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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Josh Taylor and Emily Wind (earlier)

Thousands left without power in SA heatwave as other states issue alerts – as it happened

Santos Woodside Australia Andrew Forrest
An electrical substation in front of an electricity pylon
Almost 8,000 customers were left without power and 34 schools and preschools closed as a heatwave hit South Australia. Photograph: Jono Searle/AAP

What we learned today, Friday 8 December

We will wrap up the blog here for Friday evening. Here’s what made the news today:

Enjoy your evening, and I hope you stay safe from the heat.

Updated

The Melbourne gallery owner Anna Schwartz has dropped the provocative performance artist Mike Parr after a 36-year relationship, after a piece commenting on Israel’s military action in Gaza.

Schwartz sent Parr a two-sentence email on Sunday, the day after he installed the third part of his exhibition Sunset Claws, informing him she would no longer represent him.

Updated

Inland regions of NSW will nudge 44C tomorrow.

Updated

The Dandenong South factory fire we reported earlier is not yet under control, Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) says.

There are 120 firefighters on the scene.

Two firefighters were treated for minor injuries and two factory workers were transported to hospital.

FRV says it understands one factory worker may be unaccounted for.

Updated

In New South Wales there is a total fire ban in place tomorrow in greater Sydney and the lower central west plains, southern slopes, northern Riverina and central ranges.

Updated

Women wanted to plug truck driver shortage

Just 4.4% of truck drivers in Australia are female, government data shows, and amid a nationwide driver shortage the industry is trying to bring more women into well-paid driving jobs.

However, there are several barriers maintaining the gender disparity, according to industry research. A survey conducted by Volvo Trucks has found that accessing the correct licenses and necessary driver training programs is the most significant obstacle for women wanting to break into the trucking sector, with 36% of respondents identifying this as a problem.

Concerns about not being physically strong enough were the second most common issue for potential female truck drivers, identified by 34%. Volvo Trucks said that while this may have been true of trucks from decades ago, modern trucks and trailers were now designed to mechanically support the driver with loading and unloading, meaning the job was less physically strenuous and much safer.

A truck on the road
Three-quarters of female respondents to the survey said they had never considered a career as a truck driver. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

A “blokey culture” was the other key barrier for women considering becoming truck drivers, with 33% stating this was a concern.

As a result, 76% of female respondents to the survey had never considered a career as a truck driver, and 61% weren’t aware of the earning potential – up to $150,000 per year – available to drivers.

In response, Volvo Trucks has launched a female focused training program, named “Iron Women”, to help bring more women into truck driving.

Martin Merrick, president and CEO of Volvo Group Australia, said:

Today when we think about truck drivers, most people have one stereotype in mind. We want to change the face of truck driving by breaking down barriers that stand in the way of more people choosing to get behind the wheel. By launching Iron Women, we want more women and girls to see the strong and capable women who are already driving trucks, as well as the many benefits that come from truck driving including high salaries, flexibility and autonomy.

Updated

Authorities readying for El Niño summer – Watt

As very hot conditions spread on the eastern parts of Australia this week, Murray Watt says that federal and state authorities have been preparing for the El Niño summer.

You might remember a couple of months ago, we held the first ever national emergency summit in Canberra over two days, to bring together not just emergency authorities from the different levels of government, but also representatives of the private sector, the community sector, all the other groups that ended up getting involved. And we have a massive disaster, so that we could put some scenarios, make sure that everyone had good information about what resources were available and what we need to be doing more of.

The federal emergency management minister said you couldn’t be 100% sure of the conditions, but he was confident that the work had been put in to ensure the country was as well-prepared as it could possibly be.

Updated

Tropical cyclone Jasper preparations under way, emergency minister says

The federal emergency management minister, Murray Watt, is on ABC’s Afternoon Briefing, and says he was just briefed about the tropical cyclone Jasper situation. He says it’s still a fair way off the coast of Queensland, and still uncertain whether it will make landfall, but preparations are under way.

At the moment, the system is at a category 4 level. It is expected that as it gets closer to the coast, it will develop to be category 5. More intense, still. As time goes on, it is exacted to weaken, which is a good thing. As I say, it is not entirely clear whether it will make landfall, the latest predictions that if it does make landfall, it will be likely to be somewhere between Townsville and Cooktown.

He says it’ll be the second half of next week if it does happen, and people have a few days to get themselves ready.

te image taken at lunchtime Friday showing tropical cyclone Jasper off the Queensland coast
A satellite image taken at lunchtime Friday showing tropical cyclone Jasper off the Queensland coast. Photograph: www.weatherzone.com.au

Updated

Here’s the latest Weekly Beast, for all that happened in the Australian media this week.

Festival-goers warned of overheating risk over weekend

The NSW health department is warning people attending music festivals over the coming days to take precautions during the expected severe heatwave conditions.

Dr Darren Roberts, medical director of the NSW Poisons Information Centre, said overheating was a major risk, and people should take breaks from dancing, seek shade, drink water and cool down to reduce the risk.

Festivals will have special measures in place this weekend, including chilled water and misting fans to help keep people cool. Everyone attending festivals this weekend should make use of these measures.

If you or a friend have taken drugs, please watch out for each other and know the warning signs that you need help.

NSW Health and NSW Ambulance provide risk-management advice for festival organisers and guidelines for onsite medical care providers.

Updated

Warning issued on Russia-based cyber threat

The Australian Cyber Security Centre has issued a joint advisory about Russian-based threat actor Star Blizzard. The group has been mostly focused on UK targets with spear-phishing attacks.

The joint advisory has been released with the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the US National Security Agency (NSA), the US Cyber National Mission Force (CNMF), the Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC), the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS) and the New Zealand National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC-NZ) assessing that Star Blizzard is almost certainly subordinate to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) Centre 18.

Spear-phishing attacks work by building up profiles on the targets, scouring social media, building fake accounts to contact targets and build rapport before sending across a malicious link that, if clicked on, prompts the target to enter their secure login details, which are then used by the hackers.

Updated

The latest update from South Australia:

Updated

Many thanks for joining me on the blog this Friday. I’ll leave you with Josh Taylor, who will bring you the rest of today’s rolling coverage. Take care and enjoy your weekend!

Oxfam says Australian pledge on Pacific climate finance ‘falls far short’

Oxfam Australia has welcomed a $150m commitment from the government to help Pacific nations tackle the climate crisis, but said this “falls far short of our responsible contribution as a rich polluting country”.

(If you missed it, you can read more on this funding commitment below.)

In a statement, Oxfam said it was particularly disappointed the government didn’t pledge to the loss and damage fund, urging it to commit an additional $100m for the fund to become operational.

Oxfam Australia climate justice lead Melissa Bungcaras said there was a “disturbing mismatch” between the funding required to respond to climate change in low-income countries and what was being provided by developed countries, including Australia.

Part of Fuafuti island in Tuvalu, a Pacific country that is particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels
Part of Fuafuti island in Tuvalu, a Pacific country that is particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels. Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty Images

Bungcaras said:

After 32 years of pressure and 27 COPs, we finally have a new landmark loss and damage fund. It is disheartening that despite Australia having played a constructive role in the establishment of the fund, they are now refusing to provide the necessary funds to get it started.

In the face of devastating storms, floods, droughts and wildfires costing hundreds of billions globally each year, we need to step up action. Rich polluting nations like Australia need to rapidly phase out fossil fuels and provide adequate climate finance to frontline communities so they can adapt to the impacts of climate change, and be compensated for losses and damages they’ve incurred.

