What we learned today, Friday 18 October
And with that, we are going to put the blog to bed. Before we go, let’s recap the big headlines:
The arrival of King Charles and Queen Camilla is the first tour by a reigning monarch since 2011, though Charles was here most recently in 2018.
Children as young as 10 could face jail after the Northern Territory parliament last night passed a law to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 12 to 10.
The NSW Rural Fire Service says far western parts of the state are experiencing “major” power outages following severe storms that could last weeks.
Jim Chalmers has responded to commissioned Parliamentary Library research from the Greens that showed more than a quarter of a million renters could own their own homes if negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts were wound back. He said if they wanted to help first-home buyers, they would pass the government’s housing policy.
Anthony Albanese issued a statement following news that Hamas’s leader, Yahya Sinwar, was killed by Israeli forces, saying Sinwar was “a terrorist and the architect of the atrocities committed on October 7”.
VicEmergency said there is a possibility of tornadoes forming in part of the state, with severe weather warnings in place for Melbourne and Geelong expected to be hit by “life-threatening” flash flooding.
Cases of mpox continued to increase across Victoria and other Australian jurisdictions, the Victorian chief health officer has warned.
Former premier Daniel Andrews was appointed chair of youth mental health researcher Orygen
The Shoalhaven River on New South Wales’ south coast has filled with grain after two silos collapsed overnight.
The Seven Network has won a legal fight to suppress details of a federal court lawsuit brought against it by former journalist Amelia Saw.
Thank you for spending part of your day with us.
Updated
What did the inquiry find against Mike Pezzullo?
The inquiry, conducted by former senior bureaucrat Lynelle Briggs, said Pezzullo had breached the rules at least 14 times relating to five “overarching allegations”.
Those included using his power, status or authority to “seek to gain a benefit or advantage for himself”, failing to act apolitically, failing to disclose a conflict of interest and failing to maintain confidentiality of sensitive government information.
It also found Pezzullo engaged in “gossip and disrespectful critique” of ministers and public servants.
Speaking to ABC’s 7.30 program in April this year, Pezzullo said he shouldn’t have been sacked but “perhaps an appropriate censure or reprimand would have been relevant”.
“What I sought to rebut was that they were of such a grievous kind that they warranted dismissal.”
Pezzullo added he did not gain any personal benefits but sought to achieve program, research or policy outcomes for his former department.
“It was considered, in terms of the finding, that I was using channels outside of the established mechanisms to pursue those ends. I accept that. I made a mistake.”
Read more:
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Former home affairs boss Mike Pezzullo says being stripped of Order of Australia ‘does not amount to a hill of beans’
The former home affairs department head, Mike Pezzullo, has dismissed a decision to remove his Order of Australia honour, saying it “does not amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world”.
Pezzullo’s appointment as an officer to the Order of Australia was terminated on 26 September 2024, according to a document signed by the official secretary to the governor general but not publicly available until Thursday.
In a statement following the termination, Pezzullo said:
With wars under way around the world, and more likely to break out, possibly in the Pacific, with rising intolerance and anger in public debate, with many people struggling to make ends meet, and many other problems besides, being stripped of my official honour does not amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.
Pezzullo said the decisionmakers “presumably” believed the termination was a “just and fair” decision.
The former top bureaucrat was sacked as department secretary in November 2023 after an independent inquiry found he had breached the government’s code of conduct at least 14 times, including for using his power for personal benefit.
The inquiry had been probing a series of text messages he had sent to a Liberal party insider in an alleged attempt to influence political processes.
Updated
Over in the US, Kamala Harris has appeared via video for the Al Smith charity dinner, where Donald Trump took aim at transgender people. Helen Sullivan explains more here:
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WA detectives from Child Abuse Squad appeal for public assistance
Detectives from the Child Abuse Squad are appealing for public assistance to identify a person who they believe can assist them with an investigation into the alleged indecent assault of a teenage girl.
In a statement, police said:
It will be alleged, about 3.25pm yesterday, Thursday 17 October 2024, a teenage girl was walking along a street in Harrisdale when she was approached by an unknown male.
The unknown male engaged in a brief conversation with the girl before he indecently assaulted her.
He is described as being aged in his mid to late 20s, approximately 170-175cm tall, of medium build, with short black hair.
He was wearing a yellow polo shirt with black long sleeved shirt underneath, black pants and black and white shoes.
Updated
More from Catie McLeod on the tar balls found on Sydney beaches:
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Australian shares down for the day but up for second straight week
From AAP:
The Australian share market has finished lower, giving back most of the previous day’s gains that had pushed it to a record high.
The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index on Friday finished down 72.7 points, or 0.87 per cent, to 8,283.2, while the broader All Ordinaries dropped 72.9 points, or 0.85 per cent, to 8,551.2.
For the week, the ASX200 still rose 0.84 per cent - its second straight week of gains.
The Australian dollar was buying 67.03 US cents, from 66.90 US cents at Thursday’s ASX close.
Updated
Inquiry recommends ban on housing developments in flood-prone areas
Housing developments in flood-prone areas should be banned and properties in very high-risk areas must be eligible for buyback schemes, a federal parliamentary inquiry into the responses from insurers to major flood claims has found.
The inquiry also called for changes to processing procedures, including cash settlements.
Flood emergencies in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania over a period of 10 months in 2022 led to a record 300,000 insurance claims.
More than two years later, many people were still waiting to move back into their homes.
Labor MP and committee chair Daniel Mulino said:
Long delays due to poor communication and disputes over causation resulted in emotional, mental health and financial strains for many families.
Updated
Motorists warned of risk from dangerous storms
Motorists in two states are being urged to skip all but necessary travel as damaging storms batter Australia’s south-east.
A large trough and cold front is creating wild thunderstorms as it collides with a humid, unstable air mass.
Severe weather warnings are in place for much of western NSW and Victoria’s central third including Melbourne and the north-east, with damaging winds over 125km/h, hail and heavy rain expected on Friday afternoon.
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Angus Hines said:
We could see heavy rain, which leads to flash flooding, and we could see large or even giant hail up to five centimetres or more.
The bureau has also issued marine wind warnings for most of northern Tasmania.
Updated
Seven wins legal fight to suppress details of lawsuit brought by former journalist
The Seven Network has won a legal fight to suppress details of a federal court lawsuit brought against it by former journalist Amelia Saw.
Saw, who worked on the network’s Spotlight program, filed proceedings under the Fair Work Act against Seven, alleging the program created a hostile working environment for women.
Seven argued before the court that several paragraphs of Saw’s amended statement of claim contained “large slabs” of what some “might consider to be salacious communications” between Saw, her bosses and her colleagues.
Justice Nye Perram said on Friday he had “decided the materials should be the subject of a suppression and non-publication order”.
The parties are expected to attend mediation on 12 November in a bid to settle the dispute out of court.
It is the second time the Seven current affairs program has been the subject of court proceedings this year.
The then Spotlight executive producer, Mark Llewellyn, resigned in the wake of allegations made during a defamation trial that the network reimbursed Bruce Lehrmann for money spent on cocaine and sex workers.
Both Seven and Llewellyn have denied those allegations.
In a separate case earlier this year, former Spotlight producer Taylor Auerbach made a number of claims in the Lehrmann defamation trial against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson about the way the Seven program had secured an exclusive interview with Lehrmann.
