Category Archives: Queensland

New Zealand to be briefed on Aukus – as it happened

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The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is speaking to ABC RN, and says news that the inflation rate has plunged to a two-year low of 4.1% is “welcoming, encouraging progress”.

… We know that people are still under pressure and we need to not be complacent about it. We need to continue to work as we have with our three point plan, having the surplus, making sure we deal with cost of living pressures without putting pressure on inflation, and dealing with … supply-chain issues as well.

With parliament resuming next week, this is a wake-up call that 2024 is the last chance for meaningful democratic reform ahead of the 2025 election …

Australians should go to the next election with strict political donation disclosure laws, truth in political advertising laws in force and information about who’s meeting ministers made public as a matter of course.

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Australia news live: murder charge laid after ‘long, sad journey’ for disappeared 23-year-old’s family

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Ms Bernard, a Kowanyama woman, was last seen at Archer River quarry on 10 February in 2013. Follow the day’s news live

Update on Queensland flooding

Senior BoM meteorologist Angus Hines spoke to ABC News Breakfast just earlier to provide an update on the rain and flooding in Queensland.

Last night the rainfall totals were between 50mm and 120mm which is still a very significant dose of rain, but bear in mind this time yesterday we were talking about 300mm leading to widespread flooding.

We could see these rivers with elevated levels for the next several days, as it will take a while for those flood waters to drain out, long past when the rainfall conditions have cleared up.

The goal for the AI taskforce is to be a trusted source of expert advice and assistance for the Law Society, and through it, for the solicitor profession across NSW. Its members will be drawn from the law, justice system, academia, and government.

The work of the taskforce will enhance the Law Society’s work to ensure that NSW leads the way in harnessing the best that AI has to offer for the legal profession while mitigating the risks.

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Turtle deaths surge in Moreton Bay as advocates decry ‘loosey-goosey’ waterway policing

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Exclusive: Locals say ‘huge penalities and fines’ needed after deaths increased almost 90% in one year

Turtle deaths in a key south-east Queensland habitat have increased 87% in a single year and there are concerns that uncontrolled boating, four-wheel driving and discarded crab pots could result in more fatalities.

The annual turtle death toll average in the Bribie Island area – which includes Beachmere to Caloundra, Pumicestone Passage and Bribie Island – had been at 36 for a decade.

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Millions of Australians at risk of being stung by fire ants each year, experts warn

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Inquiry into invasive pest hears of risks species poses to health, agriculture and environment if it becomes endemic

Fire ants could sting 8.6 million Australians a year if they were to become endemic – but a pathogenic fungus and pesticide-loaded drones might help avert that scenario, according to submissions posed to the federal government’s fire ants inquiry.

Submissions to the Senate inquiry into red imported fire ants (Rifa) in Australia closed on Monday, just days after the latest in a string of fire ant detections beyond south-east Queensland, where an infestation of the invasive pest is ongoing.

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Storms leave some Queensland residents ‘traumatised’ amid warnings of more heavy rain

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Roads are cut off, more than 20 schools closed and a town flooded after heavy rainfall inundated south-east Queensland, sparking multiple rescues

A relentless series of storms is starting to take an emotional toll on people in Queensland’s south-east as the Bureau of Meteorology warns of more heavy rain to come.

Roads are cut off, more than 20 schools are closed and a town is flooded after heavy rainfall inundated the region, sparking multiple rescues.

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Mayor issues flood warning – as it happened

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We’ve just spoken to St Vincent’s hospital and confirmed that the woman bitten by a shark in Sydney Harbour last night remains in hospital in a stable condition.

The woman, in her late 20s, was bitten on the right leg by a suspected bull shark in Elizabeth Bay last night.

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Fears back-to-back cyclones may have damaged Great Barrier Reef

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Strong waves and sediment-laden freshwater pushed out from river catchments may have damaged parts of reef system, experts say

Back-to-back cyclones crossing the Great Barrier Reef have experts concerned vast flood plumes and heavy waves may have damaged parts of the world’s biggest coral reef system.

