What we learned today – Thursday 25 January
With that, we will wrap the blog for the night. If you’re in the in norther Queensland, stay safe out there.
We’ll be back first thing in the morning, bright and early from 6am to bring you updates.
Until then, it’s been a big news day – here were the biggest headlines:
Tropical Cyclone Kirrily has been updated to a category three system. It is expected to cross the coast north of Townsville later this evening, bringing severe winds and possible flash flooding.
The prime minister addressed the National Press Club today, plugging his reforms to the stage-three tax cuts. Anthony Albanese said at the heart of what his government is seeking to achieve is “economic security” so that Australians can “make a good life for yourself and your family”.
Peter Dutton accused the PM of lying to the public over the tax cuts, saying Albanese’s leadership was “terminal” and urged him to call an early election to put the proposed changes to the public. Nationals leader David Littleproud said the Albanese’s measures “do nothing” to deal with cost-of-living pressures.
Greens leader Adam Bandt said the government should go further in its changes to the tax cuts and do more for lower income earners, indicating Labor won’t necessarily have smooth sailing with its plan.
A community legal centre has filed a class action against the Victorian government over the state’s housing statement, fated to demolish the homes of about 10,000 public housing residents.
And a 10-year-old Australian girl has died while on a family holiday in New Zealand.
Updated
Cyclone Kirrily – a wrap of today's updates and warnings
There have been a lot of updates on Tropical Cyclone Kirrily today, so let’s break down where we’re at.
The cyclone has been upgraded to a category three system and is expected to bring severe and sustained winds.
It is expected to cross the coast about 10pm tonight near Townsville and weaken on Friday as it moves inland.
The warning zone covers Innisfail to Sarina, including Townsville, Mackay, Bowen, the Whitsunday Islands Charters Towers. Residents are being urged to prepare and find a safe place to shelter.
The cyclone is expected to bring severe storms and possible flash flooding to affected areas, including a storm tide between Townsville and Mackay.
If it remains a category three, wind gusts are expected to peak at about 170 km/h near the centre as the cyclone crosses the coast tonight.
It is now moving west southwest at 25 km/h. Emergency alerts have been issued with destructive winds likely from 7pm local time. Residents of Townsville and surrounds have been urged to take shelter now.
Updated
If you’re a hardworking journalist like me you won’t be getting a public holiday tomorrow, but if you are, our lovely reporter Rafqa Touma has collated a guide to protest marches and events on 26 January.
In southern Sydney, things have just kicked off, with a Sunset cultural ceremony presented by elders at Burnum Burnum sanctuary in Woronora.
An emergency alert has been issued for Townsville in Queensland, after an alert issued for Bowen.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES):
An emergency alert has been issued for Townsville from the Townsville Disaster Management Group.
Destructive to very destructive winds are likely from 7pm today, residents are advised to take shelter now.
Updated
Meanwhile, Sussan Ley’s media team has discovered photoshop and created a part Albanese, part tree creature – with the body of a man, and the limb of a tree.
It’s a lot to process.
There is a Liar in the Lodge!
— Sussan Ley (@sussanley) January 25, 2024
Aussies have been working for 4 years with the expectation that their tax relief would be rolled out. Labor said 'Trust us. Trust us.'
If this PM can look your neighbour in the eye and lie to them, you are next. Labor cannot be trusted. pic.twitter.com/AbexnDN0ay
Cyclone Kirrily could bring wind gusts of 170km/h as it crosses coast: BoM
Severe Tropical Cyclone Kirrily is expected to hit the coast near Townsville in a matter of hours, according to the Bureau of Meteorology’s latest update.
In a fresh update, the BoM said gales were now occurring over the Whitsunday Islands and were beginning in some mainland locations.
The warning zone includes Innisfail to Sarina, including Townsville, Mackay, Bowen, the Whitsunday Islands, and extending inland to Charters Towers.
Sustained winds near the centre are moving at 120 km/h, with wind gusts to 165 km/h.
It is now estimated to be 85km north-east of Townsville and 32 km north-west of Mackay, moving at 25km/h.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Kirrily is expected to track west southwest towards the Queensland coast. Kirrily will cross the Queensland coast tonight, in the vicinity of Townsville, as a Category 3 system, then weaken on Friday as it moves inland.
From Friday, the system is likely to track further inland as a tropical low, resulting in heavy to intense rain and possible damaging winds to parts of the northern interior and western Queensland.
VERY DESTRUCTIVE WIND GUSTS to 170 km/h may occur near the centre as Kirrily crosses the coast tonight.
Updated
Most Newcastle port protesters spared convictions as magistrate cites ‘desire to better the world’
Thirty Rising Tide protesters who were part of the 32-hour blockade of a Newcastle port last November have received no conviction after facing the local court today.
In total, 36 of the 109 protesters arrested appeared in court, with two receiving a conviction but no further penalty and one man pleading not guilty with his case to be heard in February.
Three women received convictions and fines of $200 to $400 due to other recent protest charges.
Magistrate John Chicken characterised the defendants, aged between 24 and 71, as being of “muscular good character” due to their strong records of community service.
There’s no doubt that the people involved in this protest were all doing so out of a genuine desire to better the world. There is not one person here who has been charged with this offence who did so out of an act of selfishness.
Zack Schofield, a 24-year-old law student from Newcastle who pleaded guilty, said in his personal statement he had spent half his life campaigning for a safe climate.
I understand the court today has the challenge and the privilege of balancing a consideration of law and public safety with the democratic right to protest peacefully for a better world – even to the inconvenience of the powerful.
While continued political support for the extraction of fossil fuels at the expense of the climate provokes feelings of betrayal and desperation in me, my motivation in undertaking this action was democratic, not desperate.
Updated
Cyclone alert issued for destructive winds in Bowen region
An emergency alert for the Bowen region has been issued by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QldFES) ahead of Tropical Cyclone Kirrily.
The Whitsunday Region will be affected by Severe Tropical Cyclone Kirrily, very destructive winds are likely from this evening. Residents are advised to warn others, stay off roads and take shelter now.
EMERGENCY ALERT for BOWEN and surrounding areas as at 4.30pm Thu 25 Jan
— Qld Fire & Emergency (@QldFES) January 25, 2024
An Emergency Alert (Emergency Warning) has been issued for Bowen and surrounding areas from the Whitsunday Disaster Management Group.
The Whitsunday Region will be affected by Severe Tropical Cyclone…
We are still waiting for a new update from the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM).
Updated
Police provide more details on people who drowned at Phillip Island
Victorian police have provided further details on the four people who died after being pulled from the water at an unpatrolled beach on Victoria’s Phillip Island.
The victims are a 20-year-old female student from Clyde, a 23-year-old man from Clyde, a 43-year-old woman who was travelling from India and a fourth woman, also a 20-year-old student from Clyde, who was flown to hospital in a critical condition where she later died.
Police will continue to investigate the incident and prepare a report for the coroner.
Updated
‘It’s been a long time since we’ve had a cyclone cross so close’
The local radio station in the Burdekin region in north Queensland is running 24/7 with volunteers, the mayor says, to keep people updated, particularly those who live alone.
McLaughlin urges people to prepare and keep themselves safe during the storm.
You need to look after yourself, once the wind gets to 80 km/h the emergency services lock down … lots of the businesses have all closed down by lunchtime today and people are prepared.
We’ve had some brushes, but it’s been a long time since we’ve had a cyclone cross so close.
It’s a little bit more eerie about what’s going to happen because it’s such a different system to what’s normally experienced.
Updated
Mayor says Ayr community is ‘ready’ and well prepared for cyclone
Burdekin Shire mayor Lyn McLaughlin is on ABC News ahead of Cyclone Kirrily’s arrival.
She says her community of Ayr is now experiencing wind gusts of 50 km/h.
The community is ready … they’re very resilient, they’ve prepared well … grocery shops have all been organised, people have been getting their disaster kits ready and there’s been lots of talk about this event for over a week.
No one’s got any excuse not to be prepared.
McLaughlin says most concern is around intense rainfall that localised drain systems will struggle with.
We are the capital of sugar cane in Australia and we have very large crops. We did hear this week the farmers were watering their cane so when the wind does come, it’ll lay over and not snap off.
Updated
This is what Cyclone Kirrily is looking like as it approaches Townsville. Communities are bracing for flash flooding, with heavy rainfall approaching this afternoon.
Cyclone Kirrily has strengthened to Category 3 as it approaches Townsville. Wind gust warnings up to 170km/hr.https://t.co/Ifqv84VAic pic.twitter.com/CAbu5fDOEO
— Terry Hughes (@ProfTerryHughes) January 25, 2024
In the latest update, the Bureau of Meteorology confirmed gales were currenty hitting the Whitsunday Islands, to extend to the mainland later this afternoon or evening.
The cyclone is now moving west-south-west at 24 km/h – a 2 km/h increase on the previous update.
Updated
WA power outages nearly resolved – a week on – after major repair works
Over in Western Australia, Western Power has provided an update on ongoing power outages that have sit the state since storms and fires.
Nearly a week on, 80 customers remain without power in the Wheatbelt, with restoration expected later today.
Western Power says:
We understand the frustration and inconvenience extended power outages cause and are contacting those customers who remain affected.
Work has involved the inspection of about 40,000 assets, the repair and replacement of more than 300 poles, more than 80 transformers, and around 21kms of conductor across the network.
Updated
Sydney prepares for heatwave as Queensland town breaks temperature record
The big heatwave roasting much of inland eastern Australia sent the mercury to 49.4C in Birdsville a little while ago.
That town had clocked up maximums of 47.2C and 47.9C on the two previous days but Thursday’s top was enough to set a record for any month of the year at that site.
Meanwhile, Birdsville in southwest Queensland broke its record max temp, hitting 49.4C today. (Source: @bom_au) pic.twitter.com/zrxAlhe4Ph
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) January 25, 2024
That particular site has records going back only to 2000, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. Wouldn’t be surprising to see other record peaks melting in this heat.
The warmth, meanwhile, has settled in over Sydney, and we’re starting to see electricity demand in New South Wales start to rise more than forecast, according to the Australian Energy Market Operator.
Power demand in NSW is presently forecast to peak later today at 11,243MW later today. Lately, though, demand has perked up a bit higher than forecast. (@AEMO_Energy ) pic.twitter.com/Q1o2tLS2Aw
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) January 25, 2024
Sydney’s top peaked at 32.1C, shy of the 34C forecast, but high humidity has made it feel a bit warmer.
The weather bureau, meanwhile, has lifted its forecast for Sydney to 38C on Friday, with a few places in the west and south-west looking at 40C. It’s probably fortunate that tomorrow is a holiday, keeping electricity demand a little lower than it might have been on a normal weekday.
Updated
Seventh man charged in shooting of drug kingpin Alen Moradian
An alleged getaway driver has been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of drug kingpin Alen Moradian last year.
