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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Caitlin Cassidy (now) and Stephanie Convery (earlier)

Climate protesters arrested at Port of Newcastle blockade – as it happened

New South Wales
Climate protesters in kayaks raise their paddles
Climate protesters take to the water at Horseshoe beach in Newcastle to block access to the world’s largest coal port. Photograph: Roni Bintang/Getty Images

What we learned: Sunday, 26 November

With that, we will wrap the blog for the evening. Have a safe and restful one, folks, we’ll be back first thing tomorrow.

Here were today’s major events:

  • Protesters blockading the world’s largest coal port over what they say is the failure of government to act on climate change have been arrested after defying a 4pm finish time. About 100 protesters were estimated to have remained at the Port of Newcastle, organisers claimed, with alleged arrests including a 97-year-old man. NSW police are yet to comment publicly on the operation.

  • Former Wentworth MP Dave Sharma has won the NSW Liberal Senate battle, beating out eight other contenders for the spot opened up by Marise Payne’s resignation.

  • Three red fire ant nests have been detected in north-eastern NSW, the state’s Department of Primary Industries has confirmed. The nests were found 13km south of the Queensland border, at South Murwillumbah, in the first detection of invasive fire ants in NSW since the infestation began in Queensland.

  • And Australians have once again amassed in major centres for the seventh week in a row demanding a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. It followed a rally held in Sydney this morning by pro-Israeli supporters calling for the full release of hostages.

Updated

Rising Tide have published video footage of the alleged arrest of a 97-year-old man.

A 97-year-old man has been arrested at the ongoing blockade of the Newcastle Port, organisers allege.

Alan Stuart, a reverend, said it was “his duty” to stand up for what “I know is right”.

Protestors have remained firm on their actions, with one woman holding a sign reading “we are not the criminals”.

Updated

Rising Tide has posted imagery of what they allege are police arrests at the port.

NSW police remains yet to comment publicly.

Updated

Rising Tide, the organisers of the Newcastle Port blockade, allege “nearly all” people occupying the shipping channel have been taken onto police boats.

As we mentioned earlier, police have confirmed arrests have been made but have not provided a figure while the operation is ongoing.

Anjali Beams, a 17-year-old school striker from Adelaide who was remaining on the water, said she was protesting as a student because decision makers had “consistently ignored young people’s voices”.

The Newcastle coal port is the largest coal port in the world, and I will not be complicit in letting my future get sold away by the fossil fuel industry for their profit.

Updated

We have more on the ongoing blockade at the Port of Newcastle from AAP.

Organisers Rising Tide allege 59 arrests have been made so far, however NSW police could not confirm this number. A spokesperson said arrests had been made however a figure was unable to be provided while numbers continued to change.

A 97-year-old is among more than 100 people facing arrest for blocking the major coal port beyond an agreed deadline.

Groups of protesters have taken turns paddling out into Newcastle Port’s shipping lane since Saturday morning to maintain a 30-hour blockage.

But as 4pm passed, marking the end of police permission for the lengthy protest, scores of protesters remained in the water expecting arrest.

Alexa Stuart said those on the water ranged in age from 15 to 97 and included school students, a coalminer and a Christian minister.

If the government will not take action on climate change, the people will use civil disobedience.

We wish we did not have to do this, but the Albanese government needs to understand we are serious.”

Protesters are demanding the government stop allowing new coal projects, tax fossil fuel export profits at 75% to fund community and industrial transition, and pay for climate loss and damage.

Updated

NSW police begin water arrests at Newcastle climate protest

NSW police have begun water arrests at the Port of Newcastle after protesters defied a 4pm scheduled finish time.

The port has now been blocked for more than 31 hours.

According to organisers Rising Tide, more than 100 people have defied the order to move on and are risking arrest.

You can read more about the protest, urging for no new coal and climate action, from Jordyn Beazley, who spoke to some of the activists participating:

Updated

NSW police report no arrests made during pro-Israeli and pro-Palestine rallies

No arrests have been made in Sydney after two large protests today across the CBD.

NSW police confirmed its high-visibility operation concluded at 5pm, with no incidents and no arrests.

This morning, pro-Israeli protesters gathered to call for the remaining hostages to be released by Hamas, while from 1pm, a pro-Palestine rally was held calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the West Bank.

In a statement, NSW police said “large numbers of police” were deployed across the city to manage crowds, which they estimated were about 7,000 across both events.