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NT law to lower age of criminal responsibility ‘exposes more First Nations children to new trauma’
Children’s Ground has condemned the Northern Territory government legislation lowering the age of criminal responsibility from 12 to 10.
In a statement, the First Nations not-for-profit organisation said:
This law exposes more First Nations children to new trauma and punitive incarceration and fails to address community needs and safety.
Throughout Alice Springs and the Northern Territory, First Nations children and young people wake up each day to racism, biases, exclusion and discrimination, compounded by the long-term neglect and trauma resulting from decades of government failure.
We continue to see expanded policy and increased funding for the Northern Territory Police Force. We have seen no change in the status quo.
In March this year the Australian government reported that on an average day in 2022-23 in the Northern Territory, of all young people under youth justice supervision aged 10 and over, 92% were Indigenous, the statement said.
Year-on-year First Nations communities continue to offer solutions, and they continue to be ignored. It is reprehensible.
We need support for evidence-based solutions that can make real long-term change.
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Senior police officer in Sydney charged with assault over alleged trespass run-in
A senior off-duty police officer has been charged with assaulting two men after allegedly intervening in a scuffle at a house before backup arrived, AAP reports.
The 55-year-old superintendent will face court to answer three counts of assault causing bodily harm following the incident at Stanmore, in Sydney’s inner west, on 21 September.
Two men aged 18 and 31 suffered bruising and one of them a shoulder injury after being hurt by the officer, investigators will allege. Assistant Commissioner David Driver said the men were arrested for trespass and assault offences, “and an off-duty officer intervened in the interim.”
The superintendent was only charged after a review of the evidence in their cases, involving analysis of CCTV from the scene.
Driver would not give further details of the circumstances that led to the alleged altercation but noted the policeman involved was highly experienced. He would also not confirm if the officer lived in the area where the events unfolded.
The superintendent was issued with a court attendance notice yesterday, nearly a month after the incident, after an investigation by detectives from the force’s Professional Standards Command. Police said the officer’s employment status was under review and he was no longer in the workplace but had previously been based in Sydney’s central metropolitan region.
He is due to face Downing Centre local court on December 5.
Updated
Handing over to Cait Kelly for the afternoon! Thanks for joining us today.
'Life-threatening' flash flooding forecast for Geelong
Geelong is facing life-threatening flash flooding as a very dangerous thunderstorm with intense rainfall approaches, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned.
The “very dangerous” system was detected north-west of Geelong and is forecast to move through Geelong City in the next half hour.
Other severe thunderstorms are bringing heavy rain and possible floods to the city’s north-east.
⚠️ A VERY DANGEROUS THUNDERSTORM with intense rainfall that may lead to LIFE THREATENING FLASH FLOODING is approaching #Geelong. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING is current with multiple storms across the #Melbourne area.
— Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria (@BOM_Vic) October 18, 2024
Full details: https://t.co/FNQhCbStWf pic.twitter.com/8CnRUqUcuH
Updated
Ballot papers lost after Australia Post van allegedly stolen
An Australia Post van collecting council election ballots in Melbourne’s east was stolen on Thursday, the Victorian electoral commission has said, with residents who lodged their votes urged to get new ballot packs.
All local councils in Victoria are having elections by post this October except Moira Shire council. Ballot packs were meant to reach voters by Tuesday.
The van had collected post from nine post boxes in the Mount Waverley and Oakleigh areas, in the City of Monash. The VEC warned that it may have been carrying papers posted after mail was collected on Wednesday but before 1pm yesterday.
The affected post boxes are as follows:
16 Pinewood Drive, Mount Waverley (opposite corner Illuka Crescent)
Corner Kingswood Avenue and Bellerive Avenue, Mount Waverley
59 Stanley Avenue, Mount Waverley (corner Ian Grove)
2 Macrina Street, Oakleigh East (corner Ferntree Gully Road)
68 Burlington Street, Oakleigh (corner Connell Road)
139 Atherton Road, Oakleigh (corner Grant Street)
1436 Dandenong Road, Oakleigh (corner Atkinson Street)
24 Atherton Road, Oakleigh (corner Eaton Mall)
Oakleigh Railway Station, 5 Portman Street, Oakleigh
Voters can request replacement votes at onlinepva.vec.vic.gov.au/net/ORVA or call 131 832.
Australia Post and Victoria Police are investigating the alleged theft of the vehicle and invited anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.
Updated
NSW passes legislation for new independent agriculture commissioner
The NSW parliament has passed legislation to create a new statutory role of independent agriculture commissioner in an effort to improve collaboration and consultation with farmers.
Creating the position was an election promise for the Minns government and follows the establishment of an independent biosecurity commissioner.
The new commissioner, who has not yet been appointed, will report directly to the agriculture minister, Tara Moriarty, and advise the government on the development of rural land use policy, mapping of agricultural areas, and provide advice on “addressing ongoing challenges” related to the renewable energy rollout.
Moriarty said the commissioner would have “the required powers to assist our primary industries to be the best, safest and most productive they can be”.
Updated
Low Melbourne bridge strikes again
The notorious Montague Street bridge has claimed another scalp this afternoon, after an over-height truck hit the light rail bridge.
The street’s left lane is again blocked southbound in the wake of the crash,VicTraffic said in a post on X. It was closed earlier today due to flash flooding.
No one was injured and one lane remains open, with emergency services and a recovery crew attending.
Photos on a Facebook group dedicated to the Montague Street bridge show a Yokohama Tyres truck with its top and back ripped from the rest of the vehicle.
The bridge is infamous for catching or crushing the tops of trucks, buses and other vehicles too tall for its 3.0m clearance.
According to the dedicated How Many Days Since the Montague Bridge Has Been Hit website, it had been 43 days since the last collision – well above the median wait of 26 days. The website managers wrote that a “bout” between bridge and vehicle was “WAAAAY overdue!!”.
But as Guardian Australia’s Josh Taylor writes, there’s not much the government can do to keep drivers from crashing into the bridge:
Updated
Severe thunderstorms in Melbourne’s north
Melbourne’s north is now being hit by severe thunderstorms, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned, after heavy rainfall drenched the city’s south earlier this afternoon.
Storms that could lead to flash flooding were detected near Sydenham, Yarra Glen and the area south of Whittlesea and are on track to move southeast towards Melbourne Airport and then Melbourne City in the next half hour.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning for heavy rainfall for people in parts of Inner, Northern, Outer East, Western, Port Phillip waters and Inner East Local Warning Areas.
— VICSES News (@vicsesnews) October 18, 2024
Stay informed: https://t.co/U2WKNw7RUw
Issued at 1:46 pm Friday, 18 October 2024. pic.twitter.com/GrENPnrmWU
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Man charged for allegedly running online livestock scam
Cattle, a kitten and even donkeys have allegedly been falsely advertised for sale on social media by a man accused of running an online livestock scam, AAP reports.
Police have encouraged people to conduct background checks before paying deposits for animals online after charging a 26-year-old man with a string of fraud offences.
The man is accused of falsely advertising for sale on social media livestock feed and animals including cattle, donkeys and a kitten, allegedly receiving money from victims between August and October last year.
