What we learned: Thursday, 3 July
With that, we will wrap the blog for the evening. Have a lovely night, we’ll be back first thing tomorrow for all the latest news.
Until then, here were the major developments of the day:
Former South Australian premier Jay Weatherill and senior bureaucrat Pamela White have been appointed by the Victorian government to lead its review into early childcare safety.
The education minister, Jason Clare, will introduce legislation to cut funding to childcare centres “that aren’t up to scratch”, after a Melbourne childcare worker was charged with allegedly sexually abusing infants and children in his care.
Meanwhile, the Greens say new early childhood education and care safety measures announced by state and federal governments this week are not sufficient to keep children safe and a national, independent watchdog is required.
The federal government will financially back the Queensland government’s new Victoria Park stadium plan.
Clare O’Neil, says tackling the “crazy thicket of red tape” facing builders will be crucial to meet the government’s target to build 1.2m homes by 2029.
Eileen Bond, the first wife of Western Australian business tycoon Alan Bond, has died of a stroke at age 87.
And a man in his 50s has died after contracting the first case of Australian bat lyssavirus in New South Wales.
Greens say government ‘greenwashing their support for coal and gas’
The Greens environment spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young accused the government of “greenwashing their support for coal and gas” and likened the announcement to past controversy over the description of the proposed Middle Arm precinct in Darwin as “sustainable”.
In a LinkedIn post, energy analyst Tim Buckley from Climate Energy Finance claimed the CCS proposal had “zero connection to renewable energy”.
A spokesperson for Ayres said projects given major project status did not receive direct government funding and took in “a wide range of technologies and tools to achieve the net zero transformation”. They said “carbon capture and storage in hard-to-abate sectors is one such tool”.
In a statement on Thursday, the Bonaparte joint venture said the government’s announcement “highlights the Bonaparte CCS Project’s recognised potential to support a lower carbon future”.
They said the site approximately 250 km offshore from Darwin was “proving to be one of the most promising carbon dioxide storage sites globally” after appraisal works “confirmed a high-quality saline aquifer reservoir with thick sealing formations”. They said:
This means the Bonaparte CCS Project could substantially contribute to decarbonising northern Australia and potentially the wider Indo-Pacific region.
Updated
Climate groups criticise inclusion of carbon capture project in ‘renewable energy ventures’
The Greens and climate groups have criticised an announcement by industry, innovation and science minister Tim Ayres that included a carbon capture and storage project proposed by a gas industry joint venture among “large-scale renewable energy ventures” that have been awarded major project status.
In the announcement this morning, Ayres said two new projects had been given the special status, which offers developers targeted support and streamlined processes for significant projects.
One of the projects is a silica sandmining project in Cairns, the other is the Bonaparte Carbon Capture and Storage Project off the Northern Territory, a joint venture by Inpex, Total Energies CCS and Woodside. The government said the project would “potentially enable the development of low-carbon industries in the region” and support emissions reductions in hard-to-abate sectors such as metal and chemical refining.
Bree Ahrens, climate campaigner at the Environment Centre NT, accused the government of “helping the fossil fuel industry greenwash its dangerous gas expansion in the Territory under the guise of clean energy”.
Continued in next post …
Updated
Report warns of effect of school non-attendance on future workforce in regional Australia
Floods, fires and Covid-19 may have pushed country kids out of school at the same time as young people turn away from employment and higher education, raising concerns about the rural workforce, AAP reports.
The school non-attendance rate in regional Australia was 14.6% in 2024, well above pre-pandemic levels of 10.6% in 2019.
This has been flagged as a “significant gap” in a landmark Jobs and Skills Australia report examining the future workforce in the bush, as school attendance is an early indicator of barriers to employment.
While there has been a longstanding gap in school attendance between the country and the cities, the disparity was worsening in the aftermath of pandemic lockdowns and rolling natural disasters.
There was also a steep and rapid increase in the proportion of people aged between 18 and 24 not in education, employment or training. The rate of disengaged youth went from 12.2% in 2023 to 15.3% in 2024.
It means many are at risk of failing to transition from school to higher education and employment, possibly due to barriers such as financial difficulties and poorer access to childcare, housing and public transport.
Jobs and Skills Australia commissioner Barney Glover said if the younger group of people about to enter the prime workforce was becoming less engaged, “we’re looking at a risk to maintaining that level of participation and productivity as a result”.
Updated
O’Neil on protecting children in childcare: ‘a lot will have to change’
Circling back to O’Neil, she was also asked about reform to the childcare sector following allegations of sexual abuse by a worker in Melbourne.
O’Neil said as a parent in Victoria, this was a “huge thing” that had happened to the community.
We have got parents around Melbourne at the moment who are having to have conversations with their children, young children, that no parent should have, and I want to acknowledge this is causing huge pain for people around us.
We need childcare to be affordable for Australian families but that should never take away from our ultimate obligation to provide safe environments for the most vulnerable people in the community … A lot will have to change at the state level and commonwealth level.
Asked about a national watchdog, as had been proposed by the Greens, O’Neil said a number of positive reforms had been raised, including a national register of childcare workers and tightened working with children checks.
When I saw the reporting of this, my first reaction was not as a parliamentarian. My first reaction was as a parent, with a 3-year-old daughter who uses the system every day.
Updated
Transport disruptions continue as the weather eases in NSW
Boaters were urged to keep off the water over coming days, as dangerous swells, strong winds and debris continued to create hazardous conditions.
People travelling on the roads or public transport were also advised to check conditions and allow extra travel time, according to Transport for New South Wales.
Buses continued to replace trains on the Central Coast and Newcastle line due to overhead wiring repairs at Dora Creek, after an incident on Tuesday where high voltage wires came down on a passenger and freight train.
Virgin Australia said flight schedules continued to be affected by the weather conditions, with several cancellations on Thursday morning.
Jay Weatherill to lead Victorian childcare review
Former South Australian premier Jay Weatherill and senior bureaucrat Pamela White have been appointed by the Victorian government to lead its review into early childcare safety.
The premier Jacinta Allan on Thursday issued a statement confirming the appointments.
Weatherill currently serves as executive director of democracy at the Susan McKinnon Foundation and previously led the Minderoo Foundation’s Thrive by Five early learning reform campaign.
