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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Cait Kelly and Emily Wind (earlier)

Fire situation ‘will get worse before it gets better’ – as it happened

Victoria Australia Sydney Murder Vanessa Hudson Qantas Martin Farrer Melbourne Nicola Powell Covid-19
Victorian premier Jacinta Allan
Victorian premier Jacinta Allan says the large fire moving around the Beaufort area is of ‘grave concern’. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

Firefighters battling multiple bushfires in Tasmania

In Tasmania, firefighting crews are responding to multiple bushfires, including an out-of-control fire near Bradys Lake in the Central Highlands.

An emergency warning is in place for the Dee community and surrounds.

Tasmania Fire Service deputy chief officer Matt Lowe said five fires were reported in the Bradys Lake, Central Highlands area yesterday afternoon.

“TFS ground crews and aerial firefighting resources were deployed yesterday, and those efforts have continued today.”

“We have about 20 aircraft, as well as 12 crews from Sustainable Timber Tasmania, and 10 Tasmania Fire Service crews on the ground trying to contain the fire.

“The fire remains uncontained, and crews are dealing with tough conditions amid strong gusty winds and dry vegetation.”

Updated

Wind change expected ‘around 7.30pm’

Allan:

The wind change is expected to come through, as Jason and others have indicated, around 7:30 this evening.

I only say that as an advisory timeframe. It could be earlier it could be later so pleased that people in the local area continue to monitor the conditions that is expected to push up towards the Lexton community.

And so again, people in that wider district please do continue to both monitor your local conditions, both now and with the winds change coming through. And also stay absolutely plugged in to the victim emergency app and also to local radios, particularly the ABC.

Updated

‘Fire situation will get worse before it gets better’: CFA

Jason Heffernan from the Country Fire Authority is up now:

I’m here to tell communities the fire situation will get worse before it gets better. We are expecting that when change to come through at about six between 6pm and 7pm Tonight, and that will bring strong southwesterly winds.

In effect that will turn one side of the fire that is currently what we call a flank or the side of the fire into the main fire front, and we will bring more communities under threat. Tonight, I expect those wind conditions to continue until about midnight tonight where we will then start to see some of those conditions abate.

Updated

Allan flags ‘difficult conditions for quite a few hours’

I also want to continue to extend our support and gratitude for the firefighters and emergency services personnel who are on the ground right now, battling this significant fire in the western part of the state.

This is a fire situation that is continuing to evolve very quickly. And there will be ongoing updates both to the broader Victorian community that particularly to two people in the local area, as this fire continues to move both with the current wind and also with the wind change coming through in a few hours.

So it does signal that there are going to be difficult conditions for quite a few hours yet in terms of the wind as this fire activity continues.

Updated

Beaufort fire of ‘grave concern’: Victorian premier

Jacinta Allan says the large fire moving around the Beaufort area is of “grave concern”.

She says everyone located in those areas needs to leave immediately.

Leave and head towards Ballarat where there are supports around the Ballarat area.

There are about 1,000 firefighters on the ground, 24 aircraft and 100 vehicles Allan says.

I want to extend my thoughts and the thoughts of the broader Victorian community to those individuals and families and the farming communities who have evacuated and who will be deeply concerned about this situation.

Updated

Victorian premier Jacinta Allan is speaking now about the fire situation.

We are expecting Victorian premier Jacinta Allan to speak to media soon about the bushfire. We will bring you that as it comes.

PM accuses Advance of seeking to frighten voters ahead of Dunkley byelection

Anthony Albanese has accused the conservative political group behind the referendum’s no campaign – which is now actively working against Labor in the Dunkley byelection – of seeking to “frighten” voters and spread “misinformation”.

Advance, which has billed itself as a “conservative GetUp”, ran the Fair Australia campaign against the Indigenous voice and has links to the Liberal party. It is now campaigning heavily in Dunkley, calling on voters to “put Labor last”.

Advance today ran an ad in Melbourne newspapers about the high court-mandated release of asylum seekers from indefinite detention, asking “How many in Dunkley?”

Albanese appeared on Melbourne’s 3AW radio this afternoon. Asked about the ad, and Advance’s push against Labor in the seat, Albanese claimed the group wants to “frighten” people with its messaging about crime and asylum seekers.

“This group is certainly very partisan. They spread a whole lot of misinformation,” he said.

The prime minister defended his government’s response to the high court decision:


I think people will have a look at that ad, which is designed to frighten and scare people, and see it for what it is.

It’s unfortunate because I don’t want to see Australia go down the American road, where there’s so much polarisation.

Advance has been contacted for comment.

Updated

Toyota owners ripped off by ‘unfair’ dealer loans, law firm alleges

More than 100,000 car owners have been ripped off by “unfair” Toyota dealer loans, a law firm claims, according to AAP.

The Melbourne-based firm Echo Law is seeking compensation for Toyota Finance customers, who they say were slugged hundreds of millions of dollars in extra costs because of a hidden dealership incentive.

For years, Toyota Finance and its dealerships had a “flex commission” arrangement, whereby dealers were encouraged to inflate the interest rates on customers’ loans, the law firm alleges.

The arrangement was undisclosed, and created a conflict of interest that ultimately led customers to paying significantly higher interest than they would have otherwise agreed, the firm alleges.

“There are hundreds of thousands of Toyota customers who took out dealership loans between 2010 and 2018 that were subject to these unfair arrangements, and who we say are worse off because of them,” Echo Law partner Andrew Paull claimed.

“Most concerningly, it appears that these practices resulted in vulnerable customers, such as those with low financial literacy, paying the most inflated interest rates.

“Some of these loans are continuing today.”

Toyota Finance Australia acknowledged the legal action in a brief statement and urged any customers with questions about their contract to get in touch with the company.

“We will take the time to review the claim carefully before making any statement,” it said.

Updated

‘We need to upgrade the grid’: PM on energy security

Albanese has been asked about the energy grid and says we need to talk about how we respond to the changes in our weather.

We need to make sure we get the system right, that we have energy security, and that we need to upgrade the grid. One of the things I was briefed on, our energy grid was not fit for purpose for the 20th century. I know the Victorian government is working strongly on that.

He points to the Marinus project in Tasmania that will help keep Victoria switched on.

Updated

‘We need to take climate change very seriously’: Anthony Albanese

The PM is speaking on 3AW:

We know the science told us the climate is going to change and was changing, and we’ve seen that.

He points to the cyclones in Queensland, the recent flooding on the Gold Coast, and the rising temperatures in Perth last week and here in Victoria now.

It is a concern, it’s one of the reasons why we need to take climate change very seriously and be part of that global action.

Updated

Inquiry to look at fatal ADF helicopter crash

An independent inquiry into the deaths of four Australian defence force members after the MRH-90 Taipan helicopter incident that occurred during a training exercise in Queensland on 28 July 2023 has been announced.

The inquiry will be led by the inspector general of the Australian defence force (IGADF), James Gaynor.

The MRH-90 Taipan helicopter and its crew were part of a night training activity during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2023 when it catastrophically crashed into waters near Lindeman Island. Sadly, Capt Danniel Lyon, Lt Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Officer Class Two Joseph Laycock and Cpl Alexander Naggs died in the tragic incident.

The Inquiry is being led by an Assistant IGADF, former Justice the Honourable Margaret McMurdo AC.

The inquiry will probe the cause of deaths of the Australian Defence Force members. Family members of those who died have been invited to be involved in the inquiry process, ensuring their perspectives are considered.

The Inquiry’s first public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday 27 February 2024 at the Brisbane Convention Centre.

Updated

Emergency warning area for Ballarat fire expanded

In central Victoria, the emergency warning area for the fire burning north-west of Ballarat has just expanded.

This Emergency Warning has been issued for Ballyrogan, Bayindeen, Beaufort, Buangor, Buangor East, Challicum, Cross Roads, Eurambeen, Lake Goldsmith, Langi Kal Kal, Main Lead, Middle Creek, Mount Cole, Nerring, Raglan, Shirley, Stockyard Hill, Trawalla, Waterloo and Yalla-y-poora.

There is a bushfire at Bayindeen-Rocky Road that is not yet under control. It is travelling from Bayindeen-Rocky Road in a south-easterly direction.

There is a relief centre in Beaufort where citizens are evacuating.

Updated

Victorian government ordered to release injecting room report

The Victorian government could rely on executive privilege to reject a two-week deadline to release a long-awaited report on a possible second supervised drug injecting room, AAP reports.

Medically supervised injecting room in Melbourne
Melbourne’s medically supervised injecting room. Photograph: James Ross/AAP

On Wednesday the upper house passed a motion ordering the state government to release the former Victoria police commissioner Ken Lay’s report by 6 March.

The report, which was commissioned in 2020, maps out drug-taking patterns in the Melbourne CBD and will provide advice on establishing a medically supervised injecting service trial in the city.

It was handed to the government at the end of May but remains unpublished almost nine months later.

The premier, Jacinta Allan, said the government is still considering the key report and would not be rushed into releasing its contents:

[We] will release it in due course, once the government has made its decision.

That timeline will be determined by the government, not political motions that have been passed in the Legislative Council.

The attorney general, Jaclyn Symes, said the Department of Premier and Cabinet was assessing the order but confirmed the government can claim executive privilege over certain documents.

