What we learned today, Sunday 25 May
That’s where we’ll wrap up this afternoon. Here’s a snippet of what happened today:
A major Melbourne shopping centre was locked down on Sunday afternoon as Victoria police responded to reports of “two rival groups” fighting each other with knives.
The Insurance Council of Australia has reported more than 3,600 claims after severe flooding across the Mid North Coast, Hunter and Greater Sydney regions of New South Wales.
The Bureau of Meteorology says the weather is in a “transition phase” across NSW, going between the rain and flood conditions of the last week to very windy conditions brought on by a very strong cold front.
The new environment minister, Murray Watt, says he plans to decide on whether Australia’s biggest-emitting gas development can extend its life until 2070 by the end of the month.
The NSW government says it doesn’t expect tomorrow’s fare-free day to make up for commuters’ headaches last week when an overhead wire failure delivered knock-on delays , but it wants people to know it expects better of the system.
David Littleproud says he doesn’t care if he loses his job over the messy Coalition split. The Nationals leader has said he would rather stand for something and if necessary, lose his position.
We’ll see you bright and early tomorrow morning.
Updated
Three people treated for anxiety symptoms at Northland shopping centre
Ambulance Victoria has confirmed three people were treated for anxiety symptoms at Northland shopping centre after it was placed into lockdown.
As mentioned by one person at the centre earlier, there was “chaos” and “confusion” shortly after a fight broke out, which police alleged involved around ten people, some carrying knives.
Ambulance officers took care of the three people, offering assurance, before family members arrived to take further care of them.
Updated
Two people arrested after Northland shopping centre incident
Two people have been arrested after a fight allegedly involving around 10 people at a major shopping centre in Melbourne, which left one person hospitalised with serious injuries.
In a statement, Victoria police said the two men were being interviewed by officers.
A police spokesperson said officers were called to the shopping centre around 2.30pm “following reports of opposing groups fighting, some armed with knives”.
Images posted online show one man carrying a large blade. One person at the shopping centre reported “chaos”, with people running and telling each other someone had a machete.
Victoria police are now investigating the fight:
The exact circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated but it is believed the incident was targeted and parties are believed to be known to each other.
Additionally, investigators are also keen to speak with anyone in the area at the time and who may have witnessed the altercation.
Northland shopping centre remained locked down at 4pm.
Victoria police has urged “anyone who witnessed the incident, has CCTV, dashcam footage or any other information that could assist police is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au”.
Updated
Man in hospital after fight at Northland shopping centre
A man in his 20s has been taken to Royal Melbourne hospital in a serious but stable condition with “upper body injuries” after a brawl at Northland shopping centre.
The hospitalisation was confirmed by Ambulance Victoria, which was called to respond to reports of multiple people fighting at the busy shopping centre at 2.30pm.
The shopping centre was placed into lockdown a short time later.
Vision uploaded by people at Northland shopping centre to social media shows a man being restrained by police officers and escorted from the building in handcuffs.
Victoria police are yet to confirm any arrests but will provide further information soon.
Updated
Customer describes scenes of 'panic' at Northland shopping centre
Michael Pavlou, who was at Northland shopping centre this afternoon with his three-year old son, has described scenes of “panic” and “confusion”.
The shopping centre has been shut down as police respond to reports of multiple people fighting. Pavlou was able to leave the shopping centre before it shut down:
As I walked out of Coles, I saw a group of people running. They looked young. At first, I thought they may have stolen something. But then I noticed more people running, and then everyone running.
As we started running I turned to the person next to me and said ‘what’s going on?’. They said, ‘someone has got a machete’.
We ran out the exit. I had my son in the trolley with our groceries.
Pavlou said he did not see the incident that sparked the chaos. He said people were running through Myer and the food court.
When you see that many people running in a shopping centre, it’s not good. You don’t want to stick around and see what’s happening.
There was confusion. There was definitely panic. Everyone was trying to get out. The car park became gridlock.
After getting out, we started hearing sirens and a helicopter.