The key figure in Australia’s cocaine trade was shot dead in his car in an underground car park in Sydney’s eastern suburbs in June, with police treating the killing as an organised crime hit.
Three crime scenes were subsequently established and forensically examined, with six men previously charged and remaining before the courts.
After inquiries, NSW police said at about 11am today detectives attended Newcastle police station where they arrested a 21-year-old man and charged him with murder and participating in a criminal group.
He was remanded in custody to appear before Newcastle local court today.
Detective acting superintendent Virginia Gorman alleged the man was a “key player” in Moridian’s alleged murder.
Updated
Queenslanders urged to get ready as Tropical Cyclone Kirrily approaches
The BoM has urged people between Ingham and Bowen, including Townsville, to get ready and be prepared to take shelter as Tropical Cyclone Kirrily approaches.
People between Innisfail and Ingham and between Bowen and Sarina, including Bowen, Mackay, and the Whitsunday Islands, should immediately commence or continue preparations, especially securing boats and property using available daylight hours.
People in inland areas to Charters Towers should take precautions and listen to the next advice.
Heavy rainfall and possible flash flooding is expected around coastal and nearby inland areas between Tully and BOwen this afternoon, before spreading further inland into Friday.
INTENSE RAINFALL which may lead to DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING FLASH FLOODING is possible near the track of the system. A flood watch is also current for these areas.
As the system approaches and crosses the coast, a STORM TIDE is expected between Townsville and Mackay. Large waves may produce minor flooding along the foreshore.
Updated
Tropical Cyclone Kirrily upgraded to category three system
Tropical Cyclone Kirrily has just been updated to a category three system. It is still expected to land north of Townsville later this evening.
A category three is considered a “severe tropical cyclone”.
Communities within the zone are at risk of heavy rainfall which could leave to flash flooding.
In its latest update, the Bureau of Meteorology said sustained winds near the centre of the cyclone would hit 120 km/h, with wind gusts of up to 165 km/h.
The cyclone is now estimated to be 155km east-north-east of Townsville and 320km north-north-west of Mackay. It’s moving at 22km/h.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Kirrily is expected to track west southwest towards the Queensland coast. Kirrily will cross the Queensland coast tonight, in the vicinity of Townsville, as a Category 3 system then weaken on Friday as it moves inland.
From Friday, Kirrily is likely to track further inland as a tropical low, resulting in heavy to intense rain to parts of the northern interior and western Queensland.
Updated
Just to wind back, Dutton mentioned “Dunkley” in his address eight times.
Someone’s got a byelection on the brain!
Updated
Dutton says Woolworths too focused on ‘culture wars’ and not prices
Finally, to supermarkets.
Dutton is asked about the federal government’s announcement today of an ACCC inquiry into supermarket prices, which comes after the Queensland prmier launched an investigation into supermarkets last week.
He says there is merit in getting a “better understanding” into why “companies like Woolworths are more focused on the culture wars than they are in bringing down prices”.
I think the CEO of Woolworths should be invested more on prices so that consumers can benefit from it rather than a war on Australia Day or days of national significance in this country. I think that much is very clear.
I would love to know if someone asked him whether he supports the ongoing vandalising of Woolworth stores, but unfortunately, that’s all we got.
Updated
Dutton on Labor: ‘They don’t know how to manage the economy’
Dutton is asked about wage rises Albanese announced when he came into office which came with speculation of added inflation.
Q: “Do you think that could happen again as we see whether inflation stabilises over a period of time, because, as you say, they are wanting to rush it through?”
It allows Dutton to repeat the line “it was always going to be harder under Labor”.
We predicted that before the election. They don’t know how to manage the economy or the budget. They don’t know how to put in place structural reforms of the taxation system that provides incentive.
They are preoccupied with the voice and now the ports and what we’re seeing with the CFMEU. Their objective is to the unions, not the workers.
Updated
Q: $15 is better than nothing, though, right?
Dutton says “of course”, which the Coalition demonstrated, he says, when it was in government.
So does he support them? Well, not quite …
There are more questions than answers out of the prime minister today and we want to see all of that detail and understand whether he is lying or telling the truth because now … you can’t believe a word that he says.
I want to understand from Treasury whether it is inflationary because if it is, as many independent economists are pointing out, his announcement today will [lead] to high interest rates or at the very least, interest rates remaining higher for longer for families who are struggling.
Updated
Dutton: ‘Stage three was also about providing support to people with aspirations’
A reporter asks Dutton what is wrong with giving low income earners a bigger tax cut, given the cost-of-living crisis?
Dutton says “the Liberal party is the party of lower taxes”.
We have dragged the Labor party kicking and screaming to support stage one and stage two. They were targeted at people on lower and middle incomes and stage three was also about providing support to people with aspirations as well … where they are paying more for their mortgage under this Labor government.
Of course we support Australians and we support those who work hard so that they can keep more of their money.
I think you’ve got to look past the rhetoric and the lies and the reality of people’s lives: $15 a week is not going to cut it for families who continue to pay more and more for their energy bills under Labor.
Updated
Albanese has ‘destroyed his leadership’, Dutton says
Now to questions. Dutton is asked about “dangers of inflation” and within a month of it “seemingly being stabilised” the changes have been announced.
Q: “Jim Chalmers is quoting what he described as the independent Reserve Bank saying that the inflationary impacts will be minimal. This is different to the RBA’s predecessor, Philip Lowe. Which should the public believe?
Dutton says the prime minister’s presentation today was “a ramble”.
The prime minister confirmed today if economic circumstances change, so will his position in relation to these tax cuts. So I don’t think the people of Dunkley or Australians have any assurance that if they vote for the Labor party on March 2 … that these tax cuts promised today would survive the election.
He says the representation of Treasury and the reserve bank is “not accurate” and “not complete”.
That is why we’ve got 1,000 questions to ask. There are more questions out of the prime ministers speech than answers.
I think he has destroyed his leadership and I think the Australian public at the moment are really despairing about who really is the true Anthony Albanese because at the moment, we are seeing a political charlatan who is prepared to do or say anything and all.
He is not a truthful person.
Updated
Dutton demands Albanese 'call an election' to put tax changes to voters
Finally, Dutton says Albanese’s leadership is “terminal” and urges him to call an early election to put the proposed tax cut changes to the public.
I think you should call an election and put the changed position to the Australian people and let them be a judge of his character, whether he is fit to be prime minister of this country.
And I say to the people of Dunkley and the broader Australian people, if this prime minister can look your neighbour in the eye and lie to them, you are next. The prime minister has a huge credibility problem, he has trashed his reputation for political gain.
Updated
Dutton says Labor’s tax changes politically motivated as Dunkley byelection looms
Dutton turns to the upcoming Dunkley byelection in Victoria.
He says “people cannot work out” why there was a delay in announcing the byelection, to occur on 2 March.
It was obviously done so the prime minister could get a couple of sitting weeks before people go to the polls.
I think the prime minister looked at the polling as I have in relation to Dunkley and I think he is quite shocked by what he found.
Dutton says the changes to the stage-three tax cuts were politically motivated, that he has “recognised there are people on low and middle incomes in Dunkley” which is “front and centre to try to win political opportunity”.
The prime minister has got five or six months for the legislation to be passed but instead he wants to ram the bill through the parliament before March 2, the Dunkley byelection, because he wants to try to wedge the Coalition.
I think the prime minister is in all sorts of trouble. I think he is panicked, I think is worried about his own position as leader within the Labor party.
Updated
Dutton says Albanese 'owes an apology to the Australian public' over tax cuts
Dutton says Australians expect an “honourable” approach to the way he engages with the public, and calls on the PM to apologise to the Australian people.
Someone who is straightforward, honest with them, people who voted for the Labor party believed they were getting get good tax cuts to help with cost-of-living pressures and as it turns out that is not the case.
Reminder – more people are getting a tax cut under this measure.
The prime minister has knowingly and willingly lied to the Australian people … those aspirational young Australians, people working hard now for their retirement to provide support to their kids, their families will be hit hardest by the Albanese government slide and I think the prime minister owes an apology to the Australian public but has not given it.
The prime minister has had 18 months to try and put in place changes within the tax system or support around energy payment … he did not do that’s because you’re distracted for 12 months by the voice and the $450m.
Updated
Dutton says Albanese was ‘preoccupied’ with voice as Australians struggled with cost of living
Dutton points to the prime minister’s comments about listening to Australians over the course of Christmas, which brought him to the stage three tax cuts reform.
He blames Anthony Albanese’s “preoccupation” with the voice for supposedly not addressing the cost of living crisis.
The reality is, if the prime minister had not been preoccupied over the course of the last 18 months, he would have been out as we have, been out [in] every state and territory right across the country, talking to Australians, to families and small businesses – they had a consistent message and that is they have been finding it very difficult to balance the budget.
They cannot manage the cost-of-living pressures under the Albanese government, they cannot afford the extra $24,000 a year they are paying on their mortgage. People have been saying that to the prime minister for 18 months and the prime minister has done nothing about it … instead [he] spent $450m on the voice, he was distracted by every other issue, he has not put in place measures which have helped Australians, but he has made decisions which have hurt Australians.
Updated
Dutton speaks on tax cut changes after Albanese speech
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, is speaking now following the prime minister’s press club address.
First, he mentions people in north Queensland grappling with an oncoming cyclone.
We will support the government in whatever should they decide to give support.
Our thoughts and prayers are with those people in north Queensland at the moment. We’ll see how that plays out over the next couple of days.
Updated
Pet dog covered in soot and foam emerges from NSW home after fire
Good news story alert!
This sweet little angel pie (foam-covered dog) has been rescued alive from house fire ruins in Singleton.
SINGLETON | Diamond in the rough - firefighters stunned as foam-covered dog trots out of house fire ruins. Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews, extinguishing a house fire today at Singleton, in the Hunter Valley, have been stunned to see a pet dog... https://t.co/liEuFrgnA4
— Fire and Rescue NSW (@FRNSW) January 25, 2024
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews were “stunned” to see the pet dog emerge from the wreckage in the Hunter Valley, covered in fire-fighting foam.
The fire broke out just after 6.30, this morning causing a female resident to cry out for help. She fled the house and was treated for smoke inhalation as crews battled the blaze.
With the house consumed by flames, firefighters set up a defensive perimeter to protect neighbouring homes and gained control of the fire after an hour.
Fire crews were dousing hot spots, when suddenly the woman’s pet Chihuahua, named Black Diamond, emerged from the ruins.
Covered in soot, Black Diamond was otherwise unscathed.
In his anguish, however, he did bite a firefighter on the thumb when she tried to approach him. The firefighter was treated in hospital for a minor wound, and lived to see another day.
Updated
Victorian government responds to class action over public housing towers
Earlier we reported on a class action launched against the Victorian government over the planned demolition of public housing towers.
A spokesperson for the state government said the redevelopment of Melbourne’s public high rise towers was “the largest urban renewal project in Australia’s history”.
A project that will benefit Victorians for decades to come and increase social housing across the redevelopment program by at least 10%.
