What we learned today, Friday 4 November
And with that, we are going to put this blog to bed. Before I go, let’s recap the day’s big stories:
Aged care workers will get a 15% pay rise, the Fair Work Commission has announced.
The impact of the most recent NSW floods eclipses the February-March flooding.
Flood water is running into Forbes CBD with homes expected to be inundated.
The federal government is prepared to take action if energy suppliers do not cooperate on power prices, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, says.
The Greens call for an electricity bill freeze, paid for by a windfall tax on coal, oil and gas companies.
NSW records 24 Covid deaths and 809 people in hospital.
Victoria records 24 Covid deaths and 231 people in hospital.
Queensland records 14 Covid deaths and 105 people in hospital.
The ACT records one Covid death and 37 people in hospital.
Thousands more seniors are to get access to the healthcare card.
Anthony Albanese says Scott Morrison was “alone” among world leaders in not denouncing the US Capitol riots.
Daniel Andrews courts the votes of Victorian dog owners with a $13m commitment for six new parks.
The Reserve Bank of Australia says inflation will peak at 8%.
The Qantas boss, Alan Joyce, will get millions in bonuses and stay on as the airline’s chief executive until at least the end of 2023.
Thank you for spending part of your day with us. We will be back tomorrow to do it all again.
Updated
Queensland Star casino investigators expect ‘outcome’ in coming month
The federal money-laundering watchdog is expecting to have an “outcome” from a joint investigation into Star Entertainment’s Queensland casinos in the next month, AAP reports.
The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (Austrac) and Queensland police have confirmed an investigation into Star, launched in January with the state’s gaming regulator, is still under way.
The watchdog says the probes, which involve “complex issues of fact and law”, and enforcement actions, can take two years.
The agency says it will soon finalise the investigation into the ASX-listed casino operator in Queensland.
“Austrac’s investigations into Star are nearing completion, with an outcome expected in the coming month,” the watchdog said in a statement on Friday.
The results of that probe will come close to the 25 November deadline Star’s been given to show cause as to why it should not face disciplinary action after being declared unfit to hold its two Queensland casino licences.
Updated