Updated

Heavy rain forecast for SA from early morning

As mentioned, the heat is expected to continue in South Australia until around 2am.

Then, heavy rainfall is expected between 2am and 8am:

It will continue to be a wet day tomorrow. [We’re] looking at about 30 to 50mm in the Mount Lofty Ranges.

On Sunday, we are anticipating we will have significant weather, especially around Eyre Peninsula. Falls of 40 to 80mm and potential local falls in excess of 80mm.

There is also the chance of flooding in those northern catchments.

Authorities urged people to secure any loose items outside and make sure vehicles are undercover over the weekend, because trees can fall in these conditions.

Authorities said the fire risk would begin easing as the temperature dropped, and would significantly ease once the rain began.

Updated

SA records 30,000 dry lightning strikes

South Australian fire authorities said crews have been dealing with dry lightning strikes, with over 30,000 recorded across the state.

Dozens of fires have been put out through the hard work and quick response of firefighters … It is only thanks to their absolutely incredible efforts that we are in the position we find ourselves in right now, we haven’t had any major loss or damages occur so far.

Authorities said there is “hours and hours” of difficult conditions to go, and people need to remain vigilant.

Winds have been recorded over 99km/h, over 93km/h up at Cultana. These are combining with those temperatures that are hot to very hot as forecast. As I said earlier, significant lightning bands [are] moving across the state.

Updated

Power outages hit 7,800 amid SA heatwave

South Australia fire authorities are speaking to the media, providing an update on the heatwave.

250 emergency personnel are on the ground, plus 70 appliances. More than 40 jobs have been completed using firefighting bombers, including Blackhawk helicopters and fixed wings.

A “concerning” fire was intercepted this afternoon around the Golden Grove area, authorities said.

Around 7,800 customers are without power, and 34 schools and preschools across the state are closed.

Authorities suggested a cool change is not expected until around 2am, and following the heat, significant storms and water events are possible:

We are still in the midst of a very bad day and we are not expecting a relief to come through our northern and eastern regions until around 2am…

Over the next two days, the tempo of operations from our front-line emergency services will be intense. We will transition from major fire risk today and then tomorrow morning, through the next couple of days, we will have significant storms and water events coming through our state as well.

We are continuing to manage today’s weather [which is as] severe and intense as we predicted, and we will not see a change coming through until the early hours of tomorrow morning.

Updated

Paramedics reject pay offer of 19% rise

Paramedics will stop work across NSW after rejecting a huge pay rise offer to realign salaries with skills, AAP reports.

The record offer would have delivered professional rates of pay for paramedics and an average 19% pay rise, the state government said.

But it was rejected during mediation with the Health Services Union this morning.

Health minister Ryan Park said he was “bitterly disappointed the HSU has walked away from this”.

Our state now faces the real possibility of a collapse of our triple-zero service.

Make no mistake, this strike action will place lives at risk.

Close-up of a NSW paramedic uniform
Paramedics will stop work across NSW today as a pay dispute with the NSW government drags on. Photograph: Jeremy Ng/AAP

HSU members will stop work this afternoon to meet with union leadership and discuss the stalemate, which has dragged on for more than eight months.

Pointing to high salaries offered in ACT, Queensland and Victoria, paramedics have campaigned for a rise in their pay of between 20% and 45%.

The Labor government said its latest offer would have put local salaries on par with those in Queensland, based on take-home pay, by 2025.

The union says hundreds of paramedics have resigned in the past six months as they grapple with the cost of living.

Updated

Healthcare Workers 4 Palestine will hold a vigil at Sydney Town Hall tonight, calling for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza.

The group is a non-partisan coalition, which says it is dedicated to addressing the healthcare crisis in Gaza.

The event is part of a worldwide initiative uniting healthcare workers, agencies and NGOs. Since the inaugural vigil in the UK on 10 November, similar events have taken place across 30 cities on five continents, the group said in a statement.

The collective’s primary objective is to advocate for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire, urging an end to the 16-year blockade on Gaza.

Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi will speak at tonight’s vigil in Sydney, urging the need for “global solidarity”.

The vigil will take place from 7pm.

The Bureau of Meteorology has shared this footage of tropical cyclone Jasper:

Melbourne airport exceeds pre-Covid international flight levels

Melbourne airport has become the first capital city airport to return to and exceed 100% of pre-pandemic international flight capacity, as the aviation industry prepares for a bumper tourism season.

In December, airlines will fly more than 1.31m international seats in and out of Melbourne airport, up from 1.29m in 2019.

The milestone occurred as AirCalin announced it would resume flights between Melbourne and New Caledonia’s capital, Noumea.

Melbourne airport CEO Lorie Argus said about 10% of its current international capacity was being operated by new airlines or on new routes, “which means consumers and exporters have more choice about when and where to fly”.

We know cost-of-living pressures are being felt by our passengers and the broader increase in capacity across our international network will assist in putting downward pressure on airfares.

A Qantas plane taking off at Melbourne airport
Airlines are to fly more than 1.31m international seats in and out of Melbourne airport this month. Photograph: Penny Stephens/The Guardian

Argus called on the government to increase permissions for foreign airlines to fly in and out of Australia – the subject of much debate throughout 2023 following the saga of Qatar Airlines being refused its request to almost double services.

There is still latent demand in the market, and we believe a liberalising of the bilateral air service agreements with a move towards open skies policies would give airlines the certainty to expand operations into Melbourne.

Yesterday, Sydney airport – which is at 95% of pre-Covid international capacity – said it was bracing for its busiest holiday period in four years, warning domestic passengers checking in luggage to arrive two hours before their departure time.

Updated

Pauline Hanson chief of staff James Ashby to run for Queensland parliament

Pauline Hanson’s controversial chief of staff, James Ashby, has announced he will run for Queensland state parliament next year.

Ashby will be the One Nation candidate for the seat of Keppel, based around Yeppoon, which is held by Labor’s Brittany Lauga. It is also a key target of the Liberal National party opposition.

Ashby, who once notably got “on the sauce” and was filmed discussing seeking a $20m donation from the National Rifle Association for One Nation, has been Hanson’s closest political adviser for a decade. Unlike other staffers, he has often been prominent and the subject of controversy.

In 2019, he was barred from parliament after a physical altercation with former One Nation senator Brian Burston. Ashby allegedly threw a phone at the chief of staff of former WA senator Rod Culleton in 2016, although Hanson said at the time it was an “underarm throw” and had been “blown out of proportion”.

A secretly recorded comment from Ashby that One Nation could “make some money” on its campaign packages for Queensland election candidates was part of “a brainstorming session that has been taken right out of context”, he said later.

James Ashby in a shirt and jacket and looking to camera
James Ashby will be One Nation’s candidate for the Queensland seat of Keppel, held by Labor. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Ashby first came to national attention when he sued the then-speaker of the federal House of Representatives, Peter Slipper, for sexual harassment and misuse of entitlements in 2012. Slipper denied the claims. Ashby reached a settlement with the commonwealth in 2012 and discontinued court proceedings against Slipper in 2014.

One Nation’s popularity has been on the wane in Queensland in recent years and Hanson was barely seen during the 2020 state election. But the party retains pockets of support in central Queensland and has previously outpolled the LNP in Keppel. Ashby has some ties to the area, having worked in Rockhampton as a radio host before working in politics.