Operation commander, assistant commissioner Brett Greentree, said each group was able to congregate without any problems.

Our ongoing relationship with the event organisers ensured the large number of people in attendance protested safely.

Updated

Kayak protesters risk arrest

Back in Newcastle, participants in the blockade at the port are risking arrest by defying the finish time.

The blockade of the world’s biggest coal port, over what protesters say is the failure of government to act on climate change, was due to end at 4pm after 30 hours.

But 100 people remain, according to organisers Rising Tide Australia.

NSW Police have not commented publicly however Rising Tide alleged forces were advancing on the protestors.

Updated

Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley has released a statement following Dave Sharma’s victory to secure a spare Senate spot, calling him a “fitting replacement” for Marise Payne.

Dave Sharma wins NSW Liberal Senate spot

Former Wentworth MP Dave Sharma has won the NSW Liberal Senate battle, beating out eight other contenders for the spot opened up by Marise Payne’s resignation.

Sharma beat frontrunner and fellow moderate Andrew Constance for the spot, as well as the conservative Zed Seselja.

Updated

Minor ‘glitch’ in voting system for NSW Liberal Senate spot

For anyone following along with the NSW Liberal Senate vote (I know, we are all on the edge of our seat) we can tell you that there is still no result.

With nine candidates making a play for Marise Payne’s vacancy (it was 10, but Lou Amato dropped out late last week) there are a lot of votes to get through.

We are told there was a “minor technical glitz” with the electronic voting system the 700-or so electors are using but it was back to 100% in just a few minutes.

So just a little election-day drama there for you all.

We are also told there should be a result “soon”. So stay tuned.

Updated

Search for missing bushwalker

A large-scale search is under way to locate a missing bushwalker on the south coast of New South Wales.

Christopher Karmadonoff, 22, was last seen entering bushland off Back Creek Road in Nethercote about 10.30am yesterday.

Police were alerted when he failed to return home from the hike and couldn’t be located or contacted.

Police officers, SES and a helicopter have conducted an extensive land and air search of the area but have failed to locate the 22-year-old, who took food and water with him.

NSW police said “serious concerns” were held for his welfare and urged anyone with information to contact local police:

Christopher is described as being of Caucasian appearance, 187cm tall, medium build, with brown hair.

He was last seen wearing a green/blue fishing shirt, board shorts, and work boots.

Updated

‘Terrific’ turnout for Newcastle blockade

Protesters at the Newcastle port blockade are celebrating a high turnout on social media.

Since yesterday the demonstrators have been blocking access to Australia’s largest coal port in a call for climate action.

Their blockade was due to end at 4pm.

Updated

Covid cases soar in NT

Covid cases have spiked sharply in the Northern Territory amid rising cases across Australia.

The NT Centre for Disease Control says more than 500 cases have been reported to it in the past four weeks, up from about 190 cases in the previous four weeks, the ABC reports.

These represent the results of PCR tests, as it is no longer mandatory to report positive rapid antigen test results, so authorities expect the prevalence of the disease to be much higher.

Updated

Israel has rights – and obligations under rules of war, Bowen says

Continuing on from the previous post, Chris Bowen was asked whether Israel has “any right to continue the conflict”.

Bowen said:

Israel has always had rights, but also they have obligations under the, you know, the rules of war, and we continue to call for those obligations to be observed, and as I said, Penny Wong, I thought, very articulately in this interview two weeks ago outlined what she would like to see happen.

I think what is happening is pretty close to what Penny Wong outlined, and of course we’ll continue – you and I don’t know what’s about to happen in the Middle East, nobody really does, all we can do is express our principles and our principles are very clear, and a ceasefire and the steps towards it have been a very encouraging development.

Updated

‘Israel can only really be secure and free when Palestine is secure and free’

At the end of Chris Bowen’s interview on Insiders this morning (a very big thank you to Steph for covering off) the energy minister was asked about Gaza and Israel.

As an MP who represents western Sydney, Bowen was asked about what happens when the temporary pause in airstrikes ends.

He said:

We continue to call for steps towards a ceasefire, and the more enduring that ceasefire is, of course the better the world is, the better the region is, the better the people of Palestine are. Ultimately, I believe that Israel can only really be secure and free when Palestine is secure and free, and ultimately, that is our long‑term objective.

Updated

Out-of-control bushfire burning east of Perth

An emergency warning has been issued for an area east of Perth as a bushfire burns out of control.

The fire started near the intersection of Bruce Rock-Quairading and Shepherd roads in Kwolyin.