Updated

Police investigating disappearance of Sydney couple

NSW were speaking shortly before – they said they are investigating the disappearance of two men:

Police are investigating the disappearance of two men from the Paddington area on Monday 19 February.

Evidence has been gathered from a skip bin at Cronulla and a property in Paddington which has been declared a crime scene. What was found indicative of a major wound. Car keys, phones and other personal items have also been seized by police and are being forensically examined.

Forensic examinations took place, and looking for information in regards to Jesse Baird, a 26-year-old male from Paddington and Luke Davies, a 29-year-old male from Waterloo.

Police said they have concerns for both of the men – who were in a relationship.

Other inquiries led us to a property at Waterloo, which was the home of Luke and anyone that has seen any of these people or Jesse and Luke, if you are seeing this, please contact Waverley police station or Crime Stoppers.

More to come.

Updated

Scrapping stamp duty in Victoria would cost $30bn: treasurer

Victoria’s budget bottom line would take a $30bn hit if the state moves to scrap the state’s much-loathed stamp duty, treasurer Tim Pallas warns, according to AAP.

As he prepares to hand down his 10th state budget in May, Pallas has not ruled out changes to the state’s tax regime but cautioned against axing stamp duty for homebuyers.

Every dollar raised in Victoria by stamp duty, also known as land transfer duty, costs 55 cents in lost economic activity, according to the Grattan Institute.

Pallas:

The $7.3bn a year I get through stamp duty would probably mean I’d have to seriously cut back our health and education services.

Clearly everyone wants to look at how we can reform and improve the way our tax system operates.

That’s why I’ve refused to give a blanket guarantee that the state won’t change taxes.

Updated

Hello everyone – this is Cait. I will be with you for the rest of the afternoon. There are obviously some serious unfolding weather events that we will stay on top of, among other news.

Let’s get into it.

Many thanks for joining me on the blog today – Cait Kelly will be here to take you through the rest of our rolling coverage. Take care!

Wild weather wrap

There is so much varying weather patterns across the country today – from bushfires to cyclones and your everyday regular thunderstorm warnings.

Here’s a recap of the main events communities should be aware of:

  • New South Wales: Severe thunderstorms are possible across the east this afternoon and evening, with a higher risk of storms in Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and the Illawarra.

  • Victoria: Much of the state has an extreme fire danger rating today, and communities at Warrack have been told to leave now amid an out of control, growing bushfire. A cool change is set to sweep the state this evening, but firefighters have warned this could bring potentially dangerous wind. Melbourne is forecast to reach a max of 38C.

  • Tasmania: The Bureau has forecast an extreme fire danger rating for the east coast, and western parts of the state. Hobart was forecast to reach a max of 36C today.

  • South Australia: Like much of the south-east, South Australia has also been experiencing hot conditions today. The Country Fire Service declared an extreme fire risk in the Eastern Eyre Peninsula, the Mid North and the Murraylands today.

  • Western Australia: A blue alert for cyclonic weather has been issued for coastal communities between Roebourne and Minilya Roadhouse. Ex-Tropical Cyclone Lincoln is now offshore from the west Kimberly coast, and is expected to reach tropical cyclone intensity overnight.

Updated

‘Quite large’ fire near Ballarat expected to ‘rapidly grow’: CFA chief

Jason Heffernan, the chief officer of Victoria’s Country Fire Authority, is providing an update on the bushfire situation across the state.

Speaking to the ABC, he said the bushfire at Warrack – west of Ballarat – has grown “significantly” and is starting to throw spots into surrounding areas.

An emergency warning is active, urging communities to leave immediately.

Heffernan said the fire is “quite large”, and with significant wind gusts in the area, firefighters expect it to “rapidly grow”.

He said a cool change expected to sweep the state later this evening will also bring increased wind speeds:

That will be the real peak danger time for communities, remembering one side of this fire will become the main head of the fire as it travels east …

We are getting reports of what fires up to 4km away from Beaufort. That is not unexpected given the conditions we are seeing, so communities need to be able to put their bushfire survival plan into action.

Updated

The Bureau of Meteorology has published this severe weather update on ex-Tropical Cyclone Lincoln, which is set to re-strengthen into a tropical cyclone off the WA coast:

Leave Immediately warning issued for Warrak, Victoria

The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, says she has spoken with the emergency management commissioner for an update on the fires across the state.

Allan wrote on X:

I’ve just received an update from the Emergency Management Commissioner on the fire situation across the state.

A Leave Immediately warning has been issued for communities around Warrak – currently Bayindeen, Buangor, Middle Creek and Mount Cole.

If you are in these or nearby areas, please leave now if safe to do so. We have all the tools we need to fight these fires. But the best way to stay safe and help our first responders is to heed the warnings and stay prepared.

Updated

Australia warns Israel of dire impact of Rafah invasion

An Australian minister has used a major international platform to warn Israel against launching a full-blown assault in southern Gaza, AAP reports.

The finance minister, Katy Gallagher, reiterated concerns about an increasingly dire humanitarian situation in the besieged strip and further devastation an invasion would have in Rafah, where more than 1 million civilians are sheltering.

“Australia believes this would be unjustifiable, and we say again to Israel: do not go down this path,” she told a G20 ministers’ meeting in Brazil while representing the foreign minister.

Senator Gallagher also tackled criticisms the G20 wasn’t the right place to discuss geopolitical issues and should instead remain focused on economic matters:

On the contrary, the people in this room – with over 30 country representatives – are exactly the right people to discuss the conflicts and tensions that have significant impacts on all our economies, affecting millions of people.

Meanwhile, an Australian logistics expert who is working at a hospital in Rafah has warned that “everyone here is struggling” while raising fears of a “catastrophic” Israeli ground offensive in the southern Gaza city. You can read more on this from Daniel Hurst below:

Updated

Temporary Queensland police commissioner announced

Queensland’s first female police commissioner will be replaced by the cop responsible for police reform – for the time being.

The deputy commissioner, Steve Gollschewski, will act in the top job while a permanent replacement for Katarina Carroll is selected.

Gollschewski led the arm of the police responsible for Covid quarantine during the pandemic, including hotel quarantine and airport security. He is the most experienced deputy commissioner, spending a decade in the role.

The premier, Steven Miles – a former Covid health minister – said he was pleased by the choice of acting chief cop:

I worked closely with Steve on a daily basis during our response to Covid and he is an extraordinarily competent and experienced leader.

Carrol had held the job since 2019. She announced her resignation on Tuesday, after weeks of pressure about youth crime. Her last day is next Friday.

There will be a full merit selection process to determine the permanent replacement, by a panel including the public service commissioner, David Mackie, crime and corruption commission chair, Bruce Barbour, integrity commissioner, Linda Waugh and Tasmanian police commissioner, Donna Adams.

Updated

Severe wind warning issued for Victoria

A severe weather warning for damaging winds has been issued for the Otways and Surf Coast of Victoria this afternoon.

A strong cold front approaching the west of the state is directing gusty northwesterly winds ahead of it before a cooler southwesterly change arrives in the late afternoon, the Bureau of Meteorology said.

Damaging wind gusts around 90km/h are likely about the Otways and Surf Coast, with winds likely to ease by late afternoon.

Locations which may be affected include Lorne, Aireys Inlet and Apollo Bay.

A 96 km/h wind gust was recorded at Aireys Inlet at 1.33pm.

Here is a look at that front approaching the coast, from a bit earlier today:

Updated

Gender pay gap drops to 12%, the lowest on record: ABS

The gender pay gap has narrowed to 12% in what the Australian Bureau of Statistics says is the lowest level on record.

According to new data on the average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adults, the gender pay gap has dropped for the third time in a row, down to a new record low.

Bjorn Jarvis, ABS head of labour statistics, said:

The gender pay gap in average weekly ordinary full-time earnings, the most commonly cited of the gender pay gap measures, narrowed to 12%, down from 13% in May 2023 and the lowest level on record.

This was the third drop in the gender pay gap in a row, down to a new record low. This narrowing in the gap reflected stronger growth in average full-time earnings for women, 3.5% over the past six months, compared with 2.3% for men. Annual growth was also more pronounced for women at 5.5%, compared with 4% for men.

Finance minister Katy Gallagher welcomed the news and wrote on X:

Labor’s efforts to drive a better deal for women are working but there’s more to do. I’m looking forward to launching our national strategy for gender equality before IWD to keep driving progress.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued this map, showing the approximate timing of the cool change set to move through Victoria today.

The front will bring gusty winds, possible showers, thunder and dry lightning, the Bureau warned. Temperatures may drop by up to 15°C, particularly near the coast.

According to the map, the cool change looks set to reach Melbourne just after 6pm.

Tasmania is also in the grips of a heatwave, with a cool change due later today. The Bureau says temperatures will soar to the mid 30Cs about the southeast this afternoon, before the cool change arrives.

‘We have to start teaching our young girls and boys what respect looks like’: Yvette D’Ath

Continued from last post:

As a former Covid health minister, Yvette D’Ath copped more trolling online than the average MP. She called for better behaviour from people sitting behind the keyboard.

I think people – adults – should reflect on their behaviour online. Because kids are looking at their public Facebook as well and what they’re saying online.