Hanson said Ashby “understands government and politics like few others in Australia, being my principal adviser for many years”.

He’s passionate about supporting the communities of central Queensland, and addressing the many problems created by the Palaszczuk Labor government’s neglect and incompetence.

Updated

Supermarket giant Coles has apologised after prematurely raising prices on popular items it had promised would remain “locked”.

Prices on 20 items were raised before the end of their promotional period, according to Coles, on a diverse range of products including dishwashing tablets, chopped tomatoes, corn flakes and pregnancy tests.

A person carrying a shopping basket in a Coles supermarket
Coles says it will refund the full cost of the products to affected customers. Photograph: Ellen Smith/The Guardian

The apology came after consumer advocacy group Choice submitted a complaint to the competition regulator on the problems with the supermarket’s promotional campaign.

Continue reading:

Updated

Heatwave prompts warnings of catastrophic danger

AAP has more detail on the heatwave conditions being felt across the country:

Heatwave warnings are current for parts of all mainland states, prompting extreme to catastrophic danger alerts to be issued for parts of South Australia, northern Victoria and outback New South Wales.

Mildura, Hay, Ivanhoe and Bourke were among the towns expecting 45C, while South Australia’s Renmark was due to hit a peak of 46C.

Temperatures in outer suburban Sydney and Melbourne were expected to top 35C, while Canberra was poised for a high of 34C.

Adelaide hit 29.6C before 7am, as temperatures across South Australia head towards the mid-40s.

Thousands of customers were without power in the early afternoon, the majority of them in areas east of Port Augusta, as the extreme weather conditions wreaked havoc on electricity networks.

Strong winds and dry lightning are adding to the state’s fire risk.

Catastrophic fire danger ratings were declared for the mid-north, Flinders, Yorke Peninsula, Riverland and eastern Eyre Peninsula districts, while five regions face extreme fire danger.

Updated

The Bureau of Meteorology has provided this update on the “extremely dangerous fire weather” being experienced in South Australia today:

Earlier, Cameron Devey from the Country Fire Service said the “unprecedented” heatwave conditions were unlike anything the state had seen since the 2015 Pinery fire.

There’s a lot of weather news coming through today. My colleague Peter Hannam has just pointed out that every mainland state and the Northern Territory is currently clocking a 40C+ temperature (save for Victoria).

RBA finds more mortgagees in ‘severe financial stress’ but most remain on or ahead of repayment schedules

The great bulk of Australia’s mortgage holders have been able to adjust to higher interest rates, with “close to 99%” of loans remaining on or ahead of repayment schedules, according to Andrea Brischetto, head of the Reserve Bank’s financial stability unit.

In a speech in Sydney today, Brischetto said that while the number of borrowers in “severe financial stress” had risen, most had been resilient and “even in the case of an economic downturn, this is likely to remain the case”.

A strong labour market meant households had managed to increase hours of work or switch to higher-paying jobs, draw down savings or cut consumption, she said.

These adjustments have meant that, to date, the substantial pressure on households’ budgets has not translated into a sharp increase in late-stage financial stress.

Both loan arrears and personal insolvencies (business-related and other) have increased from their low levels during the pandemic, but most households continue to be able to service their debts.

The assessment comes days after September quarter GDP figures were released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. These showed that per-capita incomes sank by 0.5% while the household saving-to-income ratio falling fell to 1.1% or the lowest level since the December quarter of 2007.

Just over 20% of variable-rate owner-occupier borrowers were now devoting more than 30% of their income to mortgage payments, Brischetto said, citing one gauge often used to describe financial stress.

Still, data including the Melbourne Institute’s Household Expenditure Measure showed “around 95%” of such borrowers had spare income after meeting mortgage payments and essential expenses.

Updated

Social media users have shared some footage from the paint factory fire in Dandenong South:

Andrews feels he was ‘blessed’ with ‘great staff’ during his career

Throughout his political career, Daniel Andrews said he’s “been blessed with great staff” who work incredibly hard, and hit back at suggestions his office was controlling:

All this nonsense – centralisation of power and control freakness and all these sorts of things. The premier’s office has got to be across everything, and it’s going to work really hard and it’s got to help the whole team function as well as they possibly can.

Updated

On the stories about his post-politics pursuits, Daniel Andrews says he’s generating clicks but “definitely not” getting a cut:

You just have to laugh or you’ll cry.

Andrews denies he has sought membership of the Portsea Golf Club:

I don’t have any difficulty in finding places to play.

Updated

On his refusal to appear on 3AW host Neil Mitchell’s radio program, Andrews says:

When I retired, he sent me a message [saying] all the best. And then the next morning he is on radio, [saying] ‘that corrupt awful, terrible person in the history of the world’.

I’m not here ... really to discuss why I didn’t go on his program. I had good reasons.

Updated

Andrews has ‘no problem’ with journalists who were holding his government to account

Stephen Donnelly asks about his relationship with the media.

Andrews says he has “no problem” with journalists who were holding his government to account and “covering it straight”:

What concerns me is when you’ve got people who are just absolute pretenders. You’re not a reporter. You’re not a journalist. You’re a partisan. You aren’t, you are not reporting the contest. You are trying to determine who wins the contest and it might be why some ... have never had a good word to say about me.

Updated

Andrews: ‘In Victoria, the haters hate and the rest vote Labor’

The long-ranging interview covered a lot of ground, including a $207m package for the state’s specialist schools that Daniel Andrews announced in the lead up to last year’s election campaign.

Andrews said the policy was formed during discussion with parents whose children were in specialist schools and it was one of the highlights of his career - all while having a crack at people who coined the nickname “Dictator Dan”:

Dictator and all this sort of stuff, that’s all fine if that makes people feel better by describing me in those terms, good luck. You know, in Victoria, the haters hate and the rest vote Labor and that’s fine by me ...

But what really matters is not that nonsense, that noise, that vitriol, that [Sky News] After Dark bullshit. All that … is the worst of American politics imported into ours. What really matters and what makes up for all the nonsense is when you sit with families like that, and you listen, and you say, right, that’s the plan. We’re gonna get on and do it. And then you do, and you can see the difference.

Updated

Daniel Andrews said integrity agencies (such as the ombudsman) were not elected governments:

[Integrity agencies] have opinions and views, and they’re more than entitled to those. But what they’re not entitled to .... [is] to pretend that everyone voted for them. They’re not entitled to pretend that they’ve somehow got a mandate that is equal to let alone, superior to the duly elected government.

Updated

Former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews makes rare appearance

The former Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, has given his first interview following his resignation, hitting back at suggestions the state’s public service has become politicised.

Appearing on the Socially Democratic podcast hosted by former Labor campaigner, Stephen Donnelly, Andrews was asked about concerns the public service has been politicised.

He cited a report from The Age on Labor’s influence on the public service, which prompted a referral to the ombudsman. Andrews said:

I think The Age ran like a triple-page spread in which they were naming and shaming former Labor staff now working in the public service. It seems like there’s this shame ... that they might be interested in public policy.

Andrews said there were “plenty of people” within the public service who also once worked for the Liberal party:

Is it such a bolt from the blue that people who are involved in politics might also be involved in public policy? ... Public service takes many different different forms and the notion that someone who’s got political beliefs or used to work for a politician at some point in time, means that they’re forever prohibited from working for all of us. Doesn’t make any sense.