White has held senior roles across the Victoria Public Service for three decades, including in child protection, disability, housing, youth justice, emergency management and education. She currently chairs the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority and serves on the CFA Board.
Allan says the “short and sharp review” will report back by 15 August and the government will adopt every recommendation and implement them as quickly as possible.
Updated
Clare O’Neil says increase in proportion of social housing to 6% an ‘aspiration’
Turning to social housing, O’Neil was asked about recommendations for our proportion of social housing to increase from 4% to 6% in order to alleviate housing stress.
She said it wasn’t a target that had been adopted, but it was “definitely an aspiration”.
We are building 55,000 social and affordable homes over a five-year period; in the nine years a Coalition government were in power, they built 373. I’m not pointing the finger, I’m just giving you the contrast.
The biggest shortages are in the social and affordable space … when you are walking around seeing the visible increase in the homeless population, that reflects that we do not have social and affordable housing for people.
Asked if the housing crisis was putting people off having children, O’Neil replied: “Absolutely”.
This crisis has been building since the 1980s … we don’t need the view of the housing minister, we have the voice of Australians, many of whom are telling us they are delaying having children, not going into jobs that are suitable for them, not undertaking further study because they can’t do it because they need to save for a home … we have got to build more homes more quickly, that is a big, complex task that will be my focus of the coming three years.
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Federal minister for housing to target ‘crazy thicket of red tape’
Clare O’Neil, says tackling the “crazy thicket of red tape” facing builders will be crucial to meet the government’s target to build 1.2m homes by 2029. It is equivalent to 250,000 new homes a year.
O’Neil said it was a “hugely bold and ambitious target”, but that was what was needed.
This target is designed to galvanise change around the country at state, local and federal level to help us build more capacity in our construction sector.
She said the housing crisis came back to something “quite simple”:
We need to change the capacity of all builders out there to construct homes. I’m really clear, it has become too hard to build housing our country.
I want builders on building sites building homes, not sitting in the office, dealing with endless forms. There are three things we need to do to address this. You have got to tackle this crazy thicket of red tape faced by builders when they are trying to put up homes, we’ve got to address issues with innovation in the sector, and make sure that we build a workforce that we need.
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No Australians believed to be involved in Bali ferry disaster
No Australians were believed to be onboard a ferry that sank on its way to the Indonesian resort island of Bali.
In a statement, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the Australian government expressed its “sincere condolences to those impacted by the ferry accident in the Bali Strait”.
The Consulate-General in Bali is receiving regular updates. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.
Australians in need of emergency consular assistance should contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on 1300 555 135, or +61 2 6261 3305 (if calling from overseas).
Four people had died, 31 had been rescued and 30 were missing as of Thursday afternoon. The boat was carrying 53 passengers and 12 crew members, as well as 22 vehicles.
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Mr Squiggle celebrated at National Museum
One of Australia’s most beloved television characters, the pencil-nosed blue-haired puppet Mr Squiggle, is being celebrated with an exhibition at the National Museum.
Mr Squiggle and Friends was the life’s work of multi-talented puppeteer Norman Hetherington and was on television for four decades, with the program’s final episode airing on 9 July 1999.
As the voice and operator of the Mr Squiggle puppet, he completed more than 10,000 drawings during that time – many of them upside down, and with his friend Blackboard telling him to “Hurry up!”.
The museum acquired the Hetherington collection in 2024, including more than 800 objects, such as scripts, props and production notes.
About 300 of those are going on show at the museum in Canberra and Mr Squiggle’s friends Blackboard, Rocket, Bill the Steam Shovel and Gus the Snail will be on display too.
AAP
Updated
New South Wales SES responds to over 6,000 calls during wild weather
The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) has responded to 6,135 calls and 10 flood rescues and more than 4,000 incidents.
There have been 471 incidents in the 24 hours to 2.30pm.
NSW SES deputy commissioner Debbie Platz said the focus today has been on clean up and damage assessments, particularly along the NSW South Coast, as severe weather conditions eased across the state.
Our volunteers and emergency service partners have been kept incredibly busy responding to a large number of fallen trees, downed power lines, damaged properties and vehicles, as well as flood-related tasks. Overnight we’ve seen the easing of weather conditions, which has led to all emergency warnings being downgraded, including at the Central Coast, Burrill Lake and Lake Conjola.
Despite the easing conditions, Platz warned there may still be hazards about in affected areas.
We’ve seen a huge number of trees and power lines come down during this event, and there has been damage to property. We ask the community to remain vigilant and take care in storm impacted areas.
More than 2,000 NSW SES volunteers and emergency service partners have been involved in the response. Three storm teams have also deployed from the ACT SES to assist affected communities.
Updated
Parent advocacy group backs Greens on early childhood commission
The Parenthood have come out in support for a national, independent early childhood commission to lead early childhood education and care reform and enforce nationally consistent standards.
Georgie Dent, CEO of The Parenthood, said national oversight was “urgently needed” to protect children and ensure quality care.
Right now, there’s no clear way to ensure early learning services across Australia meet minimum safety and quality standards.
Our national quality framework is world-leading - but if those minimum requirements are not being implemented and enforced, it doesn’t count. An independent Early Childhood Commission would help to fill this role.
Dent said the body had been recommended by the Productivity Commission’s landmark review into the sector and would provide “national leadership and coordination”.
It would oversee safety, quality, access, workforce and funding. It would ensure that public money is used well, that children are protected, and that services are accountable for the care they provide.
At the moment, it is possible for services that do not meet the minimum quality standards to continue to operate, using taxpayer funding through the childcare subsidy. This is unacceptable.
We need an independent body to oversee safety, quality, access, workforce and funding in early childhood education. Keeping children safe should never be a partisan issue - it’s a national responsibility that demands leadership, accountability and action from every level of government.
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Dual-cab utes reign supreme in Australia as sedan and hatchback sales fall off
Dual-cab utes are driving Australia’s automotive market, representing the top four bestselling vehicles in the country and one in every four new models sold.
The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries revealed the trends in sales figures on Thursday, which showed motorists bought more than 120,000 vehicles to recover from a sales slump earlier in 2025.
Electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles also continued to climb in popularity during the month, although sales of passenger cars, such as sedans and hatchbacks, fell again.
