What we learned today, Tuesday 19 September
And with that, we are going to put the blog to bed. Before we go, let’s recap the big headlines from today:
Hearing into government’s decision to reject Qatar Airways routes begins
Government to spend $1.5bn on upgrade for maritime. surveillance aircraft
Twenty-one NSW public schools non-operational due to fire risk
Extreme fire risk forecast across Sydney and the Greater Hunter tomorrow
Bega mayor: anxiety around bushfire threat ‘extreme’ only years after black summer fires
Queensland emergency services issues prepare to leave notice for Julago and Nome
Bean bag rounds fired by NSW police at 47-year-old Newcastle women killed her
‘Catastrophic’ fire danger warning issued for NSW far south coast
Former Pacific Islands leaders call for yes vote on Indigenous voice
Fourth person injured in ANU campus attack, vice-chancellor says
‘We need to prepare’: climate scientists weigh in on El Niño summer
Thank you so much for spending part of your day with us. We will be back first thing Wednesday morning.
Updated
A review of the navy’s surface fleet is due to be handed to the government by the end of next week – but the defence minister, Richard Marles, has hinted decisions won’t be made until early next year.
Earlier this year, the Albanese government ordered a review, opening the door to potential changes to the number of Hunter class frigates and offshore patrol vessels to be bought by Australia.
In a discussion at the Submarine Institute of Australia’s conference in Adelaide today, Marles confirmed that the government expected to receive that assessment by the end of next week:
And obviously, we’ve been talking with the surface fleet review team, so that’s not going to be a surprise to us, we have a sense of what’s coming. And in that sense, when we announced it coming out of the [defence strategic review], we said it would be a relatively short, sharp review and it has been that. And we’re very thankful to the review team and the work they’ve done.
What now? Obviously, it’s the government’s response to that. Our intention is to provide our response to that, meaning the decisions which come from that, in the first part of the first couple of months of next year.
We’ll try and get this out the door as quickly as we can, but that’s essentially the timeframe that we’re working on. And in the process of providing that government response, we’ll obviously – I mean, a lot of the review exists in the classified domain which people will understand, but we will provide as much of the review as we can at that time.
Translation: the findings will probably be kept under wraps until early next year when the government announces what it is actually going to do in response to the report.
Updated
From AAP:
Perth tenants are struggling amid a housing crisis as rental prices rise faster than in any other capital city and the vacancy rate plummets.
Advertised rents rose 19% in the past year according to Shelter WA.
Perth also has the tightest vacancy rate of the capital cities at 0.4%, and regional Western Australia experienced some of the largest rent rises in the nation.
Shelter WA chief executive Kath Snell said tenants were being “smashed by some of the biggest rent rises in the country”.
Two WA regions are among Australia’s top 10 areas for rent rises in the past year – the Goldfields recorded a 30.8% increase, while rents in the Mid-West and Wheatbelt rose by 24.4%.
The average weekly rent asking price was $644 in Perth and Canberra, $597 in Melbourne, $793 in Sydney, $626 in Brisbane, $532 in Adelaide, $489 in Hobart and $576 in Darwin.
Updated
From AAP:
Farmers are feeling the heat from El Niño with some producers already in drought.
The weather pattern is expected to deliver warmer drier conditions across eastern Australia and parts of the NSW north coast and Hunter region are drought-declared.
One charity has reported a 240% spike over the past four months in demand for emergency drinking water from producers.
Rural Aid which helps primary producers said the need was greatest in parts of NSW, Queensland and Victoria.
John Walters from Rural Aid:
The declaration is a formalisation of what they’re already living and experiencing and managing against.
The spike in fodder and water requests reflect the dry conditions.
Updated
A car has crashed into a Coles in Ballina, with emergency crews on the scene currently performing a rescue and assessing the property, Fire and Rescue NSW have confirmed.
Images were shared online that reportedly show the car inside the supermarket on Fox Street.
One person commented that it sounded like “a bomb going off”.
Updated
The Tasmanian fire services have updated the community. They are asking people in Swankick and Coles Bay to evacuate immediately.
Deputy Regional Chief Greg Butters:
It’s an imminent threat to communities and the Coles Bay area.
The fire, which is travelling east towards Friendly Beaches from Coles Bay Road, is about 20km north of the picturesque Freycinet national park.
Police have closed Coles Bay Road from the Tasman Highway to Swanwick Road.
Butters:
It is an unusual event, but I think we’ve had relatively quiet periods of fire activity in the last couple years.
This year, the wind has been a lot warmer hence the fuel is a lot drier. What we’ve got now is fire that started on a windy day, obviously being wind-driven because the fuel are so dry, it is what’s increased the fire activity.
- With AAP
Updated
'We need to prepare': climate scientists weigh in on El Niño summer
Scientists across the country have weighed in on the BoM declaring El Niño. Here is what a few of them had to say:
Linden Ashcroft, lecturer of climate science at the University of Melbourne:
Eastern Australia is already experiencing some of the impacts that an El Niño and positive indian ocean dipole event can bring. These climate drivers – on top of background warming due to climate change – means we need to prepare for a hot and dry end to 2023.
Brett Summerell, chief scientist at the Botanic Gardens of Sydney:
El Niño conditions hamper efforts for rainforests to restore and rehabilitate damaged ecosystems making it difficult to recover the functionality of these ecosystems.
The period since the black summer fires to now hasn’t allowed all species to recover, grow and age enough to replenish seed stocks, recover from fire damage and germinate to grow to a sufficient size to regenerate the seed banks in soil.
Andrew King, senior lecturer in climate science at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes:
The unusually hot weather we’re seeing across south-east Australia at the moment is a warning of the kind of extremes we’re likely to see more of over the next few months. Coming on the back of consecutive La Niña events, this spring will likely be very different and we need to be prepared for more heat, drought and fire weather conditions.
Updated
Australian shares fall again
The Australian share market has fallen for a second day ahead of a bevy of central bank meetings and after the release of dovish minutes from the Reserve Bank.
The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index on Tuesday dropped 33.8 points, or 0.47%, to 7,196.6, while the All Ordinaries fell 33.1 points, or 0.45%, to 7,395.0.
The Australian dollar was buying 64.33 US cents, from 64.45 US cents at Monday’s ASX close.
– via AAP
Updated
Animals facing potentially disastrous summer in El Niño, group warns
The International Fund for Animal Welfare is concerned about the potential impact on wildlife, landscape and communities now that El Niño has been declared.
IFAW animal rescue officer Robert Leach said that with Australia facing a potentially disastrous summer:
The sad reality is that our wildlife cannot handle much more. After the 2019-20 devastation, koalas were uplisted to an endangered species in Queensland, NSW and the ACT. I don’t want to imagine what another devastating summer would do to the already declining population numbers of our iconic Aussie species.
We must do all that we can now to ensure our wildlife and the people who care for them are prepared. Too often we see people put their own lives at risk and refuse to evacuate if they cannot take their animals with them. Preparation saves lives.
Now is the time to make sure you’ve created and trialled your evacuation plans and that the animals – be it pets or wildlife – in your care are considered in that plan. Remember, if it is not safe for you, it is not safe for the animals in your care.
We ask people to download the IFAW wildlife rescue app, which puts you in touch with your nearest wildlife rescue group, which will be able to guide you on the best way to help an injured or orphaned animal.
Updated
Bushfire alert for stretch of Tasmania’s coast
An emergency alert has been issued for a stretch of Tasmania’s east coast near Coles Bay. There is a warning for residents near Friendly Beaches to leave now.
Tasmanian authorities are expected to give a press conference soon. I will bring you that when we have it.
.@tasfireservice has issued a Bushfire Watch & Act - Swanwick & Coles Bay - Monitor Conditions and avoid the area. pic.twitter.com/KBEFyyBGxM
— TasALERT (@tasalert) September 19, 2023
Updated
Carlton housing project needs ‘adequate green spaces and community facilities’
The Carlton Neighbourhood Learning Centre in Victoria has welcomed the announcement of 231 social homes to be built on the corner of Nicholson and Elgin streets.
CNLC executive officer Tony Milne said:
Carlton is a fantastic place. It’s a strong and diverse community where people can thrive, but there is no doubt that many locals are doing it tough right now
There is a cost-of-living crisis and an overstretched housing waiting list, putting unprecedented demand on people and families. The risk of homelessness is high and the need for additional support is significant.
