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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Catie McLeod and Emily Wind (earlier)

Residents urged to take shelter as bushfire rages in south-east Victoria – as it happened

Keith Pitt Chris Bowen Moira Deeming Coalition Peter Dutton Nationals Labor Coal Australia Greens
firefighters look at smoke
A bushfire burning earlier this week in Western Victoria. A bushfire is currently burning in the Grampians national park. Photograph: SUPPLIED/PR IMAGE

What we learned today, Friday 20 December

That’s where we’ll leave the blog for today. I hope you all have a happy new year, and a great Christmas if you’re celebrating.

Here were today’s major developments:

  • Victorian residents in St Helier, The Gurdies, and Woodleigh, in the state’s south-east, were urged to seek shelter from a bushfire that was threatening homes and lives this afternoon. An emergency warning was issued for the region at 3.12pm.

  • Australia has announced a new security deal with the Solomon Islands more than two years after the Pacific nation signed a controversial security agreement with China.

  • Victorian MP Moira Deeming will remain on the crossbench after a bid to return her to the Liberal party room failed. Deeming was expelled from the party room in 2023 after she attended a rally that was gatecrashed by neo-Nazis.

  • The Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) has decided to suspend its support for the Labor party in New South Wales as its battle to secure a better pay deal escalates into a game of brinkmanship that is now threatening Sydney’s New Year’s Eve fireworks. Business NSW said it would be a “disaster” for Sydney, the state of NSW and its “international brand” if the New Year’s Eve celebrations were cancelled.

  • The Victorian government appointed Dr Yehudi Blacher as lead reviewer and Margaret Crawford as the independent monitor to lead a probe into the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA), and conduct independent monitoring, in the wake of this year’s exam errors.

  • Nationals backbencher Keith Pitt announced he would retire from politics, taking aim at the Liberals’ net zero aspirations on his way out.

  • Childcare centre manager Yolanda Borucki, who alerted police to one of Australia’s worst child sexual abusers, was found not guilty of computer hacking for using a restricted computer to inform the media.

  • And the Climate Council said that the government’s approval of four coa lmine expansions “locks in decades of climate pollution and flies in the face of science”.

Residents urged to take shelter as bushfire rages in south-east Victoria

Victorian residents in St Helier, The Gurdies, and Woodleigh, in the state’s south-east, are being urged to immediately seek shelter from a bushfire that is threatening homes and lives.

An emergency warning issued at 3.12pm says a bushfire at Woodland Close is not under control:

The bushfire is travelling from [business] Sand Supplies in an easterly direction towards Gurdies Street, Helier Road and Stewart Road.

The fire in the Woodlands area has increased in fire spread on the eastern side

This bushfire could impact The Gurdies St Helier Road between Woodland Close and Stewart Road and Stewart Road from Gurdies St. Helier Road to Dunbabbin Road and Bergmeier Road any time between 3pm and 5pm.

The fire in the Woodlands area has increased in fire spread on the eastern side.

Residents are being warned it is too late to leave the area.

Updated

Major Victorian rezoning announcement delayed

The announcement of the remaining 25 areas due to be rezoned by the Victorian government has been delayed until next year, the planning minister says.

Sonya Kilkenny released a statement today confirming the announcement - which forms part of the Plan Victoria report due to be released late this year - has been delayed.

She said:

We received the draft Plan for Victoria from the department. It’s in good shape but we’ve decided the plan can go even further – to not just find room for more homes, but also more jobs, and more community spaces.

The plan will be finalised over the summer and be released early in the new year.

In October, the Victorian government announced it would seize planning controls around 50 inner-Melbourne areas located near public transport.

It named 25 on the day of the announcement, including Armadale, Hawksburn, Malvern and Toorak stations on the Frankston railway line, Auburn, Hawthorn and Glenferrie on the Belgrave-Lilydale line and North Brighton, Middle Brighton, Hampton and Sandringham on the Sandringham line.

The planning takeover will clear the way for “taller buildings” of between 10 and 20 storeys near the stations and “gentle, scaled height limits and more low-rise apartments and townhouses” of between three and six storeys alongside existing homes in the “walkable catchments” surrounding them.

Updated

Running economy on nuclear power ‘unachievable’, says Canavan

Nationals senator Matt Canavan has doubled down on concerns about the Coalition’s nuclear power plan, saying attempting to run a modern economy through nuclear or renewable power was “equally unachievable” after a video showed him claiming his colleagues are “not serious” about the idea.

Additionally, in contributions to a parliamentary report on Australia’s energy grid, the Queensland senator called for the net zero by 2050 commitment to be scrapped, and for a cost-benefit analysis of the policy – which has been signed up to by both the Labor government and the Dutton Coalition opposition.

Canavan told Guardian Australia:

I’ve been saying for years, a net zero energy approach is not serious. You can’t run a modern economy based on net zero emissions. Our attempt to do so via nuclear, and Labor via renewables, are equally unachievable.

In further comments, published in a report from the Select Committee on Energy Planning and Regulation in Australia, Canavan claimed that:

The fact that a proper cost-benefit study of the net zero emissions was not conducted before its adoption is one of the greatest policy making failures in Australian history.

He called for “a cost-benefit study of its net zero emissions by 2050 target”, including impacts on the economy and how the carbon emissions target would affect manufacturing industries.

His additional comments also called for the removal of Australia’s nuclear power ban, which was instituted by John Howard’s Coalition government. Canavan wrote:

It is unwise for us to rule options out. Australia’s prohibition on nuclear energy is out of step with developments in the rest of the world and should be removed.

Updated

Hi, I hope you’ve had a great day so far. I’ll be with you on the blog until this evening.

Many thanks for joining me on the blog today, Catie McLeod will take you through the rest of today’s rolling coverage. Take care, and enjoy your weekend.

RTBU suspends support for NSW Labor

The Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) has decided to suspend its support for the Labor party in New South Wales as its battle to secure a better pay deal escalates into a game of brinkmanship that is now threatening Sydney’s New Year’s Eve fireworks.

Earlier today, the NSW police commissioner said she holds “grave concerns” about the safety of holding Sydney’s famous New Year’s Eve fireworks during industrial action across the city’s train network and may recommend cancelling the event in comments the RTBU suggested were orchestrated to support the state government.

RTBU state secretary Toby Warnes said the executive of the union had gathered and “decided to suspend any support to the NSW Labor party in so far as it relates to the NSW parliamentary Labor party”.

We’ve also resolved to ensure that any legal fees that we have to expend fighting this bogus government industrial strategy comes out of any future affiliation payments that my union has with the NSW Labor [Party].

Asked about RTBU members supporting the Labor party in election campaigns by manning voting booths, Warnes said:

I would imagine it will be very difficult to encourage any of my members to come out and support the Labor party after what they’ve done over the past three weeks.

Updated

Smoke warning surrounding Grampians national park

A smoke warning has been issued for communities surrounding the Grampians national park in Victoria, amid a large bushfire.

VicEmergency said there was no immediate threat to the community and no action is required, but smoke could be carried long directions.

But residents in Mafeking and Watgania are being urged to immediately leave the areas due to the fire, with a warning issued earlier this afternoon.

Updated

Here’s the full story from Josh Butler on earlier news that Nationals MP Keith Pitt is retiring from politics, implying his party had lost its “purpose” and blasting the Coalition’s decision to commit to net zero.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather update for rain and flooding in northern Queensland:

Victims of crime may get more rights in Victorian charter reboot

Victims of crime could be given a more central role in the Victorian justice system as part of a major review of a victims’ charter.

