This is what you need to know this morning.
Woman who had offer rescinded to face inquiry
The woman who had her offer to be the trade commissioner in New York rescinded will today front a New South Wales parliamentary inquiry.
Former bureaucrat Jenny West will face questions from upper house MPs who are investigating how John Barilaro ended up with the job.
The former deputy premier has since pulled out after controversy surrounded his appointment.
Aboriginal flag to remain on bridge
The New South Wales Premier's office has confirmed the Aboriginal flag — which has been flown on Sydney Harbour Bridge as part of NAIDOC week celebrations — will remain in place while the New South Wales flag will be relocated.
The government had been planning to spend $25 million on installing a new third flag pole and refurbishing the existing two poles.
Instead, the New South Wales flag will be relocated.
A spokesman for Premier Dominic Perrottet's office said the government was "looking at Macquarie Street" for the relocation of the New South Wales flag.
Industrial action halted as negotiations recommence
Train services should run more smoothly this week because they will not be disrupted by industrial action.
The rail union has no plans for further action, despite the government losing its application to stop industrial disruptions on the network in the Fair Work Commission.
After the government's setback in its ongoing stoush with the rail union, the union said it wants to recommence negotiations this week.
It is unclear whether the government is open to negotiating after Roads Minister Natalie Ward, who is acting in the Transport portfolio, responded by saying the government had put an offer on the table.
There could still be some disruptions to train services, which have been caused by bad weather.
Man dies after unit fire
A man has died following a unit fire in western Sydney this morning.
Fire crews were called to Campbell Street in Parramatta, at around 3am,
After rescuing one man, they found another man unconscious inside.
He was taken to hospital in a critical condition, but could not be saved.
Opera House shines for Abe
The sails of the Sydney Opera House last night shone in tribute to former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, who was shot in broad daylight last week.
Mr Abe's assassination on Friday shocked the world.
Police in the Japanese city of Nara said they were investigating whether a man arrested at the scene acted alone and if security at the campaign event was sufficient.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said Japan had lost ''one of its finest leaders''.
Warning for apartment owners
An unexpected group of Australians are set to pick up the tab for higher insurance costs from recent natural disasters: apartment owners.
Australia's peak body for apartment owners, Australia Apartment Advocacy, expects insurance costs for many owners' corporations and bodies corporate will "go through the roof" over the next 12 months as insurance companies battle with the disaster repair bills in NSW.
"The insurance sector has been struggling like never before and this has been a horror year for insurance companies, mainly as a result of flooding in the eastern states since the start of 2022," said Australia Apartment Advocacy head Samantha Reece.
"What has happened in NSW over the last week will be the straw that broke the camel’s back, and we have no doubt that strata apartment building premiums are on the rise. "
Ms Reece said this hike will likely be passed onto tenants through higher rents.
An expert report by the Australian Climate Council said an additional 500,000 Australian residential properties will be uninsurable by 2030 because of high risk from climate-related issues such as fire and flooding.
Quickest rollout of disaster relief, says Shorten
So far almost 415,000 people affected by the latest NSW floods have received more than $340 million in federal government disaster assistance.
Minister for Government Services Bill Shorten said this was probably the quickest rollout of support Australians had ever received.
"The fact these payments have been delivered in under three days is a great credit to Services Australia staff working around the clock to get the payments out the door," he said.
He said unfortunately, the quick rollout was because Service Australia was more accustomed to disaster relief distribution given the many recent natural disasters.
"Unfortunately they have become veterans at making sure the modest support is distributed in a timely fashion."
Mr Shorten said the government needed to now make up for the last 10 "wasted years" that should have been used to mitigate floods.
"That means planning decisions don't green-light properties being built in flood plain zones and making sure we have remediation works to stop future floods.
"The best thing that can put downward pressure on insurance premiums is to make sure our communities have preventative flood works put into place."
