Category Archives: Australia news

Wet weather system could cause flash flooding in Queensland and prolonged rain in Sydney, BoM says

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Heavy rain and thunderstorms pose flood risk for southern Queensland’s already saturated catchments

Heavy rain over large swathes of Queensland this week could spark flash flooding, with the same wet weather system bringing less intense but prolonged showers to Sydney for up to five days.

The Bureau of Meteorology has said western and inland parts of Queensland, as well as the tropical far north, will receive the most rain. Totals could reach 250mm in some areas and pose a prolonged flood risk for areas of the state that are already on flood watch, particularly in the south.

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Labor to announce scholarship plan for high-achieving students to become teachers

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Policy will aim to double number of high achievers studying education and include places for qualified professionals to retrain

High-achieving students who want to become teachers will be given at least $10,000 a year to study education under a Labor plan to improve teacher quality.

Under the policy, to be announced on Monday, 5,000 students with an Atar of 80 or more will receive the scholarship to study an education degree, with an extra $2,000 bonus a year for those who teach in a regional area.

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Melbourne boxer convicted of 2005 murder launches new appeal

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Khalid Baker, who spent 13 years in prison, is arguing an acquitted co-accused was responsible for man’s death at party

A Melbourne man convicted of murder more than a decade ago is launching a new appeal, arguing that a co-accused who was acquitted was responsible for the death and has confirmed he was not involved.

Khalid Baker’s lawyers will argue this week that fresh and compelling evidence shows he has been the victim of a substantial miscarriage of justice and his conviction must be overturned.

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Federal election 2022 live: Morrison pressed on protections for gay students; Albanese says Labor will match Coalition’s IVF policy

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Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese will square off in second leaders’ debate to be broadcast on Channel Nine; prime minister questioned on religious discrimination act; Opposition leader says Labor will match Coalition’s $53m IVF pledge; NSW records six Covid deaths, Victoria four, Qld two and WA one. Follow all the day’s news

Plibersek is asked about the proposed stage three tax cuts that Labor has supported and which will lead to superannuation changes that will benefit men. She says it is something Labor will look at in government.

What makes a difference to the superannuation pay gap: when we invest more than $95bn, when we make child care cheaper, that allows those women who have been locked out of work, because it is too expensive – they actually lose money by working day four or day five in a week. They can earn more, have less time out of paid work, they can contribute to their own superannuation when they get back to work more easily.

As for the paid parental leave superannuation, it is something that we would look at in government. It is something that we would love to do when we can afford to.

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LNP candidate in Queensland referred to federal police for allegedly falsifying address

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AEC says it was concerned Vivian Lobo provided false address in enrolment and nomination for marginal seat of Lilley

The Liberal National candidate running in the ultra-marginal Queensland seat of Lilley has been referred to the Australian Federal Police amid allegations he provided a false residential address to the Australian Electoral Commission.

Labor MP Anika Wells on Friday called on the prime minister, Scott Morrison, to “disavow” Vivian Lobo after the Australian newspaper reported he had provided “false evidence” to the AEC when he claimed to live in the inner Brisbane electorate.

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Endangered tree seedlings planted in secret locations on NSW north coast

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Seeds from nightcap oak trees were collected and propagated after black summer bushfires destroyed or damaged 20% of the population

Seedlings of an endangered tree are being planted in secret locations on the New South Wales north coast in an attempt to save the species after devastating bushfires.

The critically endangered nightcap oak trees date back to the Gondwana supercontinent era and can grow up to 40 metres tall, but are only found in northern NSW.

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Labor will announce new measures to close gender pay gap in election campaign’s final fortnight

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Tanya Plibersek says party would look at introducing superannnuation on paid parental leave ‘when we can afford to’

Labor will promise a new measure to close the gender pay gap and attack the government for promoting “the importance of low paid work” in the campaign’s final fortnight.

On Sunday the shadow minister for women, Tanya Plibersek, confirmed another policy push on gender pay inequity, while the shadow industrial relations minister, Tony Burke, signalled a plan to weaponise the Coalition’s submission to the minimum wage review.