Emergency WA says people in the area bounded by Bruce Rock-Quairading Road to the north, Shepherd Road to the east, Groves Road to the south and Pantapin South East Road to the west and surrounds in parts of Kwolyin and Pantapin are in danger and need to act immediately.

See the Emergency WA website for more.

Updated

Newcastle port climate protesters hail ‘magical experience’

Protesters blockading the world’s largest coal port over what they say is the failure of government to act on climate change have called the overnight protest a “magical experience” as they approach the end of their action.

Groups of 50 to 60 protesters took turns paddling out into Newcastle port’s shipping lane overnight to continue a 30-hour blockage, which is due to end this afternoon at 4pm.

Local organiser Alexa Stuart told AAP today:

Pancakes were being made, tea drunk, dolphins swam nearby and people watched the sunset and sunrise. Those involved say it was a magical experience.

The group behind the protest, Rising Tide, claims more than half a million tonnes of coal will have been prevented from leaving the port by the time the action ends.

Rising Tide says safety was paramount as the protesters spent the night on the water, rostered in two-hour shifts.

The action has won the support of senior members of the Greens and former federal leader Bob Brown.

A sea of people in orange kayaks hold their paddles high in the air
People take to the water at Horseshoe beach as they continue to blockade the access to Newcastle’s coal port in protest against climate inaction. Photograph: Roni Bintang/Getty Images

Updated

Two hospitalised after five vehicles collide in Bondi

Five vehicles collided in the beachside Sydney suburb of Bondi today, with two people sent to hospital.

The accident happened on Bondi Road near Dudley Street and involved four cars and a motorcycle.

The motorcyclist, a 36-year-old man, has been taken to hospital with leg injuries, while a 60-year-old man, a driver of one of the cars, was also taken to hospital in a stable condition, according to reports by Nine.

Traffic was banked up for hours as authorities worked to clear the scene. The road is now open and traffic conditions are normal, according to Traffic NSW.

Updated

Bone cows bred in Australia replace human donors for dental grafts

Bone cows, specially bred in mad-cow-free Australia, are being used instead of human donors for dental and medical bone grafts.

While bovine grafts have been tested for spinal fusion, foot reconstructions and to fix skull traumas, the Australian versions are predominantly used in dental work to strengthen degraded jaws before tooth implants.

Dental bone grafts in the past required the use of bone donated from the bodies of people who gave consent while alive or from the patient themselves.

But now synthetic bones as well as xenografts – bone from animals including pigs or cattle – can often be used instead. Cow bones have become the most commonly used, but the next evolution is set to be artificial 3D-printed products.

Scott Davis, federal president of the Australian Dental Association, said people were “more comfortable” with bovine products than human, and they had been shown to work.

Read the full story here:

Updated

Tasmanian Labor MP seeks spot in lower house

A Tasmanian MP is trying to swap his upper house seat for a spot in the lower house at the next state election, as Labor keeps up the pressure on Australia’s last Liberal government, AAP reports.

Josh Willie has announced he will nominate for preselection for the Hobart-based lower house electorate of Clark.

Having sat in the Legislative Council as Labor’s member for Elwick since 2016, Willie will resign from parliament when the next election is called if his preselection tilt is successful.

The decision has been endorsed by Tasmanian Labor leader Rebecca White as the party readies to announce all of its election candidates next month.

Willie acknowledged the move wasn’t without risk for him and Labor but said it was purely about changing the government, which is formed by lower house results:

It’s not a secret that we need to build our vote in the northern suburbs of Hobart.

The next Tasmanian election is scheduled to be held on or before 28 June 2025 but the island state’s government has been in minority since May, when two MPs quit the Liberals to sit on the crossbench.

The resignation of former attorney general Elise Archer in October prompted a recount in Clark, which was won by Liberal candidate and Hobart councillor Simon Behrakis. It returned the Liberals to holding 11 of the 25 lower-house seats.

Five Liberal lower-house MPs have resigned from Tasmanian parliament since the party was re-elected in 2021. All were replaced in recounts by fellow Liberals.

The government, under the premier, Jeremy Rockliff, has faced several no-confidence motions in parliament this year but all have failed.

Legislation was passed last year to increase the number of MPs in Tasmania’s lower house from 25 to 35, restoring figures to pre-1998 levels.

Seven MPs will be elected from each of the state’s five lower-house electorates.

