What we learned, Tuesday 19 December
Thanks much much for your company today. We’ll leave the live coverage here for now, but we’ll be back early tomorrow. Here’s a look at what made headlines:
The federal emergency management minister, Murray Watt, has mounted a full-throated defence of the Bureau of Meteorology’s forecasting and weather warning systems, amid criticism that flood alerts were too slow reaching residents in far north Queensland.
The first military support has arrived in the isolated Indigenous community of Wujal Wujal, in far north Queensland, as authorities try for a second time to evacuate hundreds of residents inundated by flood water.
The chief minister of the Northern Territory, Natasha Fyles, has resigned after revelations she failed to disclose shares in a manganese mine.
A Melbourne businessman has become the first person found guilty of preparing or planning an act of foreign interference under recent federal laws, over a $37,000 hospital donation.
A man who admitted making threats to kill the Victorian federal MP Anne Webster has been handed a good behaviour bond.
The New South Wales government will hold a koala summit in March next year to help inform work to try to save the endangered marsupial from extinction.
Stay safe this evening if you’re reading this in far north Queensland.
Updated
Wujal Wujal residents have arrived in Cooktown, as evacuation efforts from the flood hit Aboriginal community continue.
Cook Shire Mayor Peter Scott says there was a sense of relief among the 20 who arrived at the evacuation centre in Cooktown on Tuesday:
They’re all smiles coming in.
They have been through a tough time, there’s no doubt about that, but there was just gratitude, relaxed coming to a safe, dry, hospitable place.
Mr Scott said while he was expecting more people, some residents had elected to stay in Wujal Wujal.
– AAP
Government would gain ‘last resort power’ over infrastructure under proposed cyber strategy
The home affairs minister would be able to order critical infrastructure such as energy, transport, or communications entities to take action or cease activity in a significant cybersecurity situation, under reforms proposed by the federal government.
The federal government is considering mandatory cybersecurity standards for devices such as smart TVs, watches, home assistants and baby monitors, as well as rules compelling more businesses to report cyber-attacks or extortion attempts, under a new strategy spearheaded by minister Clare O’Neil.
O’Neil has today released a consultation paper on the government’s cyber strategy, saying the government had “identified opportunities to strengthen cybersecurity laws”.
The proposed reforms also would give the minister power to direct an entity to replace documents affected by the incident, authorise the disclosure of protected information to allow for the sharing of information, and “gather information for the purpose of consequence management, if this does not interfere with or impede any other law enforcement action or regulatory action.”
The paper notes this would be a “last resort power”, and that all other relevant powers need to be exhausted before using it.
Updated
National zoo in Canberra to reopen tomorrow after death of worker
The National zoo in Canberra will reopen to the public on Wednesday after a man was accused of stabbing his female colleague to death on Monday.
The owners of the zoo and its staff have issued a joint statement expressing their condolences for the families of those involved in the incident:
The owners, management and staff of Jamala Wildlife Lodge and the National Zoo and Aquarium would like to express their condolences to the families of those affected by Monday’s tragic events.
They would also like to express their sorrow to all staff, many who have been significantly affected by this event.
They also wish to thank both the staff who showed incredible strength and compassion during a horrific time. Thank you also to the multitude of friends, visitors, members, staff and the general public for their kind thoughts and messages of support.
It has been noted that zoo staff would prefer to be at work and as such the zoo will re-open to the public as of 9.30am tomorrow. Staff have been given the option of working or not, however we expect all normal services will be available.
Updated
Pro-Palestine rally outside Sydney Town Hall
More than 100 protesters have gathered outside Sydney Town Hall calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza ahead of the prime minister’s 2023 Lowy Institute lecture.
NSW Police have ramped up their security presence due to the planned protest activity, which was organised by a coalition of trade unionists for Palestine.
Confirmed attenders, including the Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi and Indigenous activist Lizzy Jarrett, are calling upon the foreign minister to cancel a scheduled visit to Israel in January and for the federal government to firm up its stance on a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
The gathering, ranging from children to elderly people, has so far been peaceful. Dozens of protesters carry Palestinian flags and wear the traditional keffiyeh, with signs reading “no nuclear subs”, “healthcare workers for Palestine” and “Palestine will be free”.
Member of the nurses and midwives association Ally Bleach said she was concerned hospitals had become a target in the ongoing conflict:
Hospitals aren’t functional, they can’t run ventilators, they don’t have clean water … we’re here to ask Anthony Albanese to act on the situation.
Anthony Albanese is due to speak at 7pm.
Updated
Toyota hybrids recalled over fuel efficiency claims
More than 200 Toyota hybrid vehicles are being recalled in Australia over concerns they use more petrol than promised, AAP reports.
The recall issued on Tuesday will affect 245 Yaris Cross hybrid SUVs sold between October 2022 and April 2023, and will see Toyota replace the vehicles’ tyres.
The recall comes one week after the high court cleared another vehicle manufacturer, Mitsubishi, of breaking Australian consumer law in claims its cars used more fuel than indicated on a mandatory label.
It also comes after the Australian Automobile Association revealed most of the vehicles tested for fuel consumption used more than indicated.
Updated
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, will soon deliver a speech at the Lowy Institute. Already, there’s a police presence outside the Sydney Town Hall monitoring a protest calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Significant police and security presence outside Sydney Town Hall this evening. A protest calling for a ceasefire in Gaza is due to clash with the prime minister’s Lowy Institute address @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/tZPeitbff5
— Caitlin Cassidy (@caitecassidy) December 19, 2023
Would estimate there are 50-100 cops here. All peaceful so far pic.twitter.com/Gp8cn5Rjxi
— Caitlin Cassidy (@caitecassidy) December 19, 2023
NSW to hold koala summit
The New South Wales government will hold a koala summit in March next year to help inform work to try to save the endangered marsupial from extinction.
The environment minister, Penny Sharpe, said the summit would be held at Taronga Zoo in Sydney and would bring together environmental organisations, private landholders, councils, Aboriginal representatives, academics, business representatives and policymakers.
She said it would help inform a review of the state’s koala strategy which will examine whether conservation actions and targets were working:
The NSW government is committed to protecting our iconic koalas and ensuring their long-term survival in the wild.
The Minns government has been under pressure this year over logging in koala habitat on the NSW north coast with communities calling on the government to meet its commitment to establish a great Koala national park.
Updated
The New South Wales RFS has deployed one of its helicopters to northern Queensland to assist with the recovery from the impacts of Cyclone Jasper, including search and rescue operations.
