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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Cait Kelly and Natasha May (earlier)

Australia’s ambassador to be summoned after Jerusalem reversal – as it happened

Australia Echuca Victoria Flood Murray (Location) Murray River United States Lee Hsien Loong Helen Haines Linda White
Australian foreign minister Penny Wong
Foreign minister Penny Wong has confirmed Australia will drop its recognition of West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Photograph: Brendan McDermid/Reuters

The day that was

And with that we are going to put the blog to bed. Thank you for spending part of your day with us. Before I go, let me recap the big headlines:

  • The PM has met with his Singaporean counterpart over a decarbonisation push, spruiking a ‘green economy’ agreement.

  • A four-day inquiry into an anti-corruption bill has begun.

  • Uncle Jack Charles was honoured in a state funeral.

  • Twelve new areas in Victoria and Tasmania are eligible for flood support payments.

  • Wine dealer Vinomofo is the latest Australian company to fall victim to a massive data breach.

  • Six major flood warnings are in place in NSW as the state battens down for expected storms across the week. Meanwhile, the Victorian town of Echuca has been ordered to evacuate, with Moama, also on the NSW-Victorian border, also bracing for flooding.

  • The Bureau of Meteorology has inexplicably chosen this moment to begin a rebranding campaign.

  • Australia has ended recognition of West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, Penny Wong confirmed. She added that the previous Morrison government’s Israel embassy move was a ‘cynical play’ to attempt to win the Wentworth byelection.

  • Following that, Israel has criticised the decision and has summoned the Australian ambassador to give an explanation.

  • Steve Bracks appointed Australian representative for Greater Sunrise gas project.

  • Warren Mundine has been accused of ‘turning his back’ on Indigenous voice advocates.

  • Bill Shorten says NDIS reform has begun after years of the Coalition’s ‘neglect’ of the scheme.

  • The town of Echuca has been ordered to evacuate, with Moama, also on the NSW-Victorian border, also bracing for flooding.

  • The NSW government is threatening to take the rail union to court over plans to disable Opal card readers.

We will be back tomorrow to do it all again – until then, stay safe.

Updated

Look who’s making a comeback into politics:

This isn’t the independent Muir’s first stint for the Shooters either, after a run back in 2018.

Muir was famously elected as a Victorian senator in 2013, representing the Motoring Enthusiast party.

Updated

Senate committee says employees have right to ‘disconnect’ from work and supports flexible working arrangements

From AAP:

Employees should have the right to “disconnect” from work and not be contacted by bosses after knock-off time, a parliamentary committee recommends.

The Senate committee on work and care released its interim report on Tuesday, which included eight “urgent” recommendations for improving the balance between those responsibilities.

It recommends the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations investigate law reforms to support flexible working arrangements and protect workers switching off from their jobs outside of contracted hours.

The committee’s chair, the Greens senator Barbara Pocock, said the mental health and wellbeing of workers would drastically improve with these changes.

“We have seen a trend of ‘quiet quitting’ born out of this need to disconnect,” she said.

“It’s clear our workplace relations system needs updating. Everyone should have the right to a life outside of work.”

Roster “justice” would make processes fairer and more predictable for employees, with a focus on fixed shift times and days for workers. Bosses would be required to consider the views of working carers when changing rosters.

Pocock said last-minute roster changes made it almost impossible for employees to find care arrangements.

“Millions of Australian workers in areas like retail and hospitality don’t know what shift they’re working tomorrow,” she said. “Roster justice is needed to give workers predictable rosters and certainty of hours.”

Updated

Todd Winther is an NDIS subject specialist at DSC and shared this on Twitter earlier:

Crowd sends off Uncle Jack Charles after state funeral

Earlier today the send-off for Indigenous elder and storyteller Uncle Jack Charles took place at Hamer Hall. I have the report from AAP here:

A crowd waving Aboriginal flags has lined St Kilda Rd in Melbourne to send off Indigenous elder and storyteller Uncle Jack Charles after his state funeral. The actor, musician, activist and member of the stolen generations died at Royal Melbourne Hospital on September 13 after suffering a stroke. He was 79.

Earlier on Tuesday, Hamer Hall was at capacity for his memorial service, which featured didgeridoos, drag queens and dozens of songs and stories about Uncle Jack.

Indigenous performers conduct a smoking ceremony around the coffin of Uncle Jack Charles
Indigenous performers conduct a smoking ceremony around the coffin of Uncle Jack Charles. Photograph: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

“Onya Jack, I knew you’d get a packed house for your last show mate,” Prof Gary Foley told the crowd.

One of the hosts of the event, Ari Maza Long, said his grandfather had started Australia’s first Aboriginal theatre company, Nindethana Theatre, with Uncle Jack in 1971.

“Today’s service will be one of prestige, stories, colour, song - and it wouldn’t be Uncle Jack without a little bit of cheekiness too,” he said.

The stage of the Hammer Hall set up for the state funeral service for Uncle Jack Charles.
The stage of the Hammer Hall set up for the state funeral service for Uncle Jack Charles. Photograph: Diego Fedele/AAP

Uncle Jack’s coffin was adorned with bright Indigenous designs and sat onstage atop eucalyptus branches next to a small smoking fire. His red scooter was parked nearby.

The two-and-a-half hour service was filled with music, with Kutcha Edwards, Dan Sultan, Cash Savage, Uncle Bart Willoughby, Emma Donovan, James Henry and the Choir of Hard Knocks among the performers.

At one stage, proceedings were interrupted by drag queens making their way onstage, with Mora Money and Joo Cee performing Everybody’s Free.

Dancers perform during the state funeral service for Uncle Jack Charles
Dancers perform during the state funeral service for Uncle Jack Charles. Photograph: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

Updated

Emergency area declared on part of Murray River

From NSW SES:

As a result of the dangerously high level of the Murray River and flood warnings remaining for the many tributaries that drain into the Murray River, the NSW State Emergency Service advises that the following areas of the Murray River are an emergency area under the State Emergency Services Act 1989 (NSW) (SES Act):

- downstream of Tocumwal Road Bridge to Barham Bridge.

Under section 22 of the SES Act people are directed as follows:

- Leave the emergency area
- Do not enter the emergency area

This applies to all commercial and recreational users of the rivers. No boats can enter the emergency area and people cannot enter the area for any recreational purpose such as fishing or swimming

Emergency Services, Transport for NSW and council personnel are permitted to access the emergency area for emergency operations and enforcement.

This takes immediate effect, and remains in place until the area is no longer deemed to be an emergency area.

Updated

Bureau of Meteorology says rebrand intended to assist warnings and messaging

The Bureau of Meteorology has finally responded to the furore over its request to no longer be referred to as “the BOM”, saying it was worried that various nicknames would have a negative impact on its messaging.

After the environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, told us earlier that she was focusing on the current devastating flooding, not the name of the agency giving out weather warnings, a Bureau spokesperson said they had not diverted any resources from important emergency work.

“This refresh in our visual identity has not in any way diverted resources that are dedicated to understanding and communicating the weather, nor has it impacted in any way on the timely and accurate delivery of our forecasts and warnings,” they told Guardian Australia.

The Bureau also noted that “unfortunately” some of its new proposed Twitter handles had been claimed by ordinary social media users after the weather agency failed to reserve those accounts before announcing its plans.

As my colleague Tory Shepherd and I reported earlier, Plibersek is getting more information on the rebrand to the Bureau, which we’re told has been ongoing for 18 months and included nearly $70,000 to a communications agency for “brand implementation”.

We sent the Bureau a set of questions this morning on exactly why it had asked media to not refer to it as BOM (is it because it sounds like “bomb”?) and what it was going to do about Twitter accounts that had already taken some of their planned handles.

A Bureau of Meteorology spokesperson gave us a bit more information.

“With an ever-increasing number of severe weather events, it is more crucial than ever that the Bureau of Meteorology’s data, information, knowledge and insights are received, understood and acted upon by members of the Australian community,” they said.

“Until now, our name and visual identity were expressed differently across content and channels. Feedback from a wide range of stakeholders has been that this variability can sometimes impact negatively on the effectiveness of our messaging.”

Asked about the Twitter handles, the Bureau said it was working with the social media company to get those account names. We’ve asked them for more information - already at least one account that parked on the @TheBureau_Au account was seemingly suspended.

“Unfortunately during this process, some Twitter handles were claimed by third parties.

“We are working closely with Twitter to rectify this, in the meantime, all existing BOM Twitter handles remain active,” the Bureau spokesperson said.

“Through all our communications, we recommend that members of the community stay up to date with the latest forecasts and warnings through our website and app. It is important to note that social media is not a primary channel that we use to communicate our forecasts and warnings.”

Updated

Coalition says Plibersek is ‘still trying to blame her predecessors’ over BoM renaming furore

The opposition says after nearly six months in the job, the environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, is “ridiculously still trying to blame her predecessors” for a decision taken 18 months ago when the Coalition was in power.

The shadow environment minister, Jonno Duniam, was responding to the furore around the Bureau of Meteorology’s rebrand from the BoM to the Bureau.

He said:

Regardless of who made the decision and when they made it, she is now the minister in charge of this agency. Instead of lazily blame shifting, she needs to immediately put a stop to this embarrassment on a day when all resources should be focused on the severe flooding occurring across many parts of Australia.

Earlier, Plibersek told Guardian Australia that she was not focussed on the name of the agency in the middle of the floods. She said:

I am focused on making sure the Bureau of Meteorology is providing the most accurate and timely information to communities affected by floods.

The rebrand commenced under the previous government for reasons I don’t quite understand.