The towers fail against noise, sustainability, waste and recycling, bedroom area dimensions, room depth, ventilation, private open space, accessibility and minimum amenity standards.
The spokesperson said critical capital repairs and maintenance to the 44 towers would cost an estimated $2.3bn over the next 20 years, while redevelopment would allow households to move into new homes that met modern building standards.
They said 97% of households from the three sites first scheduled for demolition – in Flemington, North Melbourne and Carlton – had discussed their needs and options with government teams.
As this matter is before the courts, it would be inappropriate to comment further.
Updated
Tax changes 'do nothing' to address cost of living: David Littleproud
Meanwhile, the Nationals are not happy chappys – and not because they want higher taxation to fund hospitals and schools!
Instead, the Nats leader David Littleproud says the prime minister’s proposed changes “do nothing” to deal with cost-of-living pressures (despite the fact the Coalition’s original stage-three cuts primarily benefited high income earners on more than $200,000 a year).
The prime minister has chosen the Labor party’s selfish short-term political interests over the last phase of sensible tax reform that would correct tax bracket creep for families now and into the future.
No one can trust the prime minister when he has broken another central election promise to all Australian families.
Real leadership wouldn’t destroy needed tax reform for short-term political gain.
Interestingly, Australia Institute research released today found twice as many Australians valued good economic management over sticking to election promises, regardless of how economic circumstances had changed.
Updated
Oxfam welcomes tax changes but says more reforms needed to tackle inequality
Oxfam Australia has responded to the federal government’s proposed amendments to the stage-three tax cuts, welcoming the “positive measures” to address the cost of living.
Its interim director of programs, Rod Goodbun, said the adjustments were a “noticeable improvement” on the Coalition’s proposal, while calling for broader tax reform to tackle ongoing inequity.
Without these amendments, the stage three tax cuts were set to supercharge inequality, further lining the pockets of Australia’s wealthiest with another $9,075 they did not need while offering nothing to those on the lowest incomes bearing the brunt of a cost-of-living crisis.
While we acknowledge that the re-imagined stage three tax cuts will provide a much-needed tax break to those who are struggling to keep a roof over their heads … we maintain that this is a missed opportunity for a more comprehensive tax system reform that would provide the government with revenue to turn the tide on growing inequality and poverty in Australia and beyond.
Updated
Thanks so much to the gorge Emily Wind. I’ll be with you until stumps.
Many thanks for joining me on the blog today. It’s certainly been a big one – with plenty more still to come. You’ll have the lovely Caitlin Cassidy here to see you through the remainder of the day.
And for those in Queensland preparing for the cyclone later tonight, please take care x
Updated
Let’s check back in on the movement of Tropical Cyclone Kirrily
As we reported earlier, residents in the impact zone were warned of severe winds from 2pm (local time) onwards – which is in just a few minutes time.
In Townsville – which is in the direct line of impact for Kirrily’s coastal crossing tonight – wind gusts are currently at 43km/h. It reached a peak of 57km/h earlier today.
According to Ergon Energy there are still 455 people without power in the Whitsundays due to damage, while 990 people across all of regional Queensland are without power due to unplanned outages.
The Bureau of Meteorology is due to publish its next cyclone update very shortly – we’ll keep you posted.
Updated
Australian girl, 10, dies after falling in creek on family holiday in New Zealand
A 10-year-old Australian girl has died while on a family holiday in New Zealand.
RNZ reports that emergency services were called to fast-flowing Marian Creek in the Fiordland national park about 11.40am (local time) after reports the girl had fallen in.
She was found and taken out of the water a short time later, police said. CPR was performed but she could not be revived.
Southland area commander inspector Mike Bowman said:
This has been a traumatic event for those involved and police are providing whānau with support.
We would like to extend our sincere condolences to them.
Police would like to thank all those involved, in particular the members of the public who assisted in locating and providing assistance to the young girl.
Updated
One person sustained minor injuries in Sydney harbour seaplane crash, police say
NSW police have provided more information on the seaplane crash in Sydney Harbour earlier today.
Emergency services were called to Shark Island after 11.45am after reports a sea plane had crashed into the water.
Police have been told one of the pontoons had sustained damage and fell off, resulting in the crash.
One of the eight occupants had minor injuries and was treated at the scene by paramedics.
Police said that officers are investigating the incident.
Updated
Bandt signals Greens will ‘fight for fairness’ in Senate on stage-three cuts
The Greens leader, Adam Bandt, says the government should go further in its changes to the stage-three tax cuts and do more for lower income earners, indicating Labor won’t necessarily have smooth sailing with its plans to shake up the legislated cuts.
Labor will require the support of the Greens in the Senate to reform the Morrison-era tax cuts, which are enshrined in law. Speaking in Melbourne, Bandt said the Greens would “keep up the pressure to fight for more for low and middle income earners” – signalling that the minor party would try to eke out more support from the government in exchange for its vote.
Many people are still being left behind and meanwhile Labor is giving politicians and billionaires a $4500 a year tax cut, three times as much as thre average wage earner.
He said the Greens would “fight for fairness” in the parliament as the tax changes go through – “because for many people, this won’t be enough to deal with soaring rents and mortgages”.
Bandt noted that higher wage earners would get larger tax cuts than average workers (because, of course, higher wage earners pay higher taxes to begin with).
Why is Labor expecting people to be happy with an additional $15 a week when rents have gone up by about $100 under Labor’s housing and rental crisis?
The government has hinted at more cost of living relief ahead of the May budget, with many Labor MPs expecting more announcements to come after the tax cut changes have been given time to marinate in the public consciousness.
Updated
Class action against Victorian government over planned demolition of housing towers
A community legal centre has filed a class action against the Victorian government over the state’s housing statement, fated to demolish the homes of about 10,000 public housing residents.
The claim, filed at the supreme court of Victoria this morning, alleges the government failed to properly consider the human rights of residents when it made the decision to “retire and redevelop” all 44 public housing towers by 2051.
Inner Melbourne Community Legal’s (IMCL) chief executive officer, Elisa Buggy, said the government’s decision was incompatible with the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act.
IMCL is calling on the Victorian government to pause and reconsider its relocation plan. Public housing residents have human rights, too.
The towers in Flemington, North Melbourne and Carlton are the first scheduled for demolition. The lead plaintiff, Barry Berih, is one of the residents that will be impacted by the plan.
Berih said he “found out from the media” that he would be evicted, adding residents were “still being kept in the dark”.
Victorians should know how and why government has made key decisions that impact an individual’s rights.
The Victorian government has been contacted for comment.
Updated
Simon Birmingham says Labor’s tax changes are ‘treachery’
Opposition Senate leader Simon Birmingham – who was the Morrison government finance minister when the stage-three cuts were first put forward – just spoke to the ABC after Albanese’s speech.
Birmingham described Albanese’s decision to change the stage-three tax cuts as “treachery”, but when asked if the opposition would rescind the changes and fully restore the original cuts, he said:
In terms of the details of our future position, we will have to look at the detail of the legislative package is brought forward, the analysis that underpins it, and we will work our policies out for the next election.
The ABC’s Greg Jennett asks if it is “disingenuous” to be “up for the fight” in the short-term but not commit to clearly and fully restoring the original stage-three tax cuts.
Birimgham, again, does not give a straight answer:
Obviously we want to see the detail of the legislation and understand what is there, and we will put forward the best policies we can for what has been legislated and what the circumstances we face are at the next election.
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Brotherhood of St Laurence says tax changes ‘promote equality’ and help those doing it tough
The Brotherhood of St Laurence has welcomed changes to the stage-three tax cuts, saying the government has “listened to feedback across the community” and responded accordingly.
A statement from the social justice organisation says through its work it is seeing people access support “who have never needed to ask before” and hears about people choosing between food and medicine, cancelling insurance, and asking landlords for permission to pay rent late.
Its statement reads:
The federal government has listened to feedback from across the community. The changes proposed will promote greater equality and support for Australians who are doing it toughest.
They will provide greater incentives for workforce participation, helping Australians to overcome barriers to employment and broaden opportunities.
We commend the decision to change course of the Stage 3 tax cuts. This is an important step in making the Australian tax system more equitable. We hope it generates a sharper focus across the Federal Parliament on what can be done to reduce poverty and grow prosperity for all.
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Audi recalls electric car model due to fire risk
A fire safety risk has been identified in more than 200 new electric vehicles, with Audi recalling the model for urgent repairs, AAP reports.
The federal transport department today issued a recall for the Audi e-Tron GT vehicles due to a safety issue involving their battery housing.
The safety alert comes one week after Tesla experienced one of its biggest electric car recalls to date, involving more than 4,300 vehicles, though the issue was addressed with a software update.
Audi’s recall affects 222 units sold between 2022 and 2023, and involves the sealing around vehicle batteries. It said:
Due to a manufacturing issue, the sealing of the high-voltage battery housing may reduce over time, allowing moisture to enter.
The moisture may potentially result in an electrical short circuit increasing the risk of fire.
Audi is expected to contact owners to arrange repairs to the vehicle.
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Katy Gallagher says ‘a lot of discussions’ over summer about cost of living
The finance minister, Katy Gallagher, is speaking to the ABC from the National Press Club, after the prime minister’s speech.
She reiterates a lot of what Anthony Albanese has already covered today, but comments on when she herself became aware there would be a change around the stage-three tax cuts.
Over summer, there were a lot of discussions around taking further advice about what we could do to address households and workers that have been really feeling the pinch from a number of interest rate increases.
The department did some work over summer and that analysis has been provided. We went through our own processes through the government, through the cabinet, which led to our changing position on Tuesday this week.
So, very similar to what Albanese said.
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ACCC the latest group to back Virgin for Bali flights over Jetstar
The competition watchdog has called for Virgin Australia to be granted the rights to run extra flights to Bali instead of Qantas’s budget carrier Jetstar, amid a duel for the coveted routes.
Australia’s International Air Services Commission (IASC) is considering applications from Virgin and Qantas for the rights to almost 2,500 extra weekly seats between Australia and Indonesia available under the countries’ bilateral air services agreement.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is the latest group to back Virgin’s application, on grounds it will boost competition and likely reduce prices, after the Transport Workers Union (TWU) also voiced support for Virgin earlier in the week because it would employ local workers while Jetstar would not.
Qantas has proposed offering an additional 2,320 weekly seats with the extra Jetstar flights, carried on a daily Cairns-Melbourne-Denpasar route from May and a thrice-weekly Adelaide-Perth-Denpasar route from August. It has argued Jetstar as a low cost carrier would bring more affordable airfares to the route.
Meanwhile, Virgin wants to fly 2,464 seats a week, on Gold Coast-Perth-Denpasar and Adelaide-Perth-Denpasar routes.
The ACCC’s David Cranston wrote to the IASC arguing that Virgin’s proposal “would appear to be more conducive to fostering a competitive environment, and a broader distribution of capacity”. He noted that Jetstar already operates 43.4% of flights between Australia and Indonesia, and is the only current carrier between Perth and Bali.
