What we learned: Monday 19 February
That is all for today’s blog – here are your main takeaways:
Temperatures neared 50C in central-western WA, while Perth broke its record for the most 40C days in one month – today being the seventh day. Some schools were closed due to the heat and increased bushfire risk.
A former immigration official warned politicians “not to inflame the rhetoric” to avoid encouraging people smugglers, after more than 40 asylum seekers were taken to Nauru after being found in a remote part of Western Australia.
Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton got into a back and forth over the matter, with the opposition leader arguing Albanese is “not telling the truth” on border policy and accusing the prime minister of giving the “green light” to people smugglers. Albanese labelled Dutton’s comments “absurd”.)
Asbestos was confirmed at seven more sites in and around Sydney, including a school and supermarket, taking the number of sites detected to have bonded asbestos to 41.
Former Greens leader Bob Brown was arrested for trespass in a logging protest along the edge of the Tasmanian wilderness world heritage area. It is his fourth arrest in recent years.
A second inquiry will be held into the Star casino in Sydney after a gaming watchdog was left unsatisfied by its progress in proving it should regain its licence.
And four people were taken to hospital with burns after being struck by lightning in Sydney’s botanic gardens amid damaging storms that affected trains running in northern Sydney and delayed hundreds of flights at Sydney airport.
Also, Taylor Swift landed in Sydney.
Farewell, see you back on the blog tomorrow.
Updated
Miners and banks give Australian bourse a little boost
The local sharemarket has finished marginally higher, with gains for the big banks and major miners and losses from Lendlease, the broader property sector and CSL.
The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index today finished up 6.8 points, or 0.09%, to 7,665.1. The broader All Ordinaries rose 7.7 points, or 0.1%, to 7,913.3.
The Australian dollar was buying 65.44 US cents, from US65.19c cents at Friday’s ASX close.
– Australian Associated Press
Updated
Power out for 27,000 across Sydney at peak
Today’s storm left a peak of 27,000 customers without power “as a result of lightning activity across wider Sydney”, Sam Sofi, Ausgrid Group’s executive of operations, says.
Ausgrid has since restored 16,000 customers and anticipates restoring the remaining 11,000 this evening.
Impacted suburbs include Balgowlah, Clontarf, Turramurra, Hornsby and the Central Coast and Lake Macquarie regions.
Updated
Sydney storm causes transport chaos
More than 30 departures were cancelled at Sydney airport today and 340 services in and out were delayed as severe storms sweep Sydney, Australian Associated Press reports.
Commuters in North Sydney have also been warned away from trains after lighting struck network equipment.
“Lightning struck signalling equipment just before 3pm, causing significant infrastructure damage,” Transport NSW said.
Buses are replacing trains between North Sydney and Gordon on the T1 North Shore line, and Transport NSW is urging passengers to delay their trip or seek alternative travel arrangements.
Sydney Trains crews are working through difficult conditions to repair the damaged infrastructure and bring services back online as quickly as possible.
Updated
Blackout hits 13,000 NSW households and businesses amid storm
About 13,000 households and businesses lost power in Balgowlah and Seaforth after an overhead power line was damaged in today’s storm, Ausgrid said, according to a Sydney Morning Herald report.
“Our crews are on the ground and will work to restore power as soon as it’s safe to do so,” Ausgrid said.
Updated
More on Victoria’s mass blackout
Victoria’s 6,000km high-voltage electricity transmission system is owned and maintained by AusNet Services, but opposition energy spokesman David Davis argued it was ultimately the government’s job to ensure network security.
Sydney power company Ausgrid in 2020 calculated the cost of moving its entire network underground at between $72bn and $130bn and estimated it would take 40 years, raising consumers’ bills by $1,200 to $2,200 a year.
Victorian opposition leader John Pesutto said burying powerlines was worth considering in certain areas.
In some parts, undergrounding might be possible. We know that in some parts it’s simply not.
Fewer than 5,000 of homes and customers with AusNet were still without power as of late on Monday morning.
The company was aiming to have another 2,500 back on the grid by later in the day.
The South Gippsland town of Mirboo North was among the communities hardest hit by the storms, with at least 16 homes rendered uninhabitable.
Residents have been told they can resume using water indoors but should hold off outdoors as the water treatment plant is still operating through a generator.
Lightning strikes from the storms sparked bushfires, which destroyed at least 45 homes at Pomonal and one at Dadswells Bridge in the Grampians region.
– Australian Associated Press
Updated
Push for inquiry to shine light on Victoria’s mass blackout
One of the biggest power blackouts in Victorian history has prompted a push for an inquiry into the reliability of the transmission network.
More than 530,000 homes and businesses were kicked off power on Tuesday when violent storms swept across the state, bringing down hundreds of powerlines.
Most customers had their power returned within 24 hours but tens of thousands spent several nights in the dark and some still remain off the grid.
Victorian opposition leader John Pesutto accused the state government of failing to act on previous network reliability warnings and flagged plans to set up a parliamentary inquiry.
He told reporters:
We know these storm events are becoming more and more frequent and people are suffering unnecessarily.
Under the proposed terms of reference, the inquiry would look at the reliability and stability of distribution networks, the affect of the outages on homes and businesses and the cost of developing, maintaining and enhancing the network.
The six-member upper house committee would be made up of two Labor, two Coalition and two crossbench MPs and provide a final report by 30 June 2025.
– Australian Associated Press
Updated
Thunderstorms are possible in eastern and central parts of NSW and ACT tomorrow.
The Bureau of Meteorology is warning that some storms about the coast and south-east inland may become severe, with risk of locally heavy rainfall and flash flooding.
#Thunderstorms are possible in eastern and central parts of New South Wales and the ACT tomorrow (Tuesday).
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) February 19, 2024
Some storms may become severe about the coast and southeast inland, presenting a risk of locally heavy rain and flash flooding.https://t.co/LRFVSVVAAD pic.twitter.com/KRRZYpXlMk
Updated
Lincoln barrels towards WA and could become tropical cyclone again, BoM warns
Ex-cyclone Lincoln could gather strength and redevelop into a tropical cyclone again, as communities in its path prepare for heavy rainfall and flooding.
The weather system is barrelling towards Western Australia and should cross the border near Halls Creek as it tracks towards the coast.
“The ex-tropical cyclone will move west-northwest through the Kimberley, driving areas of heavy rainfall, stronger winds and flash flooding with it,” the Bureau of Meteorology’s Miriam Bradbury said on Monday.
“It’s likely to cross off the Kimberley coast late Wednesday going into Thursday.”
Severe Weather Update: Rain and flooding with ex-Tropical Cyclone https://t.co/DH7ZitA31t current: 10am AWST 19 February 2024. For the latest forecasts and warnings go to our website: https://t.co/4W35o8iFmh pic.twitter.com/F23naT4HMd
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) February 19, 2024
The low is expected to move south down the coast late in the week.
“As it moves over those warm waters it’s likely to increase its energy and its power and there is actually a high chance it may strengthen back to tropical cyclone intensity at this point in the week,” Bradbury said.
That means even heavier rainfall and stronger winds that may impact some coastal parts of Western Australia.
The bureau said it was possible ex-cyclone Lincoln could cross the coast near Exmouth at the weekend as a severe tropical cyclone.
The system has bucketed heavy rain in the Northern Territory, with 24-hour totals over 100mm recorded in some areas.
– Australian Associated Press
Updated
Perth is baking through a record-breaking seventh 40C-plus February day as Western Australia’s extreme heatwave sees the state lock up the top 15 hottest places in the world over the past 24 hours, Daisy Dumas reports.
The state has suffered severe heatwaves for three weeks, with the Bureau of Meteorology issuing an extreme heatwave warning on Friday and extending it until Wednesday. Parts of WA’s west and north are worst affected.
You can read the full story here:
Perth tops 40C for the seventh time this month - extending the record before this month of four. And Mardie cooking at more than 48C. (Via @bom_au) pic.twitter.com/6HiYZEiPHL
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) February 19, 2024
Updated
Bob Brown banned from Tasmanian state forests after protest, he says
Veteran environmentalist Bob Brown says he’s been banned from all state forests after being charged over a protest in defence of Tasmania’s giant trees.