As AAP reports, Victoria’s victims of crime commissioner Elizabeth Langdon announced the review today, one day after fresh statistics revealed a 15% spike in criminal incidents across the state in the past 12 months.

The overhaul marks the first since the charter’s introduction in 2006 and will seek feedback from victims, their families, justice agencies and the community. Langdon, who began in the role in August, said:

We must take opportunities to strengthen victims’ rights wherever we can, to ensure victims are central to justice processes and to make sure that support services uphold the charter.

The charter was developed to set out victims’ entitlements and to provide guidance to agencies about how victims must be treated. My review will assess whether it is still working and where it needs to be adapted to benefit victims today.

The Victims’ Charter is made up of 17 principles intended to guide how victims and survivors of crime should be treated. The commissioner’s findings will be presented to the state government by 7 September 2025, when they are tabled in parliament.

Leave now warning for Mafeking and Watgania amid bushfire

Victorian residents in Mafeking and Watgania in the state’s west are being urged to immediately leave the areas due to a bushfire in the Grampians national park.

An emergency warning issued at 1.30pm this afternoon says there is a bushfire on Yarram Gap Road that is not yet under control:

The bushfire is travelling from the Grampians national park in an easterly direction towards Watgania and Mafeking. Watgania [and] Mafeking could be impacted anytime within the next one hour.

Updated

Share market on track for second-worst weekly performance of year

The Australian share market is down sharply for a second day and on track for its second-worst weekly performance of the year.

As AAP reports, near noon the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index had fallen 90.2 points, or 1.1%, to a seven-week low of 8,078, while the broader All Ordinaries had dropped 85.1 points, or 1.01%, 8,329.9.

For the week the ASX200 was on track for a 2.5% drop, which would be its worst week since a 2.8% decline for the week of 15-19 April. At midday eight of the ASX’s 11 sectors were lower, with energy and utilities higher and tech neutral.

All of the big four banks were lower for a second day, with NAB dropping 2.1%, CBA falling 2.9%, Westpac retreating 1.5% and ANZ losing 1.8%. In the heavyweight mining sector, BHP was down 0.6% and Rio Tinto slipped 0.7% while Fortescue added 1.2%.

The Australian dollar was buying 62.28 US cents, from 62.31 US cents at yesterday’s ASX close.

Updated

Economic cost of cancelled NYE fireworks $98m – Business NSW

Just circling back to some earlier comments from the Business NSW CEO, Daniel Hunter, amid reports the New Year’s Eve celebrations could be cancelled amid industrial action.

Hunter estimates the complete cancellation of the NYE fireworks in Sydney would “have an economic cost of approximately $98m”.

Updated

Victorian premier trolls opposition after party room vote

The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, seems to have taken aim at the state opposition following this morning’s Liberal party room meeting.

As Benita Kolovos reports, Moira Deeming will remain on the crossbench after a vote calling for her readmission to the Liberal party room ended up a draw, with MPs conceding the issue is far from resolved.

In a post to X, Allan shared a photo of the Victorian Labor team and wrote:

This is what a united team looks like. Sharing it for no reason in particular.

Science advice on NT fracking ‘raises more questions than it answers’ says Lock the Gate

Government-appointed science experts have said exploration activities linked to gas fracking in the vast Beetaloo Basin in the Northern Territory are “not considered to be a major risk” to water, but have warned this would depend on “industry best practice”.

The environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, requested the advice earlier this year after politicians and environment groups said fracking could have serious, long-term consequences on water resources.

The Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Unconventional Gas Development and Large Coal Mining Development (IESC) said there were risks from spills, well failures and the spread of invasive species but “providing mitigation strategies are adopted and correctly implemented, the IESC considers that the potential impacts on the Basin’s water resources from initial exploration and appraisal activities for unconventional gas are minor”.

The advice said initial exploration projects would “likely lead to further production, exploration and appraisal which will inevitably intensify impacts, along with those from current and proposed land uses such as irrigated agriculture (e.g. cotton, mangoes) and from climate change”.

Campaign group Lock the Gate filed a legal challenge earlier this month arguing exploration work by Tamboran, to include drilling 15 wells, should have been referred to the environment minister under a new “water trigger” that is part of national environment laws.

Responding to the advice, Plibersek said in a statement that environmental decisions “must be guided by science and national environment law”.

The water trigger, as voted for by the Greens political party and independents, dictates that a project must have a significant impact on water resources to be called in. You can’t pick and choose when you accept the science and when you don’t.

Georgina Woods, of Lock the Gate, said the IESC’s advice “raises more questions than it answers” and the committee was clear project-specific investigations would be needed.

In our view, these questions must be answered through an environmental assessment under the water trigger of each project currently under way in the region. These investigations are precisely what the water trigger is for, and we urge the minister to call-in these projects for proper assessment.

Updated

Business NSW says it would take ‘years to recover’ from cancelled NYE fireworks

Business NSW says it would be a “disaster” for Sydney, the state of NSW and its “international brand” if the New Year’s Eve celebrations are cancelled.

In a statement, CEO Daniel Hunter said if the firework celebrations are cancelled “it would take us years to recover from this”.

This is the time when small and medium business owners, especially mum and dad business owners, make their money. This may push many businesses into bankruptcy – and we’ve seen enough bankruptcies this year as it is.

The union’s demand for 32% pay rise over four years is not sustainable and completely unreasonable. We urge the unions to let the people celebrate and give our state the much-needed lift it needs.

Updated

Hot conditions return to WA, expected to persist through to Monday

In more weather news, hot conditions have returned to Western Australia and are expected to persist through to Monday.

The Bureau of Meteorology said temperatures are up to 10C above average and could reach 15C above average in the south-west on Sunday and Monday.

Perth is forecast to reach a maximum of 35C today, 38C tomorrow and 41C on Sunday and Monday – before dropping back to a maximum of 29C on Tuesday.

There are elevated fire dangers in the south, and dry thunderstorms possible for the west, the Bureau said.

Updated

Cool change to move through Victoria today

The Bureau of Meteorology says a cool change is moving through Victoria today, due in Melbourne around 5pm and the eastern districts tomorrow morning.

Temperatures will drop 10-15C with the change, the bureau said, with a milder weekend ahead.

Melbourne is forecast to reach a top of 34C today, dropping back to a maximum of 21C over the weekend and 19C on Monday.

Updated

Climate Council lashes government decision to expand four coalmines

The Climate Council says that the government’s approval of four coalmine expansions “locks in decades of climate pollution and flies in the face of science”.

In a statement, Professor Lesley Hughes said the atmosphere “doesn’t care if this coal is for steel or power – it’s all heating our planet and driving climate pollution.”

Burning coal fuels the climate crisis, worsening bushfires, floods and heatwaves that devastate our communities. This decision flies in the face of science, common sense, global responsibility and our duty to protect our kids’ future …

This decision is a clear example of how Australia’s broken environment laws fail to protect the environment from its biggest threat: climate change. Currently, they don’t require projects to account for their climate pollution, allowing coal and gas giants to open more polluting projects without accountability. Addressing this blind spot by strengthening our environmental laws could stop this, but the Albanese government seems to have all but given up on these critical reforms.

