here this Monday evening. Here’s what made the news today:
Queensland’s health minister, Shannon Fentiman, has confirmed she will nominate to be the state’s next premier, pitching herself as the candidate of “renewal and change”.
The home affairs minister, Clare O’Neil, has not ruled out a cap on international students but declared she is “confident” new measures have caught the “problem” of student visas being used as a back door into Australia in time to reduce net overseas migration.
Seven West Media’s chairman, Kerry Stokes, has agreed to pay the costs of Ben Roberts-Smith’s failed defamation action, in a move that will prevent the network from having to hand over thousands of internal documents about the case.
Chemist Warehouse will become a listed company through a merger with Sigma Healthcare, creating an $8.8bn pharmacy giant.
The Australian federal police is investigating a fake United Nations drug mule scam, where travellers are offered millions of dollars to transport illicit drugs by criminals, who claim they are UN officials.
New South Wales police say they will this week try to speak to a person who made a complaint about Alan Jones to officers in 2017, after the police commissioner, Karen Webb, said last week that no complaints had been made about the broadcaster.
Thanks for sticking with us today. We will be back bright and early tomorrow. Take care.
Thousands without power in SA and schools closed after storms
Thousands of South Australians have been left without power as wild storms rip through the state, with several schools closed and some hospitals running on backup generators.
The State Emergency Service has responded to 900 jobs across the state, caused mostly by damage from fallen trees. The worst of the weather struck Adelaide early on Monday, with storm activity returning later in the day.
Regional hospitals of Orroroo and Booleroo Centre were running on generators.
SES deputy chief Liz Connell said about half of outback roads were currently closed and teams from the Country Fire Service had come to help:
The overwhelming number of jobs have been call outs for fallen trees which have blocked driveways and roads and have also brought down power lines which are causing thousands of homes to be impacted.
- AAP
Updated