Updated

Indonesia supports Albanese government reversal on recognising West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital

Indonesia has welcomed the Albanese government’s decision to reverse the previous government’s recognition of West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the new policy “would hopefully contribute positively to Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations”.

Indonesia appreciates Australia’s reaffirmation of its commitment to support peaceful resolution to the conflict based on two-state solution, within internationally recognised borders.

Earlier today, the Australian foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, told reporters the Morrison government’s decision in 2018 “put Australia out of step with the majority of the international community and was received with great concern by members of the international community”. Wong said:

I think it is a matter of public record that concerns were expressed by Indonesia, amongst others. And would make the point – I can accept that the Coalition and the Labor party can disagree on matters of foreign policy. You know what this was, though? This was a cynical play, unsuccessful, to win the seat of Wentworth in a byelection.

And what the people saw was the prime minister of the day trying to play foreign policy in order to win votes in a seat. For that reason, I made clear at the time we affirmed our view that Jerusalem is a final status issue. What do those words mean? It means that it has to be resolved through negotiation between the parties.

Updated

NSW government threatens to take rail union to court over plans to disable Opal card readers

The New South Wales government has threatened to take the state’s rail union to court over a plan to turn off Opal card readers during peak hour on Thursday.

On Tuesday the transport minister, David Elliott, announced the government intended to launch action in the state’s federal court if the union went ahead with the plan, warning it could prove “very expensive” for the Rail, Tram and Bus Union.

The union intends to take the action as part of its long-running industrial fight with the Perrottet government. It will turn off the machines used at station gates between 3pm and 7pm on Thursday.

Elliott said on Thursday that the government had legal advice saying the move would be an unprotected action. But rather than take the RTBU to the fair work commission in a bid to stop it, he instead said the government would take action in the federal court after it took place.

Asked why he wasn’t seeking to block the action, Elliott said:

We’ve got to protect the taxpayers. That’s why we’re seeking a recovery of any costs.

The government is yet to release any economic modelling on the cost of the proposed action, but Elliott on Tuesday said the action would be “endangering the lives of commuters” and “denying taxpayers ... lawful revenue”.

Updated

This is just the gift that keeps on giving today. The Bureau of Meteorology rebrand has been smashed by none other than Tanya Plibersek, the minister for the environment and water …

Josh Butler and Tory Shepherd have the story here:

Updated

Andrews: if there’s more to do on interpreting during emergencies then ‘we stand ready to do that’

At a press conference today, our state political correspondent Benita Kolovos asked the Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, about the multicultural response in the state’s flooding event.

As reported in Guardian Australia today, local cultural officers have expressed concern at a lack of interpreters and formal translation services in the regional city of Shepparton.

Andrews said there was a multicultural roundtable held on Monday and the Victorian Multicultural Commission were “well engaged”.

Andrews:

They’ll be up there on the ground very soon. Again, my advice pre-flood and during is every effort is made to provide translated material, culturally appropriate material. I know that’s been occurring but if there’s more we have to do then of course we stand ready to do that, as I said before, Shepparton ... is a standout when it comes to this point, I think is a very culturally diverse community, it’s stronger for it, it’s richer for it.

Shepparton resident Hussam Saraf has taken it into his own hands to translate emergency services messaging into Arabic for Shepparton’s large Afghan and Iraqi community. He said if the floodwaters had breached the predicted 12.2 metres, CALD communities would have died due to the lack of interpreters.

Andrews:

We need to make sure that we are giving everybody the best information so they can make the best decisions. I do hear those comments, we’ve been doing our level best, but if we have to do better again, then of course of course we will.

Updated

Australian ambassador to Israel summoned

Israel’s foreign ministry has said it will summon the Australian ambassador to Israel over the decision to revoke recognition of West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Israeli media reports quote the foreign ministry as saying in a statement:


Israel expresses its deep disappointment in the face of the Australian government’s decision resulting from short-sighted political considerations. Jerusalem has been the capital of the Jewish people for 3,000 years and will continue to be the eternal and united capital of Israel regardless of this or that decision.

Updated

Israel criticises Australian decision to reverse recognition of West Jerusalem as capital city

Israel’s prime minister, Yair Lapid, has criticised the Albanese government’s reversal of recognition of West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, suggesting it was handled in a “hasty” and unprofessional manner.

He also declared that Jerusalem “is the eternal and united capital of Israel and nothing will ever change that”.

Lapid’s criticism follows the announcement by the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, this morning that Australia would reverse the Morrison government’s decision four years ago to recognise West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Guardian Australia first broke the news yesterday afternoon that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade had deleted that position from its website. At first Wong’s office insisted that no decision had been made. However, cabinet met this morning and signed off on the decision, which follows through on a pledge first made by Wong in December 2018.

Jewish groups have been constrained from responding publicly to today’s announcement because it coincides with the Jewish holy day of Simchat Torah.

Lapid issued his criticism on Twitter:

Updated

CSIRO union says trust with management ‘still very unstable’

As noted in an earlier post, more than 400 CSIRO staff were tuning in this afternoon to here from the Community and Public Sector Union on the science organisation’s plans to merge two big divisions: oceans & atmosphere and land & water.

Louise Jarman, the national lead organiser for CSIRO staff within the union, said the creation of the megaunit with 740 staff “sounds very, very positive” but doubts remain about job losses.

Although management has “firmly said ‘no job losses’”, “they were being a bit disingenuous” because “there were in fact a couple of people who would be made redundant”, Jarman said.

(She also mentioned the merger was not something Dan Metcalfe, the designated chief of the combined unit – to be named CSIRO Environment – knew was coming. It was “as much a surprise” to him as it was the wider staff, she says.)

One big beef is the “after-the-fact consultation”, with staff given only three weeks to comment. An 6 October public sector commission circular now requires consultation with the unions before big changes are made. “It is frowned upon that such a significant, major decision was not consulted on and at an earlier time,” Jarman said.

Trust, she noted, had fluctuated over the years (think: 2016 climate job cuts for one), and had become more positive lately. However, “people’s sense of trust is still very unstable and needs a lot more building”, Jarman said.

Security of employment will remain a focus, she said.

Jarman noted the Guardian article, in relation to the canning of the decadal forecasting unit. She puts it in the “trust” basket.

“There is a significant change that has taken place, and very [few] people were actually aware of that change, and it certainly wasn’t broadcast,” Jarman said.

“It’s not being looked at favourably by the people that were involved in the project,” she said, adding such handling doesn’t help trust.

Jarman also raised our second article with the science minister, Ed Husic, apparently “at odds” with CSIRO’s broader plan for “fewer, bigger things” in its partnerships with industry.

“We do have the Australian government that has changed, and that’s going to be significant,” she said.

Presumably, CSIRO managers have picked up on that too.

Updated

Singaporean PM warns that security concerns on China may lead to ‘less stable world’

Singapore’s prime minister has warned during a visit to Australia that the world could become “less stable” if national security fears drive an economic wedge between China and the west.

Lee Hsien Loong also told reporters in Canberra that it would be good if China was able to join the big regional trade deal known as the CPTPP, but said it would have to meet all the rules to do so. Lee said there was no consensus to admit China among the existing members, which include Australia. (Australia maintains that China should drop “trade sanctions” against a range of Australian exports.)

During a joint press conference with the Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, Lee was asked about the Biden administration’s new export controls, which include a measure to cut China off from certain semiconductor chips made anywhere in the world with US tools.

Lee said the prospect of an economic “decoupling” between the US and China was “a worry”. He said:

National security concerns are real, how wide or how narrowly they are defined, it is a judgment of each government and administration. I think the Biden administration’s latest move is a very serious one, I’m sure they have considered it carefully. It can have very wide ramifications, we will have to see how things work out.

But we do worry that valid national security considerations may trigger off further consequences and may result in less economic cooperation, less interdependency, less trust and possibly ultimately a less stable world.

Lee did not comment on the new Albanese government’s approach to China, given that he had previously been cautiously critical of the Morrison government’s approach.

Albanese said he wanted to “lead a mature government that has mature relations with the world, that doesn’t see international diplomacy as an opportunity for domestic political point-scoring”. He added:

And so, what I have said publicly is that we should cooperate with China where we can but stand up for Australia’s national interest where we must. And I continue to take that view, both privately and publicly.

Updated

Echuca and Moama brace for one-in-1000-year flood to hit

The border communities of Echuca and Moama are bracing for a “one-in-1000-year” flood event to hit the townships, with authorities fearing existing levee banks won’t hold the waters.

The peak at Echuca wharf is forecast to be 95.9 metres AHD, in excess of the recent 2011 floods. Some 300 had evacuated on Monday, while 3,000 were on standby to leave.

Authorities worked overnight to build a two kilometre-levee bank on the eastern side of Echuca to protect the town centre from rising waters, while sacrificing a smaller portion of houses.

On Echuca’s main street, dozens of volunteers sprung into action on Monday morning, fortifying shopfronts from the expected onslaught. Children as young as three shovelled sand into makeshift sandbags, while the popular Beechworth Bakery distributed free sweets and pies for hardworking locals.

Mark Oliver, a local resident, headed straight down after evacuating his family to Melbourne.

“There’s people bringing in sand, there’s people bringing in sand, it’s been a constant stream of people turning up and working their guts out,” he said. “We’re just getting it done ... this is an unprecedented time.

“My father is 75, he’s lived here all his life, and this is the worst he’s ever seen it.”

Updated

Andrews confident in Melbourne Water’s ability to run review on Flemington racecourse wall

I remain confident that [Melbourne Water] will be able to conduct an appropriate review. They are a statutory authority and they may well – out of an abundance of caution, to make sure there’s no real even perceived issue with that – I’m certain they will look to get external advice.

