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National
Caitlin Cassidy and Royce Kurmelovs (earlier)

NSW SES commissioner warns area dams above 100% capacity – as it happened

Labor Sydney Australia Jane Garrett
A car is seen abandoned in floodwaters in Lansvale in Western Sydney
A car is seen abandoned in floodwaters in Lansvale in Western Sydney on Sunday. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

What we learned: Sunday, 3 July

With that, we will wrap the blog for the evening.

Where you are, stay safe, stay dry, stay warm, cuddle up to each other. Here were today’s major developments:

  • Thousands of New South Wales residents are subject to evacuation warnings and orders including parts of Sydney this evening as torrential rainfall continues to lash the state. Falls in excess of the past three major flood events - March 2021, March 2022 and April 2022 - are possible in some areas including the Hawkesbury Nepean, where the river at North Richmond is expected to reach 15 metres late this evening.
  • A man has drowned after his kayak capsized in the Parramatta River this afternoon. An investigation is underway.
  • Two cases of throat diphtheria have been detected in northern New South Wales in two young children. It’s the first time in a century the disease has been reported. Neither of the children, who are related, were vaccinated, and both are being treated in hospital.
  • Australia will lift its border restrictions on Wednesday in a major relaxation of the nation’s vaccination requirements. From 6 July, people will be able to travel to and from Australia without declaring their vaccination status. Mask restrictions will remain in place.
  • It comes as Australia passes 10,000 Covid-19 deaths. Australia recorded 30 deaths to the virus today, bringing the total toll to 10,014 since the pandemic began.

Updated

There are six evacuation centres in place in flood effected areas, with flooding escalating “very quickly” in the Hawkesbury Nepean area.

You can catch up on the latest weather updates here.

Updated

Here’s the latest from the Bureau of Meteorology:

In the Nepean River at Menangle ... river levels have exceeded the flood height reached in the March 2022 flood event (15.92m) and peaked slightly below the April 2022 flood height (16.83m).

Flood levels at North Richmond and Windsor are likely to exceed the flood levels reached in the past three major flood events since March 2021. Flood levels at Sackville and downstream are likely to be lower than the March 2022 levels.

The Nepean river at Penrith is currently at 9.21m and peaking, with moderate flooding. The Hawkesbury river at North Richmond (WPS) may reach around 15m [by] late Sunday evening, with major flooding. Further rises are possible with forecast rainfall.

The Hawkesbury river at Windsor (WPS) may reach around 13.30m during Monday with major flooding. Further rises are possible with forecast rainfall. The Hawkesbury river at Sackville [will] reach the major flood level (9.7m) Monday night into Tuesday. Further rises are possible with forecast rainfall.

The Hawkesbury river at Wisemans Ferry may reach around 4.2m during Tuesday with major flooding. Further rises are possible with forecast rainfall.

Updated

An update is being provided on the man who passed away after reportedly capsizing their kayak today. It has not yet been confirmed whether this incident was directly related to the flood event, however it’s understood there were witnesses.

It may well be related to the windy conditions but the actual incident is being investigated ... the circumstances surrounding it are still being investigated.

Updated

More than 1,800 requests for assistance have been made, York says.

Hundreds to thousands of homes are in areas currently at risk which may be under an evacuation warning. Homes and roofs have been damaged, trees are down and some vehicles are underwater.

York says sometimes it is impossible to provide an evacuation warning before an order is issued.

There are thousands of people effected by what we’re looking at tonight.

Flooded play equipment
Flooded play equipment in Camden in south-western Sydney. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Updated

Don’t travel if you don’t have to tonight, York says.

It doesn’t take much for a vehicle to be washed away in about a foot of water ... I don’t want to be reporting any loss of life.

A large number of rescues has also been reported of domestic and rural animals.

The priority is saving lives ... but we really want to make sure people make good decisions.

This could get significantly worse over the night, make safe decisions now. Look after yourselves.

York says all dams are currently above 100% capacity.

What we have is a particularly serious event that has escalated over the day and is forecast to escalate over the night.

We’re anticipating these levels will rise above the last 18 months of flood levels ... it’s important not to expect if your house survived ... you need to rethink that strategy.

We’re asking the community to be aware ... so you can make decisions now. If you are concerned, now is the time to make preparations and possibly leave your home.

Golding is speaking now. Dhe says the heaviest falls have been near Newcastle, but there a\has been steady rain in the northern Illawara and the Blue Mountains.

The east coast low is sitting off the Hunter coast, moving closer towards the NSW coast, and we’re expecting that to cross the coast tonight and bring rapid intensification of rainfall for areas in the Hunter, the Sydney, Blue Mountains and Illawarra districts.

Golding said rainfall in excess of 100mm had hit some places on top of hundreds of millimetres received in previous days.

The rainfall will bring an increase in gusty winds and gale forces over the coastline, with the risk of trees and powerlines coming down and expected coastal erosion issues.

She says some areas that haven’t experienced major flood levels should expect waters to rise.