To make the most of this opportunity, it’s important that the new housing project includes adequate green spaces and community facilities. And, to address the ongoing threat of climate change, the housing should be fully equipped with air-conditioning, up-to-date renewable energy technology and battery storage capabilities.
Updated
Qantas aggressive to deal with, Sydney airport chief says
Sydney airport’s CEO has told a Senate inquiry that Qantas is the most aggressive industry player it deals with, and that the airline has a strong presence in Canberra to lobby the government.
Geoff Culbert, appearing before the Senate select committee into bilateral air services agreements, which is examining the Albanese government’s decision to reject Qatar Airways’s request to almost double its capacity into Australia, spoke of his grievances with Qantas, including what he sees as misuse of scarce take-off and landing slots at the airport which are blocking competitors from launching rival services.
Culbert called on the Albanese government to act within the “next month or so” to tighten slot rules that he believes are allowing Qantas and its budget carrier Jetstar to strategically schedule then cancel flights, resulting in high cancellation rates out of Sydney airport.
Transport minister Catherine King is yet to act on review recommendations to crackdown on slot misuse, and Culbert told Monday’s hearing he had asked King to reform the slot system, and had also spoken to her in favour of allowing Qatar Airways extra air rights to Australia.
Culbert spoke of Sydney airport’s interactions with Qantas, its largest customer:
Our interactions with Qantas are always very robust and we don’t always see eye to eye on every issue. I don’t think it would surprise anyone if I said they have always had a strong presence in Canberra. We’re aware of that. We do our own lobbying and advocacy, as does other airlines and other airports.
Historically, they have had a strong presence in Canberra and they are a robust counter-party for us to negotiate with in respect of anything to do with Sydney airport.
Asked by senator and committee chair Bridget McKenzie if Qantas was the most aggressive party to deal with, Culbert said:
A direct answer to your question is yes.
Updated
Thanks for being with me on the blog today – it’s been a big morning.
All this news of bushfires and warming temperatures can be quite daunting, especially for communities who were impacted by the black summer bushfires just a few years ago. Please know you can always reach out for help if needed (Lifeline: 13 11 14).
Take care, and with that I’ll leave you with my lovely colleague Cait Kelly to see you through the rest of today’s news.
BoM says NSW and Victoria heat’s duration is unusual
Miriam Bradbury of the Bureau of Meteorology provided a weather update.
She said Melbourne had seen a prolonged run of days above 20C:
We are in this run of very, very warm weather which hasn’t been seen for many years.
She said what made the heat in NSW and Victoria so unusual for this time of year was how prolonged it was.
Bradbury said conditions were expected to ease across the NSW south coast as a cold front moved through. However, “severe fire dangers” were expected for the Greater Sydney and Hunter regions tomorrow.
That is likely to trigger a total fire ban as well – it depends on the RFS’s decision there.
The cold front is expected to sweep across Tasmania and Victoria from tomorrow, and gradually push up the NSW coast through Wednesday and Thursday, she added, bringing a welcome relief from the heat.
Sydney still going for 34C [tomorrow] as it will be ahead of that front, but the cooler weather will settle into NSW as well through Thursday and Friday.
Updated
The Bureau of Meteorology spokesperson said El Niño was a natural phenomenon of the climate system, but didn’t occur “in isolation of global warming in the background”.
We have had globally record warmth in the oceans since April and to give you an idea of the interplay between the two, we believe that that continued ocean warmth is potentially one of the things that slowed down the atmospheric response.
… This year we’ve had continued warm conditions everywhere, which is more to do with the background trends than it is to do with El Niño. El Niño tends to impact global temperatures from now until the middle of next year.
So unfortunately we’ll probably see a continuation of the global heat up until the middle of 2024.
Updated
The Bureau of Meteorology spokesperson encouraged communities to take initiative and prepare for the bushfire season ahead.
He said NSW and Victoria, in particular, would have an extended period of warmth.
I think El Niño means we’ve elevated the risk of fire danger and extreme heat, in particular in terms of the hazards we face … We aren’t leading into this summer on the back of extended drought, which somewhat reduces the risk, but we have seen eastern NSW dry out quite particularly.
I think there’s 61 fires burning in the landscape in NSW at the moment and I think that just underscores if we continue to dry out the landscape over the next three months … then we’ll be adjusting our message accordingly in terms of the risk.
Updated
El Niño likely to last until end of summer, expert says
A meteorologist with the Bureau of Meteorology is giving an update following the announcement of an El Niño.
He said that now the El Niño pattern was settling in, it increased the BoM’s confidence this pattern would last until the end of summer. It was likely there would be a continuation of warm and dry conditions over the summer months in particular, he added.
We are already seeing extreme conditions in some parts of the continent, particularly in the duration of heat. We’ve had an extended period of warm and dry weather to start spring, today we’ve had catastrophic conditions on the south coast of NSW, just to underscore that risk.
While we are different to leading into the black summer in 2019, where we had years of preceding drought, we do have a wetter landscape out there, it is drying out more rapidly than has occurred in recent years, and we are seeing that elevated risk now occurring in eastern NSW in particular, and Sydney equalling its record so far today for temperatures for September.
Updated
To read the full details on the El Niño announcement, see the full story from Donna Lu and Graham Readfearn here:
Updated
Bureau of Meteorology declares El Niño under way
The Bureau of Meteorology has declared that Australia is now in an El Niño climate pattern.
The announcement comes amid soaring temperatures and extreme fire danger across parts of south-east Australia. Total fire bans were declared for the New South Wales south coast and greater Sydney region on Tuesday, while bushfire evacuation orders were issued in parts of Queensland during the week.
The UN’s weather agency, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), declared the onset of an El Niño in July, after the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) did so in June.
The BoM has had Australia on an El Niño alert since May, saying there was a 70% chance of the system locking in place by the summer. But until Tuesday, Australia’s weather agency had stopped short of making the declaration, pointing to a lack of tell-tale signs in the atmosphere.
El Niños are characterised by warmer than average sea surface temperatures in a central region of the equatorial Pacific.
Climate and bushfire experts have said that the drier and hotter conditions associated with El Niño will raise the risk of dangerous bushfires. El Niño tends to result in hotter than average temperatures across most of southern Australia.
For eastern Australia, nine of the 10 driest winter-spring periods on record have occurred during El Niño years.
Updated
Victoria’s Gabo Island records hottest September day
More temperature records are being broken, this time in Victoria.
The Bureau of Meteorology says Gabo Island has recorded its hottest September day on record with a high of 34.6C.
This beats the previous September record of 31.2C, recorded in 2017.
Gabo Island sits off the coast of eastern Victoria on the border with NSW, between Mallacoota and Cape Howe.
With a high so far of 34.6°C, Gabo Island has recorded its hottest September day on record (previous record 31.2 on 23/9/2017). https://t.co/NzSOfF0Gvg
— Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria (@BOM_Vic) September 19, 2023
Updated
The president of the ANU Students’ Association, Ben Yates, said yesterday’s incident was a “terrifying act of violence”.
Students need to be able to feel safe on campus. This is where they study. This is where they learn. For many students, this is also where they live.
Many students are upset and angry about the incident yesterday. This is understandable. My message to students is to look after each other and seek support if you need it.
… The effects of this incident will continue to be felt in the community. To students – really important that you look after yourselves and look after each other, and take care over the next few days.
Updated
Sally Wheeler acknowledged the “prompt action” of the university’s security team, and of police and emergency services, “without which this incident might have been even worse”.
The ANU deputy vice-chancellor said:
At ANU, the safety of our people is our highest priority. We’re a peaceful campus. We’re a public place. A place where all are welcome. The university has a wide range of measures in place to ensure our community’s safety.
She said the university had comprehensive security infrastructure and processes in place which were being ramped up today in light of yesterday’s events.
Yesterday was challenging but please also note this is an isolated and extremely rare event … These responders had the situation promptly under control, apprehending the perpetrator quickly and assuring that matters did not deteriorate further.
Updated
Fourth person injured in ANU campus attack, vice-chancellor says
The deputy vice-chancellor of the Australian National University, Sally Wheeler, is speaking to the media following the campus stabbing incident yesterday.
She received an update that a fourth member of the ANU community was injured in yesterday’s incident.
They have remained on camps and are being supported.
I know that a number of our community stopped to render assistance to those injured yesterday, or stepped [in to] shepherd people away from danger. We will find an appropriate way to acknowledge this in time but, for now, let me thank those people on behalf of the ANU.
These individuals represent the very best of our community and our people. We are a place that looks after each other. I and the rest of the university’s leadership are very grateful to them for their bravery and their care.