They will do that work in good time and it will be there for all of us to look it. I think the chair has made the appropriate decision and I think, I’m certain that Melbourne Water can do this work and to believe in and they will report on it once that work is finished.

Updated

‘Three or four’ people in Mickleham centre: Andrews

Andrews was just asked how many people are staying in the repurposed commonwealth quarantine facility:

There is only a handful there. Three or four people already. We’ve had a number of other people who have expressed an interest to move there … I think more and more, with the passage of time, people process that practical reality that they’re perhaps not be able to get back into their house for quite some time.

More and people may make that choice. We are not compelling people to go there or anything like that, it is a choice. It will work for some and not for everybody. It is a tool that is available.

We have hundreds of people in serviced apartments, which I don’t think we talked about before, we are using every possible accommodation option we can. I have taken calls from people who run school camps offering us the whole camp for example. So there will be lots of local options, but they get exhausted relatively quickly, so having a fallback option – not for everyone, but for someone … we’ve got a facility there, let’s use it.

Updated

Victorian communities are at risk of contamination: Andrews

We have a number of communities where there have been breaches in terms of sewage, a number of communities where warnings are out there, safe drinking water notices are out there.

There is a number of communities where there are ongoing risks, and it’s not just in relation to safety, sort of personal injury. There is also public health, hygiene, all of those sorts of issues are really relevant and important as well.

Updated

Rochester will not be declared natural disaster zone: Andrews

There’s no advice to be taking steps at this point. We’ll be with the community of Rochester for as long as we have to be in any way possibly can to support them through what is difficult time.

I visited Rochester in different roles in my public life many times, it’s a great community, a strong proud community and are doing it at the moment. We will be there for them in whatever legal instrument is needed, of course we will use that but at this stage there’s no need for us to go any further than we have now.

Updated

Andrews said extra ADF personnel will help clean-up

Every community will want to get cleaned up as fast as possible. It’s very, very challenging work. We will try and have as many resources available. It’s got to be done safely. That number will build to 400 in coming days. ADF personnel will not waste any time being here. I want to thank the ADF for their support.

Updated

Dan Andrews says 700 evacuations have taken place and more will come

Some of those will be where people simply can’t leave, for a whole range of complex reasons. And others will be where they have chosen to stay, that’s a deeply personal matter.

Noone is telling people what to do other than telling people: you been given the advice, the advice is not issued lightly, it’s for you and your safety and please, if you are told to leave, give proper consideration to that.

And if you need support to get out, we will provide you with that support.

Updated

Brigadier Matt Burr says ADF is out helping communities

The commander of the deployed ADF forces is up now.

The locations that the ADF have been involved in have been the greater Shepparton region, Shepparton itself, Mooroopna; you have seen the ADF involved up at Echuca and now in Seymour and also Rochester and a lot of the communities in between.

The types of tasks those ADF members are doing are assisting the local communities in the preparation activities … preparation in the way of levy banks, sandbagging, assisting in relief centres and preparing individual homes or community centres for those flood events that are either forecast or impacting those areas.

He says there are about 280 ADF members deployed right now, and that is expected to be 400 in the coming days.

Updated

The Victorian media conference about the floods is ongoing, and I am handing the blog over like a hot potato to Cait Kelly who will take you through the rest of the information from the press conference, as well as the rest of the afternoon’s updates.

Updated

Kerang could be isolated for one to two weeks

Victoria’s emergency measures commissioner, Andrew Crisp, has now taken the mic:

The response is also about what is coming up and we know that on the Loddon River, we’re preparing about what is happening up at Kerang and we know the community could be isolated for one to two weeks.

It is also about what we’re doing in relief, and there are relief centres established across the state, a lot of people are achieving relief by going to family and friends but we know that up in the Shepparton area we have nearly 800 people that are being well looked after by all our services.

… There is going to be risk in our state from the middle of the week onwards through to Sunday and Monday. It is an opportunity now for communities that have not been impacted, if you are likely to be impacted, those key messages again: download that Vic Emergency app. You need to know how to access good information to make good decisions ... If you can, then make sure, please, that you bring into your home food, water, medication so in the event you are isolated, you can look after yourself for a minimum of 72 hours.

… Since this event started, [we’ve had] more than 700 flood rescues. More than 7,000 requests for assistance … 10% of which the SES emergency services has been rescuing people in situations which were very much preventable so, please, let’s not distract our emergency services from what they should be doing.

Updated

Victorian floodwaters receding very slowly, as five major flood warnings remain: BoM

Michael Efron, a senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology is giving a weather update for the state:

We still have five major flood warnings out for [the] Wimmera, Avoca, Loddon, Murray and Goulburn rivers. Those waters are receding very slowly. The Murray is taking some time to drop. Overall, across the state we are seeing those flood waters receding very slowly overall.

Over the coming days, we’re going to see settled conditions for the rest of today but as we head into Wednesday, we will start to see further shower and thunderstorm activity develop and over the northern part of the Mallee so the rest of the state will stay dry but in that region we can see severe thunderstorms.

Heavy rain [is] the main risk with ... the Mallee. On Thursday the activity [is] extending further south, possibly impacting areas north of the Dividing Range. The rainfall is not as heavy and widespread as what we saw.

There are still thunderstorms around so we could see localised heavy falls, up to 50mm. Those amounts could lead to flash flooding and also lead to river rises as well and on Friday we actually see that activity extending to all parts of the state with a particular focus across north-eastern Victoria, so a further 5-15mm across the state on Friday. The north-east up to 50[mm], in particular we [predict] thunderstorm activity.

Heading into the weekend, further showers and storms across eastern parts of the state and looking further ahead, Sunday into Monday, it looks like another low-pressure system will develop over the south-east of the continent, bringing a broader rain and thunderstorm event to our part of the world.

Updated

Government commits $5.5m to food relief

Andrews says:

The government has approved $5.5m, a package of food relief, to get extra food to communities who need it most. The package includes funding for Foodbank Victoria, OzHarvest, and SecondBite. This is about giving them a direct challenge.

There are also grants for neighbourhood houses, food hubs and multicultural food outlets. Also $1m for the Shepparton Food Share; their current premises was inundated by flood water.

Updated

Victorian government providing extra support to schools in flood affected areas

The Victorian premier Daniel Andrews has stepped up to speak at a press conference in Melbourne. He is announcing extra support for children and students affected by floods, including a $5.5m food relief package and $2m in grants for kindergarten services.

81 schools are closed and 59 early childhood facilities closed as a result of flooding. I know this is a very distressing time and will be really difficult for families in our worst affected areas, particularly families with school-aged kids.

Today we are stepping into provide help for vital early childhood education services, kinder, and helping families with kinder aged children. Those years are critically important and we’re going to support those families are families directly affected by the floods will be able to send their three and four -year-olds to kinder for free or term four. Monies that have been paid will be refunded, money is not yet paid will not have to be paid. As you know, it becomes free, kinder, from the 1 January next year, which brings it for the families directly impacted.

We’re going to provide some $2m in grants to sessional kindergarten services, either by flooding or this weather event in a broader context. Where they are not covered by insurance, with got work that has to be done, cleanup and repair, those grants will be made available to each and every one of those sessional kinders across flood affected communities.

For “the other end of the educational spectrum, our VCE students” Andrews says the floods come as a “fresh challenge” amidst years of disruption. He says VCE students will be able to get a derived examination score if approrpriate.

I’m going to make sure that the only thing that contributes to your final score, your ATAR is your hard work, your and resilience, not those difficulties you are facing right now. So a derived examination score for students who have been directly affected will be used if that is deemed appropriate… it’s going to be incredibly difficult for students who can’t be at home and they can’t remotely learn either because teachers are being flood affected as well, schools are being flood affected. More than 80 of them closed. The automatic application of the derived examination will mean students are not disadvantaged, meaning they will seek to complete their VCE and university, TAFE and employment.

We will also work with schools that will identify those students to which this applies. In relation to those derived scores and it means the result will reflect your level of achievement, your hard work and skill, not these challenges you are facing right now.

It will be an anxious time for many VCE students which have set up a dedicated hotline for you to get any support that you need. It’s open daily from 8am until 10:30pm.

That number is 717588.

Updated

Men’s seamless shorts avoid visible panty lines

Arguably one of the biggest revelations on Guardian Australia’s homepage today comes from Lucianne Tonti’s closet clinic series.

Last week, the fashion consultant shared tips on how to buy women’s underwear that’s comfortable and durable, and her column today gives men’s underwear the same treatment.

Nevertheless, women are arguably the major benefactor of this article with the news that men’s seamless shorts won’t leave lines under a silk dress or similar.

Updated

Emergency services work through the night to build levee in Echuca

My colleagues Caitlin Cassidy and Mike Bowers have moved from Shepparton to Echuca, which is expecting a flood peak within the next 24 hours.

Updated

Government confirms no plans to increase jobseeker despite millions living in poverty

The social services minister, Amanda Rishworth, has reiterated the government has no plans to raise the jobseeker payment despite acknowledging new data showing about 3 million Australians live in poverty.

Speaking at a Committee for Economic Development of Australia event today, Rishworth said Australia was “quick to call ourselves the lucky country” but “more than 3 million Australians are feeling anything but lucky”.

A report by the Australian Council of Social Service last week found 3.3 million Australians were living in poverty, including one in six children.

Rishworth said:

I am very committed to working as a minister to actually look at how we can shift the dial when it comes to Australians living in poverty.

Rishworth said she was not “going to come here and pretend that I have all the answers”, though others noted that poverty rates had plummeted during the pandemic due to increases to welfare payments.