We’re asking people along the central coast, the Blue Mountains as well, Sydney and the Illawarra which should deteriorate again after some reprieve today to stay on top of the forecasts and warnings.

Updated

Cooke says the state is facing dual threats including coastal erosion, with riverine flash flooding not expected to ease until Monday.

It was a long night last night, it’s been a very long day today and tonight will be a long night for our emergency services [and] volunteers.

Before you go to bed tonight check the latest advice from the Bureau, check in with the SES to ensure you’re up to date.

Updated

NSW government and SES give update on flood

The emergency services minister, Steph Cooke, is speaking now alongside the NSW SES commissioner, Carlene York, and the Bureau of Meteorology’s Jane Golding.

If you were safe in 2021 do not assume you will be safe tonight. This is a rapidly evolving situation and we could see areas impacted that we haven’t seen before.

Some 83 rescues have been responded to in the past 24 hours.

I’m respectfully asking people to avoid non-essential travel. The situation is rapidly evolving, it is escalating through the Hawkesbury-Nepean area.

Updated

Bureau of Meteorology expands severe weather warning area

The Bureau of Meteorology has released its latest update, expanding the severe weather warning area.

The east coast low is expected to continue in parts of the central east throughout this evening and Monday for the Illawarra, Sydney, Blue Mountains and Hunter districts, extending into southern parts of the mid North Coast.

Six hour rainfall totals between 70-120mm are possible on over Sydney and Illawarra districts on Monday, with damaging winds in excess of 90km likely along the coastal fringe tonight.

Some 104mm of rainfall was detected at Maitland in the seven hours to 4pm today, and 96mm was detected at Crawford.

Updated

Second diphtheria case detected in NSW

A second case of diphtheria has been detected in northern New South Wales in a six year old child, the North Coast Public Health Unit has confirmed.

The child is a close family contacted of the initial case reported today in a toddler, which was the first in a century.

The second case was not vaccinated against diphtheria and is currently being cared for at a Northern NSW Local Health District hospital, where they were admitted as a precaution.

The children’s close contacts have received post exposure prophylaxis, which can
include antibiotics and immunisation, to reduce the risk of transmission.

Diphtheria is a contagious, vaccine-preventable disease that is spread mainly through respiratory droplets during close contact.

Dr Paul Douglas, the director of North Coast Public Health, said the risk to the broader community is low.

However this is a very serious disease and can be fatal, so families should be alert and review the immunisation status of their children on the Australian Immunisation Register or with their medical provider, to ensure they are update with all vaccinations.

Diphtheria is very rare in Australia due to our longstanding childhood immunisation program. The diphtheria vaccination is free and readily available from your GP for everyone from six weeks of age. It is important that everyone keeps up to date with their vaccinations.

Updated

Man dies in Parramatta River

A man has drowned in Sydney after a kayak reportedly capsized, New South Wales police have confirmed.

In a statement, police said emergency services were called to Parramatta River off Abbotsford Parade in Abbotsford at about 2.45pm today after a man was seen struggling in the water.

A member of the public tried to assist him before officers, PolAir, Water Police and Marine Rescue arrived.

He died at the scene.

The man has not been identified.

Updated

More rainfall is forecast for Sydney tomorrow, including a possible 150mm in already drenched Penrith. Wild surf conditions will continue.

Updated

Warragamba Dam hit the 500 gigalitre a day rate at 2pm and is still rising. Stay safe out there.

NSW police issue reminder not to drive into flood waters

New South Wales police have issued a statement urging the community not to take risks in the flood conditions across the Hawkesbury-Nepean River catchment areas.

A severe weather warning for heavy rainfall and damaging winds remains in place for areas of Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and the Lower Hunter, extending to Ulladulla on the South Coast.

There are more than 15 flood evacuation orders in place for low-lying areas of Pleasure Point, Woronora, Wallacia and Camden.

Five evacuation centres have now been established:

  • Canley Vale – Cabra-Vale Diggers Club, 1 Bartley Street Canley Vale.
  • Narellan – Family & Community Centre, Queen Street, Narellan.
  • Gymea – Gymea Tradies Club, Kingsway Gymea.
  • Richmond – Richmond Club, Markey Street, Richmond.
  • North Richmond – North Richmond Community Centre, William Street, North Richmond.

The state deputy commissioner, Peter Thurtell, said emergency services were continuing to assist people isolated and impacted.

The NSW SES is urging those who are now unable to leave their homes to move to the highest, safest place possible. Police also remind people not to drive into flood waters, as they are not only putting their own lives at risk, but those of emergency services responding to those incidents.

Updated

Meanwhile, the prime minister has responded to the floods in New South Wales. He says ADF support has already been made available, with 100 troops activated in the Sydney region.

Earlier today, it was confirmed ADF were being requested to assist with sandbagging in flood effected areas.

ADF helicopters were “not required overnight but [are] available tonight”.

Updated

Full statement on Covid border restrictions lifting from Wednesday

The home affairs minister, Clare O’Neil, says the lifting of the vaccination declaration will be “one less thing” for travellers to worry about.