Earlier, the energy and climate change minister, Chris Bowen, defended the expansions by stating the mines were for “metallurgical coal, coal that gets used for steelmaking”.

Updated

Canavan cites ‘insanity’ of net zero emissions targets as he farewells Nationals MP from politics

Nationals senator Matt Canavan has issued a statement after Nationals backbencher Keith Pitt announced he would retire from politics.

As we reported earlier, Pitt cited concerns about the Coalition’s commitment to net zero emissions targets. In his statement, Canavan wrote:

Keith and I were first elected in 2013. Over the 11 years since, Keith has been a warrior for the rural communities and industries that sustain our nation …

Keith has also been one of a few lonely voices calling out the insanity of our net zero emissions target. Every day that Australia loses more manufacturing jobs and gets higher energy prices vindicates Keith’s position.

Last month, senior Coalition figures rejected a push from the backbench to rethink its net zero targets. You can read more context on this below:

Updated

Experts appointed to review VCAA after exam errors

The Victorian government has appointed experts to lead a review of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA), and conduct independent monitoring, in the wake of this year’s exam errors.

The deputy premier and education minister Ben Carroll today announced the appointment of Dr Yehudi Blacher as lead reviewer and Margaret Crawford as the independent monitor.

In a statement, Carroll said Blacher and Crawford would operate in tandem and “leave no stone unturned” to provide full confidence to Victorian students, families and schools.

Blacher will lead a team of specialist experts to conduct a comprehensive organisational review “of all elements of the exam authority’s structure and operations”, plus the production issues that affected the 2024 exams.

Crawford will oversee all aspects of exam preparation, management and production.

Updated

More on whether Sydney’s NYE fireworks could be shut down

AAP has further details on earlier news Sydney’s NYE fireworks could be shut down, if planned industrial action brings the nation’s biggest rail network to a grinding halt on its busiest night of the year.

The state government plans to argue the industrial action could cause a risk to public safety on New Year’s Eve.

State transport minister Jo Haylen poured scorn on the union’s portrayal that work bans were a means of getting the government back to the negotiating table, and told reporters:

They say, ‘well, let’s talk about it’. But the fact is unless you agree with them, there’s no end point.

New Year’s Eve is the busiest day on Australia’s largest rail network as millions of people are shuttled around Sydney Harbour and elsewhere in the city for the fireworks and other celebrations.

Some 3,200 services run about every five minutes “to get people in and out safely”, Haylen said

Unions continue to demand four annual wage increases of 8%, which premier Chris Minns has said is unaffordable and could not occur while he is denying nurses a similar claim. The government previously offered 11% across three years, including superannuation increases.

Updated

Updated

Abbott says its ‘shameful’ Deeming was not returned to the Victorian Liberal party room

Former prime minister Tony Abbott says it is a “shameful result” that Moira Deeming was not returned to the Victorian Liberal party room following this morning’s vote.

In a post to X, Abbott wrote:

A shameful result from the Victorian Liberal party room. How can someone elected as a Liberal be expelled on the basis of a lie and not be readmitted once the truth is there for all to see? Especially right before Christmas, the season of goodwill, this is a truly contemptible failure to act with honour and decency.

You can read the full story on this from Benita Kolovos below:

Updated

Measles alert for Sydney's inner west

NSW Health has issued an alert for measles cases in Sydney’s inner west, advising people to be on alert for symptoms. A European tourist travelled to Australia after visiting Vietnam, where there is an ongoing measles outbreak, and visited several inner west locations while infectious. This includes:

Wednesday 11 December:

  • Flight JQ62 from Ho Chi Minh City landing in Sydney at 11.45am

  • Sydney Airport international terminal from 11.45am-2pm

  • Bus route 420 from Airport terminal to Arncliffe fire station from 1.30-2.30pm

  • Bus route 422 from Arncliffe fire station to Parramatta Road/Victoria Park from 1.30-2.30pm

  • Light rail L1/L2 from Haymarket to Circular Quay station from 6.30-7.30pm

  • Laneway Cinema at The Rocks from 7.00-9.45pm

  • Light Rail L2/3 from Circular Quay station to Haymarket from 9.15-10.15pm

  • 7-Eleven Haymarket (Capital Square, George Street) from 9.30-10.15pm

  • Bus Route 431 from Haymarket to Glebe Point Road from 9.45pm-10.45pm

Thursday 12 December:

  • 330 Wattle St, Ultimo, from 9am-4pm

  • Bus route 370 from Glebe Point Road to King Street, Newtown from 3.30-4.30pm

  • Bus route 352 from King Street, Newtown to Redfern from 3.30-4.30pm

  • Harris Farm Redfern from 4-4.45pm

  • Bus route 352 from Redfern to King Street from 4.15-5.15pm

  • Bus route 370 from King Street, Newtown to Glebe Point Road from 4.15-5.15pm

Sunday 15 December and Monday 16 December:

  • Leichhardt Medical and Dental Centre, 30-38 Short Street, Leichhardt, from 4.30-6.30pm on Sunday and from 7.30am-9.30pm on Monday.

The Sydney LHD clinical director of public health, Dr Leena Gupta, said these locations posed no ongoing risk but people who visited should monitor for symptoms including fever, sore eyes and a cough, followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash.

It can take up to 18 days for symptoms to appear after an exposure, so it’s important for people who visited these locations to look out for symptoms up until 3 January.

Updated

Kira Korolev case adjourned until March

The barrister representing a Russian-born woman accused of espionage-related offences has foreshadowed a potential bail application if the case is subject to further delays.

Kira Korolev, a former Australian defence force information systems technician, and her husband, Igor, were arrested in July and charged with one count of “preparing for an espionage offence”.

The Brisbane magistrates court heard today that the case against the pair involved a large volume of “material that was found on a number of devices was in a foreign language”.

A brief of evidence was disclosed by the commonwealth director of public prosecutions on Tuesday, but that did not include some material. The court heard the primary cause of significant delays was the need for translations. The case has been adjourned until March.

A barrister representing Korolev, appearing via telephone from Sydney, told the court there was probably “very little that can be done” regarding the delays but that his client had been in custody since July.

I am concerned and no doubt the court would be concerned that my client was arrested in July of this year. The delay is quite significant, my client is in custody, it’s a difficult situation. I’m not in a position to make a bail application but it’s probably looking more on the cards if there’s going to be continual delays.

Updated

Queensland childcare worker found not guilty of computer hacking over child abuse case

A childcare centre manager who alerted police to one of Australia’s worst child sexual abusers has been found not guilty of computer hacking for using a restricted computer to inform the media.

Yolanda Borucki worked at the same Uniting church childcare centre as Ashley Griffith in 2021. She helped report him to authorities that year, but police and the centre rejected the allegations after an investigation.

Magistrate Kerrie O’Callaghan found Borucki not guilty of computer hacking for using a restricted computer without consent and causing detriment to the church worth more than $5,000.

Borucki was charged just days after appearing on A Current Affair, and had allegedly used the Uniting church computer to share private information about the investigation with Channel 9.

Updated

PM ends press conference with Christmas message

Wrapping up the press conference, Anthony Albanese gave a message ahead of Christmas and the end of the year:

Can I wish everyone a very merry Christmas. I note that I have now done the same number of press conferences in the press gallery in Canberra today as Peter Dutton has done in the last six months.

