Heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding forecast across Kimberley, Northern Territory and much of Cape York peninsula
Northern Australia is battening down the hatches as the Bureau of Meteorology warns intensifying activity in the Coral Sea is likely to result in the formation of Cyclone Kirrily.
While the low-pressure system won’t be officially named until it is properly formed, the bureau expects the cyclone to develop off the Queensland coast by Monday.
Continue reading...The former minister aims to apply order in France where her former staffer, whom she is suing for defamation, now lives
Linda Reynolds says she is awaiting advice on whether a bid to freeze Brittany Higgins’ assets could apply in France where the former Liberal staffer she is suing now lives.
The Western Australian senator is suing Higgins, and her partner David Sharaz, in the state’s supreme court over social media posts that contained a list of complaints against the former defence minister.
Continue reading...Businesses close, and water supply, internet and fuel affected as outback town swelters in temperatures forecast to hit 40C
Residents in Australia’s largest outback town, Kalgoorlie, are facing up to a week without power while sweltering through a major heatwave that has forced the closure of businesses and medical centres.
More than 20,000 homes and businesses began to face blackouts in Western Australia’s Wheatbelt, Goldfields and Great Southern regions on Wednesday following severe storms and bushfires, including “most homes and businesses” in Kalgoorlie, according to WA police.
Continue reading...Heavy rain and winds hit central wheat belt, goldfields, south coastal and great southern districts shortly after BoM severe weather warning, leading to widespread power outage
About 15,000 households are without power in the south-western region of Western Australia after a thunderstorm tore through the area.
Western Power confirmed the number of homes without power had dropped from the 23,000 reported on Wednesday evening, but could not give a timeframe for power restoration.
Continue reading...Damaging weather and heavy rain pummels Darwin as BoM forecasts another cyclone could cross Queensland’s east coast from Tuesday
Queensland residents face the threat of another cyclone reaching their shores within days as intense rain continues across Australia’s north.
A tropical low building in the Coral Sea is expected to turn towards the coast from Sunday, with the system most likely becoming a tropical cyclone by Monday.
Continue reading...Fire breaks out at RAAF base as firefighters battle four significant blazes in the Wanneroo and Chittering areas
A potentially dangerous fire has broken out at an RAAF base as soaring temperatures and windy conditions cause havoc for firefighters north of Perth.
The blaze broke out on Saturday afternoon near the entrance to RAAF base Gingin, a facility primarily used for pilot training, as large parts of the state faced heatwave warnings.
Continue reading...Christopher Saunders, who has denied accusations he sexually assaulted young Aboriginal men, was responsible for nine charities
The Catholic bishop Christopher Saunders, who is accused of sexually assaulting and grooming young Aboriginal men, has been removed as the person responsible for nine Broome diocese charities, records show.
Saunders, who denies the accusations, which are alleged to have occurred during his almost five-decade career, stood aside as the bishop of Broome in 2020 and Pope Francis accepted his resignation in 2021. He is now described as “emeritus” bishop of Broome.
Continue reading...Madeleine King says she is ‘extremely disappointed’ while the opposition criticises Labor for ‘embarrassing failure’ on industry policy
The federal resources minister, Madeleine King, says she is “extremely disappointed” at the closure of a major alumina refinery in her electorate, with about 800 job losses expected, as the opposition criticises the government over what it has labelled “an embarrassing failure” on industry policy.
US alumina giant Alcoa announced on Tuesday it would close its 60-year-old refinery south of Perth, where hundreds of workers were expected to lose their jobs.
Continue reading...Buyers and renters compete for limited stock as the Western Australian capital favours sellers and landlords, CoreLogic analysts say
The Australian property boom has shifted from east to west, with buyers and renters tussling for a limited number of Perth homes and creating a housing crisis for those left behind.
Perth has become the hottest selling market among state capitals, with homes listed for a median 11 days before being sold, according to CoreLogic data calculated for Guardian Australia.
Continue reading...Festival will be free of fossil fuel sponsorship for the first time in decades after the departure of Chevron as a sponsor last year
Fossil fuel company Woodside has now severed all ties with the arts company behind one of the largest fringe festivals in the world, after sustained complaints and protests over several years from performers, producers and audiences.