Police said they had identified 12 buyers who deposited more than $7500 to the alleged seller but never received the animals or feed. Detectives arrested the man on Tuesday after searching a Kallangur property, north of Brisbane.
The man was charged with 14 counts of fraud along with a number of drug offences. He will face Pine Rivers Magistrates Court on November 14.
Good Samaritan Australian missing in waters off Bali
An Australian man has reportedly disappeared in waters off Bali while trying to rescue a German tourist in rough seas, AAP reports.
Craig Laidley was walking along Balian beach on the Indonesian island’s west coast on Wednesday afternoon when he heard the man shouting for help, ABC news says.
After helping to save the 29-year-old, the 56-year-old was carried away by the current. Relative Mark Laidley asked for help finding his cousin on Facebook:
Our Uncle/Brother and Son [Craig] was last seen helping a male that was reportedly drowning in the ocean between Tebing Balian rocks near Balian Beach at 4pm 16th of October.
He was then seen drifting back out to the ocean after saving this man’s life.
The post said local fishermen were helping with the search. A land and sea search, involving 10 people, is understood to be under way.
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Police seek footage of fatal collision on Sydney Harbour Bridge
NSW police are seeking dashcam footage of the multi-vehicle collision on the Sydney Harbour Bridge yesterday afternoon, which left two dead.
Four cars and a bus collided about 1.40pm yesterday on the bridge. Paramedics treated the drivers of two vehicles, a 51-year-old man and a 44-year-old man, however they died at the scene.
The bus driver was uninjured and no passengers were onboard. The drivers of the other cars were not injured.
Anyone with dashcam footage of the area at the time of the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
Updated
NSW police investigate claims of fraud
Police are investigating claims of fraud where police say alleged offenders took money from people after claiming to be psychics.
NSW Police claim the alleged offenders have been committing offences in the greater Sydney area since as early as 2006.
A woman aged 48 and a man aged 50 were arrested in August and remain before the courts.
Police have appealed for information to identify another woman they believe may be able to assist. The woman is of caucasian appearance, believed to be aged in her 40s, about 150cm tall, large build and speaks with a Romanian accent.
Investigations are being led by Strike Force Recycling, established in July 2024. Police urged anyone with information about the woman to contact Campsie Police Area Command or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Updated
Severe weather warning for Melbourne with heavy rainfall and thunderstorms
Severe weather is hitting Melbourne especially hard, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned.
Heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding has hit the eastern edge of the city around Pakenham and Warburton, and will move to Bacchus Marsh in the next half hour.
The city has already recorded heavy rainfall at multiple sites today, with Elsternwick soaked with 26mm in the 30 minutes to 12:00 pm and Frankston recording 35.2mm in the two hours to 11:45 am.
Much of central Victoria remains at risk of severe thunderstorms and damaging winds, including Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning – Melbourne area for heavy rainfall.
— VICSES News (@vicsesnews) October 18, 2024
Heavy rainfall with developing thunderstorms.
They are forecast to affect Bacchus Marsh by 1:30 pm and Exford and the area south of Melton by 1:45 pm.
Stay informed: https://t.co/yQGbyOfvgo pic.twitter.com/1wjK9x1J5M
Outside Victoria, the BoM has warned fast-moving severe thunderstorms are developing through central NSW, potentially bringing large hailstones. Damaging winds averaging 80 to 90 km/h with peak gusts up to 120km/h are expected in high-altitude alpine areas in the state’s south.
In South Australia, the SES has responded to more than 150 requests for assistance since yesterday as severe storms rolled through the state.
Updated
Weather update
For the latest on the severe thunderstorms battering eastern Australia, here’s an update from the Bureau of Meteorology:
Severe Weather Update: Severe #thunderstorms possible for much of eastern Australia on Friday. Video current: 11:30am AEST 18 October 2024. For the latest forecasts and warnings, go to https://t.co/4W35o8iFmh or the BOM Weather app. pic.twitter.com/kaVlwnoGcu
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) October 18, 2024
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Grain silos spill into NSW's Shoalhaven River
The Shoalhaven River on New South Wales’ south coast has filled with grain after two silos collapsed overnight.
The collapse, at an animal feed manufacturing facility in Bomaderry, triggered an automatic fire alarm. Firefighters established an exclusion zone around the silos and evacuated about 65 workers at 10pm yesterday night.
Fire and Rescue NSW said a third silo has been compromised and is being monitored. At midday, 20 firefighters were still on scene, including hazmat specialists and drone pilots.
Recovery efforts and investigations were continuing onsite, led by SafeWork NSW and the NSW Environmental Protection Agency.
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Court finds Harvey Norman engaged in misleading advertising ‘blitz’
Harvey Norman and credit provider Latitude used misleading advertisements during a radio, newspaper and television campaign “blitz” offering 60 months interest-free purchase terms for household goods, the federal court found today.
The retailer and finance company told shareholders in separate statements they will review the court decision before deciding whether to appeal.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission had alleged in the proceedings that advertisements in 2020 and 2021 misled consumers into thinking they could buy goods from Harvey Norman by making 60 equal monthly payments.
The ads described the payments as “no deposit” and “interest free”, according to the judgement published today.
But the offer required buyers to sign up for and use a credit card offered by Latitude, which carried fees and charges that could result in them paying hundreds of dollars more than the sticker price of the goods they bought, according to Asic.
The regulator described the campaign as an “advertising blitz” that would have been seen by millions of people in Australia, and likely on multiple occasions and across multiple media.
The regulator said in court documents that disclaimers were inadequate, which included “tiny text” in TV ads.
A hearing to determine penalties is likely to be scheduled for next year, Harvey Norman said.
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Daniel Andrews appointed chair of mental health researcher Orygen
Former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews has been appointed chair of Orygen, Australia’s designated Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health.
Orygen is the largest transnational mental health research organisation in Australia and the largest clinical research organisation focused on youth mental health in the world.
Andrews was appointed by the board of directors to fill the position for a three-year term, in what is his first official post-politics role. Andrews said:
I’m incredibly proud to take on this leadership role to help Orygen and its world-leading experts at this pivotal time for youth mental health in Australia and globally.
Orygen is one of Australia’s most important organisations, with a bold vision for all young people to enjoy the very best mental health as they grow into adulthood.
It will be an honour to work closely with executive director, Professor Patrick McGorry, and help him realise that vision through Orygen’s groundbreaking research, knowledge translation, advocacy, workforce development and clinical care.
Updated
Record mpox outbreak in Victoria
Cases of mpox are continuing to increase across Victoria and other Australian jurisdictions, the Victorian chief health officer has warned.
Professor Ben Cowie has issued an alert advising that the current mpox outbreak in Victoria is the state’s biggest since the first case was reported in May 2022. As of yesterday, 330 mpox cases had been notified in Victoria since April 2024 and there had been 27 hospitalisations.
Mpox has mostly affected men who have sex with men but Cowie said there have now been several cases in females in Victoria and heterosexual transmission has been reported.
Victoria’s health department encouraged all sexually active people with compatible symptoms to be tested, regardless of sexual orientation, vaccination status or travel history.
New South Wales has also urged those at risk of contracting mpox to get vaccinated as the state records its largest outbreak, which the top health official has described as “very concerning”:
Road closures in Melbourne as heavy rain causes flash flooding
VicTraffic is reporting four flood-related closures:
West Gate Freeway: the outbound entry from Kings Way has the left lane closed, with one lane open.