Today, a #RFS helicopter has been deployed to Northern Queensland to assist @QldFES with the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Jasper. Our aircraft will be undertaking aerial intelligence and search and rescue operations across a wide area to support affected communities. pic.twitter.com/O3nsvwyBFD
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) December 19, 2023
BoM releases data on extreme rainfall in Queensland
The Bureau has also provided a breakdown of the extreme weather conditions in parts of Australia, including far north Queensland.
During the seven days since Tropical Cyclone Jasper made landfall, the highest rainfall total at a far north Queensland rain gauge was 2252mm at Bairds near the Daintree River.
Flood warnings are still current for the Tully, Murray, Herbert, Daintree and Mossman Rivers, and a flood watch is also current for parts of the Cape York Peninsula.
Rainfall across the impacted region is currently easing and no significant rainfall is currently forecast for the next few days.
Elsewhere, heatwave conditions are due to return to Northern Australia and parts of Western Australia from today, particularly for the Kimberley, eastern Pilbara and Darwin.
Updated
BoM updates long-range forecast
The Bureau of Meteorology has released its latest climate update, and for fellow Sydney-siders who feel as if they are living in a rice cooker amid this humidity, the outlook is mixed.
The long-range forecast for Australia indicates warm days and nights nationwide, while above average rainfall is also likely next month for parts of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.
The El Niño event continues in the tropical Pacific – the typical drying influence of El Niño on Australia’s climate usually reduces during summer, especially in the east.
A positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) event remains active, but is weakening steadily.
Global sea surface temperatures were highest on record for their respective months during April to November. Forecast unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the Tasman Sea may also be contributing to a chance of above median summer rainfall over parts of Australia.
Updated
Bonza back flying out of Gold Coast
Fledgling low cost airline Bonza has resumed flying out of the Gold Coast to several destinations, after it gained regulatory approval to use aircraft and crew from its Canadian sister airline.
On Tuesday, the Civil Aviation Transport Authority (Casa) announced it had granted approval for Bonza to use Canadian-registered planes and crew from Flair – a low-cost carrier part owned by the same private investment company, 777 Partners, which started and fully owns Bonza.
The wet lease agreement – a deal in aviation which sees an airline borrow not only an aircraft but also crew to operate them from another airline – will see two Boeing 737-8 Max 8 planes temporarily join Bonza’s fleet of five of the same aircraft.
Earlier this month, Bonza came under fire for ruining Christmas travel plans after it was forced to halt new flights out of its new Gold Coast hub to Darwin, Cairns, the Whitsundays and Melbourne Avalon for the month of December, as it continued to wait for regulatory approval to operate the Flair planes it had been banking on.
Bonza wasted no time in putting the planes to use, as one of the wet leased planes operated a Gold Coast-Whitsunday service on Tuesday.
A Casa spokesperson said the approval was given after “Bonza demonstrated how it is safely integrating the Canadian-registered aircraft and crew members into its operation”. The Guardian understands Bonza was required to demonstrate that they have integrated the Canadian-registered aircraft and foreign crew into their safety management framework.
Updated
Matthew Wilson, resident of the Daintree and owner of The Epiphyte bed and breakfast, has been without power for seven days and without mains water since yesterday morning after the flooding that followed Tropical Cyclone Jasper.
He said they remain completely cut off, with the Daintree River still high and the ferry “unlikely to start anytime soon”.
I have international guests stuck here since the cyclone but we are hoping to evacuate them by boat tomorrow.
Amid criticisms of how the emergency text message alert system operated ahead of the flooding, Wilson said he had received a couple of texts early during the cyclone “but then nothing”.
Mind you we only just got phone reception back so it wouldn’t have helped much anyway.
Chief ministers and premiers packing it in
If you’ve been playing premier resignation bingo, Fyles is now the third state or territory leader to resign in less than three months.
Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk retired from politics 10 days ago, after Victoria’s premier Daniel Andrews in late September after nearly nine years in office.
Chief minister of the ACT Andrew Barr is now the only premier who’s been in the job for more than two years and predating the pandemic.
Barr has led the capital for a lengthy nine years and seven days. If he remains in the office for another 182 days, he will become the longest-serving chief minister of the ACT to date.
Updated
PM praises rescuers in north Queensland
Circling back to the floods in north Queensland, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, says it is “the worst of times” that “brings out the best of the Australian character”.
You can watch him speaking at this afternoon’s press conference here, where he cites the stories of Gavin, who got in a tinnie to rescue strangers clinging to trees in flood waters, and the helicopter pilot who rescued people from the roof of a pub south of Cooktown.
Updated
Greens continue push for Fyles to front inquiry into NT gas projects
Acting Greens leader Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is quick off the block with a reply to Fyles’ resignation.
She calls upon the incoming chief minister of the Northern Territory to scrap the Beetaloo and Middle Arm gas projects and for Fyles to front an ongoing inquiry into the deals.
Hanson-Young is chairing the inquiry into Middle Arm, a controversial project to develop the precinct on Darwin Harbour initially announced under the Coalition and subsidised by the federal government.
Given the litany of revelations, I will be calling on Natasha Fyles to front up to the Senate Inquiry into the mammoth Middle Arm gas project. The influence of the gas and mining lobby over politicians must be scrutinised.
It’s unconscionable that federal Labor continues with the $1.5b in federal subsidies for the Middle Arm project.
Despite attempts to greenwash, Beetaloo and Middle Arm are dangerous projects that will hurt public health and wreck the climate.”
If you missed it, last month, the chief minister was forced to divest shares in Woodside worth about $5,000, after media outlets and federal politicians called into question potential conflicts of interest, in particular surrounding the government’s large-scale expansion of the NT gas industry.
Updated
Fyles to stay in parliament
Fyles confirms that after a short break in the New Year, she will return as a local member
Back to my first job in politics, my first love, serving my electorate. I am excited to be a full-time local member and I commit to running for Nightcliff in the election next year.
I am proud of what our government has achieved but I know we have much more to do. I will be an energetic campaigner of a territory Labor under new leadership.
She does not take questions.
Updated
Fyles becomes emotional when speaking of her father-in-law who died recently
Yesterday afternoon we farewelled my father-in-law. It reminded me that a life is well lived that has ups and downs that can be shared with the ones you love the most.
Last night, when I told my boys of my decision, a big smile cracked across their faces, they think it is an early Christmas present, getting their mum back. Spending more time with Paul, Oliver and Henry, life’s greatest gifts, that is what is important to me.
It has been an honour to serve the Northern Territory. Thank you to the amazing staff that have cared for me, to the public servants … to my colleagues, the union movement, the broader Labor movements, and all Territorians for your support. For now, farewell and I will see you in 2024.
Updated
Natasha Fyles announces her resignation
Fyles will officially resign from her position and other ministerial portfolios from Thursday.