Again, if we’re going to teach our kids what respect looks like and again as the minister for the prevention of family violence and sexual violence … we have to start teaching our young girls and boys what respect looks like. We have to lead by example there

If it’s not something you would say to someone directly, in person, you shouldn’t be saying it online. And there needs to be some accountability.

Retiring Queensland attorney-general Yvette D’Ath.
Retiring Queensland attorney general Yvette D’Ath. Photograph: Jono Searle/AAP

D’Ath chose the 10 year anniversary of her victory at the Redcliffe byelection to announce retirement. Her 17.2% two party preferred swing helped give the party hope after being reduced to half a dozen members by the premier, Campbell Newman, just a year earlier. They went on to win back government in 2015.

A mum who once lived in a garage and left school at 15 before later getting a law degree, she later represented Labor party as the federal member for Petrie from 2006.

Updated

MP role ‘harder today than it’s ever been’: Queensland attorney general

The retiring Queensland attorney general, Yvette D’Ath, says trolling on social media has made the job of an MP “harder today than it’s ever been”.

In a press conference announcing she won’t recontest the seat at the state election in October, the veteran politician spoke candidly about the struggles of the job.

I don’t want to discourage anyone from running in politics.

It’s a tough job and I actually think it’s harder today than it’s ever been, due to social media, and the unfiltered advice you get from people and critique of who have never met you, who don’t know you, have never been in your shoes and done the job.

Tragically, we’ve seen the consequences of social media, and the trolling and the behaviour of people on social media, what it does to lives; young people and adults.

I think that’s made the job really hard.

Updated

Bega shares surge as households embrace brands

Shares in Bega Cheese soared higher today after the food company recorded a 20% lift in half-year earnings to $86.1m.

The result was underpinned by strong sales in its branded division, which includes well-known names such as Dairy Farmers, Dare, Pura, Vegemite and Yoplait. It also runs a bulk commodity division that supplies dairy ingredients to other businesses.

Bega’s shares were trading up more than 13% shortly after releasing its financial results early on Thursday.

The company has been going through a difficult three-year trading period after milk shortages and a tight labour market led to increased costs, and lower profit margins, severely denting the bulk commodity division.

It has since shifted more of its focus to its brands, mainly sold through supermarkets, where earnings rocketed more than 150% higher during the six month period, compared with a year earlier.

Bega’s overall revenue increased by 3% to $1.7bn.

Updated

Parts of WA’s Pilbara told to prepare for cyclonic weather

Moving up to the Pilbara region of Western Australia, and a blue alert for cyclonic weather has been issued for coastal communities between Roebourne and Minilya Roadhouse.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services said there is “no immediate danger” but people need to start preparing for cyclonic weather and organise an emergency kit – including first aid kit, torch, portable radio, food and water.

Ex-Tropical Cyclone Lincoln is currently offshore from the west Kimberly coast, and is expected to reach tropical cyclone intensity overnight.

It will then turn to the southwest, towards the far west Pilbara coast, while developing further, the Bureau of Meteorology says.

On Saturday the system is most likely to cross the far west Pilbara or upper Gascoyne coast and weaken as it moves inland on Sunday.

RBA review panel defends recommendation of second board

Back to the Senate economics committee, where the RBA review panel are defending the recommendations former treasurers, RBA governors and economists have all spent the morning criticising (to put it mildly).

Dr Gordon de Brouwer and Prof Renee Fry-McKibbin have defended their recommendations of a second board and removing the reserve powers (as you would expect).

The ideas came from “best practice” and based on what the US Fed and UK central bank do, which is fine, except historically, the Australian RBA has outperformed both banks.

The Greens senator Nick McKim asks where the idea to get rid of the section 11 reserve powers came from, as it is not in any of the submissions to the RBA review. So who raised it?

De Brouwer says it came about in “discussions with the review panel”.

So, the answer there would be – the review panel.

Greens senator Nick McKim
Greens senator Nick McKim Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

That leads to De Brouwer trying to combat McKim’s questions about unintended consequences of removing the power – such as having a populist government agitate to remove the RBA governor because it didn’t like the decisions, like what is happening in the US with the Fed.

De Brouwer:

An alternative way of framing it, Senator, is if you’re worried about populist government, what happens if you have a populist executive who wants to then every interest rate decision override that interest rate decision because it’s not politically convenient?

By keeping section 11, you bring that that exercise of populace power into the executive rather than the parliament?

(Keep in mind that section 11 powers also include the treasurer having to justify to the parliament why they would be using those powers.)

McKim all but laughs at De Brouwer’s hypothetical:

Well, my response to that would be that they are accountable to the people in a way that the board of the RBA is not.

Updated

Down in Tasmania, there are two current watch and act alerts for bushfires that firefighters expect will be difficult to control.

Communities in Dee, Bradys Lake, Tarraleah and surrounds should prepare to leave, with a fire expected to impact by 4pm local time.

Meanwhile, communities at Franklins Road, Crabtree and surrounds should prepare to leave, with a fire moving towards Crabtree.

The fire is expected to be difficult to control… Tasmania Fire Service is attending. Conditions are expected to worsen.

Sydney woman seriously injured after being hit by truck

A 74-year-old woman has been seriously injured after being hit by a truck in Sydney’s south-west.

According to police, after 10am today emergency services responded to reports a truck had collided with a female pedestrian along The Horsley Drive, near Hassall Street, Smithfield.

Paramedics treated the woman at the scene, before she was taken to Westmead hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Officers were informed the truck, described as a B-double, failed to stop after the incident and was last seen travelling north along Hassall Street.

NSW police have established a crime scene, which will be examined by specialist police from the crash investigation unit.

Traffic diversions are now in place and The Horsley Drive is expected to remain a crime scene “for a considerable amount of time”, police said.

They are calling on anyone with information to come forward.

Updated

Meanwhile, a separate watch and act alert has been issued for communities near the Bayindeen-Rocky Road fire.

The watch and act alert includes Buangor East, Chute, Eurambeen, Main Lead, Raglan and Waterloo, with residents told to prepare to evacuate.

If you are located [in these areas] act now to protect your life. Prepare to evacuate immediately and leave as soon as you are ready, as roads will become busy as people leave.

Bushfire warning issued for near Ballarat, Victoria

An emergency bushfire warning has been issued for an out-of-control bushfire west of Ballarat in Victoria.

A bushfire at Bayindeen-Rocky Road is out of control and travelling in a south-easterly direction.

The warning area includes Bayindeen, Buangor, Middle Creek and Mount Cole.

VicEmergency says leaving immediately is the safest option, before conditions become too dangerous.

Emergency services may not be able to help you if you decide to stay.

Updated

Calls for Australian Centre for Disease Control to reconcile Covid health advice

Public health experts are calling on the government to urgently implement and properly resource the Australian Centre for Disease Control (ACDC), to ensure Covid-19 advice is consistent across the country.

The call from the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) comes as health expert await further detail on the ACDC, promised by the Albanese government during the 2022 election.

It was set up as a $90m interim body on 1 January this year, but is yet to be formally established or receive ongoing funds, PHAA said in a statement.

Professor Simone Pettigrew, a health communication expert from the George Institute for Global Health, says the current situation could be negatively impacting health outcomes as Covid continues to spread across the country, and messaging differs between states and territories:

Residents of some states may be receiving more or less effective guidance compared to others. A single, clear and consistent source of truth would undoubtedly improve public health outcomes.

Adjunct Professor Terry Slevin, CEO of PHAA, added:

Inconsistencies around emphasis, priority and language used underscore the urgent need for the full and proper establishment of the ACDC. This is exactly why this body was promised by the Australian Government.

Australians deserve a consistent, credible, carefully researched and framed nationwide set of public health information.

Junior consultants ‘aggressively pushed’ to gather intelligence from public servants about future work, inquiry told

A parliamentary inquiry has heard allegations that junior consultants have been told to seek out social interactions with public servants and gather intelligence on upcoming work opportunities for their firms.

The allegation was made by Labor senator Deborah O’Neill, during a parliamentary hearing into the ethics and accountability of the consulting industry, which has faced intense scrutiny since a scandal involving PwC Australia. Here’s what she told the inquiry:

We’ve actually had some examples of consulting firms aggressively pushing their graduates to seek out social interactions with specific public servants to get intelligence on future procurement.

O’Neill did not name the staff or the firm allegedly involved in this practice. The allegation is based on information passed to the committee by a whistleblower.

The senator asked executives from the Institute of Internal Auditors Australia whether, if substantiated, that behaviour would be acceptable. The institute’s manager, Andrew Cox, said it would not be.

I’m not aware of that sort of activity, but if it were, then obviously that would certainly be a breach of our ethical standards.

Study reveals 89% of heatwave deaths people with disability

In the post below, we mentioned that studies have shown that 89% of heatwave deaths in Australia are people with disability.

It’s confronting – but it’s true – though the number also overlaps with other risks such as substandard housing, social isolation, and age.

The study, which I’ll link here, for those interested, says:

The most common physical disability was a heart issue (n = 224; 63%), followed by asthma or some other respiratory issue (n = 111; 31%). Obesity, mobility, renal/kidney and diabetes issues were present in from 15% to 18% of cases. The main type of mental disability (not shown) was psychiatric.