I thank you for the work that you do in holding government and opposition to account, and I wish you a very peaceful and happy Christmas. And for those of you of faith, I wish you a holy Christmas. As well as those of the Christian faith, it is an important time for people in the Jewish community as well, happy Hanukkah is coming up.

And I tell everyone, regardless of whether you are of faith or no faith, or whatever faith you have, this is a time when the road toll goes up every year – so please, drive safely. Enjoy the break.

Updated

PM did not discuss coalmine extensions during call with Pacific leader

Q: Some groups in the Pacific are voicing displeasure at the recent decision to approve extensions of coal mines throughout Queensland to New South Wales – was that something you discussed on the phone call with PM Manele today?

Anthony Albanese responded: “No.”

Updated

‘We expect that to continue’: PM on Chinese presence in Solomon Islands

Back to the security deal with the Solomon Islands that has just been announced, the PM was asked whether there was any guarantee for the Chinese presence to be removed and if there was a timeline.

Anthony Albanese said the Solomon Islands was a “sovereign nation” and had some measures in place, and “we expect that to continue”.

But we also expect that as a result of this agreement, what we have done is make sure that Australia remains a security partner of choice, as prime minister Manele has said.

What was the risk that China could have been a partner of choice for the Solomons? Albanese responded that he was focused on “our relationship with the Pacific family”.

Updated

Albanese says police behind decision to escort Bali Nine members on tarmac

On the Bali Nine, and reports the five men have returned to their hometowns, Anthony Albanese was asked why armed police escorted them all the way on the tarmac.

He responded that “police make their decisions”.

He was asked whether he had any part in this decision-making, and responded:

That is a rather strange question. The idea that I look after, as prime minister of Australia, look after operational details, I am not sure what point you are making.

Updated

PM ‘focused on economics’ side of nuclear

Anthony Albanese was again questioned on the video posted by Labor, citing health concerns about nuclear energy, and said he was focused on the “economics of this issue”.

The economics of this issue are that it does not make any sense whatsoever for Australia to say: stop what is happening – stop the investment that is occurring in our energy grid – and wait till the 2040s in order to develop from nothing a nuclear industry. It does not add up, it does not make sense, and that is my focus.

Updated

PM defends position of economy, pointing to NZ recession

Anthony Albanese was asked if he was concerned about the economy, given that one Aussie dollar is buying just 60 US cents?

He pointed to “a comparison across the ditch”, where New Zealand announced in the past 24 hours that is in recession, and said:

We have kept the economy growing … We have real wages that are growing. We have inflation that has a 2 in front of it and is going down, as opposed to a 6 in front of it and was rising … All of the measures that we have put in place to provide assistance to people on cost-of-living pressures – that we acknowledge are still there, we acknowledge people are still doing it tough …

We have at every single day, in every meeting of my cabinet or the ERC [expenditure review committee] or of the other committees of the cabinet, been very focused on making sure that, in these difficult global economic times, we do what we can to provide support for people while setting up the foundations for future growth …

Updated

PM continues to lash Coalition’s nuclear policy

Back to nuclear energy, a reporter asked how much Anthony Albanese thought the energy debate was going to shape or frame the election campaign next year.

The PM said there were “no experts in the energy sector backing up the Coalition’s costings”, and told the media:

We have the CSIRO versus Peter Dutton, who hid from the costings, announced it just before Christmas and announced it not in Canberra, before the national press gallery, but went up to Brisbane to announce it just before Christmas, hoping that it would just disappear.

I tell you what has disappeared, the Coalition’s credibility, because every analysis says it will take too long, it will cost too much and it just doesn’t add up for Australia.

Updated

Albanese on Chinese police presence in Solomons

A reporter noted there were still 14 Chinese police officers in the Solomon Islands as a permanent rotating presence. Has Australia sought any guarantees to either cap or reduce the number of police officers from China on the ground?

Anthony Albanese responded:

We have agreements with the Solomon Islands and part of that is making sure that Australia remains the security partner of choice.

Updated

Albanese questioned on nuclear video citing health concerns

Taking questions, the prime minister was asked if Labor was running a scare campaign on nuclear when it came to health concerns – regarding a video shared to its social media.

Anthony Albanese said what was “scary” was “the failure of the Coalition to have any proper costings”.

It is now a week since they released their costings and it has been a shambles. Peter Dutton has been out there saying they had a costing of consumers and how they would benefit. There is nothing in this costing to indicate that that is the case. Nothing.

Updated

Solomon Islands’ security deal a three-part policy: PM

Anthony Albanese said the security deal was a three-part policy:

One is looking after their own police forces. Secondly, cooperation with their Melanesian neighbours and, thirdly, engagement with Pacific Island forum members.

He said investment over four years would be guided by the Solomon Islands’ priorities.

[The] package will improve funding, training and infrastructure support to grow the royal Solomon Islands police force in a sustainable manner. It includes budget, training and infrastructure, including a police training centre in Honiara, and it follows the opening just a couple of weeks ago of the Pacific policing initiative training centre in Brisbane.

Albanese said the funding would “strengthen the Solomon Islands domestic security and it will enhance its ability to contribute to regional stability”.

Updated

PM says Labor working ‘tirelessly’ to improve Pacific relations

Anthony Albanese is speaking to reporters from Canberra, about Australia’s new security deal with the Solomon Islands – as we just reported.

The prime minister said the government has worked “tirelessly” in the Pacific to improve relations since coming to government, describing it being “at a very low ebb in 2022”.

Part of that was just alienation that our Pacific Island neighbours felt from Australia’s policy on climate, our policy on foreign relations and the way that we dealt with our fellow members of the Pacific family.

Albanese said he was proud his government is making “a significant investment in the police force of the Solomon Islands, to ensure that they can continue to take primary responsibility for security in the Solomons.”

It is also the case that today we reinforce prime minister [Jeremiah] Manele’s comment that Australia is the security partner of choice.

Updated

Australia announces new security deal with Solomon Islands

Australia has announced a new security deal with the Solomon Islands more than two years after the Pacific nation signed a controversial security agreement with China.

In a joint statement on Friday, Anthony Albanese said the support package would grow the size and capability of the Solomon Islands’ police force after a request by the prime minister, Jeremiah Manele.

The deal would include funding, training, and infrastructure support to grow the island’s police force in a “sustainable manner”, and included a new training centre in its capital, Honiara. The statement said:

This partnership is an investment in Solomon Islands, which will help unlock prosperity for more Solomon Islanders and establish a new foundation for our cooperation ...

We look forward to implementing this partnership in a way that not only strengthens Solomon Islands’ domestic security, but also enhances its ability to contribute to regional stability.

Tensions between Australia and the Solomon Islands came to a head in the weeks before the 2022 federal election after it was revealed the Pacific nation had signed a security pact with China.

Albanese is due to hold a press conference on the announcement at Parliament House shortly.

Updated

Sydney's New Year's Eve fireworks may be cancelled amid rail disruption, police chief warns

The NSW police commissioner, Karen Webb, says she has “grave concerns” for the NYE fireworks amid industrial action from the rail unions – and that she has not ruled out recommending the government cancel the fireworks.

Speaking to reporters earlier this morning, Webb said:

Each year, we police New Year’s Eve on the basis that 250,000 people can come into the city and then safely leave the city. Leaving the city is based on access to transport, including trains, and if trains aren’t available, and people can’t leave the city, I have very large concerns of the risk that will create to the public, because families won’t be able to get home and they’ll be trapped in the city with no way out.

