What we learned: Wednesday 20 December
With that, we will wrap the blog for the evening. Stay safe and dry out there, folks. Here were the major developments of the day:
Queensland and New South Wales are grappling with heavy rainfall while in Western Australia an emergency warning has been issued for a fire burning in the wheatbelt region of the state. Residents in an area covering parts of Toodyay and Julimar are being told is too late to evacuate and there is a threat to lives and homes.
Meanwhile, thunderstorm warnings are in place for heavy rainfall, possible hail and flash flooding for parts of Australia’s east coast. Southern and central parts of Queensland are being urged to brace for a deluge, as is northern NSW near Walgett.
Still in Queensland, recovery efforts for the aftermath of Cyclone Jasper are continuing, with mobile operators hit by outages in the north of the state. The federal government has announced additional financial support for flood victims.
Authorities have confirmed 97 people were able to be airlifted out of the remote Aboriginal community of Wujal Wujal on Tuesday, while grave concerns remain for an 85-year-old missing in the floods.
An NDIS participant is taking Qantas to court over allegations of disability discrimination after the airline barred her assistance dog from travelling with her on its planes.
And the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has held his first press conference with the recently elected New Zealand prime minister, Christopher Luxon.
Updated
Government announces unique student identifier number to become part of myGov
The federal government has announced a new service to join myGov in a bid to streamline processes for post-secondary students.
The Unique Student Identifier (USI) has been added to the authenticated government platform as the 16th service people can choose to link to their account. The USI is an individual education number that remains for life, used at university, Tafe and other nationally recognised training institutions.
The minister for government services, Bill Shorten, said the reform was introduced to simplify digital government services.
People want better access to online services, and to interact with government in a way that suits them.
The minister for education, Jason Clare, said the USI login would also make it easier for higher education students to manage their loans and update their education details.
Updated
Matildas star Mary Fowler is back from England for a 10-day trip to Australia. Today, she was at a childcare centre in Carlton, Sydney, launching her new ambassador role for childcare provider Rise & Shine.
Guardian Australia caught up with Fowler and chatted about her rise to stardom following the Women’s World Cup and what it feels like to be the second-most Googled Australian in the nation.
Updated
Thunderstorm warning issued over northern NSW
The thunderstorm warnings are rolling in. In New South Wales, a severe warning has been issued across northern parts of the state, with flash flooding possible.
⚠️ Severe thunderstorm warning has been issued across northern #NSW near #Walgett. Localised heavy rainfall, which may lead to flash flooding, and large hail are possible. Thunderstorms are active across northern NSW.
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) December 20, 2023
Monitor for updates at https://t.co/Ss766eSCrL pic.twitter.com/Jj0uZ5bNvL
Meanwhile, as rain continues to patter outside my Sydney window, some good news from the NSW RFS:
The Trap Mountain Dumaresq Valley Fire (Tenterfield LGA) is now contained, due to ongoing efforts from firefighters and rain across parts of the fireground. The fire, which started on 9 December in northern NSW, has burnt more than 4,200 hectares. https://t.co/SdCuleSppx #RFS pic.twitter.com/bdYYLtbMjx
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) December 20, 2023
The Trap Mountain Dumaresq Valley fire has been contained after almost two weeks. The northern NSW fire has burnt through more than 4,200 hectares of land.
The Duck Creek Pilliga Forest fire is also being contained, with activity easing amid rainy conditions. The fire, burning within the Pilliga Forest around 17km south of Narrabri, has burnt more than 121,000 hectares.
There are now less than 30 fires burning across the state, all at advice level.
Updated
Did someone say Afternoon Update?
Antoun Issa has collated the major headlines of the day, including Guardian Australia’s Year in Review. If you haven’t watched it yet, join us for a little stroll down memory lane.
Emergency warnings issued over WA fire
In Western Australia, an emergency warning has been issued for a fire burning in the wheatbelt region of the state.
01:21 PM -Bushfire EMERGENCY WARNING for WEST TOODYAY and JULIMAR in the SHIRE OF TOODYAY: https://t.co/ZSEIQDbkiJ
— DFES (@dfes_wa) December 20, 2023
Residents in an area covering parts of Toodyay and Julimar are being told is too late to evacuate and there is a threat to lives and homes.
It is now too late for people on Parkland Drive, Munnapin Rise, Malkup Brook Road, Sand Spring Road, Howard Road, Sinclair Place and Donegan View to leave. An evacuation centre has been set up at Toodyay Memorial Hall.
You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. There is a threat to lives and homes.
Total fire bans are in place across the state today, with a further two bushfires currently at “watch and act” level and seven at the “advice” level. The full warnings are in place on Emergency WA’s website.
Updated
Severe thunderstorm warning issued over parts of Queensland
That was quick.
A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for parts of Queensland, with heavy rainfall and large hail forecast to hit southern and central parts of the state.
⚠️⛈️Severe thunderstorm #warning issued for heavy rainfall and large hail in the southern and central interior including Roma, Charleville, Isisford, Injune, Tambo, and Blackall. Details and updates: https://t.co/FBmpsInT9o pic.twitter.com/8LAAB4ERoy
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) December 20, 2023
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned slow moving severe thunderstorms have developed along a trough in a “humid airmass” through southern inland Queensland.
Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce large hailstones and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding in the warning area over the next several hours. Locations which may be affected include Roma, Charleville, Isisford, Injune, Tambo and Blackall.
The highest rainfall has been in the shire of Murweh in the state’s south west.
In the hour to 3.20pm, 46mm of rainfall was recorded at the Ravenscourt Alert weather station, north west of Charleville.
Updated
Queensland police seeking hit-and-run Pialba driver
Still in Queensland, police are searching for a driver who struck an e-bike rider on Saturday in Pialba and failed to remain at the scene.
Initial information suggests early Saturday evening, the rider was travelling through a roundabout when a small, light-coloured vehicle collided with his bike and a road sign.
The driver didn’t stop following the crash, despite the car sustaining damage.
The 67-year-old e-bike rider was assisted by bystanders and taken to hospital with serious injuries.
Investigators are appealing for the driver to come forward by attending a local police station and requesting any witnesses to contact police.
Updated
More thunderstorms forecast over Queensland tomorrow
In Queensland, severe thunderstorms are forecast to hit large parts of the state from tomorrow, with large hail and damaging winds possible in the west.
QLD Storm Forecast for Thursday, 21/12. Severe storms are possible in the central, southern and southeast interior of #QLD. Heavy rainfall is the primary hazard in southeastern #QLD. Large hail & damaging winds are also possible further west. Warnings: https://t.co/OZOqdfRY5G pic.twitter.com/g0dJqHDtaG
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) December 20, 2023
While easing, five flood warnings remain in place in the state following the impacts of Cyclone Jasper, covering the Daintree, Mossman, Russell, Tully, Murray, Herbert and Paroo rivers.
