The day that was, Monday 16 January
We will wrap up the live blog for Monday here. Here’s what made the news today:
Tennis star Nick Kyrigos has withdrawn from the Australian Open with a knee injury.
It comes as he is facing a please-explain from police and potential fines for riding an electric scooter while not wearing a helmet and with a passenger aboard.
Dave Rennie has been fired as Wallabies coach with Eddie Jones to coach the team for the 2023 World Cup in a five-year deal that will take him through to the 2027 World Cup.
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission report has found over 7,000 serious incidents in disability homes over the last four years, with many including abuse.
One of the victims of the Gold Coast Sea World helicopter crash, Sydney mother,Vanessa Tadros, was farewelled at a funeral in Mt Druitt.
NSW premier Dominic Perrottet has gotten into a war of words with former premier Bob Carr over Carr’s comments about Perrottet’s 21st costume of a Nazi uniform. Perrottet has blamed the former Labor leader for putting “pokies on every street corner” in the state.
Ukraine is calling for more Australian military aid after a Russian missile strike killed 30 people in a residential block in Dnipro on Saturday.
Tens of thousands of Medibank customers have signed up for a complaint against the health insurer over the hack that resulted in 9.7 million customers’ data being posted on the dark web.
Until tomorrow, I hope you have a pleasant evening.
Updated
📸 An #AusArmy CH-47F Chinook moved vital fuel stores into the #Kimberley region to support the state's flood relief efforts. The helicopter conducted two external lifts of almost 10,000 litres of aviation fuel. #OpFloodAssist. 🚁⛽ #YourADF @nemagovau pic.twitter.com/pY9WarKg2v
— Defence Australia (@DefenceAust) January 16, 2023
Lifeline is reporting that its voice, text, and chat services are down at the moment.
Currently Lifeline Voice, Text and Chat services are unavailable due to a technical issue. We are working hard to resolve the issue and get the service back online as soon as possible.
— Lifeline (@LifelineAust) January 16, 2023
If life is in danger call Triple Zero 000 pic.twitter.com/aNuY63Z6eE
Share market finishes at highest level since April 2022
The local share market has gained ground for the eighth time this year, to finish at its highest level since April, AAP reports.
The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index on Monday closed was 60.1 points, or 0.82%, to 7388.2, its highest close since 29 April.
The broader All Ordinaries gained 64.9 points, or 0.86%, to 7605.
In the 10 trading sessions this year, the ASX has gained 349 points, or 4.97%, having suffered two days of losses.
The Australian dollar meanwhile was hovering just under 70 US cents, a level it hasn’t traded at since August.
It was buying 69.93 US cents, from 69.67 US cents at Friday’s ASX close.
Cryptocurrencies were also rallying, with Bitcoin trading above $A30,000 for the first time since early November.
The original cryptocurrency is up 23% in the past seven days.
Updated
Australian film star Cate Blanchett in accepting her second award for the past week for her role in Tár has criticised the way award shows are run as a “televised horse race” when every role should be celebrated, describing it as a “patriarchal pyramid”.
Blanchett said at the Critics’ Choice Awards:
Why don’t we just say there is a whole raft of female performances that are in concert and in dialogue with one another.
Blanchett also won best actress in a drama motion picture at the Golden Globes last week.
Cate Blanchett said to stop pitting women against each other and she's so right!#CriticsChoiceAwards pic.twitter.com/L8gGuTEpvi
— Rina (@bbblanchett) January 16, 2023
Sidenote: Tár came out in the US in October last year, but isn’t out for wide release in Australia until 26 January, despite starring an Australian…
Updated
A #SevereThunderstorm #Warning has been issued for the #Alps. Further updates can be expected this afternoon and evening, and other parts of the #NSW may be affected. The latest warning details are here: https://t.co/Wh8a1S7ZdW pic.twitter.com/PwYanGCmtA
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) January 16, 2023
Australian man killed in Nepal plane crash named
Sydney man Myron Love has been named by Nepali authorities as one of those feared dead in the nation’s worst aviation disaster in three decades.
Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority on Monday released the names, passport numbers and nationalities of the 72 passengers and crew onboard the plane that crashed west of Kathmandu, shortly before it was due to land. So far, at least 68 people have been confirmed dead.
Updated
Queensland mine faces fresh legal challenge
The decision to approve a thermal coalmine in some of Queensland’s richest agricultural soil appears to be headed back to the courts after activists lodged an appeal to review its water licence, paving the way for a fresh legal challenge.
New Hope Corp received that licence for a 12-year extension to its mothballed New Acland project on the Darling Downs north of Toowoomba last October, giving it the greenlight to restart production and dig up another 90m tonnes of coal.
Oakey Coal Action Alliance (OCAA) and Lock the Gate lodged an application for a departmental review into that decision on Monday, with OCAA’s Paul King flagging a Land Court challenge should the decision not be reversed.
New Hope has successfully challenged judicial rulings against the controversial mine for which it has fought for more than a decade, meaning another legal stoush is almost certain, regardless of the outcome of the department’s internal review.
Updated
Warning of ‘life-threatening’ flooding for Queensland
A severe thunderstorm warning for dangerous and life-threatening flooding has been issued for Queensland’s far north as heavy rain continues to lash the region, AAP reports.
Rising floodwaters have cut the north’s primary transport corridor, with the Bruce Highway closed in multiple locations.
The warning includes coastal areas between Ayr and St Lawrence and adjacent inland areas and follows torrential falls of 100mm in an hour just northwest of Airlie Beach.
Minor, moderate and major flood warnings have been issued for multiple river systems across Queensland, with further warnings likely in coming days.
Major flood warnings are current for the Don River and Pioneer River.
Daily rainfall totals are likely to exceed 200mm, with isolated totals up to 400mm possible.
The Bureau of Meteorology says six-hour rainfall totals of up to 180mm are likely in Mackay, Proserpine, Bowen, Collinsville, Hamilton Island and Ayr on Monday.
However, the coast and ranges north of Mackay could be pummelled with between 250mm and 400mm in the next 24 hours.
“Locally intense rainfall which may lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding is also possible over far southeastern parts of the Herbert and Lower Burdekin coast and the Central Coast and Whitsundays,” the bureau said in an alert.
The forecaster said six-hour totals of up to 150mm are possible in parts of the Central Highlands and Coalfields district as well.