Monash Freeway: three outbound lanes under the Toorak Road overpass are closed, with the right lane open.
Nepean Highway: left lane outbound closed at Wickham Road.
Montague Street, Docklands: left lane blocked under the West Gate Freeway, heading towards South Melbourne.
The state’s transport department has advised drivers to allow extra time outbound on the highway and never drive through flooded roads.
Updated
Blackouts hit South Australia and Victoria
As we flagged earlier, severe weather has left thousands without power in western New South Wales. AAP is reporting outages have also hit South Australia and Victoria.
More than 5,500 South Australians were still without power this morning, down from around 20,000 overnight, as the wild weather continued eastward.
Structural damage to high voltage transmission lines in South Australia have cut power to BHP’s Olympic Dam mine and parts of Roxby Downs.
A BHP spokesman said:
ElectraNet crews are working to restore power as soon as possible, and we are working with them to better understand the scale of the impact and recovery timelines.
More than 3,000 Victorians were without power earlier this morning. CitiPower was showing 1,192 customers remained were still impacted by outages across the state’s west.
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Tasmanian minister’s resignation adds to Liberal woes
A second Tasmanian minister has quit the cabinet after facing mental health struggles, adding to the Liberal minority government’s woes as a reshuffle looms, AAP reports.
Nic Street on Friday announced that although he planned to continue as a minister and reassess his role at the end of the year, he had reflected that “now is the right time to step down”.
This is probably the most selfish decision I’ve made in eight years but if I am to improve my wellbeing back to 100%, it’s a decision I need to make.
Street will remain an MP for Franklin and praised the premier, Jeremy Rockliff, saying he “couldn’t ask for a better leader”.
Rockliff responded to the minister’s announcement, describing Street as a “steady hand” in government who has “has always expressed deep kindness, compassion and sincerity for those around him”.
Tasmania’s Labor leader, Dean Winter, also praised Street’s “selfless” decision to be open about his mental health:
In doing so, he has continued to destigmatise mental health issues and sends a message to everyone that it’s OK to put your hand up and say you are not OK.
While the resignation received supportive comments from all sides, it adds another item to the minority government’s growing list of issues. The Liberals were dealt a significant blow on Monday when Michael Ferguson walked away from his roles as deputy leader and treasurer in the face of a looming no-confidence vote in parliament.
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Melbourne flash flooding warning issued
Severe storms in Melbourne are moving south-east into Clayton, Hastings and Mornington.
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned that the storms are bringing heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding, after hitting Werribee and the Bellarine Peninsula, as we reported earlier.
Severe thunderstorms are also moving through the city’s east towards Dandenong.
⚠️ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING has been updated for parts of #Melbourne, with storms moving towards the eastern and south-east suburbs.
— Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria (@BOM_Vic) October 18, 2024
HEAVY RAINFALL is possible, and may lead to flash flooding.
Full details: https://t.co/xpVwqFbEaE pic.twitter.com/peTNA9X3uQ
Updated
Stop puppy farming, NSW inquiry urges
Backyard breeding and puppy farming should be stamped out to reduce the pressure on New South Wales’ underfunded, over-capacity pounds and rescues, a parliamentary inquiry has found.
The legislative council committee has reported that pound euthanasia rates remain high and many council pound facilities are not fit for purpose, with some built into tip sites.
Emma Hurst, committee chair and Animal Justice party MP, said the government needed to stem the oversupply of dogs.
Backyard breeding and puppy farming are driving more and more animals to end up in pounds where they are killed. There simply aren’t enough homes for the animals being born.
Hurst said the conditions in some pounds were “absolutely miserable”, with many animals left to “spend their last days in cold concrete pens, lonely and afraid”.
The committee also recommended the NSW government increase funding for rescue organisations, council pounds and animal-friendly rental accommodations.
In a dissenting statement, Liberal party MLCs hit back at some of the report recommendations, saying “most breeders in NSW are responsible, welfare-focused and should not be unfairly targeted”.
Updated
Second person charged after alleged shooting in rural NSW
A second person has been charged following an alleged shooting in rural NSW last month.
Officers were called to a home in Hillston, 100km north-west of Griffith, about 2.30am on 20 September after three people allegedly entered the home, one armed with a firearm.
A 46-year-old man was allegedly shot in the abdomen before the three people left. He was treated by paramedics and later airlifted to a major hospital, where he remains in a serious but stable condition.
On Wednesday, a 25-year-old woman was arrested after a vehicle stop in Griffith and charged with concealing a serious indictable offence.
She was refused bail and appeared on Thursday at Griffith local court, where she was granted conditional bail to reappear at the same court next Wednesday.
A 22-year-old man remains before the court charged over the same incident.
Updated
Visitors get creative with coastal sculptures
The Sculpture by the Sea exhibition has opened in Sydney today, and visitors are really getting into it (literally).
The installations along the 2km Bondi-to-Tamarama coastal walk make up the world’s largest free-to-the-public outdoor sculpture exhibition, now in its 26th year.
The exhibition will be open for 18 days. You can read more below:
Updated
Victoria thunderstorm asthma warning issued amid storms
People in north-east Victoria face a moderate risk of thunderstorm asthma as those storms sweep through over the next few days, the state’s health department has warned.
The Mallee and Northern Country districts are both showing a moderate risk, meaning at least one element of an epidemic thunderstorm asthma event may be present, such as a high pollen forecast or a severe thunderstorm with strong winds.
People with current, past or undiagnosed asthma or hay fever are considered to be at risk, the department said.
Attention: @VicGovDH has forecast a MODERATE risk of epidemic thunderstorm asthma for parts of Victoria. Be prepared and not alarmed. For more information visit the following link.https://t.co/jwWFTnd7oe pic.twitter.com/DvOL8qa4nB
— Melbourne Pollen Count and Forecast (@MelbournePollen) October 17, 2024
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Severe thunderstorms batter Melbourne’s south
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned that a severe thunderstorm that just passed through Werribee, in south-west Melbourne, is now tracking south-east through the Bellarine Peninsula and will hit Portarlington by 11.20 am.
Severe thunderstorm warning is current for the #melbourne metropolitan area. For me info https://t.co/YfH5U5jfvy pic.twitter.com/ILPYWmb8jX
— Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria (@BOM_Vic) October 17, 2024
The storm is one of multiple severe thunderstorms set to develop throughout Victoria today as a deep low-pressure system sweeps through. Heavy rainfall and flash flooding are possible, the bureau has warned.
Updated
NSW commits $3m more for regional and rural papers
Regional and rural newspapers will gain a further $3m in grants after the NSW government announced a top-up to its grants program.
Speaking at the 2024 Country Press NSW Conference and Awards of Excellence in Dubbo, the minister for regional NSW, Tara Moriarty, announced the government would put the additional money into the Regional Media Fund.
Moriarty said:
It is regional and rural papers that help get local issues on the agenda that would otherwise fall through the cracks. We understand complex barriers face these outlets, including the rise of technology.
The fund delivered grants to 47 regional outlets after its first round of applications early last year. Applications for the new round of funding will open before the end of this year.