⚠️Flooding to continue across parts of the western Cape York Peninsula. #Kowanyama and surrounds will likely have flooding for many days, possibly exceeding the major flood level.
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) December 20, 2023
See https://t.co/FBmpsInT9o for the latest warnings and updates. pic.twitter.com/dGpyb183Cf
Updated
What are politicians watching, reading or listening to over the break?
Are you on holiday, or about to be? Adult Learning Australia has asked some of the nation’s politicians their hottest summer picks to read, watch and listen to over the break.
The minister for education, Jason Clare, will be diving into the Roman empire with Tom Holland’s Pax: War and Peace in Rome’s Golden Age, while the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, plans to engross himself in Misha Zelinsky’s The Sun Will Rise.
Sussan Ley, the deputy leader of the opposition, is going for an all Australian lineup – hitting Nick Cave and Sean O’Hagan’s Faith Hope and Courage, as well as Question 7 by Richard Flanagan.
The minister for employment, workplace relations and the arts, Tony Burke, is trusting the panel of the prime minister’s literary award for fiction and tackling Jessica Au’s Cold Enough for Snow – which won the gong.
Meanwhile, the Greens leader, Adam Bandt, is keeping it casual and watching Deadloch, while also hosting a dance party at home with Mike Callander’s mix at Revolver Upstairs on Soundcloud.
And, in a pick we can wholeheartedly endorse, the minister for skills and training, Brendan O’Connor, is delving into our very own David Marr’s Killing for Country.
If you’d like my tip – I’m a chapter away from finishing Seishu Hase’s The Boy and the Dog, and I couldn’t recommend it more. Or why not consider our Australian reads of the year, below?
Updated
BoM says possibility of localised flash flooding in southern NSW
In weather news – be prepared for more rain, New South Wales.
Severe thunderstorms are possible for northern parts of the state into this evening which may bring localised flash flooding.
Thunderstorms will continue in the northeast, northern/central inland on Thursday, with SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS possible in the north. Training of showers/storms in the north may bring localised HEAVY FALLS/FLASH FLOODING. Monitor warnings at https://t.co/Ss766eSCrL pic.twitter.com/RsTj7y7iFs
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) December 20, 2023
It comes as a severe thunderstorm warning covering metropolitan Sydney, the Hunter, llawarra and Central Tablelands was cancelled, despite showers continuing.
The heaviest rainfalls were in the Blue Mountains and the central west regions. Hampton recorded 58mm of rainfall in the four hours to 11am, while Oberon recorded 68mm in a six-hour period and Medlow Bath was battered with 49mm in the two hours to 9.30am.
Updated
Three passengers in 20s die in NSW car crash
Three people have died after a car crashed south of Gunnedah in north-east New South Wales this morning.
Three backseat passengers – two women and a man – died at the scene shortly after 6.30am. They are yet to be formally identified, but are believed to be aged in their 20s.
The driver– a 24-year-old man – suffered injuries to his arm and chest and is being treated and is undergoing mandatory testing at Tamworth hospital. The front passenger – a woman – was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics for internal injuries before she was airlifted to John Hunter hospital in a serious condition.
Its the 10th death in the space of a week on NSW roads, with the state on track to have one of its deadliest tolls in recent history.
A crime scene has been established, and the Kamilaroi Highway remains closed between Curlewis and Gunnedah.
Updated
Attorney general: Ley has ‘behaved dishonestly and irresponsibly’
Continued from last post:
But back to today’s press conference by Dreyfus. The first law officer used it as a chance to defend himself against Ley’s calls for him to be sacked, saying she had “behaved dishonestly and irresponsibly” and that she needed to reflect on the fact the Labor government was abiding by laws opposition leader, Peter Dutton, had put in place while he was the home affairs minister.
So that’s what I’d say about Ms Ley, that she needs to really take a long hard look at herself and reflect perhaps over the summer period whether or not she’s acting properly. I would say she’s not, we can’t have senior politicians acting like this.
Ley responded swiftly on X, formerly known as Twitter.
I’ll never take a break from speaking up for the safety of Australians. Mark go get a mirror and do some reflecting yourself. We need a break from your failures.
Updated
Mark Dreyfuss and Sussan Ley clash over release of convicted terrorist following supreme court ruling
Mark Dreyfus has told the deputy opposition leader to use the summer break to reflect on her actions, accusing her of stoking fear in the community and undermining the police following the release of a convicted terrorist this week who served nearly 20 years behind bars.
The attorney general was asked whether Sussan Ley, who has spent the last few weeks attacking him and other cabinet members for recent court rulings ending indefinite detention and the use of continuing detention orders against a particular offender, was fit to hold office.
It comes as convicted terrorist Abdul Nacer Benbrika was released from prison on Tuesday after a court ruled he was no longer an unacceptable risk to the public. He will be subject to an extended supervision order for one year, which includes electronic monitoring, along with deradicalisation and psychological treatment, and bans on who he can associate with.
Ley earlier today accused Dreyfus and Anthony Albanese of allowing “this individual, the worst of the worst, onto the streets and they appear to be telling us that that is okay”.
Judge Elizabeth Hollingworth had been scathing of the former Coalition government’s decision to apply a continuing detention order against Benbrika in 2020 ahead of his prison term expiring.
Updated
Hello, blog readers! Caitlin Cassidy here to guide you through the rest of this afternoon’s news.
Updated
Royal Melbourne hospital reports 247 e-scooter injuries and one death over last year
A single Melbourne hospital had almost 250 injured e-scooter riders taken its emergency department with injuries last year, with intoxication, speed and not wearing a helmet the biggest risk factors.
A study at the Royal Melbourne hospital revealed it had seen 247 riders and nine pedestrians due to e-scooter crashes last year. Two-thirds of the injured riders were not wearing helmets, while just over one-third said they had been drinking.
Of the hospitalisations, 21 experienced major trauma and one later died from a brain injury.
The study, which estimated the total hospital cost to be $1.9m, has sparked calls by senior emergency department doctors for tighter regulations on scooters to prevent debilitating injuries and death.
Dr Sarah Whitelaw, an emergency physician from the Australian Medical Association Victoria, said the figures were confronting. Read the full story here:
Updated
Vodafone says four of six sites back up and running in flood-affected Queensland
Earlier today we brought you the news on what Telstra and Optus are doing to bring back mobile coverage in flood-affected areas of far north Queensland. We now have information on the Vodafone situation.
A spokesperson says six sites lost power after the cyclone, but four are now back up and running:
We have been working with power utilities and emergency services to safely switch power back on and restore services to customers. Four sites have been fully restored but two sites remain without power due to dangerous access conditions. We will continue to work with the relevant authorities and will restore full power as soon as it is safe to do so.