The Disability Advocacy Network Australia CEO, Jeff Smith, said:

People with disability are at extreme risk of illness and death as climate change makes Australian heatwaves hotter and longer. If we don’t act now, hundreds of people with disability will die needlessly during heatwaves every year. For many people, summer will become a season of tragedy and heartbreak; for many more, it will become a season not to enjoy, but simply to survive.

That’s why Dana is calling on the federal government to take the threat of heatwaves seriously and put in place measures to ensure people with disability stay safe and healthy as the threat of heatwaves grows.

Updated

Disability advocates urge action to protect from heatwaves

Disability rights groups across the country are urging the federal government to do more to protect people with disability from the growing threat of summer heatwaves.

In a letter to the NDIS minister, Bill Shorten, Disability Advocacy Network Australia (Dana) CEO Jeff Smith and Sweltering Cities executive director Emma Bacon said the government must take strong action to prevent “hundreds of people with disability dying in each city every year” as heatwaves become hotter and longer:

Heatwaves are the deadliest environmental disaster in Australia and kill more people than all other environmental disasters combined.

Studies have shown that 89% of heatwave deaths in Australia are people with disability.

Among other measures, Smith and Bacon have called on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to incorporate the impacts of extreme heat into its planning and funding decisions, government funding for people with disability to more effectively heatproof their homes, overhauling disability service provider procedures to include protocols for heatwave events, and for Minister Shorten to urgently convene a roundtable of extreme heat experts and service providers to discuss the impact of extreme heat and climate change on people with disability.

We call on you to mobilise the Department of Social Services to update the regulations and increase the resources available to help people with disability across Australia manage this growing risk to their health and safety.

Updated

More pushback on RBA legislation from former governor

At the Senate economics committee, the former RBA governor Bernie Fraser just referred to the people who may sit on the proposed governance board as “super nerds”.

He also believes that removing the reserve powers that let the government intervene actually risks the bank’s independence more than keeping the powers.

So yup, that is pretty much everyone in the upper economic sphere in Australia saying “this is a dumb idea”.

Hard to see how the government keeps the legislation as it is with so many concerns being raised from across the political spectrum. Or maybe that was the point – accept the recommendations and let others explain why it shouldn’t be done, giving the government cover to drop it. We’ll see.

Updated

RBA governors ‘don’t get enough scrutiny’: Costello

Back to the senate economics committee, where the former Coalition treasurer Peter Costello has been giving evidence.

Costello seems to be quite enjoying himself as he gives evidence to the Senate economics committee. He is making clear a lot of his opinions on Reserve Bank governors – not any in particular, but in general.

He thinks RBA chairs need a bit more pushback:

You’ll never hear this from central bankers, obviously, but they do have enormous powers. And if anything, I think they probably don’t get enough scrutiny.

There’s this idea that we should remove them from all scrutiny – they’re not infallible. They make mistakes.

The idea of the infallibility of a central bank governor, you know, that we can’t even criticise him – I’ve always said I think the press, because they’ve [RBA governors] have such power, the press should be more robust in his criticism of them.

I think that’d be a good thing. And I actually think there wasn’t enough criticism of what we call the unconventional monetary policy, which was the forward guidance at the bond buying program.

[If they had been scrutinised] a bit more, maybe we’d have got some better decisions at that point.

Updated

Teen who poured milk on boat passengers issued with caution

Victorian police say a 16-year-old boy has been issued with a caution for unlawful assault, after he allegedly sprayed milk on people travelling in boats along the Yarra.

Vision of the alleged incident was circulated widely on 27 January, showing an individual pouring milk over GoBoat passengers on the river beneath the Southbank footbridge.

Police said in a statement that “the matter is now complete”.

Updated

A bushfire watch and act has been issued for rural towns in central Tasmania, as southern parts of the country swelters through hot conditions.

Communities in Dee, Bradys Lake, Tarraleah and surrounds are being warned to prepare to leave.

Emergency services said the fire is moving towards Bradys Lake and may impact the above areas by 4pm, local time.

The fire is expected to be difficult to control.

Tasmania Fire Service, Sustainable Timber Tasmania and Parks and Wildlife Service is attending.

Catholic Bishops Conference urges thorough investigation over charges

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has released a statement, following news that the former Broome bishop Christopher Saunders has been charged over historical child sex abuse allegations.

Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, president of the conference, said the allegations against Saunders are “very serious and deeply distressing, especially for those making those allegations”.

It is right and proper, and indeed necessary, that all such allegations be thoroughly investigated.

The Church will continue to cooperate fully with the police and take every necessary step to avoid any actions which may compromise the integrity and autonomy of the police investigation.

Updated

‘At the expense of the people of Australia’: Costello flags Treasury 'failure

Circling back to the senate economics committee: The former Coalition treasurer Peter Costello is now giving evidence, and he seems to be enjoying the chance to wax lyrical on what is obviously a favourite topic – monetary policy.

It should be noted in the central bank governors who are giving evidence, some would feel they can’t say this – that we did have a big policy failure coming out of Covid.

The bank’s guidance that there wouldn’t be an increase in the cash rate till 2024 turned out to be wrong. And indeed, its bond buying program exposed [Australia] to big losses.

Costello says those losses “wiped out the bank’s equity” which it is making up by “not paying dividends”.

That’s at the expense of the people of Australia over future years.

But that’s not in the report which created the legislation the committee is considering.

So Costello turns to the legislation, and makes it clear he is not a fan of a second ‘governance’ board. He thinks it could make things worse.

Former treasurer Peter Costello
Former treasurer Peter Costello Photograph: Dean Lewins/EPA

Costello also doesn’t see the point in the parliament giving up its reserve powers.

You’ll always find economists still say parliament should give up its power, because they’re economists. They believe they should have the power.

I can only think that the parliament would give up its power if it doesn’t trust itself.

I don’t think that’s a very good principle. So I don’t think we will improve things by getting rid of it and I would recommend strongly against multiplying the bureaucracy inside the bank by having two boards.

The Greens’ Nick McKim has also been very against the parliament getting rid of its reserve powers – he was one of the first to come out and say he thought the recommendation would make things worse, and really pushed back against Chalmers adopting it in the legislation.

So now you have a former Coalition treasurer, former reserve bank governors, a former Labor treasurer and the Greens all on a unity ticket saying “don’t do this”.

Updated

VicEmergency has issued advice alerts for two separate grass fires – one at the foot of Mount Buangor, and one at Parwan.

Both fires are not yet under control, but there is currently no threat to those in the warning areas.

This comes as much of the state has an extreme fire danger rating today – as does much of southern Australia.

Because of the hot conditions – with Melbourne expected to reach a max of 38C today – the state health department issued a reminder about leaving children in hot cars:

The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action has also warned of potential power outages, a week after a severe storm left roughly 500,000 Victorians without power.

Domestic air travel delays and cancellations still rife

Domestic air travel became slightly more reliable in January, but delays and cancellations remain rife and well above averages.

After Qantas unveiled its healthy $1.25bn half yearly pre-tax profit earlier today, the latest Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics domestic aviation figures showed that 73.4% of flights arrived on time in January, compared with the long term average of 81%.

The data also shows 3.1% of flights in January were cancelled, higher than the long term average of 2.2%.

While January’s on time performance data is poorer than long term averages, it has improved since December, when the domestic cancellation rate was 2.2% and just 63.6% of flights arrived on time.

However, not all airlines were equal.

Rex Airlines recorded the lowest rate of cancellations, at 0.6%. Qantas’ rate was 2.3%, while its regional arm QantasLink’s rate was 2.6, and budget carrier Jetstar’s was 2.4%. Virgin Australia had the highest cancellation rate of the major airlines, at 5.4%, while its regional arm cancelled 2.5% of flights. Bonza cancelled 3.3% of flights.

In terms of on time arrivals, smaller and regional airlines outperformed the larger players. 78.4% of Bonza flights arrived on time, while Rex’s rate was 77.3%. Qantas (including regional services) recorded a 76.6% on time rate, while Virgin Australia’s rate, including its regional operations, had a 67.9% on time arrival rate. 71.5% of Jetstar flights arrived on time Jetstar.

(Continued from our last post)

Ian Macfarlane agrees with another former RBA head, Bernie Fraser that the power should be retained – and if it was removed, and became necessary, the government of the day would then respond with hastily thrown together legislation which could have other unintended consequences.

Macfarlane argues that Australia’s ‘independent’ institutions are not “completely independent” because governments can always change the legislation which guides them.

He says keeping the power, gives everyone more freedom, because both sides know it’s there if needed.

Macfarlane is also pretty against having a ‘governance’ board of economists – which he says is an unneeded level of bureaucracy featuring more economists, which the bank already has.

All of this might seem pretty dry, but it is actually pretty important, because it will dictate how the RBA operates in the future.

And it is pretty rare to have so many people with experience in the field all saying the same thing – this is a terrible idea.

Former Howard-Costello era RBA head, Ian Macfarlane has also given up part of his Thursday to speak to the senate economics committee about the RBA legislation and one of his big concerns is… getting rid of the section 11 reserve power which would allow a government to step in and order the RBA to act.

Macfarlane says he does not see any reason why removing the power is even on the agenda.

I don’t think there’s any deep thinking gone on behind the decision to get rid of section 11.