She assures the media no decision she has made was influenced by the undisclosed shareholding.
High standards are expected from people holding high office, as they should be. I also hold myself to high standards. While I did not intentionally fail to declare this interest, it is clear I have failed to meet the standards that are set for us and standards I set for myself. I will not make any excuses for that.
For this reason, I believe the honourable course of action is to resign as chief minister. I care too much about the territory, I care too much about our government and what it has achieved, to allow my personal mistake to impact on our progress. There is no point dragging it out.
I made a mistake. There is no excuse, I am owning up to it, I accept the consequences, that is the right thing to do.
#BREAKING Chief Minister Natasha Fyles has announced she is resigning. pic.twitter.com/Ubnos5L0Ny
— Georgie Dickerson (@GdDickerson) December 19, 2023
Updated
Natasha Fyles fronts the media in Darwin
She says since she was a child, she has had shares from her late grandmother from BHP.
In recent years, BHP has undertaken various mergers and as a result I have been issued with small shareholdings in some other companies. I have always endeavoured to properly declare these holdings as they occurred, but upon further review of personal interests, it became clear I did not declare one of these, a small shareholding in a company called South32 …
That was in error, an error on my behalf and I do not have any excuse for it. It was not deliberate or intentional but it is unacceptable.
Updated
Northern Territory’s chief minister, Natasha Fyles, will be fronting the media in the next 10 minutes or so amid reports of her resignation. We’ll bring you the latest here.
Updated
Duck Creek Pillaga Forest fire being contained
Firefighters are finally getting on top of the blaze near Narrabri, with conditions easing across the fire ground, the NSW RFS has said.
The fire has been now been downgraded to a Watch and Act alert level, the RFS said in a post on X/Twitter:
Firefighters supported by aircraft continue to slow the fires spread and protect properties. While rain is beginning to fall across the northern parts of the fire, storm activity could cause erratic fire behaviour.
Watch and Act: Duck Creek Pilliga Forest Fire, (Narrabri LGA)
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) December 19, 2023
Firefighters supported by aircraft continue to slow the fires spread and protect properties. While rain is beginning to fall across the northern parts of the fire, storm activity could cause erratic fire behaviour. pic.twitter.com/CcUaklE7HN
The RFS advised residents to continue to monitor conditions.
Updated
Gina Rinheart and Chilean miner set to buy Pilbara lithium miner
Gina Rinehart has teamed up with a Chilean miner to take control of a prized lithium asset in the mineral-rich Pilbara, creating a path for Australia’s richest person to become a major producer of the key metal used in electric vehicle batteries.
Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting and Sociedad Quimica y Minera (SQM) lodged a $1.7bn bid for Azure Minerals, according to a stock exchange announcement on Tuesday.
It marks the latest twist in the fight to take over a lithium asset that has attracted significant interest but remains largely untested. The deal, backed by the Azure board unless a higher offer emerges, comes amid a rush of dealmaking in Western Australia for lithium, a metal highly sought after by miners.
Read the full story here:
Updated
Is Australia participating in Operation Prosperity Guardian?
Australia is not on a list of countries that have already pledged to assist a US-led operation to protect commercial shipping in the Red Sea. However, it is understood the chief of the Australian defence force, Gen Angus Campbell, is due to represent Australia later today at a virtual meeting hosted by the US defence secretary, Lloyd Austin, to discuss Operation Prosperity Guardian.
Last week the Australian newspaper reported - in a front-page print story headlined “Uncle Sam wants you” - that the US navy had asked Australia to send a warship to the Red Sea to help protect commercial ships from attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
Tensions in the region have grown as Israel continues its assault on Gaza, which it says aims to eliminate Hamas. At least 19,453 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war, according to the latest tally by the territory’s health ministry.
Since last week’s US request became public, the Australian government has repeatedly emphasised that its priority is on the Indo-Pacific region, including ensuring freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.
Yesterday the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, told ABC Radio:
We will give consideration to that [request] appropriately, in a considered way, as we do. But this wasn’t a request - to be clear - from the US government to my government. This was a general request to a range of nations for support there.
Overnight, Austin issued a statement announcing the establishment of Operation Prosperity Guardian. The US defence secretary said:
Operation Prosperity Guardian is bringing together multiple countries to include the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain, to jointly address security challenges in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, with the goal of ensuring freedom of navigation for all countries and bolstering regional security and prosperity.
There is speculation the government could increase the number of Australian defence force personnel already participating in the headquarters of the US-led combined maritime force in Bahrain, rather than sending a warship.
Updated
BoM warn showers, thunderstorms and flash flooding still possible into Wednesday despite easing rain
The press conference is over now, but I’m just going to dial back a bit to the Bureau of Meteorology, who provided a weather update in the middle there.
Rainfall continues to decrease, they said, leading to an easing of flooding across the north tropical coast communities. However, there are still showers and thunderstorms around the cape. These showers and thunderstorms might bring significant rainfall and it could lead to localised flash flooding later today and into Wednesday.
Significant river level rises are occurring about several catchments across the cape and that will continue over the next few days, as those floodwaters move downstream. Current flood watches are for part of the Cape York Peninsula; one major flood warning is current for the Murray River. The Daintree River has been downgraded to moderate flood warning. There’s still a lot of water in those rivers even still.
The flood warning for the Barron River has been finalised, and flooding is decreasing in that area. The BoM’s representative said:
It’s important to note that we are still seeing flooding in part of the north tropical coast. Even though the rainfall has eased significantly, there are still a lot of water in those rivers. And we still do have a large amount of warnings current for those areas.
So we’re asking people to remain up to date with those warnings to understand what the rivers are doing over the coming days as we start to see them decline and see that downstream flow and for residents in the Cape York area to be across our warnings over the coming days as well.
Updated
PM says $10m disaster alert system still on-track for end of next year
The prime minister was asked about the $10m in the budget earmarked for updating a disaster alert system – will that be fast-tracked?
Anthony Albanese says:
I suspect what you’re talking about is the national messaging system update that we funded. The most recent federal budget contained a range of measures to really make sure that Australia is much better prepared for natural disasters than we historically have been. One of the measures in this year’s federal budget was to upgrade the national messaging system to ensure that we can get more accurate, more reliable, more quick messages to people in an emergency situation.
When we announced that funding during the budget, we said that we expected it to be available by the end of next year. The most recent advice to me is that that is still on track.
Updated
Deputy commissioner details early emergency response phase
The deputy commissioner of the Queensland police, Shane Chelepy, goes into a bit of detail about how the emergency response system and the Bureau of Meterology work together. Chelepy says:
It is a complex environment. We are reliant upon – at early stage[s] – on text messages and social media. We know that the environment, once it gets water in it, we lose power, we lose communications. We accept that.