Updated
Ex-ballerina Leanne Benjamin to lead Queensland Ballet
Queensland Ballet has named the Royal Ballet’s longest-serving principal ballerina as its pick to replace outgoing artistic director Li Cunxin, AAP reports.
After a global search, the company settled on home-grown talent: Rockhampton-born Leanne Benjamin will be the first woman to take up the role and the company’s sixth artistic director.
Benjamin retired from the Royal Ballet at the age of 49, having worked with the likes of Margot Fonteyn, Rudolf Nureyev, Kenneth MacMillan, Mikhail Baryshnikov, and Darcey Bussell.
She began learning ballet at the age of three and debuted on the international stage at 16, quickly winning prestigious awards for her artistry.
Due to health issues, Li is bowing out of the Queensland Ballet today after 11 years at the helm, having built the company into an organisation of global standing.
Li is also widely known for his autobiography, Mao’s Last Dancer, which describes his early life in China and defection to the US in the 1980s, and was adapted into a feature film.
Benjamin will start with the Queensland Ballet early in 2024.
Updated
NDIS participant takes Qantas to court over denying travel to assistance dog
An NDIS participant is taking Qantas to court over allegations of disability discrimination after the airline barred her assistance dog from travelling with her on its planes, AAP reports.
Rachael Fullerton and her border collie assistance dog Strike first made the request to Qantas for approval in late 2022, but the airline has failed to recognise her dog as an assistant animal, preventing him from travelling on its flights.
The National Disability Insurance Agency recognises Strike as an assistant animal and he receives funding from the NDIS for training and maintenance.
The collie, which has passed the required test for assistance dogs and is registered, has been trained to keep Fullerton safe including alerting her to impending medical issues and seeking help when needed.
Virgin Australia and Rex Airlines both recognise Strike as an assistant animal and permit him to travel on their planes.
Fullerton said:
[Strike’s] been on several flights with me in the past year and his training and behaviour have been repeatedly praised by flight crews and other passengers.
The stance by Qantas meant Fullerton has missed important meetings and been left stranded as it was the only airline regularly flying to places she needed to go.
It’s incredibly disheartening that consumer choice is taken away from me and others with fully trained assistance dogs. But Qantas doesn’t seem to care.
Qantas uses standards set by Assistance Dogs International or under the Queensland Act, and handlers with dogs not approved under those guidelines must be able to demonstrate they meet those standards.
A Qantas spokesperson said:
We recognise the important role that properly trained assistance dogs perform for travellers with specific needs and Qantas carries many assistance dogs each year.
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre has taken Qantas to the federal court on behalf of Fullerton, arguing the airline’s conduct amounts to disability discrimination.
Updated
Ergon Energy says power restored to vast majority of customers in FNQ
Ergon Energy has sent through an update on the power restoration program in far north Queensland.
They say they’re “making great progress” and that power has been restored to the vast majority of their customers affected by outages thanks to Tropical Cyclone Jasper and the flood emergency – about 50,000 people.
A spokesperson said:
This is a marathon power restoration effort and the flood emergency forced us to revise our original Restoration Plan, which is based on network damage assessments and access to sites.
We are aiming to have network supply or mobile generation available to customers in the worst-affected areas by Christmas Eve.
Ergon also said it had received reports of scammers posing as licensed electricians, and advised customers to beware.
Updated
Scientists brace for damage to Great Barrier Reef from ex-Cyclone Jasper
Cyclone Jasper’s slow-moving progress across the Coral Sea exposed as much as 20% of the Great Barrier Reef to waves high enough to break apart corals, according to modelling from the Australian Institute of Marine Science.
Scientists are also concerned flood waters from ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper that drained out into the reef’s lagoon waters could damage corals and seagrass meadows close to shore.
Dr Marji Puotinen, a research scientist at Aims who specialises in studying the impact of cyclones on coral reefs, said wave heights of four metres or more were considered enough to rip off parts of coral colonies and cause severe damage to reefs.
She said while the modelling showed the potential for widespread impacts, the actual damage would probably be patchy, with some parts of reefs bearing the full force of waves while others would probably have been spared.
Reefs off Cairns were likely to have faced the most intense wave damage, she said, because the modelling suggested damaging wave heights were up to eight metres in some places and were sustained for as long as 36 hours.
Read the full story here:
Updated
Finding Sydney’s hidden best phở
In south-west Sydney, there’s a small diner serving a beef phở so rich it’s the colour of rendang. Along with the usual sidekicks – bean sprouts, Thai basil, lemon – it comes with pickled garlic and chilli sauce, both made in-house. Customers will tell you this is one of the best bowls of phở in Sydney. The restaurant is called 2 Foodies and if you’ve never heard of it, that’s probably because it’s hidden between a petrol station and carwash in Mount Pritchard.
The location of 2 Foodies is unusual, but it isn’t unique. Incredible food can be found in carwashes, car parks, convenience stores and all kinds of traditionally less desirable urban Australian locations – you just need to know where to look.
Read the full (delicious) story here:
Updated
Telstra and Optus working to restore services in FNQ
Australia’s mobile operators are working to restore services in areas of far north Queensland affected by the floods after Cyclone Jasper.
A spokesperson for Telstra told Guardian Australia the main issue has been a lack of power to mobile tower sites, and difficulty accessing sites, meaning in many cases the company has been forced to fly in via helicopter generators and fuel to power sites.
The spokesperson said:
We had techs out yesterday and we have got them out there again today and we’ve been able to get to places where we’ve just had just through flood waters or damaged roads and we just haven’t been able to access as well.
He said they’re down to eight sites in the area still out of operation, down from 23 offline earlier in the week. The ones the company has been able to restore are now running on generators.
A spokesperson for Optus said 72 mobile sites have lost connection:
Our field operations teams have been mobilised to impacted sites where access is safe. The evolving terrain continues to be a challenge however our field teams continue to work with local agencies to gain access to those affected areas and restore service.
Fixed line services will probably be restored when power returns, also, but the mobile operators have been focused on mobile services.
Optus is offering 100GB of extra data for post-paid mobile customers in affected areas, and said it has been applied automatically.
Updated
Cost of living could rise if merger reforms don’t address anti-competitive deals
Australians could be stuck paying more for goods and services if upcoming merger reforms do not go far enough to stamp out anti-competitive deals, AAP reports.
The consumer watchdog has been pushing for tougher rules to stop companies from joining forces if there’s a risk they will gain too much market power and has now warned that two of Treasury’s proposed models for fixing the problem are not up to scratch.
“Evidence shows that Australia’s economy is being impacted by weakened competition in many sectors, risking higher prices for consumers and businesses,” the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chair, Gina Cass-Gottlieb, said on Wednesday.