The Ceda chief executive, Melinda Cilento, said the jobseeker rate was “woefully short” of what was needed, while Anti-Poverty Week’s Toni Wren told Rishworth that people were struggling to afford medication or “eat properly”.

Rishworth said the government was concerned about the budget position. “It’s something that we have made very clear that it will be on our agenda to review from budget to budget ... It is going to be difficult this October.”

Asked if the government’s wellbeing budget would include poverty targets, as occurs in New Zealand, Rishworth said she would leave the matter to the treasurer, Jim Chalmers.

Grassroots activists from the Australian Unemployed Workers Union, Anti-poverty Network SA and the Antipoverty Centre protested in Adelaide on Monday against the government’s failure to increase welfare payments.

One person, who did not want to be named, said:

I have a medication I am supposed to take daily and I haven’t been able to afford it for 13 months now.

I can’t afford meat more than two days a week, and I do worry about my son’s health in our carb heavy diet.

Antipoverty Centre spokesperson Kristin O’Connell said the government had failed to act despite “knowing the lifelong harm done to children when they do not have enough to eat”.

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State funeral for Uncle Jack Charles under way

The state funeral for Uncle Jack Charles has begun at Melbourne’s Hamer Hall. You can watch the live stream, which is also being made available for viewing here.

The Victorian government says on their website that the wishes of Uncle Jack’s representatives were that inclusivity of the funeral be a priority.

People in prisons, remand centres and youth justice centres across the state will be able to view the live stream, in recognition of Charles’s work within the state’s justice system.

Leaders have also paid tribute online to the Boon Wurrung, Dja Dja Wurrung, Woiwurrung and Yorta Yorta man.

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Singaporean military units to provide flood support

Loong says Singaporean military units who are allowed to train in Australia will be available to provide assistance to the Australian defence force in the most recent flooding disasters.

We greatly appreciate Australia’s generous and consistent support for military training … We are very happy that our units are present here and able to be of assistance to the Australian government in times of need, for example during natural disasters and floods.

I mentioned to the prime minister just now that Singapore is ready to provide assistance to support the Australian defence force’s flood relief efforts for the floods in New South Wales and Victoria and whatever else may develop in the season, and our officials will be in touch to work out how we can be most helpful.

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Green economy agreement could deliver world’s largest solar farm: Albanese

Albanese:

From Australia’s perspective, this is very exciting. My government have continually emphasised that climate change has environmental consequences, but it needs an economic solution. It is a global problem that requires a global solution and hence, trade and economic agreements such as this one between Australia and Singapore, two great friends, is so important as an example for the world.

One of the discussions we had is that Singapore has enormous advantages. Singapore is one of the most innovative economies in the world. They have been extraordinary at scientific breakthroughs, at commercialising those opportunities as well and they are known as an innovative companies when I have visited Singapore, I visited start-ups and it is one of the things that Singapore does really, really well. One of the issues though is that Singapore doesn’t have – a couple of assets they don’t have – is space.

We have on this island continent of ours – a little bit bigger than the island continent of Singapore. And hence, a project like sun cable which has the potential to export clean energy to Singapore is the ultimate win-win.

If this project can be made to work – and I believe it can be – you will see the world’s largest solar farm, you will see the export of energy across distances, but the protection of many jobs here in Australia, including manufacturing jobs and the prospect of some cable is just one part of what I talk about when I say Australia can be a renewable energy superpower for the world.

The fact that this agreement is a taking place prior to the East Asia Summit, prior to the meeting, the G20 meeting, the Apec meeting in our region all taking place in November is a really positive indication to other countries in our region and indeed countries throughout the world who will look at this agreement and see that this is just a very positive initiative about making sure that we are commercialising these opportunities.

The Williamdale solar farm, outside Canberra.
The Williamdale solar farm, outside Canberra. Singapore agreement could lead to world’s largest solar farm, Albanese says. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

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Singapore takes Optus breach ‘very seriously’: Lee Hsien Loong

Reporter: Prime minister Albanese, can I ask you what technical assistance if any has the Singaporean government offered to Singtel and potentially Optus to deal with the security breach here in Australia.

Anthony Albanese:

On the Optus issue, we did have a discussion about that and the prime minister indicated of course that SingTel, which is a Singapore-based company which is the owner of Optus, will have full cooperation with the government in dealing with the issue.

There are two issues here – one is a cyber-security issue, the other is a privacy issue. Of course, some of the issues exposed by the Optus breach are covered with the privacy act already. It is a wake-up call to all companies about data retention and about the need to be vigilant in making sure that the provisions of the privacy act are complied with.

That there is no need and indeed a requirement under the privacy act under the privacy act that data is not kept for no purpose going forward. That is one of the things that has been exposed here by the incident but I appreciate the prime minister of course being cooperative on this issue, as I would completely expect.

Lee Hsien Loong:

On Optus, I told the prime minister that Singapore takes the data breach very seriously. We expect all Singapore companies to comply fully with domestic laws wherever they co-operate and co-operate with the domestic regulators to … protect consumer’s interests.

In the case of Optus, this is an Australian company, incorporated operational in Australia, run out of Australia, not from Singapore, and therefore Australia’s rules and regulations apply in addressing this incident.

I told the prime minister the SingTel group, which owns Optus, has taken the incident seriously and as owner who fully support Optus in fully meeting Australia’s rules and requirements in meeting the incident. Agencies have also reached out to the Australian counterparts and stand ready to support to provide support to the Australian government should our assistance be needed.

Lee Hsien Loong and Anthony Albanese speak to the media at Parliament House in Canberra today.
Lee Hsien Loong and Anthony Albanese speak to the media at Parliament House in Canberra today. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Updated

Uncle Jack Charles’s state funeral to start in 15 minutes

Dipping out of that press conference for a moment, a reminder that the state funeral of Uncle Jack Charles will be starting in 15 minutes and will be livestreamed here.

Updated

Green partnership ‘first of its kind’ and could be a ‘pathfinder’ for other countries: Singapore PM

The Singaporean prime minister Lee Hsien Loong takes the mic. He says the strategic comprehensive partnership has made significant progress since it was set up in 2015, proceeding “apace even during Covid-19”.

The Singapore Australian economy agreement will support the transitions of our countries to net zero emissions and at the same time boost growth and job creation in the green sector. It is the first such agreement of its kind between countries and we hope that it will be a pathfinder for other countries simply to co-operate with one another to deal with the what is a global problem.

Updated

Australia and Singapore unveil 'green economy agreement' as partnership deepens

The prime minister Anthony Albanese has begun a media conference with his Singaporean counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, in Canberra.

Albanese says the two nations have signed a green economy agreement that will support clean energy innovation, create jobs and position Australia as a “renewable energy superpower”.

Problems besetting the world are transnational and the solutions must be transnational. Today, we open a new chapter in the comprehensive strategic partnership between Australia and Singapore.

The green economy agreement signals collective resolve to confront challenges as we transition our economies to get zero. It will support clean energy innovation, unlock business opportunities and create jobs, and help deliver our mission’s targets while positioning Australia as a renewable energy superpower.

Our commitment to work towards a food pack will shore up reliable and secure supply chains and provide certainty for Australian export.

We also discuss the strategic outlook and our commitment to a free, open and resilient region.

Updated

CSIRO staff air merger concerns

More than 400 CSIRO staff were signed up for a meeting today by the Community and Public Sector union meeting.

We foreshadowed some of the issues that will be talked about at the event this morning, in this piece:

Fresh concerns about job security have arisen in recent weeks over the merger of the CSIRO’s Oceans & Atmosphere and Land & Water divisions into a single environment business unit.

From what we’re hearing, though, the mood among staff involved in the merger of the big Oceans & Atmosphere and Land & Water units (with a botanist in charge of both) has been a bit grim.

As one former Land & Water researcher with an ear to the ground tells us this morning:

It’s seen as a toss-up: who’s more dysfunctional, CSIRO management or the British government.

Let’s see if it’s heads or tails.

CSIRO, we note, isn’t so keen on our recent coverage of what they did to their decadal forecasting work (spoiler: they shut it down).

We also note they have told staff that the work “contained misinformation”, and published comments defending their action here.

Updated

Severe thunderstorm warning for regional SA

The Bureau of Meteorology is warning South Australia’s north east pastoral region may see severe thunderstorms, damaging winds and large hailstones.

Updated

NSW nurses to rally over safety issues this afternoon

Concerns over staffing and patient safety will be front of mind as nurses and midwives rally outside a western Sydney hospital, AAP reports.

The NSW Nurses and Midwives Association says around 35 nurses and midwives have quit Blacktown Hospital’s emergency department since December, leaving more than 115 job vacancies across the entire hospital.

Nurses finishing their shift at 3.15pm today will rally to draw attention to staff shortages, which they say leave them exhausted and grappling with unsafe workloads.

Nurses union assistant boss Michael Whaites says the issue is before the NSW Industrial Relations Commission. He said:

We have held serious concerns about unsafe staffing at Blacktown Hospital for an extended period.

A sad reality is these issues could largely be addressed by the NSW government listening to frontline nurses and midwives and introducing shift-by-shift safe-staffing ratios.

It’s causing widespread angst across the health workforce the longer this government and bureaucrats continue to ignore the issues.

The Western Sydney Local Health District has been contacted for comment.

Echuca ordered to evacuate

There is an evacuation order in place for Echuca but the ABC is reporting many people have decided to stay and help fill sandbags and stack them outside businesses and homes that run next to the Murray and Campaspe Rivers.

The Murray River is expected to hit its peak in the next 24 hours, when it reaches approximately 96m above sea level.