The ACCC anticipates that this new competition would likely result in better outcomes for passengers through lower prices and improved services.
You can read more here:
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Tax changes ‘unashamedly’ about assisting middle income Australians: PM
Last to ask a question at the press club was our very own Paul Karp, who asked the prime minister:
This policy gives more for every taxpayer but not every Australian. Will there be anything for working Australians below the tax-free threshold and income support recipients in the further cost-of-living relief that you flagged today?
Responding, Albanese pointed to the lowest income tax rate being reduced from 19% to 16% and said this “flows to everyone, including those earning $45,000”.
But he made it clear the stage-three changes were primarily targeted to help middle-income Australians:
What we did with this package is unashamedly come at it [as]: how do we assist people in that middle income bracket? How do we assist those people? Because you don’t assist [them] through the social security system.
And that is where things ended at the press club today.
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‘We’re confident that it will be carried by the parliament’: PM
Back to the stage-three tax cut changes, a reporter asks Anthony Albanese how the government plans to pass the legislation in parliament – with the opposition against the changes and the Greens saying they want more.
Albanese responds:
We’re confident that it will be carried by the parliament because people have the option now of two plans – one plan that the Coalition say and before they even look at our plan, they are saying no [to it], but they also say that they will legislate to reverse it if they are elected.
I’m sure that there will be some who will say does too much or doesn’t do enough – we think this is the right thing to do … so we will argue our case, that’s what I’m doing here today and I’m confident that we will be able to get it carried in the House of Representatives and the Senate.
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Turning to the conflict in the Middle East, Anthony Albanese is asked to respond to comments from Benjamin Netanyahu that he is against a Palestinian state.
Albanese said:
I support a two state solution, one of them is called Israel and one is called Palestine. That is in the interest of Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security.
What we have seen after the terrorist act on October 7 by Hamas is a tragic loss of life of Israelis, but we have also seen a tragic loss of life of Palestinians. I value every life equally, every innocent life. Israel must be allowed to exist within secure borders, but the Palestinians need justice as well…
He referred to the joint statement released by himself, and the Canadian and New Zealand prime ministers, on the matter, and did not speak to Netanyahu’s comments directly.
Woolworths on ACCC inquiry: 'We know many Australian families are doing it tough'
Woolworths has responded to the prime minister’s announcement of an ACCC inquiry into supermarket prices.
Woolworths Group CEO Brad Banducci said in a statement:
We note the Federal Government’s decision and welcome the opportunity to assist the ACCC with its inquiry.
We know many Australian families are doing it tough and looking for relief at the checkout.
Food inflation has continued to moderate in recent months and we expect this to continue throughout 2024.
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Albanese says he felt he had to make tax changes ‘even as I recognise this would be controversial’
David Crowe from the Sydney Morning Herald asks Albanese why he didn’t “level with voters at the election in May 2022” about potential changes to stage three.
He asks this after Albanese listed factors such as the pandemic, recession and the war in Ukraine as reasons the policy change is needed. Crowe put to him that these would have been known at the time of the election.
Albanese said the aftershock of these events was “much greater than what was anticipated”. He also pointed to the consecutive RBA rate rises as something the government did not anticipate at the time.
I want to be known as a prime minister who had the ticker to say what was needed and to set about doing it, even as I recognise that this would be controversial.
Crowe: “Even at a cost to your personal integrity?”
Albanese:
I tell you what my integrity is – not looking at lower [and] middle income earners and saying sorry, I’m just prime minister, I am not in a position to help you, when I know I am in a position to help you …
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News Corp readers ‘overwhelmingly will be beneficiaries’ of tax changes, Albanese says
Back to Anthony Albanese at the press club:
A journalist just asked the prime minister why he committed to delivering the stage-three tax cuts on the radio last week, if he had asked Treasury to look into them in early January.
Q: Do you accept that this was a lie and why should Australians trust that you won’t lie to them again?
Albanese:
What Australians can do is to trust me to make the right call, not the easy call. And that is what I have done. We changed our position on Tuesday in the cabinet, I’m here at the National Press Club on Thursday with everyone here being accountable for that decision …
I say this: the readers of the Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun and the Courier Mail and the Advertiser, overwhelmingly, will be beneficiaries from what I’m announcing today.
As politicians we cannot say, yes we are aware of the cost of living, we are sorry but [are] not in a position to do anything about it. I’m the prime minister, I am in a position to do something about it, we are doing something about it and it’s the right thing to do.
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Cyclone alerts issued in Townsville, Palm Island and Magnetic Island
Moving away from Albanese’s speech for a moment: In northern Queensland, emergency alerts have begun being issued to communities in the path of Tropical Cyclone Kirrily.
These alerts warn that damaging winds are likely from 2pm local time, with people urged to stay off the road and seek shelter.
Emergency alerts have been issued to Townsville, Palm Island and Magnetic Island.
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Albanese is asked if stage three could cost an election: ‘I have a responsibility to act’
Host Laura Tingle asks Anthony Albanese about the track record of previous prime ministers who broke a promise, noting that they all went on to lose their job.
Why will you be different?
Albanese responds that the government is “being upfront”.
We are being very upfront with the Australian people that when economic circumstances have changed, it is a responsible thing to do to change our policy … As prime minister, I have a responsibility to act and that is what we are doing.
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PM announces funding for Choice
The government will also fund consumer organisation Choice to provide shoppers with a clear understanding of how supermarkets are performing when it comes to price:
We are backing Choice, renowned for their commitment to consumer fairness to provide clear, regular information on prices across a basket of goods. This will promote transparency, enhance competition and drive value.
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PM announces ACCC investigation into supermarket prices
Albanese is continuing the announcements: he said the ACCC will conduct a 12-month price inquiry into the supermarket industry.
This comes as Dr Craig Emerson is leading a review of the food and grocery code of conduct.
Albanese said:
The ACCC has significant powers and it is the best and most effective body to investigate supermarket prices. To look at how things like online shopping, loyalty programs and changes in technology are impacting competition in the industry, and to examine the difference between the price paid at the farm gate prices that people are paying at the checkout.
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PM says opposition showing ‘confected outrage’ on tax changes
Taking aim at the opposition, and the deputy opposition leader, Sussan Ley, Albanese said:
We have seen already that our opponents will revert to their predictable shouting and confected outrage. It’s all they do, that’s all they’ve got … It’s just all negativity, conflict and division.
He quoted Ley directly, who said: “We will fight this legislation in parliament. We don’t even know what it will look like.”
Albanese:
They don’t know what it looks like, they don’t care that it will help, the only thing they are interested in is having a fight.
Updated
PM likens tax changes to Covid-era economic policies
Anthony Albanese likens the change in policy around stage-three tax cuts to changes in policy made during the Covid-19 pandemic:
Just as the health crisis of the pandemic meant governments had a responsibility to change economic policy, through measures such as jobkeeper, the cost-of-living pressures facing Australians on low and middle incomes demand a better tax policy. A plan that responds to the real challenges that people are facing today.
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PM says tax changes about ‘choosing a better way forward’
The prime minister said that as a leader, he wants to “be upfront with people and take responsibility for the decisions that my government makes”.
He directly addresses criticism of the stage-three tax changes, that he has broken a promise made to the Australian people at the last election:
When economic circumstances change, the right thing to do is to change economic policies and that is what we are doing. This is a change in our policy. Some would say we should stay the course, even if we know it means going to the wrong destination. To them, I say, we are choosing a better way forward, given the changed circumstances.
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Albanese announces Medicare levy threshold change
Anthony Albanese also announced the low-income threshold at which the Medicare levy applies has been increased:
This means 1.2 million low-income earners will either remain exempt from paying the levy, or they will pay less in tax.
Updated
Anthony Albanese has laid out the changes to stage three. You can read all the details about this below:
Or you can watch this handy explainer video:
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PM announces stage-three tax cut changes
After listing off a number of economic achievements, Anthony Albanese said: “The progress we have made together is not enough.”
Treasury analysis confirms that working households have experienced the fastest rise in the cost of living. That’s why over summer I asked Treasury and finance to present us with options to help people with their cost of living [while tackling] the fight against inflation.
Albanese announces the stage-three tax cut changes:
Today I announced that, from the 1st of July this year, our government will deliver a tax cut for every single Australian taxpayer. All 13.6 million taxpayers, not just some. Everyone who works and who pays tax will benefit. This is a plan for middle Australians that delivers for every Australian taxpayer right up and down the income ladder.
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Seaplane crashes near Shark Island in Sydney harbour
Breaking away from Anthony Albanese’s speech momentarily:
2GB has shared vision of a seaplane crashing just off Shark Island in Sydney harbour.
BREAKING: Vision has emerged of a seaplane crash just off Shark Island in Sydney Harbour. 👇 pic.twitter.com/xgIwbJ36ct
— 2GB Sydney (@2GB873) January 25, 2024
2GB reports that all passengers were safely evacuated to the remaining float, with the plane partially submerged near the ferry stop.
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PM begins National Press Club address by acknowledging cost-of-living pressures
Beginning his speech, the prime minister Anthony Albanese says at the heart of what his government is seeking to achieve is “economic security to plan for your future [and] to make a good life for yourself and your family”.
This is why addressing the cost of living is key, he said.
Because if the cost of essentials is rising too fast, people hardly have time to think about the future, let alone plan and save for it.
He noted that Australians are under financial pressure after inflation jumped in March 2020 and interest rates began to rise. Australians are also living through the “aftershocks” of the pandemic, we are facing the “first recession in three decades” and the effects of the Russian war on Ukraine continue.
Everything we have done as a government has been about managing those competing forces. Making the responsible decisions to fix the budget, delivering the first surplus in 15 years … so we have room in the budget to provide more support for Australians.
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Stage-three changes have other benefits than boosting tax cut for ‘middle Australians’
As you may know, all resident taxpayers with taxable income under $146,486 will get a larger tax cut relative to the stage-three tax cuts. So, an individual with taxable income of $40,000 would receive a tax cut of $654, in contrast to receiving no tax cut under stage three, Treasury says.
Treasury’s advice also notes other effects, such as an increase in labour supply – particularly of women.
“Women have lower labour force participation rates and, when employed, are more likely to work part-time,” the advice notes.
When faced with the same percentage change to after-tax wages, women – particularly women with children – are more responsive in the amount they work compared to men.
Similarly, those with less formal education and those with lower wage potential are also “more responsive to changes in after-tax income than other individuals”.
In other words, just as lower-income earners are likely to spend more of any tax cut than higher-incomes ones, they are also likely to be more responsive about joining the workforce when it comes to tax tweaks, Treasury notes.
The redesign is expected to produce a larger increase in labour supply, driven by increases in hours worked and participation of women with taxable income between $20,000 and $75,000.
Overall, the recommended redesign sees an increase in labour supply of about 930,000 hours per week (0.25%), more than double stage three. Female labour supply is expected to increase by 0.37%.