The initial program aimed to support rural and regional media to diversify offerings and expand into digital content, while the revamped version will help support organisations to meet operational costs
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Wong repeats ceasefire calls after Hamas leader's death
The foreign minister, Penny Wong, has spoken to reporters in Adelaide about the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
She said Sinwar was “a terrorist who caused untold suffering to so many people”.
His violence culminated in the worst loss of Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust. Sinwar’s death is an opportunity for this war to end. We again call for ceasefire. We again call for all the hostages to come home. And we again call for humanitarian aid to be delivered into Gaza.
We all look to a day when Gaza is free from Hamas and we look to a day where both Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace in a two-state solution which ensures that both parties, both peoples can live in peace and security.
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NSW minister wants to 'throw the book' at those responsible for beach closures
The New South Wales environment minister, Penny Sharpe, says she wants to “throw the book” at whoever was responsible for the balls of tar that have forced the closure of some of Sydney’s most popular beaches.
While the government is still working to identify the source of the balls, Sharpe has suggested they came from an offshore oil spill that wasn’t reported to authorities.
Speaking to the media at NSW parliament a short time ago, Sharpe said:
I’m very worried about the fact that we’ve had our beautiful beaches polluted by something that we still don’t know where it’s come from.
We’re investigating to try and find the source of the spill and who was responsible
I would hope that we can do that, and I would also hope that if we can, that we will throw the book at those that were involved.
Sharpe said her latest advice was that the beaches at Coogee, Clovelly and Gordon’s Bay remained closed.
The Bondi, Bronte and Tamarama beaches reopened this morning.
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Birmingham hopes Hamas leader’s death provides ‘some justice’ to families of victims
AAP has more reactions from politicians to the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar:
Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said with Sinwar’s death “an ugly flame of vicious terrorism has been extinguished”.
He said in a statement:
Hopefully his death provides some justice to the families of those killed or taken on October 7.
Birmingham said Sinwar was not only responsible for the deaths of Israelis in Hamas’ initial attack in late 2023, but also the tens of thousands of Palestinians killed in Israel’s ensuing occupation and assault on the territory since.
May the elimination of another Iranian sponsored terrorist leader take the Middle East one step closer to ultimate peace.
Independent Wentworth MP Allegra Spender, who represents the federal electorate with the highest proportion of Jewish voters, said Sinwar’s death was “a huge milestone in this tragic war”.
She wrote on X:
His death must serve as a catalyst to bring home the remaining hostages, achieve a lasting ceasefire, and end the suffering of civilians in this terrible conflict.
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Fire ants still a threat, Littleproud warns, criticising Labor
Nationals leader David Littleproud has warned of the persistent threat of fire ants, marking six months since the delivery of a Senate report into the invasive species.
Littleproud blamed the government for failing to respond to the inquiry’s findings about the ongoing spread of red imported fire ants.
He said in a statement:
Labor has failed to implement or act on key recommendations it was given six months ago, in April, in the Senate inquiry’s final report.
The government’s failure to eradicate fire ants sooner had seen the biosecurity hazard zone increase in size, Littleproud said. He pointed to recent detections in north-east NSW and in Toowoomba and the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.
Parts of Queensland in August had as many fire ants as Texas – a hotbed of the uncontrolled infestation that costs the US billions of dollars each year, an expert has warned. You can read more here:
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Handing the blog over to Luca Ittimani for the next little while – he’ll continue bringing us the latest.
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More gas, hydro and battery use push up wholesale power prices
Hopes that lower wholesale power prices might convert into cheaper household power bills haven’t been boosted by market activity in the September quarter.
A report out today by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) found there were big jumps in wholesale electricity prices (as much as 290% in Tasmania), compared with a year earlier.
September quarter wholesale power prices higher than a year earlier, AER says. Compared with the June quarter, though, prices were lower in NSW, Tasmania and Victoria. pic.twitter.com/5sJmZ6M4cN
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) October 17, 2024
The picture was a little better compared with the June quarter but we’re more interested in contrasting like-with-like seasons, and the picture wasn’t so pretty, as we note here:
In short, when the wind doesn’t blow in the cooler months of the year, the grid relies more on expensive gas to generate the electrons.
Hydro helps too, but if water levels in dams are falling (as they are in Tassie), those plants are more likely to hold off generation until they get a good price to conserve supplies.
Unexpected outages didn’t help things either, nor did some generators withdrawing their low-cost supply bids only to re-enter the market when prices rose. (A separate AER “high-price” report will be out next month, so we might learn who the culprits were.)
Wholesale power prices, though, only account for about a third of the final tab so one bad quarter doesn’t necessarily mean retail prices will be markedly higher come next July at the annual resets. The renewal of state and government energy rebates – or not – will probably have a larger impact.
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Drone footage of flattened transmission line towers in NSW
As we reported earlier, severe weather has led widespread power outages in western New South Wales.
The storms have flattened transmission line towers, as captured via drone by the local ABC team:
Drone footage of the area where a short burst of high-speed winds and heavy hail battered an area south of Broken Hill. Transgrid says it could take weeks for repairs to be completed, and the region will run on generators in the meantime. 📹@billormonde_2 pic.twitter.com/A4hUjr5Mty
— Sarah McConnell (@SarahJMcConnell) October 17, 2024
The damage has caused major outages for several communities, which are expected to last for weeks. The NSW SES has warned against non-essential travel to the areas hit by blackouts.
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Dutton says Hamas leader’s death ‘a great day for the world’
Peter Dutton has issued a statement celebrating the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
Writing on X, the opposition leader said the world was “a safer place without evil terrorists like Yahya Sinwar”.
He had equal disdain for Israelis, as evidenced by the 7th of October atrocity, as he did for his own people whom he used as human shields and kept impoverished in pursuit of his own twisted worldview.
Release the hostages now and mark his death as a great day for the Middle East and the world.
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Victoria severe weather warning issued amid damaging winds
A severe weather warning is in place for parts of Victoria amid widespread damaging winds.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, locations which may be impacted include Bacchus Marsh, Mt Baw Baw, Falls Creek, Mt Hotham, Mt Buller and Omeo.
Strong winds around 50-60km/h with damaging gusts around 90km/h are expected about the central and north-eastern ranges, with the risk extending to the outer northern suburbs of Melbourne from midmorning to midday.
The risk of damaging gusts is set to ease from the west this morning and clear in the afternoon, but the bureau said some uncertainty remained on the position and strength of the low tracking across Victoria – and future warnings may be issued.
Separate severe thunderstorm warnings were likely this afternoon across Victoria, it said.
Severe Weather Warning for damaging winds
— VicEmergency (@vicemergency) October 17, 2024
Stay informed: https://t.co/T05ONtwAm3
For people in parts of Central, East Gippsland, North Central, North East and West and South Gippsland Forecast Districts. pic.twitter.com/8de2eeiD3x
A separate warning is in place for stone fruit growers across the Mallee, Wimmera, Northern Country, North Central, North East, South West and Central forecast districts, and parts of Gippsland, as humidity might cause “a heavy outbreak of brown rot”.
There are currently no other severe weather warnings active across the country, but we’ll keep you updated throughout the day.
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Tornado warning for Victoria
VicEmergency says there is a possibility of tornadoes forming in part of the state, ahead of a day of wild weather and severe thunderstorms.