Updated
BoM set to declare El Niño event under way
The Bureau of Meteorology is expected to declare at 3pm that an El Niño event is now under way.
The climate pattern will increase the chances of a hot and dry summer in Australia and raise the risk of dangerous bushfires.
The expected announcement comes amid soaring temperatures and extreme fire danger across parts of the country’s south-east.
It follows declarations of an El Niño event in July by the United Nations’ weather agency, the World Meteorological Organization, and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in June.
El Niños are characterised by warmer than average sea-surface temperatures in a central region of the equatorial Pacific.
Climate and bushfire experts have said that the drier and hotter conditions associated with El Niño will raise the risk of dangerous bushfires.
El Niño tends to result in hotter than average temperatures across most of southern Australia. For eastern Australia, nine of the 10 driest winter–spring periods on record have occurred during El Niño years.
Updated
Continued from last post:
Most new homes are required to be built with at least one entrance without steps, wider internal doors and corridors, step-free access to a bathroom and ground level toilets, among others.
New homes on small lots will be granted an 18-month exemption, ending on 31 March 2025.
But under the changes, many types of new houses will be exempt for good, such as for homes on lots that are too steep for a ramp.
Queenslanders – single family homes built on stilts – will continue to be inaccessible for wheelchair users, exempted from step-free entry. The government says builders will be required to make “improvements that ensure new home-builds feature enhanced accessibility”.
The Australian Building Codes Board estimates the new standards will add about 2% to the cost of building a new house.
The state government estimates they will save customers $185 a year, slash carbon emissions by 1.64m tonnes and improve liveability, once they do take effect.
CEO Gary Rake said it had been a decade since the industry promised to voluntarily introduce accessibility standards:
The homes we’re building now are supposed to be good for 50 years – we need to think about the requirements of the next two and three generations.
Every month we delay locks people into outcomes that are below the standard they should be.
Updated
Queensland delays new building codes around disabilities and energy
The Queensland government will delay the implementation of new building standards to improve disability access and energy efficiency for six months under a “phased approach” to the reforms.
All state governments except NSW signed up to an updated national construction code last year, agreeing to simultaneously implement the changes in October. But the building sector has repeatedly demanded more time to adapt to the reform.
Public works minister Mick de Brenni announced on Tuesday some rules would not take effect until May 2025.
The government will now delay a requirement for new homes to meet 7-star energy efficiency standards until May 2024, giving builders an additional six months to adapt to the laws.
De Brenni said:
We have listened to advocates, industry and the community and our phased implementation plan balances the needs of industry to transition alongside the community’s expectations that we adopt these improved standards.
The backflip leaves just the ACT and the Northern Territory to implement the changes according to the original schedule.
Upgrades to standards for wheelchair access will also be delayed.
Updated
The New South Wales Rural Fire Service has just provided an update on the small bushfire in Eden, on the south coast.
Firefighters had“gained the upper hand” on the fire, it said, with the threat now reducing.
Residents in the area should continue to monitor conditions.
Update: 2:10pm - Firefighters have gained the upper hand on the fire, the threat is now reducing. Residents in the area should continue to monitor conditions.
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) September 19, 2023
Updated
Former Pacific Islands leaders call for yes vote on Indigenous voice
Reuters is reporting that former Pacific Islands leaders say they “pray that Australians find it in their conscience” to vote for constitutional recognition of First Nations people.
This comes amid concern Australia’s image in the region will be damaged if, as polling predicts, the historic motion fails.
Eight former leaders and top diplomats, including former Kiribati president Anote Tong, former Palau president Tommy Remengesau and former Marshall Islands president Hilda Cathy Heine, said on Tuesday that as Indigenous peoples of island nations they associated closely with traditional communities.
The Pacific Elders Voice group said in a statement to Reuters:
We support the momentum by First Nations in seeking to redress the injustices faced by First Nations of Australia, and pray that Australians would find it in their conscience to support this initial step towards a constitutionally enshrined voice to parliament.
Passing the referendum should be a “first step” towards a treaty with First Nations people, they added.
An ambassador for First Nations people was appointed in March. In an interview with Vanuatu broadcaster VBTC during a Pacific Islands visit in July, ambassador Justin Mohamed said the referendum was a “very important time” for Australia, but acknowledged there was “a lot of dialogue both for and against”.
He added that whatever the outcome, his work would continue to highlight that Australia’s First Nations people had been linked by trade to the Pacific Islands for centuries.
Updated
Continued from last post:
Sydney airport pointed to one example in particular showing the stark differences between the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
UAE is permitted 168 flights a week compared to Qatar’s 28. The submissions said UAE was only operating 84 of its 168 flights while Qatar was utilising all its 28 flights.
At Sydney airport, we are currently seeing a 25% shortfall in recovery on the Middle East market when compared to pre-Covid. With 50% of weekly permitted flights from the UAE not being utilised, while Qatar is prevented from increasing their capacity, consumers are paying the price with less choice and ultimately higher airfares.
The submissions concludes the rules need to change to improve competition and drive down prices.
Fundamentally, the way the current rules are written incentivises incumbent airlines to perpetually over-file and hold too many slots. Slot filing data demonstrates that this has been allowed to go untempered for many years, and unless there’s a change to the rules, we do not see a scenario where behaviours will change or competition can increase.
Updated
Australian flights system ‘outdated’, Sydney airport tells inquiry
Sydney airport, which is now appearing before the air services inquiry, has put forward a fairly scathing submission regarding the state of incoming flights to Australia’s major airports.
As we’ve already mentioned, it’s expected senators will be questioning the airport over allegations of “slot hoarding” by airlines.
Slot hoarding is essentially when airlines try to hold on to their slots for flights into an airport, like Sydney airport, despite not necessarily intending to go ahead with the flights for economic reasons.
The practice prevents competitor airlines from snatching up those empty slots for themselves, and is considered an anti-competitive practice that drives up prices for consumers.
Sydney airport, in its inquiry submission, described the legal and regulatory framework as “outdated” and no longer fit-for-purpose.
As a result, the system has become clogged up, anti-competitive behaviour has been incentivised and vital components of the aviation framework, such as bilateral air service agreements, are outdated and no longer fit-for-purpose. Inevitably, it is the travelling public that suffers the consequences of these inefficiencies.
Updated
Sydney airport reaches highest temperature in 23 years
Sydney airport has recorded its highest temperature for September since 2000, according to preliminary data from the Bureau of Meteorology.
The airport reached 35.9C today, and has the potential to climb to even higher temperatures as the afternoon continues.
The previous record was 35.6C, set in September 2000. The Sydney airport temperature records date back 85 years.
This is based on preliminary data, and a record wouldn’t be officially announced until at least 9am tomorrow morning, a spokesperson for the Bureau of Meteorology said.
Preliminary data also shows that Observatory Hill has reached 34.6C, the spokesperson said, matching its previous September record.
We will continue to bring you the latest as new data is released.
Updated
Transport department needs more of a ‘consumer lens’, senators told
Australia’s transport department needs to better consider the ramifications its aviation market decisions have on consumers, a Senate committee has been told.
Dean Long, CEO of the Australian Travel Industry Association, spoke of what he saw as an imbalance when appearing before the Senate select committee into bilateral air services agreements, which is examining the Albanese government’s decision to reject Qatar Airways’s request to almost double its capacity into Australia.
Long said there should be better input during bilateral air service negotiations – discussions two countries have when expanding permissions for airlines to fly to the other – that considers the implications for consumers and airfares.
He said:
The transport department is really good at regulating airlines and airports [but] it doesn’t have a consumer lens. So you’ve got a department making decisions on that [that] have massive ramifications to competition in the Australian market.
Earlier, Flight Centre CEO Graham Turner called for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to be consulted on bilateral air services agreements.
Updated
Firefighters at small bushfire in Eden on NSW south coast
Firefighters with the New South Wales Rural Fire Service are on the scene of a small bushfire between the coast and Aslings Beach Road in Eden, on the south coast.
Residents along Aslings Beach Road, Mitchell Street, Lake Street and Hosies Road near the beach should prepare now, the RFS says.
Watch and Act: Aslings Beach Fire, Eden
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) September 19, 2023
Firefighters are on the scene of a small area of bush alight between the coast and Aslings Beach Rd in Eden. Residents along Aslings Beach Rd, Mitchell St, Lake St and Hosies Rd near the beach should prepare now. https://t.co/SwFG8PzKTA pic.twitter.com/RpM1RJ4L6c
Earlier this afternoon the fire warning for the far south coast was upgraded to “catastrophic” due to unexpectedly high winds.