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PM about to address National Press Club
The prime minister Anthony Albanese is about to begin speaking at the National Press Club – we will bring you the key details here live.
He is expected to announce cost-of-living measures, including changes to the stage-three tax cuts, following a Labor caucus meeting yesterday.
Updated
Impact of tax cut changes don’t affect inflation outlook but lift revenues $28bn
As treasurer Jim Chalmers has said earlier, there won’t be an inflationary impact to the tax changes, at least according to Treasury.
“The redesign will not impact the inflation outlook,” the advice from Treasury released to the media shows. Inflation is projected to decline to 2.75% by June 2025, the advice shows, which would be well within the RBA’s 2%-3% target range. (The latest RBA forecast has the 3% inflation level reached by the end of 2025 – though we get an update of that on 6 February.)
Treasury, though, did not release any modelling to back up that claim about inflation. They did, however, provide other modelling, such as how the redesign of the cuts would actually increase tax receipts by “around $28bn” out to 2034-35.
In the near term, the rejig will cost the budget $1.3bn over the forward estimates to 2027-28, with an actual gain by that amount in 2024-25 before that addition is reversed over the following three years. Perhaps that’s why Treasury didn’t bother to model the inflation impact?
As for bracket creep, there’s a small improvement for the first seven income deciles over the next 10 years. “Under the recommended redesign, average tax rates for higher-income earners are still significantly reduced compared to a no change in taxes scenario but by less than under Stage 3 [as legislated].”
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Amid all the terrible things in the world, at least the US Embassy can have a laugh at its own expense.
To avoid further saltiness between AUKUS partners, we will not be commenting on Vegemite at this time.
— U.S. Embassy Australia (@USEmbAustralia) January 24, 2024
Except to say that the U.S. Embassy will continue to eat Vegemite in the proper way, as taught by our Australian friends - by the spoonful. https://t.co/ud0qLAgZZ6
British billionaire Joe Lewis retains Australian cattle stake
Joe Lewis’s controlling interest in a major Australian cattle company will not be affected by the British billionaire’s guilty plea in the US to using an insider trading scheme to enrich friends and associates, according to his private investment company.
Lewis, whose family trust controls a majority of Tottenham Hotspur, has a 51% share of the listed Australian Agricultural Company (AACo), along with two representatives on the cattle company’s board.
The shareholding is controlled by his private vehicle Tavistock, which said the plea agreement did not affect the company.
“Today’s news has no impact on Tavistock’s investment in Australia,” the company said in a statement.
The plea agreement was entered by Mr Lewis individually and a Bahamian company wholly owned by Mr Lewis.
In the US, Lewis pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and two counts of securities fraud, as part of an agreement with the attorney’s office in Manhattan.
Unlike most insider trading cases, the information was not used to enrich the holder of the information. Instead, prosecutors said the 86-year-old passed the information on to others.
AAco, which owns and operates feedlots and farms covering large parts of Australia’s north, has previously denied that sensitive information was leaked from the board to Lewis.
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Weather bureau gives update on Tropical Cyclone Kirrily
The Bureau of Meteorology has released an update on Tropical Cyclone Kirrily. The cyclone is expected to cross the Queensland coast tonight, after intensifying to a category-two system this morning.
A category two brings destructive winds of up to 164 km/h, with minor house damage and risk of power failure.
It has pre-emptively been declared a disaster by the state government, with closures and evacuations underway.
Senior meteorologist Angus Hines said Kirrily was expected to continue strengthening as it tracked west south-west towards the coast.
Kirrily will cross the Queensland coast tonight, in the vicinity of Townsville, as a category-two system then weaken on Friday as it moves inland.
From Friday, Kirrily is likely to track further inland as a tropical low, resulting in heavy to intense rain to parts of the northern interior and western Queensland.
Queensland communities are advised to stay up to date with forecasts and warnings.
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UAC advises some courses still available for first semester
Prospective university students have one more chance to enrol at institutions in New South Wales this year after the release of January round-two offers yesterday.
The Universities Admissions Centre (UAC), which processes applications for the state, has advised some courses are still open and available for semester one. Applications close at 11.59pm on Friday 2 February.
So far, UAC has made 93,765 offers to domestic undergraduate applicants, including 6,047 in the latest round as universities begin to fill up.
UAC’s chief strategy and engagement officer, Kim Paino, advised prospective students to consider their options.
Some courses have vacancies for semester one so there’s still a chance. Contact the university to confirm that places are still available and that your application will be competitive. Most institutions have pathway programs that lead into a bachelor degree, or you could start with a Tafe qualification or a course at a private college.
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Whitsundays winds leave 1,670 without power
As strong winds of up to 115km/h lash the Whitsundays, 1,670 are now without power.
According to Ergon Energy, the outage is a result of “damage requiring emergency repairs”.
There are currently 1,870 customers across regional Queensland without power due to unplanned outages. A total of 2,190 are without power when accounting for planned outages.
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SES receives 146 calls for help so far
Circling back to Queensland premier Steven Miles’ press conference just before:
Miles said the SES had received 146 calls for help so far, with most calls related to sandbagging.
He said prisoners at Townsville correctional centre were currently making up sandbags that would be provided to the local community.
Earlier, Townsville mayor Jenny Hill urged locals to get in quick to pick up sandbags if they still needed to do so:
We don’t want to have people at our sandbagging locations, we’ll have to close those, and if you’re planning to pick up any late items, please do so now.
This comes as people in the path of Tropical Cyclone Kirrily will be told to “shelter in place” from 2pm local time.
Updated
Fourth person dies in Phillip Island beach tragedy
A fourth person has died in hospital after being pulled from the water at an unpatrolled beach on Victoria’s Phillip Island, AAP reports.
The tragedy is the worst in Victorian waters in almost 20 years, Lifesaving Victoria said.
Emergency services responded to reports of four people struggling in the water near Newhaven about 3.30pm yesterday and all were found unresponsive.
Kane Treloar, the Lifesaving Victoria state agency commander, said:
Upon arriving at the scene, our lifeguards found that off-duty lifeguards had pulled three of those people from the water and one of our rescue boats pulled that last person from the water.
All were unconscious and unresponsive and the rescuers started CPR.
Two women in their 20s and a 40-year-old man died at the scene, while another woman in her 20s was flown to the Alfred hospital in a critical condition but she later died.
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, extended her condolences to the families of the victims and thanked first responders who reacted quickly:
There will be an investigation and reports on yesterday’s incident in terms of what further actions need to be taken at that location.
The locals who know this area well don’t swim there – it just reminds us of when we’re visiting a place … be aware of the local conditions.
Police will prepare a report for the coroner and were not treating the deaths as suspicious.
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Steven Miles asked to respond to Cairns watch house allegations
Turning away from the cyclone: Queensland premier Steven Miles was asked to respond to allegations of “horrendous” conditions that children face in the Cairns watch house.
Q: Psychologists have said the overcrowding of young people in Cairns watch houses are so bad that effectively it amounts to government-sanctioned child abuse. [What] is your response to that?
Miles:
We make no apologies for keeping the people of Cairns safe and sometimes, in a state like Queensland, it is inevitable that to keep Queenslanders safe we will need to keep people in watch houses.
The fact is we cannot have youth detention centres in every single part of the state and there will always be a need to hold people who are arrested in custody, for example while they await their court appearances or we’re directed to do so by the court.
We want to avoid that at all costs but, wherever it is necessary, we won’t make apologies for it. We are constructing a detention facility in Cairns to reduce reliance on the watch house there and in response to that need. But where our police do their job, and arrest violent offenders, it will sometimes be necessary to keep them in watch houses.
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ADF aircraft positioned in Queensland before cyclone
Police said there is ADF aircraft pre-positioned to the north, south and west of the weather event:
We have ADF aircraft already positioned in Queensland and over the last 48 hours we have looked at our overall aviation capability, we’ve made sure we had aviation capability positioned to the north of the event, and to the south of the event, and west of the event.
Updated
Q: Is it appropriate to be declaring disasters early and calling in the ADF early before we understand the full scale?
Queensland premier Steven Miles:
These kind of pre-emptive actions can make sure we are ready to make sure that our personnel have the powers under the law to do what they need to do.
By pre-emptively making these declarations, we give our emergency services personnel the powers they need to keep Queensland safe.
These “additional powers” include the ability to control roadways, direct people to leave and enter places, and to turn off certain things “like electricity [and] gas if we need to”.
Updated
Hamilton Island airport closed
The emergency personnel are now taking questions from reporters. They are about Hamilton Island, where wind gusts up to 115km/h have been recorded.
Despite the increased winds, there are currently no reports of damage.
People on the island, including tourists, have “sought refuge” and the airport on the island is closed.
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Queenslanders warned about risk of crocodiles in flood waters
A reminder has been given about the possibility of crocodiles in flood waters:
My final message to Queenslanders – once the rain starts hitting, if it’s flooded, forget it. It is not safe to cross flood waters, particularly not in croc country. So Queenslanders, now is the time to be prepared and now is the time to make those arrangements as the cyclone is upon us.
Updated
Some more key details being delivered right now from Queensland emergency personnel:
Queensland police have pre-deployed water police into Townsville to assist when Kirrily crosses the coast tonight.
180 members are ready to be deployed once police know where exactly the cyclone will cross.
Additional local police have been sent to our smaller areas such as Ayr, Ingham, Palm Island, Magnetic Island, Charters Towers, also to the areas around Mackay, Proserpine, Bowen, Hamilton Island and Mitch Point.
Police are urging people to minimise travel on the roads.
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Police give Tropical Cyclone Kirrily update
Speaking to the media, police said 40,000 sandbags have been provided to those in areas expected to be hit with flooding.
From 4pm this afternoon (local time), additional support from the federal government will be available, police said. They will also be progressing a “pre-emptive request” for rescue aviation and heavy-lifting capabilities.
The state’s disaster co-ordinator, deputy commissioner Shane Chelepy, said:
I’m very comfortable with the level of state-owned and contracted aviation support levels, but given the widespread flooding events that could occur post this crossing, we wanted to have that ready to go.
The next few days will be critical and I ask for the community’s patience and assistance during this time.
Fifty residents from low-lying areas around Townsville self-evacuated yesterday following door-knocking from police and emergency services.
Chelepy said:
If you do not feel safe in your house, we recommend that you move to one of our evacuation centres. Please make that decision today.
Updated
Hamilton Island hit by gales up to 115km/h
Laura Boekel from the Bureau of Meteorology is also providing an update on the latest:
Kirrily is now a category-two system
It is situated 420km east north-east of Townsville
It is forecast to make landfall as a category-two system between Ingham and Ayr, most likely in Townsville, later this evening
Strong wind gales are already being observed on Hamilton Island, up to 115km/h, and gusts will be felt on the mainland later today and this evening
The BoM will now be issuing warnings every hour
A storm tide is expected between Townsville and Mackay as Kirrily approaches the coast
Isolated rainfall totals of up to 300mm in the 24-hour period of Kirrily crossing the coast are possible
Heavy rainfall is likely after Kirrily initially crosses the coast
Updated
Queensland premier says Kirrily declared a category-two cyclone and state ‘ready for the worst’
The Queensland premier, Steven Miles, is now providing an update on Tropical Cyclone Kirrily.