It wrote on X that destructive winds, giant hail and intense rainfall were possible in the north-east and eastern parts of the Northern Country and North Central districts.
There is also a possibility of tornadoes forming in this area. However, the risk could be almost anywhere in the state. The western and central parts of Victoria, including Melbourne, could also experience damaging winds, large hail and heavy rain.
Rain, strong wind and thunderstorms are currently moving across the south-eastern states.
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) October 17, 2024
⚠️ Warnings: https://t.co/6zhjJMOa0K
Latest: https://t.co/MufttCYok9 pic.twitter.com/ABvZO80XyU
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Three-year-old hit by car in Melbourne yesterday dies in hospital
A three-year-old girl who was left with life-threatening injuries after being struck by a car in Melbourne yesterday has died in hospital.
A 24-year-old man has been charged with one count of dangerous driving causing serious injury following the collision, which occurred at the intersection of James Cook Drive and Heatherton Road around 8.30am yesterday.
It is alleged the child was crossing Heatherton Road at a pedestrian crossing with family when she was struck by a car.
She was critically injured and taken to hospital in a life-threatening condition, but has died in hospital.
The driver of the car stopped at the scene and was arrested by police, and has been bailed to appear before Melbourne magistrates court on 23 October.
Police expect further charges to be considered following the death of the child.
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Greens MP shocked Queensland premier favours LNP rule over working with Greens
The Queensland Greens MP for South Brisbane, Amy McMahon, says premier Steven Miles’ claim to prefer a minority LNP state government than a minority Labor one showed there was “very little [difference] between Labor and the LNP”.
In an interview with Guardian Australia, Miles said he wanted a majority in his own right after the 26 October state election, ruling out any horse-trading with independents and minor parties:
Talking to ABC RN, McMahon said Miles’ comments were “pretty incredible”.
He would prefer an LNP government – that could wind back abortion laws, who will be supercharging the climate crisis, who will be supercharging the housing crisis – as opposed to working with the Greens.
McMahon said it was particularly surprising given Labor had “picked up a number of Greens policies”.
We have been pushing for free public transport for many years. We now have 50-cent fares. The Labor party have announced setting up a public electricity retailer, they’ve talked about offering free school lunches, things that the Greens have been campaigning on for years … We’ve been able to squeeze these concessions out of the government. Imagine what we could do with even more Greens MPs in parliament.
Labor has warded off allegations of plagiarism from the Greens since promising a free lunch for every Queensland state primary school student last week. McMahon introduced a private members’ motion in 2021 calling for the policy, which Labor voted down:
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NSW to announce scheme for start-up critical mineral projects
The New South Wales government will this morning announce the creation of a $250m royalty deferral initiative to facilitate the start-up of critical minerals projects.
The government will also examine a new rapid framework for mineral mining projects as part of its efforts to transform the state into a “global leader in critical minerals”.
NSW has significant deposits of several critical minerals and metals, including scandium, cobalt, copper and silver, which are all needed to make clean energy materials.
The premier, Chris Minns, said the state was “open for business”.
This is about backing regional jobs and manufacturing jobs, and taking advantage of the critical minerals boom. We want to make sure we fully realise the opportunities that critical minerals and high-tech metals have for NSW.
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PM says Hamas leader's death could be 'turning point' in Gaza war
Anthony Albanese has issued a statement following news Hamas’s leader, Yahya Sinwar, has been killed by Israeli forces.
The prime minister wrote on X that Sinwar was “a terrorist and the architect of the atrocities committed on October 7”, and that his death could be a “vital turning point” in the conflict:
He was an enemy of the Israeli people and an enemy of peace-loving people everywhere. His death is a significant moment and can be a vital turning point in this devastating conflict.
Australia joins with the international community in renewing our call for the return of the hostages, urgent humanitarian support for civilians in Gaza and a ceasefire that will break the cycle of violence and put the region on the path to an enduring two state solution.
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Minns 'has to go': union takes hard line on right to protest
Labor premier Chris Minns doesn’t deserve a second term, says a trade union leader who threatens to “go” any leader standing by anti-protest laws.
As AAP reports, civil libertarians, jailed protesters and backbench NSW Labor MPs took aim at increased policing of rallies yesterday while highlighting creeping authoritarianism towards political protest.
The concerns come after pressure from federal opposition leader Peter Dutton to ban pro-Palestine rallies in recent weeks and a review ordered by Minns into the cost of policing weekly events.
The maritime union went further than all others, attacking Minns’ credibility and warning that he’d face union opposition if he failed to repeal anti-protest laws.
The maritime union’s Sydney branch president, Paul Keating, said:
Chris Minns is probably one of the most conservative premiers in this state. He doesn’t deserve that position as premier and it’s time that he goes.
Keating and other activists called for the immediate repeal of laws that imposed harsher penalties including jail time for blockading major roads or public facilities.
The state legislation, criticised for being anti-democratic, was rushed through parliament with Coalition and Labor support in 2022 following repeated disruptive protests in central Sydney.
Further to this, Minns is also under the pump from other unions, as Sarah Basford Canales reports:
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Queensland deputy leader says LNP candidate's abortion comment should ‘send chill down spine’
Queensland’s deputy premier and treasurer, Cameron Dick, says a Liberal National party candidate’s reported comments on abortion “should send a chill down the spine of every person in Queensland”.
Dick was up on ABC RN this morning, where he was asked why Labor continued to warn that opposition leader David Crisafulli would repeal abortion protections, despite Crisafulli’s insistence he would make no change.
Dick said media reports showed the Liberal candidate had “come out and [told] the truth today about abortion”.
She said: ‘I can’t say anything yet, because we have to get elected before we do.’ And this should send a chill down the spine of every person in Queensland, that this party that is full of anti-abortion activists, that these people want to make it a crime to have a termination of pregnancy.
The Australian has reported LNP candidate Freya Ostapovitch, contesting the Labor-held Brisbane seat of Stretton, has been caught telling Queenslanders at an early voting booth that she wants legislation overhauled:
You vote for me, you trust me. I can’t say anything yet because we have got to get elected before we do anything … I am on the record, I am pro-life. This babies born alive stuff, it just breaks my heart.
Dick claimed a bill on abortion was on the way, pointing to crossbench MP Robbie Katter’s promise to trigger a conscience vote to restrict – and possibly even criminalise – abortion:
People [will] have to have to vote on their conscience, and we know [Crisafulli] voted to maintain the criminality of having a termination of pregnancy in 2018. Yesterday was six years to the day since our Labor government decriminalised terminations of pregnancy Patricia, and he voted against it.
You can read more on the abortion fight ahead of Queensland’s state election on 26 October below:
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SES warns against non-essential travel to western NSW areas hit by blackouts
Supt Joshua Clarke from the New South Wales SES spoke with ABC News Breakfast earlier about the storms forecast for large parts of the state today.
He said transmission lines had come down at Broken Hill – which we flagged earlier – causing major power outages for several communities.
With that, we’re requesting that people – if they don’t need to travel to that part of the state – is to avoid … travel to the far west of the state.
These communities are without power, there is telecommunication outages in some locations as well, and the restoration of these services … could take a few weeks to achieve.
He said some communities were surviving on diesel back-up generation at the moment, and there was a “whole-of-government response to support these communities”.