Updated

A crowd gathers in front of the State Library of Victoria for today’s Free Palestine rally in Melbourne
A crowd gathers in front of the State Library of Victoria for today’s Free Palestine rally in Melbourne. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP
Independent senator Lidia Thorpe with Nasser Mashni from the Australian Palestine Advocacy Network during Melbourne protest
Independent senator Lidia Thorpe with Nasser Mashni from the Australian Palestine Advocacy Network during Melbourne protest. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

Updated

Rallies in Sydney and Melbourne

Here are some more images of the rallies being held across the nation today.

This morning the Australian Jewish Association joined community members calling for the release of all remaining Israeli hostages.

From 1pm crowds have gathered in Melbourne’s city centre and at Sydney’s Hyde Park, urging the Israeli government to commit to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

Updated

Thousands gather for pro-Palestinian rallies

Australians have once again amassed in major centres for the seventh week in a row demanding a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

It follows a brief “humanitarian pause” in the conflict amid hostage deals secured between Israel and Hamas.

The rallies for Palestine are being held across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Broome, Castlemaine and Gubbi Gubbi.

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe appeared at Melbourne’s rally this afternoon, expressing a solidarity between Indigenous people and Palestinians.

Earlier today, a pro-Israeli demonstration in Sydney’s Martin Place was also held, calling for the release of all remaining hostages.

Independent MP Allegra Spender addressed the rally, saying she was “appalled” by reports of antisemitism and hate speech in the community.

Updated

The week ahead in politics

Being the last week of (joint) sitting in the parliament, both the government and opposition are getting ready to come in swinging. Labor’s honeymoon has well and truly ended and Peter Dutton feels as though he has some momentum in areas he traditionally feels stronger in – borders and law and order. (Even if facts get sacrificed along the way.)

So leading in to what will be the last house sitting week until February, the government is feeling a little bruised, and is keen to refocus attention on what it is doing.

This week there will be debate on the Closing the Loopholes legislation, which is an area where Tony Burke shines. Burke has slowly been chipping away at industry scepticism about the bill, and now has the independent crossbench in the Senate to win over.

The bill expanding paid parental leave will get through the house and we will see the passage of the legislation making hate symbols, including Nazi symbols, a crime.

The Murray-Darling legislation will be the main attraction for NSW and Victorian MPs from all sides of the chamber, with Tanya Plibersek looking to win enough support for it to pass the Senate.

Labor is also pushing through its legislation which will strip Australian citizenship from terrorism offenders (who meet the threshold). That comes as part of the increased focus on home affairs.

But you are also going to see a lot of anger. Amid all the Christmas messages and end-of-year drinks, the fight is well and truly on. Here is a taste from Burke this morning:

The Opposition is doing what the Opposition likes to do, which is to shout at the world and talk tough. Talking tough doesn’t keep Australia safe, strong laws do. We’ll be introducing strong laws on citizenship in the exact way that we advised Peter Dutton years ago, he could have done. He chose not to, chose to take chances with people’s security, and has left it for us to clean up.

Updated

Questions posed by the Wieambilla attack

There was a small arsenal of guns. Troubling online posts, rendered even more sinister in hindsight. And complete isolation, in and of itself not a concern, but – in combination with the other factors – is perhaps a cloak to hide the dagger.

All this emerged in the days after six people, two of whom were police officers, were killed at 251 Wains Road, Wieambilla, on 12 December 2022.

It was hard to imagine a less likely place for a deadly act of terrorism – which police labelled Australia’s first Christian terrorist attack – than the remote Queensland property.

Gareth, Nathaniel and Stacey Train, who lived there, were found to have been primarily motivated by a “Christian violent extremist ideology” when they killed police officers Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow and neighbour Alan Dare. The Trains were shot dead during a gunfight with heavily armed tactical police in the hours afterwards.

Almost a year later, a question remains unanswered: could law enforcement and intelligence agencies do anything differently to stop a similar attack happening? And, if so, have authorities already changed the way they work?

Read the full story here:

Updated

Climate policies of big-four banks in spotlight

There is a growing gulf between the climate policies of Australia’s big banks, with some pledging to severely limit future financing for fossil fuel projects, while others have left the door open, according to an analysis of updated lending policies.

Part of the discrepancy lies in the banks’ approach to arranging bonds, which are used by companies to access financing along with, and sometimes instead of, a direct loan.

When companies issue bonds, they receive money from investors in exchange for periodic interest payments and the return of the initial capital at a later date. In short, investors become lenders.