Updated

Vaccination mandates to ease on international flights

Travellers to and from Australia will no longer have to declare their Covid-19 vaccination status from 6 July, in a significant easing of pandemic travel restrictions.

Mask rules will remain in place.

It comes the same day Australia recorded its 10,000th death to the virus, a grim milestone.

The rules are on the advice of the chief medical officer.

Updated

Victoria’s former premier Steve Bracks has released a statement on the passing of Jane Garrett to cancer at age 49, sending his condolences to her loved ones.

Her family’s loss is beyond words.

Updated

New laws to crack down on WA councillors

Western Australia’s government has introduced a package of reforms to crack down on councillors behaving badly.

The changes to the Local Government Act will be the most significant in its more than 25-year-history, the state government says.

Among the reforms, councillors will face three-month suspensions if they seriously breach the Act, and 10-year bans from local government elected office if they are suspended three times.

A new inspector of local government will be appointed to investigate and oversee complaints, along with local government monitors, who can help resolve ongoing issues.

Recording council meetings will be mandated, and larger tier one and two local governments will be live-streamed.

The government plans to introduce the legislation to parliament by the end of the year, and the minister has set up a working group to figure out how to best implement the reforms.

– AAP.

Updated

How Australian homeowners can retrofit houses for warmth

It’s minus -4C when scientist Jenny Edwards arrives to inspect my bitterly cold Canberra home. Huddled inside with a coffee, dressed for an ascent to Everest base camp, I’m fretting over whether she’ll make it past the front deck. It’s iced over again.

I’m breathing fog in the kitchen and frost has covered the bay window in my bedroom.

Edwards and her technology-led, data-driven crew from Light House Architecture & Science are here to run a series of tests in an attempt to work out why the house feels so very cold. They’re going to show me the most cost-effective ways to make my house warmer.

Top of the list? Finding the tiny gaps and cracks in my home, and plugging them.

Check out what happened when Guardian Australia’s Christopher Knaus invited a team of architects into his home to find out why it felt so frosty.

Updated

The July 2022 flood breaks a record with around 715GL a day – nearly 1.5 times the size of Sydney Harbour on an average day – heading downstream towards Richmond and Windsor.

It’s also nearly three times the amount that flows over the Niagara Falls in a day.

Updated

National Covid Summary

Here are the latest coronavirus numbers from around Australia today, as the country records at least 30 deaths from Covid-19 for a national total of 10,014.

The figure means Australia has passed a grim milestone as new subvariants are placing considerable pressure on the nation’s health system.

ACT

  • Deaths: 0
  • Cases: 1,031
  • In hospital: 130 (with 4 people in ICU)

NSW

  • Deaths: 2
  • Cases: 8,864
  • In hospital: 1,657 (with 43 people in ICU)

Northern Territory

  • Deaths: 0
  • Cases: 256
  • In hospital: 20 (with 1 person in ICU)

Queensland

  • Deaths: 0
  • Cases: 3,971
  • In hospital: 630 (with 18 people in ICU)

South Australia

  • Deaths: 6
  • Cases: 2,413
  • In hospital: 226 (with 8 people in ICU)

Tasmania

  • Deaths: 0
  • Cases: 1,062
  • In hospital: 53 (with 3 people in ICU)

Victoria

  • Deaths: 22
  • Cases: 8,368
  • In hospital: 476 (with 20 people in ICU)

Western Australia

  • Deaths: 0
  • Cases: 4,390
  • In hospital: 223 (with 9 people in ICU)

Flood may exceed March 2021 levels: BoM

Bureau of Meteorology says flows in the Hawkesbury River at North Richmond may be higher than any flood recorded in the last two years.

Updated

Penny Wong and nuclear energy expert to discuss submarines

Australia’s foreign minister, Penny Wong, says the government is committed to the “highest” nuclear non-proliferation standards when it comes to securing new nuclear submarines.

Her comments come ahead of her visit with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency on Monday.

Part of the talks between Wong and the IAEA’s director general, Rafael Grossi, will focus on Australia’s approach to acquiring the non-nuclear armed but nuclear-powered submarines.

Penny Wong
Australia’s foreign minister, Penny Wong. Photograph: Luong Thai Linh/EPA

“We are committed to the highest possible non-proliferation standard,” she said on Sunday.

Australia has been a signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty for more than 50 years.

This has been put at odds with a decision under the previous Morrison government to replace Australia’s ageing diesel-powered submarine fleet with nuclear ones.

The first of these new submarines are unlikely to be online until the late-2030s to early-2040s, forcing upgrades to the outdated Collins-class fleet.

The acting prime minister and defence minister, Richard Marles, hoped to have the new nuclear fleet online soon but has previously floated the 2040 likelihood.

“I’ll be doing everything we can to try and get an earlier result,” he told Sky News on Sunday.

Whenever we can get those submarines, in whatever year that is, whatever potential capability gap that opens up, we will seek to have a solution for that.

- AAP.

Updated

Incredible flow rates being recorded in the upper Nepean.

New updates from NSW authorities:

Moreland council votes to change name to Merri-bek

A Melbourne council has voted to change its name to an Indigenous word, cutting ties with an 18th century Jamaican slave estate.