A Treasury consultation paper released last month outlined three options for cracking down on anti-competitive mergers, including the ACCC’s preferred model.
The consumer watchdog wants mandatory notification and approval of upcoming mergers, with some firms thought to be pushing the boundaries of the voluntary setup and offering up incomplete, incorrect and late information.
Under its preferred model, the regulator would then be able to grant clearance if it was happy the merger would not substantially dampen competition.
This differs from a second mandatory clearance option proposed by Treasury that would force the ACCC to prove the anti-competitive nature of the deal to the federal court.
A third option keeps the voluntary alert system in place, where firms can choose to notify the watchdog about a merger, and the ACCC would then be able to approve deals it deems suitable.
In a preliminary submission to the government’s competition policy review, Ms Cass-Gottlieb said the two other options for merger reform did not address the regulator’s underlying concerns about tactics used by firms to acquire rivals that left the ACCC with few options but to approve them.
“We shouldn’t have a process that is prey to legal brinkmanship, with all the uncertainty and expense that entails,” Cass-Gottlieb said.
She said the ACCC’s pathway struck the right balance.
The option put forward by the ACCC achieves the right balance, with minimal regulatory burden for those acquisitions that do not have anti-competitive effects, and a structured, transparent and timely process for those acquisitions where there are potential anti-competitive effects.
Updated
US understands Australian navy’s focus on Indo-Pacific, Albanese says
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, says the US understands Australia’s naval forces focus on the Indo-Pacific region, after being asked about a request to send a warship to help protect commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
His answers suggest that Australia is open to sending further Australian defence force personnel to the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) headquarters in Bahrain, but not a warship. The ADF already has about five people embedded in the CMF headquarters.
The government has shown no signs of accepting the request to send a naval warship to the Red Sea to join the US-led operation to protect ships from Houthi rebels.
Albanese was asked whether he was inclined to send a ship, or stood by his position that Australia’s first priority was the Indo-Pacific. He noted that Australia participated in a multi-country virtual meeting hosted by the US last night and was already “one of the 39 countries in the Combined Maritime Forces”.
He said Australia was already “making a contribution there” and had indicated that it would “examine further personnel as well being there”. He said the US was keen for Australian diplomatic support for the mission, and that was why Australia and New Zealand had joined a statement of condemnation overnight:
We think that it is important that navigation and freedom of movement be allowed. We condemn the actions of the Houthis and the disruption that is occurring. We know that the US understands the best way for Australia to support this is through diplomatic support and our resources have been prioritised in our region, in the Indo-Pacific. We played an important role in freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and the operations we’re conducting as well with the Philippines.
Updated
PMs asked about Aukus
There’s a question from the reporters on the floor about Aukus. It’s inaudible from here at my desk but it’s something about nuclear power, and Luxon and Albanese both provide a response.
Luxon:
Aukus is an important element an ensuring we got and peace in the region. You know, we have talked about it a number of countries that are increasing their military capabilities and it’s a more contested region for sure. We will always have our nuclear-free position. That’s non-negotiable for us in New Zealand but we have our navies that work together and we want to see more interoperability frankly between our respective defence forces.
From my point of view we’re interested in exploring pillar two particularly in Aukus and the new technologies and the opportunities that that may mean for New Zealand to participate. We’ll work our way through that over the course of next year as we understand it more and think about what the opportunities may be for us.
Albanese follows up:
I see that there are opportunities for greater cooperation between our militaries, particularly in interoperability. That has practical effect as well. It’s about efficiency and one of the things we commented on today in our discussion was that often it is, indeed, our defence forces respectively that provide support each other at time of needs, of natural disasters. That’s just one area whereby increased cooperation could benefit both of our nations.
With regard to the Aukus arrangements we’re very pleased that the Congress passed the Aukus legislation this year. That was our objective. Many said that couldn’t be achieved. We achieved that with considerable support across the political spectrum in the United States and I also note that that the Pacific Island Forum that was held just a couple of months ago, we received support and understanding about our Aukus arrangements. What we’re envisioning here is nuclear propulsion, not nuclear-armed ships, it’s a very important distinction to draw. So certainly we see Aukus as being very important for promoting stability and security in the Pacific.
Updated
Luxon addresses Pacific and climate crisis
The Pacific is also a key part of Luxon’s remarks, here; specifically the effects of climate crisis “and an increasingly contested strategic environment”:
We are determined to work together as bedrock partners in the region together working with our Pacific Island nations partners, particularly through the Pacific Island Forum which is a key mechanism for us to continue to ensure peace and stability in the region.
And then with respect to trade and economy, this is a relationship that has $32bn in annual trade. One-third of Australian businesses export to New Zealand and more than half of our foreign direct investment comes from this side of the Tasman. So that economic relationship underpins jobs and livelihoods on both sides of the Tasman and we want to continue to work strongly about what can we do more to renew and to extend the ambition and aspiration we have together economically.
Updated
Luxon on defence and security
NZ prime minister Christopher Luxon picks up, returns Albanese’s thanks and the usual preambles, then moves on to matters of defence and security.
Luxon:
The depth of our relationship is unique and it actually spans all areas including security, our work together in our region, economic integration and obviously our people and our strong cultural links.
If I can talk a little bit about defence and security. We know we’re facing a more challenging and complex world, close security and defence relationships we have with our only ally, Australia, is very foundational for New Zealand.
And so New Zealand is committed to doing our share of the heavy lifting in the alliance and I’m determine that New Zealand will continue to be alongside Australia as we seek to advance our share interests and our common values.
We want to work together to support a stable and a very resilient region and we will defend and advance the international-rules-based order. That’s why we agreed our ministers of foreign affairs and defence will hold their first joint meeting most likely in the new year as quickly as possible after Christmas to dive into some of those issues and to ensure that our plans and our responses are aligned and coordinated and mutually supported.
Updated
Albanese lists Australia-NZ milestones
Albanese lists off a number of what he calls milestones in the Australia-New Zealand relationship, including co-hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup this year.
He also mentions the recent joint statement with Canada calling for a ceasefire in Gaza:
I was also pleased that last week we showed the extent of our cooperation with the joint statement we made with Canadian prime minister Trudeau, condemning Hamas’s terror attacks on Israel, supporting urgent international efforts towards a sustainable ceasefire, and affirming our commitment to a just and enduring peace in the region.
Updated
Albanese meets NZ prime minister Christopher Luxon
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is speaking now with the recently elected New Zealand prime minister, Christopher Luxon.
Albanese is starting with congratulations and … aviation nerdery:
I congratulate once again Chris on his election as prime minister. Australia and New Zealand, of course, share history, geography, values, and a common strategic outlook, and our relationship has never been more important. On a personal level, Christopher and I are perhaps the two leaders of nations who are more than anyone else aviation nerds - having built the relationship when prime minister Luxon was the head of Air New Zealand and I was Australia’s Transport Minister.
