Slow-moving tropical cyclone forecast to strengthen before weakening slightly and heading for Queensland next week
Cyclone Jasper is gradually intensifying as it moves towards the Queensland coast.
The severe tropical cyclone is expected to strengthen further and move from category 3 to category 4 on Thursday night or during Friday, the Bureau of Meteorology said.
Continue reading...Category one cyclone, which is moving through Coral Sea, may reach the Queensland coast by next week
Australia’s first tropical cyclone of the season has officially formed and is expected to become severe from Thursday, potentially reaching the Queensland coast by next week.
Cyclone Jasper is currently a category one tempest, expected to become severe from Thursday as it tracks through the Coral Sea.
Continue reading...Cyclone formed on Tuesday afternoon and is forecast to intensify and may cross into Queensland next week
A tropical low weather system off Queensland’s coast has formed into the first cyclone of the summer.
Cyclone Jasper was located about 305km west of Honiara and 1,500km north-east of Cairns at 4pm Tuesday AEST, the Bureau of Meteorology said, describing the system as “slow moving”.
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Assistant climate change minister asked whether Australia ‘can be taken seriously’ without fossil fuel phase-out promise
The assistant minister for climate change and energy, Jenny McAllister, was also making the rounds this morning amid the Cop28 summit.
We, of course, are working towards transforming our national electricity system to incorporate 82% renewables by 2030. This is a really ambitious transformation, but one that we believe will lay the foundations for a cleaner and more affordable energy system for Australians.
If you think about what it means to take our energy system from 33% renewables to 82%, that does mean that our fossil fuel use within our own energy system at home is changing very dramatically over the course of a decade.
We know that globally, we need to see similar changes and similar investments in the new technologies to drive low emissions power, not just here in Australia, but actually, right across the world.
… or any electorate around the country where it is proven to be technologically feasible, has a social licence and it is going to get prices down.
We have to be humble enough at these conferences at Cop to say what are other countries doing? What peer countries are doing is they are saying we are looking at nuclear energy as part of the balanced mix.
We must in Australia be driven not by ideology, but by economics and engineering and learn from those countries and that includes consideration for zero emissions nuclear energy, and people may be arguing all they like, but we will be very open and transparent as we always have been.
Continue reading...Adrian Schrinner says controversial plans for Brisbane’s Gabba stadium were the final straw and accuses Palaszczuk government of ignoring stakeholders
Brisbane’s lord mayor, Adrian Schrinner, has quit the Brisbane 2032 Games delivery forum, saying the Palaszczuk government had “completely lost its way” on the road to the Olympics.
The Liberal National mayor has also withdrawn his support for a $2.7bn Gabba rebuild, insisting there must be better options than demolishing and rebuilding the inner-city venue.
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The NSW Australian Paramedics Association will take part in a 12-hour strike today, from 7am to 7pm, despite the threat of legal action.
Members will still attend emergency “lights and sirens” jobs as part of an ongoing pay dispute.
We want to assure the public that emergencies will still be attended to, with our focus intensifying on life-threatening cases.
Our decision to limit responses to non-emergency jobs enhances our capacity to manage critical cases.
Facing potential legal repercussions and a substantial fine of up to $20,000 per day, our commitment remains firm.
Continue reading...Labor announces it will commit $46m towards $137m cost of upgrading Ekka showgrounds
A proposal to upgrade Brisbane’s showgrounds with a temporary 20,000-seat stadium – to act as the city’s home of AFL and cricket while the Gabba is rebuilt – has quickly become a political football.
The Queensland government announced on Friday it would commit $46m to create the temporary stadium but requested the remaining $91m cost be shared between Brisbane city council, AFL and cricket authorities and the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland, which runs the annual Ekka show at the venue.
Continue reading...Exclusive: Union says RFDS nurses are paid up to 26% less than colleagues in the state despite their demanding work and conditions
The nurses union is asking donors to the Royal Flying Doctor Service to pressure the organisation as part of industrial action against the charity.
It is the first time it has conducted industrial action against the charity in Queensland.
Continue reading...‘The dry weather probably panicked a lot of people who flooded the markets with cattle, but now things are changing, says one breeder
Between a tangle of steel pens at the Silverdale sale yards an hour west of Brisbane, farmers and prospective buyers listened to the drone of an auctioneer as cattle bidding got under way.
Rebounding cattle and sheep prices have them feeling more optimistic after heavy rain across eastern Australian replenished parched pastures and eased fears of a severe drought driven by El Niño.
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Continue reading...Exclusive: Legislation hailed as big step towards providing fair access to terminations across state
Queensland will become Australia’s first jurisdiction to introduce a law to allow nurses and midwives to dispense pregnancy termination medication in a move expected to improve access in the state’s “huge abortion deserts”.