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Missing in action: five issues the major parties are avoiding in the 2022 federal election

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Key areas such as conservation, the arts, science and education have been neglected in a narrowly focused campaign

With two weeks to go until the 2022 federal election, most of the key policy offerings from the major parties have already been outlined – but there are some big gaps. From conservation to education and the arts, both Labor and the Coalition have been short on detail. Here are six areas where voters are left in the dark:

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‘A great big lie’: researcher disputes government claim that 90% of GP visits are bulk-billed

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The Consumers Health Forum says it too has ‘been sceptical for some time about claims of high rates of bulk billing’

The Australian government says almost nine out of 10 visits to GP clinics are bulk-billed, but a health insurance researcher says gap fees often aren’t recorded, meaning the official data is “a great big lie”.

Andrew James*, his wife, and their two children were bulk-billed for 15-minute appointments at their Sydney GP clinic for three years with their Medicare records showing they paid “$0”.

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Marise Payne holds first meeting with Solomon Islands counterpart since China security pact

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Anthony Albanese says meeting ‘about time’ as Scott Morrison says Australia reassured Solomons would not host military base

A meeting between Australia’s foreign minister, Marise Payne, and her Solomons Islands counterpart for the first time since a security pact with China was signed overshadowed campaign announcements on Saturday.

On day 27 of the campaign, and just two weeks out from the federal election, the prime minister, Scott Morrison, was campaigning in Perth, while the Labor leader, Anthony Albanese, was in Tasmania.

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Morrison pledges $20m for tourism; Shorten tests positive as 44 Covid deaths recorded – as it happened

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Foreign minister meets Solomon Islands counterpart in Brisbane; poll shows independent Sophie Scamps has real prospect of taking seat from Liberal Jason Falinski; Bill Shorten tests positive for Covid; NSW records 19 Covid deaths; Victoria nine, Queensland five, Tasmania two, NT one, SA two and WA six. This blog is now closed

Coalition and Labor have so far pledged billions for local projects. But not all sides of the electoral fence are reaping the benefits, write Elias Visontay and Nick Evershed.

Last night Marise Payne met with the foreign minister of Solomon Islands, Jeremiah Manele, in Brisbane. The pair discussed the rising tensions between the two countries.

Australia has been consistent and clear in stating our respect for Solomon Islands’ sovereign decision-making, however we have reiterated our deep concerns about the security agreement with China, including the lack of transparency. I again reinforced this in my meeting tonight. We agreed that Australia remains Solomon Islands’ security partner of choice.

I again welcomed Prime Minister Sogavare’s assurance that Solomon Islands will not be used for a foreign military base.

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From India’s highs to Thailand’s lows, Asia’s weather is hitting extremes

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Analysis: As the heatwave in India and Pakistan starts to intensify again, Thailand and China are recording strangely cold May days

The final days of April saw further unbearable temperatures recorded in India and Pakistan. Temperatures peaked at 49C in Jacobabad, Pakistan on 30 April, with a high of 47.2C observed in Banda, India. The Indian Meteorological Department confirmed that average temperatures in April were the highest for northern and central parts of the country since records began over 100 years ago.

Heatwaves are a common occurrence at this time of year in India and Pakistan, but scientists believe the intensity, duration and arrival time of the conditions witnessed so far this year are caused by rising global temperatures. Despite a slight respite in the extreme heat over the past few days, temperatures are set to intensify once more this weekend and into next week with maximum temperatures expected to approach 50C in parts of north-west India and Pakistan.

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NSW grants review recommends against making pork-barrelling a criminal offence

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Productivity commissioner releases report following Icac hearings involving former premier Gladys Berejiklian

A review of the New South Wales government’s grants spend has recommended against making pork-barrelling a criminal offence, instead arguing grants administrators should document when ministers and politicians try to influence the grants process.