Updated
Melbourne's Northland shopping centre in lockdown after reports of machete incident
A popular Melbourne shopping centre has been placed into lockdown as police respond to reports of numerous people fighting.
Images posted on social media show an altercation between three men at Northland shopping centre in Preston, with one brandishing a large blade or machete.
Victoria police did not comment on the image or the blade, but issued this statement:
Police are responding to reports of numerous people fighting at a shopping centre on Murray Road in Preston this afternoon.
The shopping centre has been locked down while the incident is ongoing.
Customers at the shopping centre have taken shelter inside stores, which have closed their doors while police respond to the incident.
Police said they would provide further information when more facts are established.
Updated
Chalmers approaching super tax the wrong way, economist warns
Independent economist Saul Eslake has little sympathy for small businesses and farms that say they may be forced to move money out of their superannuation accounts to avoid a future tax increase, according to AAP.
The federal government is hoping to pass a bill to impose a 15% tax on super balances higher than $3m, which would affect about one in every 200 savers, according to the Australia Institute.
“That’s not what bloody super is for,” Eslake said:
Super has become a vehicle for rich people to avoid tax and it’s become a subsidy for bequests, not retirement income. I support the government’s objective … however, I think the government is going about it the wrong way.
The bill would tax unrealised gains, which is the growth in the value of an investment before it is sold.
Mr Eslake said it was “unfair”, as it means people would be taxed even if they had not earned income.
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, insists calculating unrealised gains is not unique and says no one has proposed a better way of making this calculation after almost three years of consultation.
Updated
No more rain expected today but some flood warnings still in place
Jonathan How, from the Bureau of Meteorology, has just spoken to ABC News confirming (at least temporary) reprieve for New South Wales with the rain having eased.
We’re not expecting any more rainfall today, but there are still a number of minor moderate flood warnings, just very isolated flooding about the Hunter and the mid-north coast.
So reminding people to keep an eye on those river levels [that] still remain quite high in some areas; just wanting people to keep across those latest warnings.
We will see some showers developing across New South Wales on Monday afternoon into Tuesday. Nowhere near the totals that we saw over the last week, but we could see some pooling of water, especially given everything is so sodden and saturated.
Updated
Land shortages may affect home building over next five years
Following on from that last post, over the previous decade, Australian inflation has rarely been “just right”.
JP Morgan’s chief economist for Australia and New Zealand, Ben Jarman, warned the monthly inflation indicator could suggest “too much of a good thing” and drop below the target band.
However, quarterly trimmed mean inflation – the RBA’s preferred measure – was more likely to be sticky due to a strong jobs market, which meant core inflation could stay within the bank’s target into 2026, Jarman said.
Rate cuts could lead to a rebound in home construction, Housing Industry Association chief economist Tim Reardon said, as the Australian Bureau of Statistics prepares to release building approvals data on Friday.
While the sector is already showing signs of improved confidence with home building expected to increase across the next five years, long-term issues such as land shortages pose risks to affordability and reaching national supply targets. Reardon said:
Australia has the capacity to deliver, but it will take a coordinated response from all three tiers of government to overcome these constraints.
Retail trade figures for April are also due on Friday after the RBA flagged consumer spending had been softer than expected in recent months.
This will be the one of the last retail trade releases before the statistics bureau replaces the series with a broader household spending indicator.
– AAP
Updated
Price moves to help RBA plot course through uncertainty
The Reserve Bank could use fresh inflation insights to gauge the depth of further rate cuts as global uncertainty threatens Australia’s economic progress, AAP reports.
Consumer price data for April, to be released on Wednesday, will help guide the RBA on future changes after it reduced the cash rate to its lowest level in two years.
The decision showed the central bank was moving in a more dovish direction as Australia’s main inflation measure returned to its target range of two to three per cent, NAB economists Michelle Shi and Gareth Spence said.
The RBA on Tuesday cut the official cash rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 3.85%
NAB economists predict another three rate cuts in the second half of 2025, bringing the cash rate to a “broadly neutral” stance of 3.1 % by November.
But US tariff drama and the unpredictability of Donald Trump’s economic actions will continue to loom large over RBA meetings.