So I haven’t ruled out that I will recommend to the government that we cancel the fireworks … It’s that serious.

Webb said if there was no public transport then “I can’t guarantee safety” and cancelling the fireworks was “certainly an option I need to consider in terms of risk to public safety”.

The NSW premier, Chris Minns, said the state government would take onboard any advice from police:

That’s why we’re in court, the stakes are high … We’ve got a few steps to take before a decision’s being made, but as I said, we would of course take the advice of NSW police and the police commissioner.

In 2023, the City of Sydney estimated the cost of the world-famous fireworks to exceed $6m.

Updated

Pesutto on whether he gave casting vote

John Pesutto said it was a “long and civil discussion” and “everybody had a chance to participate”.

On whether he was the casting vote, the opposition leader said:

I had proposed and did use that casting vote to vote the motion down, but as it turned out, the constitutional requirement applies in any event that an absolute majority of 16 is required, so it overrides everything else.

Updated

John Pesutto is now taking questions, and was asked whether the vote took place twice. He said no, it didn’t:

No. The issue of the casting vote in the end turned out to be unnecessary, because the advice to the room was that an absolute majority of 16 was required.

Updated

Pesutto fronts media after Deeming vote

The Victorian opposition leader. John Pesutto, is speaking to reporters after the Liberal party room voted for Moira Deeming to remain on the crossbench and not return to the party.

He said the vote didn’t meet the required majority of 16, and only met 14 votes with “a couple of people away”.

The vote was had after a long and civil discussion between members. This concludes the matter of the membership … as opposition leader and as alternative premier, our focus is on holding the Allan Labor government to account, and that includes its new ministry, and also focusing on the byelections we have in Prahran and Werribee which will be held in only a few weeks’ time.

Updated

Last-minute Christmas gift guide

With five days until Christmas (!!) and the weekend just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to revisit our gift guide for 2024.

Have a read below for 57 perfect last-minute gift ideas, including experiences, subscriptions, digital products and more:

Liberals react to Deeming vote result

Victorian Liberal MPs are leaving the party room and it appears almost all are disappointed with the draw.

John Pesutto is yet to speak, while upper house MP Anne-Marie Hermans, who voted for Deeming’s return, says the closeness of the vote means the issue is not resolved.

I personally don’t think that we have resolved it by having such a close vote, and having a leader having to cast his vote.

Chris Crewther, a Deeming supporter, said:

Yes, it is a very disappointing decision, I think the wrong decision was made today. Yes, it may be difficult to unite. But I think the debate was held very congenially within the party room. It was done in a very proper matter, and I think that we did show today that we can actually debate and agree to disagree.

He said he hoped Pesutto and the leadership team would “reconsider readmitting Moira [Deeming] off their own back, given the very close result today”.

Updated

Bali Nine reunited with family in time for Christmas

As we flagged earlier, five members of the Bali Nine have been released from custody to spend Christmas with their families for the first time in 20 years.

AAP reports that Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, Martin Stephens, Si Yi Chen and Michael Czugaj – all now aged in their late 30s or 40s – spent two decades locked in Bali’s Kerobokan Prison after being found guilty of attempting to traffic heroin.

After spending four days in the Howard Springs federal accommodation facility near Darwin, the men returned to their respective homes yesterday where they will continue reintegrating with Australian society.

Pesutto drew casting vote in Deeming party room decision

Upper house MP Renee Heath just confirmed it was a draw, with 14 Liberals supporting Deeming’s return and 14 opposing. She described the result as “disappointing”.

The draw meant opposition leader John Pesutto drew a casting vote.

Deeming to remain on crossbench after Liberals reject return to party room

Moira Deeming will remain on the crossbench after a bid to return her to the Liberal party room failed.

The failed motion to reinstate Deeming had been put forward by Liberal MPs Chris Crewther, Renee Heath, Joe McCracken, Richard Riordan and Bill Tilley, who had argued she had been unfairly expelled in 2023.

Deeming had been expelled from the party room in 2023 after she attended a rally that was gatecrashed by neo-Nazis.

A federal court judge last week found Pesutto defamed Deeming by falsely implying in comments he made after the rally that she knowingly associated and sympathised with neo-Nazis and ordered he pay her $300,000 in damages.

Updated

Victorian Liberal party room meeting ongoing

We’re still waiting outside the Victorian Liberal party room, where MPs are meeting to discuss returning Moira Deeming.

The meeting is going longer than a few MPs expected, though one has raised the point all five petitioners who called the meeting will want to speak to their motion, as will opposition leader John Pesutto and others.

We’ll have an outcome for you as soon as we hear.

Updated

Free lesson to help young Victorian drivers avoid serious crashes

Thousands of Victorian teenagers will be offered a free driving lesson in a bid to reduce major and fatal crashes. As AAP reports, parents can also participate in the hour-long session, Victorian roads minister Melissa Horne said in announcing the scheme today.

The in-car lessons will be delivered by an accredited driving instructor to teach road safety skills, and help supervising drivers support youngsters to complete their required 120 hours. The initiative is expected to support about 15,000 families in the state.

Victorian L-platers aged 16 to 19 will be eligible to participate if they have practised for 10 to 30 hours and have a licensed supervising driver to attend the lesson.

Young drivers are almost four times more likely to be involved in a fatal or serious-injury crash than more experienced drivers.

Victorian learners need to complete 120 hours of practice to get a probationary licence, which has helped reduce fatal and serious crashes among young drivers by more than 40% since its introduction in 2007.

Training and accreditation for driving instructors to deliver this program will also be free.

Updated

Qantas moves to avoid Christmas disruption from industrial action

Qantas says industrial action by maintenance engineers will not cause chaos for the airline’s flights in the lead-up to Christmas.

As AAP reports, the airline says it has put contingencies in place today for industrial action, and similar action from engineers earlier in December had no impact on customers.

But unplanned maintenance issues, adverse weather or other events could still impact operations. A spokesperson said:

Our teams are working hard to ensure that this industrial action has minimal impact on customers’ holiday plans and we have put a number of contingencies in place and extra resourcing on the ground to ensure our customers get away as planned.

The airline said about 160 line maintenance engineers were rostered to work during today’s industrial action. It said additional groups taking action were part of long-term maintenance teams that did not perform day-of-operation engineering support.

Industrial action has taken place since late September as part of ongoing negotiations but Qantas says it has managed the impact to avoid delays or cancellations for customers.

Updated

Tony Burke pays tribute to Leunig’s ‘humour, humanity, and truth’

The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, has paid tribute to cartoonist Michael Leunig, who has died aged 79. In a post to X, Burke wrote:

For decades, Michael Leunig’s cartoons have illuminated the complexities of our world with humour, humanity, and truth. Through his simple yet profound, Leunig reminded us to find joy in life’s absurdities and to never lose sight of compassion and kindness.

His legacy will continue to inspire generations. May he rest in peace.

Updated

Penny Wong shares images from visit to Ukrainian capital

Overnight, the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, shared some images from her visit to Kyiv in Ukraine, thanking prime minister Denys Shmyhal and foreign minister Andrii Sybiha for the warm welcome.