The former federal leader of the Greens and six supporters spent Sunday night at a logging site in the Styx Valley. Tasmanian police were called on Monday and Brown has been charged with trespass, alongside two supporters who locked themselves onto machinery (which you can find more about earlier in the blog).
Brown said they could be jailed for defending Australia’s natural treasures and that “onerous” bail conditions mean he can’t set foot in more than a million hectares of state forest until the matter goes to court on 29 April.
He told Australian Associated Press at least four or five enormous trees had been felled in a logging coupe that comes within 200 metres of the world heritage area.
The world heritage convention requires that areas of potential world heritage value shouldn’t be logged.
The area is home to the largest flowering plants in the world – eucalyptus regnans, which can grow to a height of 100m.
Brown said:
I was sitting on one of the tree stumps, in amongst the carnage.
Last week there was a brilliant ancient forest dating right back to the dinosaurs.
This week it is a squalid ... graveyard of a forest. It’s appalling.
He said the logging could end tomorrow if the state and federal governments mustered the political will.
– AAP
Updated
Magistrate Carolyn Howe rejected Micallef’s excuse of curiosity and said the woman knew how seriously the force took unauthorised access to its database.
The police worker undermined the community’s trust in the force to keep its information safe, and also potentially put family violence victims’ lives at risk by accessing and exposing their information, the magistrate said.
Howe told Micallef:
Not only did you just breach the trust of your employer, you breached the trust of every person in the community.
What’s really frightening is that you also accessed information that was linked to family violence situations.
They’re in a fatality zone. If their location is disclosed, you raise their risk of fatality.
The magistrate convicted Micallef, who will be on a good behaviour order for two years and have to pay a $1,000 penalty.
– Australian Associated Press
Updated
Police worker accessed files out of ‘curiosity’
A police worker claims she repeatedly accessed former schoolmates’ and extended family members’ files out of sheer curiosity, ultimately costing her a criminal conviction and her career.
Cristal Micallef held multiple roles within Victoria police over several years, from an administrative position at Werribee police station in 2015 to her recent post as a project officer and executive support officer in the counter-terrorism command. She agreed to the force’s conditions only to use its database that catalogues people’s interactions with Victoria police with authorisation.
However, she went on to use it to look at the records of former schoolmates, associates, extended family members and people she followed on TikTok, Melbourne magistrates court was told on Monday.
Some of the people Micallef looked into were dead.
Other searches were prompted by her concerns about people’s safety but she was primarily driven by “a sense of curiosity and unhappiness”, her lawyer, Sophie Parsons, said.
The more Micallef improperly clicked through the system, the more she became desensitised to her behaviour, the lawyer said.
She has suffered enormously for what she’s done.
She has learnt that lesson and that’s not going to be quickly overcome by her.
She noted Micallef had mental health issues at the time of her offending in 2022 and 2023.
– Australian Associated Press
(More to come on this in the next blog post.)
Updated
Controversial water plan sparks fears for rare shark
A rare shark has been discovered in the Northern Territory but a controversial water allocation plan has sparked fears it may be “lost forever”.
The speartooth shark is considered critically endangered but dozens have been found in the muddy waters of the Roper River.
Rangers have helped researchers study about 40 speartooth sharks, which usually live in limited numbers in tropical rivers across northern Australia and Papua New Guinea.
A survey indicated the shark lived in a limited area of the Roper River, sparking fears it might be affected by the largest water allocation plan in the NT’s history.
Researchers from Charles Darwin University and the Yugul Mangi Rangers have found a new population of Speartooth Shark in the Roper River of the #NT #Australia! An extraordinary find for this rare and threatened #shark 🦈#Conservation #RoperRiverDiscovery @IUCNShark 1/6 pic.twitter.com/drrwFqV8g3
— Charles Darwin University (@CDUni) February 19, 2024
The Northern Territory government released the Georgina Wiso Water Allocation Plan in November, allocating 210bn litres – about the same as 100,000 Olympic pools – for extraction a year.
It has been the subject of criticism from environmental groups and traditional owners, who hold fears it could cause the Roper River to stop water flowing.
Charles Darwin University’s Dr Peter Kyne said the speartooth shark population could be threatened by changes to their environment, making it important to understand the water plan’s impact on the Roper River.
Kyne said:
If we don’t then this unique and isolated population that call the Roper River home could be lost forever.
– Australian Associated Press
Updated
Australia 'available to provide support' to PNG after dozens killed
Prime minister Anthony Albanese says the government is able to provide support to Papua New Guinea after dozens of people were killed in the country’s northern highlands region.
George Kakas, the Enga provincial police commander, told the Guardian the men were killed by heavy gun fire on Sunday. He said men from two tribes staged an attack on another group who were “ambushed and killed”.
“That is very disturbing, the news that has come out of Papua New Guinea,” Albanese said in a radio interview on Monday.
We’re providing considerable support, particularly for training police officers and for security in Papua New Guinea.
We remain available to provide whatever support we can, in a practical way, of course, to help our friends in PNG.
Authorities initially said at least 53 people were killed in the ambush. They later said they had miscounted and 26 men had been killed.
Read more here:
Updated
210,000 lightning strikes recorded in part of NSW amid deluge
Sydney is being barraged by storms, so here is a wet weather wrap, courtesy of Australian Associated Press:
Four people have been struck by lightning while sheltering from intense storms in Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens, all sustaining burn injuries and taken to hospital in a stable condition, NSW Ambulance said.
The group, aged from teens to their 30s, had been sitting under a tree in the gardens when it was hit by lightning at about 12.45pm.
The strike occurred during one of several severe thunderstorms passing over Sydney this afternoon.
Sydneysiders have been warned the thunderstorms passing over the city are likely to produce heavy rainfall in some areas, leading to possible flash flooding.
Particular areas of concern are the eastern and northern suburbs and areas north of Penrith and Colo Heights in the city’s outer west.
Flights were also delayed at Sydney airport.
Detailed Severe Thunderstorm Warning
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) February 19, 2024
for HEAVY RAINFALL
For people in parts of Blue Mountains/Hawkesbury, Sydney, Wollondilly/Wingecarribee, Greater Wollongong and Maitland/Cessnock areas.https://t.co/ILEHwNaUDQ pic.twitter.com/K6k2Wy7KhN
Nearly 50mm fell in an hour at Kings Langley, in the city’s north-west, while Belrose received 34mm in two hours.
Near-stationary storms also caused downpours over Blacksmiths in Newcastle with 65mm falling in less than six hours.
About 210,000 lightning strikes were detected within 200km of Newcastle between 5am and 11am on Monday by Weatherzone’s Total Lightning Network.
A separate severe thunderstorm warning is also in place for northern NSW ranging from Taree and Kempsey along the coast to Coonabarabran and Inverell inland.
The storms are likely to produce damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding during Monday afternoon.
Keep an eye on the live blog for more weather updates to come.
Updated
Premier backs relocating Australian Institute of Sport to Queensland
The Queensland premier has thrown his support behind calls to relocate the Australian Institute of Sport from Canberra to the Sunshine State ahead of the 2032 Olympics.
Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) chair John Wylie and director Andrew Fraser told News Corp today the “ageing” facility in Canberra should be abandoned and relocated to Queensland before the Brisbane 2032 Games.
Queensland premier Steven Miles backed their call, questioning why Queenslanders had to travel to the nation’s capital to train, saying they made up the majority of Australia’s Olympic and Paralympic teams at each Games.
I think everything should move from Canberra to Brisbane.
Canberra is an awful place. Who would want to go to Canberra?
Miles said Queensland offered superior weather, lifestyle and economy that provide jobs alongside training.
Whenever I talk to athletes, they would prefer to be training in Queensland rather than Canberra – and I don’t blame them, I hate going to Canberra too.
He said the logistics and reality of moving the facility were questions for the federal government.
An independent review into the AIS facilities was released to the federal government last Wednesday and found the infrastructure should remain in Canberra but should be revitalised.