During the emergency response phase, we had a large number of emergency services out there doorknocking. During the evening when we completed over 250 rescues from rooftops, we had members of the special emergency response team with night-vision goggles on walking through water, walking up streets, knocking on house doors, making sure people were safe.
This water rose quickly. It was a lot of water. But, as early as 9:00am on that morning, we were starting to put alerts out about rainfall through the emergency alert system. It is a tiered response.
Chelepy suggests the speed and volume of the water was unprecedented, even for communities who were used to flooding.
I was speaking to the CEO of Wujal Wujal today. [They] said that community has never seen water through Wujal Wujal like that. And the pace that that water came through.
… they said the community did doorknock each other and they headed for high ground. But obviously the speed that that water came – we know we still had people trapped on roofs at Wujal Wujal.
Updated
Murray Watt defends BoM over forecasts after criticism: ‘meteorology is not a perfect science’
Murray Watt, federal minister for emergency management, is defending the Bureau of Meteorology after criticisms by “political figures” over the past day or so that claimed there was inadequate warning of the rainfall or the seriousness of the situation. Watt says:
I’m here to say that we have full confidence in the ability of the Bureau of Meteorology in its prediction systems. The reality is that we were dealing with a highly unpredictable weather system … As I said in some media outlets yesterday, meteorology is not a perfect science. The Bureau of Meteorology do the absolute best they can with the science they have available. I can’t think of another agency in the world that I’d rather be relying on to make decisions.
I can tell you, having participated in several of these meetings over the last few days, that the efforts of emergency services personnel to keep people safe would not have been possible without the advice of the Bureau of Meteorology … So I’d ask people to keep it in perspective.
Updated
About 120 people are expected to be evacuated from Wujal Wujal today, and the same tomorrow (depending on whether they want to leave).
Aerial rescues continue north of the Daintree River
This morning the QFES was still conducting a number of aerial rescues in the area north of the Daintree River, with that area remaining isolated.
The evacuation of Wujal Wujal is expected to continue through the day and into tomorrow if necessary. Authorities report they have the ADF’s support with the provision of two Chinook helicopters, and people will likely be evacuated into Cooktown, where increased community support has been supplied as well as food and water.
Updated
Police commissioner confirms search under way for missing 85-year-old man in flood-affected area
The Queensland police commissioner, Katarina Carroll, is speaking now. She says the priority for police is to go into the isolated communities, evacuating people and assessing the requirements for those places. Carroll continues:
Sadly, we have the report of an 85-year-old gentleman missing. He spoke to his family very late on the 17th and was reported missing yesterday. As a result, police have been deployed into that area to search [for him].
Carroll reminded Queenslanders not to drive through flood water. The police force is planning for “substantial staff” to go into the far north over the next few weeks to assist with recovery.
Updated
Steven Miles confirms evacuation of Wujal Wujal under way
The premier, Steven Miles, confirms that the evacuation of the small town of Wujal Wujal is currently under way.
I want to say to those residents in Wujal Wujal who have been waiting, I know you’re tired and wet and uncomfortable but help is on its way just as soon as we could have done it. We will have support there for you, so Chinooks are bringing in support personnel and then we’ll be able to take residents out of Wujal Wujal and to Cooktown.
There will be support available for those residents when they get to Cooktown, including healthcare, food, and showers at the PCYC.
Authorities still have concerns for an 85-year-old man who is still missing. A search and rescue operation is still under way.
Updated
Premier says river levels may continue to rise depending on rainfall
Some areas have seen over 2,000mm of rainfall in just seven days, and there continues to be forecast of possible heavy showers and thunderstorms across parts of the Cape and north of Cooktown, the Queensland premier warns. This means river levels could continue to rise, depending on what the rain does in those places.
Updated
Queensland premier urges people to wear enclosed shoes and beware contaminated flood water
Miles continues, urging safety first in the clean-up, and “we’re asking anyone who is cleaning up mud or damage from floodwaters, please make sure you wear enclosed shoes.”
Miles:
Today is not the day to wear thongs. We need enclosed shoes for everyone who could be in contact with contaminated flood waters or mud.
Post-disaster conditions are perfect weather for illnesses and epidemics, as we’ve seen before.
Updated
Stephen Miles says ‘all three levels of government working closely together’ to support Queenslanders after floods
Queensland premier Stephen Miles has taken the mic now. He thanks the PM for coming.
Now, the clean-up and the disaster assessments begin and I want to assure far north Queenslanders that just as we have stood shoulder to shoulder with them and provided all that they needed during the disaster, we will be there with them during this clean-up, the disaster assessments and moving into the recovery phase.
I think it’s a very important signal that all three levels of government are working closely together through our disaster management arrangements to support far north Queenslanders.
We have continued since I last addressed the media to see brave, acts of bravery from front-line workers and local heroes, local volunteers, far north Queenslanders are incredibly resilient. I know that they’re tired and some of them are wet, but we continue to see them doing what they do, supporting their neighbours and getting on with the job of cleaning up from this disaster.
Updated
Government opens applications for disaster recovery payments for victims of Queensland floods
The federal government is providing assistance to the emergency services with personnel and Chinook helicopters, Albanese says.
From 2pm tomorrow, applications for the federal disaster recovery payment and disaster recovery allowance will open for people who live and work in the council areas affected. He continues:
It is a one-off payment of $1,000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child who suffered a significant loss as a result of the floods, including a severely damaged or destroyed home or a serious injury. The disaster recovery allowance provides for up to 13 weeks of federal income support to assist eligible employees or sole traders who experience a loss of income as a direct result of a major disaster.
Updated
PM begins press conference on Queensland floods
Anthony Albanese is speaking now about the far north Queensland flood situation.
The PM begins by saying he will travel to far north Queensland on late Thursday and Friday with the Queensland premier, Stephen Miles.
Updated
In Melbourne, police are appealing for public assistance following a theft at a funeral home in the south-east last month.
Officers from Victoria Police believe an unknown man attended a funeral home in Glen Waverley on the afternoon of 29 November.
Police allege the man attended the parlour while the funeral procession was making their way outside, before walking through to the chapel. They allege once inside the chapel, he placed a woman’s clutch purse under his jacket and fled the scene.
CCTV has been released. Police describe the man as being aged between 25-35 years old and of Asian appearance. He was seen wearing a black hooded jumper, a blue denim jacket, light grey jeans and white shoes.