Macfarlane says at the high levels of the RBA (and he was at the highest level) people were “very aware” of the power and he believes that was a good thing.

I think it actually provides independence, as I said, against the government meddling.

(He then corrects himself and says meddling is an unfair word and changes it to “influence”)

It provides protection against that. But at the end of the day, the elected government has to have priority, if the issue was big enough.

Australia Institute executive director calls out Reserve Bank’s ‘need for diversity’

The Australia Institute executive director, Dr Richard Denniss is also appearing at this committee, and he has not forgotten the original response to the Australia Institute’s original research on how Australian companies were price gouging and that was contributing to the inflation issue.

The RBA, under Phil Lowe, originally completely dismissed the research and it kicked off a culture war in the business and finance pages over the Jim Stanford paper.

Since then, we have seen a whole heap of record profits being posted and as the senate economics committee goes through who should be sitting on the RBA board, and whether there needs to be better diversity beyond business figures and a bunch of economic academics, Denniss brings his receipts.

I think there’s an important example in recent history of the need for diversity.

I mean, it’s quite clear the Reserve Bank was very slow to notice that profits were playing a particularly large role in this latest bout of inflation.

They now, I see, appeared before Parliament last week conceding that profits do play a role in driving this latest bout of inflation and I suspect that having a number of business leaders on the RBA board didn’t dissuade them from seeing this emerging problem.

But if there hadn’t been perhaps union or other representative voices on there, I think the RBA might have been quicker to see what central banks around the world saw far more quickly and that is that profits were playing a particular role in driving this bout of inflation.

So diversity, I think is in and of itself a good thing to have on the board.

Updated

Senate committee looking at legislation that could change RBA operations

We are listening in to the senate economics committee hearings examining the legislation which, if passed, will change how the Reserve Bank of Australia operates. This is the legislation which has been created after the RBA review Jim Chalmers ordered last year.

The review recommended some pretty major changes, including an additional board of economic academics and removing the treasurer’s reserve power to intervene with the RBA and force it to act. That power has never been used, but it is seen as a “break in case of emergency” tool, which is there as a safeguard.

The history of the power is interesting – back in the 1930s, during the Great Depression, the Labor government asked the RBA (which was then the Commonwealth Bank) to use funds to help farmers and build infrastructure to help pull the country out of the economic pits. The bank refused and Australia went through the full ravages of the depression. So when Labor was back in power and creating a reserve bank in the 1940s, it added in that power, as a just in case.

Paul Keating said he threatened to use it, to make the RBA raise interest rates, in the late 1980s in the early days of financial de-regulation, to starve off an “inflationary burst” of credit. He’s been advocating to keep the power, along with most of the senior economists in the nation, the RBA’s official historian and, it looks like, Peter Costello.

The former Liberal treasurer is about to give evidence at this hearing and all indications are he is on a unity ticket with Keating to keep the power.

We’ll keep you updated.

Updated

Inner West mayor says asbestos crisis could threaten viability of Biennale

The mayor of Sydney’s inner west, Darcy Byrne, has lashed the clean-up of asbestos-contaminated mulch at a location on Victoria Road in Rozelle.

In a statement, Byrne said:

This new friable asbestos was found in a location that was meant to have been cleaned up and remediated before now.

These delays also threaten the viability of the upcoming Biennale at White Bay Power Station as the path from the Lilyfield Light Rail station to the Power Station remains closed, making the event inaccessible for most commuters in Sydney.

Byrne said council was assured all testing in Rozelle was completed and the contaminated mulch sites along Victoria Road would be removed before now:

The new discovery of this more dangerous asbestos shows that this nightmare is far from over in Rozelle.

Worse still, the upcoming Biennale at the White Bay Power Station could become the latest victim of the asbestos crisis if Rozelle Parklands is not reopened in the immediate future.

The Lilyfield Light Rail Station is one of only two public transport connections to White Bay Power Station. With Rozelle Parklands closed to the public, the Power Station is not accessible from the Light Rail stop.

The upcoming Biennale of Sydney will take place at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Artspace, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, and the Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney. UNSW Galleries and the recently restored White Bay Power Station will also hold events. The festival is free to the public from 9 March to 10 June.

Byrne also pointed to the cancellation of Mardi Gras Fair Day last weekend.

Updated

Visas for Palestinians coming to Australia ‘exactly the same’ as under the former government, Albanese says

Circling back to the prime minister’s press conference:

Turning to the Middle East, Anthony Albanese is asked about comments from the opposition regarding visas being given to Palestinians, coming to Australia to escape the war.

Yesterday the Coalition’s home affairs spokesperson, James Paterson, told Sky News more than 2,000 visas had been issued to Palestinians recently and suggested he did not know how “we can be doing adequate checks on the ground”.

Immigration minister Andrew Giles accused the Coalition of trying to “whip up anger and fear” because “they think there’s votes in it”. Josh Butler had the full story yesterday, which has some much-needed context around this issue:

Albanese was just asked to comment on this, and told reporters:

The checks are exactly the same as what was in place under the former government with the difference, which is in order to leave Gaza, there needs to be approval, including the Israelis are involved in that.

Look, Peter Dutton was part of a government that accepted not temporarily, permanently, over 10,000 people from Syria during that conflict. Peter Dutton is someone who, no issue is too big to show how small he is. He is someone who has multiple fear and scare campaigns out there everyday, but it’s all negative. He has nothing positive to offer the nation. No positive policies going forward …

Albanese said Dutton is “just wrong” to question the authenticity of documents.

He is the angriest opposition leader we have ever seen. He makes Tony Abbott looks constructive and positive going forward.

Updated

‘Extraordinary meeting’: Consultancy firms meet to discuss potential regulatory crackdown

Consultancy firms vying for government contracts are sometimes fiercely competitive. After all, there’s a lot of money at stake. Last financial year alone, the federal government spent $605m on just four firms.

That’s one reason why Labor senator, Deborah O’Neill, raised an eyebrow this morning at revelations seven consultancy firms met with the Business Council of Australia (BCA) about a fortnight ago to discuss its submission to an oversight committee plotting tougher regulation. The meeting was first reported by the Financial Review.

Boston Consulting Group’s managing director, Miguel Carrasco, attended the meeting and admitted it was “unusual” given the firms rarely meet:

It hasn’t happened very often. That was an unusual occurrence.

O’Neill suggested this was an “extraordinary meeting” that reflected a lack of scrutiny over the consultancy sector in recent years and intense scrutiny on firms.

Carrasco said the BCA’s draft submission to the parliamentary joint committee on corporations and financial services was circulated for feedback from some of Australia’s biggest consultancy firms.

We joined with the intent of contributing constructively to the discussion and to the submission that the BCA was planning to make.

Updated

Detectives investigate Thornbury and Thomastown fires

Victorian detectives believe two suspicious fires in Melbourne overnight are linked, with one of the venues set to host a fight involving professional kickboxer Suleiman “Sam” Abdulrahim this weekend.

The first fire occurred around 1.50am when emergency services were called to a multi-purpose function and dining space on Matisi Street in Thornbury, after reports of a fire.

Police said they are investigating whether a burnt-out car found dumped in Mason Street in Reservoir is linked to the incident.

The Herald Sun reports that the Furlan Club in Thornbury is scheduled to host “The Punisher” Abdulrahim’s bout with Savenaca Naliva for an Australasian title on Saturday.

Emergency services were also called to a second fire at the Emerald Reception Centre on Settlement Road in Thomastown shortly after 6am.

Nobody was physically harmed during either incident but both businesses sustained significant damage, police said.

At this stage investigators are treating the fires as linked and believe both attacks were potentially targeted at events scheduled to be held at the venues.

Crime scenes have been established and an arson chemist will attend the scenes this morning.

Investigators are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

Updated

Working from home a ‘matter of what’s appropriate’, Albanese says

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has been speaking to the media in Sydney, answering questions around workplace relations laws.

He is asked for his thoughts on working from home, and said “it’s a matter of what’s appropriate”.

It’s hard to work from home in construction, for example … but for many people, it provides a flexibility. It means, as well in terms of productivity improvements, that rather than spending up to three hours – many people travel 1.5 hours each way to and from work – that activity can be done more productively.

Albanese said these issues should be worked out between employers and employees. He highlighted the positives of working from home for working parents, in particular.

I think it is important, at least from time to time, that people gather in one place so they can have that social interaction as well …

There are people working in my office in Canberra, I’m sure there are some people working from home as well diligently… We need to make sure that it’s in the interests of both workers and employers.

Updated

Universities’ ‘inaction is sickening’ on preventing sexual violence: Senator Mehreen Faruqi

The Greens have come out swinging at the government after the Australian Human Rights Institute’s report on campus sexual violence.

Six years ago, the body released the Change the Course report, which recommended the establishment of specialised bodies to tackle sexual violence on campuses. But a third of universities are still failing to do so, the report found.

Last year, a draft federal plan put to state education ministers recommended a national code regulating how universities responded to sexual violence and a student ombudsman was released for public consultation. It has yet to be adopted.

Greens deputy leader and spokesperson for education senator Mehreen Faruqi said it was “no surprise” universities were failing to put systems in place.

