970x125
PM says PNG defence treaty will be an ‘upgrade’ to security relationshipBack to the PM in PNG. Anthony Albanese is speaking with the ABC now from Port Moresby. He has said that the defence treaty to be signed with PNG on Wednesday will be made public.He will not be drawn on whether PNG “had chosen us over China”, as asked by the ABC presenter, but says that the agreement respects PNG’s sovereignty, despite the concerns of some local politicians.
It’s certainly an upgrade to the relationship, I will have more to say once we have signed the agreement going forward, I think that’s the respectful thing to do rather than foreshadow it all, it’s an upgrade in our security relationship to a treaty level to the sort of level that we have with the United States and … other allies so it is important going forward.
It’s increased interoperability, it’s increased engagement and security relationship … our economic relationship is important and our people to people relations as well.
It means that Papua New Guinea is choosing … it’s own interest, going forward, and it’s sovereignty.
ShareUpdated at 07.52 BSTKey eventsShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this featureLisa CoxSpringwater flows set to resume in Murray DarlingImportant spring water flows will resume in some areas of the Murray-Darling Basin in New South Wales after the commonwealth lifted a pause on environmental watering in some parts of the state.The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder had put a statewide temporary stop to environmental flows last month amid a legal stoush with the Minns government over how environmental water releases should be interpreted under the NSW non-urban water metering policy.At the heart of the dispute was whether environmental water should be treated as “take” in the same way as water extracted by irrigators and comply with metering rules.Late last week, the state government updated its water management regulations to clarify when river operators need a water licence to release water for the environment.The NSW water minister, Rose Jackson, said:
I know the delay on some environmental water flows in the past few weeks has caused concern. That’s why as soon as we found this technical issue, I asked my department to respond as an absolute priority.
In a statement published Friday, the Commonwealth Environment Water Holder Dr Simon Banks said the amendment meant the pause on environmental water could be lifted in some circumstances, including scheduled environmental watering for the Macquarie Marshes:
I am now satisfied that our regulatory obligations can be met for planned in-stream, within-channel watering actions in the Barwon-Darling, Lower Darling and Murray. I am also pleased to be able to progress important watering actions in the Macquarie Marshes and the Murrumbidgee.
Banks said while this was good news for the environment and NSW communities, it was likely some other watering actions would need to remain paused “for some time, while NSW works to ensure metering compliance or alternative measurement methods are assured for remaining actions”.Macquarie Marshes (Wammerawa), NSW. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The GuardianShareUpdated at 08.04 BSTPM speaks to media in PNGAnthony Albanese says that the defence treaty he is in PNG to sign will elevate the country to a similar armed forces relationship that Australia shares with the US and New Zealand.Albanese is speaking to Sky News from Port Moresby, where he is set to join in the country’s celebration of it’s 50th year of independence.He said the significant defence agreement underlined the important role that Australia played in the region.
We are the security partner of choice, and that’s a good thing for democracies in the region.
Anthony Albanese arrives in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea on Monday. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPShareUpdated at 07.41 BSTDan Jervis-BardyAustralians should be reassured not alarmed about climate risk, Coalition saysThe federal opposition says now is the time to “reassure Australians” and not for “alarmist language” after the release of a landmark report on the risks of the climate crisis.The national climate risk assessment, released on Monday, revealed the far-reaching social and economic impacts of global heating, including the potential for a surge in heat-related deaths and an increase in the number of coastal communities at risk of flooding, erosion and inundation.In a statement, the opposition leader, Sussan Ley, and the acting shadow energy minister, Ted O’Brien, said climate change was a “global problem, and it demands global action”.The statement said:
Australia cannot make a difference on its own, but we must play our part. The Coalition will always support sensible action to reduce emissions, strengthen resilience, and protect communities.
Our nation has the capacity and resources to meet the challenge of climate change with the right policies and priorities. This is a moment to reassure Australians. What Australians do not need is alarmist language being used to distract from Labor’s failures.
Sussan Ley: ‘We need to reduce emissions, but not at any cost.’ Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAPLey and O’Brien said the government’s 2035 emissions target, expected to be released later this week, must be “credible” and Labor must be upfront about the financial cost to households and businesses.
We need to reduce emissions, but not at any cost. If Labor cannot outline the cost and a credible pathway, why should Australians trust them not to force households and small businesses to pay even more? Don’t look at what Labor says, look at what it does.