Anyone with any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Some snaps from the state disaster coordination centre in Brisbane where the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and the Queensland premier, Stephen Miles, received a briefing on the flood situation in far north Queensland earlier today.
Updated
Douglas shire mayor says situation desperate in remote communities after Cyclone Jasper
Mayor Michael Kerr says the situation is dire in the Douglas shire area, north of Cairns, particularly in a number of remote communities.
Some communities, like Wonga, are onto their seventh day without resupply and have virtually run out of food and water, he said.
“We’ve got people yelling out now they’re desperate. They need assistance now and this was coming yesterday,” he said.
There was one lady who got a message out from Cape Tribulation this morning that they are desperate, they’ve got no petrol left in the generator. They’ve got no food, they’ve got no water. They are absolutely struggling. They need help. Where is everyone?
They’re showing photos of this 120-metre landslide saying we can’t get out. We need help.
The council has yet to be able to even reach some parts of the LGA, with areas still yet to have a damage assessment of homes or road infrastructure. In some places entire roads have been lost to landslides and flooding, he said.
Kerr said the rain has now stopped, and water is gradually draining away from communities.
We can’t see the flooding occurring now. Now it’s going to be getting into rescue and recovery mode, especially across the river. Hopefully we’ll get the Daintree River down enough by tomorrow that we’ll be able to get the ferry back in the water. And get some crews across there to start clearing the roads over there because from what we’re hearing … landslides that happened, 20 metres wide.
Some council crews have been working non-stop for a week and need time off, he said.
Updated
Westpac and St George bank hit by network outage
Westpac and St George customers are being hit by a network outage affecting online and mobile banking.
On X, formerly Twitter, Westpac said it was “aware” customers were experiencing “intermittent issues” to their services.
Our teams are working to fix the issue. We’re sorry for the inconvenience and will continue to share updates here.
We’re aware that customers are experiencing intermittent issues accessing online, mobile and telephone banking. Our teams are working to fix the issue.
— Westpac Bank (@Westpac) December 19, 2023
We're sorry for the inconvenience and will continue to share updates here.
St George customers have reported a surge of outages in the past 24 hours, with more than 800 incidents since this morning. Some 90% of the problems are related to online banking.
Online, users have reported their apps crashing and unsuccessful payments.
Updated
NSW RFS say Duck Creek Pilliga Forest fire still out of control, issue shelter now warnings
The NSW RFS has provided an update on the Duck Creek Pilliga Forest fire, which has burnt through more than 110,000 hectares of land and remains out of control.
Overnight the fire generated a thunderstorm to the south-east of the fire ground, causing dangerous and erratic fire behaviour.
Lightning from thunderstorm activity may have sparked new ignitions. Embers will be blown long distances ahead of the main fire front starting spot fires. These may impact your home earlier than the main fire front.
Overnight, the Duck Creek Pilliga Forest Fire took a large 30km run to the south towards Rocky Glen and Stannix Park. Shelter Now messaging remains in place for several areas including Rocky Glen, Stannix Park, Baan Baa, Willala, Goolhi. More information: https://t.co/ceYIMDkWcw pic.twitter.com/2RYlCs2FHm
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) December 18, 2023
Residents in the area of Baan Baa, Willala, Goolhi, Rocky Glen and Stannix Park have been told it is too late to leave and urged to shelter now.
The area of Bohena Creek, Jacks Creek or Wynella has been told to stay alert and monitor surroundings.
There are 80 incidents across the state, with all other fires at “advice” level.
Updated
Body found in search for missing boater
The body of a man has been found on the far south coast of New South Wales following an extensive search after a boat washed onshore.
About 3.15pm on 12 December, emergency services were called to Haywards Beach, near Bermagui, following the reports of a washed up boat. Officers commenced a search of the water and surrounding area for its occupant, a 60-year-old man from Victoria, with assistance from Surf Life Savers, state emergency services and a helicopter.
The search was suspended last Thursday.
About 5.30pm yesterday, a body was found in the water at Haywards Beach. He is yet to be formally identified, but police believe him to be the missing man.
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NT chief minister Natasha Fyles set to resign – reports
The NT’s chief minister, Natasha Fyles, is reportedly set to resign today, with the ABC reporting that she will step down amid mounting pressure on her leadership.
Fyles is also the NT’s health minister.
We’ll have more on this as it firms up today.
Updated
New Universities Australia CEO appointed
The peak body for Australia’s tertiary sector has announced Luke Sheehy as its new chief executive, to join Universities Australia from February next year.
Sheehy is the current head of the Australian Technology Network (ATN) of universities, composed of Curtin University, Deakin University, RMIT University, the University of Newcastle, the University of South Australia and the University of Technology Sydney.
He takes over from Catriona Jackson, who navigated the helm during the pandemic.
Universities Australia’s Prof David Lloyd said the body was “delighted” to welcome Sheehy through what would be a “crucial period” for universities. The universities accord, to define the future of the sector, was handed down to the federal government this month and is likely to be released publicly in the new year.
Sheehy said as the first member of his family to graduate from university, he “knew first hand” the power of education to transform lives:
I am driven to ensure that opportunity is provided to as many people as possible.
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A crackdown on what the federal government refers to as “black cladding” will be included in planned reforms to the Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP) to promote First Nations businesses – including proposals that businesses accessing such programs must be majority Indigenous-owned and managed.
Assistant minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy announced overnight that the government was opening consultation on strengthening the IPP, a program meant to boost the Commonwealth’s use of Indigenous-led businesses.
The minister said the IPP had generated over $9 bn in contracts for more than 3,600 Indigenous businesses since 2015, and that it was “key to recognising Indigenous businesses across Australia as critical delivery partners in major government projects.”
McCarthy raised the term “black cladding”, which was defined in a media release as “when a business unfairly uses policies not intended for them, like the IPP, to access markets”.
McCarthy said:
The consultation will seek to gather perspectives around several priority reform areas, including a proposed shift to require that Indigenous enterprises be majority Indigenous owned, managed and controlled.
Indigenous businesses across the country have demonstrated their ability to consistently deliver high-quality work for government.This consultation process will provide valuable insight into ensuring economic benefits are flowing to First Nations people, businesses and communities
Cairns Airport reopens after flooding
The runway is open and flights have recommenced at Cairns Airport this morning.
Conditions on the runway were “clear and serviceable”, and passenger flights would begin again, an update posted at 8am on the airport’s website said.
The airport warned that airlines were determining their own flight operations and schedules and patrons should contact their airline directly for information about specific flights.
The car parks in the domestic and international terminals were negatively affected by the flooding, the airport advised, and the main access road into Cairns Airport, Airport Avenue, was also open and clear to traffic.
