Steven Miles to set more ambitious emissions reduction targets on day one as Queensland premier

Leader will refocus climate debate on job creation in rural areas to remove tension between resource-rich regions and urban south-east, sources say

The incoming Queensland premier, Steven Miles, is expected to announce on Friday that the state will lift its lagging emissions reductions targets, among a number of “day one” initiatives to be unveiled by the new state leadership.

Miles will enter a caucus meeting on Friday as the only candidate for the Labor leadership vacated by the retiring premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk.

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Qantas calls cash compensation for delayed flights a ‘backwards step’ – as it happened

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Jimmy Barnes recovering after open heart surgery

Jimmy Barnes has made it through his open heart surgery and is recovering in the ICU, supported by his wife Jane.

I’m happy to let you know that our Jimmy has made it through his surgery and is now recovering in the ICU. We’re so grateful for the incredible medical team looking after him. Thank you all.

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Ex-Cyclone Jasper: warning of ‘life-threatening’ flooding as storm batters far north Queensland

More than 36,000 homes without power but BoM downgrades storm to tropical low despite warning of more rain and high winds

Far north Queenslanders faced damaging winds and life-threatening flooding after Tropical Cyclone Jasper made landfall and moved inland.

Minor flood warnings were issued for the Daintree, Tully, and Mulgrave rivers on Wednesday but the Bureau of Meteorology downgraded the storm to a tropical low.

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Tropical Cyclone Jasper live update tracker: category 2 storm hits North Qld, more than 14,000 homes lose power, BoM radar track map – latest

BoM tracker map shows forecast path of category 2 cyclone will hit north of Cairns and Port Douglas on the Queensland coast at about 1pm with heavy rain, 140km/h winds and storm surge predicted. Follow the latest Australia news and weather updates today

Ceasefire ‘can’t be one-sided’

Emergency management minister Murray Watt is also speaking to ABC RN this morning, and was asked about the PM’s joint letter with his New Zealand and Canadian counterparts urging a ceasefire.

[It] shows that we want to work with like-minded countries towards what would be a just and enduring peace. I think the whole world has been pleased to see the release of hostages and the pause in hostilities that we’ve seen over the last couple of weeks, but what we need to do is move towards a sustainable ceasefire …

I think everyone who watches this conflict unfolds on their television screens, is really disturbed about the loss of life that we’re seeing go on at the moment.

I think that’s the value that a country like Australia can play here by really taking that even-handed approach that does call out the abhorrent behaviour by Hamas, but also as a friend of Israel, calls on them to respect international humanitarian law.

We are alarmed at the diminishing safe space for civilians in Gaza. The price of defeating Hamas cannot be the continuous suffering of all Palestinian civilians.

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Cyclone Jasper intensifies to category 2 as thousands lose power in far north Queensland

BoM issues warnings as radar forecasts intense rain, destructive winds and possible flash flooding in parts of Queensland

Tropical Cyclone Jasper has intensified into a category 2 system and is producing damaging wind gusts that will increase as it continues to approach the north Queensland coast.

The cyclone, which was situated 125km off the coast of Cairns on Wednesday afternoon, has left thousands of homes without power and caused heavy rain and strong winds in the state’s far north.

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Bruce Lehrmann’s lawyers to challenge witnesses in bid to prevent Toowoomba rape case proceeding to trial

Lehrmann, 28, is accused of raping a woman twice in October 2021 but denies the allegations

Former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann’s lawyers intend to cross-examine witnesses in an attempt to prevent allegations he raped a woman in Toowoomba from proceeding to trial.

Lehrmann, 28, is accused of twice raping the woman in October 2021, and the charges have been subject to a committal process since January to determine if there are sufficient grounds for a trial.

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New Queensland Labor leadership hits pause on $2.7bn Gabba stadium rebuild

Independent body to review plans for Olympic and Paralympic games as new premier and deputy distance themselves from Palaszczuk-era policies

Queensland’s new leadership team have signalled a “pause” on the controversial $2.7bn Gabba rebuild while they reconsider their approach to the 2032 Olympics.

In a backflip announced on Tuesday, premier-to-be Steven Miles said he would establish an independent body to oversee infrastructure for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic games amid mounting criticism of the Palaszczuk government’s in-house alternative.

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With Cyclone Jasper looming over Queensland Steven Miles opts for an unfamiliar new tone

Having built a public reputation as a wisecracking political warrior, the premier designate is attempting to show he’s up to the task

At his first press conference as Queensland’s premier-in-waiting, Steven Miles came across as a man fighting his own instincts.

Miles, who built a public reputation as a wisecracking political warrior, spoke about the approaching Tropical Cyclone Jasper and his plans for government with little emotion or animation.

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Tropical Cyclone Jasper to become more severe, prompting Queensland weather warnings for 500mm rain, heavy winds

BoM expects storm to strengthen into category 2 cyclone on Tuesday before arriving near Cairns in far north Qld on Wednesday afternoon

Residents in north Queensland have been told to prepare for up to five days without power, amid warnings that the approaching tropical cyclone Jasper could dump 500mm of rain in 24 hours.

Jasper is expected to intensify on Tuesday, ahead of making landfall north of Cairns on Wednesday afternoon.

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Australia news live: ABC cancels The Drum; two feared dead in NSW plane crash

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Education review due

Education minister Jason Clare spoke to ABC News Breakfast just earlier about the much-anticipated review into Australia’s education system, released today.