While regularly ranking highly among Australia’s bestsellers, utes claimed all four top places in June, with the Ford Ranger in pole position with more than 6,200 sales.
The Toyota HiLux, Isuzu D-Max and BYD Shark 6 utes filled the other top spots, which chamber chief executive, Tony Weber, said highlighted the enduring popularity of the workhorse vehicles.
The figures also revealed a spike in popularity for BYD’s Shark 6 plug-in hybrid electric ute, which was snapped up by almost 3,000 motorists, more than double its sales in May. The boost lifted BYD to become Australia’s fifth bestselling vehicle brand during June, surpassing longtime electric rival Tesla that ranked in tenth place.
– AAP.
Updated
Learner motorcycle rider caught allegedly travelling 80km/h above speed limit
In Tasmania, a 17-year-old learner motorcycle rider will appear in court and has had his bike seized after he was intercepted allegedly travelling 80km/h above the speed limit at Turners Beach on the north coast of the state yesterday.
About 3.40pm on Wednesday, police detected a Honda motorcycle allegedly travelling at 160km/h on the Bass Highway. The rider, a 17-year-old learner, was intercepted.
Police allege he was not displaying an L Plate, had an unroadworthy tyre on his bike, and was exceeding the maximum speed limit on his licence which was 80km/h.
Updated
Calls for federal paid placement scheme to include students working across allied health
The Health Services Union (HSU) is calling on the federal government to extend its new paid placements to students working across allied health, not just in key industries.
The payment, which came into effect on 1 July, offers $331 a week to eligible teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work students undertaking a mandatory placement.
Aside from social workers, all allied health students are excluded from the scheme, including occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech pathologists, podiatrists, pharmacists, radiation therapists and psychologists.
HSU national secretary, Lloyd Williams, said the payments would make a “huge difference” to thousands of students but “it makes no sense that the critical professions that fall under allied health are excluded”.
Leaving allied health behind has a major gender impact because it is a feminised workforce. For example, 98% of speech pathologists are women. Some students are travelling hours from home and are forced to pay accommodation and other costs just to complete their mandatory placement with no financial help whatsoever.
Often they’re completing thousands of hours of placements and taking time off their casual jobs without receiving a cent to help them keep their heads above water. We risk turning a workforce crisis into a catastrophe if we don’t break down barriers to study like placement poverty.
Updated
Greens to propose independent early childhood education and care watchdog
The Greens say new early childhood education and care safety measures announced by state and federal governments this week are not sufficient to keep children safe and a national, independent watchdog is required.
The independent commission was first proposed by the Greens in April after allegations of malpractice in the sector by Four Corners. It was costed at $1.5bn over the forward estimates.
The Greens spokesperson for early childhood education and care, Senator Steph Hodgins-May, will raise the watchdog when parliament resumes in just over a fortnight.
Earlier this week, the Greens called for a royal commission into the safety and quality of early childhood education and care, but were dismissed by the federal government who said there had already been a commission into child abuse.
Hodgins-May said an independent watchdog would “enforce quality standards, act swiftly on safety breaches, and drive a shift toward universal, high-quality care – not just retrospective patch-ups”.
Families are feeling anxious and are counting on us to act now. Reactive Band-Aid solutions won’t keep children safe or move us towards the child-centred system we need for the future.
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Federal funding confirmed for Queensland venues, including new stadium
The federal government will financially back the Queensland government’s new Victoria Park stadium plan.
Federal infrastructure minister Catherine King made the announcement after appearing as a self-described “surprise addition” at a Queensland Media Club event on Thursday, with the deputy premier, Jarrod Bleijie. The event was advertised as giving an update on plans for the games.
King said:
An agreement with Queensland will see both governments work together to deliver 16 new and upgraded venues across the state and a new Brisbane Stadium at Victoria Park. For us, it is about ensuring that when we hand the keys back after the closing ceremony, Queensland has the infrastructure it needs to build on this incredible legacy.
In another surprise, King and Bleijie signed a new funding agreement on the games at the event.
It means the federal government will shift funding from the Brisbane Live Arena to the stadium. King announced that the venue would host both opening and closing ceremonies.
Updated
Calls for Minns to repeal protest laws in wake of Hannah Thomas’ injury
A collective of human rights groups and a union have alleged that NSW police misused their power when attempting to move protesters on before Hannah Thomas was seriously injured.
Thomas, 35, a former Greens candidate who ran against the prime minister at the federal election, was arrested at a pro-Palestine protest in Belmore – which was attended by about 60 people on Friday – and was charged by police with resisting arrest and failing to comply with a direction to disperse.
She was subsequently taken to hospital and underwent surgery and expressed fears she could lose sight in her right eye after an interaction with police.
The letter, signed by the NSW Branch of the Australian Services Union, Amnesty International, Australian Democracy Network and the Jewish Council of Australia, said:
Reports from independent legal observers indicate that police gave move-on orders to individuals walking on the footpath near the intended protest site, on the basis of the protest being ‘unauthorised’. The Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (NSW) does not allow police to move individuals participating in a public assembly on for this reason.
Further, reports indicate that police may have used the recently introduced places of worship move on powers in the Crimes Amendment (Places of Worship) Act 2025... in relation to one person on the basis of a place of worship being located near the protest site, despite the protest not being targeted towards this place of worship or impeding access to it.
The group urged the NSW premier, Chris Minns, to repeal the new laws that restrict protests near places of worship in the wake of Hannah Thomas’ injury. They said the incident reinvigorated concerns “the new move on powers were overly broad, ill defined, and would be used, not to protect worshippers, but to shut down peaceful assemblies and democratic expression”.
The places of worship move on powers must be either urgently amended to ensure they cannot be misused, or repealed.
NSW police have said after a preliminary review of body-worn video of her arrest that there was no information to indicate misconduct. Police have launched a critical investigation into the incident which will be overseen by the independent police watchdog.
Police have also denied that the laws which restrict protests near places of worship were relied upon during the arrests.
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Victorian opposition urges premier to reconvene parliament to pass childcare changes
The Victorian opposition has written to the premier, Jacinta Allan, urging her to reconvene parliament to pass any proposed changes to childcare safety rules after allegations of sexual abuse by a worker.
Joshua Dale Brown, 26, was charged in May with more than 70 offences relating to eight alleged victims aged between five months and two years old, who attended a centre in Melbourne’s western suburbs.