He said that as of 10am (local time), Kirrily has officially been declared a category-two cyclone. The state is “prepared and ready for the worst”, he said.
Miles said those in the affected areas should make sure they are prepared, with “enough essential items to potentially have to get through days without power”.
If your home is not safe, please make the decision early to get out of it. Nine people have already made that decision and are in our evacuation centres.
From here on, the bureau will provide hourly updates until the cyclone crosses the coast … We have already received 146 calls for assistance from the SES – most of them are from Charters Towers, Townsville and the Whitsundays region [and] most of them asking for assistance with sandbagging.
Updated
For more on Kirrily, senior forecaster Angus Hines from the Bureau of Meteorology has just shared this update:
Severe Weather Update: Tropical cyclone Kirrily crossing the Queensland coast tonight. Video current: 09:00am AEST 25 January 2024. For the latest forecasts and warnings go to our website: https://t.co/4W35o8iFmh pic.twitter.com/JNfe29HGyZ
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) January 25, 2024
Looking ahead, Weatherzone has provided a forecast of what Tropical Cyclone Kirrily may do after it makes landfall.
Weatherzone says Kirrily is a large tropical cyclone in terms of its size and the area it covers, as opposed to its strength. Currently a category-one system, it is expected to cross the coast as a category-two system this evening.
After making landfall, Weatherzone says the after-effects could be more severe and devastating than the immediate impact of the storm due to the “strong likelihood” of flooding:
Heavy rainfall which could lead to flash flooding is likely to develop from [this] evening into Friday along a huge stretch of the coast from Innisfail to Sarina. Those two towns are almost 700km apart.
The cyclone will likely become a tropical low by [tomorrow], meaning its winds will lose strength but the potential for heavy rainfall will persist.
At this stage, the impacts of heavy rainfall look likely to extend to an area well beyond the Queensland coast, with heavy rainfall potentially developing across the northern interior and western Queensland into the weekend as the system tracks inland.
#TCKirrily is a REALLY big one in terms of actual area covered. Will cross Qld coast just N of Townsville Thurs evening as Cat 2 bringing damaging winds, storm surge etc. Due to its size, there's potential for flooding across a vast areas in coming days https://t.co/4yH6mCvnlF pic.twitter.com/RVOcxiT7O8
— Anthony Sharwood ❄️ (@antsharwood) January 25, 2024
Updated
Wind picking up in Whitsundays
The wind is steadily picking up in the Whitsundays as Tropical Cyclone Kirrily approaches the coast of Queensland.
Hamilton Island recorded wind gusts of 115km/h at 9.30am, local time.
Winds picking up speed in the Whitsundays! 115km/hr gust recorded on Hamilton Island from Tropical Cyclone Kirrily @7NewsBrisbane @7NewsAustralia pic.twitter.com/A4gDF4aelE
— Sally Gyte (@SallyGyte) January 24, 2024
Updated
Acoss praises changes to stage-three tax cuts
The Australian Council of Social Service has commended the federal Labor government for its changes to the stage-three tax cuts but noted that the amendments don’t help people in absolute poverty.
The Acoss chief executive, Cassandra Goldie, said that the council had “repeatedly urged” the government not to go ahead with a tax cut program that most benefited the highest-income earners in the country.
The changes announced today would bring “a better deal for people earning low, modest and middle incomes”, Goldie said, but “does not yet help people on the lowest incomes facing the most severe crisis: people whose incomes are below the tax threshold and pay no tax.”
It also wouldn’t solve the government’s revenue problems, Goldie said, noting that Australia is the ninth-lowest taxed country among 40 in the OECD, with the overall tax rate for the average full time worker lower than in the United States.
Goldie said:
People receiving income support payments are worst affected by the cost-of-living crisis.
Right now, we’re hearing about people sleeping in tents, regularly skipping meals and going without essential medication. Last week, I spoke to a woman who has saved money to buy camping equipment because she is facing imminent homelessness. She will see no benefit from tax cuts and faces losing her home.
Jobseeker and related payments must be urgently raised and without further delay.
Acoss is urging the government to raise income support payments from the current $54 per day to at least $78 per day.
Updated
‘A handful of dollars’: Peter Dutton criticises revamped stage-three tax cuts
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has taken aim to Anthony Albanese over the revamped stage-three tax cuts.
Dutton told 2GB he didn’t think “people will easily forget or forgive” the broken promise on stage three, claiming he had only ever seen one other instance of a prime minister “willing to blatantly, knowingly lie to the Australian public”, likening this to Julia Gillard’s promise not to legislate a carbon tax. In fact, Labor didn’t – it legislated an interim carbon price, which even Peta Credlin has accepted wasn’t a tax.
Dutton said the government had taken a decision in December to get work done on income tax changes and had an “ad campaign ready to roll, at taxpayer expense”. We’ll fact-check this claim but the ad has Labor branding on it so it can’t under the rules be taxpayer funded. Seems obviously incorrect.
Dutton told 2GB:
People have budgeted based on the prime minister’s word. His bond. Now he’s broken that. Some may get a handful of dollars but they lose it because of mortgage repayments that are higher under this government, and inflation will be higher for longer under this government.
Dutton argued that Albanese has a “credibility issue”, questioning “how can you believe these tax cuts will survive if Labor is re-elected”? Well that is interesting – after Sussan Ley walked back comments suggesting the Coalition might tear them up, Dutton now presents the threat to Labor’s tax cuts as ... Labor.
Dutton said if Albanese is “prepared to lie to your neighbour, you’re next”.
The prime minister has done himself in here. I said his leadership would be dead, buried, cremated. I believe that to be the truth.
Updated
Townsville mayor expects most businesses to close doors at midday
The Townsville mayor, Jenny Hill, expects most businesses, including supermarkets and chemists, to close their doors around midday today.
Most of them will look to close their doors to give their staff enough time to get home before the 2pm gusts that are likely to hit.
She said that for those who can’t shelter at place in their homes, they would be “far more comfortable” at a friend or family member’s home than at an evacuation centre.
The shelters are there to provide protection, they’re not there to be a comfortable place.
She said the community had done a great job in heeding the warnings from emergency personnel and following warnings.
There’s been no need to panic or to be concerned to the point of anxiety … The rainfall data would indicate that it’s not as bad as what we first thought [and I’m quietly confident that], come Saturday, we’ll be able to begin picking up rubbish and ensuring our community can clean up quite quickly.
Updated
The Townsville mayor, Jenny Hill, said the latest forecast shows everything beginning to “die down” by about 6am tomorrow morning, local time.
This is when the council will send another emergency alert, advising people it is safe to come outside and conduct any damage inspection.
This means Townsville residents are being asked to shelter in place from 2pm this afternoon to 6am tomorrow morning – around 16 hours.
Updated
Townsville residents advised to shelter in place ahead of Tropical Cyclone Kirrily
The Townsville mayor, Jenny Hill, is speaking to the media after the council held its local disaster management meeting.
She said the council will soon send an emergency alert, advising people to shelter in place from 2pm today, local time – when wind gusts above 80km/h are forecast.
We don’t want to have people at our sandbagging locations, we’ll have to close those, and if you’re planning to pick up any late items, please do so now.
She said the latest advice from the Bureau of Meteorology was that Tropical Cyclone Kirrily will begin crossing the coast from 10pm tonight.
It will cross as a category-two system with winds beyond 120km/h, up to 165km/h, she said.
Updated
Here is a satellite image of Tropical Cyclone Kirrily, tracking towards Townsville and the north-eastern coast of Queensland:
Latest satellite view of #CycloneKirrily tracking toward the northeastern coastline of Queensland, Australia 🇦🇺🌀
— Zoom Earth (@zoom_earth) January 24, 2024
Kirrily is expected to make landfall near Townsville late Thursday, local time. Localized flash flooding from heavy rainfall likely. pic.twitter.com/Lar3U8HDVh
Updated
ME Bank customers unable to access accounts
ME Bank customers have been left unable to access their accounts through online banking and the ME Bank app since last night due to what the company says is a “technical issue”.
The issue seemed to first hit the bank at around 7.15pm AEDT last night. As of 7am this morning, the bank said:
We’ve been working overnight to fix the technical issue but it’s taking a little longer than expected, and ME Internet Banking is still offline. Thank you for your patience, we’re so sorry for the inconvenience.
Physical cards will still work as per normal, the bank said.
Updated
Jacinta Allan condemns vandalism of Captain Cook statue
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, and the opposition leader, John Pesutto, have condemned the vandalism of a Captain Cook statue in Melbourne on the eve of Australia Day.
Victorian police said they were investigating “criminal damage” to a century-old Captain Cook statue in St Kilda in an apparent protest over the Australia Day public holiday. Officers said they understood the statue had been sawn off at the ankles. The plinth had been spray painted with the slogan: “The colony will fall.”
Speaking to reporters, Allan says “this sort of vandalism has no place in our society”:
We will be working with the council to repair and reinstate the statue in St Kilda that has been vandalised overnight.
In a statement, Pesutto said the incident was “totally unacceptable”.
There’s no place for acts of vandalism or any other violent acts against people or property in our community.
We support the right of people to protest and demonstrate but it must always be done in a peaceful and respectful way.
Updated
Tropical Cyclone Kirrily update
Here is the latest Tropical Cyclone Kirrily tracking map from the Bureau of Meteorology:
Tropical #CycloneKirrily a category 1 expected to strengthen to category 2 before crossing the #Queensland coast in the vicinity of #Townsville tonight. Gales occurring over Whitsunday Islands, extend to the mainland during this morning. https://t.co/v0ypxlmjAa pic.twitter.com/cTtTyQRqgO
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) January 24, 2024
The wind speeds are picking up in Townsville, where the coastal crossing is expected late tonight. The highest windspeed recorded so far today is 41km/h.
In the Whitsundays, the highest windspeed recorded today was 102km/h, as per the BoM.
This comes as 977 are without power in Townsville, and 460 without power in the Whitsundays, both due to damage requiring emergency repairs.
There are now 2,163 across the state without power, as at 9am local time.
Updated
Almost 1,000 Townsville residents without power
Almost 1,000 people are without power in Townsville, as Tropical Cyclone Kirrily is expect to hit late tonight.
According to Ergon Energy, 977 customers within Townsville city council are without power due to “damage requiring emergency repairs”.
Fault finding is in progress.
The outage began around 8.30am, local time.
This comes as 1,881 customers across regional Queensland are without power, amid 12 unplanned outages and 12 planned.