Kyle Robertson, a banks campaigner at the environmental activist group Market Forces, said coal companies had turned to bonds to raise money after direct funding avenues started to dry up:

We’ve seen a pivot towards bonds, and coal companies actually get two-and-a-half times more money from bonds than from traditional lending, so to have no policy on that is just a massive gap.

Read the full story here:

Updated

And a little architectural visual feast for your Sunday.

Fire ants pose greater threat than ‘cane toads, rabbits, feral cats and foxes combined’

Funding for fire ant eradication should undergo “urgent” review in the wake of three nests being found in northern NSW, the Invasive Species Council has said.

An imported red fire ant found in Brisbane
An imported red fire ant found in Brisbane. Photograph: AAP

Reece Pianta, conservation officer for the Invasive Species Council, called the discovery of the nests in Murwillumbah “a very alarming development”:

Fire ants crossing to NSW, combined with the increased costs of labour and materials due to inflation, should trigger an urgent review of the adequacy of fire ant eradication funding.

Eradication is still possible, but it’s now clear the $592 million allocated until 2027 will not be enough.

Pianta said a study from 2021 had found that $200m to $300m would be required annually over the next decade or Australia would face an ongoing cost of $2bn a year from damage caused by fire ants:

Australia can’t afford our governments wasting more years underfunding the fire ant fight and risking failure. We need the Albanese Government to commit to this review immediately.

This should also be a wakeup call for the Victorian, Western Australian and South Australian Governments who have yet to commit to their share of funding for eradication.

There is still a $140 million hole in the current program’s funding because of bureaucratic delay and dithering by these governments.

Fire ants are one of the world’s worst super pests and, if they are allowed to spread across the continent, their impact will be greater than cane toads, rabbits, feral cats and foxes combined.

Updated

Liberals vie for NSW Senate spot

The Liberal party focus this morning is on the NSW Senate race, which will be decided today.

It is, by any measure, a giant field – 10 candidates have signed up to win the spot vacated by Marise Payne’s resignation, with former NSW state Liberal minister Andrew Constance seen as the frontrunner.

But it won’t be an easy win. Former ACT Liberal senator Zed Seselja wants back in the red chamber, and has promised to move over the border from the ACT to Queanbeyan within six months if given the win. He has the support of the hard right of the Liberal party. Peter Dutton has given his endorsement to both.

But either Monica Tudehope or Lou Amato could spoil the party. Neither name will mean much to people who don’t follow NSW politics religiously (which is the right choice) but both are powerbrokers in their own way – and could come up the middle and take the spot.

We’ll find out soon.

Updated

And on Cop28 …

The Albanese government will head to the major UN climate summit in Dubai furnishing evidence claiming that Australia is all but on track to meet its 2030 emissions target, but facing calls that it must do more to limit the country’s fossil fuel exports.

A snapshot of an upcoming emissions projections report released by the climate change minister, Chris Bowen, suggests Australia will likely cut its CO2 pollution to 42% below 2005 levels by 2030 – nearly in line with the government’s 43% reduction target.

The projections are based on an assessment of introduced and announced policies, including a revamped safeguard mechanism applied to industrial emissions, an expanded underwriting scheme to help reach 82% renewable energy and a still-in-development electric vehicle strategy.

A year ago the same analysis suggested the country was headed for a 40% cut. The improving position is likely to fuel arguments that the government could increase its 2030 target, and set a substantially more ambitious goal for 2035 next year.

Read more about the issue here:

Updated

The view from Canberra

Good morning from Canberra, where we are preparing for the final joint sitting week of the year.

You may have seen Chris Bowen out and about this morning talking about the government’s plan to accelerate the energy transition.

Murph, who knows more about this policy space than almost anyone else in the gallery, has given her thoughts on Bowens’s push here.

But you may have also seen a report from the Australian Conservation Foundation which showed that the 16 new fossil fuel projects which have been approved “or received material support under the Albanese government” will release 6.9bn tonnes of carbon pollution over their lifetimes.

The ACF says:

A further 10 projects are on the table – not approved or with support provided yet, but with decisions pending. If they go ahead, these projects would release more than 9.9 billion tonnes of carbon pollution.”

Bowen was asked about that this morning on Insiders and said:

I’ve read through that report and I don’t agree with their analysis of the projects. There has been some metallurgical coal developments. We need metallurgical coal for steel. Nobody can suggest green steel isn’t coming but it’s not here yet.