Reef scientists and conservationists went into the summer worried that an El Niño weather pattern would elevate the risk of mass coral bleaching.

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Australia news live: NSW police say neo-Nazis rallying in Sydney ‘may well be recruiting’; PM plays down being booed at tennis

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Paterson calls for ‘swift and decisive action’ against neo-Nazi groups

Over the weekend, NSW premier Chris Minns doubled down on his push to tighten anti-vilification laws after a group of neo-Nazis attempted to hold another rally in a public park.

I’d like to see swift and decisive action taken against these neo-Nazi groups who have no place in Australia.

I never thought we would see [something like this] in such a demonstrable way in a pluralistic country like Australia.

It’s the reason why the federal parliament, before Christmas, went to the extraordinary step of passing laws to ban Nazi symbols being publicly displayed, to ban the Nazi salute. And it’s critically important that those laws are rigorously enforced so that people understand there are consequences for this action.

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Tropical Cyclone Kirrily: disaster grants offered as tens of thousands in north Queensland remain without power

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More than 23,000 residents without electricity days after category-three storm lashed coast on Thursday

Cyclone-affected residents have been offered disaster assistance in northern Queensland, where tens of thousands of customers remain without power.

Personal hardship assistance grants have been offered to residents of the Townsville and Burdekin shires after Tropical Cyclone Kirrily crossed the coast on Thursday evening.

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Oliver the most popular boys’ baby name in Queensland for 11th year in a row as Isla tops girls’ list

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The two names also held the top spots together in 2021, highlighting the ongoing popularity of both names with Queensland parents

Oliver and Isla have topped the list of Queensland’s most popular baby names for 2023.

Isla was the most frequent name for 285 newborn girls in 2023, while Oliver retained first place for names for boys (451) – for the 11th year in a row.

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Queensland police launch internal investigation after officers fatally shoot man during ‘mental health incident’

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Man declared dead at the scene in Mount Louisa on Sunday, with ethical standards command to investigate the death

Queensland police have launched an internal investigation after a man was shot and killed by officers during a “mental health incident” in suburban Townsville.

In a statement, the Queensland Police Service (QPS) claimed the man was armed with a knife and had “threatened” officers who had been called to attend a home at Mount Louisa just after midnight on Sunday. Police officers arrived at the scene an hour later.

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Nearly 50,000 still without power in Townsville in wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Kirrily as clean-up begins

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Outages also affecting phone networks and water supplies for about 10,000 Queensland households, premier says, as restoration efforts continue

Thousands of Townsville residents are still without power as northern Queensland begins to clean up after ex-Tropical Cyclone Kirrily.

Damaging winds and rainfall totals from 100-150mm hit regions on Thursday evening but minimal property damage was recorded.

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Thousands rally in solidarity on Invasion Day in Melbourne, Sydney; AFL clubs call for 26 January date change – as it happened

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Australian and Aboriginal flags raised during Canberra ceremony

Following the welcome to country, the flag-raising ceremony has begun, with six flags raised including two Australian flags, two Aboriginal flags and two Torres Strait Islander flags.

Australia is home to the oldest continuous culture on Earth, 65,000 years of uninterrupted heritage, demonstrated by the unique archeological evidence found in the very ground that you may are sitting on, found in the rocks and stones of this very place. That makes this continent unique in the whole world.

Ngunnawal’s view of heritage transcends time, it is our way of being with nature, best expressed in the Ngunnawal language through the concepts of respect and deep honour, coming together in the wellbeing for all.

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‘Like a ghost howling’: ex-Tropical Cyclone Kirrily to bring heavy rain to Queensland as Townsville residents survey damage

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Premier Steven Miles says ‘we’re not out of the woods’ with BoM weather warnings issued as former category three cyclone downgraded

The cleanup from ex-Tropical Cyclone Kirrily has begun in north Queensland after the weather system was downgraded to a tropical low.