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RBA’s rate rise decision ‘finely balanced’ at October meeting

The Reserve Bank has this morning released the minutes for its 4 October board meeting, helping to enlighten us a bit more about why it became the first central bank of an advanced economy to reduce the size of its rate rises.

Here’s our story on the report:

What’s noteworthy is the caution about letting the full effects of the cash rate rises play out, as well as the prospect that inflation might subside quickly given all the gathering gloom about the global economy. Improved supplies of various goods as the Covid disruptions ease will also help.

Still, the RBA anticipates the jobless rate will sink further given how hard it is for employers to lure (and retain) staff. This Thursday we’ll get numbers from the ABS on the September unemployment rate.

Meanwhile, here’s how the markets are forecasting what the RBA will do in November.

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NDIS reform will identify ‘crooks’ and cut bureaucracy but not at expense of people

Shorten said the review of the NDIS will be bought forward a year.

What I say to people, the 500,000 people with disabilities, the service providers, the NDIS should be better than it is. I certainly do think we need to identify waste which I also mentioned in my opening remarks.

I think there are problems with the scheme. The unusual and bizarre act of the last government is they used to focus on a debate about the price of someone’s cushion on the wheelchair, but they did not have proper monitoring of payments of the invoices coming in.

In other words, they focused on locking the front door of the scheme but they had a welcome mat with a little note to help yourself in the back door of the scheme.

I think we can identify waste, the crooks, we can improve the process and cut out the bureaucracy but it won’t be at the expense of people with disability and their dreams and hopes.

Updated

Shorten hopes to ‘revitalise trust’ of people with disability

He says it is an exciting time for the NDIS but the previous government left it a mess:

We will see a turning of the corner, a revitalisation of trust by people with disability.

I simply wanted to be the best scheme in the world for people living with disability and I know this scheme will help contribute to this process.

Updated

‘People with disability have the right to an ordinary life’: Shorten

Shorten says there has been a lot of good work done by a lot of joint parliamentary committees and other bodies who have looked at the NDIS.

But unfortunately, despite the lengthy consultation and numerous reports written on the scheme, nothing ever happens.

It will be looking at all the work that has already come before. It will be based on the principle of co-design with people of disability.

In addition, this review is not about a razor gang and cost-cutting. It is about changing and recasting the scheme from one of the cost of everything to the value of what we are getting. Australians taxpayers are generous and they do support providing a decent scheme for people with disabilities.

People with disability have the right to an ordinary life.

But in the last few years, too much debate about the future of the NDIS set on one hand has been marked by waste and inefficiency and on the other hand, not understanding the best way to get value for the scheme, for taxpayers and people with disability, is to focus on the outcome of benefit.

To understand the scheme as an investment not a line item of cost.

Updated

Shorten says changes to the NDIS have started already

As part of our reform, as we announced before the election, we want to do a root and branch review of the scheme. I have with me the panellist who will be doing this review they are amongst Australia’s most respected thinkers on disability, the community and reform.


The cochairs of the review will be Professor Bruce Bonner Haiti of the Melbourne disability Institute but also the inaugural chairperson of the scheme. The other cochair will be Miss Lisa Paul. Ms Paul PSM has a distinguished career and Commonwealth public service, secretary of the Department of Education Workplace Relations to both Labor and Liberal government.

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Bill Shorten says NDIS reform has begun after Coalition ‘neglect’ of scheme

Bill Shorten says:

Coalition neglect has left the scheme not in the position which I think Australians would like to see it in. On one hand, we have seen countless examples, thousands of participants who have been treated poorly, who have had their schemes - their funds arbitrarily cut. Who are forced to take the government to court.

Thousands of people with disabilities stuck too long in hospital beds when they should be provided with better accommodation as they are medically fit to be discharged.

We have started the process of reform of the National Disability Insurance Scheme. We need to provide a better scheme for participant.

The other problem the Coalition government left us with back we have seen even between the march budget of this year and the budget which Treasurer charmers will bring down next week, an increase in the NDIS projected cost over the next four years of a $.8 billion across the next four years from the budget numbers that the Coalition government provided the nation in March.

This is very poor management of the scheme by the outgoing government.

Updated

We are going live to Canberra where the NDIS minister Bill Shorten is talking.

Updated

Warren Mundine’s accused of 'turning his back' on Indigenous voice advocates

The leading “Yes” group on the proposed Indigenous voice to parliament concedes it will be “a long campaign” and has accused prominent critic Warren Mundine of “seeking to divide this national discussion”.

The Albanese government is still working with Indigenous groups and continuing consultation on the voice, which would establish a constitutionally-enshrined advisory body to help inform decisions relating to Indigenous people.

But the campaign has come under fire from opponents for not releasing more information on how the body would work, what it would do and who it would include.

Warren Mundine, a Yuin, Bundjalung and Gumbaynggirr man and a former Labor party president and Liberal party candidate, has been among the more prominent critics of the plan. This week he said told 2GB that “people who are thinking of voting ‘yes’ in the Liberal party are going to hang their Aboriginal members out to dry”.

Thomas Mayor, an advisory group member for From the Heart, the leading campaign for a yes vote, shot back at Mundine’s comments.

“We respect Mr Mundine’s right to voice his opinion, but his comments also dismiss this clear majority of grassroots support among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for a Voice,” Mayor said, pointing to polling that a majority of people would support the constitutional change.

“By seeking to divide this national discussion, Mr Mundine is turning his back on the hundreds of delegates who took part in the Uluru Dialogue and who delivered the Uluru Statement from the Heart to the Parliament and to the Australian people in 2017.”

Warren Mundine.
Warren Mundine. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

The government hasn’t set an exact date for a referendum, but Anthony Albanese has said it would be in the 2023-24 financial year.

“This will be a long campaign but the goodwill of the Australian public - from indigenous and non-indigenous Australians - is tremendous,” Mayor said.

He pointed out that many Indigenous Australians did not have a mechanism to wield influence on decisions about them, and said the voice proposal was intended to “address this imbalance”.

“While Mr Mundine and some Members of Parliament dismiss the Voice to Parliament, let’s remember they sit in positions of power along with the other politicians and Canberra bureaucrats who are accustomed to having influence,” Mayor said.

“Sadly, this isn’t the case for most Indigenous Australians and particularly those in remote and regional areas.”

Updated

Victorian animal rescuers expect big death toll from floods

Victorian wildlife rescuers expect to find hundreds, if not thousands, of drowned animals when it is safe for them to go out to flood-ravaged areas, AAP reports.

Wildlife Victoria has fielded more than 3100 calls from people in the past six days, with animals found distressed, injured, and orphaned because of the floods.

Most calls have been about magpies, ringtail possums, eastern grey kangaroos, echidnas and wombats.

Many noted injured or orphaned young, including waterlogged possum joeys found alone on the ground and fledgling birds from nests.

Wildlife Victoria chief executive Lisa Palma said:

Just like everyone else, our rescuers are unable to get in.

What we’ll expect to see once we can get in and have a look is literally hundreds, if not thousands, of kangaroos and wombats drowned, and other ground-dwelling species like echidnas.

We just know that that’s going to be the case based on what we’re seeing.

A kangaroo covered in mud from the rising flood waters in Shepparton. Victoria, Australia.
A kangaroo covered in mud from the rising flood waters in Shepparton. Victoria, Australia. Photograph: Kirsty Ramadan / Bohollow Wildlife

People in the state’s north have raised the alarm about mobs of exhausted eastern grey kangaroos trapped by floodwaters.

Wildlife Victoria has warned the public against approaching kangaroos near floodwaters, given they could move back into the water and drown.

Some kangaroos have been hit by cars after moving out of floodwaters and onto roads.

Volunteer Andrew managed to rescue a wombat filmed swimming through floodwaters near Ghin Ghin in Murrindindi on Sunday afternoon.

Rescuers took the wombat to a nearby shelter at Yea to rest in a pen with some hay.

Wildlife Victoria has more than 1000 volunteers mobilised across the state as areas become accessible, but the group is in desperate need of more funds.

Palma said:

We receive government funding equal to only about 10 of our total operating costs to run the state’s wildlife emergency response service.

There is no commitment of government funding after this year, so we’re pretty much wholly reliant on the support of the Victorian public and elsewhere to continue the life-saving work we do.

Updated

Rail union playing politics: Perrottet

The NSW premier has accused the rail union of toying with public funds after it voted to switch off smart card readers during the afternoon peak, AAP reports.

From Thursday, Opal card readers will be switched off at train and metro stations on weekdays between 3pm and 7pm after members of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) voted overwhelmingly in favour of the action.

Dominic Perrottet told reporters today:

Let’s call this for what it is - this is the union movement disrupting the citizens of NSW for political purposes.

It’s not my money. It’s our people’s money.

It’s time for the union movement to look after the people of our state, not penalise them.

The premier says he will seek advice from the industrial relations minister, Damien Tudehope, on whether the industrial action can be challenged.

RTBU leader Alex Claassens said about 97% of members had voted to close down the readers after weeks of private conciliation made little progress. The union intended to cause maximum pain to the government while keeping commuters on side, he said.

Everybody is fed up with the ongoing rail dispute but we’ve no choice but to continue to do whatever it takes for as long as it takes to force the NSW government to provide safe trains for commuters and fair wages and conditions for workers.

A Transport for NSW spokesman told AAP deactivating the Opal gates would cause management and operational issues across the Sydney Trains and NSW Trainlink network.

They cited a broad range of concerns, including compromising employee safety, passenger management problems, issues with Park & Ride car parks and lost fare revenue.