There is still no transparency and the culture of impunity and inaction is sickening ... the Labor government has stalled long enough. We have the evidence, they know the solutions - it’s time for action.

The current system of self-regulation is completely failing students and causing lasting harm to so many people. Universities are failing in both preventing sexual violence and in responding to it.

Greens deputy leader and spokesperson for education senator Mehreen Faruqi
Greens deputy leader and spokesperson for education senator Mehreen Faruqi said it was ‘no surprise’ universities were failing to put systems in place to tackle sexual violence on campus. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Updated

A third of Australian universities failing to take action against sexual violence

A third of Australia’s universities don’t have governance mechanisms in place to tackle ongoing sexual violence on campuses, a new report has found.

The report, released by the Australian Human Rights Institute (AHRI) at UNSW Sydney today, found more transparent data reporting was needed to determine how universities were responding to sexual harm, particularly on the experience of students.

AHRI research fellow Dr Allison Henry said providing a full national picture had been “very difficult”.

Throughout 2023 we were repeatedly asked by members of the University Accord, parliamentarians and student leaders about which universities were ‘doing well’ in responding to campus sexual violence … while many of Australia’s universities have taken concerted action to tackle sexual violence over recent years, the national higher education regulator, TEQSA, has not undertaken any systemic oversight of these efforts since July 2020.

Henry said it was “disappointing” only 15 of Australia’s universities were publishing any consolidated information about reports or disclosures of sexual violence, and even fewer were transparently reporting responses, including disciplinary measures.

It is also troubling that only three of the 39 universities who participated in the 2021 National Student Safety Survey had made their detailed reports publicly available on their websites.

Updated

Western Sydney Uni unveils plan for 675,000 new local jobs in 10 years

Western Sydney University has unveiled an economic plan that would add 675,000 local jobs in just over a decade and $100bn to the New South Wales economy.

The plan highlights that if the region experienced the same jobs-to-worker ratio as the rest of Sydney alone, 400,000 new jobs would be delivered by 2036 compared to current growth levels.

Chancellor of the university, Prof Jennifer Westacott launched the plan in Parramatta this morning.

It identifies economic focus areas including expanding into new innovative and technological industries, ensuring people have better access to skills and training and delivering greater equity in the region.

Westacott said Western Sydney was an area of “massive advantage”, pointing to the new international airport to open in 2026.

The region is projected to grow by 600,000 people to 3.2 million by 2026, while also grappling with a downturn in business income over the previous 10 years.

I want Western Sydney locals to have high-paying jobs, access to the skills they need, and no longer be forced to drive 40km each day to work. We can no longer rely on population growth to drive the economy, but we need to invest in our people and jobs of the future.

A final report and actionable recommendations will be launched in November.

Updated

Medibank half-year profit up 16% on non-resident gain

Health insurer Medibank Private has posted a 16% jump in first-half profit after higher sales offset continuing costs from its 2022 cyber attack, AAP reports.

A 12% gain in policy sales to non-residents helped underlying net profit after tax rise to $262.5m for the six months to 31 December. Sales to residents increased by 0.2%.

Statutory net profit after tax skyrocketed by 103% to $343.2m, however this was due to the adoption of new accounting standards.

Medibank said its improved sales came amid an increase in customers switching funds to offset cost-of-living pressures. This meant higher costs to acquire customers.

Medibank signage.
Medibank Photograph: Morgan Hancock/AAP

The Medibank brand has regained favour with customers since cyber criminals stole the personal information of thousands of customers. The company said the brand’s acquisition rate for resident customers was in-line with pre-cybercrime levels.

But while the cyber attack may be forgotten by some, it still shows in Medibank’s accounts.

Improvements to IT security cost the business $17.6m in the first half. Medibank said full-year costs of $30m to $35m were expected for IT security, legal and other costs from regulatory investigations and litigation.

The company said:

This does not include the impacts of any potential findings or outcomes from regulatory investigations or litigation.

Updated

Queensland attorney general will not re-contest seat

Queensland’s attorney general Yvette D’Ath will not re-contest the seat of Redcliffe in the October election after concluding that “the time is right” for her to exit politics.

D’Ath has announced on Facebook the decision not to run was made after “many considerations” including it being time “to try and find more balance in my life” and to look after herself after “almost 17 years of serving the people of Queensland”.

Whilst I know I still have the passion and drive to continue to serve the people of Queensland, I believe it is better to leave politics when people are still asking me to stay, rather than telling me to go.

I have reached the conclusion that the time is right.

D’Ath first entered the federal parliament in November 2007 after winning the federal seat of Petrie. She then entered the Queensland parliament in 2014 becoming the shadow minister for education, disability services, science, IT and innovation and later serving as the attorney general.

D’Ath also served as Queensland’s health minister before a cabinet reshuffle last May where she was once again appointed attorney-general.

She will continue to serve in her role until the end of the election term.

Queensland’s attorney general Yvette D’Ath
Queensland’s attorney general Yvette D’Ath has said that ‘the time is right’ for her to exit politics. Photograph: Jono Searle/AAP

Updated

Tasmania experiencing its ‘highest rating this fire season’

Earlier this morning, Tasmania’s deputy chief fire officer Matt Lowe spoke with the ABC and provided an update on the extreme fire danger for today.

Much of southern Australia is facing total fire bans, hot weather and extreme fire danger today – we had a wrap on this a bit earlier.

Lowe said extreme fire behaviour is predicted in the middle of Tassie, and up and down the east coast.

It’s our highest rating this fire season where we have actually gone into the extreme category …

The conditions today and … overnight into tomorrow, if we do get fire starters, [there’s] potential for these fires to spread quickly and cause significant damage to the landscape and potentially structures as well.

At the same time, the state saw flash flooding in the north-east yesterday.

It was short duration, minimal damage with a few properties inundated. But now we’re moving more into the fire space for today and into tomorrow.

Updated

And here we have it, folks. Footage of every breakfast news program in Australia covering Travis Kelce’s plane landing in Sydney:

Now all that’s left is Kelce’s reaction to this media circus – I must know what he thinks!

Qantas plays down impact of looming fines and compensation payouts

The Qantas chief executive, Vanessa Hudson, has said the hundreds of millions of dollars in fines and compensation payouts the airline is staring down the barrel of will not harm the company’s investment in improving the customer experience and regaining public trust.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has said it is hoping for a record penalty of $250m as a result of its legal action over allegations the airlines sold tickets to thousands of flights that it had already decided to cancel on its internal systems.

Additionally, compensation hearings are set for March to determine what Qantas will pay almost 1,700 ground handlers it was found to have illegally outsource. The airline lost a high court appeal over the latter matter late last year.

Qantas noted the potential for fines and compensation for these cases in half yearly financial documents to the stock exchange.

Today, when announcing a $1.25bn underlying half-year profit, Hudson unveiled the purchase of new aircraft and investments in customer experience such as on board wifi, and said the looming payout bills would not affect the airline continuing to spend on improving how customers fly.

With regard to those two cases, they’re working their way through court. There will be an outcome and we accept the fact that these are a part of what the courts are weighing up.

When asked if the costs of these payouts would limit spending on customer improvements, Hudson said:

No, I’m not concerned that’s going to affect spending.

Updated

Media circus surrounds arrival of Travis Kelce in Sydney

Travis Kelce’s arrival into Sydney is providing Australia’s breakfast television shows with so, so much content.

The Morning Show has a reporter on-the-ground at Sydney Airport, and has shown footage of fans congregating, excited for the arrival of Taylor Swift’s boyfriend ahead of the Eras Tour this weekend.

The breakfast program provided live commentary of what appears to be Kelce exiting the plane, boarding a van and going through security.

So two men bearing baseball caps have emerged from the plane [in] tracksuits … Now they have to [rummage] for coins to try to get through the boom gate. That airport parking is a killer. I hope he’s got some money!

As the live commentary continued, someone joked: “This is the worst episode of Gogglebox I have ever seen!”

The Today Show also broadcast the moment live. While The Morning Show is speculating Kelce’s brother Jason is also on board, Today says the second person is his friend, Ross Travis.

A Today Show host said:

The Nine Network newsroom, they let out a cheer when that jet touched down. Can you believe so. I’ll have some actual news for you coming up in half an hour.

And that, folks, is yet another episode in the Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce media circus.

Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift's boyfriend lands in Sydney, Australia
Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift's boyfriend lands in Sydney, Australia. Photograph: Sunrise on 7

Updated

Qantas wants to be ‘trusted to recover better than ever’, CEO Vanessa Hudson says

Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson has been speaking to the media from Sydney, after this morning’s profit announcement.

(We have all the details around this earlier in the blog, if you scroll through some of our most recent posts).

Hudson said Qantas wants to be “trusted to recover better than ever”, and said:

We are investing in putting more people in the contact centres so we can service and respond to customers as quickly as possible.

She also gave a shout-out directly to Qantas employees:

I want to also finish with a callout to you, our people, again. We know how important it is to us, you are our most important asset and I will never forget that. Having your back is my number one focus, to make sure that you have what you need to deliver the best for our customers.

Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson
Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson told media that Qantas was investing in more contact centres ‘to service and respond to customers as quickly as possible’. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

Updated

Qantas to begin proactively refunding credits

Qantas will begin proactively refunding customers still holding Covid credits, as the airline continues to hold almost $500m in unclaimed credits.