The NSW premier, Dominic Perrottet, asked the Department of Premier and Cabinet and the productivity commissioner, Peter Achterstraat, to review grants in the state in November last year, after his predecessor, Gladys Berejiklian, gave evidence to the state’s anti-corruption watchdog that the government “threw money at seats to keep them” and grants were made to help win votes.

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Anthony Albanese open to cabinet reshuffle if Labor wins election

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Opposition leader says all his frontbenchers are worthy of their roles but that caucus would have its say if the ALP defeats the Coalition on 21 May

Anthony Albanese has left open the possibility of changing his cabinet lineup if he beats Scott Morrison and the Coalition on 21 May, noting the mix of senior personnel will ultimately be a decision for the caucus post-election.

In a wide-ranging interview with Guardian Australia on the hustings this week, the Labor leader said all of his colleagues were worthy of their current roles, “but we are certainly not getting ahead of ourselves”.

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How Clive Palmer’s deep pockets are building a yellow, slick road straight through One Nation’s heartland

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Analysis: UAP has bought every available billboard space, and has signs on dusty dirt roads in the middle of nowhere

Take a wrong turn on the back roads through central Queensland, about 40km from Banana (population 354), and the road turns to gravel. A few clicks further on, over a couple of cattle grids, there’s a bright yellow United Australia party sign – but not another driver to see it for miles.

This particular spot is close to smack bang in the middle of the 133,000 sq km electorate of Flynn.

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Damning report on NSW regional health a test of Nationals’ power of persuasion

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John Barilaro and Barnaby Joyce were never shy in pleading the case for the regions. Can the party respond just as forcefully now?

Even their fiercest critics would likely concede that John Barilaro and Barnaby Joyce have been vocal and energetic advocates for regional Australia.

As the former deputy premier of New South Wales, Barilaro wore his ability to secure funds for regional parts of the state as a badge of honour, even when done in ways that have exposed him to criticism.

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Bid to have satanism classes in Queensland government schools dismissed as a ‘stunt’

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Noosa Temple of Satan founder ordered to show cause why affidavits shouldn’t be provided to prosecutors or police

A bid to have satanism classes taught at some Queensland schools has been dismissed as “a base political stunt”, with a supreme court judge ordering the founder of the Noosa Temple of Satan to explain why he should not be prosecuted.

The temple had sought to challenge the state government’s refusal to let the group offer religious instruction at four public schools.

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AGL reveals demerger would cost $260m as Mike Cannon-Brookes tries to block plan

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Atlassian cofounder says released details prove the split would be a ‘terrible outcome’ for energy giant’s shareholders

The planned split of AGL Energy that billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes is trying to foil will cost $260m upfront and $35m in extra costs per year for the demerged entities, documents from the energy giant show.

In separate releases to the ASX on Friday afternoon, AGL laid out its details of the demerger ahead of a 15 June vote by shareholders. As the biggest shareholder following his purchase of a 11.3% holding, Cannon-Brookes can block the move with the support of another 13.7% of share owners.

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Scott Morrison suggests Anthony Albanese is using Covid as an excuse in response to ‘brain fog’ question

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Prime minister’s latest comment on Labor leader’s performance follows jibe about Albanese’s ‘quiet week’ in Covid isolation

Scott Morrison has insinuated that Anthony Albanese is using his Covid infection to excuse poor performances and suggested the Labor leader “can’t hack the campaign”.

Morrison used a campaign event in Western Australia on Friday to personally target the Labor leader, brushing off suggestions his opponent’s campaigning could be impaired by his recent bout of Covid-19.

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Toddler allegedly left on childcare bus in almost 30C heat ‘doing well’ in recovery, family says

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Police say investigation is under way after three-year-old Queensland girl Nevaeh Austin was found unconscious on Wednesday

The family of a three-year-old girl who was allegedly left in a hot bus for six hours outside her childcare centre in central Queensland say they are hoping for a speedy recovery.

Nevaeh Austin was found unconscious on a bus in almost 30C heat by staff about 3pm on Wednesday outside Le Smileys Early Learning Centre in Gracemere.

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