It follows days of wet weather with falls of 317mm recorded at Jubilee Pocket, 299mm at Peter Faust Dam, 252mm at Preston, 237mm at Bowen and 230mm at Proserpine.
Updated
The minister for agriculture, Murray Watt, has announced former independent MP for Indi, Cathy McGowan, has been appointed as the chair of research corporation AgriFutures Australia.
Pleased to announce Cathy McGowan AO as new Chair of @AgriFuturesAU which invests in R&D in emerging ag like sesame, hemp & seaweed & growing industries like rice, chicken meat, honey. Cathy brings wealth of experience as 6th generation farmer, former Pres of @AustWomenInAg & MP. pic.twitter.com/kQijwDZGx8
— Senator Murray Watt (@MurrayWatt) January 16, 2023
Just a bit more on Nick Kyrigos’ withdrawal from the Australian Open, via AAP.
“I’m obviously extremely disappointed,” Kyrgios said.
“Going in as one of the favourites, it’s brutal.”
He had been scheduled to play Russian Roman Safiullan in the first round on Tuesday night.
The 19th seed’s scratching is another hammer blow to the Melbourne Park major, which was already ravaged by superstar withdrawals and retirements.
Women’s titleholder Ash Barty, seven-times champion Serena Williams, her sister Venus, dual winner Naomi Osaka and retired legend Roger Federer are all missing in 2023.
Australia’s highest-ranked woman Ajla Tomljanovic also pulled out on Saturday with a knee injury.
Updated
Knee injury forces Kyrigos out of Australian Open
Nick Kyrgios has been forced to withdraw from the Australian Open due to a knee injury, AAP reports.
Kyrgios’s physio says the 2022 Wimbledon runner-up has a cyst growing on his meniscus.
While it’s not a career-threatening injury, Kyrgios is not sufficiently fit to contest his home grand slam.
Australian tennis star Nick Kyrigos is pulling out of the Australian Open due to an injury to his knee.
Kyrgios has withdrawn due to his knee injury, he has a tear in his lateral meniscus and a cyst. He will have arthroscopic surgery on his knee.
— Tumaini Carayol (@tumcarayol) January 16, 2023
Kyrgios is currently holding a press conference with his physio. He "did not pull up great" after the Djokovic exo.
Updated
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING for HEAVY RAINFALL for people in parts of East Gippsland and North East Forecast Districts.
— VicEmergency (@vicemergency) January 16, 2023
Issued at 3:40 pm Monday, 16 January 2023.
Stay Informed: https://t.co/T05ONtx8bB pic.twitter.com/Um8vtlm2Tb
NSW MP to contest election despite husband’s death
NSW Liberal MP Leslie Williams has said she still plans to contest the March state election, following the death of her husband, Don.
On Facebook, the Port Macquarie MP said her family had been “overwhelmed by the huge number of flowers, phone calls, cards and emails we have received over the past weeks” and her resolve is “as strong as ever” to stay on in parliament.
She said:
Despite my sudden loss, I can confirm that I am definitely contesting the 2023 state election as the endorsed Liberal party candidate and if re-elected as the local member, I will continue to work tirelessly building on the unprecedented investment across every community throughout the electorate.
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Kyrigos to face police questions over e-scooter ride
Tennis star Nick Kyrgios is facing a please-explain from police and potential fines for riding an electric scooter while not wearing a helmet and with a passenger aboard, AAP reports.
Just ahead of his first round Australian Open clash the world number 21 was photographed on Elizabeth Street in central Melbourne on Sunday riding a Lime e-scooter with a female passenger clinging to him. Neither of them were wearing helmets.
In Victoria, it is illegal to ride an electric scooter without a helmet or with a passenger on board.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton has seen the photo and said the 2022 Wimbledon runner-up would be spoken to by Melbourne highway patrol.
“It’s been reported to us. So because it’s been reported to us, we’ll reach out to Mr Kyrgios through Tennis Australia,” he told reporters on Monday.
“We don’t issue fines or anything like that without speaking to people to understand the circumstances and firstly identify that it is him.”
Kyrgios on Monday tweeted a reply to retired Australian basketballer Andrew Bogut branding Victoria a “nanny state”, writing “nah it’s too much now” followed by a series of laughing emojis.
Victoria’s year-long trial with e-scooter companies Lime and Neuron across three Melbourne councils was recently extended by two months.
E-scooter hospitalisations in Victoria jumped from 128 in 2020/21 to 427 in 2021/22, according to Monash University’s Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit.
Patton said police must investigate the 27-year-old over the photograph because it is a safety issue and he warned that offenders face fines.
“We’ve seen significant injuries in the city throughout this trial where people have hit their heads and the like,” he said.
“It’s a $231 fine for the rider of the scooter in this trial area (for not wearing a helmet) ... or a passenger. And it’s a $185 fine for anyone who has a passenger on that scooter.”
Updated
That is all from me on this Monday! Now handing over to Josh Taylor, who will carry the blog into the evening.
NSW Labor vows major gambling reforms
Leader of NSW Labor party Chris Minns has dropped a “major plan for reform to gambling in NSW,” which includes banning political donations from clubs, reducing the number of poker machines and slashing poker machine cash input limits from $5,000 down to $500.
This is a major plan for reform to gambling in NSW and I want you to be the first to see it.
— Chris Minns (@ChrisMinnsMP) January 16, 2023
From the outset, I said this is a complicated policy area and that I’d develop a comprehensive reform package.
A package we're unveiling after working with stakeholders from across NSW. pic.twitter.com/fyiN7Zvgzc
“We are leading the way with real policy reform,” Minns adds in another tweet. “Reform that will reduce the number of pokies in NSW, while fighting problem gambling and money laundering. And investing in harm minimisation measures to address this problem head on. Our state deserves nothing less.”
This comes after premier Dominic Perrottet’s blamed former New South Wales Labor leader and premier Bob Carr for “pokies on every street corner” in the state, earlier today.
More on this story here:
Updated
Rugby Australia must be accountable over Rennie decision, says Mooney
On whether Rugby Australia should publicly explain their shock decision to sack Dave Rennie and reinstate Eddie Jones as Wallabies coach ahead of the Rugby World Cup, former rugby union player Phillip Mooney says “the organisation does need to be accountable”.