After his case was revealed on Tuesday, Allan on Wednesday announced an urgent review of childcare safety, plans for a state-run staff register, new fines and potentially installing CCTV in all centres.
In the letter seen by Guardian Australia, the opposition leader, Brad Battin, and his party’s spokesperson for education, Jess Wilson, said they welcomed the review.
They said:
The Victorian Liberals and Nationals stand ready to support any findings and recommendations that strengthen protections for children in care. Given the potential need for urgent legislative reform, we believe it appropriate we take a formal role within the review process, with a view to securing swift passage through the parliament for any proposed reforms.
We urge you to recall parliament to pass immediate reforms and ensure the safety of children is not delayed by procedural timelines.
Parliament is currently on winter break until 29 July. The review’s recommendations aren’t expected until 15 August.
The government has committed to accepting all and implementing them “as quickly as possible”.
Battin and Wilson said:
Every parent has the right to expect their child will be safe when dropped off at childcare. We are committed to working constructively with your government to ensure every child is safe, supported and protected.
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Eileen Bond, first wife of Alan Bond, dead at 87
Eileen Bond, the first wife of Western Australian business tycoon Alan Bond, has died of a stroke at age 87.
The couple were married in 1955 when they were both 17 years old and had four children together before divorcing in 1992.
John Bond, Eileen’s son with Alan, told ABC Perth radio his mother had “lived life to the fullest” to the end.
She had an extraordinary ability just to relate to people.
She came over last weekend dressed in a tutu and leggings with her big sunglasses and big earrings, and my granddaughters were just blown away and just wanted to know how they could dress like her, and that pretty much summed her up. She related to all ages, she was happy and I think that was very symptomatic of the way she was right to the very end.
Her late husband declared bankruptcy the same year they divorced and was sentenced to seven years in prison in 1997 after pleading guilty to business fraud. He died in 2015.
Updated
The Australian share market has moved into the red as a rotation out of banking stocks and into the iron ore giants continues, AAP reports.
At noon AEST on Thursday, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 31 points, or 0.36%, to 8,566.7, while the broader All Ordinaries had slipped 27.9 points or 0.32%, to 8,799.7.
Just three of the ASX’s 11 sectors were in the green at midday - health care, energy and materials.
The latter was the biggest gainer, rising 2.1% after China vowed to crack down on “disorderly low-price competition” in the steel industry and phase out some industrial capacity.
“The move shows China’s leaders are trying to tackle deflationary pressures weighing on the economy,” ANZ researchers Brian Martin and Daniel Hynes wrote in a note.
BHP was on track for its best day since April 10, rising 4.3% to $38.81. Rio Tinto had advanced 1.5%, Fortescue had climbed 0.9% and Mineral Resources was up 5.7%.
The big four banks were mostly lower, with CBA declining 1.6%, Westpac subtracting 1.0% and NAB down 1.3%. ANZ was the outlier, edging 0.2% higher.
The Australian dollar was buying 65.69 US cents, from 65.70 US cents at midday on Wednesday.
Man in his 50s dies after contracting bat lyssavirus
A man in his 50s has died after contracting the first case of Australian bat lyssavirus in New South Wales.
On Thursday afternoon, NSW Health expressed “sincere condolences to the man’s family and friends for their tragic loss”.
While it is extremely rare to see a case of Australian bat lyssavirus, there is no effective treatment for it.
NSW Health reminds the community to avoid touching or handling bats, as any bat in Australia could carry lyssavirus. Infected bats can transmit the virus to humans when its saliva enters the body via a bat bite or scratch.
It is crucial that anyone bitten or scratched by a bat seek urgent medical assessment.
Australian bat lyssavirus is a close relative to the rabies virus, NSW Health said, which has been found in species of flying foxes, fruit bats and insect-eating microbats.
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Communities are dealing with fallen trees and powerlines, dam spillage and flying trampolines in the aftermath of a wild weather system that battered Australia’s east coast and is now bearing down on a popular small island, AAP reports.
The downpour was driven by a “vigorous” east coast low, which the Bureau of Meteorology predicts will move into the Tasman Sea on Thursday.
The “complex and rapidly deepening” system will continue to bringing rain, storms, windy conditions and elevated seas in coming days.
Residents on Lord Howe Island, in the Tasman Sea east of Port Macquarie, have been warned to prepare for the storm, with waves hitting more than five metres.
Sixth generation Islander Anthony Riddle, who runs a gin distillery business, said it was all part of the expected weather patterns during winter, with the roof of the police station blowing off the only notable casualty so far.
“The island’s quite resilient because you’ve got a lot of trees, and part of the building code on the island here is all the houses have to be built below the tree line,” he told AAP on Thursday.
There’s no houses on the foreshore, so we won’t have any houses affected by any coastal erosion. It’s business as usual.
With 380 residents, the island has a cap of 400 on the number of tourists allowed to visit at any one time and winter is the season when it is at its lowest.
Almost 2,000 claims lodged over east coast low, Insurance Council of Australia says
There have been just shy of 2,000 insurance claims lodged from the east coast low that has hit New South Wales this week, the Insurance Council of Australia has confirmed.
Appearing on ABC News, Matthew Jones from the council said this week’s damage had been “relatively modest” in terms of insurer losses.
The council still had people on the ground for hard-hit communities in far north Queensland for the February floods, parts of south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales after ex-tropical cyclone Alfred, and the mid north coast and Hunter areas of NSW after last month’s flooding.
For ex-tropical cyclone Alfred, we’re actually seeing around 50% of claims have already been resolved, which is a great result. That’s partly because, although we fear the worst, it wasn’t as bad as everyone anticipated, and a lot of those claims were for pretty minor damage and they were able to be resolved quickly.
On the mid north coast and Hunter areas, that’s a much more recent event and we’re only just starting to see claims being finalised. Around 10% of those claims are finalised at this point.
Updated
Nine flights between Brisbane and Sydney cancelled
Nine flights have been cancelled today between Brisbane and Sydney due to weather conditions in New South Wales, Brisbane airport has confirmed.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said wind gusts of up to 81km/h were recorded at Brisbane airport yesterday evening – the strongest for the month of July since records began 26 years ago.