Wong wrote in a post to X:

We want Ukrainians to be able to live in peace and rebuild their lives and homeland … The Albanese government has always said we would reopen Australia’s embassy in Kyiv when it’s safe to do so. I was pleased during my visit to Ukraine to announce our embassy is reopening …

Russia’s cooperation with North Korea demonstrates again how our region’s security is interconnected with Europe’s. That’s why we stand with Ukraine. Ukraine must end this war on its own terms.

Updated

Watch and act alert for bushfire in Victoria

A watch and act alert has been issued for a bushfire near Woodland Close and The Gurdies in Victoria, which is not yet under control. VicEmergency said firefighters have been able to slow the spread of fire for now, but the situation can change at any time.

Meanwhile, VicEmergency said a bushfire in the Southern Grampians continues to burn and has grown to more than 7,600 hectares:

Very little rain in the forecast and the fire’s difficult location means it could burn for weeks.

Total fire ban for Mallee and Wimmera districts

A total fire ban has been declared for the Mallee and Wimmera districts in Victoria today, amid high fire danger.

Mildura is forecast to reach a top of 38C today, and Ouyen 39C. Horsham is forecast to reach a top of 37C.

Victorian Liberal MP says it’s not his intention for spill against Pesutto

Benambra MP Bill Tiley, another signatory to the motion, won’t say if he’s got the numbers to support it:

It’s like a poker game, we’ll hold our cards close to our chest, but there’s only one question this morning, and that’s about readmitting Moira Deeming to the parliamentary party.

Asked if there would be a spill against John Pesutto, Tiley said that was not his intention.

More from the Victorian Liberals ahead of Deeming vote

Bev McArthur, a key member of the Victorian Liberals conservative grouping, is a supporter of Moira Deeming. She wrote to the party room last night urging them to support the motion and rubbished the argument some MPs have been that Deeming has voted with Labor more often than the Coalition.

McArthur said:

People have been accusing her of being a right wing religious nutter. Now it seems they’re accusing her of being a left wing advocate. We’ve actually voted more with Labor and the Greens than she has.

Victorian Libs indicate how they’ll vote on Deeming motion

Continuing from our last post: Berwick MP Brad Battin, considered a possible challenger to John Pesutto’s leadership, said he will vote in support of the motion.

As will Rowville MP Kim Wells.

One of the petitioners, Mornington MP Chris Crewther, said it’s a matter of “integrity”:

It’s about moving forward. I think if we don’t resolve this before Christmas, it will continue to be a distraction. We need to be focusing for the next two years on targeting Labor, keeping them accountable, not talking about ourselves. So this needs to be resolved and resolved today.

Updated

Victorian Liberal MPs gathering for Deeming vote

Victorian Liberal MPs are gathering at parliament this morning to vote on a motion to bring Moira Deeming back into the party room.

On Monday night, Liberal MPs Chris Crewther, Renee Heath, Joe McCracken, Richard Riordan and Bill Tilley revealed they had signed a petition to hold a special party room meeting to reinstate Deeming. Deeming had been expelled from the party room in 2023 after she attended a rally that was gatecrashed by neo-Nazis.

A federal court judge last week found Pesutto defamed Deeming by falsely implying in comments he made after the rally that she knowingly associated and sympathised with neo-Nazis and ordered he pay her $300,000 in damages. After the judgement, Deeming said it was her expectation to be let back into the party room.

Arriving first at parliament this morning was David Hodgett, who said while he supported Deeming’s return the petitioners had gone about it the wrong way. He said:

I don’t think they’ve gone about it the right way. I don’t think we should be here on Friday morning dealing with external Liberal Party matters when we should have spent the week prosecuting Tim Pallas’ record as treasurer and other issues affecting the state. And I said there’s probably a pathway for Moira back but they’ve gone about it completely the wrong way.

Updated

Ley says Bowen should ‘disown’ video criticising Coalition nuclear plan

Deputy opposition leader Sussan Ley also spoke with Sunrise, alongside Chris Bowen, and said the climate change minister should “disown” the video.

She labelled it “one of the most disgraceful things I have seen in 23 years of politics”, and said:

I think Chris Bowen needs to disown this, this morning … Are we saying that nuclear medicine is not safe? Are we saying that the submariners that the partnership in Aukus that Labor has signed up to, is that going to put our submariners at risk? Are you going to be at risk if you live near a base where these submarines will be in? It is so important that the energy minister of this country disowns this campaign right now.

Bowen says Coalition nuclear plan would require millions of taxpayer dollars to make it safe

The energy and climate change minister, Chris Bowen, also spoke with Sunrise this morning where he was questioned on a video shared to social media by Labor, stating nuclear plants could increase in the risk of terminal illness.

He was asked, are you saying if the Coalition gets government and goes ahead with their nuclear plan, people are going to be die from cancer, heart attacks and strokes? Bowen responded:

What I am saying is the way that you make nuclear safer is to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on the safety. That is how nuclear has improved over the years … by spending millions of dollars … that is taxpayers money. Not private investment like our plan. Taxpayers’ money … hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayers money will be spent on nuclear making it comply with safety requirements.

Dutton denies instability in Nationals as Pitt resigns from politics

Peter Dutton was also asked about news Nationals MP Keith Pitt will resign from politics. Pitt took aim at David Littleproud, as we reported earlier.

Dutton said he spoke with Pitt yesterday and he was “frustrated with being on the backbench.”

I understand that he’s had a job offer in the private sector and he’s going to take that. He’s made an enormous contribution as a minister and as a member for Hinkler in Bundaberg. He’s a well respected local member and I think he’s looking forward to the next stage of his career. And he’s a good friend of mine, and he’s certainly been a great colleague to work with, and I wish him all the best into the future.

Is there instability in the Nationals this close to an election? Dutton said “I don’t think there is.”

As I say, I think he’s frustrated because he’s got a lot to give. He wants to be on the frontbench. He’s not on the frontbench. He’s taken a decision to move to the private sector.

Dutton offers to debate PM on nuclear power

The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, spoke with the Today Show earlier where he also commented on the video posted by Labor on the Coalition’s nuclear policy.

He argued it was a “pretty tardy video” and featured a Greens candidate, saying:

The prime minister should front the Australian people today, because there will be a lot of concern within the defence community that the government signed them up to a technology that’s not safe [via Aukus]. Of course, that’s not the case. And I just think Labor, instead of running around with these juvenile ads, needs to have a mature adult conversation about what’s in our country’s best interests.

Dutton also said he would challenge prime minister Anthony Albanese to a debate on nuclear power “whenever he wants”, but argued “he won’t take up that, because when you see images of the prime minister, you know that he’s … scared at the moment.”

Updated

Bowen stands by nuclear video posted to Labor’s social media

Chris Bowen was asked about a video posted to Labor’s social media on the opposition’s nuclear policy, which it has labelled as scaremongering. Is it?

The climate change and energy minister said it was not, and it was “part of the debate”. He described the nuclear costings as “codswallop” and “the worst costings produced by the Coalition in 40 years.”

One video links a nuclear power plant to an increase in the risk of terminal illness – is that wrong, or are you standing by this? Bowen responded:

Well, it’s part of the debate and as I said, you can make nuclear safer. Absolutely you can … It’s a risk Australia doesn’t need to take.

Chris Bowen defends mine expansions

Chris Bowen was also asked about criticism from the Greens over Labor’s approval of coalmine expansions. He told ABC News Breakfast the extensions “are for metallurgical coal, coal that gets used for steelmaking”.