“It’s quite easy to say we based our decision on Eddie being available and, you know, the results,” Mooney tells ABC News. “I think at some point the organisation does need to be accountable and sit down and explain how and why they have come to this decision.”
Mooney says last year’s Wallabies results were “disappointing,” though “Dave Rennie did a great job with the resources he had”.
We lost to Italy for the first time. I think that probably was the performance that might have been the stake through Dave Rennie’s heart.
Eddie being an Australian and having in-depth knowledge of our system, he will have his work cut out to get the systems below the Wallabies in order.
Updated
Jannik Sinner is the first big-name seed through to the Australian Open second round following a win over returning former semi-finalist Kyle Edmund, AAP reports.
The 21-year-old world No.16 crushed Edmund 6-4 6-0 6-2 in less than two hours at Melbourne Park today.
With Australian super coach Darren Cahill in his corner, he broke the Brit seven times, dropped his own serve only once and clubbed 24 clean winners to Edmund’s 10.
Updated
Family and friends farewell woman killed in Gold Coast helicopter accident
Church bells tolled amid tears and anguish at the funeral of Sydney mother Vanessa Tadros, killed in a helicopter crash on the Gold Coast, AAP reports.
Family and friends held a funeral service at St John the Beloved in Mount Druitt to farewell Tadros, 36.
She was one of four people killed when two helicopters collided and the chopper she was in crashed into a sand bar near Sea World on 2 January. British couple Ron and Diane Hughes and pilot Ashley Jenkinson were also killed in the crash.
Tadros’ 10-year-old son Nicholas, who was in one of the helicopters with his mother, woke from a coma on Sunday but remains in a critical condition.
Husband Simon’s eulogy was punctuated by silences as he held back tears, along with with hundreds of mourners at the Maronite Catholic church in western Sydney.
“Vanessa was a special person. Her smile was infectious ... she had a pure heart ... everyday we grew strong together. She was our protector,” he told the congregation.
“To my beautiful wife, I will always love you no matter what challenges face us. I know you’ll always be with me. Rest in peace, beautiful.”
Updated
Local hope Gadecki advances to second round of Australian Open
An overjoyed Olivia Gadecki lives up to the hype to be the first home hope to advance to the Australian Open second round at Melbourne Park, AAP reports.
The emerging 20-year-old star vindicated her wildcard entry with a rousing 7-5, 6-1 victory over teenage qualifier Polina Kudermetova today.
Mentored by retired reigning champion Ash Barty, Gadecki seized the opening set against Kudermetova with the only break of the set, nailing a booming backhand down the line in the 12th game which drew rapturous applause from spectators.
Then came a run of six straight games won for Gadecki as she powered to her first grand slam triumph in only 76 minutes.
“I actually can’t believe it. Wow, I’m speechless,” Gadecki beamed.
It’s such an amazing crowd, my home slam, my first-ever main-draw grand slam win. I mean, a girl can only dream.
Updated
Search for missing woman in NT amid claims she and boyfriend were ‘shot at’
A search continues in central Australia for a woman missing for a week amid claims she and her boyfriend were shot at by a gang before fleeing into the bush, AAP reports.
Northern Territory police believe 30-year-old Angie Fuller could still be alive despite not being seen since 9 January on the Tanami Road, north of Alice Springs.
Acting Supt Rob Engels said a large-scale search and rescue was under way with 240 sq km already covered.
“We believe Ms Fuller is alive,” Engels told reporters on Sunday. “There are certainly water sources in the area that she can access.”
The search continued after a video was posted online by a man claiming to be the missing woman’s boyfriend. He said the pair were shot at by a gang before fleeing.
“Me and my girlfriend got ran off the road and then we got shot at by a gang.”
Read more here:
Updated
Treasurer spruiks best jobs growth of new government in 50 years
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has held a press conference to boast that the Albanese government has achieved the best jobs growth of a new government in five decades.
But Chalmers told reporters in Canberra the Australian economy still faces “heavy weather” due to global economic uncertainty including due to the war in Ukraine and China’s shift away from a strategy of covid-zero.
Chalmers said Australia is facing a “serious skills shortage” but he said this was “not a recent phenomenon”. He said Labor is investing in skills, childcare and wants to “crack cycles of entrenched disadvantage” to help the long term unemployed into jobs.
Asked if Labor will increase jobseeker in the budget, Chalmers said the government “will do what we can when we can to provide cost of living relief” but warned that many measures come with a “hefty price tag” that he must consider.
He didn’t rule out reining in some superannuation tax concessions, instead noting that the government is trying to pursue a “sensible combination” of spending restraint and tax changes. The government had not “said it intends to definitely” crack down on super, he noted.
On migration, Chalmers said this was part of the answer, and Labor is pursuing all levers “simultaneously”. He acknowledged it was a “reasonable assumption” that net migration may be higher than the 235,000 projected by treasury, responding to an analysis by former immigration department deputy secretary, Abul Rizvi.
Updated
Virgin Australia’s owners to seek advice on having company relisted on ASX
Virgin Australia’s owners, Bain Capital, have announced they will seek advice about a future IPO and relisting of the airline on the ASX.
The airline was previously listed on the ASX for 16 years, until early 2020, before it entered administration due to the early effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, and was later sold to private investment firm Bain Capital.
In a statement released on Monday, Bain Capital said it would seek advice on “the best timing, structure, and metrics to return Virgin Australia to the ASX when the timing is right”.
Bain Capital have signalled its intention as Virgin Australia slowly resumes flying internationally, following years of a mostly domestic, stripped-back service since it took over the airline during Covid.
Mike Murphy, a Sydney-based partner of Bain Capital said “importantly, no decisions have been made as to when, or even if, any IPO will happen”.
Murphy said:
While there is currently no set timetable, at some point in the future, if any IPO does happen, Bain Capital would welcome public market investors joining us as shareholders in what is a great Australian company.
It is Bain Capital’s current intention to retain a significant shareholding in a future IPO of Virgin Australia.
Updated
Vets want an invasive and painful greyhound breeding technique, which involves removing the uterus, banned across Australia.
About 80% of racing greyhounds in NSW are bred using surgical artificial insemination. The Australian Veterinary Association has released a new policy declaring SAI “must not be performed in dogs”.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, reiterates previous government statements that information is being sought urgently on the Australian on board the plane that crashed in Nepal.