The ombudsman’s report, released this week, did not find evidence that the public service had been “stacked” with Labor operatives as had been alleged in the referral that prompted her investigation, but warned public funds could be at risk due to the “creeping politicisation”.

Updated

The Victorian Environment Protection Authority said it is assisting at the scene of a paint factory fire in Dandenong South, Melbourne:

Updated

Survey results find bullying and overwork could lead to ‘alarming’ drop in trainee doctors pursuing healthcare career

A survey of trainee doctors has found governments and healthcare leaders need to do more to address overworking and bullying, or risk losing trainees from pursuing healthcare.

Australian Medical Association president, Professor Steve Robson, said there were some alarming results from this year’s Medical Training Survey:

We’re looking down the barrel of worsening healthcare workforce shortages. We need to listen to what our trainees are saying if we want to look after their wellbeing and ensure they don’t leave the profession.

The survey found that two thirds (64%) of trainee doctors worked more than 40 hours on average per week, including one in 10 (9%) who worked more than 60 hours on average per week.

It also found that 48% rated their workload as “heavy” or “very heavy”, while 22% said that working unrostered overtime “always” or “most of the time” negatively impacted their training.

In the 12 months before completing the survey, one in three (35%) trainees reported they had experienced or witnessed bullying, harassment, discrimination and/or racism in their workplace. One in two (54%) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander trainees reported the same.

The survey also found that 19% of doctors in training are considering a career outside of medicine.

AMA Council of Doctors in Training chair, Dr Hannah Szewczyk, called this “alarming”.

It means that doctors who have been training for years and working hard to advance their careers are choosing to leave medicine, which will further contribute to a health system already under strain.

Updated

VicEmergency warns locals to shelter indoors as paint factory fire burns in Melbourne’s Dandenong South

Firefighters are currently responding to a paint factory fire in Melbourne.

VicEmergency warned that the fire – at Superior Drive in Dandenong South – is not under control, and strong winds are blowing smoke to the south of the fire.

Anyone located in the industrial estate in Dandenong South, surrounding the Hammond Road area, is urged to take shelter indoors immediately.

Smoke will be seen in the area, and traffic will be affected, VicEmergency noted.

Updated

Cheques could be ‘checked out’ by 2030 as use declines by 90% over past decade

The federal government has also announced a consultation on winding down Australia’s use of cheques by 2030.

According to the paper, there’s been a 90% decline in the use of cheques in Australia in the past decade, with 27m cheques transacted in 2022.

A small proportion of those cheques are now personal cheques, with 80% of personal cheques sent being from people aged 65 and older, the paper notes.

One proposed model for the phase out would be for bank cheques to stop in 2025, commercial and government cheques in 2026, personal in 2027, and the cessation of all cheques bar bank cheques in 2028, with a complete shut down of their use in 2030.

People can comment until 2 February, 2024.

a cheque book and pen
The end could be nigh – or about six years away – for the use of cheques in Australia. Photograph: David Cook/blueshiftstudios/Alamy

Updated

Government calls on digital platforms to develop voluntary dispute resolution standards by July 2024

The government will work on options to improve dispute resolution processes for users on digital platforms and has called on the platforms to develop voluntary standards by July next year.

The announcement came in response to a report from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) as part of the long-running digital platforms inquiry in September last year.

Much of the government’s response to the report was to point to work already being undertaken. The ACCC specifically has long been calling for unfair trade practices powers to crack down on issues like subscription traps.

The assistant treasurer, Stephen Jones, said on Friday that the government had already boosted unfair trading laws and was looking to go further in another consultation.

He said:

We want Australians to have confidence that they can use digital platforms safely, and that they’ll be heard by the platform if something goes wrong.

The steps we are taking here build on the work that the Albanese government has already done to put Australian consumers and small businesses first after a decade of neglect.

Updated

Fire burning at ‘advice level’ 42km southwest of Narrabri, NSW

A bushfire is burning at advice level at Yarrie Lake, about 42km southwest of Narrabri in NSW.

Advice level means that there is no immediate danger, but people should stay up to date in case the situation changes.

The Rural Fire Service said while smoke may be visible from the Newell Highway, it remains open and there is no impact.

This comes as a total fire ban is in place for the Lower Central West Plains, Southern Riverina, Northern Riverina and South Western areas.

Updated

BioNTech to establish mRNA clinical-scale manufacturing facility at La Trobe University

A new facility producing next generation mRNA vaccines and treatments will be established at La Trobe University in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, the state government has announced.

The premier, Jacinta Allan, announced that the German company, BioNTech, will establish this state-of-the-art mRNA clinical-scale manufacturing facility at the university’s Melbourne campus in Bundoora.

This follows an agreement signed last year.

Allan said that included in the agreement is BioNTech’s clinical cancer program to deliver oncology therapies for hard-to-treat cancers for up to 4,000 Australians over 10 years.

The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre will be the coordinating delivery partner for the program together with other Victorian hospitals Austin Health, Alfred Health and Monash Health.

The treatments will target pancreatic, neck, cervical, oesophageal and colorectal cancers, among others.

Last year, the government signed another agreement with the other mRNA provider, Moderna, to build a vaccine facility in Melbourne’s southeast, based out of Monash University’s Clayton campus. According to the state government, Victoria will be the only place in the southern hemisphere making mRNA vaccines.

Allans said in a statement:

This partnership means more mRNA expertise in our state, more treatments for people with hard-to-treat cancers - and 1,200 more local jobs.

Updated

Petition from healthcare workers urges Australian government to take decisive humanitarian action in Gaza

A petition launched by Australian and New Zealand Doctors for Palestine, calling on the government to address the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza, has garnered support from more than 1,213 healthcare workers in a single day.

A statement says the signatories express “deep concern” over the “catastrophic health events” affecting the people of Gaza:

Key concerns highlighted in the petition include the alarming state of healthcare facilities, with 26 out of 35 hospitals in the Gaza Strip damaged and unable to function.

The remaining facilities operate with minimal resources, including staff, electricity, supplies, clean water, and food, leading to severe overcrowding and compromised medical care.

The petition calls on the Australian government to take decisive action, including:

1. Working with Egypt, Israel and the US to advocate for the opening of the Rafah crossing, allowing medical evacuations
2. Supporting safe passage and refugee status for Palestinian families wishing to leave
3. Prioritising efforts for a permanent ceasefire through diplomatic channels, with a focus on humanitarian relief

Updated

Large parts of Victoria under severe weather warning for damaging winds

A severe weather warning for damaging winds has been issued for large parts of Victoria, including Melbourne.

VicTraffic has warned motorists to look out for hazards on the road. Speeds have been reduced to 60km/h over the West Gate Bridge for safety:

Meanwhile, the Victorian SES is warning people to secure any loose items around their home ahead of the damaging winds. They’ve also urged people to park vehicles away from trees:

Updated

Foreign minister plans to visit Israel in early 2024

Foreign minister, Penny Wong, will visit Israel in a matter of weeks, AAP reports.

As a bipartisan parliamentary delegation prepares to visit the Middle East next week, plans are being made for Senator Wong to make an official visit in early 2024.

The exact date is yet to be determined.

“Arrangements are being made for the foreign minister to visit the Middle East early in the new year,” a spokeswoman for Senator Wong said in a statement.