Last year, hundreds of millions of dollars in Covid credits that Qantas held were set to expire, before the airline, in the face of intense scrutiny from customers and politicians, abolished the expiry deadline for all credits and vowed to offer cash refunds to some customers.

Qantas will now trial a program to proactively refund customers whose credit cards from their initial purchases have since expired.

Qantas has worked with banking partners to establish a new process that means the airline can now trial proactive refunds with a safeguard in place if the original payment method (typically, a credit card) is no longer valid.

While a large percentage of credit cards have likely expired, this new mechanism makes it a more practical refund option to try.

In practical terms, customers will receive an email from Qantas if the value of their Covid credit has been successfully refunded through this trial.

Qantas said more than 75% of the $2bn in Covid credits it held has now been redeemed for travel or refunded to customers. The outstanding credit balance has now dropped to $468m.

Qantas still soaring out of pandemic

While Qantas’ profits have slid from last year’s record numbers, they are still much higher than the airline’s pre-pandemic figures.

By comparison, in the last six months of 2019, Qantas delivered $771m in underlying profit before tax, which is almost 40% lower than the $1.25bn result recorded in the most recent six-month period.

It has also just announced a $400m buyback, a strategy used to return excess capital to investors and lift a stock price.

Last year, Qantas was heavily criticised for reducing capacity at the same time as post-pandemic travel demand spiked, leading to high ticket prices and increased profits for the airline.

The airline has also defended accusations from the competition regulator that it advertised and sold tickets for thousands of flights that it had already cancelled in its internal system.

Qantas said in a statement today:

The proceedings, if not resolved beforehand, are expected to be heard in late calendar year 2024.

Travis Kelce touches down in Sydney ahead of weekend concerts

As we flagged earlier, there has been buzz all morning that Taylor Swift’s boyfriend Travis Kelce was due to touch down in Sydney ahead of four Eras tour concerts this weekend.

Well, thanks to a live cross from ABC News Breakfast just before, we can assume Kelce has now safely landed:

(But as my editor joked, disembarkation pics or it didn’t happen).

The Today Show have also been tracking Kelce’s movements all morning, with a reporter on-the-scene at Sydney Airport to confirm the moment Kelce had touched down.

Sunrise followed suit, and also broadcast the moment the plane landed on the airstrip.

The question now is, will the star couple be spotted out and about together in the city? I’m sure if they are, the news will be unmissable.

Updated

Former Bishop of Broome Christopher Saunders charged with alleged sex offences

The former Bishop of Broome, Christopher Saunders, was arrested yesterday and charged in relation to historical child sex abuse allegations.

In a statement from WA Police, it said a 74-year-old Broome man has been charged in relation to a number of historical offences.

This includes two counts of sexual penetration without consent, 14 counts of unlawful and indecent assault, and three counts of person in authority indecently dealing with a child (16-18 years old).

Police said the man was refused bail and is due to appear in the Broome magistrates court today.

According to court listings for today, Saunders is listed to appear at 9am, local time.

He has previously denied wrongdoing.

Updated

More on Qantas recording $1.25bn underlying half-year profit

Here is more on Qantas’ profits, via AAP:

Qantas has announced its underlying profit dropped 13% in the first half as fares fell.

The airline today reported it made a $1.25bn underlying profit after tax for the six months to December, down $183m, or 12.8%, from a year ago. It was up from the $1.16bn that analysts had expected.

Revenue was up 12.3 per cent to $11.1 billion.

Updated

Qantas profit slides as conditions normalise

Qantas has recorded a $1.25bn underlying half-year profit, representing a 13% fall from last year’s record figures as more regular flying conditions resumed.

The airline said fares and capacity had normalised, resulting in reduced revenue from passengers. Qantas said in a statement:

Travel demand remains strong across all sectors, with leisure continuing to lead and business travel now approaching pre-covid levels.

The financial results are the first delivered under new chief executive Vanessa Hudson who moved into the top role earlier than planned amid mounting criticism of her predecessor Alan Joyce.

Hudson said work was underway to lift service levels:

We know that millions of Australians rely on us and we’ve heard their feedback loud and clear.

Former Telstra chairman John Mullen will become the new chair of the airline in July after Richard Goyder announced he would depart following a wave of criticism of Qantas’s corporate performance.

A ground worker walking near a Qantas plane at Sydney Airport.
A ground worker walking near a Qantas plane at Sydney Airport. Photograph: Loren Elliott/Reuters

Updated

Seven more asbestos sites confirmed across Sydney

Seven more sites across Sydney have been found to have asbestos-contaminated mulch, taking the total number of positive sites to 54.

The sites include a garden bed along the Rozelle Interchange, the Westmead Children’s hospital and Observatory Hill Park.

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) said one of these sites was found to have friable asbestos:

One of the new sites is a garden bed, along the Rozelle Interchange, located between Callan St and Springside St at the Iron Cove Bridge. It has tested positive to friable asbestos.

Transport for NSW has fenced off the site. Removal of mulch in the area has begun and is expected to take several nights.

Six sites returned positive results for bonded asbestos, including:

  • Children’s hospital, Westmead (construction site, no public access and fenced off)

  • Jubilee Park, Glebe (affected areas fenced off and signs installed)

  • Bicentennial Park 2, Glebe (affected areas fenced off and signs installed)

  • Observatory Hill Park, Millers Point (affected areas fenced off and signs installed)

  • Oran Park Fire Station, Oran Park (site secured, remediation underway)

  • Mont Saint Quentin Oval, Bardia (site fenced off)

Three negative results were also returned during the past day, including St Justin’s Catholic primary school and St Benedict’s Catholic College in Oran Park, and Sutherland hospital.

There have been a total of 789 negative results since 10 January.

Rozelle Parklands, Sydney
Rozelle Parklands, Sydney. One of the new sites is a garden bed, along the Rozelle Interchange, located between Callan St and Springside St at the Iron Cove Bridge. Photograph: Peter Hannam

Updated

Warning as deadly rates of dementia expected to soar

Dementia rates could nearly double over the next three decades to become the leading cause of death among Australians, AAP reports.

An Australian Institute of Health study commissioned by Dementia Australia predicts by 2054, without a medical breakthrough, dementia rates will surge 94% to affect more than 800,000 people.

Dementia Australia chief executive Maree McCabe hopes the research will inform planning to meet Australia’s needs for services and programs.

More than 420,000 Australians live with varying forms of the condition, which is characterised by deterioration in brain functions including memory, language and problem solving. Dementia is the second leading cause of death of Australians and the main cause of death for women.

McCabe:

Provisional data is showing that dementia will likely soon be the leading cause of death of all Australians.

The research projected all Australian states and territories will experience an increase in dementia rates in the next 30 years.

  • National Dementia Helpline: 1800 100 500

Total fire bans across Southern Australia; Melbourne to reach top of 38C

Much of southern Australia is under a total fire ban today, with extreme fire danger ratings across some regions.

In Victoria there are total fire bans in place in the Central region – which includes Melbourne – as well as the North Central, South West, Northern Country, Wimmera and Mallee districts.

Each of these regions have an extreme fire danger rating. Melbourne is forecast to reach a top of 38C today, with winds up to 50km/h.

Meanwhile the South Australian CFA has declared total fire bans across the Mid North, Riverland, Murraylands, Upper South East and Lower South East districts – which all have an extreme fire danger rating.

Adelaide is forecast to reach a max of 33C today, with winds up to 30km/h in the afternoon.

The Tasmanian Fire Service has imposed a total fire ban across the southern half of the state from 2am Thursday to 2am Saturday, with Hobart forecast to reach a max of 36C today.

And in Western Australia a total fire ban is in place east of Perth, from Chittering down to Donnybrook-Balingup. Perth is forecast to reach a top of 34C today.

Updated

Woolworths CEO's resignation 'admission of guilt' on price-gouging by supermarket: Littleproud

Nationals leader David Littleproud is continuing his push for the government to consider divesting supermarket giants to boost competition.

Speaking to Sunrise this morning, he argued that the resignation of Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci yesterday was effectively an “admission of guilt” by Woolworths that “they have been price gouging”.

This is straight out of the corporate playbook. Have a fall guy, nothing to see here, give him a golden handshake at $20m-plus, install somebody that was part of the former regime so it is business as usual. Business should not be as usual.

Littleproud wants the government to implement divesting powers if supermarkets do the wrong thing:

[Competition minister Andrew Leigh] said you only need them in rare occasions. That’s what penalties and punitive penalties are all about, to be a deterrent. If you’re not going to put a deterrent- in fact he even turned his back on his own review, the Craig Emerson review, not even going to allow that to be recommended in the Emerson review. So the government has been asleep at the wheel.

The former CEO of Woolworths, Brad Banducci
Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci’s (pictured) resignation yesterday was ‘straight out of the corporate playbook’, Nationals leader David Littleproud has said. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

Updated

Government isn’t valuing ‘what we get back’ after seeing a doctor, Royal Australasian College of GPs president says

President of the Royal Australasian College of GPs, Dr Nicole Higgins, is speaking to ABC RN about the loss of hundreds of fully subsidised GP clinics over the past year.