The BoM has a gale wind warning in place for the Macquarie coast, Hunter coast, Sydney coast and Illawarra coast, while a hazardous surf warning is also in place for New South Wales.
A severe weather warning also remains active for Lord Howe Island as the complex low pressure system moves eastward through the Tasman Sea.
The BoM said damaging surf with waves above five metres were expected in the surf zone until this evening.
These conditions may produce localised damage and coastal erosion, particularly about northwest facing beaches. Beach conditions in these areas could be dangerous and people should stay well away from the surf and surf exposed areas.
Updated
Handing over the blog now to Caitlin Cassidy.
More on fire ants nest detected at Tweed Heads
The agriculture minister, Tara Moriarty, said the quick response highlighted the success of work to educate communities in northern parts of the state about the threat posed by fire ants.
But the Invasive Species Council’s advocacy manager, Reece Pianta, said the detection of a nest at Tweed Heads was concerning and should be a “wake-up call for governments about the ongoing gaps in the national eradication program” and more investment was needed in suppression of fire ants and community education inside the biosecurity zone:
We have been warning governments for 18 months that, without urgent action to ramp up funding for suppression and community outreach in Queensland, it is only a matter of time before fire ants are discovered in Tweed Heads.
He said the council had confidence in the NSW government’s response to the latest detection but held concerns it was another instance of the invasive pest making its way over the border from Queensland in carrier materials.
Updated
Fire ants nest detected at Tweed Heads
A fire ants nest has been detected at a property at Tweed Heads in northern New South Wales, prompting the Invasive Species Council to warn about “ongoing gaps in the national eradication program”.
The NSW government said a biosecurity team responded to a report late Tuesday and treated and destroyed the nest on Wednesday morning.
The agriculture minister, Tara Moriarty, said the nest was an immature nest, which means it is a non-reproductive nest, and staff had surveyed the immediate 500 metres surrounding the nest to check for any further fire ant activity.
A genetic analysis has commenced of the specimen of fire ant to try to determine the source.
Moriarty said:
The NSW Government is committed to proactive early detection surveillance, focusing on high-risk areas and employing advanced tracking and modelling techniques.
More to come in the next post.
Updated
Driver appeals sentence over deadly Hunter Valley wedding bus crash
A wedding bus driver impaired by an opioid during a horror crash that killed 10 people has appealed against his 32-year jail sentence.
Brett Button, 60, had been driving too fast and engaged in risk-taking behaviour before the deadly crash, which also injured 25 people, in the NSW Hunter Valley region in June 2023. He was sentenced in September to a maximum jail term of 32 years with a non-parole period of 24 years.
At the time, NSW District court Judge Roy Ellis said he was unaware of any other case that had such a devastating impact on so many people.
Button has filed a challenge to his sentence which was briefly heard in the NSW court of criminal appeal today. A hearing has been scheduled for 3 October.
Prosecutors expect voluminous evidence to be tendered, including victim impact statements from the families of those who died or were injured in the crash. The court will consider a psychological report for Button and several references attesting to his good character.
The bus driver will not be appealing against his conviction.
He pleaded guilty in the District court to 10 charges of dangerous driving causing death, nine counts of driving causing grievous bodily harm and 16 counts of causing bodily harm by wanton driving.
– Australian Associated Press
Updated
Destructive winds and heavy rainfall hit large swathes of the New South Wales coastline this week due to a vigorous coastal low offshore.
Here you can see the extent of the rainfall over the week as well as the areas affected by flooding in maps:
Updated
Severe NSW weather beings to ease, but 32 warnings remain in place
Emergency warnings remained in place across New South Wales, as the heavy rain started to ease, but authorities remained on watch due to the ongoing risk of wild winds, flooding and damaging surf.
The NSW State Emergency Service said 32 warnings were still in place, including 4 emergency warnings due to coastal erosion in Wamberal and North Entrance.
The NSW SES Deputy Commissioner, Debbie Platz, said volunteers and emergency workers had responded to more than 4,000 incidents due to the complex low-pressure system this week.
We are seeing a lot of debris on our roads, and there are still trees down around some roads that have caused some closures. So what we’re asking people to do now is to be very careful, to plan where you’re driving to and make sure that it is accessible and to drive slowly to the road conditions to avoid having any impacts with other vehicles
As we near the conclusion of this event, can you please take some time to go and check on your neighbors and make sure that they are all safe
The highest number of incidents were in Sydney, the south coast and Illawarra area, and the mid north coast and Hunter.
Most of the damage was due to trees and power lines falling on vehicles and houses, as well as 12 flood rescues.
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Shots allegedly fired at Concord home overnight
Investigations are under way after shots were allegedly fired at a home and a car was found burnt out in Sydney’s inner west.
Police were called to Davidson Avenue in Concord about 1.10am Thursday morning after reports of shots fired at a house, NSW police said in a statement. Damage to the front of the home “consistent with a projectile” was found.
There was no one home at the time of the incident and there were no reports of injuries, the statement said.
Emergency services were called to Stuart Street, Burwood, with reports of a car fire a short time later. Fire and Rescue NSW officers extinguished the fire but the vehicle was destroyed.
“The fire is being treated as suspicious and initial inquiries have led police to believe the two incidents may be linked,” the statement said.
Detectives are also investigating whether the house involved was the intended target of the shooting.
Updated
Donald Trump ‘keen’ for a meeting with Anthony Albanese, says Penny Wong
The foreign affairs minister told Sky News on Thursday Australia was “very flexible” about when such a meeting between the leaders would occur but said US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, indicated the Trump administration was “keen” to reschedule it.
The prime minister has said, you know, we’re obviously very flexible about those arrangements. The president is a very, very busy man. But I was pleased that Secretary Rubio made clear that, you know, obviously, that they’re keen for a meeting – they want to reschedule it. It was disappointing, as he said, that they had to reschedule because the president had to return [to the US] as a consequence of what was occurring in the Middle East.
The comments follow days of speculation about when Albanese would lock in a meeting and whether it would occur in the White House. On Tuesday, Albanese suggested there would be many opportunities at the end of the year during summit season.
Updated
Qantas customers find out if their data exposed
Qantas customers are finding out if their personal information was exposed in a cyber-attack, as they are warned to be on high alert for scams.