Australia has been working with countries that have influence in the region to help protect and support civilians, to help prevent the conflict from spreading and to reinforce the need for the just and enduring peace that all of us want.

Senator Wong’s trip would be the first time a cabinet minister had travelled to the region since the conflict between Israel and Hamas, which has been listed as a terrorist organisation by the government, escalated in October.

It will follow a visit from assistant foreign minister, Tim Watts, who heads to Israel and Palestine next week.

Updated

RACP welcomes proposed lift in minimum age of criminal responsibility in Tasmania

The Royal Australian College of Physicians has welcomed an announcement from the Tasmanian government that it will raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14 by 2029.

RACP president and paediatrician, Dr Jacqueline Small, said Tasmania is “showing the rest of the country the way forward”.

Children aged 10 to 13 are physically and neurodevelopmentally vulnerable, and require a different response to behavioural issues than older children and adults.

Evidence-based and properly funded health and social supports are instead needed for these children. Paediatric and other specialist medical expertise must inform the system design process, as well as clinical service delivery.

Small urged the Tasmanian government to pass legislation in parliament to deliver on this commitment and for other jurisdictions to follow:

Tasmania’s announcement is also a challenge to other states and territories and the Commonwealth: don’t leave children in your jurisdiction behind. Now is the time to support child health and make the same commitment that Tasmania has made to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility to at least 14, with no exceptions.

Updated

Weather station set to be evacuated as cyclone looms

Staff at a remote weather station may soon be evacuated as Queensland braces for tropical cyclone Jasper.

As we flagged earlier in the blog, the cyclone intensified into a category four system overnight and is now on track to impact the north Queensland coast between Cooktown and Townsville by mid-next week.

Its current course has sparked contingency plans for the bureau’s Willis Island station, located about 450km off Cairns in the Coral Sea.

Four staff members are set to be evacuated, with the station now in cyclone Jasper’s sights.

The bureau’s Dave Grant told reporters it was looking at “what we do with them over the coming days”.

A bureau spokesperson told AAP the remote station was built to withstand a category 5 cyclone but staff safety was their utmost priority.

There is still a considerable amount of uncertainty of how strong and where the system will track over the coming days but the bureau will keep the community up to date with the latest warnings.

- with AAP

Projection showing where cyclone Jasper might impact Australia.
Projection showing where cyclone Jasper might impact Australia. Photograph: ECMWF

Updated

Eligibility for $560m NSW toll-relief scheme revealed

More than 700,000 NSW drivers are expected to share in $560m in cost-of-living relief under a toll-relief scheme, AAP reports.

But cars registered with businesses, ride-shares, taxis and heavy vehicles will be ineligible for the $60 toll cap, which starts on January 1.

Eligibility for the scheme was unveiled today as the government tried to ensure commuters were the primary beneficiaries.

The cap will be restricted to state residents who hold a personal account with a NSW toll service provider and spend more than $60 a week on private trips on one tag or licence plate.

Families sharing a single tolling account cannot combine their spend across vehicles, while trips on the M5 for those registered for motorway’s cashback scheme will not count towards the cap.

Drivers spending an average of $200 per week can expect to receive approximately $7,280 in rebates per year, paid quarterly.

A fair-use policy will prevent any weekly rebate exceeding $340.

The scheme was a key election pledge aimed at winning Labor seats in western Sydney, where the bulk of the city’s tollways are based.

Updated

Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial moves into day 12

It’s day 12 of the defamation trial brought by Bruce Lehrmann against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson.

For those wishing to follow along, we have a separate live blog by Amanda Meade providing rolling coverage throughout the day:

Updated

Victorian police have clarified that nine penalty notices were issued following a climate protest in Melbourne this morning.

Police had previously advised that ten were issued.

As we reported earlier, about 15 Extinction Rebellion activists staged a roadblock at the Montague Street exit of the West Gate Freeway about 7.30am this morning.

An amended police statement said:

Officers arrived and spoke to the protestors and gave then a direction to leave the roadway. Nine protestors failed to comply and were removed by police. As a result the nine people removed have received penalty notices for obstructing a roadway. The incident lasted approximately 20 minutes.

Donald Trump Jr again postpones live Sydney appearance

Donald Trump Jr’s tour to Australia has been postponed for a third time.

In September, my colleague Andrew Messenger reported that the tour been delayed for a second time due to a “scheduling conflict”.

Turning Point Australia has notified that the Sydney event, scheduled for this Sunday, will no longer be going ahead on this date. A statement reads:

Turning Point wish to advise that the postponed event Donald Trump Jr. Live, scheduled at ICC Sydney on Sunday 10 December 2023, will no longer be going ahead on this date.

No action is required by ticket holders. A further update on the event details will be provided in the coming weeks.

The son of former US president Donald Trump was scheduled to tour the country in July, but it was postponed to September amid claims of visa trouble. The tour was pushed back to December following a scheduling conflict.

No new date for Sunday’s event has been announced. Turning Point Australia has been contacted for comment.

Donald Trump Jr in a courtroom smiling slightly
Donald Trump Jr has cancelled his scheduled Australian tour – for a third time. Photograph: Adam Gray/UPI/Shutterstock

Updated

SA warns of ‘unprecedented fire conditions’

Cameron Devey from the Country Fire Service said the heatwave conditions in South Australia “haven’t [been seen] like this for several years”:

They’re unprecedented fire conditions that we’re seeing today.

Speaking to ABC News Breakfast, Devey said the last comparable conditions would be the 2015 Pinery fire.

The areas set to face “catastrophic” conditions include the Eyre Peninsula, the Flinders, the mid north, the Yorke Peninsula and the Riverland.

Extreme conditions are expected in the north-east pastoral region, the west coast, Mount Lofty regions, the Murray lands, and the north-east.

An aerial bomber has been brought across from the eastern states in case it is required for firefighting efforts, Devey said:

Every individual in South Australia needs to make sure that they have a plan in place should there be a bushfire starting in their area.

I will go back over the fires that we have at the moment: Lochiel, Hammerle Bridge and Melrose.

Updated

Here’s an infrared look at tropical cyclone Jasper, which strengthened to a category four intensity overnight and is moving through the Coral Sea:

‘We need limits to unfair rent increases’

Everybody’s Home is urging the Albanese government to act on the rental crisis by listening to the people on the frontline who continue to face an unaffordable, unfair housing market.

In the final report from the inquiry into the worsening rental crisis, Everybody’s Home said:

The majority of Senators have ignored evidence on the need to limit rent increases, protect renters’ rights, and reduce Australia’s reliance on private landlords.

Spokesperson Maiy Azize said:

The housing system in Australia is broken and renters are paying the price. Unaffordable rents, insecure tenancies, inadequate rights – everything is working against a cohort of Australians who are growing in number and increasingly finding themselves renting for life.

The Albanese government has the power to end the rental crisis. We need an end to Australia’s social housing shortfall. We need limits to unfair rent increases, an end to no-cause evictions, minimum rental standards, and real enforcement of rental rules. And we need a fairer tax system for housing.

Updated

Rightwing extremists inquiry

In case you missed it, yesterday the Senate set up an inquiry into rightwing extremist movements in Australia, to report by 6 December 2024.