Updated
More than 120 north Queensland schools closed due to Tropical Cyclone Kirrily
More than 120 schools across northern Queensland are closed as a precaution today due to Tropical Cyclone Kirrily.
According to the Queensland government website there are 123 schools closed today – 78 state schools, 17 independent schools and 28 Catholic schools.
These schools have been deemed “unsafe for students to attend”, with the website stating schools will “re-open when [the] disaster event/severe weather has subsided”.
The premier, Steven Miles, said this last night:
This list may continue to grow as the situation develops. Affected schools will also be communicating directly with their communities. The safety of Queenslanders will always be our number one priority.
Updated
Sussan Ley denies saying the Coalition would repeal Labor’s tax changes
Deputy opposition leader Sussan Ley has walked back earlier comments suggesting the Coalition aims to repeal Labor’s revamped tax cuts that more than double tax relief for Australians on the average income.
Ley clarified that the opposition’s position is to “support the existing stage-three arrangements” but denied promising to roll them back in a bid to head off a Labor campaign that the Coalition will claw back low and middle-income tax relief.
Labor MPs and the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, had seized on Ley’s earlier suggestion the Coalition “absolutely” supports the repeal to argue that the opposition will fight the next election promising to tear up tax cuts that are more generous to 11 million Australians.
Before the release of full details of the package, Ley was asked on Sky yesterday whether, if the Coalition wins the election, it will “roll back whatever changes are made”.
Ley replied:
Well this is our position. This is absolutely our position and the point is … it was Labor’s position too.
Ley clarified her position today on ABC RN:
I did not say that we will roll back Labor’s new proposal. I said we support the existing stage-three arrangements and we would assess the new proposal.
Labor lied about these tax cuts and now they have lied about what I’ve said.
Our position is that the stage-three tax cuts should be implemented as designed and endorsed by the Australian people at the last election.
The tax plan we support is the tax plan we took to the last election.
Updated
Earlier this morning as treasurer Jim Chalmers was discussing changes to the stage-three tax cuts, he said Treasury had consulted with the RBA, which he says does not expect the changes to add to inflation.
Chalmers flagged he would be releasing this advice given to Treasury “in full” at some point.
Yesterday, economists were predicting the same: They said the changes would not reignite inflation but may slow the pace of RBA interest rate cuts, arguing more reforms are needed to close future budget gaps.
You can read all the detail on this from our economics reporter Peter Hannam below:
Updated
Firefighters concerned about smoke alarm complacency
Firefighters at the Tamworth Country Music Festival say they are concerned about the level of complacency around working smoke alarms.
Crews from Fire and Rescue NSW have spent the past six days inspecting caravan smoke alarms across Tamworth’s riverside camping area – which is at capacity.
Of the 160 caravans and recreational vehicles inspected, 75 smoke alarms were replaced because they were not working, and 20 batteries. Zone commander Tom Cooper said:
Almost half the caravans we visited did not have a working smoke alarm. That’s disturbing, a working smoke alarm may be the only thing that saves the lives of you and your loved ones in the event of a fire.
In a few cases where the batteries were missing, the campers told our firefighters they’d removed them because cooking would often set off the alarms.
The beeping might be annoying but if your alarm’s not working it can’t save you.
TAMWORTH | Firefighters concerned about smoke alarm complacency - VIDEO. Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) firefighters, conducting a series of caravan safety inspections during the Tamworth Country Music Festival, have expressed concern at the level... https://t.co/HRWebZYEU2
— Fire and Rescue NSW (@FRNSW) January 24, 2024
Updated
Whitsundays residents lose power
According to Ergon Energy, 455 customers in the Whitsundays have lost power.
This comes as the area is lashed by wind gusts over 100km/h as Tropical Cyclone Kirrily approaches the Queensland coast.
The outage is affecting customers in Gregory, the Gregory River, Strathdickie and Woree. Ergon Energy says the outage began around 6.50am AEST and said:
The loss of supply is our repair crews are attending [sic]. Fault finding is in progress.
Across the entire state there are 15 current outages (three planned), affecting 772 customers in regional Queensland.
Updated
Australia’s population hits 27 million
In case you missed it yesterday, Australia’s population has officially hit 27 million.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the population is currently sitting at 27,001,244, to be exact. It officially ticked over the 27m mark around 3.30pm-4pm yesterday afternoon:
This afternoon Australia's population is set to hit 27 million!
— Australian Bureau of Statistics (@ABSStats) January 24, 2024
Check out the ABS population clock from 3:30pm - 4:00pm (AEDT) to watch it tick over.https://t.co/ciGOm4l6Fl pic.twitter.com/tHqvKaUxMP
The nation’s population grew by 624,100 people or 2.4% last year, with net overseas migration of 518,100 people and natural growth of 106,100 new citizens.
It’s projected to reach between 29.2m and 30.8m people by 2032, and between 34.3m and 45.9m people by 2071.
That’s based on the population increasing by an annual average of between 1.2% and 1.7% until June 2032.
– with AAP
Updated
Chalmers says PM taking ‘the difficult decisions in the interests of the people’
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has been making the rounds on breakfast television and radio this morning to discuss changes to the stage-three tax cuts.
While there has been a lot of repetition across the interviews, here is a notable excerpt from his interview with ABC TV earlier on – showing how the government intends to explain the changes.
Q: Is the prime minister’s word his bond?
Chalmers:
Of course. You build trust by taking the right decisions for the right reasons, even when the politics are difficult. And the opposition, of course, will pay [sic] their usual mindless, nasty, negative politics. That’s all that they do.
Q: Why is it negative to pick up on broken promises, though? How do we know, going into the next election, that what you promise you will deliver on?
Because what this demonstrates is that we have a prime minister who is prepared to take the difficult decisions in the interests of the people, even when the politics are hard. And the reason I’m pointing to the nasty, negative and mindless politics being played by our opponents is because they don’t want your viewers to focus on the fact that everybody is still getting a tax cut, more people are getting a tax cut, more people are getting a bigger tax cut. And their policy is to go to the election to jack up taxes on middle Australia, in order to pay for an even bigger tax cut for people on high incomes, Sussan Ley has made that clear.
Q: But you’re still going to have this problem, aren’t you, of trying to convince people – if you go to the next election and say you’re not going to change a capital gains tax [or] negative gearing - why wouldn’t people say, well, why should we trust you?
Because what we’ve done here is we’ve come to a different view. We’ve been upfront about that. We’ve come to a different view in a methodical way and now we’re explaining why the alternative that we are putting forward to the Australian people is better than the old stage-three tax cuts that Scott Morrison legislated five years ago … The reason we’ve come to a different view is that we can provide more cost of living relief to more people in middle Australia without putting upward pressure on inflation.
I’m sure we will hear more from prime minister Anthony Albanese later today, when he speaks at the National Press Club.
Updated
Six dead in Rio Tinto plane crash in Canada’s north
Six people were killed when a plane carrying Rio Tinto workers crashed in remote northern Canada on Tuesday during a flight to the Diavik diamond mine, according to the Anglo-Australian company.
The fatalities included four Rio team members and two airline crew. Another Rio worker survived the crash and received treatment in hospital.
Rio’s chief executive, Jakob Stausholm, said he was going to Canada’s Northwest Territories to be with team members and offer support.
We are feeling numb with the devastating news that we have lost dear friends and colleagues.
I extend our deepest sympathy to the families, friends, and loved ones of those who have been affected by this tragedy.
The charter plane crashed near Fort Smith in Canada’s remote north. The company’s diamond mine is located about 200km south of the Arctic Circle.
Beach drownings four times as likely on Australia Day
With more than 1 million people expected to flock to the coastline tomorrow, Surf Life Saving NSW is warning people to swim within the patrolled area, with the risk of drowning four times more likely on Australia Day.
This comes as the country is lashed with a heatwave, with Forster, Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay, as well as Sydney and the Illawarra, to reach temperatures in the early 30s. Meanwhile, temperatures in the Hunter and Central Coast have the potential to reach 40C – all driving more people to the beach.
SLS said callout teams and additional support operations are on standby across the state to “cope with the number of incidents which are expected”.
Chief executive Steven Pearce said:
Enjoy the weekend but make sure that, if you’re heading to the beach, visit a patrolled location and only swim between the red and yellow flags.
All drownings recorded to date this summer have occurred at an unpatrolled location, SLS said.
Since 1 December there has been 11 coastal drownings across New South Wales. Across the entire country, the drowning toll is sitting at 62 since 1 December.
Updated
What the papers say about stage-three tax changes
Here’s a look at how the major newspapers are reporting the changes to stage-three today.
The Daily Telegraph: “How can we ever trust this man again? He’s Now A Liar-bility”.
FRONT PAGE 📰 Read the digital edition of Thursday's paper 👉 https://t.co/heSGsEQLOn pic.twitter.com/yJLDPnc7GJ
— The Daily Telegraph (@dailytelegraph) January 24, 2024
The Australian: “PM’s redistribution: 1.8m workers to fund political cost-of-living fix. Albanese’s tax ambush”.
Tomorrow's front page of The Oz, is pretty dispirited. I don't think their hearts are really in it.
— Greg Jericho (@GrogsGamut) January 24, 2024
Good of them to show just how many people are going to be better off pic.twitter.com/ERA5Oeh0Fx
The West Australian: “Stages of Denial: Why Albo says he HAS to break much-repeated tax promise”.
The front page of Thursday's The West Australian. pic.twitter.com/QiA05rsfkp
— The West Australian (@westaustralian) January 24, 2024
AFR: “PM’s tax backflip”
Sydney Morning Herald: “Tax flip a win for millions, PM says”
The Age: “Bigger cuts for millions amid claims of ‘betrayal’”
Herald Sun: “Albo’s War on Aspiration”
The front pages today pic.twitter.com/AkvdDuwg9M
— Elizabeth Redman (@elizabethredman) January 24, 2024
Updated
Sussan Ley says Labor ‘lied to win the election’
Next up on ABC RN was Sussan Ley, continuing the opposition’s line that the government has “broken a promise” and “[lied] to win an election”.
Just minutes ago, Chalmers said it is a “big deal” for the government to make these changes but argued it was about “putting people before politics”.
Ley, clearly, is not having it:
The tax plan we support is the tax plan we took to the last election. This is an entirely new set of changes. Their proposal is not stage-three 2.0, it’s entirely different. We don’t have the details. We will assess them when they are released. But we do know Labor lied to win the election.
She said the opposition’s position is that “a more generous tax cut for one Australian should not come at the expense of what another Australian was promised”.
But she wouldn’t comment on what the opposition would offer instead:
So rather than going for details of what we might do about a package that we haven’t even seen, I mean, we’ve seen selective parts of this briefed out. But stage-three was a part, it was part of tax reform that [addresses] bracket creep.
Updated
Treasurer says stage-three changes ‘not an easy decision’
Finishing up the interview, Jim Chalmers is asked: “Is this the biggest gamble of your political career?”
Chalmers responded:
I don’t know about that, Patricia, and, frankly, I don’t think about it in those terms.