There is also a watch and act alert in the Snowy Monaro local government area, where a fire is burning 30km south of Bombala in the Bondi nature reserve.
The RFS said:
The fire is burning in an easterly direction towards the Monaro Highway.
There is currently no homes under threat, but smoke will be visible in the area.
Updated
Government offers support after ‘shocking’ stabbing at ANU
The education minister, Jason Clare, says the federal government stands ready to do “anything [it] can” to support the Australian National University after a stabbing on campus yesterday afternoon.
Speaking at a doorstop in Sydney, Clare said his thoughts were with the victims after the “horrific attack” left two hospitalised, one in a critical but stable condition.
I think I speak for all Australians when I say that our thoughts are with the two young women who were stabbed yesterday at the university and are currently in hospital, as well as the young men that were attacked as well.
On behalf of all Australians, can I thank the police for their quick action. Can I thank the ambulance officers for the work they did, the ANU security staff and the hospital staff right now, the doctors and the nurses that are helping those young women to recover.
Clare said he spoke to the ANU vice-chancellor, Prof Brian Schmidt, yesterday afternoon to offer the government’s support.
I made it very, very clear that the Australian government stands ready to do anything that we can here. Australia is a safe place ... to live, to work, to study, and when things like this happen, it just makes it all the more shocking.
Updated
Victorian man accused of stealing $800,000 in online scams
A 63-year-old Victorian man has been arrested after allegedly stealing more than $800,000 from victims via online scams across Victoria.
In a statement, Victoria police said:
It’s alleged the victims visited fake websites purporting to be legitimate financial institutions offering investment opportunities between June and September 2022.
After leaving their details on the websites, victims were contacted by a person purporting to be from the financial institution.
Victims signed up to investments including term deposits and treasury bonds and were told to forward the funds to an Australian bank account where the money was removed.
Updated
ACCC should be consulted on air services, Flight Centre chief says
Flight Centre CEO Graham Turner has called for the competition and consumer watchdog to be consulted when Australia and foreign countries negotiate rights for extra air services.
Turner, whose company is running an ad campaign urging the Albanese government to reverse its rejection of Qatar Airways’ request to almost double its capacity into Australia, told a senate inquiry into bilateral air service agreements he believed the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission should be able to provide its view on how agreements could impact the market.
He also said tourism and travel operators should be consulted in the decisions.
Turner also called for a tightening of take off and landing slot rules at Sydney Airport to improve cancellation rates and prevent major airlines such as Qantas and Virgin from strategically scheduling and cancelling services to block competitors. Current rules allow airlines to cancel 20% of a scheduled slot, and Turner called for this to be tightened to between 5-10%.
Updated
Sydney hits 34.4C, nearing September record
Sydney reached 34.4C at 1pm this afternoon, according to the Bureau of Meteorology’s station at Observatory Hill.
The temperature is creeping closer to the September record of 34.6C. We will be keeping an eye on the temperature as the afternoon progresses and bring you the latest.
Updated
Meteorologist Ben Domensino has shared this image from the slopes today, showing how ski village Guthega near Jindabyne is being impacted by the hot weather:
Options are limited on the slopes today as the Australian Alps face another burst of record-challenging September heat. pic.twitter.com/KuHCVmh51F
— Ben Domensino (@Ben_Domensino) September 19, 2023
The Perisher Valley is expected to reach up to 18C today.
A timeline in the Qatar Airways case
Michael Bradley from Marque Lawyers is before senators in Sydney today for the inquiry into flights.
Bradley’s firm is representing five of the women suing the Qatari government after experiencing invasive searches at Doha airport in 2020.
Committee chair Bridget McKenzie asked Bradley when his clients had written the letter to transport minister Catherine King imploring the federal government not to grant additional services to Qatar Airways. That date is confirmed as 27 June.
A letter from King to his clients was received on 10 July and tells the women the federal government “is not considering additional bilateral air rights with Qatar”.
Three days later, according to King herself, prime minister Anthony Albanese was told of her decision not to grant Qatar Airways an extra 28 flights into Australia’s major cities.
Bradley said the women wrote the letter because of their disapproval for Qatar Airways’ proposed expansion in Australia.
If you’re confused about the timeline, check out my colleague’s piece outlining this saga’s key moments:
Updated
'Catastrophic' fire danger warning issued for NSW far south coast
The fire warning for the far south coast of NSW has been upgraded to “catastrophic” due to unexpectedly high winds.
Residents are being urged to leave bushfire risk areas, stay informed and know their fire plans.
You can get more information here.
Due to stronger than forecast winds along the Far South Coast, Catastrophic fire danger is expected this afternoon. For your survival, avoid being in fire risk areas today. Stay up to date, review your bush fire survival plan and know what you will do if a fire threatens. pic.twitter.com/aI9VJTtIBS
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) September 19, 2023
Updated
More Qatar Airways flights would have led to cheaper fares, senators told
Airline Intelligence and Research managing director Tony Webber told senators on Tuesday the extra services for Qatar Airways would have led to “favourable effects”.
“There will be a material reduction in airfares ... somewhere between 7% and 10%,” he said.
Dr Webber said there would have been an improvement in inbound tourism, largely from Europe, that could have been worth up to $1bn.
Dr Webber, the former chief economist of Qantas, also described Qantas as “one of the most aggressive carriers” in terms of dominating the market.
He said while it was tougher for Qantas to flex its muscle internationally, it was “exceptionally aggressive” in the domestic market.
– with AAP
Updated
Calling all NSW readers, politicos and budget die-hards!
If you are looking for dedicated coverage of the NSW budget, my colleague Catie is running a live blog now.
You can follow along here:
Travel industry group tells inquiry of ‘critical flaws’ in flights system
The Australian Travel Industry Association will appear before the flights inquiry today, calling for urgent reform.
In its submission to the inquiry, the association highlighted what it calls “critical flaws in the existing system, where decisions often lack a comprehensive understanding of their impact on passengers”.
Ahead of the hearing, association CEO Dean Long said in a statement:
The Senate committee inquiry offers a pivotal opportunity to address the issues that have long plagued Australia’s aviation industry and air ticket distribution landscape, with ATIA taking the lead in this fight for our members and the broader travel industry.
The current system determining which airlines can operate in and out of Australia was established in 1944. This system was designed to protect the interests of national carriers which at that stage were largely government-owned. While times have changed, the system has not.
There is a critical and compelling need to redefine national interest in decision-making.
Updated
NSW to spend $2.2bn on housing and infrastructure in budget
Tamsin Rose and Jonathan Barrett
The New South Wales Labor government will invest $2.2bn in housing and infrastructure projects, including new roads and schools, as it hands down its first budget in more than a decade.
The government has forecast a $7.8bn deficit this financial year, before posting a string of modest surpluses, bankrolled by its big twin revenue streams of property and payroll taxes.
The state’s booming property market will see stamp duty revenue increase as property owners who had delayed decisions to buy during the pandemic and inflationary period return to the market.
Budget figures revealed NSW was expected to be back into the black next financial year and would focus on paying down debt after finding $13bn to redirect into essential services through an expenditure review.
The treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, said his government was trying to rebuild a buffer for future financial shocks, like natural disasters.
He said:
We’re putting aside that money for a rainy day.
Within its headline housing spend, the government pledged to build almost 5,000 homes through Landcom by 2040.
Updated
Universities ramp up support of voice to parliament
The University of Newcastle has become the latest tertiary institution to support a yes vote in the upcoming referendum. It brings the universities in support of the voice to 26 out of 41.
On Tuesday, the university released a statement in support of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice to parliament, endorsed by its First Nations advisory board and the university council.
In its statement, the university said it was “proud to be shaped and guided by the knowledge, stories and principles of the oldest continuing culture in the world”.
Universities have a long history of leadership in reform. History has taught us that public institutions can only be bettered by listening to, and working with, the communities we represent.
As a learning institution, we encourage healthy debate on political matters and feel we have a role to provide information that supports our community to make informed decisions … our university community has spoken and shown majority support for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice to parliament.
Tomorrow, staff and students at the University of Wollongong will join together to create a giant, human-formed ‘yes’ on the grounds of campus. The university was one of the first tertiary institutions to come out in support of the voice.