In terms of the forecast for today, the focus would be on the NSW Riverina in the morning, before the storm moves through central parts of the state and into the east by the afternoon.
It’s really hard to pinpoint any specific location that is of concern.
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DV a key concern in property disputes, peak legal body says
Making domestic violence a key consideration in property disputes would help create a family law system that supports victim-survivors, a parliamentary inquiry will be told.
As AAP reports, Women’s Legal Services Australia will today tell a public hearing into proposed changes to family law about the impact family violence can have on women’s economic wellbeing – which is exacerbated by the “unfair” distribution of property post-separation.
The legislation will seek to make the family law system safer and simpler for separating couples, and ensure the financial breakdown is fair for both parties.
Meaghan Bradshaw, from the peak body for community legal centres specialising in women’s legal issues, said perpetrators often used systems to continue inflicting further violence – such as withholding financial support and failing to disclose financial records. She will say:
Women who access our services often report being scared of seeking a property settlement due to fear of escalating violence. We also know women often do not leave violent relationships because they are effectively forced to choose between violence or poverty.
The inquiry must report back by the end of October.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732). Lifeline 13 11 14.
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Sydney rain possible tonight as royals touch down
The Bureau of Meteorology has provided more information about tonight’s forecast in Sydney, as King Charles and Queen Camilla prepare to land in Australia around 8pm.
The Bureau said it would be mostly cloudy in Sydney today, with showers or steady rain gradually easing by the evening – possibly clearing by 8pm.
There is a chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening across Greater Sydney, but is not likely to be severe.
Maximum temperatures at Observatory Hill are forecast between 25C and 26C in the afternoon, remaining warm into the evening and around 22-24C at 8pm.
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‘We’ve got better ideas on housing’, Chalmers says of negative gearing
Continuing to speak on negative gearing, Jim Chalmers said he had been asked about this “countless times” but “people shouldn’t anticipate that this is part of our housing policy.”
Even if it’s a good idea, ABC RN host Patricia Karvelas asked? Chalmers responded:
We’ve got better ideas on housing.
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Chalmers responds to Greens calls to scrap negative gearing
Jim Chalmers was also asked about calls from the Greens to scrap negative gearing.
As we’ve already flagged, Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather commissioned Parliamentary Library analysis of NSW Treasury modelling and census data, which showed more than a quarter of a million renters could own their own homes if negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts were wound back.
Chalmers said he had seen the reports, but not the actual analysis, and if the Greens wanted to get more people into home ownership “they’d vote for our Help to Buy scheme”.
It is a fact, not an opinion, that the Greens are holding up the Help to Buy scheme in the Senate. If they were genuine about getting people on low and middle incomes into their first home … they’d vote for that in the Senate, and then we’d take them seriously …
I’ve seen advice on negative gearing over the course of the last couple of years, but if you’re anticipating … one big, new, discrete piece of work, then that’s not the right assumption.
For more on the standoff between Labor, the Greens and the Coalition over housing, you can have a read of this explainer below:
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Saying work in care economy isn't real job is 'snobbiness' – treasurer
Jim Chalmers also responded to comments from the opposition’s Michaelia Cash, who argued about 70% of the jobs created are government-funded rather than in the private sector.
He said those jobs weren’t all necessarily government-funded, and not all public servants, telling ABC RN:
Obviously, as the economy recovers, we want to see more jobs created in the private sector, but we need to recognise as well that care economy jobs are real jobs. You know, I completely reject this sense that it’s only a real job if it’s not in the care economy.
In the context of our aging population and all of the needs that we have, we want to see care economy workers respected. We are paying them more. We don’t want to see them respected less or paid less.
And that seems to be the approach taken by our critics, and there’s a real snobbiness at the core of that critique, which says that if you work in the care economy, that’s not a real job. It is a real job, we value it, we are paying people appropriately.
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Treasurer tight-lipped on rate-cut chances after jobs data
Jim Chalmers would not comment on whether the latest job figures, announced yesterday, have dashed chances of a rate cut this year.
The treasurer said this was the “first time, and only time” 1 million jobs had been created in a single parliamentary term and “our job, and the Reserve Bank’s job, is to get on top of inflation without ignoring the risks to growth”.
In terms of the rate cut, he said that was “a matter for the independent Reserve Bank”.
They’re primarily focused on inflation, and inflation has been coming down really considerably, and that’s a very good thing. Even though people are still under pressure, inflation in the monthly figures most recently was less than half what it was in the year we came to office. That’s a good thing.
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Chalmers hopes death of Hamas leader will help bring end to war
Jim Chalmers has been speaking with ABC RN. First up, the treasurer was asked about news overnight that Hamas’s leader, Yahya Sinwar, has been killed by Israeli forces. You can read more on this below:
Chalmers said that “we don’t mourn for one second the death of a terrorist leader”, but “we do mourn his victims”.
And we do mourn the tens of thousands of innocent lives lost to this conflict, and we hope that his death helps and hastens bringing an end to the war, because we want to see a ceasefire. We want to see the humanitarian aid get in, and we want to see his hostages released.
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Bondi, Bronte and Tamarama beaches reopen
Waverley council has confirmed all of its beaches have been reopened following a site inspection, after thousands of tar balls washed ashore.
The council said no remaining evidence of the debris could be found at Bondi, Bronte and Tamarama beaches. Mysterious tar balls washing up in Sydney had forced the closure of seven beaches in total.
The mayor, Will Nemesh, said the council would continue to prioritise the safety of the community, and would continue to monitor the situation closely:
The safety of our community is always paramount. Working with government authorities, we will continue to monitor the situation closely and keep the community updated and safe.
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One Direction members ‘completely devastated’ at Liam Payne’s death
The former members of One Direction – Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Niall Horan – have released a statement following the death of their bandmate Liam Payne.
Payne died of multiple traumas and internal and external bleeding caused by a fall from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, the Argentinian prosecutor’s office has said.
The statement, released about 15 minutes ago, reads:
We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.
The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever.
For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam.
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‘Major’ power outages in western NSW could last up to three weeks
The NSW Rural Fire Service says far western parts of the state are experiencing “major” power outages following severe storms. The outages are expected to last for two to three weeks, it said.
According to Essential Energy, there has been extensive damage to transmission towers between Buronga and Broken Hill, with 1,444 customers impacted.
Customers are being supplied power via backup generator in Broken Hill. There are additional faults between Mt Gibbs and Sunset Strip.
Parts of far western NSW are experiencing major power outages following severe storms. With outages expected to last for 2-3 weeks, the #RFS has deployed resources to ensure our brigades remain operational and can continue supporting their communities. pic.twitter.com/gVYDymHzCH
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) October 17, 2024
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More back-and-forth over PM’s property purchase
The deputy leader of the opposition, Sussan Ley, was up on Sunrise this morning to discuss comments from Peter Dutton, who argues the PM would not last a second term if re-elected.
Ley said Dutton was referring to “actions from the prime minister this week” – as in the purchase of a new home – and said:
[Anthony Albanese is] entitled to make whatever purchases he wants. He’s planning for that next stage of his life. I don’t think all his colleagues are happy about it.
She said it was not about the purchase itself, but the response from his Labor colleagues.