More public service training to be offered in regional areas

Steve Bracks appointed Australian representative for Greater Sunrise gas project

Before announcing the decision on the Australian embassy in Israel, Penny Wong also announced that the former Victorian premier Steve Bracks has been appointed as Australia’s special representative on the Greater Sunrise gas project.

Greater Sunrise is the oil and gas field that Timor-Leste is hoping to develop in the waters between Timor-Lester and Australia.

Wong:

For those of you might recall in my visit to Timor-Leste, I had a discussion with the president about how we might unstick the Greater Sunrise project which the Australian government is not a party to but is critical for the financial and economic viability of Timor-Leste going forward.

I’m pleased that not only he has agreed to do it but that the president and prime minister of Timor-Leste has agreed to at as well.

Steve Bracks has been appointed Australian representative for the Greater Sunrise gas project
Steve Bracks has been appointed Australian representative for the Greater Sunrise gas project. Photograph: James Ross/AAP

If you want to read more about Greater Sunrise, my colleague Chris Kanus released this exclusive report last month:

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Wong affirms commitment to two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict

Wong:

I would say I realise this is an issue of great interest to some parts of the Australian community – we are committed to international efforts in the responsible progress … towards a just and enduring two-state solution.

Also I wish to say to the members of the Jewish community: Australia will always be a steadfast friend of Israel. We were amongst the first countries to formally recognise Israel under Labor prime minister Ben Chifley.

We will not waver in our support of both Israel and the Jewish community in Australia. We are equally unwavering in our support of the Palestinian people, including in the provision of humanitarian support.

I would say that Mr Morrison’s decision to play politics – and it was no more than that because we all know where the embassy remained – resulted in Australia shifting position. I know this has caused conflict and distress, concern and part of the Australian community and today the government seeks to resolve that.

Updated

Morrison government’s Israel embassy move was 'cynical play' to win Wentworth, Wong says

The foreign minister says the Morrison government’s decision to move the Australian embassy from to West Jerusalem was a play to win the electorate of Wentworth in the federal election.

This was a cynical play, unsuccessful, to win the seat of Wentworth and a by-election. What people thought was the prime minister of the day trying to play foreign policy in order to win votes in the seat. For that reason, I made clear at the time, we reaffirmed our view that Jerusalem is a final status issue. What do those words mean? It means that has to be resolved through negotiation between the parties.

Wentworth is the electorate with the highest proportion of Jewish people in Australia. Scott Morrison first announced a review of the issue to recognise West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in the final week of the by-election campaign which followed Malcolm Turnbull’s exit as the member for Wentworth.

Liberal candidate and former ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma lost out to Independent Kerryn Phelps in October 2018. Two months later, Morrison formally recognised West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Sharma subsequently won the seat in the 2019 election contest but in the most recent federal contest lost the seat to the independent Allegra Spender, as one of the many moderate liberals to be unseated by the teals.

Updated

Australia has ended recognition of West Jerusalem as Israel's capital, Wong confirms

Penny Wong has stepped up for the media conference in Canberra. She starts by acknowledging the Australians affected by flooding and says she has two announcements.

The foreign minister confirms the Albanese government has reversed Australia’s recognition of West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

I want to make an announcement in relation to Jerusalem. Today the government has reaffirmed Australia’s previous and long-standing position that Jerusalem is a final status issue. And a final status issue that should be resolved as part of any peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian peoples.

This reverses the Morrison government’s recognition of West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Australia’s embassy of course has always been and remains in Tel Aviv.

The Australian government remains committed to a two state solution in which Israel and a future Palestinian state can coexist in peace and security within internationally recognised borders. We will not support an approach that undermines this prospect.

This move was first reported by Guardian Australia’s Daniel Hurst in an exclusive yesterday. You can read that full report here:

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Attorney general’s department defends AAT members approving anti-corruption warrants

The Liberal senator, Claire Chandler, has asked the attorney general’s department (AGD) officials about the possibility that members of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal can approve warrants for anti-corruption investigations.

The AGD deputy secretary, Sarah Chidgey, said:

We haven’t made any changes to that. We adopted entirely the existing framework in the Telecommunications Interception and Access Act. They’ve been able to [approve warrants] since 1997. They do so for all enforcement agencies and anti-corruption commissions.

Chandler presses the point: is it right a tribunal member can grant a warrant to tap the PM’s phone?

Chidgey replied:

That exists as a possibility right now. Enforcement agencies can investigate criminal activity by any individual now. The current regime has worked well for 30 years. Those members of AAT have particular qualifications ... It’s not an issue that’s been raised by us. Existing state anti-corruption commissions investigate politicians and apply to AAT members currently.

The Greens justice spokesperson, David Shoebridge, interjected “nobody would politicise the AAT!”

It rather demonstrates the point that it is surpassingly odd the Liberals are going on the attack on this point – opening themselves to accusations of having stacked the AAT in the context that Labor has been looking to justify major changes to its appointments.

Updated

Penny Wong to speak shortly on Israel

The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, is due to address the media in Canberra shortly (it’s scheduled for now – 11.15am AEDT) where she is expected to face questions about the government’s policy on Israel.

Before and after aerial images show devastation of Shepparton flooding

Bureau of Meteorology no longer wants to be known as BoM

Sometimes a childhood nickname sticks into adulthood, and there comes a point when you have to make an outright plea to your friends to stop using it.

Well, media outlets have been on the receiving end of the Bureau of Meteorology telling us that it would like to be referred to in shortened form as “the bureau” rather than “BoM”.

In a statement, the bureau (or Bom) says:

With an ever-increasing number of severe weather events, it is more crucial than ever that the Bureau of Meteorology’s insights, wisdom, data and information are shared, understood and acted upon.

To support this need, the Bureau of Meteorology asks that media outlets update editorial style to ensure references to the organisation are by its full name, the Bureau of Meteorology or the Bureau for short, and not BOM or the Weather Bureau. This aligns with the Meteorology Act 1955.

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Cost of living is only likely to surge following flooding in southeast Australia

The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has warned prices will go up with some of the best farmland in the country under water. He told Sky News:

That has obvious consequences for crops and livestock.

While Chalmers said it was too early to tell how much damage the floods would do to the federal budget and the economy more broadly, he said the disaster would be factored into the budget’s inflation projections, AAP reports.

At the moment, inflation is expected to peak at 7.75%. Chalmers said:

I will do the work to update that figure, if it needs updating in the budget.

High inflation and other economic challenges will be discussed at a meeting of finance ministers in the Asia-Pacific to be attended by assistant treasurer Andrew Leigh.

Leigh said climate change, sustainable development and digital connectivity would also be on the agenda at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Bangkok, Thailand.

Updated

Inflation back on consumers’ minds

The weak Australian dollar and an uptick in petrol prices have consumers worried about rising prices, AAP reports.

Consumer confidence has fallen to its lowest level since August, the last time fuel prices spiked.

The 2.8% slide in weekly confidence as measured by an ANZ and Roy Morgan survey released on Tuesday follows a 1.1% drop in the previous week.

The “good time to buy a major household item’” measure also dropped by a notable 6.2%.

ANZ economist David Plank says household spending has remained resilient despite the apparent concern showing up in consumer sentiment surveys, but he suspects the mismatch can’t go on for much longer. He says:

The longer confidence remains so low, the greater the prospect that consumers become more cautious, especially with household wealth going backwards due to lower house and equity prices.

Updated

Echuca oval transformed into sandbagging area

Updated

Cummins appointed Australia ODI captain

Pat Cummins will be asked to juggle the Test and one-day captaincy after being appointed as Aaron Finch’s successor in the 50-over format, AAP reports.

Cricket Australia confirmed today that Cummins would take charge of the one-day side, making him the country’s 27th men’s ODI captain.

The quick’s first duty in the format will be to lead Australia against England in next month’s ODI series, which takes place after the home T20 World Cup.

Cummins’ appointment comes despite concerns over his workload, with the 29-year-old having regularly been rested from white-ball cricket in recent years.

However selectors have made the call with an eye on next year’s 50-over World Cup, giving Cummins the captaincy for a full year before that tournament.

Cummins said:

I have thoroughly enjoyed playing under Finchy and have learnt an enormous amount from his leadership.

They are significant shoes to fill although we are extremely fortunate to have a one-day squad with a huge amount of experience.

Severe weather warning for damaging winds and heavy rain in SA

Warnings are in place for large parts of the interior of South Australia for damaging winds and heavy rainfall.

The weather is easing this morning but it’s expected to really pick up again in the evening, especially around the Flinders Ranges.

Updated

‘Shame on us’: Greens senators say poverty statistics are an outrage

A new analysis has found that a third of single mothers are in financial hardship, while one in eight Australian children live in poverty as a result of decisions by both Liberal and Labor governments.

Greens senators Barbara Pocock, Mehreen Faruqi and Janet Rice have taken to social media to say the statistics are unacceptable.

My colleague Luke Henriques-Gomes has the full story:

Updated

Rio Tinto says rail issues hit ore shipments

Rio Tinto is lowering expectations for its 2022 Pilbara iron ore shipments after two unplanned rail outages, AAP reports.

The mining giant said today its full-year iron ore shipments will be at the lower end of its guidance of 320m to 335m tonnes following outages on its Yandicoogina and Gudai-Darri rail lines in the Pilbara.

An investigation into the derailment on the Gudai-Darri line is ongoing, Rio said.

The 166km line opened this year, linking the new Gudai-Darri mine in WA with Rio’s existing rail network in the Pilbara.

For the three months to September 30, shipments were down 1% to 82m tonnes and for the last nine months, Rio’s production was running 1% less than it was a year ago, with 234.3m tonnes shipped.

The miner noted its third-quarter iron production of 84.3m tonnes was up one per cent from a year ago and up seven per cent from the second quarter.