The vice-president of Indigenous strategy and engagement, Jaymee Beveridge, said the efforts of many years of “consultation, listening and word-smithing” had presented Australia with an opportunity.
The introduction of an entity to provide advice and solutions on matters relating to our people is long overdue. Bureaucrats and politicians should not continue to make decisions about us without us.
Updated
Anthony Albanese is asked whether he supports a tax on short-term stays such as Airbnb.
Without commenting on any hypothetical tax, the prime minister acknowledged short-term stays were an issue in his electorate.
In my electorate that’s an issue because you have problems of accessing rentals for people because of a lack of accessibility. So I’m very conscious of the pressure that is placed on communities.
If you try to get a rental property in Newtown or Enmore, there have been a range of [issues], in part because of the changes in the makeup of housing, that has caused an issue, so it’s not surprising that governments are having a look at this.
And I know that that is something that has been considered by anyone who actually looks at the housing issue with regard to housing supply.
Updated
Australia ‘cannot advance based upon fear’, PM says of voice vote
Anthony Albanese is now speaking from Melbourne, speaking about the “significant fear campaign” surrounding the Indigenous voice to parliament referendum.
The prime minister said:
Every mainstream news organisation … have expressed concern for some period of time about some of the misinformation which is out there on the internet and the role of some social media organisations in that. We saw that during Covid, it probably wasn’t a good idea to have stuff out there about, you know, bleach being injected and about a whole range of things that were that were out there.
… Our country cannot advance based upon fear, no country can. By definition if you are about change and change for the better, countries have only been changed for the better with hope and optimism.
Albanese said a proposal from opposition leader Peter Dutton to hold a second referendum for constitutional recognition, if this one failed, was nonsensical.
That to me makes no sense, to reject what Indigenous people are asking for, which is a very modest and simple request.
Updated
RBA mulled rate rise before last decision, minutes show
The Reserve Bank of Australia considered a 25 basis point hike in interest rates before eventually deciding to hold the benchmark cash rate unchanged at 4.1%, the minutes of the central bank’s September meeting released on Tuesday showed, Reuters reports.
The board noted that weak productivity growth and high services prices inflation were evidence of a case for an increase in interest rates, but that these were ultimately outweighed by the risk that the effects of a tightening cycle that only began in May last year have yet to be felt.
The minutes showed:
The recent flow of data was consistent with inflation returning to target within a reasonable timeframe while the cash rate remained at its present level.
Members recognised the value of allowing more time to see the full effects of tightening of monetary policy since May 2022, given the lags in the transmission of policy through the economy.
Board members also noted there was a risk the economy could slow more sharply than forecast, with weaker domestic consumption and contagion from a weaker China both cited as risk factors.
After sharply cutting rates to an all-time low of 0.1% to stimulate growth during the pandemic, the RBA has commenced 400 bps of rate hikes to an 11-year high of 4.1% in little over a year.
The board, in its final meeting chaired by outgoing governor Philip Lowe, noted that some further tightening of monetary policy may still be required should inflation prove more persistent that expected.
The RBA’s current forecasts assume inflation will slow from the current 6% pace to around 3.25% by the end of 2024 and move into the bank’s 2-3% target band by late 2025.
Former deputy governor Michele Bullock began her first day in the top role on Monday.
Updated
Daniel Andrews said houses “have to go somewhere” and a balance between quality and affordability could be found.
I just say, respectfully, to people who say not here, not here, not here – where are we going to build the [homes]?
If everyone says no, then we’re going to be hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of thousands of [homes short].
I don’t think any of us want to live in a city and state like that, and I do think that you can find that balance between high-quality product and a price that people can afford.
Updated
Victoria to announce more on housing supply, Andrews says
Victorian premier Daniel Andrews said further housing announcements would be made later this week.
It was just announced that the Carlton public housing towers will be the first project redeveloped as part of the federal social housing accelerator fund.
Andrews said all 769 dwellings would be delivered using $500m from the federal government, which is the state’s share of the $2bn fund.
There’s a cabinet meeting this afternoon and there will be further announcements about housing supply made later on this week. We’ll be back before you quite a bit over the next few days and weeks making lots of announcements.
Andrews said nothing would get done if you waited around for 100% agreement on policy.
You have to search for a balance. You have to search for a fair and reasonable outcome, look at all the angles, listen to all the different points of view. Ultimately, no one should get any points for admiring the housing problem. We should get on and build more houses, and that’s exactly what we intend to do.
Updated
Qatar Airways inquiry begins
The flights inquiry has finally kicked off this morning after a few delays.
First up on the finalised program is the air safety provider, Airservices Australia, who is now answering questions over how staffing shortages have been affecting their jobs.
From 11.45am, Marque Lawyers, who are representing the women suing the Qatari government after experiencing invasive searches at Doha airport, will be appearing before senators.
After lunch, Flight Centre and Australian Travel Industry Association will front the inquiry to discuss more consumer-focused issues, such as the high cost of airline tickets right now.
Then we will hear from the Sydney Airport and Airport Coordination Australia on flight slots. In particular, there will be a lot of questions on the alleged “slot hoarding” at Sydney Airport by airlines and the impact it has on prices and competition.
There will be some experts scattered in between. Strap yourselves in.
Updated
Back on the Carlton public housing redevelopments, which are being announced by the PM and the Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews:
There’s currently 196 dwellings across the way here, they are old, they are out of date, no longer fit for purpose. They are derelict. There’s no one living there, resident moved out earlier this year. It’s fenced off and boarded up.
We need to do more and do better. And under the partnership with the … the Albanese commonwealth government we will demolish those towers and build something infinitely better for at least 231 units.
Updated
Victoria to spend public housing money on Carlton towers
Two red-brick public housing towers in the inner-city Victorian suburb of Carlton will be the first project to be redeveloped as part of the federal government’s social housing fund.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and the state’s premier, Daniel Andrews, are set to announce the redevelopment at a press conference in Melbourne.
It’s the first project to be funded wholly by the federal government’s $2bn social housing accelerator fund.
The apartment blocks – built in the 1960s – are currently vacant and will be demolished next year to make way for 231 modern energy-efficient homes.
Updated
Bean bag rounds fired by NSW police at 47-year-old Newcastle women killed her
NSW police acting commissioner David Hudson has told reporters in Sydney that the bean bag rounds fired at Krista Kach in Newcastle last week killed her.
Kach, 47, died in John Hunter hospital on Thursday night after officers forced their way into her apartment after a nine-hour standoff. Police claim Kach had earlier threatened officers with an axe.
Police say bean bag rounds are a “less than lethal option” but Hudson on Tuesday revealed in this instance interim results from the coroner found Kach died when the rounds penetrated her chest and and hit her heart. The official cause of death was a gunshot wound to the chest, Hudson said.
Bean bag rounds have been used 15 times this year without incident, the acting commissioner said on Tuesday, but their use would now be suspended temporarily. Hudson said Kach’s death was a “tragedy”.
Updated
Queensland emergency services issues prepare to leave notice for Julago and Nome
Communities in Julago and Nome, near Townsville in Queensland, are being urged to prepare to leave due to bushfires.
The Queensland Fire and Emergency service said properties along Ossington Circuit (Julago) and Serene Court (Nome) should prepare to leave. The service warns:
Conditions could get worse quickly. Prepare to leave and start taking protective action now.
PREPARE TO LEAVE - Julago and Nome (near Townsville) - Multiple Warnings - fire as at 10:47am Tuesday, 19 September 2023.
— Qld Fire & Emergency (@QldFES) September 19, 2023
For all current warnings, updates and mapping go to https://t.co/vqyJTUPBhe. pic.twitter.com/slxn6WnuMK
QFES says it has used emergency alert texts and voice messages to warn people in the affected area about this fire.
Updated
Bega mayor: anxiety around bushfire threat ‘extreme’ only years after black summer fires
Bega’s mayor, Russell Fitzpatrick, just spoke to the ABC about the widespread school closures on the south coast today due to increased fire risk.
Fitzpatrick said around six of the non-operational schools are in his area, and he can understand the decision given that one school backs onto bushland:
Other schools are operating as normal but our communities have high anxiety … around bushfires and of course, after what it’s been in [2019-20] we to have that, so we appreciate that and work with it and the safety of our children is of utmost importance.
The mayor said school closures were decided by the NSW RFS and the education department, but he would welcome consultation with schools in future when it comes to mitigation measures.
Our education is very important for our children so we need to ensure they can operate in the full extent.