When you look at the response to that, that’s coming from his colleagues. It’s not coming from us. We’re saying who is unhappy about this? Who is talking about it? Who is revealing their thoughts? Who is worried about it? Labor party members. That demonstrates the distraction that’s at the heart of the Albanese government…
Labor PM Jason Clare, also on the program, said there was “no” truth in this argument and “the time for professional whinging from Peter Dutton and Susan is over”.
We have an election in 12 months. It’s time they came up with a plan and stop the whinging. Peter Dutton [is] crazy if he thinks this will happen … You can’t wait for someone to retire to get your go. He has to come up with policies. The only thing he has going is shutting down Woolworths and building nuclear reactors. That’s not what the Australian people want.
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Growing consensus to scrap big tax handouts, Greens MP says
Max Chandler-Mather continued, and told ABC News Breakfast:
I would argue in this instance in the context of one of the worst housing crises we have seen in generations … now is precisely the time where we need more than tinkering around the edges and we need substantial change.
He argued that big tax handouts for property investors put money in their pockets while they “go to auctions and bid out first-home buyers desperately trying to buy a home, crushing their hope of ever being able to own a home and build a good life”.
He also said that backbench Labor and Liberal MPs were “starting to say they need to change, economists are saying they need to change, housing experts are saying they need to change”.
There is a building consensus we need to scrap these tax handouts. Increasingly the biggest barrier is a prime minister [who has just] gone through multiple days of scandal for buying another property and being a property investor.
So I think there’s a real moment here the government should seize to make real substantial change to the lives of hundreds of thousands of renters, and the bottom line is the Greens are ready and willing to work with Labor to do it.
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Greens MP makes case for negative gearing changes
Greens housing spokesperson Max Chandler-Mather spoke with ABC News Breakfast earlier about his party’s calls for negative gearing.
Chandler-Mather commissioned Parliamentary Library analysis of NSW Treasury modelling and census data which showed more than a quarter of a million renters could own their own homes if negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts were wound back.
He told ABC News Breakfast it would be “transformational for so many lives”.
It would see the biggest increase in homeowner since Menzies … The reality is we could make changes right now that change the lives of over 770,000 renters. It would be incredible.
Asked if Labor would even consider this, seeing as they have insisted there would be no changes, the Greens MP said:
We heard similar rhetoric during the stage-three tax cuts and then ultimately the prime minister said, when economic circumstances change, so should government policy.
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NSW police conducting Operation ‘Royal Visit’ throughout King Charles’s visit
As we flagged just earlier, King Charles and Queen Camilla are due to arrive into Sydney tonight.
NSW police said they were conducting Operation “Royal Visit” from today until next Wednesday, and had been planning for the royal visit “over many months”.
[The NSW police force] has been working with partner agencies, including the UK royal and specialist protection team, to provide an operational response.
General and specialist police will be deployed to “manage the movement of the king and queen between engagements”, police said, and “to provide a safe environment for visiting dignitaries and the community.”
A number of traffic diversions and road closures will be implemented, and the public is being urged to familiarise themselves with the rules regarding operating drones in restricted areas.
… anyone who breaches no-fly zones will be dealt with appropriately.
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Good morning
And happy Friday – Emily Wind here, signing on for blogging duty. Thanks to Martin for kicking us off!
As always, you can reach out with any tips or feedback via X, @emilywindwrites, or send me an email: emily.wind@theguardian.com.
Let’s get started.
Full Story podcast: why the PM’s beach house matters in politics
And just to undermine the centrality of the housing question, it’s the subject of our Full Story podcast this week.
This week, news broke that Anthony Albanese purchased a slice of paradise set on the clifftops of the NSW Central Coast. Forking out $4.3m on a property created some bruising headlines for the prime minister, but did he actually do anything wrong?
Bridie Jabour talks to editor-in-chief Lenore Taylor, deputy editor Patrick Keneally and national news editor Jo Tovey about what the anger around the PM’s beach house says about the state of the housing crisis.
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NSW parliament passes bill to strengthen LGBTQ+ rights
The New South Wales parliament voted last night to broaden rights and protections for LGBTI people.
Tamsin Rose kept tabs on the debate and here’s her full report:
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Greens say negative gearing reform could help 292,000 renters become owners
Housing has been one of the big issues of the week – again – and the Greens are trying to make hay with new analysis which they say shows that more than a quarter of a million renters could own their own homes if Labor reformed tax breaks for residential property investors.
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Northern territory lowers age of criminal responsibility to 10
Children as young as 10 could face jail after the Northern Territory parliament last night passed a law to lower the age of criminal responsibility, Australian Associated Press reports.
After the Territory recently became the first jurisdiction in Australia to raise the age to 12, the incoming government has moved quickly to return it to 10.
The parliament passed three changes to youth justice laws last night that include lowering the age of criminal responsibility along with criminal provisions for ram raiding and boast-and-post laws.
Under the existing criminal code, a person can be charged for ram-raiding a property in the Northern Territory, however the new legislation could have children as young as 10 sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.
The NT chief minister, Lia Finocchiaro, said Labor had raised the age of criminal responsibility without having any programs in place to deal with the fact that 10- and 11-year-olds would no longer be held accountable for their actions.
We know reverting to a system where it is the judge’s discretion around what to do with a 10- and 11-year-old creates much better opportunities for authorities to intervene early in their lives.
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King Charles and Queen Camilla arriving into Australia tonight
The arrival of King Charles and Queen Camilla is the first tour by a reigning monarch since 2011, though Charles was here most recently in 2018 to open the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
The Sydney Opera House sails will be lit up for the couple’s arrival on Friday night before the royals are kept busy with formal dinners, wreath laying, fleet inspecting and hand-shaking during their five-day visit.
Daisy Dumas has all the details of where you might be able to catch a glimpse of them in person, barring last-minute surprises:
The king, who has reportedly paused his cancer treatment for the overseas trip, is due a rest day tomorrow, though there is speculation he will attend the horse racing at Randwick.
Hopefully he brought an umbrella, as Sydney’s weather forecast is looking dicey.
It could be a bit blowy for his late evening touchdown, with rain forecast, a strong wind warning for the Sydney coast, and even the chance of a thunderstorm.
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Welcome
Good morning, happy almost-weekend, and welcome to our live news coverage. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then Emily Wind will be your host.
More than a quarter of a million renters could own their own homes if Labor reformed tax breaks for residential property investors, new analysis commissioned by the Greens shows. And in the wake of Anthony Albanese’s controversial house purchase this week, the Greens’ Max Chandler-Mather said “property investor” Albanese had become the “biggest blocker” to meaningful change on solving the housing crisis.
Rights and protections for LGBTQI+ people in New South Wales have been strengthened with the passing of a bill in the state parliament late on Thursday, after the legislation was watered down to gain Labor support. The equality bill will give transgender people the ability to have their sex changed on their birth certificates without undergoing invasive surgery, bringing the state in line with others, and non-binary will become a gender option for birth certificates.
Children as young as 10 could face jail after the Northern Territory parliament last night passed a law to lower the age of criminal responsibility. After the territory recently became the first jurisdiction in Australia to raise the age to 12, the incoming government has moved quickly to return it to 10. More details coming up.
And the king and queen of Australia are due to arrive this evening for a brief tour of NSW and the ACT. More on that in a minute.
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