Rio Tinto chief executive Jakob Stausholm said:

Delivering the full potential of our assets remains a priority - production improved versus the prior quarter across most of our sites, particularly where we have implemented the Rio Tinto Safe Production System.

As of September 30, Rio had mined 234.7m tonnes of iron ore, the same amount as at the same time last year.

Rio Tinto also cut its forecast for refined copper, saying it now expects to produce 190,000 to 220,000 tonnes, down from 230,000 to 290,000 tonnes.

Rio Tinto boss Jakob Stausholm
Rio Tinto boss Jakob Stausholm says production improved across most of the company’s sites. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

Updated

Victorian town of Murchison warned it’s too late to leave

Residents of the small Victorian town of Murchison on the Goulburn River have been told it is now too late for them to leave. If they have not already left, they are advised to shelter in the highest location possible.

Updated

Greens call on federal government to include inner Melbourne in disaster payment scheme

The Victorian Greens say residents in Melbourne’s inner-western suburb of Kensington are being left out of the disaster recovery payment scheme, as the City of Melbourne is not listed as one of the affected local government areas.

The Greens have called on the federal government to ensure Kensington is included in the scheme as residents along the Maribyrnong River over the weekend have lost cars and assets, and seen their homes damaged.

The deputy leader of the Victorian Greens, Ellen Sandell, says she has reached out to the government to try to fix the problem.

Over the weekend we saw people right across the state devastated by floods, yet a quirk of bureaucracy means that some people can get payments while others can’t.

We’d like to see this fixed so no-one misses out just because they live on the ‘wrong’ side of the river.

Flooding in Kensington near the Flemington racecourse, which was protected by a flood wall.
Flooding in Kensington near the Flemington racecourse, which was protected by a flood wall. Photograph: Ellen Sandell

Updated

Committee begins inquiry into anti-corruption commission

The national anti-corruption commission legislation inquiry has begun in Canberra, with the attorney general’s department giving evidence.

First up the deputy chair, independent MP Helen Haines, is examining the definition of corruption.

The attorney general’s deputy secretary, Sarah Chidgey, has explained the national anti-corruption commission has jurisdiction to investigate “any person” suspected of corruption, including attempts and conspiracies.

But Chidgey says the definition of corruption is conduct “that adversely affects or that could adversely affect ... the honest or impartial exercise of any public official’s powers”.

So Chidgey confirmed that offences committed by external actors that are unlikely to influence insiders would not be in scope, such as fraud or cyberhacks. These would be dealt with by the AFP, she said.

Asked why the government included a requirement for exceptional circumstances for a public hearing, Chidgey replied that it “met that balance between making corruption issues transparent and ... unfair damage to reputations”.

Updated

Concern Echuca will see a “double flood,” mayor says

As Echuca residents brace for more rain, the mayor Chrissy Weller has described the disaster as a “one in 1,000 year flood.”

Weller told ABC News this morning:

Yesterday morning it was at 94.2, flood level is 94.4. And they’re expecting it to be 95.9. So we know we’ve got to get the levee down. Thank goodness we’ve got another fine day to go through. Once the waters start coming down, the Goulburn River is coming into the Murray, that’s what is coming here. We only have another 24 hours, maybe a bit more. That’s our time frame.

It’s a one in one thousand event they’re now calling it. The water’s come through Rochester so we’ve already lost 900 odd houses down there… We’ve got all those people displaced and now here. It’ll be at least a couple thousand the way it’s going.

She hopes the levee will work, or else the residential and CBD area will be affected.

The hard part with the water, we’ve got rain coming Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. We’re hoping it might be another day later. That could be anywhere from 50-100mm.

If this rises, the part that we’re concerned about is that the Murray could actually try to start pushing back up the Campaspe. That will actually create a double flood on those areas. That’s a bigger concern for us, we’re going to do it twice.

Updated

Man dies in Sydney house fire

A man has died and a woman is in a critical condition after a house fire in Sydney’s west, AAP reports.

Just after 5am this morning emergency services were called to a Blacktown home.

NSW police say firefighters rescued a man and woman from the house but the man died at the scene.

He is yet to be formally identified but is believed to be in his 60s.

The woman, in her 80s, was taken to Westmead Hospital in a critical condition.

Updated

Our reporter Tamsin Rose is at the press conference where NSW SES assistant commissioner Sean Kearns has spoken.

Updated

NSW on alert for rain, thunderstorms, hail, strong winds and floods this week

Bureau of Meteorology spokesperson Jane Golding has given an update on NSW’s weather over the next week.

It does look like there will be quite an intense low pressure system dragging some moisture from the tropics and move from the north-west of the state through to the east between Wednesday and Friday.

We’re expecting that system to be accompanied not just by persistent showers and rain, but by thunderstorms and potentially some severe thunderstorms.

There’s danger of flash flooding from intense bursts from severe thunderstorms. Severe thunderstorms as well bringing with them the potential for some destructive wind gusts.

So for trees, power lines, it’s not great for those, likely to bring those down. And as well, look, it’s not out of the question we see some hail and some giant hail storms in some locations.

So the thunderstorms will be a bit hit and miss. Not everywhere will get them. But it’s something for the community to be aware of. Between Wednesday and Friday, that is a risk in particular for those areas west of the divide.

So, the rivers are already full. Expecting more rain. And we have issued a flood watch for this new rain coming through between Wednesday and Friday.

Updated

Six major flood warnings in place in NSW

Jane Golding from the Bureau of Meteorology is now speaking:

So, over the last few months, really, inland New South Wales has seen a lot of rain and we’re seeing the rivers respond. It’s really, really started raining in late July, August, and we’ve seen a series of low pressure systems bring rain and flooding to areas west of the divide since, over the last couple of weeks, we’ve seen four systems come through. And unfortunately, we look like we’ll see another couple come through in the next seven days.

Due to the rain that’s already falling, the bureau has issued several flood warnings. We have six major flood warnings at the moment. And that is for the rain that’s already fallen, that’s making its way down through the river systems.

Golding is providing information on the current warnings:

Currently we have major flood warnings out for the Macquarie River. So Warren still experiencing major flooding as it has been for several weeks.

The Bogan River … three locations in particular along the Bogan are expected to experience major flooding.

The Lachlan River, major flooding is expected. And the Murray-Edward – Echuca, Moama, Barwon, again – that water is making its way down through the Murray and expecting Thursday to be the day it goes through major through Echuca.

And the Barwon-Darling as well. So, unfortunately, major flooding in that catchment as well. Tilpa and Bourke are the towns of note. I mention those towns in particular because that means the rivers are already high.

The creeks are also on the flood watch for potential major flooding and the Murrumbidgee to Wagga is another one currently experiencing largely moderate flooding in that stretch of the Murrumbidgee.

We talked about saturated catchments a lot over the last few months. And we’re seeing the rivers respond. We’re expecting another low pressure system to bring widespread rain and storms across inland New South Wales. And the rivers have not receded from the previous rain.

Flooding on the banks of the Lachlan River in Forbes in NSW on Monday.
Flooding on the banks of the Lachlan River in Forbes in NSW on Monday. Photograph: Murray Mccloskey/EPA

Updated

Camps set up for Moama evacuees in NSW and 125,000 sandbags dispatched

The NSW emergency services minister, Steph Cook, follows Perrottet.

It’s continuing to be a very difficult year for communities right across New South Wales. Particularly for the southern regions at present, with another wet weather system making its way towards that region. Unfortunately, this is what living through a third consecutive La Niña event looks like.

Our grounds are saturated and we’re continuing to see rain, more rain and more rain again. This is exacerbating our already full river systems. As the premier has indicated, our area of most concern at present is the community in and around Moama. The SES has dispatched over 125,000 sand bags into that community.

The RFS has dispatched two base camps and they’ll be set up over the days ahead to accommodate up to 550 people, including our volunteers, who will continue to move into that region over the days ahead.

Updated

'Difficult time' ahead for NSW as hundreds evacuated in Moama over flood threat

The New South Wales premier Dominic Perrottet has stepped up in Sydney to give a press conference with other officials about the state’s flood situation.

We currently have 69 warnings in place across NSW – of major concern is down south. Particularly in Moama, where there’s 300 people who have been evacuated. And there’s thousands of people in that area who are currently on watch. And we’ll be monitoring that situation very carefully.

Our rivers are full. So, we do expect this to be a difficult time. And even if the skies are blue, if there’s instructions in place, those warnings in place, please be ready to leave, ready to evacuate

Updated

Twelve new areas in Victoria and Tasmania eligible for flood support payments

The federal government has extended one-off flood support payments to more areas devastated by rising waters, with 12 new LGAs in Victoria and Tasmania now eligible.

The disaster recovery payment of $1,000 per eligible adult and $400 per child will be available today from 2pm for people in the Victorian local government areas of Benalla, Boroondara, Central Goldfields, Greater Bendigo, Loddon, Moonee Valley, Mount Alexander, Murrindindi and Yarra.

That’s in addition to payments already being available in areas such as Campaspe, Greater Shepparton, Maribyrnong, Mitchell and Strathbogie.

The Tasmanian LGAs of Launceston, Latrobe and Devonport are also eligible for the payment from 2pm.

The government services minister Bill Shorten and emergency management minister Murray Watt said:

Claims can be made online through myGov, 24 hours a day. For information on eligibility and how to apply, visit the Services Australia website: www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/disasterevents.

For information on all the assistance the Australian and respective State governments have made available to individuals, businesses and councils following the extensive flooding, visit www.nema.gov.au”

Shorten recommended that the easiest way to claim was through my.gov.au, which is available online 24/7.