He said anxiety levels are “extreme” in the community ahead of the upcoming bushfire season, after going through the black summer bushfires only a few years ago.
Updated
BoM warns of damaging winds in parts of NSW alongside fire danger
The Bureau of Meteorology is warning of damaging winds in alpine areas of New South Wales from this afternoon.
This is likely to impact southern parts of the state such as Khancoban, Jindabyne and Thredbo.
Average winds are forecast at 80 to 90km/h for these areas, gusting up to 125km/h.
Khancoban is forecast to reach a top of 27C today, with mostly sunny conditions and a “high” fire danger in the Monaro Alpine area.
The wind is expected to ease from late Wednesday morning.
Severe Weather Warning current. DAMAGING WINDS (mean winds 80 to 90 km/h, gusting up to 125 km/h) are possible this morning & likely over alpine areas above 1900 m from this arvo. Winds should ease from late Wed morning. Latest warning is available at: https://t.co/GdvczrD9Z4 pic.twitter.com/6B6bNtThI4
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) September 19, 2023
Updated
The voice Ask Me Anything
Do you have a question for the next episode of “The voice Ask Me Anything” on our Full Story podcast? Whether it’s wanting analysis of the latest news, misinformation you want debunked or reflection on how our panelists came to their stance on the voice, we want to hear from you.
Please email your questions to voicequestions@theguardian.com.
Updated
Highest number of Australians banking with the big four as cost-of-living bites
New research from Finder shows that 4 in 5 Australians (80%) are banking with the big four – the highest number recorded since Finder began tracking the question.
The proportion has been tracking higher since January 2022 when 71% of people said they banked with the big four.
Finder’s head of consumer research, Graham Cooke, said more people are gravitating towards the big banks as the cost of living rises:
Consumers are prioritising their financial security as they grapple with interest rate rises and rising living costs.
In uncertain times, the big banks can feel like the safest option for consumers to stash their savings.
Cooke said while big lenders may instil a trust due to their long standing history, “some of the smaller banks are offering better deals”.
Updated
Fears over early extreme heat conditions in some communities
With extreme heat conditions being experienced across Australia so early in spring, a sense of anxiety is forming in some communities about the summer ahead.
Emma Bacon, executive director and founder of Sweltering Cities, said cost-of-living pressures will leave even more people vulnerable in sweltering heat:
Extreme heat can put our physical and mental health under enormous pressure, as well as our healthcare systems, housing and workplaces.
In our cities, people living in hot homes or our baking hot urban heat island suburbs will be at an even higher risk.
An active firefighter on the South Coast, Darin Sullivan, said the extreme heat is causing an earlier start to the bushfire season:
Rather than October we can see higher risk earlier. The impacts of climate change are longer, drier fire seasons with more intense fires.
Bushfire Survivors for Climate Action wrote on Twitter/X that it is “not normal” to see so many schools close due to fire risk this early in spring.
Our members are scared of what this fire season could bring – [and] now we see education suffering when the fires haven’t yet begun.
Updated
Under 40% of staff have confidence in University of Sydney leadership
Less than 40% of staff have confidence in the University of Sydney’s leadership, its latest survey has found, and just 31% believe it effectively directs resources towards the institution’s goal.
The annual survey was completed by 5,875 staff across professional and academic roles, reflecting on workloads, morale, culture and professional development.
It found almost 80% of staff were proud to work at the university and 79% believed their supervisor genuinely cared about their wellbeing.
But just 26% believed systems and processes helped them get teaching done effectively, citing high workloads and poor communication, and less than half (47%) believed the university was in a position to “really succeed” over the next three years.
Since the release of the survey, the humanities head of school, Keith Dobney, has stepped down from his position, pointing to its “truly disheartening” findings in a resignation email to colleagues.
The results from the recent staff survey are … a clear signal of a widening disconnect between the academic staff and leadership team.
A university spokesperson said a key goal for leadership was to build a “high-trust, high-accountability culture”:
All levels of university leadership ... have been analysing and discussing this year’s results with staff … and agreeing actions that specifically address staff feedback in their areas.
We’ll conduct a similar survey in May each year, and will continue to release the results to staff and commit to action to address issues raised.
Updated
Flights inquiry to confirm final list of witnesses for today’s Qatar Airways hearing at 10.30am
We are still yet to see a final list of the witnesses fronting the flights inquiry this morning due to this last-minute scramble.
The inquiry will scrutinise why the transport minister, Catherine King, knocked back Qatar Airway’s request to offer an additional 28 flights a week to Australia’s major cities.
It will also look at other factors affecting competitiveness in the industry and the impacts they have on consumer prices.
As we reported this morning, we’re expecting Sydney Airport officials to appear today, along with Flight Centre and Marque Lawyers.
But it needs a final tick off from the committee, and chair Bridget McKenzie has now confirmed on Sky News that will happen after a 10.30am meeting.
Beyond those appearing today, Qantas’ top brass, including the chief executive, Vanessa Hudson, former boss Alan Joyce and the board chair, Richard Goyder, have all been invited to attend.
Qatar Airways’ chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, has also been invited but it was reported yesterday he knocked back appearing at today’s hearing.
McKenzie said she was still confident some of those more high-profile invitees would be attending one of later hearings.
She said:
The secretariat, the public servants that are assisting the senators to conduct this inquiry, are in constant negotiation with everyone we’ve invited bearing in mind the invitations only went out on Friday. Today is Tuesday. So we’re working as hard as we can to get the jigsaw puzzle of who’s appearing when and where.
Updated
Man charged after ANU stabbing
Police have charged a 24-year-old man with attempted murder after the stabbings at the Australian National University on Monday.
In a statement this morning, police say they will allege the man initially attacked a male student with a frying pan. The victim fled from the scene before the 24-year-old then allegedly stabbed a 20-year-old female student multiple times before chasing a second woman and stabbing her too.
The first woman is now in a serious but stable condition, downgraded from critical as of last night, and the second is in a stable condition.
The 24-year-old also allegedly punched a second man, also a student, in the face.
Police have charged him with two counts of attempted murder and other offences.
Attending police were directed by witnesses to the location of the 24-year-old man and he was taken into custody. He was charged with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault and one count of possessing an object to be used to kill.
No motive for the incident has been identified and police do not believe the victims knew the offender.
Any person who witnessed the incident or has footage of the incident (and they have not already spoken to police) is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via crimestoppers.com.au referencing P2193413.
Updated
NSW RFS: 61 fires burning across NSW with 13 yet to be contained
Meanwhile, the NSW Rural Fire Service says there are currently 61 fires burning across the state, with 13 of these yet to be contained.
More than 500 firefighting personnel are working to contain these fires.
This comes as a total fire ban has been enacted in the Greater Sydney region and the Far South Coast today, and more than 20 public schools have closed due to the increased fire risk.
As of 9am, there are 61 fires burning around the state, with 13 not yet contained. Over 500 personnel are working to contain these fires. There is a TOBAN for the Greater Sydney Region and Far South Coast. More info on Hazards Near Me and #RFS website: https://t.co/SwFG8PzKTA pic.twitter.com/HOohQ1LLMQ
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) September 18, 2023
Updated
Queensland BoM flags extreme fire risk for part of state on Thursday and Friday
The Queensland Bureau of Meteorology has flagged that fire danger ratings will increase for most of the state in the coming days as heat builds.
Most places will have a “moderate” or “high” risk of fire between today and Friday. However, the Channel Country district has an “extreme” fire risk on Thursday and Friday:
Fire danger ratings will increase for most of the state over the next couple of days as heat builds. Cooler change is expected across #SEQld on Friday.
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) September 18, 2023
Follow @QldFES for latest bushfire information, and bushfire preparedness resources are available here: https://t.co/OUTAtMGbst pic.twitter.com/aNRq2YnGS6
Updated
More than 20 public schools across NSW are non-operational today due to the increased fire risk, with many of these being on the south coast – an area highly impacted during the 2019-20 black summer bushfires.
Batemans Bay public school’s principal, Kel Smerdon, is encouraging the school community to remain calm. Writing on Facebook, Smerdon said:
On a personal note, I share many of your own lived experience with fires and encourage everyone to take a calm and evidenced approach to the normal challenges of living in the hot summers of NSW which we both enjoy and also work together to alleviate the challenges and risk of during this dry time.
A number of schools are suggesting they will be advised by the NSW Rural Fire Service around 4-5pm this afternoon if it will also remain non-operation tomorrow.