The airline revealed a cyber incident on a third-party platform used by the airline’s contact centre that exposed the details of six million customers. Names, phone numbers, dates of birth and email addresses are among the data believed to be exposed.
But Qantas reassured customers’ financial information, passport numbers, credit card details and frequent flyer Pin codes were not accessed.
In an email late last night, Qantas began informing the frequent flyer customers who were affected:
I’m writing to inform you that we believe your personal information was accessed during the cyber incident we recently experienced.
Customers have been urged to stay on high alert in the coming months because they may experience targeted phishing scams.
Qantas warned to remain alert for “unusual communications” claiming to be Qantas or emails asking for personal information or passwords.
“Remember, Qantas will never contact you requesting passwords, booking reference details or sensitive login information,” it said.
– Australian Associated Press
Updated
1,400 incident reports to NSW SES within last 24 hours
There have been 12 flood rescues during this weather event, the NSW SES deputy commissioner, Debbie Platz, says. She is giving a live update:
We have had more than 2,000 NSW SES volunteers and our emergency partners working extremely hard all week. During this time they have responded to over 4,000 incidents. In the last 24 hours alone, 1,400 incidents have been reported to us … power lines falling on vehicles and houses.
During this event we have seen 12 flood rescue activations, and this is where we have seen people driving vehicles and finding themselves in flooded water. Again, it is a timely reminder, it is extremely dangerous on our roads, [we are] particularly asking people not to drive through, play or walk in any flooded areas. We are also seeing a lot of debris on our roads and there are still trees down around some roads that have been caused some closures.
Updated
Some NSW emergency warnings downgraded as water begins to recede
The SES and the Bureau of Meteorology are giving an update on the vigorous coastal low.
The NSW SES deputy commissioner, Debbie Platz, says “in some areas where the water is receding, emergency warnings have been downgraded”.
She does not anticipate there will be any significant flooding farther downstream of the Warragamba Dam after it commenced spilling last night.
“We work closely with WaterNSW and the Bureau of Meteorology and we will continue to monitor this spill,” she said.
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Creative Australia chair apologises to Sabsabi 'for the hurt and pain'
The acting chair of Creative Australia, Wesley Enoch, has apologised to Khaled Sabsabi and Michael Dagostino, after the arts body rescinded their contract to represent Australia at the 2026 Venice Biennale in February saying it wanted to avoid a “divisive debate”.
Speaking on ABC RN earlier this morning, Enoch said “sometimes there is a mischaracterisation of the art”:
I’m an Aboriginal theatre-maker. I know sometimes I talk racism to make sure that I can deconstruct it and say to an audience, this is not right. And I think that all artists have powerful kinds of engagements with the storytelling of the nation.
This work is not about terrorism. It is not about the glorification of terrorism in that way … Those who mischaracterise the work aren’t being honest to the intention of the work or the practice that this artist has, who is an incredibly peace-loving artist in the way that they construct their images.
Enoch went to say: “To Khaled and Michael – I’ve done it in person, but to say it here very publicly, I want to apologise to them for the hurt and pain they’ve gone through in this process.
Though we will be stronger as a sector because of it, I know it’s come at a personal cost, not just to them, but also to a whole range of people in the arts sector. And I feel that we, as Creative Australia, need to help the whole sector learn some of these lessons going forward.
After an independent external review of the decision, Creative Australia reinstated the pair last night.
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Australia’s big four banks not making it easy for customers to get bonus interest despite watchdog’s calls
Australia’s big banks have not implemented several recommendations designed to help customers qualify for bonus interest rates on savings products, more than 18 months after the regulatory advice was issued.
Two in three customers of bonus accounts miss out on the headline interest rate and instead receive a far smaller base rate, an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission inquiry found in late 2023.
Read the full story:
Childcare services ‘that aren’t up to scratch’ face funding cut, says education minister
The education minister, Jason Clare, will introduce legislation to cut funding to childcare centres “that aren’t up to scratch”, after a Melbourne childcare worker was charged with allegedly sexually abusing infants and children in his care.
He spoke on Sunrise this morning:
This has taken too long for governments to act. This is sickening and it’s serious, it demands serious action.
When parliament returns later this month I’ll introduce a piece of legislation in the first sitting fortnight that will cut off funding to childcare centres that aren’t up to scratch when it comes to the safety of our children.
The big weapon that the Federal Government has to wield here is the funding that we provide to childcare centres. It equates to about 70% of the funding that runs a centre, and if they’re not keeping our kids safe then we need to cut off their funding.
Pushed on whether “the government failed these families” after a royal commission into child sexual abuse made safety recommendations ten years ago, Clare said:
The system has failed these families. If the allegations are proven to be true then the system has failed these families.
The implementation of those reforms has taken too bloody long, and they need to be accelerated. That’s why I’ve said we need to implement a register for educators in childcare centres. It’s why we need to fix the working with children checks. That’s work that’s being led by attorney generals, but it needs to be sped up.
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Uni debt relief set to benefit richer students more
Analysis into a federal government proposal to slash Hecs debts by 20% found more than half of the financial relief offered will go to the top third of earners.
The study by the e61 Institute found less than 20% of the measure will flow through to those in the bottom third.
The plan to cut tertiary education debt will be the first legislation introduced by the federal government in Anthony Albanese’s second term when parliament resumes on 22 July.
The cuts will be backdated to June, when debts increased by a further 3.2% due to indexation.
The institute’s research economist Matthew Maltman said modelling showed the cut would do little to speed up the repayment of student debt:
If you simulate the effects of a 20% cut on HELP debt holders, you find that for 80% of recipients, the year in which they repay their debt is unchanged.
In terms of delivering cost-of-living relief or easing financial pressures on young people, the benefits of the policy are likely to be modest.
The average student debt is about $27,600, meaning $5,520 would be cut off repayments.
The benefits of the debt reduction would also be dependent on when students completed their university degree, the institute’s Jack Buckley said. The institute has called for the 20% reduction to be changed to a flat amount of about $5,500 per student.
– Australian Associated Press
Updated
Creative Australia and Burke need to ‘explain themselves’ on Sabsabi reinstatement, Leeser says
Circling back to shadow attorney general and arts minister, Julian Leeser, on ABC RN earlier this morning.
He says Creative Australia and arts minister Tony Burke need to “explain themselves” about the reinstatement of artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino as Australia’s team for the prestigious 2026 Venice Biennale, after an independent review into Creative Australia’s unprecedented decision to dump the duo earlier this year.