Updated

Science minister warns CSIRO against ‘renting out’ its brand to gas companies

The science minister, Ed Husic, has questioned the priorities of Australia’s premier science body, warning it against “renting out” its brand to huge gas companies that could easily fund their own decarbonisation efforts.

Husic told the Spark festival on Monday that a “very major gas company” had approached CSIRO to support its claims of working towards net zero greenhouse gas emissions. While emphasising CSIRO’s independence, Husic said it should focus efforts elsewhere.

Husic said:

I would rather the CSIRO work with a lot more particularly smaller or extensively Australian firms on that [decarbonising] effort.

Drone footage shows inundation in Forbes

Aged care funding to lift by 10% per resident, health minister says

Circling back to that interview with the health minister Mark Butler. After accounting firm StewartBrown surveyed more than 1,300 aged care homes and found two-thirds were operating at a loss last year, is Butler worried the sector could be at risk of collapse?

We have been saying for some years that the aged care system is in crisis.

The first piece of legislation that Anika Wells, the aged care minister, was able to get through the parliament on behalf of the government introduced a new funding system, which came into effect only a couple of weeks ago, which on average we’re confident will lift the level of funding per resident by 10%. So we’re confident what we’ve put in place already is going to alleviate that pressure.

Updated

Uncle Jack Charles to be honoured in state funeral

A state funeral will be held in Melbourne to honour the Indigenous elder and storyteller Uncle Jack Charles.

The service will be held at Hamer Hall this afternoon and will be open to the public and streamed online.

The actor, musician, activist and member of the Stolen Generations died at Royal Melbourne Hospital on 13 September after suffering a stroke. He was 79.

The event will be live streamed into prisons, remand centres and youth justice centres across Victoria, in recognition of Charles’ work within the state’s justice system.

The Boon Wurrung, Dja Dja Wurrung, Woiwurrung and Yorta Yorta man’s career spanned decades and featured film roles in The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1978) and Blackfellas (1993).

The revered actor and activist Uncle Jack Charles.
The revered actor and activist Uncle Jack Charles. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

More recently he voiced the frilled-neck lizard character Greg in animated film Back to the Outback (2021).

His works also included touring his one-man show Jack Charles v The Crown based on his life, and the ABC TV series Cleverman and Preppers. He also appeared on SBS series Who Do You Think You Are.

A portrait of Charles by comedian and author Anh Doh won the People’s Choice award at the 2017 Archibald Prize in NSW.

Earlier this year, Charles spoke at Victoria’s truth-telling Yoorrook Justice Commission about being taken from his mother as a four-month-old and growing up in a Salvation Army Boys’ Home in Box Hill, where he was sexually abused and taunted.

His family have given their permission to use his name and images.

– via AAP

Updated

External judge should decide if integrity commission hearings are public, Liberals say

The shadow attorney general Julian Leeser has followed Mark Butler on ABC Radio.

As the first day of the public inquiry into the government’s national anti-corruption commission bill begins, Leeser is calling for a high-ranking judge to make the final decision on whether the commission’s hearings should be public. The attorney general Mark Dreyfus says it could bog down the committee.

Leeser says:

We believe that the Nacc needs to have in place proper safeguards to ensure it functions.

Leeser says the federal commission benefits from the fact there is 30 years of experience from the states and territories on how these commissions operate. He says it’s “important to learn from problems of state”.

We think it’s important to have an external personal determining whether the balance is right.

Updated

Butler criticises Morrison government’s scrapping of mental health support for regions

The government yesterday announced it would restore funding for regional communities to be able to access bulk billed video telehealth psychiatry consultations.

Mark Butler said he was shocked by the former Morrison government’s decision to cut the program at a time when Australians living outside capital cities were struggling with the effects of Covid-19 and natural disasters.

We think more than 100,000 consults every year will be delivered under this program.

Updated

Health minister says ‘there has always been’ fraud in Medicare system

Karvelas asks Butler if he can speak to whether there is fraud in the Medicare system, and how widespread it is. He replies:

Well there is fraud in the Medicare system unfortunately … There are 24 cases in front of the courts right now where prosecutions are being pursued for fraud.

There is and there has always been a small number of cases of fraud and they’re pursued appropriately.

I’m not going to do anything other than defend the extraordinary hard work that tens of thousands of healthcare professionals deliver everyday, in a program of which all Australian’s are proud – Medicare.

Updated

Butler acknowledges fraud in the Medicare system but says $8bn figure 'way out of whack'

ABC radio is speaking to the health minister Mark Butler about the findings of an ABC and Nine newspapers investigation that says health practitioners are rorting Medicare and distorting official statistics on bulk billing.

In the report, Dr Margaret Faux, a lawyer with a background in Medicare claims and compliance, estimated that up to $8bn a year was being lost from Medicare because of fraud and non-compliance, which represents nearly 30% of the $28bn annual cost of Medicare.

The story is similar to one that Guardian Australia’s medical editor Melissa Davey brought to attention in May that gap fees often aren’t recorded.

The Australian Medical Association has said the claims are unjustified.

ABC host Patricia Karvelas asked Butler which side he comes down on, and he said:

I want to come down on the side of truth obviously.

Butler says he has asked his department for an analysis of Faux’s PhD thesis, which is the basis of the ABC and Nine investigation. He says he has also requested a report on the current audit compliance and professional services review process.

He says the figure of $8bn “does seem extraordinarily high” and is “way out of whack with any other figure provided to government”. But he says he is taking it seriously.

It does seem extraordinarily high. I understand the reaction from the AMA to the concept that 30% of consults are inappropriately billed – because a figure like that has never been used, in spite of the pretty longstanding compliance and audit systems governments of both political persuasions have had.

It’s way out of whack with any other figure that’s ever been provided to government, including as I said by the national audit office, that only did a review of the program a few years ago.

But I’m taking it seriously, so I’ve asked the department for some formal analysis of the work.

It’s a timely opportunity for us to have a thorough look at the way that the audit & compliance system is working and ensuring, particularly at a time where every single dollar going to Medicare is so precious, that we’re getting the maximum value for that money.

The health minister, Mark Butler.
The health minister, Mark Butler. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Updated

Echuca community keep spirits high at evacuation centre

With the community of Echuca told to evacuate, residents have been preparing their homes and moving to evacuation centres.

ABC Radio has shared the heartwarming story of Margie who celebrated her 83rd birthday with the entire centre singing Happy Birthday to her.

Updated

Rising Murray River puts towns on edge

Residents in Victoria’s north are building walls from sandbags to protect thousands of homes as the Murray River rises, AAP reports.

Evacuation warnings are in place for people in Echuca and other towns along the river, with the Murray expected to peak from Wednesday. Emergency services are concerned the river levels could exceed the 94.77 metres recorded in Echuca during the 1993 floods.

People in the northern Victorian town spent most of Monday building a makeshift sandbag levy in an effort to protect thousands of homes and businesses. More than 1000 Echuca properties were already inundated with floodwaters on Sunday after the Campaspe River broke its banks.

There are also concerns the rural town of Kerang, about 95 kilometres northwest of Echuca, will become isolated due to floodwaters. Major flooding at Kerang along the Loddon River is expected overnight on Tuesday and into Wednesday, with the water forecast to peak around the January 2011 peak soon after.

A sandbag levee is expected to help keep the majority of the town dry but it could be cut off for up to seven days, Victoria’s State Emergency Service warned.

A warning has also been issued for the Wimmera River, with Horsham residents told major flooding is possible on Tuesday.

Flooding in Echuca on Monday.
Flooding in Echuca on Monday. Photograph: Brendan Mccarthy/AAP

Updated

Four-day inquiry into anti-corruption bill begins today

The government’s proposed national anti-corruption commission (Nacc) bill will come under examination as public hearings into the legislation start in Canberra today and will continue to Friday.

The Labor senator Linda White is chairing the parliamentary committee with the independent MP Helen Haines as deputy.

White said she wanted to hear as many voices as possible during the hearings, while Haines said there had been strong community interest in the bill.

The attorney general Mark Dreyfus introduced the legislation into the lower house and said he wanted it passed by Christmas. He said the body would bring trust and integrity back into politics after years of lies and rorts.

Our aim is to create a lasting body, one that not only causes our government to be better, but all future governments to be better too.

The bill will set aside $262m over four years for the independent body to investigate serious or systemic corrupt conduct across the commonwealth public sector.

The committee will hand down its report by 10 November.

The opposition has provided in-principle support for the commission, but leader Peter Dutton says he’s waiting on the committee’s report before making a final determination.

– with AAP

You can read more about the Greens’ concerns about the bill from my colleague Paul Karp:

Updated

Widespread rain forecast for the coming eight days

Good morning! Natasha May now on deck with you.

Guardian Australia’s economics correspondent (and weather enthusiast) Peter Hannam has shared this image from the Bureau of Meteorology which shows the rain isn’t going away any time soon.

Updated

PM meeting with Singapore counterpart over decarbonisation push

A green economy agreement between Australia and Singapore will be top of the agenda when Anthony Albanese meets with his counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, in Canberra today.

The two prime ministers had dinner at the Lodge last night before their formal meeting today:

They are expected to hold a press conference this afternoon, when they are likely to announce the signing of a deal to reduce barriers between the two countries in environmental goods and services as part of the push to decarbonise their economies. The agreement is expected to include a number of elements, including harmonising labelling standards for green certification.

And some of the key headlines from around the world:

In other news around Australia:

Good morning

Good morning and welcome to the Guardian Australia’s live news blog for Tuesday 18 October. Natasha May will be in shortly to take you through the morning, but here’s an update on the continuing flood emergency in Victoria.

Updated

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