Updated
Reporting on politicians’ expenses resumes after 14-month hiatus
The long-delayed reporting of politicians’ expenses is finally restarting today, with spending on the public purse from July to September 2022 released by the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority.
These reports, listing everything from taxi charges to office supplies and junk mail printing, are usually released regularly through the year. The last report was published way back in October 2022, more than 14 months ago, with no public reporting of this spending since then.
The government said that was due to a “a delay in finalising the build of the expenditure reporting module in the Parliamentary Expenses Management System”.
The special minister of state, Don Farrell, said this morning that the system had been “severely mismanaged under the former government”, saying there had been years of complaints about the former system:
Let me be clear, this should never have happened.
The reporting for the July-September 2022 period is now up on IPEA’s website, and we’ll be going through it today. Farrell said the reports for the period since then would be published shortly under “a fast-tracked schedule of reporting, until all parliamentary expenses are up to date.”
It’s unclear exactly when all those expenses will be shared, after the first batch’s publication today, just before Christmas.
Despite the long break between reports being issued, IPEA said that just less than three-quarters of politicians had actually certified a report for that July-September 2022 period, saying “74.7% of current and former parliamentarians have certified their report for this period (as at publication date)“.
The agency continued:
This figure will be updated on the certifications page as further certifications are received.
Updated
BlackCat ransomware group also behind HWL Ebsworth hack
If the BlackCat ransomware group we mentioned a little earlier a sounds familiar, it’s because it is the group behind the massive HWL Ebsworth hack earlier this year.
As we noted earlier, the AFP has reported to have the unlock keys for ransomware attacks perpetrated by the group.
It’s likely cold comfort to the law firm, which was able to restore its systems, but ended up with nearly 4TB of data held by the company being posted on the dark web, including that of 65 government agencies that the law firm did work for.
As we reported in October, the company had taken up to six months to inform those whose data was published on the dark web.
Also worth noting is that while the FBI was able to take down a site associated with the group, it seems to be an older site, and the new ones are still around, so it’s not the end of the ransomware group.
Updated
Murray Watt defends Queensland emergency services’ response
There was a question in this press conference about the timeliness or otherwise of emergency alerts – an issue that’s been raised a few times over the last few days, usually in relation to the Bureau of Meteorology, although this time the police and State Emergency Services were mentioned.
Murray Watt again defended the emergency services’ response:
I made this point yesterday, that this weather system … was an incredibly unpredictable weather system. And I do have confidence that all of the authorities, federal, state and local, acted quickly as they could with the best information that they could.
And as I said yesterday, I’d reflect on the fact that at this point in time, we haven’t had any reported fatalities or injuries. There’s obviously concern about one 85-year-old Wujal Wujal man. But that is a pretty remarkable effort from all of the emergency authorities to get information out.
Whenever we have a disaster of this magnitude, we always review it, we always seek to improve. And if there are improvements to be made, then we’ll do that.
Updated
‘Complex recovery’ ahead for Cairns, senator says
Cairns senator Nita Green has been speaking about the recovery phase for the flood regions. She says:
This is a complex weather system that we’re dealing with and a complex recovery that we’re dealing with at the moment. There are parts of Cairns that have bounced back and are in really good shape. There are parts of Cairns that are not. And there are parts of our region, further afield, whether it is in Port Douglas or Mossman, whether it is up towards Cooktown and Wujal Wujal that are still in a response mode and will move to recovery mode quickly.
But this is going to be a complex time and we are really working hard to get to those people as quickly as possible.
… Can I say to the rest of the country who are watching our community, we are really tough and we are really resilient, but we really do appreciate you standing with us, and we feel that here. [We] will be back in business really soon and when we are, we can’t wait to see you.
Updated
Federal government announces additional financial support for flood victims
The federal emergency management minister, Murray Watt, is speaking now about the additional financial assistance measures for people in flood-affected areas.
He mentions the announcements yesterday from the federal government about disaster recovery payments and the disaster recovery allowance.
Today, Watt announces joint funding between the federal and Queensland governments for the beginning of support for farmers and small businesses who have been affected by the floods.
Watt says:
I can see for myself that there’s been a lot of impact on farms and small businesses around the region and they need our support. So what we’re activating today are freight subsidies being made available to primary producers in some of the hardest hit areas and that’s to alleviate the costs of moving stock and operating materials around.
Hinchinbrook Shire Council has now been activated for funding towards counter-disaster operations and the reconstruction of essential public assets like roads and bridges. That joins a number of other councils that we’ve activated for that.
We’re also announcing disaster assistance and essential working capital loans for affected primary producers, small businesses and not-for-profits to assist with the repair and recovery of essential equipment and for loss of income. All of that assistance is being made through the joint Commonwealth state Disaster Recovery Funding arrangements. And as I say, is on top of the assistance that’s already been announced.
Updated
Most Queensland homes without power to be reconnected tomorrow
Miles says 80% of homes and businesses that have lost power in the floods and the cyclone aftermath are expected to be reconnected by tomorrow (Thursday) evening, and 90% by 23 December, with efforts to get as many people as possible reconnected by Christmas Eve.
Updated
Mike Wassing to lead Cyclone Jasper recovery
Miles announces that the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service deputy commissioner, Mike Wassing, has been appointed the deputy coordinator for the recovery phase of ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper.
Miles says:
[Wasing will] be responsible for coordinating disaster recovery operations, working with Jake Ellwood from the QRA. Jake is best placed to describe that role, because it’s the role he played for us in the south-east Queensland flooding disaster. Commissioner Wasing has extensive experience. He played pivotal roles in the 2009 Black [Saturday] fires in Victoria and the 2017 Tropical Cyclone Debbie response.
Updated
Premier lists FNQ roads still open
Many roads remain closed in the Far North. Steven Miles lists those that are open or partially so:
The Bruce Highway between Townsville and Cairns remains open. The Captain Cook Highway between Cairns and Smithfield is open, but drivers are urged to take care. The access road to Yorkeys Knob is also open, but drivers are again urged to take care.
Access to Holloways and Machans Beach is restricted to emergency vehicles and local traffic only. There continues to flooded roads so they can’t even be assessed until the flood waters recede.
Again, we say to anyone driving around the region – if it’s flooded, forget it. You’re not only taking a risk with your own life, but you’re making the job of our first responders even harder.
Updated
Queensland police no longer receiving calls about life-threatening situations
The Queensland police service report that they’re no longer receiving calls for services from people in life-threatening or life-endangering situations, but a number of vessels remain on call if they are needed, Miles said.
He continued:
The mass evacuation of Wujal Wujal and Degarra continues moving that community, large numbers of that community from Wujal Wujal to community from Wujal Wujal to Cooktown. Nintey-seven people were evacuated yesterday. Those two Chinooks, I understand, are in the air now, moving personnel into position and removing residents back to Cooktown.