In August the Therapeutic Goods Administration scrapped restrictions on the prescription of medical abortion pills, known as MS-2 Step, to be used in the early stages of pregnancy. But it is up to individual jurisdictions to determine the specific healthcare practitioner and the appropriate qualifications for prescribing.
Continue reading...Flood rescues launched in NSW as Bureau of Meteorology warns of thunderstorm risk for ‘most of the east coast’ on Wednesday
Multiple people have been rescued from flood waters in New South Wales as rain falls across large parts of Australia, with thunderstorms expected along most of the east coast on Wednesday.
The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) conducted two flood rescues on Wednesday morning, rescuing two people from their car at South Nowra and another group from a home at St Georges Basin, near Jervis Bay.
Continue reading...Source of Ralstonia outbreak under investigation with 43 suspected cases across Australia
A bacterial outbreak in hospitals around the nation has been linked to more than 40 people, including an elderly patient who died in Queensland.
Australia’s medical watchdog has issued a quarantine notice for saline products which appear to be contaminated with Ralstonia – a form of bacteria normally found in soil and water.
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‘The biggest transformation in our country’s history’
Chris Bowen has been talking about Labor’s plans for reducing emissions, but he’s pressed on the fact that the government has been approving new coalmines and gas projects, which add to global emissions.
The way I see this, David, you can enter into a discussion with your international counterparts which we are doing which is us saying to them, “We will continue to be a reliable energy supplier but we want to work with you on your decarbonisation because we have advantages that you don’t have. We can provide renewable energy.” That is an important conversation to have.
Frankly the approach of others is more a slogan than a policy. We are making the biggest transformation in our country’s history and that involves both domestic policies and strong international engagements, as I will be doing over the next couple of weeks and we have been doing all the way through.
It will be treated in the budget statement of risks and liabilities in the normal fashion. But this is the right policy for the right times to ensure emissions come down and reliability goes up.
Continue reading...Authorities working to chemically eradicate three nests after ‘one of world’s worst super pests’ found in South Murwillumbah
Authorities are rushing to contain the spread of fire ants after the invasive species crossed the Queensland border into New South Wales for the first time since the infestation began in 2001.
The NSW Department of Primary Industries confirmed on Saturday that three red imported fire ant nests had been found in South Murwillumbah, 13km from the Queensland border in the state’s north-east.
Continue reading...Greens MP and Australian Festival Association say NSW force charging much more than other states to patrol equivalent events
New South Wales police have been accused of “price gouging” and operating a “rort” that threatens the viability of music festivals, by charging tens of thousands of dollars more than their counterparts in other states to patrol the events.
The Greens MP Cate Faehrmann told NSW parliament this week that a recent festival that played across three states paid $107,852 for policing for 16,000 people in NSW, but just $45,000 for 14,000 people in both Victoria and Queensland.
Continue reading...A sea of rats has been washing up dead on the beach, with others scurrying across boat ramps into garden sheds and homes
The north Queensland town of Karumba is home to saltwater crocs, brolgas and black swans – and, more recently – hundreds of swimming rats.
A sea of rodents has been washing up dead on the beach in recent days, with others scurrying across the boat ramps into garden sheds and homes.
Continue reading...Many believe Gold Coast councillor Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden will contest election despite being charged with stepfather’s murder
Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden’s Facebook page looks like any other local councillor’s would four months out from an election.
At a Gold Coast community centre, he’s pictured preparing food for the homeless. And if he’s not planting trees in the Arundel Wetlands, he’s out attending community events like Diwali, or posting updates about a new toilet block or development application.
Continue reading...Council becomes sixth in Queensland to oppose development of new wells after farmer concerns about sinking soil and water contamination
The largest council in Queensland’s Darling Downs region has called on the state government to put a moratorium on new coal seam gas projects, after local farmers raised concerns about subsidence.
The Toowoomba regional council on Tuesday unanimously passed the motion that requested a temporary prohibition, after discussing a submission to the state government’s proposed amendments to the Regional Planning Interests Act.
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Continue reading...The Mudgeeraba Bushman became a global star for taking six wickets in an over, but the world will have to wait to find out if he can extend his run
When a local sports reporter told Gold Coast cricketer Gareth Morgan he was going to write “a bit of an article” for the back page about Morgan’s six wickets in an over the day before, the 44-year-old was surprised.
“I said to him: that’s a little bit over the top for third grade cricket don’t you think?” Morgan recalls.
Continue reading...Organisers of Sydney pro-Palestine rallies say they have been attended by 30,000 people, as thousands gather in cities around the country. Follow today’s news updates live
Julian Assange’s father to address pro-Palestinian rally in Melbourne
A pro-Palestine rally will be addressed by the father of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, with organisers confident a large crowd is set to attend.
The Australian public are disgusted at the Albanese government’s refusal to call for ceasefire.
We’ve had people come who have never before been to a rally and the following week they return with their relatives and friends.
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