Karvelas: “It’s a big deal, to break a promise.”
Chalmers:
I think it is a big deal, what we’re proposing today, [and] I don’t pretend otherwise. It’s not an easy decision. We don’t take these sorts of decisions lightly.
But we try and make the right decisions for the right reasons and explain them when we do. But I think most importantly, Patricia, is this is about putting people before politics and we go into it knowing that the opposition will play their usual mindless and nasty and negative political game material. But it’s not about politics. Fundamentally, it’s about giving people more help with the cost of living.
Updated
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said that, to some people, things are only viewed as tax reform if it “benefits people on the highest incomes”.
And that’s a mistake.
Chalmers argued that the changes to stage three will be better for “work incentives”, “aspiration” and “cost of living help for middle Australia”.
But it ticks so many boxes when it comes to not just tax reform but economic reform more broadly. We want to incentivise more people to work more and earn more if they can, and what the Treasury advice will say is that this is an important consequence of the tax proposal that we’re putting forward today.
Updated
Chalmers says stage-three changes ‘will not add to inflationary pressures’
ABC RN host Patricia Karvelas:
Do you accept that this will add to demand and keep some upward pressure on domestically generated inflation?
Treasurer Jim Chalmers:
That is not the view of the Treasury and it’s not my view, and it’s not the view of the independent Reserve Bank either.
Chalmers said he had been in consultation with the RBA governor, Michele Bullock, regarding the stage-three tax cut redesign:
She has indicated to us that she does not expect what we’re proposing today to alter the Reserve Bank’s forecasts or expectations for inflation.
The treasurer added that he will release “in full” the advice given to Treasury around changes to stage-three, which “says very clearly the redesign … will not add to inflationary pressures”.
Updated
Jim Chalmers says stage-three tax changes 'putting people before politics'
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, is speaking to ABC RN as the government is set to announce changes to the stage-three tax cuts today.
You can get all the latest details here:
Facing questions about whether the government has broken its election promise, Chalmers holds to the stance that the government is “putting people before politics”.
In addition to the pandemic [and] the higher interest rates and the spike in inflation … [it’s] increasingly clear that this sustained and persistent cost living pressure that so many of your listeners would be confronting from day to day warns us to do even more than the cost of living relief that we already budgeted for and is already in the system.
What we’re doing today is providing the same amount of tax relief overall, but doing it in a way where everyone still gets a tax cut, but more people get a bigger tax cut in recognition of these persistent and sustained cost of living pressures that people are confronting.
Updated
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?
Safe to say, they have been left with … some very colourful responses:
“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.”
There is nothing I love more than some discourse in a local community Facebook page!
All jokes aside – the Queensland government has all the information you need on preparing your property for a cyclone here.
Updated
Captain Cook statue has history of being vandalised
The Captain Cook Memorial statue in St Kilda has a history of being vandalised, especially in the lead-up to Australia Day.
In 2018, the statue had pink paint dumped on it, with the words “no pride” painted beneath his feet, along with the Aboriginal flag.
A bluestone monument near Melbourne zoo marking Burke and Wills’ journey to Australia’s interior was also vandalised at the time, with green paint and the word “stolen” daubed on it.
In August 2017 the words “change the date” and “no pride in genocide” were spray-painted on the statue of Cook in Sydney’s Hyde Park.
Similar words were also scrawled on a monument to Lachlan Macquarie, the fifth governor of New South Wales, and a statue of Queen Victoria was also targeted.
You can read more about its history in this article from six years ago:
Updated
Captain Cook statue sawn off in St Kilda
Victorian police said it is investigating “criminal damage” to the Captain Cook statue in St Kilda early this morning.
In a statement, police said that members of the public reported the Captain Cook Memorial in Jacka Boulevard had been vandalised about 3.30am.
Police understand the statue was sawn off at the ankles. Images of the statue on social media show spray paint on the plinth saying, “The colony will fall.”
Several people were seen loitering in the area around the time of the incident, police said.
The Captain Cook statue at St Kilda has been sawn off overnight. @3AW693 pic.twitter.com/Y56MdZkd49
— Madelaine Burke (@Madelaine_Burke) January 24, 2024
Updated
Coastal Queensland urged to prepare for Tropical Cyclone Kirrily
Senior meteorologist Angus Hines also gave an update on Tropical Cyclone Kirrily.
The weather system was officially declared a cyclone yesterday afternoon and is expected to reach the Queensland coast near Townsville as a category-two cyclone tonight.
He told ABC TV the coastal crossing may happen in the last few hours before midnight tonight, or the first few hours of tomorrow morning.
The tropical cyclone warning stretches down the coast from Innisfail down to Sarina, that includes Townsville, Bowen and Mackay. All of those places along the coast [are] likely to see a wet and windy day, particularly as we get towards the end of the day today. We have already started to see that wind whip up around the Whitsundays with gusts over 100km/h. That is only going to increase through the day today as [Kirrily] gets closer.
[Later today] that rain will begin as well with the heavy falls and thunderstorms arriving towards the end of the day today and continuing through the night tonight. It is going to get a little rough for some of those coastal areas around Queensland, so everyone in the area should be preparing for what is going to be a fairly significant weather event as it rolls through over the next 24 to 48 hours.
Updated
Weather bureau forecasts 'absolute scorcher'
Did any of my fellow early-risers in Sydney feel like it was unusually warm this morning?
Well, you weren’t imagining things – a “bubble of searing heat” is sitting across the centre of the country, bringing heatwave conditions to inland areas and pushing the warmth out to some areas of the coast.
Sydney is forecast to reach a top of 34C today, but the inland areas will feel it much worse. Angus Hines from the Bureau of Meteorology spoke to the ABC earlier on the heatwave conditions and said:
[Today is] going to be an absolute scorcher.
We’ve got this bubble of searing heat across the centre of Australia at the moment. That’s pushed several states up over 47, 48C in the past three or four days, and today is another one – 49C for Birdsville, probably taking the cake for the warmest spot. That’s within about half a degree of the all-time record, just to show how unusual this heat is.
But it’s not alone in being warm. A number of locations through inland New South Wales, southern Queensland, northern South Australia [will reach] 46, 47, possibly 48C today. It is a very, very warm one.
Updated
Good morning, and welcome back to another day on the liveblog – thanks to Martin for kicking things off! I’m Emily Wind and I’ll bring you our rolling coverage today, on what is shaping up to be a very busy one.
So grab a coffee, and let’s get into it.
Greg Jericho on why Labor right to change ‘garbage’ stage-three tax cuts
When the Coalition proposed the stage-three tax cuts back in 2018 our economics columnist called them “garbage”.
Nearly six years on Greg Jericho outlines why the uncosted plans were so egregious and why Labor has made the right decision by changing them and trying to help more modest earners:
You can pretty confidently say that 85% of income earners are better off under this new stage-three arrangement. That’s a pretty potent political weapon.
Read his full column here:
Also, check out our video explainer on the stage-three tax cuts and how they have been tweaked.
Updated
Tropical Cyclone Kirrilly likely to cross Queensland coast between Ingham and Bowen tonight
Tropical Cyclone Kirrilly is likely to cross the Queensland coast between Ingham and Bowen tonight, according to the 5am advice from the Bureau of Meteorology.
Gale-force winds are already hitting the Whitsunday Islands and will extend to the mainland as the day goes on.
At 4am the cyclone was a category-one storm, with sustained winds near the centre of 75km/h, with wind gusts up to 100km/h. It was about 420km east-north-east of Townsville and moving west at 17km/h.
The storm is expected to continue strengthening as it tracks towards the coast, which it will cross in the vicinity of Townsville as a category-two storm.
The Bom is forecasting gales with damaging wind gusts up to 120km/h for coastal and island communities between Ayr and Innisfail, including Townsville, this afternoon and evening.
Destructive wind gusts up to 140km/h will develop this evening between Ayr and Bowen, including Townsville, tonight.
Those in affected areas should visit www.disaster.qld.gov.au for advice and use the daylight hours to prepare before taking shelter.
A storm tide is expected between Townsville and Mackay, bringing large waves that may produce minor flooding on the foreshore.
“People living in areas likely to be affected by this flooding should take measures to protect their property as much as possible and be prepared to help their neighbours,” the Bom says.
Heavy, intense rainfall which may lead to flash flooding is expected today and Friday.
After that it will move inland as a tropical low, resulting in intense rain in parts of Queensland’s northern interior and western areas.
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Chalmers says tax changes are better than Coalition's plans
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has claimed the stage-three tax cuts changes, to be unveiled by the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, today, would be “superior to the tax reform that it replaces”.
But the treasurer downplayed prospects of any further cost-of-living relief – for instance, for pensioners or those who don’t pay tax – beyond the stage-three changes.
He told ABC’s 7.30 program last night:
The proposal that the prime minister will put forward tomorrow means more help for more people, it means a tax cut for every taxpaying worker, and it will be better for middle Australia.
Chalmers defended the change in stance on the stage-three tax cuts by noting that in the five years since they were legislated by the Coalition government, developments such as the Covid pandemic and global conflicts had changed the economic circumstances. Treasury analysis would also be released alongside Albanese’s speech, which he said would show that the tax changes would “be better for the economy as well”.
He also noted the Coalition’s opposition to the changes, potentially setting up a fight in which the government will accuse its opponents of prioritising richer Australians over middle-income earners:
The deputy opposition leader [Sussan Ley] said today that, if they are elected, they will unwind these changes. That means the Liberals and Nationals are going to the election with a policy to increase taxes on middle Australia in order to fund even bigger tax cuts for people on the highest incomes.
Asked if the PM’s National Press Club speech would include any other cost-of-living relief, Chalmers said the focus “will be on changes to the structure of the tax cuts”.
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Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our rolling news coverage. I’m Martin Farrer and I’ll be bringing you the best of the overnight stories before Emily Wind guides you through the main part of the day.
It’s going to be a day of two storms. First, the political one.
Anthony Albanese will use a speech today to explain why he is breaking an election promise to put more money into the pockets of modest earners – by giving less than was planned to high earners. The prime minister will defend his decision at the National Press Club at lunchtime today, arguing it will deliver “a tax cut for every taxpayer”.
It comes along with good news for those shaking their heads at their power bills: wholesale prices have halved since last January, at the same time as carbon emissions fell to record lows, thanks to our expanding renewables sector. More coming up on these two stories and how Jim Chalmers has called Labor’s tax changes “superior” to the Coalition plans.
In Queensland Cyclone Kirrily is now a category one storm and still strengthening off the coast, with its forecast path running straight over the top of Townsville tonight. More on that soon.
And the Australian of the year for 2024 will be revealed tonight, with finalists gathering in Canberra before the announcement. The finalists for the main award include Western Australian Mechelle Turvey, who has campaigned for victims of crime after her son Cassius was killed by a group of attackers in 2022. It comes as thousands of people prepare to mark the national holiday with Invasion Day rallies, events and protests.