There has been a very small gas expansion approved, but more broadly, let me make this point; the way I see this, you can enter into a discussion with your international counterparts, which we are doing. Which is us saying to them, “We will continue to be a reliable energy supplier but we want to work with you on your decarbonisation because we have advantages that you don’t have. We can provide renewable energy.”

That is a very important conversation to have.

He then finished with a not-so-subtle attack against the Greens, who have been very critical of the Albanese government’s approach to fossil fuel projects:

Frankly the approach of others is more a slogan than a policy.

Updated

'A fantasy wrapped in delusion accompanied by pipe dream': Chris Bowen on nuclear power

Circling back to Chris Bowen’s comments on Insiders earlier: he was asked about the push from some countries – including the US, the UK and France – at the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) to expand nuclear power.

Bowen was dismissive of nuclear power as a plan for Australia:

We respect other countries’ plans but in Australia’s context, nuclear for Australia is a fantasy wrapped in delusion accompanied by pipe dream. It is not the right solution for Australia. I’ve seen some reports about the role of nuclear in the COP discussions. Those reports might be in different conversations to the one I’m in.

The signature call for COP is tripling for renewables, a call we support. It is not part of the COP negotiations the way it has been characterised. You just have to look at the International Energy Agency’s world output. They show that renewables are reshaping energy systems around the world. 500 gigawatts of new renews in 2023, a billion dollars being added to solar and nuclear really not moving the dial at all.

It is an attempt at distraction by Australia’s chief climate inactivist Peter Dutton and we are not going to be distracted.

Updated

Man charged with being an accessory to murder on mid-north coast of NSW

A NSW man will face court charged as an accessory to the murder of another man on the mid-north coast.

About 6.40pm on Wednesday, emergency services responded to reports that a man had been shot at the front of a home along Batar Creek Road, Kendall, according to a statement from NSW police.

Members of the public went to assist the 43-year-old man, including administering CPR as paramedics were on their way, but he died at the scene. Police allege that after the shooting a group of men were seen driving away from the location.

A 39-year-old man was arrested at just after 4pm on Saturday on the Pacific Highway at Nabiac. He was taken to Taree police station and charged with accessory after the fact to murder, concealing a serious indictable offence, and driving a motor vehicle during a disqualification period. He was refused bail and is due to appear at Port Macquarie local court today.

Police are asking members of the public to come forward if they have any information.

Updated

The harrowing grip of a ‘made-in-hell addiction’

It was shortly after the Gippsland woman Libby Mitchell spent 52 hours inside a dark room full of brightly lit poker machines that she realised she was in the grip of a “made-in-hell addiction”. For many years, Mitchell drove home after a marathon session on the pokies with less than a dollar left in her account.

Her addiction became so bad she contemplated suicide and checked herself into hospital. Eventually, she moved to Western Australia, where there are no pokies in community clubs. She needed an escape.

The mother of two no longer gambles. But when she recalls the countless hours she spent at the pokies, she remembers being told her money was going back into the community. She and “the girls” would meet at the club and “all pretend to each other that we were supporting the community”.

Mitchell realised the clubs taking her money are, overwhelmingly, spending gambling profits on themselves while claiming the expense as “a community benefit” to help secure a tax cut.

It is part of a scheme that the anti-gambling campaigner Tim Costello says is Australia’s most shameless rort.

Read the full story here:

• In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org

Updated

Farmers call for speedy eradication of fire ant infestation

The NSW Farmers Association has responded to the detection of invasive fire ants in that state, saying the “incursion is a threat to agricultural production and to the landscape of NSW”.

It’s calling on authorities to act quickly to eradicate the red imported fire ants:

The NSW Department of Primary Industries has done so before when there was a detection at Port Botany in 2014 and they must do so again.

The association argues that the state should invest more into biosecurity on a regular basis:

Red Imported Fire Ants should have been eradicated 20 years ago but ineffective management in Queensland enabled them to become established. We want Red Imported Fire Ants eradicated not only in New South Wales, but in Queensland where this incursion originated.

We call on everyone to comply with all directions and restrictions introduced by the NSW Government. By doing the right thing, we can work together to keep these pests contained so that they can be eradicated.

Updated

Coal ‘NSW’s most valuable export by far’, Minerals Council says

NSW Minerals Council chief executive Stephen Galilee also commented to AAP on the climate protesters blockading Newcastle port, saying that stopping NSW coal exports would have a major impact on the state’s economy.