A Woodside spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday a philanthropic agreement with Artrage, one of Western Australia’s largest arts companies which produces the annual Fringe World festival, had been discontinued.
Continue reading...Seven of at least 148 people released after November judgment have since been rearrested
A further two former immigration detainees released in the wake of the high court’s NZYQ ruling have been rearrested after breaches of their conditions.
The men’s arrests over the Christmas period bring the total number of arrests to seven since the high court ruled that indefinite detention is unlawful where it is not possible to deport the non-citizen. At least 148 people have been released as a result of the November ruling, sparking a political crisis for the Albanese government.
Continue reading...Commissioner Col Blanch says alleged offender appeared to be resisting arrest during incident at Perth pub
Western Australia’s top cop has backed a police officer filmed punching a man who was pinned to the ground outside a Perth pub during New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Video of the incident shows the officer repeatedly punching the 25-year-old man in the body as two other officers held him down during an arrest just after midnight on Sunday.
Continue reading...New plan bans selling of native timbers and includes transition payouts to sawmills and towns to diversify industry
The end of unsustainable commercial logging in Western Australia could save almost 20,000 square kilometres of forest, the state government says.
Chopping down native karri, jarrah and wandoo hardwood in the state’s south-west and selling it is banned from Monday. The state’s environment minister, Reece Whitby, said it was a historic moment for WA.
Continue reading...BoM forecasts heavy rain for south-east Queensland and northern NSW, while across the far north temperatures will remain in the 40s
Parts of south-east Queensland are being battered by heavy rain in a soggy start to the new year, with dangerous flooding predicted.
Intense falls in some areas could lead to life-threatening flash flooding, the Bureau of Meteorology warned on Monday afternoon.
Continue reading...Displays expected in cities across country to ring in 2024 while predicted wild weather on east coast could disrupt revelry
Heat and hail have been forecast across parts of the country as hundreds queue outside the Sydney Opera House to secure front-row seats for the New Year’s Eve fireworks.
Lines in Circular Quay began to form at 8am on Sunday as people sought to stake their claim to a view. By 11.24am, organisers announced the Sydney Opera House vantage point is full and advised members of the public to seek alternative options.
Continue reading...Illegal use of fireworks can lead to thousands of dollars in fines and even jail. Here are the rules around the country
Hefty fines and even jail time are on the cards for those who set off illegal fireworks this New Year’s Eve.
People right across the country used to partake in the annual “cracker night” festival, setting off fireworks in their backyards, but most states and territories began banning this practice in the 1980s.
Continue reading...Conditions 8C to 12C above average across large parts of Australia’s north, with little reprieve for storm-ravaged areas
A severe heatwave is expected to affect parts of Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia heading into the new year.
Large swathes have been put on alert, with conditions 8C to 12C above average.
Continue reading...Surging consumption comes despite ‘very sleepy period’ for electricity use, energy expert says
Queensland’s electricity supplies are expected to be strained for a second day in a row as the heatwave roasting much of northern Australia lifts power demand to near-record levels.
The mercury exceeded its forecast maximum for Brisbane of 37C by early afternoon and was recently at 38.3.5C, or eight degrees above the December average, Bureau of Meteorology data showed.
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Tasmanian yacht Alive is in the box seat to take out Sydney to Hobart yacht race’s overall honours, with skipper Duncan Hine confident the 66-footer has a winning time on the board.
Hine and his crew finished the 628-nautical-mile blue water classic yesterday afternoon as clubhouse leaders on handicap time.
It’s a waiting game. We’re looking good, though. I believe we could do it again, but the reality may be different. Now we wait with bated breath to see if anyone can beat our time.
Continue reading...Authorities say blaze south of the city is under control after homes were lost around Keysbrook
A blaze that destroyed two homes south of Perth has been brought under control, but firefighters are urging people to remain vigilant for bushfire threats.
Seven emergency-level bushfires have engulfed homes and torn through bushland, rural properties and suburbs on Perth’s fringes in the past three days.
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