It will examine:

  1. a) the nature and extent of movements and persons holding extremist right wing views in Australia, with a particular focus on:

    1. i. the threat posed by extremist movements, including right wing extremism,

    2. ii. the motivations, objectives and capacity for violence of extremist groups and individuals holding such views,

    3. iii. links between individuals and groups with international movements,

    4. iv. how individuals progress to committing acts of violence, and

    5. v. the role of the online environment m promoting extremism;

  2. b) the terms and operation of the Counter‑Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Prohibited Hate Symbols and Other Measures) Bill 2023;

  3. c) measures to counter violent extremism in Australia, with particular focus on young people; and

  4. d) any other related matters.

Updated

Almost 20 schools closed across NSW amid heatwave

The NSW Department of Education has closed 19 schools across western parts of the state today due to extreme fire danger ratings, with students requested to work from home as heatwave warnings hit the state.

The decision was made with information provided by the state’s Rural Fire Service.

The department said students would be provided learning from home resources, requesting parents and carers follow the advice of police and emergency services:

The decision to temporarily close schools is not one that is made lightly. It is always done with the safety and wellbeing of our staff and students in mind. We will continue to update our school communities as soon as we receive advice from the State Emergency Operations Centre and the NSW Rural Fire Service.

The schools are in more than a dozen towns in the Riverina region:

1. Barellan Central school
2. Binya public school
3. Clare public school
4. Coleambally Central school
5. Darlington Point public school
6. Goolgowi public school
7. Hillston Central school
8. Lake Wyangan public school
9. Narrandera East infants school
10. Narrandera high school
11. Palinyewah public school
12. Pooncarie public school
13. Rankins Springs public school
14. Tharbogang public school
15. Wamoon public school
16. Whitton-Murrami public school
17. Yanco public school
18. Yenda public school
19. Yoogali public school

Updated

Climate protesters given penalty notices

Victoria police say nine people have received penalty notices after a climate protest in Melbourne this morning.

As we reported earlier, about 15 Extinction Rebellion activists staged a roadblock at the Montague Street exit of the West Gate Freeway about 7.30am this morning. Protesters said they intended to remain on the intersection until arrested by police, and apologised to motorists for the disruption.

Police say they were called to the Montague Street off ramp about 7.50am. Officers arrived and spoke to the protesters, directing them to leave the roadway:

Nine protestors failed to comply and were removed by police. As a result the nine people removed have received penalty notices for obstructing a roadway.

The incident lasted approximately 20 minutes.

*This post previously said 10 people had received penalty notices following the protest. Victoria Police later said it was nine people.

Updated

Haines backs regional mobile coverage recommendations

Independent MP Helen Haines has backed the recommendations of a parliamentary inquiry into regional mobile coverage.

The final report made 23 recommendations, including:

• Guaranteeing minimum levels of mobile coverage
• Providing roaming across service providers during emergencies
• Acknowledging the need for continuous coverage along major transport routes
• Multi-carrier sharing of mobile phone infrastructure

Indi MP Helen Haines
Indi MP Helen Haines. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Haines urged the government to implement the recommendations, saying that the 30% of people who live outside major cities “know too well” about the digital divide:

Acting on the parliamentary committee’s advice could go a long way to bridging the gap for people who live, work and study in the regions, and those who are travelling through that rely on good mobile phone service.

Mobile phone coverage is also critical during natural disasters and I support the recommendation to establish a working group to investigate the possibility of mobile roaming across service providers during emergencies.

The parliamentary committee’s report went beyond the specific terms of reference, also recommending a review of the mobile black spot program to ensure it remains “fit for purpose” and calling for a detailed government-led, region-by-region mobile coverage audit.

Updated

Australia’s Cop28 commitments ‘a step in the right direction’

At Cop28 in Dubai the government announced it would rejoin the global green climate fund.

As part of this, the government will contribute a foundational $100m to the Pacific resilience facility and $50m to the green climate fund – with funding to help Pacific countries transition their economies to effectively respond to climate change.

You can read more on this below:

The green climate fund was established in 2015 as part of the landmark Paris agreement and has since approved projects across 128 countries.

Pacific Islands Climate Action Network regional coordinator Lagi Seru said:

It is an expectation that Australia will play its part, given its outsized contribution to the climate crisis, as a major fossil fuel producer, and these commitments are a step in the right direction, responding to the decades of calls from the Pacific for Australia to demonstrate real climate action, and this extends to the call to phasing out fossil fuels, and domestic fossil fuel subsidies.

Updated

Amanda Rishworth won’t commit to total ban on gambling ads

In the wake of the death of Labor MP Peta Murphy, we’ve been thinking about the social affairs committee she chaired calling for a total ban on online gambling ads. Over at the Sydney Morning Herald, David Crowe has made the point that the Albanese government could honour her legacy by following through on that call.

This morning we asked social services minister Amanda Rishworth:

One of Peta Murphy’s biggest contributions to the public policy debate was the call for a total ban on gambling ads, the three year phase-in period for that was supposed to begin in December 2023, it’s clear the government has not met the deadline. You’ve talked around the issue for months but never committed to the principle of a total ban.

Wouldn’t the best way to honour her memory be to commit to eliminate, and not just reduce, the harm of problem gambling with a total ad ban?

Rishworth:

Peta Murphy is a dear friend and a colleague that I worked very closely with. And her contribution to public policy was significant. Of course, one of the pieces of work that she did was the report into online gambling. We are working through our response to that report and we will continue to give it due diligence, that it deserves.

Of course, a number of the issues canvassed in that report go to the commonwealth working with states and territories. And I have to say, as minister for prevention of harm from online gambling, I’ve already met twice with my ministerial colleagues. The previous government had not had a meeting since 2017.

We are continuing to work with state and territory reasons about how we might, for some of the joint recommendations, progress those.

Updated

AAP has more detail on the extreme heat being felt across parts of the country, as a heatwave continues to spread:

The mercury didn’t dip below 30C overnight in the NSW outback town of Wilcannia as it sweats through a forecast 10-day streak of 40C days.

High temperatures sparked a warning to employers to protect their workers and develop a workplace heat-management plan to ensure safety.

SafeWork NSW head Trent Curtin said today:

We don’t want to see anyone needing medical attention due to heat exposure.

Workers are reminded to listen to their body when the temperature rises and to drink plenty of water.

It is vital you do not replace water with soft drinks, energy drinks or coffee as these can dehydrate you further.

Unsafe practices can be reported in NSW via the Speak Up Save Lives app.

Parts of Queensland, West Australia, the Northern Territory and ACT have also copped soaring temperatures that are expected to intensify over the weekend:

Extinction Rebellion protests block traffic in Melbourne

About 15 Extinction Rebellion activists have disrupted traffic in Melbourne this morning as part of a climate protest.

The protesters staged a roadblock at the Montague Street exit of the West Gate Freeway about 7.30am. They held banners reading “Climate code red” and “We need disruption to end the disruption”.

A statement said the protesters intended to remain on the intersection until arrested by police, and apologised to motorists for the disruption.

Victorian police have been contacted to ask if any arrests were made.

Protesters stage a roadblock at the West Gate Freeway this morning
Protesters stage a roadblock at the West Gate Freeway this morning. Photograph: Extinction Rebellion
Traffic held up by the roadblock
Traffic held up by the roadblock. Photograph: Extinction Rebellion
The protesters at the roadblock
The protesters Photograph: Extinction Rebellion

Extinction Rebellion spokesperson Mark Conroy said:

It may seem extreme to take actions like these, but it’s nothing compared to the extremity of the fires, floods and famines that are coming if we don’t take emergency-speed action.