You talk about entrenched disadvantage in our schools, this report tells us we’ve got one of the most segregated school systems in the OECD, not by the colour of your skin but the size of your parents’ pay packet. Children are more likely to fall behind at school if they’re from a poor family and from the bush, but if they’re at a school where a lot of people are experiencing disadvantage it’s even harder to catch up. There’s a number of things we need to do to turn that around.

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Australia news live: Shannon Fentiman announces tilt at Queensland Labor leadership

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Palaszczuk made decision ‘in the interest of the state’, Swan says

ALP national secretary Wayne Swan has spoken to ABC RN about Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s resignation announcement yesterday.

That’s always ever present for any leader at any time but I think she made the decision in the interest of the state and I think in her own interest as well.

I think people are sensibly discussing what the options are and if one candidate has a pretty clear majority then I think it would be unlikely that you’d see a battle, because it would simply be very difficult for the government over a period of time when they need to re-establish a leader in the job.

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Tropical Cyclone Jasper prompts Queensland weather warnings for wild winds, heavy rain, possible flooding

Cyclone weakened to category 1 on Sunday night but BoM says it is expected to intensify before crossing coast of far north Qld near Cairns

Residents of far north Queensland are bracing for wild weather, possible power outages, and internet and water supply disruptions with the arrival of Tropical Cyclone Jasper.

As of 4.30am on Monday, Jasper had weakened again to a category 1 system and was about 600km east of Cairns and 530km northeast of Townsville.

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Annastacia Palaszczuk’s anointed successor, Steven Miles, likely to face challenge, say Queensland Labor MPs

While deputy premier is considered the frontrunner, suggestions his two rivals may team up would make vote ‘incredibly close’

Senior Queensland Labor figures say they expect a contested ballot for the party leadership, despite attempts to rally support behind the deputy premier, Steven Miles, to avoid a messy contest to succeed Annastacia Palaszczuk.

Miles declared his intention to run for the Labor leadership on Sunday, just hours after Palaszczuk announced she would retire from politics and endorsed him as her successor.

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Steven Miles confirms run for Queensland Labor leader – as it happened

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Palaszczuk reveals she changed her mind in recent weeks

It was only a couple of months ago that Annastacia Palaszczuk insisted she would lead the Labor party to next year’s state election.

I feel refreshed, I feel energised and I’m absolutely determined to lead the party and this government to the next election. I just want to make that very clear to everybody.

In 2015 Annastacia promised good, decent government for the people of Queensland. That’s exactly what she’s delivered for the last nine years. Congratulations on your premiership. You are one of the true Qld Labor greats

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Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk retires from politics

Labor leader says state is ‘in good shape’ and ‘now is the time for me to leave’ following months of speculation about her future

The Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, has announced her retirement from politics, saying she had “given my all” and “now is the time for me to leave”.

Palaszczuk made the announcement at a press conference on Sunday following months of speculation about her future.

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Two peopQueensland police investigating alleged domestic violence stabbing murder at Kallangur

Woman found in critical condition north of Brisbane later died at scene while 32-year-old man died in hospital following injuries sustained in nearby house fire

Police say they are investigating the alleged domestic violence killing of a Brisbane woman who was stabbed and later collapsed in front of a neighbour’s home.

About 7pm, emergency services were called to a street in Kallangur, north of Brisbane, where the woman – understood to be a New Zealand national and a mother of young children – was found in a critical condition. She died at the scene soon afterwards.

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Heatwave, fire, flood and cyclone: Sydney temperatures peak at 43C amid wild weather across Australia

As NSW sweltered in heatwave conditions, Cyclone Jasper bore down on Queensland and Adelaide expected close to 50mm of rain

Temperatures in New South Wales soared above 43C on Saturday and bushfires burned across the state, as Cyclone Jasper loomed off the coast of Queensland.

The temperature at Sydney airport and Badgerys Creek reached 43C at 1pm, while the mercury at Sydney Olympic Park peaked at 42.5C at 3pm and Penrith was sitting on 42.9C at 4pm.

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Sydney bakes in 43C temperatures and heatwave conditions; southerly change expected from 6pm – as it happened

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‘Climate change a threat to people’s health as well as to our environment,’ Albanese says amid heatwave

Speaking at a press conference in Sydney, prime minister Anthony Albanese said the current heatwave is “a reminder that there just might be something in this climate change stuff”.

We have experienced 2023 as the hottest year on record. We continue to break these records, and that’s why my government’s determined to act on climate change.

Today, with the high heat levels, I do say that it’s a time to ensure that we look after each other and stay safe.

We need to have our migration levels brought to a sustainable level and we will be releasing details of that this week.

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Mother of four-year-old boy found dead in Queensland pool charged with murder

Tarrin-Macen O’Sullivan’s mother charged with murder more than two years after son found dead in back yard pool in Munbura near Mackay

The mother of a four-year-old boy found dead in a back yard pool in regional Queensland has been charged with murder.

Tarrin-Macen O’Sullivan was discovered after emergency services responded to a call about a child drowning in August 2021.

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Young man dies five days after ‘tragic accident’ left him buried in sand on Queensland island

Man, 23, succumbs to injuries and dies after falling into hole and becoming trapped in sand on Bribie Island north of Brisbane

A man who was buried in sand on a Queensland island has died from his injuries.

The 23-year-old was airlifted to hospital after he fell into a large hole and became trapped in the sand on Bribie Island, north of Brisbane, on Saturday.

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