High levels of global uncertainty are likely to persist even as trade tensions ease between the US and China, the NAB economists warn.
Unless pushed, the RBA could take a more gradual path towards neutral while watching the inflation data over time.
More than 3,600 insurance claims reported amid NSW floods, industry body says
The Insurance Council of Australia have reported more than 3,600 claims after severe flooding across the Mid North Coast, Hunter and Greater Sydney regions of New South Wales.
They say four in five claims are for personal property, with the remainder commercial and motor claims.
The council wants to remind those affected by recent severe weather that it is OK to begin clean-up without needing to wait for an assessor to visit their property. They say representatives from a range of insurers will be on the ground to meet with affected homeowners and businesses and discuss their personal claim and share advice on the claims process.
CEO Andrew Hall said in a statement:
While clean-up is well and truly underway in many communities, safety is always the number one priority. Flood waters can bring debris and cause electrical damage, so we encourage locals to take extra precaution and follow advice of local authorities.
We’re looking forward to getting to Taree next week and helping people get back on their feet. I encourage any impacted policyholders to come along and speak with your insurer.
We’re also in discussion with the New South Wales Reconstruction Authority about having an insurer presence at local recovery centres across the mid-north Coast. We’ll communicate this information as soon as plans are in place.
Updated
Greens leader claims Albanese government ‘gearing up to approve’ North West Shelf gas project
The Greens leader, Larissa Waters, has claimed the Albanese government is “gearing up to approve an absolutely catastrophic gas project”.
As our environment editor Adam Morton reported earlier today, the federal government plans to decide on whether Australia’s biggest-emitting gas development can extend its life until 2070 by the end of the month.
Waters believes a decision has already been made:
Under the cover of the on-again/off-again Coalition drama, Labor is gearing up to approve an absolutely catastrophic gas project. Woodside’s North West Shelf is an untapped climate bomb. This approval would mean supercharged floods, fires and species extinctions.
Here’s a look at the detail behind this:
Updated
Decision looms on Australia’s biggest-emitting gas development
A decision is expected this this week from the new environment minister, Murray Watt, on whether Australia’s biggest-emitting gas development can extend its life until 2070.
Watt has confirmed he will make the call before the end of the month (the last day of May being next Saturday), which the Greens say will be his first test on climate in the new portfolio since he took over from Tanya Plibersek.
If you want to know what will he consider in making that decision and what’s at stake, our environment editor Adam Morton has your answers here:
Updated
Girl in critical condition after being hit by SUV in Sydney’s north
A young girl is in critical condition after being hit by a car in Sydney’s north.
At about 10.40am this morning, emergency services were called to Hornsby Heights where they arrived to find an eight-year-old girl unconscious on the road after allegedly being hit by a Holden SUV, NSW police say.
The girl was treated by paramedics before being taken to the Children’s Hospital at Westmead in a critical condition.
The driver of the SUV was uninjured and taken to Hornsby hospital for mandatory testing.
A crime scene had been established and police have commenced an investigation into the incident. Inquiries are ongoing.
Updated
Food and shelter available at flood evacuation centres, NSW government says
For those affected by the mid-north coast floods, the NSW government says food, accommodation and connections with social services are available at evacuation centres.
People who have lost their prescriptions or prescription medicines, or can’t access their GP, can visit their local community pharmacy for a replacement for most medicines, the government says.
Housing minister Rose Jackson said:
The priority right now is that flood impacted people have access to food and shelter. Both can be found at our evacuation centres in addition to connections to social services where required. They will also continue to be available at Recovery Assistance Points.
The NSW Government is committed to supporting people across the state when disasters hit, we work closely with emergency services and community leaders to understand what locals need and provide help to those impacted.
Updated
NSW floods: more roads to reopen and assistance grants to commence
The NSW government say it has a range of immediate support measures in place for flood-hit communities across the state, ensuring they can access food and shelter, medicine and animal welfare support.
The M1 has now reopened, with one lane in each direction. The government says after safety assessments more roads will begin to reopen, supporting resupply to communities and returning home.