Incredibly sad news out of Nepal of a plane crashing with many passengers on board.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) January 16, 2023
The government is aware an Australian was on board and is urgently seeking information from Nepalese officials on the welfare of that passenger.
Spanish traveller’s visa cancelled after being caught with pancetta and goat’s cheese
A young Spanish man has become the first traveller slapped with harsher penalties under toughened biosecurity laws, having his visa cancelled alongside a hefty fine after being caught with undeclared pork and cheese in his luggage.
Agriculture minister Murray Watt said on Monday that the 20-year-old was stopped by officials in Perth last week, and found with 275g of pancetta, 665g of pork meat, and 300g of goat’s cheese in his bags.
The man had his visa cancelled and was fined $3,300. New laws, which came into force on 1 January, upped the previous penalties of $2,664. Watt said the stricter laws were in a bid to stop diseases and pests entering the country, especially the danger of foot-and-mouth disease.
“I hope this man regrets his actions – his visit to Australia was over before it even began, and he’s been sent packing with a hefty fine,” Watt said in a statement.
We are serious about keeping foot and mouth and other diseases out of the country, and travellers need to remember that when they’re trying to enter Australia.
This was a serious breach of Australia’s biosecurity laws and could put Australia’s agricultural industries at risk, as well as our environment and international trade reputation.”
Watt added the general warning to travellers: “If in doubt, just declare it.”
Updated
Broadening understanding of health challenges in PNG a main aim of Australian MPs’ trip, organisers hope
Organisers hope the seven Australian federal politicians visiting Papua New Guinea this week will “gain a better understanding of some of the major health challenges” the near neighbour faces.
Further to our post about senior Coalition frontbencher Simon Birmingham’s participation in the trip this morning, we can bring you a few more details about the delegation to PNG.
The confirmed delegates also include Josh Burns, who is chair of the Foreign Affairs and Aid subcommittee, along with fellow Labor MPs Mike Freelander and Michelle Ananda-Rajah.
Birmingham is joined by two Coalition colleagues: the shadow minister for international development and the Pacific, Michael McCormack, and the shadow health minister, Anne Ruston.
The independent MP Sophie Scamps is also on the trip.
The trip is organised by Pacific Friends of Global Health (PFGH) and runs from today until Friday.
Prof Brendan Crabb, the chair of PFGH, said it was “a really exciting delegation of MPs from across the political spectrum that includes shadow ministers and relevant committee chairs”. He added:
Three of the MPs – Mike Freelander, Michelle Ananda-Rajah and Sophie Scamps – are doctors, and three are former senior cabinet ministers.
Crabb said the delegation would see have an opportunity to see some the new tools and innovations to screen and treat women in remote settings against cervical cancer risk.
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women in PNG, despite Australia leading the world with its own elimination outcomes. The visit will help MPs understand how Australia’s aid program complements the work of multilateral global health partners.
Lady Roslyn Morauta, a board member of PFGH and vice-chair of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, said in an emailed statement:
Our main aim is for MPs to gain a better understanding of some of the major health challenges Papua New Guinea faces. We’re hopeful they’ll come away having learnt about the high burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases, as well as the need to better prepare for future health security threats.
Updated
Two people stung by Irukandji jellyfish in far north Queensland
Two people have been stung by deadly Irukandji jellyfish at a beach in far north Queensland, AAP reports.
The pair had been swimming at Palm Cove, north of Cairns, on Sunday afternoon.
A primary school-age boy was the first to be injured with a suspected Irukandji sting to his back about 4.15pm. A short time later, a woman in her 40s was stung on her legs.
Both were taken to Cairns hospital in a stable condition, Queensland ambulance service said.
The Irukandji is a small, highly venomous species of box jellyfish about two centimetres in diameter, making it difficult to notice in the water.
Symptoms of being stung include shooting pains in the muscles, chest and abdomen as well as nausea, vomiting and breathing difficulties.
Only a week ago, a primary school-age girl became the fifth child airlifted to hospital from K’gari with suspected irukandji jellyfish stings within a two-week period.
The girl was swimming in the ocean near a popular creek at K’gari – also known as Fraser Island – when she was stung on her lower back and leg.
Three young girls were hospitalised with suspected stings on 27 December. Another girl was stung on the chest in the same creek just an hour before. The following day a boy was stung on the leg, also while swimming in the creek.
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An icy anniversary for Captain James Cook just one day away
Tomorrow marks the 250th anniversary of British explorer James Cook’s entering of the Antarctic Circle with his two ships, the Resolution and Adventure.
(We’re not sure if we should go with “semiquincentennial”, which is the term the US Congress plans to call the 250th anniversary of independence from Britain in 2026.)
If any other vessels strayed beyond 66 degrees (and a bit more) latitude south before Cook, they didn’t make it back or we’ve lost their records.
We stumbled across the anniversary fact while researching a piece on Antarctic tourism. This season is forecast to cross the 100,000-visitor mark for the first time, as we noted here:
Apparently, as the angle of earth’s tilt varies over a 41,000 year-cycle, the location of the circle alters over time. The Antarctic Circle is shifting about 14.5m south a year, so Cook would have had to sail two nautical miles further if he were to repeat his frigid feat today (or tomorrow).
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Sydney Metro update
Transport authorities will launch an investigation into the private operator of Sydney’s Metro line after commuters were stuck on dark carriages without air conditioning for more than an hour and a half due to a power failure on Monday morning.
Passengers on two trains were stuck between stations during this morning’s peak, with several complaining of a lack of information provided during the outage and concerns that emergency services would have to be called to rescue anxious passengers.
Those onboard reported they were finally escorted off trains shortly after 9am on Monday and transferred to replacement buses.
A Sydney Metro spokesperson said the agency will “investigate the cause of delays and the impact on passengers with the operator, Metro Trains Sydney”, adding that the “delay in disembarking passengers is not acceptable”.
Stuck "just" outside Norwest for the past hour and a bit; not the best start to a Monday...#train #SydneyMetro #technicaldifficulties@TransportforNSW @SydneyMetro pic.twitter.com/BhllcKbYQ9
— Brendan Richards (@quizmaster85) January 15, 2023
As a result of a power failure on the Metro North West Line earlier this morning, the emergency brakes were activated on a number of trains. The Sydney Metro operator, Metro Trains Sydney, was unable to release the brakes so a technician was required to reset them manually. Unfortunately this resulted in significant delays across the network.