Sports minister Annika Wells said:
Keeping the AIS in Canberra will help guide effective investment in sporting facilities to ensure the AIS continues to best support high-performance athletes on the road to Brisbane 2032.
Wells said relocating the facility would compromise athlete preparations for the 2032 Olympics.
– Australian Associated Press
Updated
Thanks for joining me on the blog today, I’ll hand you over to Rafqa Touma, who will continue to bring you the latest on the east coast storms, and other news from across the country. Take care x
Updated
Fire and Rescue NSW says crews are working to extinguish a fire in the roof space of a house in Baulkham Hills after it was struck by lightning.
BAULKHAM HILLS | #FRNSW Crews are working to extinguish a fire in the roof space after a house on Grevillea Grove was struck by lightening. @TheHillsCouncil
— Fire and Rescue NSW (@FRNSW) February 19, 2024
Updated
Further up the east coast, and a severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for areas south and west of Brisbane, Queensland.
The Bureau of Meteorology said the main storm cell was currently located near Beaudesert.
At Nindooinbah Dam, 47mm was recorded in 30 minutes to 1.30pm.
⚠️⛈️Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued for heavy rainfall for areas south & west of Brisbane. Main cell is currently located near Beaudesert, 47 mm was recorded in 30 minutes to 1:30pm at Nindooinbah Dam. Watch for flash flooding with these storms. https://t.co/FBmpsInT9o pic.twitter.com/N85FG7UZLJ
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) February 19, 2024
Updated
Here’s some footage of the downpour across Sydney:
#sydneystorm #sydneystorms #sydstorm #sydney ⚡ pic.twitter.com/K4YmKhzupo
— Darryl Rae (@DarrylRae) February 19, 2024
Tad wet, Sydney harbour bridge obliterated by rain behind Virgin liner pic.twitter.com/TfX3mXFgmg
— from the banks of the river irwell ..... (@GivenUp97) February 19, 2024
Heavy rains lash Sydney
Weatherzone has some data on the thunderstorm currently battering Sydney and the Hunter along the east coast.
It says a line of thunderstorms approached Sydney from the east just before midday, and by 12.30pm a new thunderstorm cell had formed directly over the CBD.
Sydney’s Observatory Hill weather station received 8mm of rain in 10 minutes before going offline at 12:30pm, Weatherzone said.
Hersley Park picked up 18mm in the one hour ending at 1.30pm, while unofficial observations suggested rain rates reached 30mm in 15 minutes around Randwick.
Weatherzone reported the rain was so heavy that the Harbour Bridge couldn’t be seen from Circular Quay, forcing people to seek shelter.
This comes as four people were taken to hospital with burns after the tree they were underneath in the Botanic Gardens was struck by lightning. We had more details on this just earlier in the blog.
Updated
Another look at the east coast storm radar – as Victorian Storm Chasers noted, it’s a good thing Taylor Swift has already landed in Sydney and beat the worst of this downpour!
Sydney having a blast! It’s a good thing Taylor left early! #sydneystorm #TaylorSwiftErasTour pic.twitter.com/5czGpkMW1z
— Victorian Storm Chasers (@VicStormChasers) February 19, 2024
Between 11am and 2pm AEDT, around 75,000 lightning strikes were detected within a 100km radius of Sydney.
And based on the loud bangs over the past half hour alone, I’m sure this number has risen.
Around 75,000 lightning strikes were detected within a 100 km radius of Sydney over the last 3 hours. pic.twitter.com/1ky7cteQF5
— Ben Domensino (@Ben_Domensino) February 19, 2024
Here’s a look at the weather radar of the (loud!) storm currently making its way over Sydney, and around the Hunter:
Unusual setup for thunderstorms over Sydney, with a weak upper low just offshore steering storms in a northerly direction. https://t.co/Beh9WCJ5XK pic.twitter.com/ZpDQBklvzq
— Andrew Miskelly (@andrewmiskelly) February 19, 2024
The New South Wales SES has shared this image of the east coast thunderstorms, with storm clouds rolling across Parramatta:
Residents and visitors in eastern parts of the state are being urged to stay up to date with weather warnings as heavy rain is forecast, bringing a risk of flash flooding in low lying areas. Inc Sydney, Blue Mtns, Central Coast, Hter & MNC 👉https://t.co/ctsf7a6qx1
— NSW SES (@NSWSES) February 19, 2024
📸#Parramatta pic.twitter.com/uGsbN8ezPr
Four struck by lightning in Sydney's botanic gardens
Four people have been taken to hospital with burns after being struck by lightning in Sydney’s botanic gardens.
A spokesperson with NSW Ambulance said at 12.45pm today that a tree with four people standing underneath it was struck by lightning.
Multiple crews treated patients, which included a teenage male, female in her 20s and a male and female both in their 30s.
The four people were all transported to hospital in a stable condition but did “sustain some burns from the lightning” and were being monitored for cardiac issues.
Updated
The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) is urging residents and visitors to keep up-to-date on the latest weather warnings. Widespread heavy rain could lead to flash flooding in low-lying areas, it warned.
A severe thunderstorm warning is in place for Sydney, Blue Mountains, the Central Coast, the Hunter and Mid North Coast.
Over the next few hours, severe thunderstorms are likely to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding. Locations which may be affected include Taree, Newcastle, Central Coast, Sydney, Penrith, Blue Mountains and Armidale.
NSW SES assistant commissioner Sean Kearns said there is potential for isolated heavy falls of 50 to 100mm:
The NSW SES has prepositioned personnel throughout the region, and we are well-resourced to respond to any calls for assistance.
I would encourage the public to follow the advice of emergency service personnel on the ground and not to drive through floodwater.
Death of Melbourne Cup-winning horse prompts tributes
Tributes are flowing for Melbourne Cup racing horse winner Verry Elleegant, who died suddenly overnight while giving birth to her foal, who also died.
Verry Elleegant’s former trainer Chris Waller announced the news on social media on Monday. His statement read:
It is incredibly sad that we pass on the news on behalf of the ownership group that Verry Elleegant has passed away due to complications giving birth to her foal.
… She was in fantastic hands on a farm who did all they could for her, and we would like to thank them for their efforts which we will be forever grateful for.
Victoria Racing Club tweeted its “condolences to … all those who loved and cared for the champion mare during and after racing”.
Verry Elleegant was a once-in-a-lifetime horse and a rare talent, winning Group 1 races from 1400m to two miles.
And Australian Turf Club wrote on X/Twitter:
We send our thoughts to her owners, carers, Chris Waller Racing, James McDonald, and all of the stable staff involved in her illustrious career. ATC will proudly honour the champion mare on 2 March at Royal Randwick.
Verry Elleegant won the 2021 Melbourne Cup and was named Australiasian Horse of the Year for 2020-21. She died in France, where she had been sent in 2022 to continue her career but later retired for breeding.
Updated
Circling back to the PM’s press conference earlier in Perth:
Journalist Dylan Caporn from the West Australian has shared an image of the signature and message written on his arm, mid-presser, by Anthony Albanese.
Can confirm: WA’s GST deal locked in on my right arm.
— Dylan Caporn (@Dylan_Caporn) February 19, 2024
Not confirmed: tattoo parlour date. #auspol #wapol @westaustralian pic.twitter.com/u4KLaA8xfk
We had more on this earlier in the blog here, but essentially the West Australian’s front page today was calling on the PM to pledge that WA’s GST deal would be locked in.
Albanese wrote on Caporn’s arm, “No change to WA GST”, and also signed a copy of the newspaper. The PM had joked that Caporn should get the message tattooed.
And here is a photo of the PM in action:
looking forward to this becoming a regular fixture at press conferences
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) February 19, 2024
somehow I don't think this will discourage media from playing the "rule in, rule out" game - probably quite the opposite, if you can get the PM to give out tattoo ideas at press confeences pic.twitter.com/3xXCQKusbI
Updated
Update on NSW severe thunderstorm warning
Here is the latest from the Bureau of Meteorology on the severe thunderstorm warning for parts of New South Wales:
The warning includes parts of Greater Newcastle, Gosford and Wyong, Sydney, Maitland and Cessnock, Wollondilly and Wingecarribee and Greater Wollongong.