Governments around the world are not doing nearly enough to avert climate breakdown. We are doing what we feel is necessary to be heard, and we call on all Australians to join us in disrupting business-as-usual until the government commits to taking proportionate action.

Updated

Text service to counter family violence

A new SMS service has launched today for those experiencing family, domestic or sexual violence – with people now able to text 1800RESPECT to receive specialist counselling and support services.

Minister for social services Amanda Rishworth
Minister for social services Amanda Rishworth. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Speaking to ABC News Breakfast just earlier, minister for social services Amanda Rishworth said people who text the service would receive automated safety information “immediately” before connecting with a counsellor to SMS back-and-forth:

What 1800RESPECT and this text service will do is provide you with a connection point to local services in your area. But it is not just about emergency accommodation, it is also about advice, information, what to do and where to go.

One of the key areas we know is women often are finding it hard to identify they are in a family domestic or sexual violence situation, and so this service will help women with the confidence to identify.

Rishworth said the SMS service was not yet available in other languages but the phone service provided translation. A video service is also expected to launch early next year.

Updated

Will this legislation stand up to a high court challenge?

David Pocock:

I’m not sure. I think ultimately there will be a challenge.

All this legislation was yesterday referred to a Senate committee which will look at it after the fact – not ideal circumstances for legislating.

I would have liked the major parties to have supported some sort of sunset to these laws, which would force us early in the year to look at them properly, but that wasn’t the case.

Updated

‘This is about community safety’

Parliament has passed preventive detention laws in response to the high court ruling which found indefinite immigration detention to be unconstitutional.

Q: Why did you back the legislation?

David Pocock:

I backed it because this is about community safety. I think the government could have been better prepared but ultimately we had to deal with this.

Pocock said he had moved amendments to both bills of six-month and 12-month “sunsetting clauses”:

Basically saying this is rushed, we haven’t had time to look at it, so let’s put in a sunset so we can come back next year and know that this legislation will expire, we can amend the laws as as we see fit to have a system in place that will keep people in our community safe.

He said it was important to bear in mind that Australia doesn’t have a human rights act, or an enshrined, overarching bill of rights:

I think we’ve got to be really mindful of that when we rush through legislation like this.

Updated

‘Huge amount of detail and nuance’

David Pocock said when it comes to IR legislation there is a “huge amount of detail and nuance to be dealt with” to ensure the system is workable:

The minister said that there is consensus amongst gig companies that there needs to be some sort of minimum standards, but it’s working out the details of what they look like.

The other contentious issue is the provisions around casuals, and again, there’s wide recognition this is something that needs to be dealt with. But it needs to be a simple straightforward system that as a worker and as a business you can navigate.

Independent senator David Pocock
Independent senator David Pocock. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Updated

Pocock hails same-job, same-pay bill

Independent senator David Pocock is speaking to ABC RN about industrial relations legislation.

Yesterday Labor’s same-job, same-pay in labour hire and wage theft legislation passed the Senate after a deal with Pocock and Jacqui Lambie.

Although the deal is likely to blunt a fierce employer campaign against the same-job, same-pay provisions, splitting the bill will mean that reforms to the gig economy, road transport industry and casual work will have to wait until 2024.

You can read more on this below:

Speaking about the changes this morning, Pocock said:

I’ve spoken to so many workers, some have been in tears at the way that their employers are exploiting this loophole. And again, there are very legitimate uses of labour hire – things like specialist contractors, the ability to bring in more workers when you have a new project – that’s very legitimate.

But for workers to be on an ongoing basis, working alongside others and earning less money, I think that is it’s a genuine loophole that needs to be closed.

Updated

Police search for men they say broke into a cemetery and stole a diamond ring

Victorian police are investigating after two people allegedly broke into a cemetery, removed a casket and took a diamond ring.

Police allege that two men broke into Preston general cemetery just before 5am on 30 July, accessing a mausoleum, removing a casket and reaching the body of a woman inside.

Investigators believe a valuable diamond ring was removed from the body.

Detectives are treating the alleged break-in as targeted and believe theft might not be the only motive. Images have been released of the two men in hopes someone can identify them or provide more information.

A masked man at a doorway
Footage released by Victoria police Photograph: Supplied by Victoria Police
A second masked man
A second man Photograph: Supplied by Victoria Police

The pair were wearing gas masks, hooded jumpers and dark clothing.

Det Insp Graham Banks said it was a “highly unusual” raid:

While theft is not discounted as the only motive, police are receiving consistent intelligence that this was undertaken as a form of retribution against a relative of the deceased woman.

Detectives will continue to investigate the matter with an open mind and hope to determine whether the two men who undertook this action did so of their own accord or if were tasked by another person or group.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.

Updated

Jasper picks up force

As we flagged earlier, Tropical Cyclone Jasper strengthened to a category four intensity overnight and is moving through the north-east Coral Sea.

As my colleague Peter Hannam has pointed out – the the Joint Typhoon Warning Center has noted winds strengthening. Wind gusts, for instance, may reach 85 knots or 157km/h.

Rainfall should also pick up along parts of the north Queensland coast.

Updated

Detectives investigate Melbourne restaurant fire

Detectives will investigate whether a restaurant fire in the Melbourne city centre is connected to a spate of arson attacks.

Emergency services were called to the Docklands business about 2.50am this morning after reports of suspicious activity in the area.

It’s understood three offenders smashed the window of a Glenti Place restaurant before using a suspected accelerant to set it alight. The trio were seen running from the scene before leaving in a vehicle.

A crime scene has been established, with an arson chemist and investigators to assess the site.

There have been 29 arsons or attempted arsons over the past eight months, predominantly linked to tobacco stores in Melbourne and regional Victoria.

Officers have previously said the serious incidents and firebombings are linked to a conflict between rival groups.

The dispute is believed to include members of Middle Eastern organised crime groups and outlaw motorcycle gangs that use youths, street gangs and low-level criminals to carry out offending.

Anyone who witnessed the Docklands fire or saw someone acting suspiciously in the area should contact police.

– from AAP

Updated

James Ashby to stand for One Nation in Queensland seat

James Ashby, the chief of staff to One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, will stand for the party in the seat of Keppel at next year’s Queensland state election, AAP reports.

James Ashby and Pauline Hanson
James Ashby and Pauline Hanson. Photograph: Dan Peled/EPA

Hanson said Ashby would bring a wealth of high-level parliamentary and political experience to the Queensland parliament.

Ashby said Queensland faced the prospect of a Labor government “held to ransom by inner-city Greens”, or a change of government supported by One Nation MPs dedicated to representing the interests of regional communities:

The Nationals are dead in Queensland’s parliament while the Liberals are lurching further left in their attempts to secure inner-Brisbane seats.

Updated

‘Would I rather the high court never made its decision? Probably’

Finishing up his interview, Bill Shorten was asked about reports a fifth immigration detainee had been arrested.

(You can read more on that below.)

Q: This is an absolute mess, isn’t it?

Shorten:

Well, I haven’t heard that. But what I do know is that the high court, out of the blue, decided to change the rules for a system that had worked for 20 years. My colleagues have worked night and day since then to reinforce the integrity of our detention system, and we passed legislation this week to do exactly that.

Would I rather the high court never made its decision? Probably. But they did and sometimes you have to deal with the facts you have, not the way you wish the world would be.