The spokesperson apologised for “the inconvenience”. Normal services were restored on the line at 9.40am.
While the Sydney Metro network is set to expand in coming years, it currently operates only on Sydney’s north, between Tallawong in the north-western suburbs and Chatswood on the north shore.
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Australia’s richest 1% pocketed $150,000 a minute over past decade, Oxfam research finds
Australia’s richest 1% have pocketed $150,000 a minute over the past decade, according to new analysis by Oxfam Australia released this morning. They are 61% richer than they were before the pandemic.
The data crunches numbers on, hypothetically, taxing the wealthy.
A wealth tax of just 2% on the country’s millionaires with wealth over $7m, 3% on those with wealth over $67m, and 5% on billionaires would raise $29.1bn annually – enough to increase income support payments to the Henderson poverty line of $88 a day for 1.44 million people.
Read the full story by Stephanie Convery here:
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Billionaire biffo still bubbling along
Last week, we had the high-profile falling out of billionaires Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest and Mike Cannon-Brookes over their proposal for huge solar farms in northern Australia, the signature one intended to help power Singapore via a cable.
MCB, the Atlassian co-founder, has spoken up a couple of times in favour of Sun Cable’s main project – the $30bn Australia-Asia PowerLink.
While we haven’t heard directly from an unusually media-shy Forrest, the iron ore baron’s Squadron Energy has been piping up.
John Hartman, Squadron’s chairman, says the link to Singapore “is not commercially” based on “a comprehensive technical and financial analysis”.
“However, Squadron Energy continues to believe in the vision for a gamechanging solar and battery project in the North Territory’s Barkly region, including the proposed connection to Darwin,” Hartman said.
As Australia’s largest renewable energy company, Squadron Energy is best placed to help Australia become a green energy exporting superpower by generating renewable energy to produce green hydrogen and green ammonia.
We’ve asked for comment from Grok, the family investment arm of Cannon-Brookes, including whether other parts of Sun Cable’s plans have a better chance of succeeding.
Perhaps it makes more sense to build the giant solar farm to supply Darwin and build in the ability to scale up the project later on, should the cable into south-east Asia become viable And Sun Cable has talked up its 11 gigawatts of other solar farms that it was working on. Perhaps they could survive the corporate restructuring too.
As we noted in this analysis piece last week, one challenge is that Singapore is fielding proposals from about two dozen other renewable projects that don’t have a 2km-deep Timor trench to skirt with a cable.
Doubters also suggest there have been some shifting goalposts on the part of Sun Cable’s budgets and forecasts, including just how much those subsea surveys will cost. Milestone targets were also being missed, so one side says.
With Sun Cable now placed in administration, it may only be a couple weeks before we know whether there are interested third-party suitors for elements or all of the business ... and whether MCB or Twiggy will spend more of their money on Sun Cable’s potentially landmark projects.
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Simon Birmingham part of bipartisan visit to Papua New Guinea
Days after the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, visited Papua New Guinea, the shadow foreign affairs minister, Simon Birmingham, is heading there alongside some other federal politicians on a bipartisan trip.
In a statement, Birmingham says his focus will be on “important matters such as maternal health, family and sexual violence, water safety and the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis, malaria and HIV”.
This week I will travel to Papua New Guinea to understand the impact of development work, particularly in the health sphere, and undertake local meetings.
Australia is PNG’s largest trade and investment partner, while also being the largest destination for Australian development assistance. As the closest of neighbours and the deepest of partners I look forward to the opportunity to better understand the relationship between our nations and how we can secure the best outcomes from our work together.
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First Nations woman wins Tamworth country music festival competition
Gamilaraay woman Loren Ryan is the first First Nations woman to win the Tamworth country music festival’s star maker competition.
“It is still very surreal to me,” she tells ABC news. “I have not had time to let it sink in.”
I’ve grown up in a Blak household, but not necessarily very connected to culture so that I had to go on and find myself and bring it back home to my mother and help her to reconnect as well.
From the moment I had the opportunity to learn my traditional language, I feel like it was my responsibility to be a part of the movement for red, the survival and continuation, is now a can beautiful picture of my artistry and to be able to put it into songs I write.
Ten emerging musicians were chosen as finalists to compete in the competition, which has helped launch careers of artists such as Keith Urban.
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AGL says it’s not signing up new commercial and industrial customers
Gas supplies remain tight, with AGL holding off deals with commercial customers.
One month on from the Albanese government’s intervention to place a price on gas and coal to curb excessive energy costs, we’re getting a few glimpses of how the market is working – or not.
AGL Energy, one of Australia’s biggest energy retailers, says that while it’s taking on new residential gas customers, it’s not signing up new commercial and industrial ones.
The company says it’s been unable to secure “incremental” supplies for this calendar year, hence the restricted business.
A spokesperson says:
AGL understands the importance of securing long-term affordable gas supplies for its commercial and industrial customers
AGL’s C&I customers who are not contracted for the period from 1 January 2023 have been placed on to default tariffs (or remain on default tariffs).
The bigger issue, one industry person tells us this morning, will probably come when companies seek contracts for 2024 or beyond. Most big energy users weren’t waiting for the government’s price caps to ensure they had supplies for this year.
That’s when we’ll get a better sense of the effects of the government’s price caps – and its controversial “reasonable” test for prices of gas from new projects – of supplies and what it will cost consumers.
AGL’s share price is up marginally this morning (0.1% or so), shy of the overall market’s 0.5% advance – so no panic from investors.
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Perrottet blames Bob Carr for putting 'pokies on every street corner' in NSW
Dominic Perrottet has launched a stinging attack against the former New South Wales premier Bob Carr, blaming the former Labor leader for putting “pokies on every street corner” in the state.
After Carr labelled Perrottet “unelectable” in the wake of the revelation he wore a Nazi uniform to his 21st birthday, the NSW premier hit back on Monday, saying he “won’t be taking lectures” from the former Labor premier. He said:
He opened it up. We have more pokie machines in NSW than anywhere outside of Nevada and who was responsible for that? The Bob Carr Labor government and we are still cleaning up that mess.
Perrottet has staked his reputation on taking on the powerful clubs lobby in the lead-up to the March state election in NSW, while also facing opposition from Labor and in his own cabinet room, to be able to introduce a cashless gaming card in the state.