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State and commonwealth ministers to meet to discuss national migration strategy
Housing, infrastructure and services are on the agenda as the federal government convenes the inaugural meeting of the Ministerial Migration Roundtable today.
State and commonwealth ministers will meet to discuss the recent national migration strategy and what it means for each jurisdiction. The immigration minister, Andrew Giles, will lead the meeting.
The attendees will discuss how they cooperate on planning Australia’s migration intake, including using the strategy to address skill shortages for local economies. High on the agenda are infrastructure, housing and service delivery issues as they relate to migration.
Giles said:
It’s integral that as we look to implement reform through the migration strategy, states and territories have a seat at the table – something that the former Liberal government failed to do.
We must ensure that our long-term planning for migration aligns with population, infrastructure, housing and services planning, across all levels of government.
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Surat residents told to boil water before drinking
Residents of the outback town of Surat should boil water before drinking due to the cloudiness of the water supply, the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service has said.
QFES issued an emergency alert this morning for Surat, saying residents should boil water for drinking, food preparation, brushing teeth and baby formula, and use bottled or cooled boiled water.
The advice continues:
Tap water is OK for non-drinking purposes. Free bottled water is available at Surat library. Council is working with Qld Health to address the issue.
Updated
Convicted terrorist Abdul Nacer Benbrika monitored upon release
Convicted terrorist Abdul Nacer Benbrika is set to be released from prison within hours and placed on an extended supervision order that will force him to comply with 30 conditions including electronic monitoring.
The Victorian supreme court heard on Tuesday that Benbrika would be released later that day, pending a finalisation of the order.
Judge Elizabeth Hollingworth has imposed a year-long order with conditions requiring Benbrika to comply with electronic monitoring, conditions about deradicalisation and psychological treatment, and bans on who he can associate with.
She said she planned to finalise the order later today, and that it would come into effect three hours later, allowing corrections authorities to release Benbrika.
He has been in custody since he was arrested in 2005 as part of the Operation Pendennis terror plot.
Updated
Pilliga Forest fire still heading south
The out-of-control Duck Creek Pilliga Forest fire ran 30km south overnight towards Rocky Glen and Stannix Park, the New South Wales Rural Fire Service has said. It’s still heading in a southerly direction and warnings to shelter in place for some locations remain current.
Overnight, the Duck Creek Pilliga Forest Fire took a large 30km run to the south towards Rocky Glen and Stannix Park. Shelter Now messaging remains in place for several areas including Rocky Glen, Stannix Park, Baan Baa, Willala, Goolhi. More information: https://t.co/ceYIMDkWcw pic.twitter.com/2RYlCs2FHm
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) December 18, 2023
Updated
More than 50 former and current Labor MPs, including the former foreign affairs minister Bob Carr, have signed a letter condemning Israel’s “domination” of Palestine and demanding Australia recognise Palestine as a state and examine its relationship with Israel.
The letter released on Tuesday morning, initiated by the NSW Labor upper house member Anthony D’Adam and the state Greens MP Jenny Leong, calls for an “immediate, permanent ceasefire and a just and lasting peace” in Gaza, and accused Israel of “grossly” violating human rights law with its ongoing blockade of the besieged strip.
The letter reads:
It is beyond dispute that Israel is committed to policies designed to entrench the domination of one people over another in the territories of Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Attempts to deny this, or smear those who allege it, are an attempt to defy truth and reality.
These events and policies have involved the destruction of Palestinian society and the denial of the legitimate national aspirations of the Palestinian people.
Read the full story here:
Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation trial continues
Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation trial continues today. Lehrmann is suing Lisa Wilkinson and her employer Network Ten for an interview with Brittany Higgins that was broadcast on The Project in 2021.
Lehrmann alleges the story, which did not name him, defamed him by suggesting he raped Higgins in 2019. Lehrmann has always denied the rape allegation and, in a previous criminal trial, pleaded not guilty to one charge of sexual intercourse without consent.
The cross-examination of former Liberal staffer Fiona Brown will continue this morning without the federal court’s live stream but with media present in the courtroom.
Amanda Meade will have all the updates for you in our separate live blog for the trial, here:
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Man found dead on Western Freeway in Truganina
Victoria police are investigating after a man was found dead on the Western Freeway in Truganina last night.
Officers were called to the scene at about 11.30pm last night, and the major collision investigation unit believes the man had been driving a car which was involved in a crash.
While the exact circumstances are yet to be established, they believe the 23-year-old Thorn Hill Park man got out of his car and was struck by another vehicle which failed to stop.
Detectives are investigating after a man was located deceased on the Western Freeway last night. Investigators believe the 23-year-old Thorn Hill Park man exited his car and was struck by another vehicle which failed to stop at the scene. https://t.co/llZIQLvG8P
— Victoria Police (@VictoriaPolice) December 18, 2023
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Less than half of Australians who seek a refund for a cancelled flight receive it within a month while one-fifth of those seeking a refund wait more than six months, a poll has claimed, as the government considers a compensation scheme and a passenger bill of rights.
The consumer advocate Choice also claimed, in a survey of about 9,000 Australians, that two in five respondents said they had a flight cancelled or delayed in the 12 months between October 2022 and this year.
Of those who had a flight cancelled, 63% claimed no reason was provided for the cancellation. Pursuing a refund was also difficult, respondents claimed, with just 47% reporting they received their money back within a month of asking for it. But 20% had to wait more than six months for a refund, they said.
A vast majority – 85% of respondents – also reported they were not offered accommodation or meal vouchers from an airline when their flight was delayed.
Bea Sherwood, Choice’s senior campaigns and policy adviser, said Australians were having to “fight tooth and nail with the airlines”.
Read the full story here:
Updated
Video captured by a drone shows the extent of flooding after communities in north Queensland were inundated by flood waters and heavy rain in the wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper.
Bushfire near Narrabri still out of control
The Duck Creek Pillaga forest fire near Narrabri is still burning out of control, according to the latest Rural Fire Service advice.
For people in the area of Baan Baa, Willala, Goolhi, Rocky Glen and Stannix Park, it is too late to leave. The RFS advises to seek shelter now or as the fire approaches in a solid structure such as a house, and warns against being caught in the open in the path of the fire.
For people in the area of Bohena Creek, Jacks Creek or Wynella, RFS advises to stay alert and monitor your surroundings.
Some 450 firefighters and other personnel are out fighting the 63 fires currently burning across New South Wales today.
Updated
Cyclone Jasper shocks Cairns residents
A lifelong resident of Machans Beach, just outside Cairns, Euan Williams had seen plenty of cyclones before. Once Tropical Cyclone Jasper passed over the community on Wednesday last week as a category-two storm, that confirmed it. It wouldn’t amount to much:
Being locals, a cat two’s sort of like a run-of-the-mill cyclone.