Councillors voted in a special meeting on Sunday to change Moreland City Council in Melbourne’s inner north to Merri-bek, meaning “rocky country”. The name was among three put forward by Wurundjeri elders, and supported by 59% of more than 6,300 ratepayers who filled out a survey.

The member for Brunswick, Tim Read, posted on Twitter that the council had voted to become Merri-Bek City Council, seven to three.

Moreland Council offices
Moreland Council offices in Bell Street, Coburg on June 22, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia. Photograph: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

The vote represented a momentous day of celebration, reconciliation, and healing for the community, councillor Annalivia Carli Hannan said.

“Merri-bek has clear support from the community, and we hope to start formally implementing the name later this year, once it is approved by the minister for local government.”

The number of people who chose Merri-bek was significant and reflected a spread of postcodes and demographics, Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation’s deputy chair, Uncle Andrew Gardiner, said.

“We thank the people for their responses and we are proud to walk with them with their new council name that reflects the vision of ‘one community, proudly diverse’, and a council that backs up its statement of commitment with action and respect.”

Following the vote, the new name will be submitted to the newly appointed local government minister, Melissa Horne, for consideration, with final approval at the discretion of Victoria’s governor, Linda Dessau.

Jerrang, meaning ‘”leaf of tree”, and Wa-dum-buk, meaning “renew”, were the other two name options, garnering 22% and 13% of the vote respectively.

The council last year voted to start consultation with traditional owners and the community on changing its name after discovering it came from land between Moonee Ponds Creek to Sydney Road that Farquhar McCrae acquired in 1839.

He named the area Moreland after a Jamaican slave plantation his father and grandfather operated from 1770 to 1796, which produced sugar and rum and traded slaves, with 500 to 700 enslaved people there in any one year.

It is expected the council will start changing its name on digital materials and major signage later in 2022.

– from AAP.

Updated

A Queensland police whistleblower has claimed she was directed to withhold evidence of police failures in domestic violence cases from the state coroner’s office, and that detectives did not properly investigate the deaths of at least four First Nations women who had previously been subject to repeated violence by their partners.

The former senior sergeant – a veteran of more than 20 years in the Queensland Police Service (QPS) – worked as a police liaison to the domestic and family violence death review unit, which is part of the state coroner’s office. Her role in 2020 included auditing death investigations for any link to domestic and family violence (DFV).

The officer, who has asked not to be named, recently made a submission to the commission of inquiry into police culture. The statement – not released to the public but seen by Guardian Australia – alleged it was “made explicitly clear” by her supervising officer that “I was to protect the QPS’s reputation at all costs”.

For more, read the full story from Guardian Australia’s Queensland correspondent, Ben Smee.

Updated

Borrowers set for another big rate rise

There appears little doubt that the Reserve Bank of Australia will lift the cash rate again when its board meets on Tuesday, the third monthly hike in a row.

If economists are correct, borrowers will be looking at another 50 basis point increase as the RBA tries to rein inflation as it balloons towards 7% this year from an already lofty 5.1%.

In his recent public appearances, the RBA governor, Philip Lowe, has made it clear that his board will do all that is necessary to bring inflation back to the 2-3% target.

However, he appeared to rule out taking a lead from the US Federal Reserve, which last month jacked up its key rate by 75 basis points, the biggest move in nearly 30 years.

Lowe told a conference that he expects the RBA board will have the same discussion as it did in June, when the option of 25 or 50 basis point increases were on the table.

– From AAP

Updated

No Covid-19 deaths in Queensland

No people with Covid-19 have died in Queensland overnight, with the state recording 3,971 new cases on Sunday morning, 630 people in hospital, and 18 in ICU.

No new Covid-19 deaths in WA

No people with Covid-19 have died in Western Australia overnight, with the state recording 4,390 new cases on Sunday morning, 223 people in hospital, and 9 in ICU.

Six new Covid-19 deaths in South Australia

Six people with Covid-19 have died in South Australia overnight, with the state recording 2,413 new cases on Sunday morning, 226 people in hospital, 8 in ICU and one on ventilation.

No amount of flags could encourage me to swim in this weather.

The Bureau of Meteorology has warned of waves of up to five metres for much of the NSW coast, with a marine wind warning in place for today and Monday.

Be careful out there.

Updated

Some photos of the floods today:

As our economics correspondent has noted, this weather prefaced an extremely dry month.

You can catch up on why we’re seeing so much rainfall here. Unfortunately, this weather pattern could be sticking around for awhile yet.

More floods forecast for Australia’s east as La Niña weather pattern lingers | Australia weather | The Guardian

Tasmania records 1,062 new Covid cases

Tasmania has reported 1,062 new Covid cases overnight and no further deaths.

There are 53 people being treated in hospital with the virus, an increase of six.

There are three people currently being treated in ICU.

Statewide, there are 7,174 active cases.

Not sure why you’d want to right now but just in case anyone out there had the urge to go camping around Bendeela, it isn’t happening.