It’s worth remembering the Coalition is considering ditching its commitment to net zero by 2050 as part of a post-election review.ShareUpdated at 07.21 BSTKrishani DhanjiIndependent authority finds NDIS pricing arrangements are ‘not working’NDIS pricing arrangements are not working, says the Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA), after consulting participants, providers and stakeholders. The government has released the consultation snapshot, but has refused to release IHACPA’s final report on pricing, claiming public interest immunity, and maintaining that the release would “undermine cabinet deliberations”.The consultations found pricing “doesn’t reflect the reality of delivering services” particularly in regional areas and for people with complex disabilities.Participants said pricing isn’t helping with choice of services or access, while providers told IHACPA pricing doesn’t take into account the complexity of some cases that can impact resourcing. Where providers are unable to hire sufficient or quality staff, this can result in “lower worker to participant ratios, and potentially unsafe environments”.The snapshot also states the “one-size-fits-all” model has an adverse impact on participants rural and regional areas. It states:
A one-size-fits-all model doesn’t account for the differences between states and territories, nor between metro, regional and remote areas. This means inequitable access and service delivery. Remote participants are most affected, especially in rural and remote areas where the cost of delivering services is higher …
We found that the current NDIS pricing model is causing big ripples in unintended ways for participants, providers and the disability sector.
The consultation was done between June and November 2024.ShareUpdated at 07.10 BSTJordyn BeazleyTeacher charged with multiple sex offences against student arrested at airportA teacher who worked at a school on the NSW’s Central Coast has been charged over allegedly sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl.Police said on Monday that the teacher, a 42-year-old man, was arrested a day after they began their investigation.He was caught attempting to leave the country Sunday evening and arrested at Sydney airport. Police will allege he was intending to travel to South Africa via Perth.The man was charged with seven counts of sexual intercourse with a child between 14 and 16 years, three counts of intentionally sexually touching a child between 10 and 16 years, and grooming a child for unlawful sexual activity.Police will allege the teacher assaulted the teenager on multiple occasions in August and September.ShareUpdated at 07.14 BSTQueensland police investigating 20 deaths linked to ‘end of life service business’Andrew MessengerQueensland police have charged a Gold Coast business owner with allegedly operating a business supplying veterinary drugs to aid in suicides.Gold Coast Det Insp Mark Mooney said the police are investigating the deaths of 20 people who have died as a result of what he called an “end of life service business”, including in Victoria and New South Wales.A 53-year-old man from Main Beach has been charged with two counts of aiding suicide and several drug offences including trafficking dangerous drugs. An 81-year-old woman from Southport and an 80-year-old man from Ashmore have also been charged with drug offences, over the same alleged incident.“Toxicology confirmed the cause of death as acute pentobarbitone toxicity, a drug commonly used by veterinarians to euthanise animals, and is tightly controlled under Queensland law,” Mooney said.Police allege the man obtained the drugs through a “front” charity set up to euthanise whales.Instead he offered a range of services to aid people’s death, including wills and finding a person after their death. It’s alleged that he did so as a “business transaction”, “just for pure money”, Mooney said. Mooney said detectives were also investigating other deaths from as early as 2021.“The alleged conduct involves deliberately targeting vulnerable people and exploiting them in their most desperate moments,” he said.Voluntary assisted dying is legal in Queensland but is strictly regulated under state law, and requires an application to a regulatory body.The maximum penalty for aiding suicide is life in prison.Last year, the Queensland coroner labelled the state’s euthanasia laws “inadequate”, warning that “further calamity and heartbreak” will be caused if reforms were not made.ShareUpdated at 07.07 BSTPM lands in PNGThe prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has landed in Port Moresby. He is expected to speak to media there later this afternoon.He has travelled to the country ahead of the celebration of Papua New Guinea’s 50th anniversary of independence.ShareAnne DaviesNSW Coalition slump in polls, but leader appears safe for nowA new Resolve Strategic poll revealed a further slump of 4 percentage points in the NSW Coalition’s primary vote since its last poll in July, adding to the party’s fears of a drubbing in March 2027 and the pressure on opposition leader, Mark Speakman.But despite the new poll and the disappointing result in the Kiama byelection on the weekend, Speakman appears to have stared down the doubters, and possible challengers have retreated.Sources said they did not expect a spill motion at the party room meeting to be held Tuesday morning. The frontrunner to replace Speakman, Liberal MP for Vaucluse, Kellie Sloane has ruled out calling a spill as has the MP for Manly, James Griffin.NSW opposition leader, Mark Speakman, during a live on-air radio interview with the ABC’s Hamish Macdonald on Monday. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAPUnless a backbencher moves an “empty chair” spill – calling a spill without a nomination – the leadership unease in NSW looks set to simmer on, without resolution.The statewide Resolve poll, taken before the byelection on 8-11 September shows the NSW Coalition primary vote at 28%, compared to a Labor primary vote of 38%.If repeated at the general election, the result would see the Coalition lose a swathe of marginal seats, leaving it with less than 30 seats in the 93-seat NSW parliament.The issue for the NSW Coalition is that changing the leader may make little difference. Polling points to far more serious and ingrained problems for the conservative side of politics.Two polls on federal voting intentions, released on Monday, were even worse than the NSW result.ShareUpdated at 06.56 BSTPenry BuckleyNSW warned to expect late bushfire season amid rain-driven growthNSW can expect a late onset to the bushfire season this summer, as the rural fire service says heavy rain this year has driven higher growth in bushland areas, creating the risk of fast-moving grass fires.The NSW emergency services minister, Jihad Dib, has given a press conference today alongside the NSW rural fire service (RFS), which is releasing its annual outlook this week. He has warned 2024-25’s severe flooding and cyclone events have hampered efforts to meet hazard reduction burning targets, expected to be limited further by a wetter than average spring.“What we’re really focused on this year is getting out of the complacency. We’ve had about a year or so of rain, and there’s been a lot of focus on floods, rightfully so, but our attention needs to turn to the upcoming fire season. Now, with the rain, we see a lot of growth that’s developed, and as a result of that, as soon as we get some dry hot weather, that grass will start to dry out and become quite easy for burning.”RFS commissioner Trent Curtin, who took over from outgoing commissioner Rob Rogers in July, has warned that areas which burnt in the 2019-20 black summer bushfires have now regrown and can sustain fire again.“We’re expecting fast-running grass fires to occur, that will impact communities, that will potentially threaten lives. We want to make sure everyone is prepared for those grassfires.”Residents defend a property from a bushfire at Hillsville near Taree, 350km north of Sydney in November 2019. The RFS commissioner warns that areas which burnt in the 2019-20 black summer bushfires have now regrown and can sustain fire again. Photograph: Peter Parks/AFP/Getty ImagesShareUpdated at 06.35 BSTNick VisserThat’s all from me, thanks for sticking with us. Nino Bucci will be your shepherd on the blog for the rest of the day’s news. Take care.ShareJack SnapeGout Gout says he is ‘ready to rumble’ for World Athletics Championships debutAustralian teenage sprint phenomenon Gout Gout has declared his legs are “ready to rumble” before his major international debut on Wednesday at the World Athletics Championships.Gout Gout speaks to media during a press conference in Tokyo. Photograph: John Salvado/AAPThe 17-year-old participated in a panel session with international press today, his only pre-meet media opportunity, as he prepares to contest the 200m in Tokyo. Gout was asked what his legs would tell him if they could talk.“They’ll be ready to go, like in F1 when the cars are warming up the tyres,” he said, making a swerving gesture with his hands. “They’ll be just … ready to rumble, that’s what they’d say”.The confident teenager said he did have some nerves about his major international debut.Read more:ShareUpdated at 05.59 BSTEva CorlettFive takeaways from the Pacific Islands ForumChina, the climate crisis and security concerns dominated the agenda as Pacific leaders gathered for the region’s most important annual meeting, last week.The week-long Pacific Islands Forum (Pif) in Solomon Islands capital, Honiara, brought together Australia, New Zealand and 16 Pacific countries and territories at a time of fraught geopolitical tensions, and with accusations of outside interference in the region never far from the headlines.Here’s everything you need to know:Anthony Albanese at the Pacific Islands Forum in Solomon Islands. Photograph: Ben Strang/AFP/Getty ImagesShareUpdated at 05.34 BSTGreens say ‘chilling’ national climate risk assessment makes net zero ‘imperative’The Greens said the party is deeply troubled by the findings released in today’s national climate risk assessment, saying any commitment less than net zero by 2035 would lock the planet into exceeding 2C of warming and set off a host of climate-related ills.Larissa Waters, the Greens’ leader, said in a statement:
The revelations about Australia’s future under climate change detailed in this report are chilling. … The climate crisis is a risk to our safety, to nature, and to our economy and productivity. This report must be a wake-up call for Labor ahead of their 2035 climate target decision …
If Labor fails to set a science-based climate target then it’s crystal clear: they have utterly prioritised coal and gas profits at the expense of community safety and nature.