The rain didn’t stop for four more days but the alarm bells didn’t ring.
Euan and his wife, Shannon, had sat down for a board game and a quiet Sunday afternoon when she noticed water lapping at the door of a house that had never before been threatened by flood.
Five minutes later the entire street was underwater. They tried sandbagging the house; it was hopeless. They got their pets and escaped. The house was totalled:
We couldn’t even really fathom that it was untenable until it was untenable. It was just, ‘The water’s rising in our house. It’s now ankle deep.’
We can’t just bucket this out. We’re bucketing it out into a river. There’s no point.
It was the same story across far north Queensland. Read all the details here:
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'Grave concerns' for elderly people and those with disabilities in Wujal Wujal
Desmond Tayley, former mayor of Wujal Wujal, has said he has “grave concerns” for elderly people and people with disabilities in that small community, who may need medical attention:
The majority of the community is my family, you know. I’m very concerned about what’s going on now. I think – you hold grave concerns for the elderly people.
And some of the people are on dialysis. Normally they would go to Cooktown on a weekly basis to get it done. I haven’t heard nothing around that as of yet. But if we don’t get urgent medical attention to these elders, unfortunately, we may hear bad news.
So we’ve got to make sure that we treat this disaster real urgently and get some medical supplies in there. Get the support the community needs.
Tayley commended the local council and the efforts of other authorities in their attempt to support and rescue residents.
Updated
Wujal Wujal community ‘desperate’, without power and traversing ‘croc-infested waters’
The former mayor of Wujal Wujal, Desmond Tayley, has been speaking on ABC TV about the flood situation in far north Queensland.
Tayley said the community has been without power since the storm came through last week:
They’re very desperate. And, you know, that poses a lot of other threats in regards to providing essential services like water, sewage, just people getting to and from the stores. We only have a small store in the community. And you know, they’ve run out of supplies already. So it’s starting to be a major concern. For myself and my community.
Tayley mentioned the crocodiles seen in the flood waters in the middle of the streets – a disturbing additional hazard for those trying to escape the flood waters:
We’ve got big crocs close to 6m. Being attacked by one of those, you never see someone again. That’s some of the dangers we face. A lot of people risk their lives to get to and from different places within the community. And the community was cut off in three or four places. We’ve got people living on the southern side, on Douglas shire, to the north of us we’ve got residents living in a little place called Ayton. Getting to and from those places puts our people at risk. You got to cross croc-infested waters to get around.
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Second attempt to evacuate Wujal Wujal due to get under way
The second attempt to evacuate the far north Queensland town of Wujal Wujal is due to begin at 8am local time this morning. As noted earlier, yesterday’s attempts to free flood-trapped residents were thwarted by the weather. We’re expecting to hear more about the progress of this second attempt as the morning progresses.
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Mutual obligations for Centrelink recipients on pause until 1 January
Mutual obligations for Centrelink recipients have been paused nationally until 1 January, with minister for government affairs Bill Shorten announcing last night that welfare recipients in some flood-affected postcodes will have their payments automatically processed regardless of whether they’ve reported their fortnightly income.
Shorten said in a statement yesterday:
The escalating situation in Far North Queensland is extremely concerning, and I want all Australians to know that the Government stands ready to support you during this difficult time.
Mutual obligation requirements have been paused nationally from today, Monday 18 December to Monday 1 January 2024. This will be a welcome change for people over the Christmas period, and will ensure that impacted Australians in Far North Queensland can focus on their safety.
The wellbeing of staff and customers is crucial, and as a result some Services Australia offices have also closed due to extensive damage to roads and local infrastructure.
Welfare recipients living in the following postcodes should receive their payments automatically, without having to report income: 4871, 4881, 4895, 4854, 4895, 4895, 4861, 4888, 4854, 4885, 4877, 4887, 4886, 4872, 4872, 4852, 4871, 4849, 4873.
Updated
On 5 December, a system of storms and low pressure converged around Solomon Islands to form the first tropical cyclone of the season for Australia, making landfall just north of Port Douglas on 13 December.
Cyclone Jasper hit the coast as a category two cyclone but it took the system almost five days to move west across Queensland leaving havoc in its wake, with many areas seeing more than a metre of rain.
Experts say it was not the intensity of the cyclone that has made Jasper stand out, but its slow speed and the incredible amount of rain it generated.
So why did it produce so much rain, and might a rapidly warming planet have made things worse?
Read more here:
Communities urged to exercise caution amid ‘huge volumes of water’
QFES commissioner Steve Smith has also made some comments on the flood situation up in Queensland.
He said that while the weather conditions are easing, there’s still a lot of response work, support and recovery to do in the coming days and weeks. He urged caution from communities in areas impacted by flood water:
There’s still huge volumes of water moving down through the systems, so at different points on the water, in the water catchments, they’re going to have rises. So we need people to stay informed, and they’ve done a great job in doing that. So we want that to continue with the support from community.
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Elderly man missing in flood waters in Degarra
An 85-year-old man has been reported missing in the flood waters. A search and rescue operation has commenced, Chelepy says:
No. So we have commenced a search and rescue investigation into that. Degarra was one of the communities we couldn’t get into yesterday, but we have been speaking to a local man where there were a number of rescues completed yesterday in Degarra. So we have dispatched the water police vessel this morning, which left in the early hours of this morning and is on the way to that location. And in addition to that, we’ve now got rescue helicopters going that way as well.
Updated
Flood waters isolate communities between Cooktown and Innisfail
Chelepy says there are still communities isolated from as far north as Cooktown all the way down to Innisfail.
Aerial resources are critical to us this morning, but those very small communities north of Cairns that had the continued rainfall yesterday, it’s still very dangerous conditions there. And the only way that we can get access into those communities today will be through the use of helicopters. We tried to get into them yesterday on a couple of occasions and we got turned back.
Once the rescues up north are completed, the QFES will focus the aerial resources into the isolated communities with the objective of resupplying those communities with food, fresh bottled water and bulk water where possible.
Updated
Evacuation of Wujal Wujal today’s focus
From fire back to flood: deputy commissioner of Queensland police, Shane Chelepy, is speaking to the ABC about the flood situation in the Cairns area.
I’m pleased to say that the weather north of Cairns in around the Wujal Wujal area has started to ease overnight. So this morning, our focus is still on the evacuation of Wujal Wujal. We’ve dispatched small aerial resources that way this morning in preparation for a larger evacuation later in the day with the assistance of ADF. We know we’ve got between 250 and 300 people to evacuate out of that town today, and I’m very pleased with the preparations that have occurred.
