Lorne Benussi says he found the pair 55km from North West Island, from where they had drifted out to sea
A Queensland man who rescued a couple who say they spent three days adrift at sea has told the extraordinary tale of their survival.
Lorne Benussi said he had just fallen asleep on Monday night when he heard screams for help outside his boat.
Continue reading...Trent Wayne Lawson, 38, pleaded guilty to common assault, wilful damage, stealing and torture for 2021 attack and can apply for parole
A Queensland man has been sentenced for the “reprehensible” assault and torture of a woman for at least two hours while he held her captive in a hotel room.
Trent Wayne Lawson, 38, faced Brisbane district court on Tuesday for sentencing after pleading guilty to common assault, wilful damage, stealing and torture.
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More than 80% of council areas declared disasters in the past four years, Watt says
Murray Watt was hesitant to attribute the individual disaster in the Kimberley to climate change, unlike his colleague Chris Bowen. But he said the overall pattern of increasing disasters was “undoubtedly climate change”:
I don’t think that you can point to one particular event and say it’s due to climate change, but there is no doubt that we are seeing before our eyes is climate change happening. We know from all the scientists that we’re going to be facing more of these intense events more frequently.
I was actually advised yesterday by our agency that just in the last 12 months we’ve seen 316 of Australia’s 537 council areas disaster-declared: that’s about 60% of the council areas in the country. And if you go back four years to the black summer, 438 council areas in Australia have been disaster-declared, which is over 80%.
A lot of people aren’t aware but the wet season in northern Western Australia … generally doesn’t begin until later this month. So their wettest months actually tend to be February and March rather than starting as early as January. So to have this amount of water come through the system this early in the wet season is a concern.
Continue reading...Call for closures from water safety researchers comes as police search for woman missing in far north Queensland waterway
Experts have called for popular tropical attractions to be closed when waterways reach dangerous conditions, after an incident at waterhole in far north Queensland.
The search for a 54-year-old woman, who was swept away in distress at Mossman Gorge, 68km north-west of Cairns, entered its fourth day on Monday, with police divers scouring the water for the missing tourist. She was last seen in the water on Friday.
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Continue reading...Federal opposition leader wants Labor to legislate its preferred model before referendum is held this year. This blog is now closed
‘I’m genuinely interested in advancing the cause of reconciliation’
Peter Dutton is asked about whether the prime minister has been given a copy of his letter – Anthony Albanese has said he has not received it – and Dutton says a copy has been provided to the prime minister’s office and he expects “he will respond in due course”.
I don’t think that’s unreasonable. Certainly not racist. It’s not being opposed to reconciliation. It’s all about, frankly, just being informed about what it is they’re being asked to vote on. I don’t think that is unreasonable to ask the prime minister to provide that.
I’ve met with the prime minister and I’m grateful for the meetings that we’ve had and he knows that I’m genuinely interested in advancing the cause of reconciliation.
I’m speaking of millions of Australians, we’re asking you the reasonable questions.
Continue reading...‘I did not kill the woman,’ suspect says outside Delhi hearing, adding that he wants to reveal all to a court in Australia
The man accused of murdering 24-year-old Toyah Cordingley on a Queensland beach four years ago has told an Indian court he wants to return to Australia as soon as possible to face trial.
Rajwinder Singh, 38, swore in a “willingness statement” submitted to a Delhi court magistrate that he wished to formally waive his right to challenge extradition.
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Continue reading...Australian Transport Safety Bureau says anticipated date for completing its investigation is between July and September 2024
The Glenmore Park community in western Sydney has attended a Catholic mass to pray for the survival of Nicholas Tadros, 10, who is on life support after the fatal Gold Coast helicopter crash.
An estimated 200 family and friends attended the mass at St Padre Pio church, where Nicholas received his first holy communion. Nicholas’s mother, Vanessa Tadros, 36, was killed when the two Sea World helicopters crashed into one another on Monday afternoon.
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Continue reading...Remains of Todd Mooney and daughter Kirra found after shed fire at Biggenden on 20 December
A woman has been charged with murder over the deaths of a Queensland father and his 10-year-old daughter five days before Christmas.
The remains of Todd Mooney, 54, and his 10-year-old daughter, Kirra, were found after a shed fire at Biggenden, about 78km south-west of Bundaberg, on 20 December.
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‘Challenging night’ for WA fire crews in south-west
Earlier today, Western Australian Department of Fire and Emergency Services incident controller Peter Thomas said it had been a “challenging night” for fire crews in the south-west, as bushfires threaten the region.
So our volunteers from the Donnybrook area across the south-west [who have] come to deal with this incident.
We’ve had some strong winds that have been coming consistently from the east, but been fairly strong and making it challenging for our crews.
When we allow sportspeople from Russia to participate in the Australian Open, we do exactly what Putin wants.
It doesn’t matter what flag Russian Federation players compete under. It has Ukrainian blood on it.