Leeser said “nothing in the report suggested that they needed to remake that decision”:
I think Creative Australia needs to explain themselves. I think Mr. Burke, who previously had said that this was an arm’s length decision, and now has come out and defended Mr. Sabsabi’s previous artworks, also needs to explain himself about how at this time, with this antisemitism crisis that Australia has faced, where we’re a multicultural country, why this particular artist who has this particular history is being chosen to represent our country at this time and receive taxpayer funding to do so.
One of the reasons that [Creative Australia] made their decision back in February to withdraw this is because they were concerned about issues in relation to the broader Australian community. I believe those issues continue to remain, and I believe that Creative Australia should not have unmade their decision that they previously made back in February to withdraw, Mr. Sabsabi from this exhibition.
Just days after Sabsabi and Dagostino’s selection was made public in February, and after negative media and political commentary about two of Sabsabi’s artworks dating back nearly 20 years, Creative Australia’s board rescinded their contract saying it wanted to avoid a “divisive debate”.
After an independent external review of the decision, Creative Australia reinstated the pair last night. It found there were “a series of missteps, assumptions and missed opportunities that meant neither the leadership of Creative Australia, nor the Board, were well placed to respond to, and manage in a considered way, any criticism or controversy that might emerge in relation to the selection decision”.
Read the full story here:
Updated
More on Warragamba Dam
Water flowing out of Australia’s largest urban water supply will add to the risk of flooding after a damaging and complex low-pressure system caused widespread havoc.
Warragamba Dam, west of Sydney, began to spill at about 10.35pm last night after days of heavy rain, WaterNSW said.
The duration and volume of the spill will ultimately be determined by rainfall received across the catchment.
Read more here:
Footage shows Warragamba Dam spilling
Warragamba Dam started to spill at about 10.35pm last night after rainfall pummelled parts of NSW, WaterNSW said in an update.
Updated
‘The ball is very much in Hamas’s court’ says Leeser on Israel-Hamas conflict
Leeser also said the Coalition was “very clear” in its support for US actions “in relation to preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon”.
“Having a nuclear-armed Iran is not in Australia’s interest, it’s not in the world’s interest,” he said. “It is one of the rogue states of the world.”
Leeser was then asked about UN estimates that more than 400 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid in Gaza.
“The UN secretary-general, António Guterres, has branded it as inherently unsafe. In your view, should the distribution of aid return to UN hands?”
“I think I’d want to say a few matters of principle here” Leeser responded. “The first is that we want to see people who are in Gaza getting aid and food supplies. We don’t want to see anybody being harmed, and we want to see things moving forward in Gaza.
“The whole thing would come to an end if Hamas would release the hostages,” he added. “The world wants to see this end. The ball is very much in Hamas’s court.”
Israel continued deadly attacks on Gaza, including on people seeking aid, ahead of potential US talks on ceasefire earlier this week. Read more here.
Updated
Leeser on why Coalition didn’t implement royal commission childcare recommendations: ‘This isn’t about pointing fingers’
ABC RN Breakfast’s Sally Sara asked Leeser why the Coalition did not implement a standardised working with children check recommended by the royal commission into child sexual abuse while in government.
Leeser said:
I can’t speak to that. I wasn’t a minister in the government, and I don’t have all the facts before me as to what was or wasn’t done at that time.
But can I say this isn’t about pointing fingers, and we’re not pointing fingers at this government either. This is about making sure that we have the necessary measures in place to protect children and families.
You can read more about the royal commission here:
Updated
Leeser: Coalition ready to assist government on 'whatever measures they need' on childcare safety
The shadow attorney general and arts minister, Julian Leeser, says the Coalition is ready to assist the government “in whatever measures that they need” after a Melbourne childcare worker was charged with allegedly sexually abusing infants and children in his care.
Leeser told ABC RN:
Parents entrust the most precious thing in their entire lives, their children, to childcare workers and childcare centres …
[The] Coalition stand ready to assist the government in whatever measures that they need to take to ensure that we protect children and we protect families who are sending their children to childcare centres, and to ensure the proper processes are in place.
Updated
The Melbourne childcare sexual abuse charges: what we know so far
The childcare sector has come under intense scrutiny in the wake of a Victorian worker being charged with dozens of child sexual abuse offences.
While the allegations are yet to be tested by the courts, the fallout from the unfolding case has been profound as both state and federal governments consider the next steps.
Reged Ahmad speaks to Victorian state correspondent Benita Kolovos on what this case means for the future of an industry relied on by so many Australian families. Listen here:
SES update: NSW weather will ease this morning
NSW SES deputy commissioner, Debbie Platz, gave a live update to ABC TV on the vigorous coastal low a moment ago.
Here are the key takeaways:
There was some easing of weather overnight: “The rain has moved offshore, so that is good news,” she said.
32 warnings remain in place for damaging winds, coastal erosion and damaging surf: “So we still need people to be quite careful when they’re out and about.”
SES are watching for potential flooding in low-lying areas around North Richmond and the Peel River at Tamworth.
The more than 1,400 incidents NSW SES responded to overnight came mostly from metropolitan Sydney area, and the south coast and the mid-north coast.
Trees have been coming down on properties and vehicles. Powerlines have also come down. NSW SES are assessing damage.
Four emergency warnings remain in places on the south coast and mid-north coast.
Winds should ease from around midday through the afternoon today.
Stay away from downed power lines or trees is really important, and if the roads are flooded do not walk, drive or play in those areas, Platz says.
Updated
Power continues to be restored in NSW
About 5,800 customers remained without power at 7am Thursday, according to network operators Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy and Essential Energy.
The number of outages will continue to fluctuate as network companies restore power, while the wild weather causes problems, such as fallen trees.
Damaging winds may persist in parts of northern NSW
While conditions ease across much of NSW today, SES says damaging winds may persist in some areas.
Emergency warnings at Sanctuary Point and Burrill Lake have been downgraded, and damaging winds are expected to calm “significantly” today as the low moves east into the Tasman Sea, NSW SES said in an update.
Damaging winds may persist in parts of the northern rivers, mid-north coast and northern tablelands this morning.
NSW SES crews will be conducting damage assessments, and continuing to respond to storm-related jobs.