The three evacuation centres are in Mossman and Cooktown. The people in those centres are 43 in Cooktown, largely the evacuated residents. Today, we have even more resources [moving] into the state’s far north to do damage assessment and to relieve fatigued officers. We continue to rely on the ADF and particularly those Chinooks are allowing us to get personnel into those isolated communities.
Updated
Thirty-five localities in FNQ remain isolated due to floods, premier says
The Queensland premier, Steven Miles, is giving an update on the floods in the far north of the state.
He said 35 localities in the far north remain isolated, but police have gained access to many of those communities and not identified any critically injured persons.
The search for the missing 85-year-old man is ongoing, and authorities hold grave fears for him, Miles said.
Updated
Airbnb fined $15m for misleading prices
Airbnb has been fined $15m by the federal court for misleading and deceptive conduct for listing Australian properties for rent in US dollars but not making it clear it was US pricing.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission launched the case last year, alleging that this pricing has been used between January 2018 and August 2021, with Airbnb just noting a $ sign for pricing, but not making clear it was US not AUD.
The regulator had received thousands of complaints from consumers about the practice.
On Wednesday, Justice Shaun McElwaine agreed to proposed joint orders from the ACCC and Airbnb that the accommodation company had breached Australian Consumer Law by misrepresenting pricing to customers.
The company was fined $15m, and will also pay $400,000 of the ACCC’s costs.
Updated
‘BlackCat’ ransomware attack victims to receive FBI decryption tool
Some of the 56 Australian businesses that fell victim to Russian-led “BlackCat” ransomware attacks will receive a decryption tool to restore their systems, the Australian federal police have said.
A global operation to stop the hackers led by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation has resulted in several websites operated by the group being taken down, the AFP said in a statement today.
BlackCat had unlawfully infiltrated the systems of businesses, stealing data and encrypting the networks before demanding a ransom to not publish the stolen data and restore access to the victims.
The FBI-developed decryption tool would help victims regain access to their systems.
The AFP Cyber Command assistant commissioner, Scott Lee, said:
This ransomware group first came to law enforcement attention in 2021 and has had a significant impact on the Australian community and on entities around the world.
We have so far identified 56 Australian-based victims across both corporate and government sectors and we are engaging with victims to provide decryption keys to restore their systems where we can. Those decryption keys are similar to a password.
Updated
Victoria police call off industrial action
Police officers in Victoria have called off industrial action after a breakthrough in negotiations, AAP reports.
Victoria police has committed to implementing nine-hour shift lengths, according to the Police Association secretary, Wayne Gatt.
Over the past month, officers have been participating in 19 work bans including attempting to drive down revenue from traffic cameras and scrawling messages on police vehicles.
Gatt told 3AW radio that industrial action has been paused while the force develops a model for the new shift lengths but the union reserves the right to resume action at any time.
The union has also been pushing for a 4% pay increase. The wages dispute, however, has not been resolved.
Negotiations between the union and Victoria police will continue in 2024 and in the meantime members will receive an automatic 1.75% pay rise, Gatt said.
A planned vote on stepping up industrial action was scheduled to open on Christmas Eve, but that has also been scrapped.
Updated
Coal seam gas law changes would ‘weaken’ farmland protections, green groups say
Environmental groups and farmers have criticised proposed amendments to Queensland’s planning laws that they say will make the regulation of coal seam gas “even weaker” and “abandon responsibility” for sinking farmland.
The Environmental Defenders Office and Lock the Gate made the comments in a joint submission in response to draft amendments to two key pieces of state legislation regulating the management of CSG-induced subsidence – when the extraction of gas underground causes the ground above to sink.
EDO’s managing lawyer, Revel Pointon, said the draft amendments to the Regional Planning Interest (RPI) and Mineral and Energy Resources Common Provision (MERCP) 2014 acts would further water down already “weak” legislation.
Pointon said:
Just after the government recognises that subsidence might pose a significant risk to our best agricultural land, they are now amending legislation to remove the requirement to actually assess that risk.
Read the full story here:
Updated
Gambling lobbyists stirred to action by ad ban proposal
Gambling companies, broadcasters, sporting codes and global tech companies have all sought or secured meetings with the communications minister, Michelle Rowland, and her staff to respond to a proposed total ban on wagering advertising.
Documents released under freedom of information reveal the wide range of industries worried about a financial hit if the government accepts the recommendations of a parliamentary inquiry into online gambling harm.
The AFL and the NRL, which have argued against an ad ban, have secured two meetings with Rowland or her staff since the recommendation was made.
According to the documents, the gambling companies Sportsbet, Crown, Betfair, Pointsbet, Tabcorp, Betr, BlueBet and Entain, which runs the Ladbrokes and Neds brands, have also discussed their concerns with the minister or her staff.
The gambling industry’s peak body, Responsible Wagering Australia, was asked to provide more information about its opposition to a ban on gambling ads. RWA had already provided a submission to the inquiry and appeared for questioning.
Read this exclusive report here:
Updated
Ninety-seven residents airlifted from Wujal Wujal floods as evacuations continue
Authorities have confirmed 97 people were able to be airlifted out of the remote Aboriginal community of Wujal Wujal on Tuesday.
Evacuations continue today and more are expected to leave. Power has been restored to the local phone tower and some might choose to stay behind as flood waters recede.
The police deputy commissioner, Shane Chelepy, said efforts would be made to reach people in communities north of the Daintree River:
We’ve still got isolated communities up there and we’ve got to get our people into those communities.
Updated
Australia condemns Houti attacks in Red Sea
Australia has signed a joint statement with the United States, Japan, New Zealand, Yemen and others condemning Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea.
The statement reads:
The undersigned condemn Houthi interference with navigational rights and freedoms in the waters around the Arabian Peninsula, particularly the Red Sea.
The numerous attacks originating from Houthi-controlled territories in Yemen, including the December 3 attacks against three commercial vessels in the Southern Red Sea connected to 14 nations, threaten international commerce and maritime security.
The Houthi-led seizure of the Galaxy Leader on November 19 and the detention of its 25-member international crew – who remain unjustly detained – is appalling. Such behavior also threatens the movement of food, fuel, humanitarian assistance, and other essential commodities to destinations and populations all over the world.
The undersigned further encourage all states to refrain from facilitation or encouragement of the Houthis. There is no justification for these attacks, which affect many countries beyond the flags these ships sail under. We again call on the Houthis to release the Galaxy Leader crew and ship immediately and to cease additional attacks on commercial vessels in the region’s vital waterways.