Detailed Severe Thunderstorm Warning
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) February 19, 2024
for HEAVY RAINFALL
For people in parts of Greater Newcastle, Gosford/Wyong, Sydney, Maitland/Cessnock, Wollondilly/Wingecarribee and Greater Wollongong areas.https://t.co/qzINPci2m8 pic.twitter.com/sNSB0jkGEm
Severe thunderstorms likely to produce heavy rain that may lead to flash flooding were detected near Hornsby, Parramatta and Warragamba at 1.30pm.
These thunderstorms were moving towards the north-west, the burea said, and were forecast to affect Windsor, Glenorie and Penrith by 2pm and Springwood, Richmond and Maroota by 2.30pm.
The SES has reminded people to monitor road closures and traffic conditions.
Updated
ACT told potentially asbestos-contaminated mulch sold to company there
The ACT government has been advised by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) that potentially contaminated mulch was sold to an ACT landscaping supply company, Stonehenge Beltana in Pialligo.
In a statement, the ACT government said it is working with the NSW government’s asbestos taskforce, and had established its own local taskforce, to identify if the territory was impacted by bonded asbestos in mulch.
The initial source of the mulch is south-west Sydney business Greenlife Resource Recovery Facility and the dates for potentially affected mulch coming to the ACT are between March and November 2023.
The ACT EPA has been advised that the mulch, marketed locally as ‘cottage mulch’, was sold on to 24 companies and 27 addresses in and around Canberra.
The ACT government has acted quickly to prevent any further sale of the potentially affected mulch.
Records are held for many of the purchases, so most customers have already been contacted and informed by the retailer. Others will be contacted in the coming days as they are identified.
Greenlife has insisted it is not responsible for the contamination and that multiple rounds of testing by independent laboratories showed their mulch was free from asbestos before it was distributed to customers.
Updated
Greens senator decries feverish focus on WA boat arrivals
The Greens’ immigration spokesperson, Nick McKim, has slammed media and political panic over the arrival of more than 40 people by boat in Western Australia last week, arguing this “undermines community harmony”.
In a statement, McKim said sensationalist reporting and “mindless repetition of Peter Dutton’s talking points does the entire country a great disservice”.
There is indeed a crisis in immigration – and that is the fact that people exiled to offshore detention 11 years ago have been cut adrift by the major political parties in this country with nary a word from the media.
The psychological and physical scars borne by thousands of people are a damning testament to Australia’s failure to uphold basic principles of humanity and international law.
This is the real crisis. Not the arrival of a tiny number of desperate people seeking our help.
McKim called for a royal commission into offshore and onshore detention and argued for the need to “hold to account those who have inflicted misery on so many desperate people”.
Updated
Antoinette Lattouf loses bid for ABC correspondence over dismissal
The Fair Work Commission has rejected Antoinette Lattouf’s application for the ABC to produce documents regarding her dismissal, including correspondence from ABC chair Ita Buttrose and managing director David Anderson.
Lattouf requested the documents as part of her unlawful termination application. The journalist claims she was sacked from a casual presenting role on Sydney’s Mornings radio program in December over her political views and her race.
Lattouf’s lawyers argued last week that the documents could provide probative evidence to the commission as it seeks to determine what happened in a meeting that resulted in the ending of Lattouf’s time at the broadcaster late last year.
The documents sought included communications between ABC employees and a barrister her team claims “agitated for Ms Lattouf’s dismissal” and ABC employees and a journalist at the Australian, after claims the newspaper published reports of Lattouf’s dismissal within hours of her termination.
Deputy president Gerard Boyce ruled on Friday that he was not satisfied the request for the documents satisfied the relevant tests for them to be produced. Boyce wrote that he agreed with the ABC’s contention that the documents went to “the purported subjective motives or intentions of the ABC” and dismissed the request.
Lattouf’s team declined to comment.
The matter will continue before the Fair Work Commission next month.
Updated
Wrapping up his press conference, the prime minister argued that the opposition has “undermined” the message going out to the world regarding Australia’s border stance.
Of Dutton’s commentary, Albanese labelled him a “marketing tool” for people smugglers and said:
Peter Dutton needs to stop acting in such an irresponsible, opportunistic way in trying to seize some short-term political advantage in a way that just does not promote Australia’s national interest.
For all of his rhetoric over the weekend, yesterday every single one of these people was disembarked in Nauru in accordance with the government’s policy, in quite a great deal of contradiction from what Mr Dutton was saying yesterday and on Saturday.
If people smugglers want to take the grabs from Mr Dutton and show them to people, that’s called a marketing tool. Peter Dutton knows he is part of a marketing tool for those people. I won’t be a part of that, nor should he.
PM calls opposition leader’s border policy arguments ‘absurd’
Q: What do you say to Peter Dutton’s argument you have closed down an important pillar to the Operation Sovereign Borders by abolishing temporary protection visas?
Anthony Albanese:
It just shows the absurdity of his argument. Are these people on temporary protection visas? No, they’re on Nauru.
People who arrive by boat get sent offshore. That’s the measures we have put in place, together with boat turn-backs, redepositing people back in other places. Those measures are all in place. By definition, Peter Dutton’s arguments are absurd, because they don’t match what’s actually happened.
Is there a need for Australia to change the way it monitors its coastline? The prime minister said measures would “always change” as the tactics of people smugglers change.
[People smugglers will] constantly try to change. What we will do is constantly be vigilant and ensure that the message is very firmly sent, as we have on this occasion. We won’t comment on the operational matters that are in place but now these people clearly have been sent to Nauru, then that sends a very clear message that the way to get to Australia is not by boat, in an unauthorised fashion. It will simply lead people to see people smugglers get profits but no gain.
Updated
Turning to the boat arrivals in WA, Albanese was asked whether the boats got through undetected because of resourcing issues, as suggested by Peter Dutton.
Albanese rejected this:
Complete nonsense once again here from Peter Dutton … The people who were unauthorised arrivals into Western Australia just days ago, now find themselves on Nauru, and they will not be settled here in Australia.
We have clear positions in place. We’ll continue to do so. Peter Dutton will continue to be a cheer squad for things that undermine our borders.
Moving away from the stunt: a reporter asked Albanese whether the it is “frustrating” the government’s changes to stage-three have “evidently cast aspersions on your word” regarding the GST?
Albanese rejected this and said, “But they haven’t”.
It’s very clear. And what is clear as well, you might have noticed this, is that the Liberal party and Peter Dutton voted for our changes to tax last week. That went through the Parliament, completely unanimously went through the House of Representatives. Even One Nation is supporting the changes we put in place.
Albanese is defending the GST deal, which gives Western Australia larger payments from the national pool due to surging revenues from the mining boom.
Josh Butler had more details around this earlier in the blog. The prime minister said the agreement was discussed at national cabinet last year and it was “absolutely in stone”.
Albanese spoke about the deal after taking questions from a reporter with the West Australian, who he jokingly congratulated for today’s front page:
The front page of Monday's The West Australian. pic.twitter.com/42YQ3uo6uE
— The West Australian (@westaustralian) February 18, 2024
The West was campaigning for a permanent pledge from the PM to leave WA’s GST as it is.
Albanese told the reporter that “if we’re going to have a stunt, let’s do a good one” and suggested the reporter get a tattoo about the deal:
I reckon you should get a tat and get a signature on the tat. I’m happy to sign your arm if you like. If you are going to take it seriously, if we’re going to have a stunt, let’s do a good one. Let’s go to a tattoo parlour, we can get it tattooed on. I can do it via texta, whatever you would like.
The press conference then momentarily stopped so Albanese could write on the reporter’s arm in texta. The reporter said: “But you won’t sign the pledge?”
Albanese continued:
You want something permanent, let’s get serious. I’m worried about your lack of commitment here, that you won’t go and get a tat. But anyway, the offer is there, available.
Updated
Anthony Albanese is now giving a press conference from Perth.
The feed has cut in mid-sentence, but the prime minister appears to be speaking about the consumption of alcohol in parliament:
I think that all parliamentarians have a responsibility to act in a way that shows respect for the people who send us to parliament.