No new Covid-19 deaths in ACT

No people with Covid-19 have died in the ACT overnight, with the territory recording 1,031 new cases on Sunday morning, 130 people in hospital, and 4 in ICU.

Major flood occurring at North Richmond

The Bureau of Meteorology has confirmed a major flood event taking place in North Richmond, with river levels expected to rise to equal those seen in March 2022.

The situation has been caused by a “lingering La Niña” which has primed the Indian Ocean to shift moisture from north-west Australia to the south-east, dumping rain across Sydney.

Authorities have expected the situation to develop since May but the scale at which dams have filled and floodwaters have risen has taken many by surprise.

The Warragamba dam began to spill at 2am last night and is currently spilling at more than 400GL a day – and rising. This is roughly equivalent to almost a full Sydney Harbour’s worth of water, a rate last seen during the floods earlier this year, which hit 500GL a day.

Updated

The South Australian Liberals are set to retain the prized state seat of Bragg in a byelection forced by the resignation of the former deputy premier Vickie Chapman – but not before being pushed to the wire, AAP reports.

With only postal and pre-poll votes to count this week, Liberal Jack Batty is clinging to a narrow lead over Labor’s Alice Rolls after another big swing to the ALP.

With about 50% counted, Batty had 50.9% of the two-party preferred vote to 49.1% for Rolls.

In the March state election, Chapman’s 16% margin was halved to 8%.

But most of that has now been wiped out in another strong performance by Labor, with the party also benefiting through preferences from the Greens.

Greens candidate Jim Bastiras attracted almost 18% of the primary vote, well up on the 13% the party managed at the state election.

About 9,000 voters cast either an early ballot or applied to vote by post in Bragg, with those ballots to be counted from Monday. They could now prove crucial to the result.

Updated

For all of the drama that forever surrounds Nick Kyrgios, there has been one undeniable constant of his season so far – his tennis.

Quietly, Kyrgios is playing some of the best tennis of his life and – even though he has competed sparingly – almost every time he has taken to the court this year his level has been high.

As a consequence, he has put himself in the position for the deep grand slam run that has evaded him so far in his career. But when so much toxicity constantly surrounds him, talking only about Kyrgios’ tennis can sometimes seem like the most difficult task in the world.

Nick Kyrgios celebrating
Nick Kyrgios celebrates winning his third round match at Wimbledon. Photograph: Dave Shopland/Rex/Shutterstock

In a contest that lived up to all of the anticipation, from gripping, quality tennis to farcical, unhinged chaos, Kyrgios inserted himself deep into Stefanos Tsitsipas’s psyche and eventually emerged as a victor, defeating Tsitsipas, the No 4 seed, 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-3 7-6 (7) to reach the fourth round of Wimbledon.

Afterwards, Tsitsipas called Kyrgios a bully and suggested that the tour should act to stop his on-court antics:

It’s constant bullying, that’s what he does. He bullies the opponents. He was probably a bully at school himself. I don’t like bullies. I don’t like people that put other people down. He has some good traits in his character, as well. But he also has a very evil side to him.

For the full story read Tumaini Carayol’s report from Wimbledon.

Updated

For the data-driven types keeping track:

Meanwhile, things are getting intense on the Hawkesbury-Nepean river.

The acting prime minister, Richard Marles, has said he is “deeply committed” to reforming the Australian Defence Force after the Afghanistan war crimes inquiry, declaring that “history will judge us”.

In an interview with Guardian Australia, the defence minister said the nation must “make right this appalling set of circumstances” and he promised to keep parliament informed of progress – a step avoided by his predecessor, Peter Dutton.

Marles said the new government was not going to “rake over old coals in terms of decisions that have been made by the former government”.

This indicates he is unlikely to revoke the meritorious unit citation from more than 3,000 current and former ADF members who served in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2013, given that Dutton decided against doing so in April last year. Dutton overruled advice from defence leadership.

But Marles said it was “hugely important” to implement lasting reforms following the “deeply troubling” findings of the inquiry headed by Maj Gen Paul Brereton.

The inquiry found “credible” information to implicate 25 current or former ADF personnel in the alleged unlawful killing of 39 individuals and the cruel treatment of two others.

For all the details, read the full story by Guardian Australia’s foreign affairs and defence correspondent, Daniel Hurst.

Updated

NSW reports century-first diphtheria case

A toddler is in intensive care after contracting the first case of diphtheria of the throat in New South Wales in a century, AAP reports.

Diphtheria is a contagious and potentially deadly bacterial infection. It affects the throat and tonsils in its most severe form, resulting in a greyish-white membrane forming that can make it hard to swallow and breathe.

The infection can also cause the neck to swell, according to NSW Health, while the toxin formed by bacteria can cause inflammation of the heart muscle and nerves.

That can be fatal in five to 10% of people infected.

The North Coast Public Health Unit confirmed the case in a two-year-old child in northern NSW on Saturday.

The toddler was not vaccinated against diphtheria, and their family members and other close contacts have received post-exposure prophylaxis to reduce the risk of transmission.