SIGNED
High Representative Josep Borrell on Behalf of the European Union
Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on behalf of NATO
Australia
The Bahamas
Japan
Liberia
New Zealand
Republic of Korea
Singapore
The United States
Yemen
Updated
We’ve been bringing you quite a bit from the NSW Rural Fire Service fighting fires over the last couple of days, but here’s something a bit less serious. After attending a car accident, some RFS members have spent this morning attempting to rescue chickens.
This morning, Moonee Brigade responded to a motor vehicle accident, where they discovered a car had lost a load of chickens. After decided there was no 'fowl play', crews got to work catching the chickens, who took this opportunity to stage a break out and were hiding nearby.🐔 pic.twitter.com/aCHbaEmQqc
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) December 19, 2023
Four people rescued from rip at Sydney beach
A mass rescue of four swimmers caught in a rip was conducted by off-duty lifesavers at Sydney’s Bronte beach overnight.
Shortly after 8pm on Tuesday, the NSW surf lifesaving operations centre was alerted when the swimmers became caught by what Surf Life Saving New South Wales calls “the notorious south Bronte rip that feeds around the ocean baths”.
Surf Life Saving NSW said members of the public, along with two current and one former member of Bronte Surf Life Saving Club, helped the swimmers, with the assistance of club rescue boards.
All four people were assessed by paramedics at the scene and released.
Shortly afterwards a fifth person became caught in the same rip but was able to get out of the water of their own accord without being seriously harmed.
Sydney duty officer James Caterson said:
There was a heightened level of danger due to the amount of people. I think it all comes back to that clear message of understanding your limitations and just swim between those red and yellow flags.
Updated
The year in review
You can be forgiven for wanting to put 2023 in the bin. A failed referendum, rising interests rates, a cost-of-living crisis and news that major corporations are raking it in left Australians bitter and exhausted. Here’s a little recap of everything we’re leaving in 2023, from Guardian Australia’s video team.
Updated
Search for teenager swept out to sea off Victoria
Search efforts are continuing for a teenager who was swept out to sea off Victoria’s west coast, AAP reports.
The boy went missing in the ocean at Blowholes Road in Cape Bridgewater, about 350km from Melbourne, about 7.30pm on Tuesday.
He was with a friend at the time.
Police conducted an extensive water search with the help from police air wing, water police, coast guard, air ambulance choppers and marine unit boats but could not find the boy.
A police spokesperson said:
Search efforts were paused about 11.30pm and will recommence in the morning.
Updated
‘Those Chinooks have been a godsend’
It’s too early to say when members of the evacuated Queensland community of Wujal Wujal will be able to get back into their homes, premier Steven Miles said:
We’ve got people on the ground in Wujul assessing the homes, the electricity network. That’s going to be one of the hardest things to get back up and running. But we have a great team on the ground there doing that.
Water, sewerage as well as food and essentials for those who have stayed behind. So it will be at least days before we can get people back in to Wujul. But those Chinooks have been a godsend, getting people out of there and into safety.
It could be weeks before they’re back in community, but it’s too soon to be able to properly assess that, Miles said.
For some, it might be. If there are other homes that have been destroyed, we’ll need to get temporary accommodation in there. The Australian government have offered temporary accommodation that they have available, relocatable accommodation. But that will rely on road access.
Updated
Grave fears for man, 85, still missing in floods
There’s been no further information on the whereabouts of the missing 85-year-old man in the far north Queensland floods, premier Steven Miles says.
In another interview this morning, Miles said:
Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to locate that 85-year-old man who has been reported missing. Police have accessed his property and are still unable to find him. So grave concerns there.
But otherwise, it’s a miracle that we haven’t seen further loss of life, haven’t seen any loss of life, in what has been a massive disaster to hit the state’s far north.
Updated
‘We don’t have a water supply problem’
Cook shire mayor Peter Scott also talked about the state of the area’s water supply after the floods:
We did have damage to our main water treatment, it went underwater. We had enough water left in higher level reservoir to last us for a couple of days, that’s probably getting a bit too low now. But I was told yesterday afternoon that there’s a good chance we could get that water treatment plant back online, maybe today.
We’ve got a backup system called the ball fields, which we can move to any time. That will mean that the water coming out of that will look a little bit different – it might be a bit dirty – but we’ve done the tests and it’s fine to drink. Although I’d still suggest people, if they want to make a cuppa, to boil it up first of all.
But we don’t have a water supply problem. It’s just probably water quality at this stage.
Updated
Cook mayor welcomes flood evacuees
Peter Scott, the mayor of Cook shire in Queensland’s far north, has also been appearing on some media this morning.
He told RN that about 100 people had been evacuated from Wujal Wujal yesterday, and about half of them had gone to stay with relatives and friends and private houses nearby, with the remainder still needing to be temporarily housed.
Scott said:
Having said that, we’re very well resourced … our community’s been fabulous in in contributing clothes and toys and swags and sheets and towels, and food stuffs.
Anybody who is out there, not just the people in Wujal but also other people in outlying areas who might have been stuck there for a couple of days, a few days, please come in and take advantage of what we’re offering.
Updated
Just circling back to QFES assistant commissioner Kevin Walsh, who mentioned the state of the roads and reminded people in the area to be very careful when driving around.
Walsh said:
Monday afternoon was the first opportunity that we had to send in rotary aircraft, so we got rotary-wing aircraft in large numbers up in Far North Queensland at the moment through private contractors and also Australian Defence Force. So they’re very busy in the air and relocating people.
And I think the other message also is to have a look at those roads and the damage that they have sustained. There are many roads still under water where you can not see that damage. So it’s really important for the local people to realise that it’s still very, very dangerous to be driving through flooded waters because you can’t see the damage of the roads underneath it. That’s one of our key messages we’d like the local communities to heed.
‘We’re talking billions not millions,’ Miles says
Miles says the scale of the recovery to come is not yet quantified:
So far we’ve only been able to assess about 60 properties. I think throughout today though, we’ll get a better sense of how many properties are affected, and then we’ll be looking for further packages of disaster assistance that will put together or put together with the commonwealth.
But just judging from the other emergencies that I’ve been a part of, we’re talking billions not millions [of dollars].
Updated
‘No science can be perfect,’ Miles says of BoM forecasts
Queensland premier Steven Miles has been speaking on the radio this morning, also about the floods.
He’s asked about the Bureau of Meteorology’s forecast – prime minister Anthony Albanese, emergency minister Murray Watt, Miles and emergency services have been defending the BoM as there’s been a bit of criticism of the agency, with some suggesting it didn’t give sufficient warning for the floods.
Miles says:
No science can be perfect. I’m sure they will do an assessment of their predictions. But we certainly were warning that flooding was likely in the wake of the cyclone.
It came very, very quickly and very, very suddenly, and it also flooded a lot of homes that wouldn’t normally flood. So even though there were alerts for flood warnings in certain locations, if you haven’t been flooded before you don’t think those alerts apply to you.