Despite having yet to outline details of the policy, on Monday he reiterated that the “destination” was cashless gambling. He said:
I’m working through finalising the policy [but] the policy, I’ve made it very clear, is cashless gaming in New South Wales.
Perrottet will hope his criticism of Carr (he also said the former Labor premier’s gambling reforms had “created significant problems across our state”) will push attention back on to Labor and its lukewarm approach to gambling reform.
As premier in 1997, Carr relaxed poker machine gambling rules to allow their use in hotels. The decision led to a rise in the number of machines in the state, as well as gambling losses. In 2018 he described the move as a “bargain with the devil”.
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Sydney commuters say they were stuck on train carriages without air conditioning
More on Sydney’s train delays.
Commuters claim they were stuck in dark carriages without air conditioning for more than an hour and a half this morning.
Passengers vented their frustrations on social media after their service came to a stop just past the Norwest stations in the city’s north-west suburbs. They said the train appeared to be lose power several times.
90 minutes. That was pathetic. You couldn’t even contact the emergency services line on the train because the train had lost access to power. There was no fallback option. If there was a real danger, you’d have had no way to attend to it.
— Rustum Tandog Jnr (@rustumt) January 15, 2023
Those onboard have complained about a lack of information provided to them during the outage.
Shortly after 9am, passengers reported being let out of the carriages to board replacement buses. The current state of the Metro line remains unclear.
When the #sydneymetro had power issues between MQUNI and Epping stations, the entire metro would violently shudder passing between power circuits. A woman next to me had a panic attack. Read the replies and you can understand why people are anxious! https://t.co/pRRsjORCuX
— Iain Brew 💉 💉 💉 (@IainBrewSydney) January 15, 2023
Guardian Australia contacted Sydney Metro for comment. The operator is yet to explain the issue.
Earlier this morning, Sydney Metro tweeted that the line “is currently experiencing increased wait times this morning”.
“Please listen to station announcements and message display boards for the latest information,” it said.
Frustrated passengers replied to the tweet demanding more information.
Can you atleast open the doors of the metro stuck at Norwest so that we can arrange for an alternate transport ?
— VL - (@Varun2627) January 15, 2023
Our metro has no power and no airflow, you have some people getting real anxious and struggling to breathe, time to call 000 maybe?
— Madds (@maddsillicious) January 15, 2023
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Ukraine urges more military aid from Australia after Russian strike
Ukraine is calling for more Australian military aid after a Russian missile strike killed 30 people in a residential block in Dnipro on Saturday, AAP reports.
More than 70 people including 13 children were rescued from the high-rise residential building.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged allies to send his nation supplies so Ukraine can go on the counter-attack. The United Kingdom will send 14 tanks and other weapons.
“At the time Australia is having a summer vacation, Ukrainians are getting killed in large numbers,” Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko told ABC Radio this morning.
We have been very thankful to Australia ... for the armoured personnel vehicles … however in order for us to advance and to be able to kick Russians out of Ukraine, we need a different armour and tanks provide that additional armour as well as fighting capabilities.
Russians are destroying Ukraine civil infrastructure, their recent attacks on Saturday have targeted six different cities where they have further destroyed power generation.
To win this war we need to have the right weapons and to be able to drive Russians out of Ukraine.
Cabinet minister Bill Shorten said the Defence department would continue to do what it could.
“Australia’s been contributing a great deal – outside of Nato countries we’re the largest contributor to support freedom in Ukraine,” he told ABC Radio.
Australia has already sent 90 Bushmaster vehicles to Ukraine and 70 Australian defence force personnel to the UK to help train Ukraine soldiers, with total support exceeding $650m.
That’ll be a matter for the Ukrainian government and discussions with the Australian government and our Defence officials to see what we can do.
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More on talks between Australia and China.
When asked about the meeting and whether it could signal an imminent policy change, the shadow health minister, Anne Ruston, said the Labor government “must not continue their track record on making rushed and panicked decisions, which are not based on Australian medical advice”. She said:
The opposition has been very clear that we strongly support any measures necessary to protect Australian lives and livelihoods.
The minister for health disingenuously stated that the new restrictions were necessary to ‘gather more information’ on the situation in China, but we know that the pre-flight testing undertaken by travellers in China does not achieve that, as the tests will not provide Australian health officials with any genomic sequencing.
Australia’s chief medical officer, Prof Paul Kelly, did not recommend the test requirement but the health minister, Mark Butler, has said the government was acting cautiously and wanted more transparency from China about its Covid situation. He hopes the requirement is temporary.
It is understood the Australian government views the negative test rule as reciprocal because the Chinese government also requires it of travellers to China. On Saturday Chinese authorities disclosed 59,938 Covid-related deaths between 8 December and 12 January.
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Australia and China vow to continue discussions about Covid response
Australia and China have vowed to remain in talks about the Covid response after an initial meeting between officials last week discussed the need for “ongoing communication and information sharing”.
Despite initial fears that the Albanese government’s introduction of a negative test result requirement for travellers from China could trigger “countermeasures” like the ones imposed on Japan and South Korea, officials from China and Australia appear to be sticking with dialogue.
The Australian health department has issued the following statement about the meeting, which was held virtually on Wednesday last week:
Officials from the Departments of Health and Aged Care and Foreign Affairs and Trade, along with Australian clinical experts, met virtually with China’s National Health Commission and China CDC on 11 January 2022.
The discussion provided an opportunity to exchange information on our respective COVID-19 situations and discuss clinical management approaches. Both countries agreed on the importance of ongoing communication and information sharing.
We look forward to further opportunities to discuss the Covid situation and our respective responses with China.
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Dave Rennie sacked as Wallabies coach – reports
Dave Rennie has reportedly been fired as Wallabies coach. Eddie Jones is to coach the team for the 2023 World Cup and has signed a five-year deal that will take him through to the 2027 World Cup, according to a Sydney Morning Herald report.
BREAKING: Dave Rennie has been sacked as Wallabies coach, effective immediately.
— Tom Decent (@tomdecent) January 15, 2023
Eddie Jones to coach Wallabies at 2023 World Cup.
Five year deal through to 2027.
Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan says “Eddie’s deep understanding of our rugby system and knowledge of our player group and pathways will lift the team to the next level,” in a statement to the Herald.