Exports provided jobs for more than 25,000 people in the state and indirectly supported tens of thousands more, Galilee said:

Coal is NSW’s most valuable export by far, and worth more than $70bn nationally.

Updated

‘Our focus is on the Pacific’

Asked about the COP28 summit beginning this week in Dubai – how much will Australia be contributing to the multitrillion-dollar loss and damage fund to compensate nations to the effects of climate crisis?

Chris Bowen:

It’s not just about compensation, it’s about supporting those impacted by climate change and they are the most vulnerable. Our focus has been to support the loss and damage fund but to insist it flows through to small island states, ie the Pacific. There are plenty which don’t flow to countries like the Pacific.

We have been insistent and very involved in the committee setting up the loss and damage scheme saying we want to deal with the Pacific and countries similar in the Caribbean and elsewhere, but our focus is on the Pacific.

Also, I’ve said, for example, the contributing countries which were set in 1992 in terms of the countries that contribute to these funds, it’s time to have another look at that because there are countries which weren’t rich in 1992 but are now. Those negotiations are ongoing, we have been very constructive in those negotiations.

Updated

‘The biggest transformation in our country’s history’

Chris Bowen has been talking about Labor’s plans for reducing emissions, but he’s pressed on the fact that the government has been approving new coalmines and gas projects, which add to global emissions.

He essentially dodges the point, before going on to attack the Greens:

The way I see this, David, you can enter into a discussion with your international counterparts which we are doing which is us saying to them, “We will continue to be a reliable energy supplier but we want to work with you on your decarbonisation because we have advantages that you don’t have. We can provide renewable energy.” That is an important conversation to have.

Frankly the approach of others is more a slogan than a policy. We are making the biggest transformation in our country’s history and that involves both domestic policies and strong international engagements, as I will be doing over the next couple of weeks and we have been doing all the way through.

Updated

Bowen on renewables push: ‘The right policy for the right times’

Chris Bowen won’t say how much taxpayer money is being spent on this. But he does say:

It will be treated in the budget statement of risks and liabilities in the normal fashion. But this is the right policy for the right times to ensure emissions come down and reliability goes up.

Updated

‘Why do these projects needs taxpayer support?’

Host David Speers said previously this scheme was only for despatchable power, so it had to include some storage and batteries and so on, but now that is not a requirement. He asked:

Why do these projects need taxpayer support? Why can’t they stand up on their own?

Chris Bowen fronts the media
Chris Bowen fronts the media. Photograph: Aaron Bunch/AAP

Bowen responds:

Well, what we’re doing is supplying a reliable, and secure and welcoming investment environment for both despatchable and renewable. We need both. Just as you need in any system, whether it’s at water system or electricity system, you need ranges of capacity and availability. We need both. You do need more despatchable power, renewable energy or some other support for peaking and firming. And the options will support both of those.

Updated

‘We need to get more energy on quicker,’ Bowen says of transition to renewables

Chris Bowen, energy and climate change minister, is on Insiders this morning. He’s asked why this major change to using an “undisclosed amount of taxpayers’ dollars to underwrite the transition to renewables” – why weren’t the previous policies adequate?

Bowen said the capacity investment scheme can now be “super charged to do an even better and more important job”, which is important:

Most particularly because as coal-fired power leaves, we had to get more renewable and despatchable energy on to replace it before it leaves, otherwise we have a big threat to reliability in the system … We need to get more energy on quicker, a transition that is more orderly and faster, and that’s when we are delivering.

Updated

Body found on Tasmanian beach two weeks after swimmer went missing

A woman’s body has been found two weeks after a swimmer went missing in waters off north-west Tasmania, sparking a major search and rescue mission, AAP reports.

Tasmania police recovered the body at MacKenzies beach near Doctors Rocks at Wynyard last night.

They believe it belongs to a 22-year-old woman from the local area who went missing while swimming off Somerset beach near Burnie on 11 November.

The woman, her 26-year-old sister and nine-year-old brother got caught in a rip but only her siblings were able to escape the current.

Volunteer boats, surf lifesavers, police divers and a rescue helicopter scoured an area of more than 680 sq km before the search was suspended.

A police spokesperson said:

Our thoughts are with the woman’s family and loved ones and formal identification will be completed in due course.

Updated

‘Isolated detections’ of fire ants have been eradicated elsewhere, Watt says

We’ve heard from federal minister for agriculture Murray Watt this morning on the fire ants detection in NSW.