Australia has lost more than 400 dedicated bulk-billing GP clinics in the past year, with some electorates experiencing an almost 30% decline, according to an analysis of a government health services register.

This was revealed by The Guardian, and you can read more from Natasha May and Nick Evershed on this below:

Speaking to RN, Higgins said the government is spending “less than ever” on general practice and the Medicare rebate has “dropped significantly” – meaning “GPs can’t afford to continue to subsidise patient care”.

We’re hearing more and more practice closures … all of this is combining to put huge pressures on general practice at a time when Medicare has been devalued and defunded by successive governments … I think we now need to say why doesn’t the government value what we get back when we go and see the doctor?

… We’re now at a state where the government spends more money on medicines than it does on general practice for the first time, so we really need to think about how we fund things.

Updated

Andrew Leigh says new evidence shows market concentration has gone up

Competition minister Andrew Leigh just spoke with ABC RN about, you guessed it, competition.

Speaking about supermarket prices and concentration in particular, Leigh said he is worried that Australia’s market concentration has “increased over recent decades”.

We’ve got evidence now from very good micro data, which wasn’t available a few years back, that market concentration has gone up, that markups have increased – that is the gap between costs and prices – and that there’s less job switching than there was in the past which is a problem, because switching jobs is one of the best ways people boost their wages. All of that points to a less dynamic economy, and maybe one of the reasons why we just had the lousiest decade of productivity growth in the post-war era.

Asked about a potential mandatory code for supermarkets – which has been floated by head of the government’s inquiry into price gouging, Craig Emerson – Leigh said he would wait for the recommendations of the review.

And asked about the potential for a forced breakup of the major supermarket chains, Leigh seemed to shoot down this idea.

It’s not a priority that we’re focusing on at the moment.

Earlier in the week, Nationals leader David Littleproud suggested some big supermarkets should be stripped of their chains or “sold off to competitors to increase competition”.

Assistant minister for competition, charities, treasury and employment Andrew Leigh at the National Press Club of Australia in Canberra
The assistant minister for competition, charities, treasury and employment, Andrew Leigh, at the National Press Club of Australia in Canberra. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Updated

Andrew Wilkie supports Julian Assange at London hearing

Last night, Independent MP Andrew Wilkie shared a photo from London, where he has travelled to support Julian Assange during his hearing, attempting to appeal his extradition to the US.

He wrote on X:

In London to support Julian Assange’s hearing on whether he can appeal his extradition to the US. Julian’s extradition would strike at the very heart of free speech [and] democracy. Enough is enough. The US must drop the extradition of Julian Assange.

But what is at stake in the two-day hearing in the high court in London this week? And what is the Australian government doing behind the scenes to try to reach a political breakthrough? Daniel Hurst and Haroon Siddique have answered these questions below:

Updated

Is Taylor Swift’s boyfriend about to land down under?

Reports are abounding this morning that Taylor Swift’s boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce, is on his way to Australia – and due to land in just over an hour.

This comes as Swift has been making the rounds in Sydney ahead of her sold-out shows this weekend, hitting up Sydney Zoo and Nobu, a restaurant inside Crown Towers.

TMZ reported that Kelce grabbed dinner in LA (also at Nobu!) before flying to Hawaii for a pit stop, and then continuing the journey to Australia.

Avid Swifties have been tracking the flight path of a private jet, which says Kelce is due to arrive in Sydney at 8.31am AEDT – unless of course, we are tracking the jet of some random businessman!

The entire scenario has been the cause of much speculation, as Swift’s own private jet – the topic of much debate – flew to Honolulu on Tuesday, making people believe it was picking Kelce up.

Kelce would be arriving into Sydney just off the back of his big Super Bowl win on 11 February. Swift departed Vegas for her Melbourne leg of the Eras tour shortly after the Super Bowl wrapped up.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce celebrates with girlfriend Taylor Swift at Super Bowl
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce celebrates with girlfriend Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl. Photograph: Mark J Rebilas/USA Today Sports

Updated

Fire breaks out at Melbourne reception centre

Settlement Road in Thomastown, Melbourne, is closed as a structure fire continues to burn.

3AW is reporting that the Emerald Reception Centre has caught fire.

VicEmergency issued a message for residents in Bundoora, Reservoir and Thomastown about 6.30am AEDT, and said emergency services will remain in the area.

There is no immediate threat to the community and no action is required.

Updated

First NSW road safety forum begins today

Road safety experts from around the world will meet with advocates and victims of road trauma at the first New South Wales road safety forum being held today.

Almost 100 people will come together in person and online to discuss ways to improve road safety in NSW.

The forum was set up to address the state’s road toll that has increased since Covid.

Roads minister, John Graham, said:

Road fatalities have increased across Australia and many parts of the world after Covid. This forum is an opportunity to tap into the best ideas to counter that trend and make sure everyone gets home to their loved ones every time.

The enhanced sharing and use of data around road crashes is an important element in improving safety in NSW and other states.

Updated

Good morning, and happy Thursday. I’m Emily Wind and I’ll be with you on the blog today – thanks to Martin for kicking things off!

If you see something that needs our attention, you can get in touch via X, @emilywindwrites or send me an email: emily.wind@theguardian.com.

Let’s get started.

Qantas to deliver first earnings report under new CEO

Qantas will deliver its first earnings report under chief executive Vanessa Hudson today, a day after the airline announced a new chairperson, AAP reports.

Hudson took over from Alan Joyce in September when the high-profile chief executive moved forward his retirement after becoming a figure of controversy.

The airline had weathered a high court loss over illegal job outsourcing, allegations it sold tickets for cancelled flights and news of executive pay increases amid mass Covid-19 redundancies.

Qantas Group is today due to release its financial results for the first half of the 2023/24 financial year.

Hudson has called a press conference at Sydney airport in a hanger beside one of the airline’s new A220 aircraft.

Her appearance will follow Wednesday’s naming of business executive John Mullen as the next Qantas chairman, effective before the Qantas annual general meeting in October.

Updated

First-time buyers face mortgage stress – Domain

First home buyers are more likely to face mortgage stress thanks to higher interest rates but it’s also a better time to be saving for a deposit.

Two months have been shaved off the time it takes a couple to buy an entry-priced house and one month for units compared with this time in 2023.

The average couple is now putting 42.2% of their total income towards mortgage repayments on an entry-priced home and 28.8% on a unit.

The mortgage stress threshold is crossed in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart and Perth, with Darwin falling just shy of the cut-off.

The Domain chief of research and economics, Nicola Powell, said there were still major challenges facing first home buyers.

“The stretched mortgage serviceability highlights the dual effect of high cash rates on first-home buyers,” Powell said.

Updated

South-east Australia faces extreme fire warnings

Temperatures are expected to top 40C in parts of Victoria today, with storms bringing 80km/h winds and dry lightning into the afternoon.

Extreme fire warnings have been also issued in South Australia and Tasmania.

Total fire bans have been declared for six Victorian regions, with the Mallee, Wimmera, Northern Country, North Central, South West and Central districts all facing an extreme fire danger rating.

“Last Tuesday’s conditions represented the worst fire risk day Victoria had experienced since the 2019/20 fire season,” CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan said. “The fire threat is far from over.”

Tasmania Fire Service has initiated a Hot Day Response across the state and a total fire ban in southern Tasmania.

South Australia’s Country Fire Service has declared an extreme fire risk in the Eastern Eyre Peninsula, the Mid North and the Murraylands.

Last week’s bushfires in the Grampians national park in western Victoria destroyed 46 properties and razed more than 6,000ha of bush and farmland.

Western Australia has total fire bans in place for multiple regions as well as in the area around the Eyre Highway between Norseman and Caiguna.

In Perth, the arson squad is investigating if a flare sparked a bushfire that threatened homes and patrons at an ice skating rink and a theme park in the city’s south.

People in Adventure World and Cockburn Ice Arena in Bibra Lake were told to shelter in place late on Tuesday as the blaze ripped through seven hectares of bushland.

Updated

Welcome

Good morning and welcome to our rolling news coverage. I’m Martin Farrer and I’ll be bringing you the best of the overnight stories before my colleague is ready to pick up.

Australia has lost hundreds of dedicated bulk-billing GP clinics in the past year, according to our analysis of official data, in a trend one medical expert says is undermining the “universality of Medicare”. The steepest falls have been in Brisbane and Perth, and you can use our interactive maps embedded in the story to find out what’s happening in your area.

The highway link across the Nullabor in Western Australia has been closed as a fire burns out of control, with travellers urged to reconsider their plans in coming days. In the east, Victoria’s emergency services are preparing for more perilous weather conditions a week after bushfires and storms razed properties and left 500,000 homes and businesses in the dark. There are extreme fire danger warnings for six of the state’s eight regions and the mercury is forecast to tip over 40C in 12 towns across the state, with Melbourne expecting 38C before a late cool change.

New South Wales police last night charged a 49-year-old taekwondo instructor with three counts of murder after a family of three were found dead in western Sydney on Monday. Police allege he assaulted the woman, 41, and the child with “murderous intent” at Lion’s Taekwondo Martial Arts Academy in North Parramatta on Monday night and then drove her white BMW to Baulkham Hills and fatally stabbed her husband and father of the child, before taking the car to hospital where he presented with stabbing injuries. We’ll have the latest developments.

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