Updated
RFS: NSW seeing worst fire risk since 2019 black summer fires
AAP has more details on the NSW school closures today, due to the increased fire risk:
The NSW education department listed 20 schools that will be closed across the state’s south coast on Tuesday.
A statement read:
Schools with elevated bushfire risk will be temporarily closed ... due to extreme fire danger ratings being declared.
The fire ban and school closures apply across areas including the Bega Valley and Eurobodalla Shire.
People needed to be prepared, the RFS commissioner, Rob Rogers, said:
It’s the worst risk we’ve faced since the Black Summer fires of 2019.
The heat is expected to shift north later in the week into parts of Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia, driving maximums to 40C.
Updated
Extreme fire risk forecast across Sydney and the Greater Hunter tomorrow
Circling back to Sydney weather:
It’s worth noting that even though fire bans are yet to be announced for tomorrow, the fire risk appears to be forecast even higher than today.
There is a total fire ban across Sydney and the Far South Coast today. There is a “high” fire risk in Sydney with people urged to be ready to act. Meanwhile, the Far South Coast has an “extreme” fire warning.
For tomorrow, there is an “extreme” fire risk across Sydney and the Greater Hunter, with people urged to “take action now to protect your life and property.”
You can read more on the Rural Fire Service website, including weather warnings for other areas across the state.
Updated
Victoria to release state housing statement later this week
Later this week, the Victorian government is set to release its long-awaited housing statement.
The premier, Daniel Andrews, is expected to today outline how the state government will spend its share of the $3bn allocated for social and affordable housing as part of the federal government’s $10bn Housing Australia Future Fund (Haff) bill.
Later in the week, Andrews will outline details of the housing statement, including changes to the state’s planning laws to boost supply.
Ahead of the announcement, the CEO of the Victorian Public Tenants Association, Katelyn Butterss, said:
When this $2bn was announced the prime minister was very clear - it’s for public housing. The VPTA is expecting to see this promise delivered, and for new publicly owned and managed homes.
She said the Victorian housing crisis is already grave but has “exponentially worsened” due to the cost of living crisis:
It is imperative that today’s announcement adequately commits to deliver long term growth, beyond the Big Housing Build [plan], to ensure adequate publicly owned and operated housing to cope with this increased demand.
It will be extremely disappointing and a missed opportunity if the government, once again, neglects public housing and focuses solely on community housing.
Updated
Twenty-one NSW public schools non-operational due to fire risk
As we mentioned earlier, more than 20 public schools across New South Wales are non-operational today as the spring heatwave continues and soaring temperatures hit large parts of the state.
Here is a list of the 21 public schools that are non-operational due to the fire risk, as per the Department of Education:
Batemans Bay public school
Bega Valley public school
Bemboka public school
Bermagui public school
Bodalla public school
Bournda environmental education centre
Broulee public school
Candelo public school
Central Tilba public school
Cobargo public school
Mogo public school
Narooma high school
Pambula public school
Parkes high school
Quaama public school
Sunshine Bay public school
Tanja public school
Tathra public school
Towamba public school
Wolumla public school
Wyndham public school
Updated
McKenzie: Qantas culture hasn’t changed irrespective of who the CEO is
Bridget McKenzie was asked whether Qantas chairman Richard Goyder’s position is tenable.
She told ABC RN:
I think he’s overseen some egregious behaviour from his company.
… He was also the chair when these illegal sackings occurred and the ghost flights were sold. So at some point, the board has to take decisions for the management team that they put in place and I think this is one of the great questions over the new management team, because as I talked to former transport ministers, Qantas culturally hasn’t changed irrespective of who the CEO is, so I think there’s a lot of challenges going forward.
Updated
McKenzie argues government has been running ‘protection racket’ for Qantas
Speaking to ABC RN, opposition transport spokesperson Bridget McKenzie argued the government has been running a “protection racket” for Qantas:
…because it’s not just the Qatar Airways decision, they cancelled the ACCC monitoring of our aviation sector that was in place since Covid and they also explicitly brought out the aviation industry from their competition review [and] only backflip[ed] when we sort of raised it … [it] begs the question, what’s the quid pro quo? And Australians need to know.
She said there’s “too many decision points this government has made to protect Qantas”, attempting to draw a link to Qantas’ support of the yes campaign for the Indigenous voice to parliament referendum.
At the same time, McKenzie acknowledged the Coalition made similar decisions relating to air service agreements when in power and the hearings will examine this.
She criticised Qantas’ decision to sack staff, and ABC RN host Hamish Macdonald pressed that McKenzie was in government when this decision was made:
At the end of the day, companies make decisions and the board is responsible to shareholders. But once a court actually holds you that that was an illegal action, well absolutely you should be condemning that.
Macdonald asks if McKenzie took that moral position at the time when it happened. She said:
Well at the time it happened, it wasn’t deemed illegal.
Updated
Government to establish AI taskforce
The federal government will set up an AI taskforce made up of agencies including the Digital Transformation Agency, Industry, Health, Agriculture and Home Affairs to develop guardrails for AI and provide advice to government on how to use AI safely.
The taskforce will last up to 6 months, and comes following a public consultation on the future of AI policy.
The finance minister, Katy Gallagher, said that the robodebt saga had shown how advanced technologies can cause harm and undermine trust in government, so it was important to develop a safe and responsible use of AI.
The industry minister, Ed Husic, said AI models were advancing rapidly and it was important to get the maximum benefit from the technology, while also identifying emerging risks:
The government can lead by example by safely and responsibly harnessing the benefits of AI technologies. Our safe and responsible AI in Australia consultation is reinforcing that message loud and clear.
The new AI use in government taskforce combines a wealth of experience in the field of AI with broader perspectives from across the APS, and I look forward to the results of their work.
Updated
McKenzie: government ‘can’t get its story straight’ on Qatar Airways decision
The opposition transport spokesperson, Bridget McKenzie, is next up on ABC RN, speaking about the government’s decision to reject Qatar Airways routes.
As we brought your earlier on the blog, the inquiry into the federal government’s decision-making process to grant or reject additional flights to airlines begins today in Sydney.
McKenzie is heading the committee. She said there is a “long list of people” invited to speak and so far, “no one has refused to appear”.
In fact, because if they do, we’ve got the power obviously to summons those people.
McKenzie said the government has given nine different reasons for their decision to block Qatar Airway’s routes, from human rights to the environment, and “can’t get its story straight”.
That’s why we’ve had to stand the inquiry up to get to the bottom of the real reason. By restricting this application by Qatar Airways we know that Australians have a less choice of destination into Europe, through the Middle East …
I think Australians at the end of the day want an aviation industry they can where they can afford a ticket, where the planes take off and land on time, where your bags get to destination at the same time …
Updated
O’Neil: government response on cybercrime will not take away responsibilities of corporations to secure data
Clare O’Neil is asked whether the government is considering implementing a “safe harbour rule” like other countries have that would enable businesses to report what’s happened but then be saved from prosecution.
She told ABC RN:
What’s really important to understand … is the way in which a cyber attack unfolds is quite different than other types of crime. So if you get something stolen from your house, the police can come in and you can identify the items that are gone usually pretty much immediately. Cybercrime is not like that. Often what is taken is invisible and it will take sometimes months to understand exactly what has happened.
So what what we are thinking about at the moment is how to make sure we’ve got as open disclosure as possible at the crisis point of the attack. So when we know there is an intruder on the system … we need to help companies [eject] them from the system as quickly as possible. That doesn’t take away from any responsibilities that corporations will have ultimately around the transparency of what has happened, and reporting that to government and to regulators.
The only kind of tension that I would see here is how do we manage that really short-term crisis response … where we need to understand exactly what type of crime has occurred. None of that should take away from the responsibilities that companies have to make the laws in Australia and no one’s going to be taking away any of those responsibilities.
Updated
Clare O’Neil says Australia aiming to become ‘world leader’ in cybersecurity by 2030
The home affairs minister, Clare O’Neil, is speaking to ABC RN this morning about the government’s plan to become a “world leader” in cybersecurity by 2030.
This comes after Australia faced cyber attacks on Optus, which impacted 9 million Australians, and the Medibank attack three weeks later, which O’Neil said was a “wake-up call”.
O’Neil said cybersecurity was a priority of the government because there is “good reason” to believe it’s only going to get worse:
We’ve got really good reason to believe that the cybersecurity environment is actually going to worsen. And I say that not to scare people, but to help them understand that we can see what is coming at us and that is why the government is so fiercely active on this issue.