There’s no alcohol in my office. Tim Gartrell put that in place a long time ago, as my chief of staff. So there are events in Parliament House – a bit of common sense should apply. People are adults and they should behave responsibly, like any adult should.
Updated
PM hits out at Dutton over boat arrivals
Anthony Albanese has accused Peter Dutton of being a “cheer squad” for people smugglers, as the debate over an asylum seeker boat turns increasingly toxic.
In the last of the prime minister’s round of morning radio interviews from Perth, he told 6PR that the boatload of people who arrived on Western Australia’s north-west coast last week had already been transferred to Nauru, and that unauthorised maritime arrivals would never settle in this country.
Albanese said Operation Sovereign Borders was still firmly in place under Labor and that the latest operation had been carried out “in a very efficient, timely manner”.
It’s appropriate to send that message, that if unauthorised people arrive here by boat, they will not be allowed to settle in Australia. They will be removed.
The PM branded as “complete nonsense” the opposition’s claims that there had been cuts to surveillance aircraft under Labor, and accused the opposition leader of presiding over a “farcical mess” during his time as home affairs and immigration minister.
We’ve been busy cleaning up the mess. Peter Dutton was always good at rhetoric and being aggressive, shouting, that’s what he’s doing at the moment as well. But unfortunately he’s sending a message to people smugglers that he is somehow a cheer squad for them.
The truth is Operation Sovereign Borders has remained in place.
The comments came minutes after Dutton, at a press conference, claimed the government was giving people smugglers a “green light” to restart their operations.
Updated
Bob Brown arrested at logging protest
Despite another arrest, former Greens leader Bob Brown feels “very strong”, he tells me from Bridgewater police station.
Brown was calling for “an end to native forest logging in Australia”, protesting along the edge of the Tasmanian wilderness world heritage area, when he was arrested for trespass with activists Colette Harmsen and Ali Alishah.
Brown said:
We slept out in the forest overnight and got arrested at 9 o’clock this morning, when the loggers turned up to start work.
He describes hearing the owls calling and wind blowing overnight, and a fantail bird darting around his hair just before being arrested in the morning.
Nearby was a stump over three metres across, which is one of the world’s tallest flowering trees, and it had been there for centuries, and in half an hour on Friday it was brought down.
I think Australia’s heritage deserved better than that.
The forest is “right up against the world heritage area” and Brown says “should be in the world heritage area”.
The governments are failing to uphold international laws which protect world heritage for us … But secondly, we are in an age of environmental and global warming crisis and extinction crisis. The United Nations says the best thing to do there is to stop logging native forests. On both counts it is the best and the cheapest option.
This is the fourth time Brown has been arrested in recent years. “In the meantime, hundreds of other people have been arrested and charged,” he says.
I think it’s appalling. It is a bit like the suffragettes, being arrested for calling for votes for women.
Updated
The Star was required to demonstrate a substantial shift in its operations to address its failings and prevent further misconduct after the first inquiry, the NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC) chief commissioner said.
Philip Crawford said on Monday:
The Star has had 18 months to demonstrate that it has the capability and resources to regain its casino licence
But the commission has not been satisfied, extending the appointment of interim manager Nicholas Weeks, who currently holds the licence for what it said would be the last time in November.
Crawford said:
The NICC has had concerns about the extent that remediation is attributable to the manager’s oversight and direction versus what is being driven by the Star’s reform agenda.
Crawford said the commission was giving the casino every chance to prove its suitability before the manager’s appointment ended in June.
The inquiry will provide the NICC with the information needed to make an important decision for the Star, its employees, its stakeholders and the wider community.
A deal between the NSW government, the Star and the United Workers Union announced on Friday requires the casino to maintain a minimum headcount of staff numbers until 2030.
It will also trial cashless and carded gaming on 51 poker machines and eight table games at the casino ahead of the introduction of cashless and carded play at NSW casinos in August.
– Australian Associated Press
Updated
Sydney’s Star casino to face second inquiry
A second inquiry will be held into the Star casino in Sydney after a gaming watchdog was left unsatisfied by its progress in proving it should regain its licence.
Unlike the first inquiry, the next round of hearings will not be held publicly, but a report will be made public after its conclusion in May, the NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC) said in a statement on Monday.
The commission suspended the casino’s licence and issued a $100m fine in October 2022 following the release of the earlier inquiry’s report by Adam Bell SC, who found the Star unfit to hold a casino licence after exposing a litany of compliance failures.
Those included a notorious gang-linked junket operator running an illicit cage at the casino and Chinese debit card transactions being disguised as hotel expenses.
Bell will also conduct the second inquiry.
– Australian Associated Press
(Keep an eye on the next blog post for more on this.)
Updated
Dutton accuses Albanese of giving 'green light' to people smugglers
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has continued his attacks against the Albanese government over unauthorised boat arrivals over the weekend, accusing the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, of giving people smugglers a “green light” to restart their operations.
On Friday, the Australian Border Force announced more than 40 people had arrived in a remote part of Western Australia by boat. The men, believed to be from Bangladesh and Pakistan, were found on a beach about two hours north of Broome in good health. Guardian Australia understands the men have been taken to Nauru.
Appearing in Kilmore in Victoria on Monday morning, Dutton said it was “inconceivable” the group of men arrived on Australia’s shores without first being detected and intercepted.
I think the government absolutely has got all sorts of problems at the moment because it’s clear that they don’t have the same surveillance in place that we had when we were in government.
Dutton said the latest arrival was as a result of “cancelled” surveillance flights and budget cuts. Those flights have been under heavy scrutiny for years from the audit office – many of them while Dutton was the minister in charge – as bureaucratic loopholes resulted in taxpayers paying an estimated $87m for flights that never actually occurred.
The opposition leader said the release of 149 long-term detainees from immigration detention last year had given people smugglers a “green light” for Australia. The detainees, some of whom have criminal convictions, were released as a result of a high court decision that ruled indefinite detention was illegal.
Albanese earlier told ABC radio Dutton’s attacks against him on the incident were “disturbing”. Operation Sovereign Borders commander, Brett Sonter, warned over the weekend that an “alternate narrative” – an apparent reference to political spin – could undermine border operations.
Updated
Ampol profits fall, refinery upgrade looms for new fuel
Fossil fuel refiner and service station chain Ampol says its full-year net profit has dropped by a quarter despite higher retail fuel margins.
Today Ampol reported a 25% fall in net profit to $549.1m for the year to 31 December as energy markets continue to be roiled by geopolitical events.
The fuels and infrastructure division was not directly impacted by risks associated with navigating the Red Sea, the company said in a statement to the ASX.
But more recently, freight rates have escalated as geopolitical tensions flared, particularly for product freight, and this trend is likely to be “positive” for Ampol’s Lytton refinery, and the integrated supply chain, the company said.
With the recent finalisation of the new fuel standards by the federal government, Ampol said it intends to upgrade the refinery with a final investment decision expected in the coming weeks.
The Lytton refinery in Queensland will produce gasoline compliant with the new specifications for both regular and premium grades, with the project expected to be commissioned in the second half of 2025.
- Australian Associated Press
Updated
Former Greens leader Bob Brown arrested at logging protest
Former Greens leader Bob Brown has been arrested in a logging protest along the edge of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.
Brown, along with activists Colette Harmsen and Ali Alishah, are all en route to the Bridgewater police station. The group is protesting native forest logging.
Brown said in a statement:
It is reckless Liberal government disregard for Tasmania’s natural beauty and international reputation.
Updated
Albanese discussing engagement on Perth radio
Circling back to PM Anthony Albanese, who has swapped over to an interview on commercial FM radio, and accordingly the conversation has gotten much more FM-esque.
After a more serious chat on the ABC about asylum seekers and the GST, Albanese just spent 10 minutes talking to Nova FM hosts about every detail of his proposal last week to fiance Jodie Haydon, confirming that he secretly got the engagement ring made by Cerrone Jewellers in his inner-west Sydney electorate.