Recovery assistance points and the first phase of the commonwealth and state government grants will open shortly, with more information due soon.
Minister for recovery Janelle Saffin said:
We’re working to roll out the support that people need through Evacuation Centres now and Recovery Centres as they open. This is about making sure that people get a helping hand in these challenging times.
One of the most important steps in early recovery is the initial clean up. That’s why the government is rolling out a plan to manage waste. Public Works, the EPA, and local Councils are working together to collect flood waste from homes and businesses.
Updated
Top female football coaches earn Matildas opportunity
Central Coast’s championship-winning mentor Emily Husband is one of three female coaches drafted into the Matildas’ coaching staff for upcoming games as Football Australia (FA) attempts to accelerate their development, AAP reports.
Husband, Western United A-League Women coach Kat Smith and Melbourne City veteran/goalkeeping coach Melissa Barbieri will be interim coach Tom Sermanni’s assistants for upcoming games against Argentina.
Husband, Smith, Barbieri and Catherine Cannuli, who is working with the Young Matildas, are part of a ‘Team of Coaches’ program intended to provide a pipeline for highly-rated coaches to reach football’s top levels.
There are currently no female head coaches within FA’s national teams.
General manager of women’s national teams Briana Harvey said:
Each of these coaches brings a unique perspective and deep experience from their leadership roles in the A-League Women, and their inclusion reflects our commitment to both strengthening our national team environment and supporting the ongoing development of Australian female coaching talent.
Providing professional development opportunities for women in high-performance settings is a vital part of building a more equitable and successful football system.
Updated
NSW transport minister: 'We have heard loud and clear the frustration of the commuting public'
The NSW government says it doesn’t expect tomorrow’s fare-free day to make up for commuters’ headaches last week when an overhead wire failure delivered knock-on delays , but it wants people to know it expects better of the system.
Transport minister John Graham said:
We don’t expect a fare-free day to make up for last week’s inconvenience and we acknowledge that it strained the patience of an entire city.
More than a million people will benefit from free travel on the trains and metro on Monday. We want them to know the NSW Government also expects better of the system, and we are working to improve reliability and maintenance.
We have heard loud and clear the frustration of the commuting public.
A short and sharp independent review into maintenance, punctuality and customer communications will assist in understanding how we can do better as we continue to invest record amounts in maintenance and reliability.
On Monday, travel will be free on all Sydney trains, Airport Link and Sydney Metro services on the Opal network but will not extend to buses, ferries and light rail, which will charge fares as normal. Free travel will not apply to regional train services and coach ticketing, including TrainLink services.
Updated
Littleproud: ‘If I have to lose my job for it, I don’t care’
David Littleproud says he doesn’t care if he loses his job over the messy Coalition split. The Nationals leader told Sky News this morning:
I’d rather go to [the party room] standing for something and if I have to lose my job for it, I don’t care.
This was a principled decision that the men and women of my party room made.
I’m proud of them ... [proud of] the fact that we got we got an outcome in two or three days because of principles over politics.
– via AAP
Updated
Woodhouse said the windy conditions could make temperatures feel up to 10C colder than the actual temperature:
With those really strong winds, we are going to see a high degree of wind chill, so during the day, even though temperature might be saying it’s about 15 to 20 degrees, it’s going to feel more like 10 degrees. So very cold, very windy conditions, and at the moment, we are seeing that shift from from the rain and the flood situation that we’ve been experiencing over the last week to very windy conditions.
Updated
'Very strong cold front' to move across NSW after floods, BoM says
Gabrielle Woodhouse, from the Bureau of Meteorology, says the weather is in a “transition phase” across NSW, going between the rain and flood conditions of the last week to very windy conditions brought on by a very strong cold front:
We’re in a bit of a transition phase in terms of the weather and flood situation across New South Wales.
We are still seeing some catchments in flood warning at the moment for minor to moderate flooding, that includes at Long Jetty and at Boulder and up at Coutts Crossing.
But what we’re going to see going into the next couple of days is a very strong cold front move across New South Wales, and that’s going to bring very windy conditions to most areas.