She said there aren’t mechanisms in place at this stage to go after culprits:
What I mean by that is that cybercrime is a relatively new form of criminal activity. And I think what we’re seeing is countries around the world start to build and develop responses that will actually help us bring perpetrators to account …
O’Neil said the government has implemented 10 substantial reforms within the last year and the focus is now becoming a “cyber leader” by 2030, with corporate Australia also getting “a big wake up call” over the last year around their responsibilities, she added.
Updated
Ed Husic says community consent would also be barrier to Coalition nuclear proposal
The industry and science minister Ed Husic spoke to ABC News Breakfast this morning about the Coalition’s nuclear energy proposal.
In case you missed it yesterday: the federal government says it would cost as much as $387bn to replace Australia’s retiring coal-fired power stations with the form of nuclear power proposed by the Coalition. You can read the full details here:
Husic said solar and wind are the “cheapest, quickest” ways to get energy generation.
What the Coalition is proposing is something they never really worked on when they were in government and if they were to get back into government, [it] would take ages to generate energy and it would be much more costly.
He was asked if the $378bn figure was a bit “over the top”, but argued it comes down to the scale of investment required.
That is a huge amount of money that would be required … and the key ingredient here is community consent where these potential nuclear power plants would be built.
…you have got the Liberal party pushing for the creation of nuclear power plants while the National party fights the establishment of transition lines. So you’ll generate the energy, won’t be able to move it. What we really need is to get focused on how we make this transition as efficient as possible and if it will also longer-term deliver longer prices, too, when we get it right.
Updated
Sydney to hit 34C as NSW RFS declare fire ban
Sydney is in for another hot day today, as high temperatures continue to sweep the country and the region faces its first total fire ban in three years.
Yesterday, the New South Wales Rural Fire Service enacted a total fire ban for the entire Sydney region:
Temperatures are forecast to hit 34C in Sydney today, with the ABC reporting the all-time September record as 34.6C.
Penrith has a forecast max temperature of 35C today, as does Bega, with the Bureau of Meteorology also declaring an extreme fire danger for the area.
Angus Hines from the BoM said parts of South Australia and Queensland would also feel the heat:
Most of Australia is sitting at moderate or high fire (danger) for the next few days.
The south coast of NSW has a small area of extreme fire danger there, overlapping with the heatwave conditions on Tuesday.
The NSW education department listed 20 schools that will be closed across the state’s south coast on Tuesday.
The fire ban and school closures apply across areas including the Bega Valley and Eurobodalla Shire.
- with AAP
Updated
NSW to post $7.8bn deficit before string of surpluses
New South Wales will record a $7.8bn deficit this financial year when it hands down its state budget today before enjoying an anticipated run of surpluses backed by revenue streams that outpace expenses.
While the 2023-24 result will be about $700m worse than forecast at the pre-election budget, the overall position has improved by $3.6bn over the four years to 2026-27.
The NSW treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, has said Labor’s first budget for the state in more than a decade will lay the groundwork for future reform. The new government will need to address a chronic housing crisis in Australia’s most populous state, while being careful not to fuel inflation through overspending.
The government has already announced its intention to see more homes built closer to Sydney’s CBD and along transport routes.
Mookhey will announce on Tuesday that $13bn has been redirected through an expenditure review process as a means to deliver on its budget priorities while managing financial pressures.
Housing affordability and essential services are two of the priority areas.
But the state’s spending will be closely watched, given NSW is on the cusp of a credit rating downgrade, largely due to its escalating debt burden.
There will also be changes to a wealth fund set up by the previous Liberal government, with its usefulness called into question given it is forecast to generate smaller returns than the interest repayments on the rising debt levels.
The expenditure review was announced soon after Labor took office in March.
NSW is forecast to generate a $1.6bn surplus by 2025-26, before recording a $1.5bn surplus the following year.
Any shock to the property market could derail the anticipated return to surplus, given the state’s heavy financial reliance on property transfer taxes (stamp duty).
Updated
Good morning everyone, and happy Tuesday!
I’m Emily Wind and I’ll be with you on the live blog today. Thanks to Martin Farrer for kicking things off.
If you see anything that needs attention on the blog, feel free to send me an email: emily.wind.casual@theguardian.com.
And with that, let’s get into it.
One reason for the no lead we’ve been talking about this morning might be their use of TikTok. As our reporters explain here, negative videos are spreading “like wildfire”, and leaving yes flatfooted.
Government to spend $1.5bn on upgrade for maritime. surveillance aircraft
The federal government will spend $1.5bn on expanding and upgrading Australia’s maritime surveillance aircraft.
The government will announce today that it has approved the purchase of a fourth MQ-4C Triton, a remotely piloted aircraft system that has a range of up to 15,000km, despite the US navy recently scaling back its own procurement plans.
The funding also includes upgrades to Australia’s existing fleet of 14 Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and response aircraft (these are crewed). The government says these Poseidon upgrades will deliver “enhancements to anti-submarine warfare, maritime strike and intelligence collection capabilities”.
The defence strategic review had called for Australia to project military power further from its shores, amid concerns about China’s assertion of sovereignty in the contested South China Sea.
Prior to this decision, Australia already had ordered three MQ-4C Triton systems from Northrop Grumman to “provide long-range, persistent surveillance across Australia’s maritime region”. The first of the already ordered aircraft, including ground and support systems, is due to be delivered to Australia next year.
The new approval is for a fourth Triton, which the government expects to receive in the 2027-28 financial year.
It says that the Triton aircraft “will be based at RAAF Base Tindal, Northern Territory, and operated by the newly re-formed Number 9 squadron, located at RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia”.
The Poseidon aircraft upgrades, meanwhile, are planned to run from 2026 to 2030.
The minister for defence industry, Pat Conroy, said:
The purchase of an additional Triton will enhance operations from Australia’s northern bases, a priority under the defence strategic review.
The upgrades to the fleet of Poseidon aircraft strengthens our ability to secure and protect Australia’s maritime interests.
Updated
Hearing into government's decision to reject Qatar Airways routes begins
The inquiry into the federal government’s decision-making process to grant or reject additional flights to airlines begins today in Sydney.
To bring you up to speed, the Coalition-majority committee is looking to get answers into why the transport minister, Catherine King, knocked back Qatar’s request to offer an additional 28 flights a week to Australia’s major cities.
So far, we’re heard a few of the “factors” that played into the decision - it wasn’t in the national interest, and the Doha incident - where women were subject to invasive examinations in Qatar’s airport - was a backdrop.
But back to the hearings now. Today’s hearing will focus on alleged “slot hoarding” at Sydney Airport by airlines and the impact it has on prices and competition.
There’s been a bit of a last-minute scramble to get witnesses to front the inquiry, but today we’re expecting to hear from Sydney Airport and Flight Centre.
Marque Lawyers, the legal firm representing the five Australian women who are suing Qatar Airways over the 2020 Doha incident, are also expected to appear.
There will be three more hearings after today wraps - one this Friday in Perth, and two next week in Brisbane and Canberra. It’s expected Qantas, unions and Perth Airport will appear at the hearing this Friday.
Yesterday, it was confirmed the Qatar Airways chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, would not be appearing, as well as former Qantas boss Alan Joyce, who is over in Europe.
Neither has ruled out appearing at one of the other three hearings.
Updated
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our rolling news coverage. I’m Martin Farrer, bringing you some overnight headlines before Emily Wind takes over.
After two weeks of escalating rhetoric and division around the Indigenous voice to parliament referendum, the no camp has taken a majority lead in our polling series for the first time. Our latest Essential poll today shows the naysayers with an expected 51% of the vote. But 29% of the electorate are still “persuadable”.
A young woman remains in a critical condition in hospital this morning and another is in a stable condition after being stabbed at the Australian National University campus in Canberra yesterday. A 24-year-old man, who is not thought to be a student at the university, has been arrested.
The inquiry into the federal government’s decision-making process to grant or reject additional flights to airlines begins this morning, with the Coalition looking for answers about why Qatar Airways was denied new routes. Then at midday we get details of Labor’s first state budget in NSW for 10 years when the lockup ends and Daniel Mookhey reveals his secrets.
And Scott Morrison has told a church congregation in Perth that God will “sort out” the world’s problems, as he warned about an “increasingly hostile” world. Speaking at the Encounter City Church yesterday in a service commemorating its 50th anniversary, the former prime minister said that God has “a way of reminding us … who’s in charge and it’s not us – thank God for that”.