Taking listeners on a journey through the Valentine’s Day proposal – the Canberra Italian restaurant where they enjoyed mains of fish and pasta, Albanese taking Haydon out onto a balcony at The Lodge with a bottle of champagne, Haydon’s “pretty quick” acceptance – the PM said he considered himself “very lucky”.
She [Haydon] was amazed I managed to go out and get a ring made and get all that ready without anyone knowing.
He claimed none of his staff knew about the planned proposal, and that he’d quietly talked to Cerrone Jewellers about the ring. Albanese said he figured out Haydon’s ring size by checking some of her other rings. He claimed the ring was “all Australian”, with the jewellers sending him various designs and progress by text message.
Nick [Cerrone] was really pleased with it, and so was Jodie, most importantly.
The PM said there hadn’t been any time to talk about wedding plans yet, noting he’d been travelling since the proposal. He joked:
We’ll sit down, there’s plenty of time … It’s not going to be soon and I can confirm the honeymoon will not be to Hawaii … that’s a one-way ticket for prime ministers.
Earlier on the ABC, Albanese also said he and Haydon hadn’t had much chance to talk about the wedding details, saying “it’s a bit hard to organise these things” when travelling, pointing out his weekend travel from the east coast to WA.
Updated
Abul Rizvi said that asylum seeker numbers are currently “very high” right across the world, but he would be “very surprised” if Australia saw an “armada” of boats arrive, as suggested by Peter Dutton.
Rizvi told ABC TV:
To be frank, Mr Dutton has talked about an “armada” of boats repeatedly over the last decade and no such “armada” has arrived. What he hasn’t explained is why he’s going to be right this time, given that he’s been wrong so many times in the past.
Q: Are the latest boat arrivals a failure of Operation Sovereign Borders?
Former deputy secretary of the Department of Immigration, Abul Rizvi:
That’s a question for the head of Operation Sovereign Borders. Is it a question of resourcing, as Mr Dutton says? I don’t know the answer to that question, and I suspect that Mr Dutton doesn’t know either.
Turning to Nauru, Abul Rizvi said there should be a “reasonable level of transparency” around offshore processing on the island nation.
Responding to criticism from the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre that there has been a lack of transparency, Rizvi said:
I think to be fair to the government on this, they only just transferred the asylum seekers to Nauru. Some reasonable time should be allowed before they can be accessed by the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. The people have to be settled in Nauru, their health checks, identity checks, all of those checks will need to take place. That will take a bit of time.
Updated
‘Fundamental elements’ of Labor and Coalition border policies ‘identical’, former immigration official says
Abul Rizvi, the former former deputy secretary of the Department of Immigration, just spoke to ABC TV about the boat arrivals in WA.
Speaking about the political debate surrounding this, Rizvi argued that the “fundamental elements” of Australia’s border protection arrangements for people who arrive by boat are “identical” between the two parties.
[Firstly] they have Operation Sovereign Borders, or boat turnarounds – albeit two boats did get through, and we have questions about it, fair enough. And the second is that all people who arrive by boat are taken [offshore to Nauru for processing], and finally, both political parties have a position that those people will never be resettled in Australia.
Rizvi also said that this specific incident involves “a few dozen people”, which he argued is a “tiny, tiny, tiny number compared to almost 110,000 asylum seekers in Australia” – the “vast bulk” of whom arrived by airplane when opposition leader Peter Dutton was home affairs minister, he said.
What I don’t understand is Mr Dutton seems to be saying that if an asylum seeker arrives by boat, that is a huge risk to Australia’s border protection, but if they arrive by an aeroplane, [there’s] nothing to worry about.
Updated
Dutton’s border policy comments ‘disturbing’, Albanese says
Responding to criticisms from Peter Dutton, Albanese said the opposition leader was “angry”, noting the Operation Sovereign Borders commander, Rear Admiral Brett Sonter, had spoken about the potential for political fights about borders to be exploited by people smugglers.
He told ABC Perth:
It is disturbing what Peter Dutton is doing.
Asked about the GST deal, which gives WA larger payments from the national pool due to surging revenues from the mining boom, Albanese said it wouldn’t change.
The PM said “no, exclamation mark” when asked if it would be amended. Albanese said the agreement was discussed at national cabinet last year, and that it was “absolutely in stone”.
It’s done. Why would we be giving every other state compensation?
Updated
Anthony Albanese says WA’s GST revenue deal ‘set in stone’
Anthony Albanese called Peter Dutton’s comments about border policy “disturbing”, confirming that unauthorised boat arrivals will not be allowed to settle in Australia.
The prime minister also said the GST carve-up which is very generous to Western Australia (and a cause of consternation among some other states) is “set in stone”, promising the calculation wouldn’t shift under his government.
The PM is in Perth today, bringing his cabinet over west for their latest “how good is WA” magical mystery tour, to remind Western Australians how important the state was to Labor winning government. Albanese started off an interview with ABC Perth with his usual statistical breakdown about how many times he’s visited the state (“I’ve been here more than the three previous prime ministers combined,” Albanese said instantly after joining), going on to say how much he loved WA and how it’s “such an important state for the national economy”.
The obligatory parochial tributes out of the way, the PM went on to confirm that asylum seekers who had arrived off WA’s north-west coast last week had been taken to Nauru.
We won’t allow people to settle here, who arrive by boat … unauthorised arrivals such as these will not be allowed to settle in Australia.
Updated
Here are some more details on that severe thunderstorm warning for the Hunter in NSW:
The Bureau of Meteorology warns that, at 11.00am, a severe thunderstorm likely to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding was detected near Williamtown.
This thunderstorm is slow moving.
Severe thunderstorm warnings along east coast
Severe thunderstorms are forecast over a large swathe of NSW, including metropolitan Sydney and the ACT, the Bureau of Meteorology says.
A severe thunderstorm warning for heavy rainfall has been issued for parts of the Hunter and Central Tablelands districts, which “may lead to flash flooding over the next several hours”.
#Thunderstorms are possible today .
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) February 18, 2024
Severe thunderstorms are a risk, with locally heavy rain & flash flooding. This risk includes the Sydney metro % ACT areas.
Over the northern inland there is also a slight chance of storms producing damaging wind gusts & large hail. pic.twitter.com/Ofo1nRk9vB
Meanwhile, severe thunderstorms with heavy rain are possible in south-east Queensland and to the south of Brisbane and Toowoomba, including the Gold Coast and Scenic Rim.
Flash flooding is a risk given the soil is already wet from recent rain, the Bureau said.
⛈️QLD Storm Forecast for Mon 19/2. Severe storms with heavy rain possible today in southern SEQ, to the south of Brisbane and Toowoomba, including the Gold Coast and Scenic Rim. Flash flooding a risk given soils are wet following recent rain. Warnings: https://t.co/FBmpsInT9o pic.twitter.com/SPZa1T4Xdf
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) February 18, 2024
Updated
Christopher Pyne announced as chair of ageing lobby group
Former Coalition minister Christopher Pyne has been announced as the new chair of the Council on the Ageing (Cota), the peak lobby group for older Australians.
Pyne – who served in the defence, education and industry portfolios, as well as being minister for ageing – quit parliament in 2019, but has stayed around politics after opening up his own lobbying firm, which has become prominent in the federal sphere.
Cota is an important voice on issues around aged care and older Australians. It announced Pyne as its new independent chair this morning. Patricia Sparrow, Cota’s CEO, said:
Christopher brings a wealth of experience to COTA Australia, extending across multiple federal governments and various sectors, including public, academic, and social spaces.
His expertise is an asset that aligns seamlessly with our focus on championing the concerns of ageing individuals and older Australians nationwide. We believe that his leadership will further elevate our mission to create positive change and advocate for policies that enhance the lives of older Australians.
The outgoing chair, Jane Halton, was hailed as “an incredible asset to our organisation” by Sparrow, who said she would “no doubt continue to be an incredible advocate for older Australians”.
Pyne said there were “many challenges facing older Australians” and said Cota had “a big task ahead of it in the coming years”, nominating ageism as his big priority.
Ageism is endemic in Australia and addressing it needs to be a key focus not just for COTA, but for governments, businesses and society broadly.