So what we’re expecting is the severe weather warning that is current for the alpine area of New South Wales. That warning area is going to expand to include parts of south west New South Wales, as well as parts of the snowy mountains and the ACT for winds increasing on Monday.
Updated
SES commissioner 'comfortable' residents are safe as Warragamba Dam spills
The Warragamba Dam is spilling but the SES is not expecting the community to be affected. SES commissioner Mike Wassing said:
We have seen the spilling of the Warragamba Dam, and saying that I’m very comfortable the fact that with some of that spilling, our current intelligence and reporting indicates that there might be some minor inconvenience in terms of low lying areas, but fundamentally, we were not expecting or predicting any impact on communities below the dam associated with that spilling and with the current weather forecast.
Updated
SES commissioner urges NSW residents not to drive through flood waters after 16 rescues in 24 hours
The SES are now holding a press conference in Sydney about the flooding situation on the NSW mid north coast.
There have been a total 7,412 incidents during the floods, including 328 in the last 24 hours to 5am.
That includes 16 flood rescues in the last 24 hours.
NSW SES commissioner Mike Wassing said:
Most of those are rescuing people out of flood waters that they’ve driven into. I get why people want to get back on the road and get back into the communities where they can but again, my message is, do not go through flood waters. It is too easy for me to get stuck in those flood waters, and our resources are focused in other areas, and I don’t want my people or anything multi-services having to put their lives at risk for people just driving the flood waters. So I want to see zero flood rescues tomorrow is my aim, and I need people to and the community members to help me in achieving that aim.
Wassing said there are still 44 people in evacuation centres who will continue to receive support even as “most of that flash flooding is decreased.”
Updated
Hogan backs Littleproud as Nationals leader
Hogan also backed Littleproud, saying he should “absolutely” should remain leader.
Asked about whether someone like Michael McCormack returning as leader would be a good idea, he said:
I think this is a hypothetical that is not on the cards.
… David Littleproud [has] very strong support in the national party room. And I would say even more support after the process he followed, how transparent he was.
Updated
On the topic of what was and wasn’t put the Nationals party room, Hogan says the request for the Coalition junior partner to be able to breach cabinet solidarity was not brought up with the party room because “it wasn’t a non negotiable”.
Speers:
What about his demand to end shadow cabinet solidarity – that didn’t go to the party room did it?
Hogan:
No, because it wasn’t a non-negotiable. So David brought that up in one of his conversations with Sussan. She said that would be unacceptable. David said fine, that’s not a non-negotiable.
Updated
‘People are grateful and thankful that we’re standing up for these regional policies’
Hogan says despite the criticisms of the National’s decision this week, the feedback from the communities they represent is overwhelmingly positive:
I can tell you the feedback into my office from my community. I know a lot of my colleagues have said this, is very different from the commentary in the cities about what we’ve done this week. People are grateful and thankful that we’re standing up for these regional policies we have. They’re important to people’s daily lives.
Updated
Deputy Nationals leader backs net zero
Speers asks Hogan outright:
What is the Nationals position now on net zero?
Hogan:
The Nationals support net zero 2050.
Hogan said that policy was settled seven years ago and “that’s not up for review or being changed.”
Updated
Littleproud had party room’s approval ‘to do all of this’, Hogan says
Nationals leader David Littleproud staunchly defended the “principled” decision to cut ties with the Liberals over its refusal to immediately re-commit to positions on nuclear power, a $20bn regional future fund, powers to break up supermarkets, and reliable phone and internet access in the bush.
Speers asks Hogan about reports the party room didn’t know about the four policy demands until after Littleproud had raised them Sussan Ley.
Hogan insists:
He got the [party] room’s approval to do all of this.
Updated
Deputy Nationals leader asked about Coalition split
Deputy Nationals leader Kevin Hogan is speaking with ABC Insiders after his party’s momentous announcement that they would be breaking away from the Coalition agreement, only to come back admitting there is still room for the two parties to kiss and make up.
Before the announcement, Hogan twice told Sky News all Coalition policies were up for review.