The climate change and energy minister said:

Green steel is coming, it’s got a great future but it’s not here yet. The fact of the matter is when the Greens talk about these things, the Greens political party talk about these thing, they just lump all coal together. Tanya Plibersek has applied the law, she always does so vigorously – the first environment minister in Australian history to not back a coalmine approval – but she’ll also comply with the law …

The host pointed out that there’s dispute over whether all the mines are existing, given the Queensland government and the company are looking at one as a separate mine. How can you say these are extensions of four, and not a new one? Bowen responded:

Well, they’re existing coalmines. You can cut it however you like but they are four coalmines there, and my point is also that we’re going to need metallurgical coal – coal for steel – for several years to come …

Updated

Nationals setting ‘far too much’ of Coalition climate policy – Bowen

The climate change and energy minister, Chris Bowen, was also up on ABC News Breakfast earlier, where he was asked about Keith Pitt’s resignation from politics (see earlier post).

Bowen said he wished Pitt the best but “I actually don’t agree with him”.

I think the problem is not that David Littleproud isn’t calling the shots, it’s that he is. I mean, the National party [is] setting far too much economic and climate policy for the Coalition. You got a whole group of climate change deniers in there and they’re driving policy.

One thing you shouldn’t let the National party near is climate change policy. Peter Dutton would be a worse prime minister for climate than Scott Morrison was and that’s in no small part because of the likes of Matthew Canavan and others …

Updated

Dutton’s nuclear plan ‘cover for keeping coal burning longer’

Sarah Hanson-Young also lashed the Coalition’s nuclear energy policy, labelling it a “cover for keeping coal burning for longer”.

Peter Dutton’s nuclear plan is dangerous because it delays climate action, it will make getting emissions down harder, it’s going to be more expensive for people, it’s going to be a big whack on the budget, but also a direct attack on everyone in Australia who has invested in putting solar panels on their own roofs.

Peter Dutton’s plan undermines all that and is going to make their power bills go high.

Updated

Coalmine expansion approval ‘appalling’, Greens senator says

As Graham Readfearn reports, the Albanese government has approved the expansion of four coalmines that climate campaigners estimate will release more than 850m tonnes of CO2 over their lifetime – equivalent to almost double Australia’s annual emissions.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young spoke with ABC News Breakfast about this earlier and labelled the decision “appalling” – as well as the environment minister’s “spin” of the government’s record on this in a post to X.

The Vulcan South mine, this is an approval for a coalmine in koala habitat – habitat that is already being destroyed … It sends the wrong message to the industry that they can go do whatever they like without approval and at the end of the day the minister will just roll over.

She pointed to a saying in politics – “putting out the bins” – and said “this is dumping the rubbish on Christmas Eve”.

If they wanted people to know about it, they wouldn’t have tried to hide it over the last 24 hours. They’re not proud of it, they know it’s damaging, they know it stinks, and they don’t have a plan to get out of the export of coal.

Updated

Nationals MP Keith Pitt announces departure from politics

Nationals politician Keith Pitt has announced his departure from politics, giving a serve to party leader David Littleproud on his way out, insinuating the Nats had lost “purpose” and taking aim at the Liberals’ net zero aspirations.

Pitt, the member for Hinkler, said in a statement that he had told colleagues he wouldn’t be contesting the 2025 election. He called his time in politics “an incredible privilege... some extraordinary successes, many highs and some unfortunate lows”.

While I know some will be disappointed, I’m sure my decision will be warmly welcomed by others. I wish Peter Dutton every success in 2025.

Pitt has been outspoken in his time in politics, both as a backbencher and in ministerial roles, most prominently as minister for resources under the Morrison government – which was one of the roles to which Scott Morrison secretly appointed himself. Pitt has also been a strong backer of nuclear energy, the mining sector, and against renewables.

It’s also understood the Hinkler MP had been an agitator against the direction of Littleproud’s leadership, with Pitt’s name bandied about as a potential challenger – or supporter of a challenge – for the Nationals leadership for some time, and as a backer of Barnaby Joyce.

In an interview with the Australian newspaper, when asked about Littleproud, Pitt said the two men “have very different views on what’s the priority and direction for the Nationals.”

In my view, political parties without purpose soon disappear ... I just think there’s been a shift in terms of policy positions that is sold as discipline but it’s more about obedience.

He said there hadn’t been enough focus on “the impact in the cost of committing to net zero emissions targets and the subsequent green policies that have to be paid for”.

And while there is literally zero impact on the temperature of the planet, it has huge impacts on the wallets of regional people.

Pitt’s broader media statement didn’t repeat such criticisms, but ended with a quote attributed to Martin Luther King:

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. I am confident I have never been silent. It has been a privilege to serve.

Updated

Birmingham on conflict in the Middle East

Earlier, ABC RN had spoken with the director of emergency at Médecins Sans Frontières, who said there were undeniable signs of ethnic cleansing in Gaza.

Simon Birmingham was asked if Australia should continue to support Israel in the face of these assessments and allegations? He responded there is “no doubt” an “immense human tragedy [that has] unfolded in Gaza”.

What Australia should continue to do is, indeed, support [our] democratic partner and ally in Israel and their right to self defence, but also apply maximum pressure for a ceasefire to be negotiated – one that sees hostages returned, one that sees terrorist capabilities surrendered at this conflict, which started all the way back on the seventh of October last year, from Hamas’ attacks …

Birmingham was asked if he regards Médecins Sans Frontières as a credible organisation? He said they were “certainly a credible organisation in the provision of relief [and] medical assistance” – but “different parties will add different commentary to their assessment of what’s happening on the ground.”

I don’t deny for a moment the realities in terms of the human suffering that is occurring, the tragedy that’s occurred there. The analysis is to causes of that, and how to get out of that? Something that then comes down to difficult decisions … Peace ultimately needs to see terrorists removed from a position where they could restart at any time.

Should sanctions against Syria be removed now Assad regime has fallen?

Moving to the Middle East, Simon Birmingham was asked whether sanctions Australia has had in place against Syria since 2011 should be reviewed now the Assad regime has fallen?

He said “obviously” sanctions should be under review “in terms of assessing how things unfold”, but added:

I wouldn’t rush to prejudge those conclusions that Australia would wish to see in Syria – a situation where all minorities, all peoples, have their rights protected, where Syria engages responsibly, not only with its own population in terms of their rights, but also with its neighbours … [If there are] strong steps in those directions … of course sanctions should be removed.

Shadow foreign minister questioned on nuclear waste from Coalition’s energy plan

The shadow foreign minister Simon Birmingham spoke with ABC RN earlier this morning, and was asked which scientific experts in Australia had come out in favour of the Coalition’s nuclear plan.

He responded that “I haven’t gone and compiled my own list there” – but pointed to discussions with formerCSIRO chief executive Larry Marshall as one example.

What we’ve seen Coalition do is develop independent economic modelling that’s been released – and yes, like all economic modelling, it has people who will criticise and analyse it …

Asked if there are any scientific experts in Australia who have endorsed the plan, he responded: “Well, I’m not sure what you mean there by scientific experts.” Asked another way – if the Coalition’s plan was safe and feasible – he replied:

It absolutely is.

He was also asked about nuclear waste, and the estimate of how much there would be, and responded that the scale for a country like Australia is “entirely manageable”.