By addressing systemic ageism, we’ll help unlock the potential of older Australians. That’s not just important for older Australians themselves, but for people of every age.
Updated
Hundreds of homes in south-west WA without power
Thousands of people across Western Australia are currently without power, according to Western Power.
This comes as parts of the state neared 50C yesterday, and much of the west coast has an extreme fire danger rating today.
The biggest outage currently is in Dunsborough, affecting 1,715 customers. Western Power does not specify the cause of the unplanned outage, but points to the total fire ban. It says power is expected to be restored at 2:30pm local time.
It is forecast to reach 39C in Dunsborough today.
Updated
Taylor Swift mural unveiled ahead of Sydney Eras concerts
A mural of Taylor Swift has been unveiled on Sydney’s Crown St ahead of the pop star’s arrival in the city for her final Aussie Eras shows.
The mural of the singer dressed in red, situated in Surry Hills, was shared by the @sydney_explained Instagram account on Sunday night.
The enormous portrait was painted by Australian artist Scott Marsh (@scottie.marsh), whose works are famous across Sydney streets.
A Taylor Swift mural by Aussie artist Scott Marsh has been spotted in Surry Hills, Sydney via @/sydney_explained pic.twitter.com/58n8fiK9JR
— Emily Wind (@emilywindwrites) February 18, 2024
The Shake It Off singer is expected to touch down at Sydney airport around 1pm on Monday, according to the flightradar24 site, which is frequently followed by die-hard Swifties.
More than 260,000 fans attended the Eras shows in Melbourne over the weekend, with another 320,000 fans expected to descend on Sydney’s Olympic Park this weekend.
Melbourne’s Friday night concert was Swift’s biggest ever show of her career, after 96,000 fans danced and sang their hearts out at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Swift will be performing at Accor stadium on Friday 23, Saturday 24, Sunday 25 and Monday 26 February before heading to Singapore.
Updated
Perin Davey ‘made a mistake’ by drinking before Senate estimates, Dutton says
Circling back to Peter Dutton’s interview on Sunrise earlier today:
The opposition leader was asked for his thoughts on whether there should be an alcohol ban at Parliament.
This comes as Nationals senator Perin Davey admitted to drinking before an estimates hearing, and a week earlier, Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce was filmed lying on the street in Canberra after a sitting day.
Speaking to Sky News, Davey said she only had two glasses of red wine at a Nationals staff function before taking her chair at the committee last Tuesday, and also said, “I don’t think I was drunk”.
Dutton told Sunrise that “people have to take responsibility for their own actions”.
The public holds those of us in public life to a higher standard, and that’s appropriately so.
I know Perin well. She’s a decent person. She has a burning desire to help people, particularly in regional areas. She’s made a mistake in this instance. She’s owned up to it and her other colleagues should learn from it as well.
People can have a drink in moderation. You can catch up with friends, you can attend social functions and that happens in workplaces and across society everyday. You need to take responsibility particularly if you’re in the public eye. I think a lot of people will learn a lesson from it.
Updated
Australia known for ‘not abiding by its word’, former French ambassador to US says
In the story that never dies – France has taken yet another dig at Australia after its president Emmanuel Macron accused former PM Scott Morrison of lying to him over the Aukus deal back in 2021.
When asked whether he thought Morrison had lied to him, Macron replied with: “I don’t think, I know.”
Fast forward to today, the former French ambassador to the United States, Gérard Araud, has responded to an innocent question on X/Twitter with a pointed reply.
The question:
What comes to mind when you think of Australia?
Araud’s reply:
Breaking a contract, not abiding by its word ?
Breaking a contract, not abiding by its word ? https://t.co/tDLUJywmwT
— Gérard Araud (@GerardAraud) February 18, 2024
Updated
Labor making ‘significant errors’ by abolishing temporary protection visas: Dutton
Peter Dutton also appeared on Sunrise to speak about the boat arrivals in WA. Asked whether the opposition is politicising this issue, Dutton rejected this and said:
Nobody’s politicising the issue. I think we’re pointing out the fact the government is making significant errors here.
Q: Don’t you think that’s politicising it, going against the government?
Dutton disagreed, and argued that Labor has shut down “one of the important legs of Operation Sovereign Borders” – that being the temporary protection visas.
This is a core difference between the government and opposition when it comes to asylum seeker policy. The Rudd government abolished temporary protection visas in 2008 but they were reintroduced by the Coalition in 2014, designed to deter asylum seekers arriving by boat.
This time last year, Labor abolished temporary protection visas (and the temporary “safe haven enterprise visas”) for more than 19,000 people, which was the fulfilment of an election pledge.
You can read more on this from Amy Remeikis and Ben Doherty in February 2023 below:
Updated
Dutton says Albanese ‘not telling the truth’ on border policy
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, spoke to Ben Fordham on 2GB Sydney radio earlier this morning, speaking about the more than 40 asylum seekers who arrived by boat in remote WA last week.
The asylum seekers have been taken to Nauru, and the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, told reporters yesterday that Operation Sovereign Borders was being implemented.
Weighing in on the matter, Dutton argued it shows a “catastrophic failure” of Australia’s border policy that Albanese first learned of the boat arrival when the media asked him about it.
The trouble is that the prime minister wants Australians to believe … there’s no difference in the two policies [between the current and former government’s] but he’s not telling the truth … If you’re taking money out of Operation Sovereign Borders [and] stopping the temporary protection visa side and turning it into a permanent protection visa, these are all messages the people smugglers will push.
Dutton pointed to the NZYQ case and argued people smugglers would use this to convince asylum seekers to come to Australia. Yesterday, Albanese noted the commander of Operation Sovereign Borders had warned against politicising national security.
Updated
Victorian regional trains resuming after industrial action
V/Line trains in Victoria are now resuming after industrial action by the Rail, Tram and Bus Union earlier this morning.
Public Transport Victoria said:
Some delays and cancellations are expected throughout the day as the normal timetables resume. We apologise for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience.
@VLine trains are now resuming after earlier industrial action this morning.
— PTV (@ptv_official) February 18, 2024
Some delays and cancellations are expected throughout the day as the normal timetables resume.
We apologise for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience. pic.twitter.com/bKgZvIQxJg
More industrial action is planned for this Friday.
Updated
Former immigration official warns politicians ‘not to inflame the rhetoric’ to avoid encouraging people smugglers
A former senior immigration official has warned that people smugglers could seize on inflammatory language to bring more asylum seekers to Australia, AAP reports.
Former deputy secretary of the immigration department Abul Rizvi told ABC RN the language used by politicians could lead to more boat arrivals:
If people smugglers are able to convince potential people who may wish to come to Australia by boat, that the difference in the rhetoric is something they can take advantage of ... we may, if that happens, see a rise in boats.
I would counsel politicians on either side not to inflame the rhetoric in this space.
Updated
Rangers investigating two weekend dingo incidents on K’gari
The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services (QPWS) are investigating two separate dingo incidents on K’gari island over the weekend.
According to a statement, around 3pm on Saturday an 18-year-old woman was walking to Lake Wabby as part of a tour group when a tagged dingo bit her on the back of her left leg.
Just a few hours later, around 8pm the same day, a person was reportedly mouthed or nipped by a dingo on the beachfront near Dilli Village.
On Sunday morning, QPWS rangers said they would attempt to make contact with people involved in the incidents and “attempt to identify both dingoes involved.”
Dangerous dingo signs have been installed this morning at Lake Wabby entrance, and rangers will increase patrols in the areas.
Visitors and residents on K’gari are reminded to remain vigilant at all times as we move into the dingo breeding season, and children must be kept under constant supervision.
Updated
Birmingham backs Dutton’s asylum boat comments
The shadow foreign minister, Simon Birmingham, was on ABC RN earlier this morning.
Speaking about the arrival of at least 40 asylum seekers in remote WA, he agreed with comments from Peter Dutton that it showed “weak leadership” on the part of the government, and said:
It is our responsibility to hold the government to account and if there are cuts to the Border Force budget, if there are reductions in terms of any aspects of maritime surveillance, if the Border Police Commissioner is saying that his resources are being stretched, then these are the things for us to absolutely call the government out on.