Updated
Flood rescues among more than 1,400 SES incident responses as wild weather lashes NSW
The NSW State Emergency Service has responded to 1,442 incidents in the last 24 hours, including two floods rescues.
Majority of those incidents involved fallen trees and powerlines, damaged properties and vehicles, and flood-related tasks, NSW SES said in an update this morning.
More than 2,000 NSW SES volunteers and emergency service partners have been involved in the response. Three storm teams have also deployed from the ACT SES to assist affected communities.
Since the start of the complex coastal low lashing the NSW east coast, SES have responded to 3,808 incidents.
Updated
Thank you to Martin Farrer for kicking off the live blog this morning. I’ll be keeping you updated with the day’s news from here – let’s go.
Beetaloo fracked gas would take Australia 237 years to use: report
Fracked gas from the Northern Territory’s Beetaloo Basin would produce more than nine times the entire gas demand forecast for Australia’s national electricity market (Nem) for the next 25 years, according to an analysis released today.
The report by Market Forces suggests it would take 237 years for Australia to use the proposed Beetaloo fracked gas.
Market Forces, which examines the environmental impact of business and investments, claims the numbers “make a mockery” of claims that new gas fields such as Beetaloo are needed to support Australia’s transition to net zero by 2050.
The report, entitled Pipeline to Nowhere: APA Group’s Dangerous Bet on Beetaloo Fracking, also finds that Australia has more than enough gas for domestic consumption and the vast majority of Beetaloo’s gas would be shipped overseas. Less than two years (21 months) of liquefied natural gas exports from just Queensland alone would cover all demand the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (Aemo) forecasts for Australian gas power generation in the national electricity market until 2050.
Will van de Pol, chief executive officer of Market Forces, said:
Our analysis confirms that fracked gas from Beetaloo is not needed at all to power Australia and would lead to much higher electricity prices for consumers.”
Over the past 10 years, despite east coast Australia more than doubling gas production, wholesale gas prices have more than quadrupled.
APA must stop gaslighting investors and Australian consumers, and drop its costly plans to unleash dangerous fracking in the Northern Territory.
Lisa Cox has previous reported on questions over the Beetaloo project’s emissions – read more here:
Updated
Key event
Severe weather warning for Lord Howe Island
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned of “notably windy conditions and elevated seas” today for Lord Howe Island, 600km east of Port Macquarie.
Strong to gale-force winds and large and powerful waves are expected.
Damaging winds west to north-westerly averaging 50 to 60km/h and gusts reaching 90km/h are possible this morning.
Updated
Key event
Sydney’s Warragamba Dam set to spill after heavy rain
Water flowing out of Australia’s largest urban water supply will add to the risk of flooding after a damaging and complex low-pressure system caused widespread havoc, Australian Associated Press reports.
Warragamba Dam west of Sydney was expected to begin a “moderate spill” into this morning after days of heavy rain, WaterNSW said.
Following recent rainfall, Warragamba Dam is close to full capacity and a moderate spill is anticipated later tonight. Check https://t.co/aGvuSITpvW for weather and flood warnings. For emergency information, contact the NSW SES - 132 500 https://t.co/gHMkemmKK0 pic.twitter.com/3P61ArIg7o
— WaterNSW (@WaterNSW) July 2, 2025
State regulations do not allow water to be released at the dam before predicted rainfall or to mitigate floods as it supplies 80% of Sydney’s drinking water.
Spills at the dam are not uncommon, previously occurring in May, and three times in 2024.
Warragamba Dam flows into the Hawkesbury-Nepean river catchment, where the bureau has warned flooding could occur today.
Other, smaller dams were also spilling after reaching capacity following heavy rains.
Read more here:
Updated
NSW low-pressure system will ease this morning, says BoM
The Bureau of Meteorology said this morning that a series of low-pressure systems that has battered New South Wales remain in the Tasman Sea.
But a secondary low that was moving northwards and brought more wild weather has begun to weaken. Winds are expected to ease today around higher ground in the north of the state later during the morning, the BoM said.
There would be strong to damaging west to south-westerly winds averaging 55 to 65km/h, the 4am update said, with peak gusts of around 100k/mh likely around parts of the northern tablelands, the mid-north coast hinterland and the Border Ranges. But the wind is expected to ease later this morning.
Severe weather “is no longer occurring in the Hunter, Metropolitan, Illawarra and south coast districts”, the BoM said, and the warning for these districts was cancelled.
However, there would damaging surf conditions on the coast between Seal Rocks in the north to the Victorian border with the threat of “coastal erosion and localised damage to coastal infrastructure”.
Updated
Qantas customers told to stay on high alert
Qantas customers have been told to be on high alert for scams after one of the worst cyber-attacks in months, Australian Associated Press reports.
Qantas yesterday revealed a cyber incident on a third-party platform used by the airline’s contact centre that exposed the details of 6 million customers.
Names, phone numbers, dates of birth and email addresses are among the data believed to be exposed in the leak.
But Qantas reassured customers financial information, passport numbers, credit card details and frequent flyer PIN codes were not accessed.
Customers are urged to stay on high alert in coming months because they may experience targeted phishing scams.
The type of personal information could be used in further cyber-attacks, a security expert says.
“I think even with reassurances, the breach of names, email addresses, phone numbers and perhaps most importantly, birth dates and frequent flyer numbers, it’s still significant,” the executive director of Macquarie University’s cybersecurity hub, Prof Dali Kaafar, said.
Kaafar said the details could lead to malicious actors building a more complete profile about individuals to make them more susceptible to other forms of cybercrime.
Qantas launched an investigation into the attack on Wednesday as customers reeled from the news. There has been no confirmation of the group responsible.
Qantas shares on the ASX shed about 3.6% to $10.38 on Wednesday in response to the news.
Updated
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer, bringing you the early headlines and breaking news, and then it will be Rafqa Touma in the chair.
There is relief in sight for wind and rain-battered New South Wales after the Bureau of Meteorology said this morning that the low pressure system that has caused havoc for the state has begun to weaken. However, it looks like there will still be high winds and damaging surf conditions today. More coming up.
Qantas customers have been told to be on high alert for scams after another cyber-attack hit the company this week and exposed the details of 6 million customers.
More coming up.
Updated