Pushed to give a specific estimate, Birmingham said:

I don’t have a piece of paper in front of me that tells you the tonnage or weight of the size of waste. Not denying the fact that there is waste that comes from a nuclear power plant, [but it] is waste that is eminently manageable and sensible for a country like Australia …

Updated

New Parramatta light rail opens

The new Parramatta light rail has officially opened this morning after five years of construction and testing. Passenger services began for the new L4 Westmead and Carlingford line at 5am this morning.

Services will be every nine minutes in the peak between 7am to 7pm, and 12-16 minutes in the off-peak on Monday to Friday. And on weekends services will be every 12 minutes in the peak between 7am to 7pm, and 16 minutes in the off-peak.

Transport for NSW said the Parramatta light rail stage 1 would connect Westmead to Carlingford via the Parramatta CBD and Camellia, with a two-way track spanning 12km and 16 light rail stops.

This will connect passengers to the Westmead health precinct, CommBank stadium, Rosehill Gardens racecourse and three Western Sydney University campuses at Westmead, Parramatta and Rydalmere.

By 2026, about 22,000 people are expected to use the Parramatta light rail every day.

NSW transport minister Jo Haylen said it had been more than 140 years since the first steam-powered tram went through Parramatta in 1883.

It will be a historic moment for the people of western Sydney when they jump onboard the sleek, modern red and white light rail vehicles. I want to thank everyone for their patience while a significant amount of testing has been completed to get light rail ready for passengers.

Updated

More Australians want property prices to fall rather than rise – survey

A survey from the Australia Institute has found more Australians want property prices to fall rather than rise next year.

The survey sampled 1,009 people, finding renters (60%) overwhelmingly support price falls, with just 16% saying they’d like to see prices rise.

Less than half of all home owners want prices to keep rising, including 45% who own their homes outright and 42% who are paying off a mortgage.

Coalition voters were the only group where more people want prices to rise rather than fall (41% compared with 30%). More One Nation voters wanted prices to fall (48%) than rise (21%). 44% of Independent/other voters wanted prices to fall (44%) than rise (20%). For the Greens it was 40% fall and 32% rise, and Labor 35% fall and 31% rise.

Key findings of the survey include:

  • More Australians want property prices to decrease in the future (36%), than want them to increase (33%) or stay the same (18%).

  • Three in five Australians (60%) who rent want property prices to decrease.

  • Only two in five Australians who own their own homes, either with a mortgage or outright, want property prices to increase (42% and 45%, respectively).

  • Australians who own an investment property are the only group with a majority (59%) who want property prices to increase.

Matt Grudnoff, senior economist at the Australia Institute, said those who owned their own home might feel wealthier as prices rose, but “they have come to understand that it is coming at a terrible cost to so many people”.

Increasingly Australians are coming to the view that housing should be about a safe and secure place to live not a way to make money.

Updated

Five Bali Nine members arrive in home states

The five released members of the Bali Nine have arrived in their home states, according to The Australian.

The newspaper reported that Scott Rush, Matthew Norman, Michael Czugaj, Martin Stephens and Si Yi Chen were due to be en route to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane after spending four nights at a federally controlled facility in Darwin.

It reported that the men left Howard Springs Detention Centre yesterday amid a carefully planned attempt to shield them from the media waiting at the airport.

Victorian Liberals meet to decide on Moira Deeming's future

Victorian Liberal MPs will gather at 9am today to thrash out if Moira Deeming can return to the party room after she was defamed by party leader John Pesutto, AAP reports.

A motion calling for Deeming to re-enter the Liberal parliamentary party room will be debated and put to a vote at a special meeting ths morning.

It was signed by Benambra MP Bill Tilley, opposition emergency services spokesman Richard Riordan and first-term backbenchers Renee Heath, Joe McCracken and Chris Crewther.

The rebel group said they wanted to give their colleagues a chance to “do the right thing” after the federal court found Pesutto defamed her and ordered he pay $315,632 in damages.

Tilley, who has announced he will retire at the 2026 state election after a leukaemia diagnosis, insists the push is not an attack on Pesutto’s leadership. Here’s the background to the meeting:

More on northern Queensland downpours

Senior forecaster Miriam Bradbury from the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) spoke with ABC News Breakfast just earlier to provide an update on the wet weather forecast for northern Queensland.

She said a tropical low was developing over the Cape York Peninsula, and in the past 24 hours there had been widespread rainfalls of 50mm to 100mm between Port Douglas and Mackay.

But plenty of places – particularly centred around Townsville and Mackay – [are] seeing 100mm to 200mm. Really high rain rates as well, that’s a lot of rain falling in a short space of time. Some places say seeing 60mm to 70mm in 30 minutes, over 100mm in a couple of hours. It’s that kind of rainfall that leads to flash-flooding.

The tropical low is expected to move southeast across the North Tropical Coast today, continuing to direct heavy rainfall along the same stretch of coast, she said.

More of these really high rainfall totals are quite likely today … It is gradually going to start to move away [over the weekend] but, unfortunately today, and even into tomorrow, they’ll be quite wet days nonetheless.

Updated

Heavy showers and flooding forecast for Queensland’s tropical north

The sunshine state is not getting any sunnier, with more heavy showers and flooding on the horizon, AAP reports

Clear skies have been forecast for Queensland’s south-east after days of storms, causing road closures, power outages and flooding. The tropical north is set to get drenched today, with wet weather expected to linger for days.

Authorities issued a warning for people to stay out of flood water yesterday, with widespread falls of 30mm to 50mm in the south-east and along most of the eastern coast.

Updated

Delays and cancellations expected across Sydney and south coast train networks

Leave extra time if you’re commuting using the Sydney Train or south coast networks this morning. Protected industrial action is expected to cause delays and cancellations according to the state government.

In a statement last night, Transport for NSW said trains were not running between Wollongong and Bomaderry in both directions, with passengers urged to delay non-essential travel or take alternative routes:

Delays on the South Coast Line are expected to impact the morning peak.

Passengers were also warned of cancellations and delays for Sydney trains from Friday:

Sydney Trains again apologises to our passengers for the disruption, and thanks everybody for their understanding as staff work to minimise the impacts of this protected industrial action …

We are working through the full impact of the protected industrial action and will update passengers as soon as possible of any potential disruption to services.

Updated

Welcome

Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Emily Wind and I’ll be taking you through our rolling coverage for most of today.

Commuters in Sydney are facing more delays today amid protected industrial action on the city’s train network. Matt Longland, the chief executive of Sydney Trains, warned that it would be “a challenging period on the rail network” between now and New Year’s Eve after a failed legal attempt to quash the strike action. More coming up.

Victorian Liberal MPs will meet this morning to decide whether Moira Deeming should be allowed back into the party room after a federal court found she had been defamed by the party leader, John Pesutto. We’re expecting it to kick off at 9am and we’ll have more coming up.

We have been talking to members of Australia’s LGBTQ+ community after data released yesterday revealed almost one in 10 young people aged 16 to 24 are LGBTQ+ – 4.5% of people aged 16 and over. For some like Shayne Wilde, 67, it’s proof of society’s wider acceptance compared with her youth, while for 22-year-old Damien Nguyen, the figures provide a basis to keep pushing for more rights.

As always, you can reach out with any questions or feedback via email: emily.wind@theguardian.com. Let’s get started.

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