[The ministers] have moved quickly here.

Updated

Shorten offers reassurance on autism

Bill Shorten was asked about the anxiety parents of children with autism – and adults with autism – may be feeling after the changes announced yesterday.

He said he understands the anxiety, “but there is no need to be”.

Bill Shorten at the National Press Club in Canberra yesterday
Bill Shorten at the National Press Club in Canberra yesterday. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Shorten also said he “regret[s] some of the coverage” that focus on those with autism and said “what they’re getting is unfair or inappropriate”:

I completely accept that we are learning a lot more about people who are neurodivergent and we’re learning a lot more about autism in the last number of years.

What I would say to those parents who’ve got a package of support under the NDIS is if your child needs to be on the NDIS, they’ll remain on the NDIS.

He said there has been a “breakthrough” with the states, and the commonwealth itself, accepting that more services are needed for “people with disabilities which aren’t so profound and severe they need to be on the NDIS, but still deserve early intervention”:

I’m a complete disciple of early intervention. The more we can help kids in their formative first 1,000 days and their years before school and the early years of school, I think we can help a lot of kids with developmental delay do better.

Short message – if your child really needs the NDIS, it’s getting to stay that way for them. Full stop.

Updated

‘Some of them are just providing rubbish services’

Bill Shorten said the “vast majority” of service providers in the NDIS are excellent but over the last nine years many unregistered providers have come onboard:

Many of them are very good and they give choice and control to people.

But some of them are just providing rubbish services, overcharging, treating people on the scheme as human ATMs and we want to stop that.

And the other thing which is frankly very distressing to see is when you see some service providers put the words NDIS in front of an aluminium bath chair or a protein shake or a particular service and charge more than if they hadn’t put the words NDIS in front of it. It’s like a wedding tax – we want to get rid of that.

Updated

Bill Shorten sends warning to ‘shonky’ NDIS providers

NDIS miniser Bill Shorten just spoke to ABC News Breakfast after a landmark review into the disability scheme was handed down yesterday, urging fixes to ensure its sustainability for decades to come.

The review recommends the scheme return to its original intended purposes, providing support to those with complex needs and “functional impairment rather than medical diagnosis”.

You can read more on the review from Sarah Basford Canales below:

Speaking this morning, Shorten said the NDIS is “here to stay”:

Our commitment is with these changes – and they’ll take a while to work through and we’ll have to talk to a lot of people to make sure we do it properly – that the experience on the NDIS will be more humane and less bureaucratic, and we’ll send a clear message to the minority of shonky providers the good old days of under-servicing and overcharging and looking after yourself and not the people – well, they come to an end.

Updated

Cyclone gathers force

Tropical Cyclone Jasper strengthened to a category four intensity overnight and is moving through the north-east Coral Sea.

According to the latest Bureau of Meteorology update, the cyclone is 1,250km east-north-east of Cairns:

Over the weekend, Jasper is likely to weaken while also turning to a westward track, towards the Queensland coast.

While the timing of a coastal impact remains highly uncertain, the highest risk of a cyclone impact lies between Cooktown and Mackay, including Cairns and Townsville.

As Jasper approaches the coast there is a risk of reintensification and the potential for severe impacts.

Updated

Good morning

Happy Friday! Many thanks to Martin for kicking things off – I’m Emily Wind and I’ll be with you on the blog today.

See something that needs attention? You can get in touch on X/Twitter @emilywindwrites or send me an email: emily.wind@theguardian.com.

With that, let’s get started.

Updated

Bushfire warnings as temperatures soar

Multiple states are on high alert for bushfires with scorching conditions forecast ahead of the weekend.

A trifecta of dangerous weather conditions has prompted extreme to catastrophic danger alerts to be issued for parts of South Australia.

The Country Fire Service has warned Friday will be “one of the most significant fire weather days in several years”.

Temperatures are forecast to soar into the mid-40s in some parts with strong winds and dry lightning adding to the fire risk.

The CFS has declared catastrophic fire danger ratings for the mid-north, Flinders, Yorke Peninsula, Riverland and eastern Eyre Peninsula districts.

Extreme fire danger ratings have been issued for the Mount Lofty Ranges, north-east Pastoral, west coast, upper south-east and Murraylands regions.

Electricity outages are also possible as equipment is set to disconnect to minimise the risk of sparking a blaze.

In NSW a total fire ban has been issued for the lower central west plains, southern Riverina, northern Riverina and south-western regions due to the hot conditions.

NSW residents are entering their third day of above-average temperatures on Friday, with the heatwave not expected to ease until next week.

Parts of Queensland, West Australia, the Northern Territory and the ACT have also copped soaring temperatures that are expected to intensify at the weekend.

Updated

Sydney residents furious at Rozelle interchange chaos

Tensions over the bungled opening of the $3.9bn Rozelle toll road interchange have boiled over at a fiery public meeting attended by more than 300 residents of Sydney’s inner west.

The meeting was held at Balmain town hall last night after 11 days of traffic chaos on the streets near the labyrinthine “spaghetti” junction which has been called the world’s most complex underground road project.

Comprised of more than 16km of tunnels, the Rozelle interchange is part of the sprawling WestConnex private toll road system. It connects the M4-M8 link with the Anzac and Iron Cove bridges and a future western harbour tunnel.

As a result of the new junction, 10 lanes of traffic now have to merge into four lanes on the Anzac Bridge.

It has blown out commutes for inner west residents who had already put up with years of road closures and tunnelling noise during the project’s construction and say they are now “locked in” on the Balmain peninsula.

“Disaster is one word for it,” one local, Penny Govan, said as she arrived at the meeting.

The Inner West’s mayor, Labor’s Darcy Byrne, convened the “urgent” meeting to hear suggestions as to how to solve the commuter chaos.

Read the whole piece here:

Welcome

Good morning and welcome to our rollings news coverage on this happy Friday. I’m Martin Farrer and these are some of our top overnight and breaking news stories.

Andrew Forrest has continued his transformation from titan of carbon-heavy industry to green evangelist by launching a scathing attack on the oil and gas industry and imploring businesses to stop burning fossil fuels. Speaking at Cop28 in Dubai, where he arrived by a ship powered by green hydrogen, Forrest has told Guardian Australia about his worldwide ad campaign shaming oil and gas companies by portraying them as ostriches with their heads in the sand on climate science. And he says that if other companies don’t change they will have “blood on their hands”.

Andrew Forrest speaks during a panel discussion at the Ukraine pavilion at the Cop28 climate conference in Dubai
Andrew Forrest speaks during a panel discussion at the Ukraine pavilion at the Cop28 climate conference in Dubai. Photograph: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

The bosses of Woodside and Santos, Australia’s two biggest listed oil and gas companies, are in talks about merging to create a single company that would be worth about $80bn. But pushback against the industry and especially the difficulty companies have in obtaining community approval for large schemes such as Santos’s Barossa gas project in Northern Territory, are among the reasons the merger might make sense and give strength in numbers. We’ll have the latest.

Disability advocates have urged federal and state governments for an “ironclad commitment” that no one will be phased out of the national disability insurance scheme and on to new proposed support services before they are properly in place. This follows yesterday’s landmark review that found that the scheme supporting 600,000 Australians needs urgent fixes to ensure its ongoing financial sustainability.

And multiple states are waking up to bushfire warnings today as a heatwave spreads through Australia – more on that soon.

Updated

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