Continue reading...The Victorian capital is still on track to outpace Sydney as the biggest city in Australia but Covid lockdowns slowed that growth
Melbourne’s population growth turned negative during the pandemic as people fled prolonged Covid lockdowns, while Queensland welcomed a steady stream of people moving from other states, new population data shows.
The data from the Centre for Population showed Melbourne’s rate of population growth dropped from 1.8% in 2018-19 to -1.6% in 2020-21. Both international and interstate migration to Victoria fell, with annual population growth going backwards at -0.9%.
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Continue reading...Neil Hansford says operators around Australia face pressures after a fall in patronage during pandemic
Investigators will likely examine the number of helicopter joyrides operating at Sea World after a mid-air collision killed four people, an expert says.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is investigating the cause of the crash which occurred when one helicopter was landing and the other had taken off at the Gold Coast theme park on Monday afternoon.
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Continue reading...Mid-air collision near Sea World on the Gold Coast also left three people critically injured
Two British people were among four killed after two helicopters collided in mid-air near a marine theme park on Australia’s Gold Coast, it has been confirmed.
A UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of two British nationals who died in Australia and are in contact with the local authorities.”
Continue reading...Opposition calls on government to explain decision to implement restrictions on travellers arriving from China. This blog is now closed
China travel situation the ‘first test of the Albanese government’, Liberal MP says
The shadow assistant minister for mental health, Melissa McIntosh, is among those from the Coalition criticising Labor’s decision not to follow health advice on imposing conditions on travel from China.
The Coalition always supports the best interests of Australians and the safety of Australians ... Now I think this is really the first test of the Albanese government when it comes to pandemic management.
And it’s quite perplexing that on New Year’s Eve, the chief medical officer, Paul Kelly, sent a letter to the health minister, Mark Butler, stating he did not feel these restrictions on Chinese travellers were really required. And then a day later, the health minister has gone against the health advice, of the chief medical officer of this country, and imposed those restrictions. I think Australians very much deserve answers when it comes to the government’s decision, why did the government go against the chief medical officer’s advice and what’s the plan now they’ve implemented these restrictions?
One of the reasons why Australia got through the pandemic as one of the best countries in the world to do so was because we followed Australia’s medical advice. Australia’s medical advice. Not following other countries.
I think it’s really important we’re consistent in what we do as a nation ... when it comes to following the advice. And as I said, this is really a first test of the Albanese government. It’s leading people to be confused. Why would you have the chief medical officer say one thing, and the government ignore that, and do another?
Continue reading...Queensland police say one aircraft landed but ‘there are injuries in the other helicopter with emergency services working at the scene’ near Sea World
At least 13 people are being assessed by the Queensland ambulance service after two helicopters collided on the Gold Coast in a “major incident”.
Newswire AAP reported “it is believed three people have been killed and two injured”.
Continue reading...Man dies from injuries in hospital after falling from bull and then being struck by it
A novice bullrider has died from his injuries in hospital after falling from a bull at a rodeo event in southern Queensland on New Year’s Eve.
The 25-year-old New South Wales man was thrown from the animal and then struck by it at about 8pm during the novice bull ride event at the New Year’s Eve Rodeo at Warwick Showgrounds.
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Continue reading...Forensic and internal police to investigate incident where officers warned one of the motorists for driving dangerously before collision
Three family members are dead after their car collided with another that minutes earlier had been seen “driving erratically” by Queensland police.
The crash, involving a black Mercedes wagon and a silver Mercedes hatch, happened at Bonogin in the Gold Coast hinterland around 5pm on Friday.
Continue reading...Measures, including a maximum of 10 years for car theft, condemned by rights and legal reform advocates
The Queensland government has come under heavy criticism after it announced new criminal penalties that mean children could face up to 10 years in prison for car theft.
The premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, unveiled the measures on Thursday after two teenagers were charged with the murder of North Lakes woman Emma Lovell, sending out a press release headed “Tough laws made even tougher”.
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A fourth child in the space of two days has been airlifted to hospital from K’gari (Fraser Island) with suspected Irukandji jellyfish stings.
The RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter airlifted the young boy from the island after he was stung on the upper leg just after 2.30pm on Wednesday.
Continue reading...Federal and state governments have agreed to pay producers compensation for pre-existing supply contracts exceeding the cap
Anthony Albanese has rejected suggestions of a potential $450m payout to Rio Tinto and its partners for the Gladstone power plant, which could push coal price cap compensation to more than $1bn.
Albanese told Channel Seven’s Sunrise the federal government expects the cost “will be nothing like the sort of figures” reported for Gladstone although Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk later appeared to confirm the figure was possible, as a maximum.
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Continue reading...Annastacia Palaszczuk announces ‘tougher’ youth crime penalties three days after death of Queensland woman Emma Lovell
Youth crime experts have criticised the Queensland government for announcing a suite of “tough” penalties for young offenders in response to the alleged killing of a woman in her home north of Brisbane on Boxing Day, describing it as a “kneejerk reaction” that will not reduce crime.
Annastacia Palaszczuk made the announcement on Thursday, amid media calls for action in response to the death of 41-year-old Emma Lovell.
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