Here's what you need to know this morning:
'No real signs it's going to dry out'
New South Wales' wet weather is expected to continue for the next few months, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) warns.
Communities in the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast are again bracing for possible flooding as heavy rainfall and thunderstorms are forecast from later today through to Wednesday.
There are also fears more rain in already saturated catchments and terrain could prompt the relocation of emergency accommodation and centres assisting the community.
The BOM's Jane Golding said while it was too soon to be too definitive about the current weather system, the future looked bleak.
"In the longer term, for the next few months, there's no real signs that it's going to dry out along the coast," she said.
The rain hitting the northern parts of the state is expected to move to Sydney and the Hunter region from the middle of the week.
"This system also looks like it will bring some strong winds … and we will be monitoring that over the next few days," Ms Golding said.
Man charged with murder
A 22-year-old Newcastle man has been charged with murder after allegedly breaking into his ex-girlfriend's home and stabbing her to death, shortly after he was released on parole.
Police say Tyrone Thompson breached a domestic violence order when he entered Mackenzie Anderson's Crebert Street home in Mayfield on Friday night.
Police arrived after 10:40pm to find the woman, 21, lying outside her home with "horrendous injuries", Detective Superintendent Wayne Humphrey said
She died at the scene, despite attempts to assist her by paramedics and police.
A 22-year-old Mayfield man was taken to hospital with an injured hand before he was charged with murder, aggravated enter dwelling with intent, and breach an apprehended domestic violence order.
He was refused bail and is due to appear at Newcastle Local Court today.
Family and domestic violence support services in Australia:
- For an emergency situation call on 000
- 1800 Respect National Helpline: 1800 737 732
- Women's Crisis Line: 1800 811 811
- Men's Referral Service: 1300 766 491
- Mensline: 1300 789 978
- Lifeline: 131 114
Fare-free days welcomed but 'more needs to be done'
The transport union says there is more work to be done after the New South Wales government announced fare-free days.
Transport Minister David Elliott yesterday announced the free travel from mid-April for Sydney and surrounding regions.
Over the next six weeks Mr Elliott has committed to intensive negotiations with the Rail, Tram and Bus Union.
Union secretary Alex Claassens said members still had concerns about network safety, new trains and cleanliness of transport in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
"There's a lot more work to be done yet and we don't want to be just brushed over," he said.
"We want to actually sit down and have a proper negotiation and we will see where that takes us."
Man stabbed at Cockle Bay wharf brawl
A young man remains in a serious condition in hospital after being stabbed this morning during a brawl at Cockle Bay wharf.
Police used capsicum spray to break up the fight between a group of six men just after 2am, which resulted in a 21-year-old man being stabbed.
He remains in a serious condition at St Vincent's Hospital.
A 20-year-old man was arrested and taken to Day Street Police Station, where he is expected to be charged today.
PM and Premier to hand-pick candidates
The Prime Minister and the NSW Premier will take over the selection of Liberal candidates to run in crucial seats in the upcoming federal election.
Scott Morrison and Dominic Perrottet have been granted the power to hand pick candidates in certain seats, after the party's federal executive voted unanimously to intervene.
A deadlock in the NSW division of the Liberal Party over preselection and endorsement has left key seats including Hughes, Parramatta, Eden-Monaro and Warringah without candidates.
There had been fears from local preselectors that the party was headed for a federal intervention.
The move is likely to further inflame internal tensions and divisions.
Sydney fundraiser for Ukraine
A New South Wales Ukrainian community benefit is being held in Sydney's Town Hall tonight.
Millions of people have either fled Ukraine or have been internally displaced as the country defends itself against the Russian invasion.
"They don't have access to medical care, they don't have access to food, they don't have access to even heating," said one of the organisers, Andrew Mencinsky from the Ukrainian Council of NSW.
Sydney's Deputy Lord Mayor Jess Scully said it was important to support the local community in its efforts to help those overseas "to show solidarity with that community and show the world that Sydney cares".
Mr Mencinsky said Ukrainians arriving in Australia in recent weeks were still waiting for their visas to come through.
Man charged over Hebersham shooting
A 30-year-old man has been charged with shoot with intent to murder after a man was gunned down outside a Western Sydney house last week.
The 39-year-old man was shot outside a home on Bletchley Place in Hebersham and suffered significant blood loss before being rushed to Westmead Hospital.
The shooting happened metres from where a toddler's birthday party was taking place.
The gunman, who had been on the run for a week, was arrested by chance after police responded to a street fight in the Western Sydney suburb of Smithfield overnight.
The man was taken to Fairfield Police Station.
A shotgun and a pistol were seized at the scene and were taken for further examination.
A search warrant was executed on a home in Barton Street before the man was charged.
Domestic assaults spike after extension to bottle shop hours
New research claims there is a link between domestic violence and longer trading hours for takeaway alcohol sales in New South Wales.
In December 2016, the state government extended trading time for bottle shops and alcohol home delivery services by one hour to 11pm.
A study by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) has found in the three years after the extension, the rate of domestic assault increased by 0.4 a month, which is about 1,120 assaults over three years.
The increase in domestic violence assaults was more pronounced after 10pm.
No significant change was found in non-domestic assaults.
BOCSAR spokesperson Jackie Fitzgerald said the research added to limited knowledge about what might work to reduce domestic violence.
