What we learned - Sunday 23 November
That’s where we’ll wrap up for today – but first a quick recap:
Cyclone Fina left a trail of damage as heavy rain hit the Top End, with roofing at the Royal Darwin hospital partially collapsed. Over 19,000 homes and businesses have been left without power.
The housing minister promised to deliver more than 21,000 new social and affordable homes around the country under the Housing Australia Future Fund.
G20 leaders declaration supported “unanimously” despite US pressure and boycott.
New NSW opposition leader Kellie Sloane said hecklers were “not going to stop me turning up”.
Sarah Hanson-Young criticised the government’s contradictory offers to the Greens and Coalition on its nature laws.
Australia will have “unprecedented influence” over the upcoming UN climate discussions at the COP conference, Anthony Albanese says, after an agreement which would see energy minister Chris Bowen become the “president of negotiations” while Turkey hosts the main conference.
Experts welcomed Australia signing Cop30 fossil fuel phase-out declaration but say ‘real action’ must follow. The Belém declaration is Australia’s “strongest ever statement on phasing out fossil fuels”, a former climate diplomat said.
The Coalition would not support the government’s environmental laws in their current form, James Patterson said.
Tropical Cyclone Fina intensified into a category four system as it moved southwest towards the northeast Kimberley coast.
We’ll be back with the news blog bright and early tomorrow.
Tropical Cyclone Fina intensifies into a category 4 system
As predicted, Tropical Cyclone Fina has intensified into a category four system as it moves southwest towards the northeast Kimberley coast.
In its latest update, the bureau of meteorology described the intensity of the cyclone as category four with “sustained” winds near the centre of 165km/h with wind gusts to 230km/h.
The warning zone extends from Wadeye to Dundee Beach in the Northern Territory and NT/Western Australian border to Troughton Island, including Kalumburu in WA.
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