Birmingham said it wasn’t a failure to intercept the boat at sea, but to intercept it “at all”.
It was put to Birmingham that these incidents have happened under both governments.
You can read more about this issue below, for some additional context:
Updated
6,000 properties still without power in Victoria
Six days after widespread extreme storms hit Victoria, almost 6,000 properties are still without power.
According to the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, 5,882 properties across Victoria were without power as of 7.30am this morning.
This is down from a peak of 530,000.
The department said in a statement:
Vegetation clearing and repairs to damaged powerlines and poles continue. However, given the extent of the widespread damage, it may still take some days in extreme circumstances to restore electricity to all of those impacted.
The next update will be published at 5.30pm AEDT, it said.
Updated
SA premier says ‘nothing to lose’ on state voice to parliament
The South Australian premier, Peter Malinauskas, spoke to the ABC outside the Adelaide Fringe festival this morning, commenting on the state’s proposed voice to parliament – which will be voted on next month.
He said the result of the federal voice referendum may have “arrested a bit of momentum”, but said the state one is “very different in the nature to what was proposed federally.”
We haven’t changed our constitution, it’s legislated, that means it’s available to amendment for future governments. But we’re optimistic it can make a difference.
The whole idea here is we have a group of Aboriginal people who can make a contribution to policy making in our state, in a way that affects them. We think that’s a [meritorious] proposition.
Malinauskas said there has been “far more nominees than there are positions, so there will be a suite of elections across the state” – but turnout will be a challenge.
It always is. But regardless, this has been legislated for, they’ll be providing a contribution to the state parliament during the course of this year, and then it will be up to the parliament to work out, is that advice we want to heed or ignore?
But I hope, with some pragmatic and thoughtful and principled contributions, we may hear something that results in some change that may make a difference. We’ve got nothing to lose in our view.
Updated
Lincoln prolongs Top End soaking, NSW facing a wet week
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Lincoln is Western Australia-bound but persisting with its mission to keep tracts of north-western Queensland and the Northern Territory waterlogged, AAP reports.
Isolated thunderstorms and scattered to widespread showers are forecast across Queensland’s Gulf Country, North West, Peninsula and North Tropical Coast today.
There’s also a high chance of rain and thunderstorms with heavy falls and possible damaging wind gusts in the Northern Territory’s Barkly, Gregory and northern Tanami districts.
Lincoln is tracking west across the Top End, with concerns it could redevelop into a cyclone off the north-west coast of WA midway through the week, the Bureau of Meteorology said yesterday.
Along the way, heavy, locally intense rainfall and damaging wind gusts have visited upon a number of remote communities including Tennant Creek, which received more than 138mm of rain in the 24 hours to 9am on Sunday.
Now a tropical low, Lincoln is expected to reach the Kimberley today.
However, major flood warnings remain for western Queensland on the Diamantina, Nicholson and Flinders rivers.
Updated
Temperatures near 50C in central-western WA
Back to the extreme heat in parts of Western Australia:
Parts of the Gascoyne and Central West regions neared 50C yesterday, as residents in northern Perth had to evacuate due to a bushfire which has since been controlled.
According to Weatherzone, the following temperatures were recorded yesterday:
49.9C at Carnarvon Airport – the highest temperature recorded in the world so far in 2024
49.8C at Shark Bay Airport, near Denham – a station record
49.3C at Geraldton in the Central West – the hottest day on record for the town.
Carnarvon’s 49.9°C on Sunday was the 2nd highest temperature ever recorded in Australia during February and the country’s equal 8th highest temperature on record. pic.twitter.com/JsDwyoUdNT
— Ben Domensino (@Ben_Domensino) February 18, 2024
In Gwelup, in the north of Perth, a bushfire has been downgraded to advice level after residents were forced to evacuate yesterday.
According to the West Australian, firefighters fought the blaze for 90 minutes near the Lake Karrinyup Country Club before it was upgraded to a watch and act.
The fire reportedly reached the back fences of more than a dozen homes before the Department of Fire and Emergency Services downgraded the fire after 8pm, getting it under control.
Gwelup is forecast to reach a top of 42C today.
Updated
Schools among several sites still waiting on mulch test results, EPA says
Fire and Rescue NSW crews inspected more than 120 sites for asbestos mulch over the weekend, the EPA said, with more than 70 completed on Sunday.
The EPA said it is still waiting on test results from previously identified schools, including:
Edmondson Park Public School, Edmondson Park
Mount Annan Christian College, Currans Hill
Trinity Catholic Primary School, Kemps Creek
The EPA said in a statement:
We understand this may be unsettling for these school communities but these results are expected later today. All schools have made individual risk assessments based on the amount and distribution of mulch onsite.
Updated
Asbestos confirmed at seven new locations in Sydney region
Bonded asbestos has been confirmed at seven more sites in and around Sydney, including a school and supermarket.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has confirmed the presence of bonded asbestos in mulch at another seven sites, including:
Domremy college, Five Dock (previously identified for testing)
Aldi supermarket, Cobbitty (will open once site is contained)
Riverstone Sports Centre, Riverstone (regularly closed on Mondays and site will be contained)
Carlingford-to-Parramatta Shared Path, Telopea (part of the Parramatta Light Rail project)
These sites will be contained today. Three other sites have returned positive results but are not being identified for privacy reasons, the EPA said. They are not publicly accessible.
A statement said:
Domremy College has advised that the impacted area is isolated and cordoned off and that school is open today. A hygienist has been engaged to determine the next steps, in consultation with government advisers.
The number of sites detected to have bonded asbestos is now 41. As of 6pm yesterday, 683 tests have returned negative results since 10 January.
See the full list of identified locations here:
Updated
Schools closed amid bushfire risk as Perth set to break heatwave record
With Perth forecast to reach 43C today, Weatherzone said the city is expected to break its record for the most 40C days in one month. Yesterday was its sixth in February.
A huge swathe of the coast from north of Geraldton down to Margaret River – about 750km – has an extreme fire danger rating today, with a number of total fire bans also in place.
The Bureau of Meteorology said wind gusts up to 80km/h are possible this morning around Perth’s hills and foothills.
Two schools north of Perth – Cervantes primary school and Jurien Bay district high school – will be closed today due to an increased risk of bushfire. The Department of Fire and Emergency Service said:
No one, including staff, will be allowed on site as it will not be safe. Parents and carers are asked to please ensure supervision arrangements are in place for their children.
Updated
NSW to reveal 100 new public preschool sites
The locations of 100 new public preschools to be built across New South Wales by 2027 will be revealed by the state government today.
The centres will be co-located at public primary school sites as part of a $769m project.
They will be built across Sydney, including in western, south-west and north-west Sydney, and throughout regional NSW.
The premier, Chris Minns, said:
Children who receive high-quality early childhood education can benefit throughout their life and it is so important families are able to access good quality services wherever they live.
This investment is an important step towards delivering expanded preschool access for all families across NSW.
Updated
Good morning
And happy Monday. Welcome back to a new week on the Australia news liveblog – I’m Emily Wind and I’ll be bringing you our rolling coverage today.
Perth is forecast to hit 43C today, after parts of the state neared 50C yesterday. According to Weatherzone, Carnarvon Airport reached 49.9C – the second hottest February temperature ever recorded in Australia, and the hottest temperature recorded in the world so far this year.
A bushfire at Gwelup in Perth’s north has been downgraded to advice level, after residents were forced to evacuate yesterday. The fire is now controlled, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (Dfes) says.
Meanwhile, ex-Tropical Cyclone Lincoln is bound for Western Australia but persisting with its mission to keep tracts of north western Queensland and the Northern Territory waterlogged, as AAP reports.
Narelle Towie delved into the climate drivers that is leaving Australia’s east baking through extreme heat, but the east battered with constant downpours. You can read this in full below:
In New South Wales, the locations of 100 new public preschools to be built by 2027 will be revealed by the state government today. The centres will be co-located at public primary school sites as part of a $769m project.
See something that needs attention on the blog? You can get in touch via X, @emilywindwrites, or send me an email: emily.wind@theguardian.com.
Let’s get started.