Post-exposure prophylaxis can include antibiotics and immunisation.

The child is in an intensive care unit at a Queensland hospital and has received diphtheria antitoxin, antibiotics and respiratory support.

There is no ongoing risk to the broader community but families should be alert and review their children’s immunisation status, North Coast Public Health director Paul Douglas said.

Updated

Backyard bee keepers are being asked to spy on the stingless native variety in a bid to unravel their mysterious sex lives.

Native bees are essential workers when it comes to pollinating Australia’s indigenous plants and wildflowers, but scientists know far more about the reproductive habits of introduced species.

Queensland University researcher Dr Tobias Smith says he hopes to change that by recruiting an amateur army willing to monitor hives on their farms, gardens or schoolyards.

“It’s as easy as watching a hive’s entrance for three minutes a week and recording information about bee behaviour,” Smith said.

One of the mysteries he wants to solve is how native stingless bees set up new colonies.

“When European honey bees want to create a new colony they send off a big swarm of bees; half the bees from a colony with the queen, and they fly off to find a new place to nest,” Smith said.

“Back at the old place a princess takes over with the other half of the bees. Now that’s big, obvious and dramatic.”

Bee researcher Tobias Smith wants to recruit citizen scientists to monitor native bees.
Bee researcher Tobias Smith wants to recruit citizen scientists to monitor native bees. Photograph: Bronte Calvert

But Smith said the process with native bees was difficult to study because the process was less clear-cut.

“It is a much more cryptic process where bees travel back and forth to the new colony site over many weeks or months,” he said.

Instead of the queen leaving to set up a colony, as is the case with European honey bees, native stingless bee queens can’t fly – and instead a princess daughter must venture out to establish a new base.

“We know really basic things about these broad differences, but all the little details and how often this happens we know pretty much nothing about,” Smiths said.

Visit the website for more information on how to join the Native Bee Citizen Science Project.

– from AAP.

Updated

Sydney residents urged to stay home

Cooke speaking again now saying that “it is really not the time to travel if you are in those area that are impacted” and authorities are expecting the worst of the weather system to hit over the next 24 hours.

These weather events have rolled through our state consistently this year and I’d very much acknowledge the impact that they continue to have on our communities.

Updated

Evacuation centres set up for those fleeing Sydney floods

Carlene York from New South Wales State Emergency Services advises people to take precautions – prepare evacuation bags now, pay attention to flood warnings and leave early if they are in an at-risk area.

Evacuation centres have been set up for people who need them and people are warned to be careful of falling trees and items from balconies.

Updated

Thunderstorm warning issued for Sydney

Golding warned of incoming thunderstorms developing which will increase the risk of flash flooding:

For the Sydney area, we can expect more heavy rain today, particularly out towards the Blue Mountains and the western Sydney area over the Hawkesbury-Nepean, and we can expect more heavy rainfall to affect the Central Coast and other parts of the Hunter district today.

Golding asked residents along the Nepean river to pay attention to warnings and listen to emergency services as the flood waters reach their peak.

And this your regular reminder not to drive into flood waters – and if you absolutely have to because it is a life-threatening emergency, wind down your windows first.

A car abandoned in floowaters in Lansvale in Sydney’s south-west.
A car abandoned in flood waters in Lansvale in Sydney’s south-west. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Updated

Jane Golding from the Bureau of Meteorology is now giving an update on an “unfortunate rainfall event”, including rainfall measures and flood warnings.

Golding:

Over the last 24 hours alone, some locations – many locations – have experienced upwards of 200mm, and some along the Illawarra, close to 350mm.

The east coast low is continuing to develop as forecast and the forecast is for it to continue to develop and track slowly southwards and closer to the Hunter coast and to the Sydney coast over the next 24 hours.

The signs are it will remain in our region through until Tuesday before gradually shifting offshore some more.

Updated

SES have conducted 29 flood rescues in 24 hours

Cook:

In the same at 24 hours, they have conducted, with the support of our other emergency service organisations, 29 flood rescues. In the space of 24 hours, we have seen at 945 SES personnel stood up and working around the clock to respond to this current and unfolding emergency situation with this weather system.

Updated

East coast low forms; Warragamba dam spilling

Emergency services minister Steph Cooke says New South Wales is facing “dangers on multiple fronts” and encouraged residents in greater Sydney to evacuate early.

Cooke said an east coast low has formed this morning and is expected to continue until Tuesday which is producing excessive rainfall rates.

“This means even more torrential rain,” Cook said. “It means a strong, damaging winds, and it means coastal erosion. For Sydney, the Central Coast and the south coast. And the Illawarra.

“We are now facing dangers on multiple fronts – flash flooding, riverine flooding and coastal erosion. So, if you live anywhere between Newcastle and Batemans Bay, please don’t be caught unaware by the current weather situation. This is a life-threatening emergency situation.”

Cooke said the Warragamba dam began to spill at 2am this morning “well ahead of predictions,” with the State Emergency Service having responded to “more than 1,400 requests for assistance” in the last 24 hours.