Eddie instinctively understands the Australian way of playing Rugby – this represents an opportunity to secure a coach of immense expertise and experience at the biggest competitions, and we did not want to miss it.
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Report reveals thousands of incidents in disability homes
Here are some numbers from the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission report, which finds Australians living in disability group homes have been involved in more than 7,000 reportable incidents in the past four years.
More than 1,700 of those incidents involved a serious injury to a participant, more than 1,200 involved neglect, while there were 960 cases of unlawful physical contact and 112 of unlawful sexual contact, AAP reports.
The figures are startling given fewer than 20,000 Australians live in disability group homes.
NDIS minister Bill Shorten said the government was supporting changes to regulation and monitoring of supported accommodation on ABC RN this morning. The Albanese government’s first budget included $167bn in NDIS funding across four years.
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Former top police officer dies in Adelaide cycling crash
Former Northern Territory commissioner and South Australian assistant commissioner Paul White has died following a cycling accident in Adelaide’s south-east on Sunday morning, AAP reports.
Police and ambulance crews were called to an intersection in Glen Osmond shortly before 10.30am following reports of the collision involving a vehicle. White, 72, died at the scene.
A 61-year-old man behind the wheel of the vehicle was on Sunday afternoon assisting investigators with their investigation into the circumstances leading up to the incident. His car was towed away for examination, police said.
White retired from the NT force in 2009, following almost eight years as top cop. He joined SA Police as a cadet in 1968 and rose through the ranks to the position of assistant commissioner before his departure.
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Sydney commuters stranded on trains
More moody images coming from inside stuck trains and Sydney stations this morning.
.@sydneymetro right now at Norwest. Stuck on the train for an hour and no clear indication of how long (if at all) before we start moving. pic.twitter.com/lI1nFZw4U3
— David Elliott (@billyelliott) January 15, 2023
@SydneyMetro why are you not putting up to date information on your Twitter page or website? At Chatswood and trains are not running. pic.twitter.com/42HqHf25RH
— Robert G (@RobertJJGG) January 15, 2023
Locked in the @SydneyMetro for the last 50 minutes and now they've turned off the lights. Great job. pic.twitter.com/6tngzuiVdm
— Rajish Aryal (@RajishAryal) January 15, 2023
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Train delays in Sydney
Sydney Metro are warning of increased wait times for trains this morning.
The Metro is currently experiencing increased wait times this morning. Please listen to station announcements and message display boards for the latest information. We apologise for any inconvenience. pic.twitter.com/GRNjS5xcH6
— Sydney Metro (@SydneyMetro) January 15, 2023
Tweeting from inside a stuck train at Norwest, Rohan Pearce says the metro lost all power about an hour ago, and that Sydney Metro “doesn’t seem to answer their emergency help point button thing”.
We have now lost all power and are having a nice time sitting in the dark
— Rohan Pearce (@rohan_p) January 15, 2023
Brendan Richards seems to be tweeting from the same stuck train.
Stuck "just" outside Norwest for the past hour and a bit; not the best start to a Monday...#train #SydneyMetro #technicaldifficulties@TransportforNSW @SydneyMetro pic.twitter.com/BhllcKbYQ9
— Brendan Richards (@quizmaster85) January 15, 2023
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Roads flooded in Mackay, Queensland
Torrential rain has left cars partly submerged on flooded roads in Mackay, Queensland.
Plenty going on weather-wise around Mackay, The Whitsundays and Coalfields today. Roads remain closed, flights are being cancelled and there's still plenty of rain to come.
— Lachlan Itter (@LachlanItter) January 15, 2023
We'll have details throughout the day on radio and on @LiSTNRau here: https://t.co/yk0OM7fiz2
📸 QPS pic.twitter.com/SiWJW6deRu
Brendan Richards seems to be tweeting from the same stuck train.
Stuck "just" outside Norwest for the past hour and a bit; not the best start to a Monday...#train #SydneyMetro #technicaldifficulties@TransportforNSW @SydneyMetro pic.twitter.com/BhllcKbYQ9
— Brendan Richards (@quizmaster85) January 15, 2023
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The NSW government’s changes to stamp duty come into effect today. The program allows new home-owners to choose an annual tax over stamp duty – and is anticipating rapid sign-up numbers.
Almost half of the 6,000 new owners expected to apply to have their stamp duty payments waived in favour of a land tax in the scheme’s first year will come within days of its introduction. Read the full story from Michael McGowan:
Australian Open CEO reflects on ‘very difficult journey’
Australian Open 2023 kicks off at Melbourne Park this morning.
“It’s been a very difficult journey,” Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley tells ABC News.
“In 2021, we were the fist global organisation to bring athletes from around the world, around 13 of them and their entourages, 14 days in lockdown. In 2022 we launched the event at the beginning of the surge of Omicron, which was a different set of conditions.
“It did, you know, cause us to completely deplete our cash reserves so we’re starting this year completely anew, fortunately with a balance that’s even, but again it has been extremely difficult.”
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Anthony Albanese also riffed on the Perrottet photo scandal over on Triple M.
Asked if he was in fancy dress, he replied: “I’m certainly not. I understand this can end badly.”
Albanese was asked for a Sydney itinerary for Melbourne-based host Mick Molloy. He nominated:
A Balmain pub crawl
Craft breweries around Marrickville
The Corinthian restaurant for Greek food in Marrickville
Sounds like a great weekend – all without leaving the inner west.
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Law firms team up with Medibank customers over data breach
Three law firms are teaming up to take up a complaint by tens of thousands of customers who had their personal information compromised in the Medibank hack last year.
Maurice Blackburn, Bannister Law Class Actions and Centennial Lawyers have announced a joint cooperation agreement against Medibank and AHM over the data breach, and said they have signed up thousands of customers from the 9.7m affected by the breach.
Hackers posted the data of the 9.7m customers on the dark web late last year after Medibank refused to pay the ransom demands. Medibank’s position to not pay had the support of the federal government.
Maurice Blackburn had already lodged a formal complaint against Medibank with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, which can order compensation, but now the firms will work together on the complaint.
Bannister Law Class Actions’ Charles Bannister said:
We believe the data breach is a betrayal of Medibank Private’s customers and a breach of the Privacy Act. Medibank has a duty to keep this kind of information confidential.