The Greens went on to lambaste the government’s decision last week to formally extend the North West Shelf gas project, calling it Albanese’s “most polluting fossil fuel project so far”.Greens leader Larissa Waters. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPShareUpdated at 05.26 BSTDellaram VreelandBallarat was promised ‘more and better homes’, but residents are still waitingPeople living in the Delacombe public housing estate were moved out to make way for new “affordable” homes in 2023 – but construction is yet to begin.In 2021, the state government announced it was going to deliver more housing in the estate as part of its $5.3b Big Housing Build project to address Victoria’s critical social housing shortage. It said more than 60 old dwellings in the estate would be demolished, to be replaced with a mix of social and affordable housing.A fence outside a planned ‘affordable homes’ development at Delacombe, Ballarat. Photograph: Dellaram Vreeland/The GuardianRelocation was completed in late 2023, with residents uprooted from their neighbourhood but promised first right of return to new homes that would be “energy efficient and environmentally sustainable”.Two years later, and four years after the plan was announced, building has not begun.Read more here:ShareUpdated at 05.10 BSTWestern Australia set to get two new public holidaysWA premier Roger Cook will introduce legislation this week to add two new public holidays to the state calendar after a public review period into the idea.The state will get two new holidays: Easter Saturday to align with other states, and a new day called Show Day, which will coincide with the first Monday of the September/October school holidays.Three other holidays will be shifted: Labour Day to the second Monday in March; WA Day to the second Monday in November; and the King’s Birthday to the second Monday in June.If passed, the new schedule will take effect in 2028 to allow for a two-year implementation period.Cook said in a statement yesterday:
Striking the right balance was essential and I believe this new schedule ensures our economy remains the strongest in the nation, while workers get the break they deserve.
WA premier Roger Cook. Photograph: Richard Wainwright/AAPShareUpdated at 04.42 BSTBird of the year nominations are openWhich of the 830 bird species that call Australia home (or at least one of their homes) should make it into the 2025 Australian bird of the year poll?Australia has the greatest diversity of avian life in the world, home to nearly one in 10 of the world’s 10,000 living bird species. And we love to celebrate it. Illustration: Guardian DesignNow is your chance to make sure you get to vote for your favourite. The Guardian and Birdlife Australia are taking nominations now to help shape the list of 50 birds the country will be asked to vote for next month.Share your thoughts here:ShareUpdated at 04.21 BSTLandmark climate report shows ‘every Australian has a lot at stake’, minister says – videoLandmark climate report shows ‘every Australian has a lot at stake’, minister says – videoShareBarnaby Joyce says Coalition risks being ‘replaced’ as a movementThe Nationals MP and former deputy PM Barnaby Joyce has used a morning TV appearance to offer a plan for the flagging Coalition, but does not believe replacing Sussan Ley as leader is the answer to their fortunes as there’s “not a great number to pick from”.Joyce told Sunrise that he had a five-point plan to turn things around for the party. It appeared he had four points – one of which was sticking a map on the fridge – and two somewhat relevant opinions, but let’s not quibble. Joyce said:
Number one, get a map of Australia and stick it on your fridge and from that point on, just start worrying about them. Don’t worry about climate conferences or worry about what’s happening in the Middle East or worry about the fact that you’ve got people coming in – worry about the cost of living.
The next thing is basically pick three issues that are binary, that you’re all for them and Labor’s all against them or you’re against them and Labor is all for them because that helps you define the map on the fridge.
The third thing is put your best team on the paddock, not your best mates. Put your best team on the paddock and follow through with that.
Then I would say the Labor party’s been there before, after Julia Gillard they were down at the same numbers and came back. So you can come back. You’ve really got to focus.
The last thing I will say, if you don’t come back in the next three years, as a political movement, you might be replaced by another one.
When asked if Ley was safe, Joyce responded:
It’s not about Sussan, it’s about making sure you have the right people for the right positions because you want to present as competent across the field.
You haven’t got a great number to pick from, to be complete and frank.
Barnaby Joyce in the House of Representatives at Parliament House. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAPShareUpdated at 04.20 BST
970x125
970x125