David Speers asks Hogan about the shift, with the break coming because the Nationals had four key policy areas they demanded not be changed, including nuclear. Hogan responds:
The party room had our very firm position on nuclear. We discussed nuclear, we reviewed it in the sense that the policy that we took to the election could be could be relaxed, if you like. But there was a view in the room which I respect, that we have a nuclear facility at Lucas Heights already, but we are saying that we’re going to have nuclear submarines in this country over the next decade or so. And so at least, if the moratorium on nuclear was the least we should, we should do, and I was exceptionally happy with that.
Updated
Woman dies after being shot by police in South Melbourne
A woman has died after being shot by police in South Melbourne on Saturday evening.
Victoria police said officers were called after reports that a male had a machete at about 5pm:
Police located a male and whilst he was being arrested, a vehicle was [allegedly] driven at a police officer, striking them.
The officer shot at the offending vehicle, striking a female driver and her male passenger.
The 34-year-old female has died at the scene, while the 26-year-old male has been taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The male senior constable has been taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening-injuries.
Homicide Squad detectives will now investigate the matter with oversight from professional standards command, as is standard procedure for a fatal police shooting.
Updated
Many NSW towns still isolated amid floods
As of 7pm last night these New South Wales mid-north coast towns remained isolated: Croki, Moto, South West Rocks, Hat Head, Crescent Head, Louth Park, Gillieston, Duckenfield, Millers Forest, Woodberry Swamp, Lambs Valley, Anambah, Hinton and Osterley.
NSW SES say they will be prioritising resupply in those locations and expect access to be restored as water recedes.
Premier Chris Minns in his op-ed said:
As we look forward, it’s important that everyone is across the process of emergency response and recovery from here. Our first priority, of course, is to save people in imminent risk of death. The next priority is to supply food and shelter. The last priority is the cleanup effort.
I understand that there will be some frustrations if your possessions have been swept away, or your business has been smashed. You want to start the recovery as quickly as possible. But we’ve got to make sure the third priority doesn’t jump in front of the first one.
As flood waters recede, we can move into the cleanup phase.
Updated
Minns pens op-ed on NSW floods: ‘These are tough communities … but they are in pain’
The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, has penned an op-ed reflecting on the people of the mid-north coast and the Hunter “as they deal with the floods that have smashed their communities this week”:
These are tough communities … But they are in pain right now, as they count the costs of the damage, while mourning those who have died in terrible circumstances.
These deaths are a shocking tragedy, but it’s important to know that this disaster could have been on a much larger scale. If it wasn’t for the bravery and professionalism of our emergency workers and volunteers, we may have been mourning hundreds of deaths this week.
We have seen an incredible logistical effort, working in exceptionally difficult circumstances. In the coming days and weeks, we will hear more stories of people being plucked out of impossible, desperate situations. We will learn of volunteers putting themselves in harm’s way to rescue complete strangers.
Updated
Good morning
Natasha May here, bringing you Sunday’s news.
New South Wales continues to deal with the devastation from floods on the mid-north coast where over 30,000 people remain isolated as waters start to recede slowly.
About 200 additional emergency service partners from Queensland, Western Australia, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT have been deployed to support the NSW SES.
The state government is also using helicopters to provide isolated farmers with emergency fodder for their stranded livestock. There have been 43 helicopter aerial drops and nearly 131 emergency fodder drops by other means since midday on Saturday.
The NSW premier is urging those affected to be patient as they await clean-up assistance. Chris Minns says the priority remains saving people still at risk, although he understands the frustrations “if your possessions have been swept away, or your business has been smashed”.
Meanwhile, commuters in Sydney will enjoy fare-free travel on trains tomorrow as the NSW government attempts to make up for headaches last week when an overhead wire failure delivered knock-on delays from Tuesday evening through to Wednesday.
On Monday, travel will be free on all Sydney trains, Airport Link, and Sydney Metro services on the Opal network but will not extend to buses, ferries and light rail, which will charge fares as normal. Free travel will not apply to regional train services and coach ticketing, including TrainLink services.
Let’s get into it!