He noted that it wasn’t the first outside of south-east Queensland, with “isolated detections” having previously been found and eradicated in Gladstone, the port of Botany and the port of Fremantle:

The National Red Imported Fire Ant (RIFA) Program is very experienced in dealing with detections like this one.

The Queensland Government, as the National RIFA Program Manager, and the New South Wales Government are working to eradicate this recent detection and closely monitor the surrounding areas.

Watt thanked state and territory governments that had committed new funding to the eradication efforts, and reiterated the federal government’s $268m package of funding for the national red imported fire ants program.

Updated

‘The tide is turning far too slowly’

Guardian Australia reporter Jordyn Beazley spent some time with the climate protesters blockading Newcastle port as they paddled off yesterday.

You can read more about them and why they’re taking this action here:

Updated

Climate blockade of Newcastle port continues

Protesters have spent the night blockading the world’s largest coal port over what they say is the failure of government to act on the climate crisis, AAP reports.

Several hundred protesters blocked Newcastle port’s shipping lane yesterday, remaining overnight and into today with the action due to end at 4pm.

The group behind the protest, Rising Tide, claims more than half a million tonnes of coal will be prevented from leaving the port for the duration of the action.

Protesters are demanding the government stop allowing new coal projects, tax fossil fuel export profits at 75% to fund community and industrial transition, and pay for climate loss and damage.

Rising Tide community organiser and spokesperson Zack Schofield said safety was paramount as the protesters spent the night on the water, rostered in two-hour shifts.

Protesters gathering to advocate for climate action at Horseshoe beach in Newcastle
Protesters gathering to advocate for climate action at Horseshoe beach in Newcastle. Photograph: Roni Bintang/Getty Images

He said police had granted permission for the protest to take place after several months of negotiations with organisers.

Greens leader Adam Bandt, who kayaked out with protesters yesterday, called those taking part heroes:

They’re fighting to stop more floods and bushfires in this country.

People here know that we’re nearing a climate tipping point, and that coal and gas are fuelling the climate crisis.

Updated

Fire ants cross Queensland border into NSW

Three red fire ant nests have been detected in north-eastern NSW, the state’s Department of Primary Industries has confirmed.

The nests were found 13km south of the Queensland border, at South Murwillumbah, in the first detection of invasive fire ants in NSW since the infestation began in Queensland.

The NSW government said it was working with the federal government, Queensland and Tweed shire council to chemically eradicate the infestation.

Control efforts are focused on a 200m radius from the nest sites and a biosecurity control and tracing order has been applied over a 5km radius from the South Murwillumbah site. That order restricts businesses and residents within that zone from moving potential fire and carrier materials, including mulch, woodchips, compost, sand, gravel, soil, hay and other baled products.

The DPI describes fire ants as:

Dark reddish-brown with a darker black-brown abdomen and range in size from two to six millimetres long. Their ant nests are distinctive mounds of loose, crumbly or fluffy looking soil with a honeycomb appearance, up to 40 centimetres high, with no obvious entrance holes.

Red imported fire ants can damage electrical and agricultural equipment, sting people, pets and livestock, kill native plants and animals, and damage ecosystems beyond repair.

Fines for breaching the biosecurity order can hit up to $1.1m for an individual and up to $2.2m for a corporation.

NSW agriculture minister Tara Moriarty said:

Biosecurity is a shared responsibility, and as our fire ant response ramps up in northern NSW, I encourage everyone to continue to check their properties for these pests. With the Christmas cross-border travel season approaching, we all must be careful of what we’re moving and where.

Finding fire ants early and alerting NSW DPI, just like the community member has done in this instance, will increase our chances of a successful eradication effort.

Updated

Good morning

Welcome to Sunday’s Guardian Australia live blog. I’m Stephanie Convery and I’ll be bringing you all the day’s news.

The protesters blockading Newcastle port’s shipping lane have continued their demonstration overnight and into this morning over what they say is the failure of government to act on the climate crisis.

Several hundred protesters spent the night on the water of the world’s largest coal port to demand the government stop allowing new coal projects, tax fossil fuel export profits at 75% to fund community and industrial transition, and pay for climate loss and damage.

Further north, invasive fire ants have crossed the Queensland border into NSW for the first time. The state’s Department of Primary Industries confirmed yesterday that three red imported fire ant nests were found in South Murwillumbah, 13km from the Queensland border. We’ll bring you more on this shortly.

You go put on a pot of coffee, and I’ll bring you the developments on these stories and more.

Updated

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