A car park is inundated by flood waters in Lansvale in Sydney on Sunday.
A car park is inundated by flood waters in Lansvale in Sydney on Sunday. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Updated

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued an update extending the area covered by its severe weather warning across western Sydney and up the NSW coast.

Rain totals in the 24 hours to 9am Sunday AEST reached 93mm for Sydney’s Observatory Hill, while Camden in the city’s south-west reached 156mm. Both Lucas Heights and the Holsworthy defence site received about 240mm.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued multiple warnings of severe weather and also flood warnings for the region.

All eyes are on the Warragamba dam as water levels continue to build to capacity – and beyond.

The rate at which it is filling is forcing calculations to be rerun and currently it is believed the rate will nudge 500Gl/day – or a quarter of the massive dam’s total capacity.

In addition to the risk of a major flooding event – the third this year – that will put the lives and property of those living on the floodplain downriver at risk, the concern about the spill relates to timing: it began about half a day earlier than expected.

It is a reminder of how fast weather events can moved as climate change increasingly makes systems more energetic.

According to the CSIRO, climate change is expected to make heavy rainfall events more intense as warmer air can hold more water vapour. Every degree of global warming results in a 7% increase in atmospheric moisture.

Updated

Australia passes 10,000 Covid-19 deaths

Australia has officially surpassed the grim milestone of 10,000 deaths from Covid-19 on Sunday.

New South Wales and Victoria reported a combined total of 24 deaths overnight, bringing the nation’s total to 10,008.

The number is expected to grow over Sunday as other states and territories report their numbers.

For more detail check out Guardian Australia’s reporting retracing the road to 10k.

Updated

On abortion, Pocock says “we can’t take ... hard-won gains for granted”:

As has been pointed out by many people - you can’t ban abortions, all you can do is ban access to safe abortions. And clearly the cost of abortions in Australia disproportionately affect vulnerable women in our communities and women who live in regional and rural Australia. I believe it should be covered by Medicare and the PBS.

On the recognition of an Indigenous Voice to Parliament:

We have got the oldest living cultures in the world here in Australia and we need that wisdom, leadership and connection to this incredible continent more than ever. To me, the Uluru Statement from the Heart is the most generous offering to all Australians and I back it in in its entirety.

And that’s a wrap!

Updated

Allocation of parliamentary staff should be ‘decided by independent body’, Pocock says

On the staffing issue, which has been the first big division in the new parliament, Pocock says he “doesn’t feel like he is in a fight” but the cut will limit his ability to meet with constituents and review legislation as it comes in.

For me, the thing that this has highlighted is the allocation of staff should probably be decided by an independent body at an arm’s length and shouldn’t be decided by the prime minister of the day. I think you said earlier in the week, you know, this staffing shouldn’t be used to reward or punish anyone.

Updated

The conversation now turns to a national integrity commission that the government has been consulting on. Karvelas is probing Pocock on his position. She asked whether Pocock supports a commission empowered to sack MPs through a code of conduct and a structure around that.

Pocock said he’d have concerns about an unelected body being able to dismiss elected officials.

I’m not a lawyer, but I’m guessing that there would be some constitutional hurdles with that one. But I can certainly look more into it, but as I said, it wouldn’t be, you know, an elected body. It’s an independent commission and I think actually being able to shine a light on corruption, to deal with it and then, you know, refer it to the police where needed.

Updated

Conversation has now moved on to voluntary assisted dying legislation, which Pocock has advocated.

Pocock describes the lack of movement on this is a “longstanding injustice”.

Every state has now legislated on voluntary assisted dying. But when it comes to a vote at a federal level, this is not about legislating voluntary assisted dying, this is a question whether the territories should have the same right to debate and legislate on that.

Asked whether he wants the government to commit to a conscience vote on any legislation, Pocock says: “I don’t need to claim credit for this. I just want to see it done.”

Updated

Karvelas asks about that time Pocock was arrested for chaining himself to mining equipment to protest against a coalmine expansion in New South Wales and whether, given this history, whether he could support legislation that would allow the construction of new mines.

Pocock answers that the IPCC was “very clear” that keeping warming below 2C means “we can’t approve and open up new fossil fuel projects” but adds “we have to actually be getting targets in place and then having the policy to have an orderly transition to renewables”.

My sense is that the community does want something legislated. We actually have to be able to legislate something and move forward and so I’m committed to being constructive when it comes to action to make sure we legislate something, and look at other ways how to ramp that up over time but crucially to be looking after regional communities who have relied on fossil fuels for generations.

Updated

David Pocock grilled over climate target

Patricia Karvelas is interviewing David Pocock on ABC Insiders now, asking whether the senator will wave through Labor’s climate bill as is – despite his concerns that it doesn’t go far enough.

In terms of the 43%, I have been very open saying that I’d like to see a higher target, but my sense is that what Australians really want is a target to be legislated. We have to actually bank some of these gains and I want to see a target with integrity. There’s some real concerns about the way that we’re actually getting to whatever target we set and that will be my focus.