Centennial Lawyers’ George Newhouse said:
The data breach exposes the lack of safeguards in place to prevent such personal and private information being released to wrongdoers and Medibank & AHM have failed policy holders.
There are multiple investigations into the Medibank hack, including one already underway from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, and an independent analysis commissioned by the health insurer.
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Report finds over 7,000 serious incidents in disability homes, including abuse
NDIS minister Bill Shorten tells ABC RN “the interface isn’t as effective for people living in supported accommodation as it should be” – meaning there is a lack of communication channels that would help reveal abuse or neglect.
This comes after NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission report finds over 7,000 serious incidents in disability homes over the last four years, with many including abuse.
“There are some Australians who live in accommodation with high level of support. But people are particularly vulnerable,” he says. “And that’s why this report is important to make sure that they’re not getting ignored by the systems and obligations.”
The interface isn’t as effective for people living in supported accommodation as it should be.
[If] the only people that a person with disabilities communicate with is the carer, then that creates a highly vulnerable relationship … We’ve got to do much better at educating individuals in the homes, that they’re right, and making sure that we check in on them.
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Albanese says he has 'nothing whatsoever' like Perrottet's Nazi uniform scandal in his past
Albanese was also asked about the Dominic Perrottet 21st birthday Nazi uniform scandal.
He said:
I’m staying clear of that. People will make up their own mind about those issues. Obviously it isn’t the wisest thing. I think there’s an election in March – people will make their mind up about a whole range of issues, but primarily they’ll make their mind up about who’s best to lead the state on policy issues.
Asked if there were photos of himself as a young man that he hoped wouldn’t surface, Albanese joked he hoped there were “because I would’ve led a pretty boring life if there isn’t” but added “I assure you there is nothing like that – nothing whatsoever like that”.
He said:
I’m lucky, I’m a bit older than Dom. These days I think people with cameras around and photos of everything, I think there’s a few young people who will regret the invention of cameras on phones in future years.
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Albanese says new year’s resolution is to tackle the cost of living
Anthony Albanese has spoken to 2Day FM.
After host Dave Hughes said he took up vaping on election night to celebrate Labor’s win, Albanese replied:
I’m not responsible! That’s a bad idea ... Don’t smoke and don’t vape – there’s a bit of evidence you can get hooked on vaping as well.
On new year’s resolutions, Albanese said he was cautious of sharing because it might not come true, but his resolution is to tackle the cost of living. Albanese, who had a bit of a glow-up including weight loss before the election, also joked about the difficulty of keeping weight off as prime minister.
Albanese spoke about meeting King Charles III and going overtime because the pair were talking about cities policies. He said his other chums on the world stage included Jacinda Ardern and Joko Widodo. Asked about Joe Biden’s age, Albanese observed: “Well he’s doing the job and he had an outstanding result in the midterm elections.”
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‘Life-threatening’ flash flooding hits Queensland
Three women have been rescued in north Queensland after parts of the state were smashed with flash flooding. The women were found clinging to a tree in flood waters in Palm Grove, north of Mackay, on Sunday afternoon. The worst is yet to come, AAP reports.
A monsoon trough brings severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall to the north coast.
Locally intense rainfall which could lead to “dangerous and life-threatening” flash flooding will continue on Monday over parts of the Herbert and Lower Burdekin and Central Coast and Whitsundays districts, the Bureau of Meteorology warns.
Severe Weather Warning for HEAVY RAINFALL & poss FLASH FLOODING tonight/Mon Central Coast & Whitsundays, parts of Herbert & Lower Burdekin, Central Highlands & Coalfields dists.
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) January 15, 2023
Some risk of locally INTENSE RAINFALL with LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODING.https://t.co/c2QZ6ecFMQ pic.twitter.com/JZ63nGQ3eR
Six-hourly rainfall totals between 200 and 250mm with 24-hourly totals of up to 400mm are possible, particularly about the coast and ranges north of Mackay.
Widespread heavy rain has eased north of Ayr, but severe thunderstorms remain possible across the north-east tropics, including the Townsville area.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services urged residents to keep up to date with warnings and alerts and not to attempt to drive through flood waters.
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With Cardinal George Pell’s death dominating last week’s news, wrap up with a listen to today’s Full Story episode, where Guardian Australia’s Jane Lee is in conversation with journalist David Marr on Pell’s life and legacy.
‘Everybody kind of figured’ George Pell behind a memo condemning Pope Francis
Robert Mickens, editor in chief of La Croix international daily Catholic publication, tells ABC RN that “everyone kind of figured” Cardinal George Pell was behind an anonymous memo condemning the papacy of Pope Francis.
“Everyone kind of figured it might be Cardinal Pell because the criticism was so fierce,” he says. “I think no one has called that into question. Nobody from Pell’s inner circle has come out and said that disputed that.”
“Here in Rome, I think that nobody is really that shocked ... He was one of the first who soured on Pope Francis.”
The memo criticises the papacy of Pope Francis as a “disaster” and “catastrophe”.
“[Pell] was an extremely controversial character ... But he did have his supporters ... and many traditionalist Catholics saw him as a hero.”
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Good morning
Welcome back to another week of the Guardian Australia live blog.
We wake up to a spokesperson from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade saying the department is aware of reports an Australian was on board the Yeti Airlines flight which crashed in Nepal on Sunday 15 January. The plane had 72 people on board, and crashed into a deep gorge, killing at least 68. The spokesperson says “the Australian embassy is urgently seeking to confirm the welfare of the Australian”.
Federal Labor says it has overseen the best jobs growth of any new government in 50 years. 234,000 more people were employed in November than when Labor was elected in May. That 1.7% increase beat all other G7 countries over the same period, with the US coming second. Meanwhile, Australian CEOs are cautiously optimistic, with 90% of bosses still fearing staffing shortages this year.
And in the summer holiday heat, queues at some electric vehicle charging stations in the week after Christmas saw drivers forced to wait up to 90 minutes to get back on the road. Though frustrating, the queues might ultimately benefit the industry, providing the first real-world data into charging hotspots and the upgrades needed to strengthen Australia’s electric transport future.
I’m Rafqa Touma, taking the blog through the day. If you spot something you don’t want us to miss, you can Tweet it my way @At_Raf_
Let’s get started with the day’s rolling news coverage.
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