But it’s not over. We’re still needing to get into some of the small communities that we got turned back from yesterday, such as the Jarrah and Bloomfield and we have aerial resources going in there this morning such as police and emergency services on the ground.
Updated
63 fires burning across NSW
There were 63 fires burning across NSW as of 7am this morning, with 15 not yet contained, the RFS reports. The Duck Creek Pillaga fire near Narrabri – that’s the one previously mentioned – is the only one burning out of control at the moment.
Updated
Narrabri bushfire creating ‘dangerous and erratic’ situation
The last update posted by the NSW Rural Fire Service on that Narrabri bushfire, at 4.37am – just a few hours ago – describes a “dangerous and erratic” situation in the region.
Overnight, the fire generated a thunderstorm (called pyro-cumulonimbus) to the south-east of the fireground, “causing dangerous and erratic fire behaviour” and embers being blown long distances ahead of the main fire front, the RFS said.
Properties may be in danger earlier than expected as a consequence.
There are evacuation centres set up at The Crossing Theatre, 117 Tibbereena Street, in Narrabri, and Gunnedah PCYC, View St, Gunnedah.
More information about what people in the affected areas need to do can be found on the RFS website.
Updated
Hello, Stephanie Convery here. I’ll be bringing you your live news for the rest of the morning. Thanks to my colleague Martin Farrer for kicking us off.
Cooktown runs low on supplies as it waits for Wujal Wujal residents to be airlifted in
A community escaping flood waters in far north Queensland is set to be evacuated to a town that is low on water and has only three days of food left, AAP reports.
Cooktown, north of Cairns, was at one stage standing by to take in the entire 300-strong population of nearby Wujal Wujal after record rainfall in the wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper.
Wet weather forced the operation to be postponed, with most residents of the Aboriginal community now to be relocated to Cooktown from early today.
But the Cooktown region’s mayor, Peter Scott, said he would be scrambling to find food and supplies before their arrival:
We are ourselves low on food and supplies. We’ve still got enough tucker for another three days. We’ve also got water restrictions at the moment because our water treatment plant was flooded.
We are running around trying to get food, blankets, that sort of stuff. We will see what the state government can organise – it will be a tough ask.
Scott insisted the town still could host the evacuees, with the Cooktown PCYC equipped to house up to 1,000 people:
Wujal Wujal have copped it very badly. Some of those poor people have been on the roof of their houses for two or three nights with no power, no communication, no food probably.
About 16 people – including a seven-year-old boy at Wujal Wujal hospital – were stuck on rooftops before reaching higher ground yesterday.
But nine people remained on top of houses at nearby Degarra and Bloomfield.
Scott said he had been told that one Australian defence force helicopter would be available to transport Wujal Wujal residents to Cooktown, only taking six at a time:
That’s a lot of trips going backwards and forwards. But the access road down there has been washed away.
The only way to come is by air. The river is running too strong to think about barges or boats.
Yesterday the state disaster coordinator Shane Chelepy assured all councils that assistance was on its way, with supplies reaching flood-hit councils by “first light” today:
We have engaged through the disaster management network with all the councils and we are actively planning to be able to re-supply food, water and medical supplies into all of the isolated communities.
Nikki Boyd is assisting the effort after being sworn in as the new fire and disaster recovery minister yesterday:
To those folks who are still waiting for that assistance, help is definitely on its way.
Updated
Bushfire near Narrabri in north-west NSW
A major out-of-control bushfire in north-west NSW has flared, with residents in the remote area told it is too late to leave.
The bushfire in forest at Pilliga, near Narrabri, was relisted at emergency level on Monday afternoon after earlier being downgraded to watch and act.
Residents to the south of Narrabri were told to seek shelter as the fast-growing 64,700ha fire burned towards them.
“If you are in the area of Bohena Creek, between McCanns Road, Perimeter Road, Tomlinson Lane and Newell Highway, your life is at risk,” the NSW Rural Fire Service said in an emergency alert.
“It is too late to leave.”
As of 6pm, there are 62 fires burning across the state, with 19 not yet contained. There is currently one fire burning at an emergency warning level, with more than 600 firefighters and incident management personnel working across NSW.
As of 6pm, there are 62 fires burning across the state, with 19 not yet contained. There is currently one fire burning at an Emergency Warning level, with more than 600 firefighters and incident management personnel working across NSW. For more info: https://t.co/SwFG8PzKTA pic.twitter.com/QbrPHV75Iv
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) December 18, 2023
A shelter now warning remains in place for Bohena Creek with those in the vicinity of Willala, Baan Baa and Goolhi advised to be aware of falling embers catching alight.
Firefighters were continuing to work with the support of aircraft to slow the spread of the fire and protect properties across a number of areas.
An RFS spokesperson said there were was no confirmed reports of properties being lost or damaged, but further assessments would be conducted in coming days.
Smoke could be seen across an area spanning hundreds of kilometres areas around Tamworth, Walcha, Armidale and even coastal communities near Port Macquarie.
An evacuation centre was set up at Narrabri, a town of around 13,000 people, for those who had fled the fire.
Updated
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news coverage. I’m Martin Farrer and I’ll be running you through the main stories of the day before my colleague Stephanie Convery takes the helm.
There’s a cyclone roughly every two years, people are super-prepared for extreme weather and had plenty of notice as Tropical Cyclone Jasper rolled across the Pacific towards far north Queensland. But somehow no one was quite ready for what happened when it hit land and dumped more than two metres of rain. “It was just unbelievable,” says Peter McKewon, a cafe owner in Mossman in far north Queensland as he describes the flooding that has left the town inundated in the wake of ex-Tropcal Cyclone Jasper and has required the military to assist with rescue and recovery. Our experts look at whether global heating is to blame for the extreme event, and how road closures in the region could push up the cost of bananas and mangoes.
Less than half of Australians who seek a refund for a cancelled flight receive it within a month while one-fifth of those seeking a refund wait more than six months. A poll by Choice also finds that two in five respondents had a flight cancelled or delayed in the 12 months in the year to October. Bea Sherwood, Choice’s senior campaigns and policy adviser, said Australians were having to “fight tooth and nail with the airlines” to receive refunds they were entitled to.
More than 40 housing and welfare groups say they are concerned migrants are being scapegoated as the main reason for Australia’s housing crisis, calling on the prime minister and opposition leader to show leadership on the issue. The organisations – which include the Australian Council of Social Services, the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia and National Shelter – say decades of poor policy choices by successive governments, including investor tax incentives and the chronic undersupply of social housing, have fuelled the crisis.
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