Damaging winds and rainfall totals from 100-150mm hit the region on Thursday evening but minimal property damage was recorded and no lives were lost.

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Australia news live: Townsville residents advised to shelter in place ahead of Cyclone Kirrily reaching Queensland coast

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The latest advice from the Bureau of Meteorology is that Tropical Cyclone Kirrily will begin crossing the coast from 10pm tonight. Follow the day’s news live

As we flagged just earlier, wind gusts associated with Tropical Cyclone Kirrily have already begun around the Whitsundays, with gusts over 100km/h.

In a Facebook group for Whitsundays locals, a new resident has asked an innocent question:

Hey there I’m kind of new to town from Melbourne. Does anyone know how to tie my tree down so that it doesn’t blow away?

“I would use fairy lights.”

“If you hop around clockwise on your left leg 3 times and then do a Kangaroo hop to the right, the drop bears will take care of it by having the tree extend it’s roots deeper.”

“If you’re really from Melbourne you would know how to tie down a tree with the windy crap weather down there. Ride a kangaroo to bunnings [and] get some ratchets.”

“From the state of the supermarket shelves I’m guessing everyone is using toilet paper to tie their trees down.”

“Take the leaves off and store inside. The rest will be fine.”

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Tropical Cyclone Kirrily crosses Queensland coast at Townsville

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Kirrily downgraded to category-one storm by BoM after heading inland on Thursday night

Tropical Cyclone Kirrily has crossed the coast of Queensland bringing heavy rain and very strong wind gusts.

The cyclone had been updated to a category-three storm on Thursday afternoon and crossed the Queensland coast at Townsville at 10pm. But it was then downgraded first to a category-two storm and then category one as it made its way inland, the Queensland Bureau of Meteorology said.

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Tropical Cyclone Kirrily forms as category one storm with Queensland coastal crossing likely on Thursday

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BoM warns of damaging winds, intense rainfall and flash flooding for some areas as residents urged to prepare and monitor forecasts

Tropical Cyclone Kirrily has officially been declared, developing into a category one storm in the Coral Sea, the Bureau of Meteorology has announced.

The storm is “expected to continue strengthening as it tracks west south-west towards the Queensland coast”, the BoM said on Wednesday evening.

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Cairns watch house worker sounds alarm over ‘massive deterioration’ in children’s physical and mental health

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Exclusive: anonymised notes reveal concerns about injuries, self-harm, security incidents and sickness in overcrowded cells

A child locked in the Cairns police watch house is self-harming by banging his head against the cell walls.

Anonymised notes about more than a dozen children in the far north Queensland watch house last week, seen by Guardian Australia, detail concerns about sickness spreading in the overcrowded cells, injuries and serious security incidents.

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Australia news live: SA swelters as heatwave warnings issued in other states; fire ants nest south of Byron Bay destroyed

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Homelessness increasing across Australia, report finds

In January every year, the Productivity Commission releases its Report on Government Services, which “monitor[s] the performance of Australian governments in the delivery of important services to the community”.

The first thing is to stay connected with the emergency messaging and understand the alerts that may and will come out as the cyclone approaches the coast.

But more importantly, use the next 48 hours to 72 hours to prepare yourself and your family for a potential cyclone crossing and flooding event after. You can do simple things like keep the fuel in your car topped up now, make sure you have enough food in your house for 72 hours, [and] make sure you have battery charging packs for your phone. Very simple things you can do.

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Cyclone Kirrily set to cause flooding in north Queensland as BoM warns of ‘widespread, severe’ impacts

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Cyclone expected to make landfall as severe category-three system as cyclonic winds, flooding rain and tides among weather forecast in Queensland

Tropical Cyclone Kirrily is considered “most likely” to make landfall as a severe category-three system, causing flooding in large north Queensland cities such as Townsville and Rockhampton.

Queensland emergency services are planning to respond to two disasters: cyclonic winds, followed by flooding rain and tides, according to authorities.

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