Independent senator David Pocock.
Independent senator David Pocock. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Updated

Independent ACT Senator David Pocock will be speaking to ABC’s Insiders this morning and the New South Wales SES will be holding a press conference at 10am AEST.

We’ll bring you the latest as it happens.

Victoria reports 22 new Covid deaths and 476 people in hospital

Twenty-two people with Covid-19 have died in Victoria overnight, with the state recording 8,368 new cases on Sunday morning, 476 people in hospital, 20 in ICU and four on ventilation.

Updated

Evacuation orders issued across New South Wales

Thousands of people in low-lying areas around Sydney are being asked to evacuate another an east coast low threatened to trigger the region’s third major flooding since March.

Heavier-than-forecast rain in Sydney’s west – including more than 230mm collected in less than 24 hours at Lucas Heights – has prompted authorities to reassess the flood risks. Major flooding was already happening at Menangle on the Nepean River and similar outcomes were expected in the Hawkesbury-Nepean River downstream.

The NSW State Emergency Service overnight issued emergency alert text messages to communities along Hawkesbury-Nepean catchments in preparation for potential evacuations overnight and over the coming days.

The SES received more than 1000 calls for assistance overnight and conducted at least 26 rescues.

The areas receiving alerts were: Menangle, Liverpool, Milperra, Camden, North Richmond, Wallacia, Penrith, Sackville, Upper Colo and Windsor. Parts of Camden and Wallacia received evacuation orders on Sunday morning, with more expected.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued multiple warnings of severe weather and also flood warnings for the region.

Updated

NSW reports two new Covid deaths and 1,657 in hospital

Two people with Covid-19 have died in New South Wales overnight, with the state recording 8,864 new cases on Sunday morning, 1,657 people in hospital and 43 in ICU.

Updated

Victorian Labor MP Jane Garrett dies from breast cancer

The family of Jane Garrett has been offered a state funeral to farewell the former Victorian emergency services minister who has died from breast cancer at the age of 49.

Premier Daniel Andrews said the service would be “a fitting way to mark her significant contribution” to the state.

Garrett – an MP since 2010 – was diagnosed with cancer in 2016 and announced late last year she would not stand for re-election in the 2022 state poll.

The member for Brunswick and for Eastern Victoria quit cabinet in 2016 over a controversial firefighters’ union pay deal.

Jane Garrett speaks to the media in Melbourne in 2016.
Jane Garrett speaks to the media in Melbourne in 2016. Photograph: Angus Livingston/AAP

In a statement on Saturday Andrews praised Garrett’s heartfelt advocacy for working people. He said:

Jane lived a life of service to the labour movement, to the Labor party, and to our state. On behalf of the Victorian Government and the Parliamentary Labor Party, I offer our deep condolences to Jane’s family, friends and colleagues - and all those who knew and loved her.

I cannot imagine the grief her family, particularly her three children, must be feeling at this incredibly difficult time - my thoughts are with them.

Her death on Saturday evening was announced in a statement from her family, who praised her “contagious love of life and people”.

We are devastated by the passing this afternoon of our beloved mother, sister, daughter, dear friend Jane Garrett, following a long battle with cancer.

Unfortunately, Jane’s cancer recently returned after some time in remission, and she was admitted to hospital earlier this week.

We will remember Jane always for her contagious love of life and people; her intense compassion and the drive which made her a very fierce advocate for women and those most disadvantaged.

Her intellect, wit and generosity are irreplaceable, and her loss leaves a huge hole in the Garrett family.

She is survived by her three children, Molly, aged 19, 15-year-old Sasha, and Max, 10.

– From AAP.

Updated

Incredible imagery from the Bureau of Meterology shows the situation across NSW.

Heavy rain across New South Wales is causing dams to spill, with Warragamba expected to overtop later today – raising the prospect of major floods.

The volume of water is hard to appreciate but the speed with which the situation developed has surprised experts:

I don’t speak math (so please check my figures) but that is roughly equivalent to 54,800 Olympic swimming pools flowing out of Warragamba dam a day and 94,000 Olympic swimming pools spilling from Menangle weir.

Updated

Good morning

Welcome to the Guardian live blog on a rather damp Sunday morning.

Evacuation orders have been issued for residents of Sydney’s south-west and central coast as the state continues to be battered by torrential rains. The State Emergency Service has responded to over 1,000 calls overnight and the Australian defence force remains on standby to assist.

WaterNSW is reported that with significant rain over the last 24 hours, Avon, Cordeaux, Nepean and Woronora dams have started to spill, with Warragamba dam expected to overtop as early as Sunday afternoon.

Victorian premier Daniel Andrews has offered the family of Labor MP Jane Garrett a state funeral after she died from breast cancer at the age of 49. Garrett, elected in 2010, was diagnosed with cancer in 2016 and announced last year she would not be standing for re-election in 2022.

I’m Royce Kurmelovs and I’ll be bringing you all today’s events. It’s easy to miss stuff, especially when things get busy, so if you spot something happening in Australia and think it should be on the blog, you can find me on Twitter at @RoyceRk2 where my DMs are open.

Let’s get going.

Updated

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