And that’s that’s what happened in some of these areas.
Updated
Wujal Wujal evacuation continues
Assistant commissioner of Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Kevin Walsh is speaking about the floods on ABC TV.
He says the services will be rotating crew to relieve the local emergency services:
We are sending in almost 60 SES volunteers and also some additional fire and rescue swift-water technicians and they’ll be on the ground today and they’ll be assisting with our continuing operations.
The evacuation of the community of Wujal Wujal is still under way:
You would have seen the ADF assist being the Queensland police service in that evacuation. So that will continue today. And there are still other pockets apart from Wujal Wujal that we will be assisting with relocating them to safety. So there’s a lot of isolated communities up in the cape but we will continue to assist police and Australian defence force.
Updated
US embassy kept tabs on pro-Assange protests
US officials monitored pro-Assange protests in Australia for “anti-US sentiment”, warned of “increasing sympathy, particularly on the left” for the WikiLeaks founder in his home country and derided local media’s “sensationalist” reporting of the explosive 2010 cable leaks, previously classified records show.
Documents released by the US state department via freedom of information laws give new insight into how the US embassy in Canberra and its security team reacted to WikiLeaks’ release of 250,000 embassy cables in late 2010.
They show the embassy’s regional security office monitoring and reporting on pro-WikiLeaks rallies held across Australian capital cities, feeding information to Washington via the embassy.
Read the full story here:
Updated
Heavy rain falls over NSW fireground
Thunderstorms that have doused a major bushfire in north-west NSW have been a mixed blessing, bringing much-needed rain but also making for erratic fire behaviour, Australian Associated Press reports.
While some residents welcomed the change, others faced a renewed emergency warning and were told to shelter as the oncoming fire approached.
The emergency warning was issued about 6.30pm yesterday, at which point the out-of-control Duck Creek Pilliga forest blaze was burning about 17km south of Narrabri and 21km west of Boggabri.
The warning was downgraded soon after to a watch and act as heavy rain fell across the region.
The Rural Fire Service said:
Thunderstorms have moved across the fireground, initially causing some erratic fire behaviour and lightning strikes. Rain is now falling across parts of the fireground.
Shane Allan, whose parents own Bohena pet motel on the Newell Highway south of Narrabri, said the family had evacuated the animals and was preparing to fight any fires that broke out on the property.
Allan said the rains had come as a major relief as trees along the property boundary began to ignite.
It was just starting to bust through our border coming past our fence, and then the storm hit. Mother nature came to our rescue. You couldn’t have planned it any better. I think we’re all going to have a cold beer now and throw a steak on the stove.
As of 10.22pm on Tuesday night, the fire was still classified as out of control but the alert level remains at watch and act.
Updated
Good morning
Good morning, folks. Stephanie Convery picking up your live news coverage this morning – thanks to my colleague Martin Farrer for getting us up to speed so far!
Updated
Australia not among nations named in Red Sea taskforce
The US defence secretary has announced a new multinational operation to safeguard commerce in the Red Sea as attacks by Iran-backed Yemeni militants forced major shipping companies to reroute, stoking fears of sustained disruptions to global trade.
Lloyd Austin, who is on a trip to Bahrain, home to the US navy’s headquarters in the Middle East, said Britain, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain would be involved in the Red Sea security operation.
The Australian government has not yet formally ruled out sending a ship to the Red Sea but News Corp reports that the federal government will make an announcement today.
The multinational group, widely dubbed in media reports a “taskforce”, will conduct joint patrols in the southern Red Sea and the adjacent Gulf of Aden.
The Houthi militant group, which controls vast amounts of territory in Yemen after years of war, has since last month fired drones and missiles at international vessels sailing through the Red Sea – attacks it says respond to Israel’s devastating assault on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
– Associated Press
Updated
Albanese urged to ‘honour work’ of late MP
The Alliance for Gambling Reform has written to the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, urging him to “honour the work” of his late colleague Peta Murphy and ban gambling advertising.
The letter, signed by alliance’s chief advocate Tim Costello and its chief executive, Carol Bennett, said banning ads would “create a legacy that not only acknowledges her hard work and dedication” while also reducing gambling harm.
Murphy, 50, died from breast cancer this month. Before her death, she led a parliamentary inquiry that made a bipartisan recommendation to ban all gambling ads after a three-year adjustment period to protect vulnerable Australians.
Costello and Bennett said Murphy had worked tirelessly – even in the last days of her life – to “expose the harm experienced by the community from online gambling”:
Your government now has the opportunity to implement the recommendations of this report including introducing a reasoned and responsible ban on gambling advertising, phased in over three years.
The government received these recommendations in June this year. There has been ample time to review them.It is now time to resist the pressure of big gambling and other vested interests and adopt the recommendations of the parliamentary inquiry.
This is an opportunity to honour the work of Peta, to create a legacy that not only acknowledges her hard work and dedication but also one that will greatly reduce gambling harm.
Correction: The Alliance for Gambling Reform’s chief advocate was incorrectly named as Peter Costello
Updated
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our rolling news coverage. I’m Martin Farrer and I’ll be bringing you our top overnight and breaking news stories before handing over to my colleague Stephanie Convery.
Our top story looks at concerns about the damage done to the Great Barrier Reef as ex-Cyclone Jasper crossed the Coral Sea, whipping up eight-metre high waves as it went. Its slow-moving progress exposed as much as 20% of the reef to waves high enough to break apart corals, according to modelling by scientists, who are also worried that flood waters that drained out into the reef’s lagoon waters could damage corals and seagrass meadows close to shore.
Anthony Albanese has said Australia is not trying to “hold back a changing world or isolate ourselves from it” as it pursues the Aukus pact while also rebuilding the country’s standing in the Pacific. Speaking at the Lowy Institute in Sydney last night, the prime minister claimed “significant progress in the Pacific” since he came to power and that his much-criticised Pacific diplomacy was part of a broader effort to ensure “a strategic balance that can adapt to a changing region”.
Previously classified documents released today show that US officials monitored pro-Julian Assange protests in Australia for “anti-US sentiment”, warned of “increasing sympathy, particularly on the left” for the WikiLeaks founder in his home country and criticised local media’s “sensationalist” reporting of the explosive 2010 cable leaks. Documents released via freedom of information laws in the US give new insight into how the WikiLeaks’ release of 250,000 embassy cables in late 2010 led to an irritable response as the US authorities sought to contain the fallout in Australia and other countries.
A bushfire in north-west New South Wales that has sent smoke drifting over Sydney has eased after rain in the Pilliga forest region. The Rural Fire Service said:
Thunderstorms have moved across the fireground, initially causing some erratic fire behaviour and lightning strikes. Rain is now falling across parts of the fireground.
More coming up.
Updated
