The day that was, Sunday 15 January
That’s where we will wrap up the live blog for today.
Here’s what made the news on Sunday:
The NSW premier, Dominic Perrottet, says he doesn’t remember who was at his 21st birthday party back in 2003 when he wore a Nazi uniform.
Perrottet is facing a referral to the police from Shooters and Fishers party MP Robert Borsak over an allegation he may not have disclosed the uniform incident on legally binding candidate vetting forms.
Thousands were left without power after storms overnight at Falls Creek, Victoria saw 120mm of rain falling in just over an hour.
A body found in bushland on NSW’s Central Coast is believed to be a missing 78-year-old American tourist.
The attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, memorialised Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat who saved tens of thousands of Jews in Nazi-occupied Hungary.
I hope you have a pleasant evening, and we will be back with you again tomorrow morning.
Here’s my excellent colleague Benita Kolovos’s analysis on Victorian premier Daniel Andrews’ announcement this week that the late Cardinal George Pell would not get a state funeral.
Heavy rainfall and flash flooding continuing today and into tomorrow in Central and North Qld, with many roads already closed.
— Qld Fire & Emergency (@QldFES) January 15, 2023
If it's flooded, forget it. For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500. For life threatening emergencies, call Triple Zero (000).
📸 Mackay pic.twitter.com/ONrvWGHpXg
Thanks to Royce for all his work on the blog today. I’m Josh Taylor and I’ll be taking the blog for the last little while of this weekend.
First Peoples’ Assembly calls on Victoria’s Greens to back voice
Marcus Stewart, the co-chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria, has called on state’s Greens to support a yes campaign on the voice to parliament.
Speaking to the Age on Sunday, Stewart said the party risked ending up on the wrong side of history if it opposed the referendum or stayed out of the conversation entirely:
I hold hope that the Greens will not only support a voice to parliament but also campaign yes.
As far as I’m concerned, if the Greens aren’t actively campaigning yes, they are stoking a no vote among their base. History is calling. Let’s hope they show up and answer that call.
Victorian Greens’ federal counterparts have yet to work out their policy on the referendum.
Updated
Victoria and Tasmania consider scrapping deer hunting restrictions
Wild deer are running rampant in Victoria and Tasmania, destroying crops and natural habitats, prompting calls to change local laws and allow the animals to be classified as pests.
The Invasive Species Council is pushing for deer to be classified as pests in the states, which are the only Australian jurisdictions where deer are legally protected as game animals for hunting purposes.
There are workarounds, so landowners can kill deer on their own properties and authorities can go on to public land and cull them.
However, not classifying deer as a pest creates a conflicting message about whether they can be culled, the council says. Theoretically, the animals can run wild on neighbouring properties without restriction.
The National Feral Deer Action Plan, being developed by a working group and is being backed by the federal government, estimates there are up to 2 million wild deer in Australia – up from about 50,000 in 1980.
There could be as many as 1 million in Victoria alone, the Invasive Species Council’s state deer project officer Peter Jacobs says.
That protected status of deer is very much a relic of the past when there were small numbers of deer in Victoria that were basically released into the region right back to the mid-1800s for hunting.
One landowner sees them as being a serious pest and the next landowner thinks they’re cute and likes the idea of them running around ... and they don’t have to do anything about it.
If feral deer populations are left uncontrolled in good conditions, they could rise by up to 50% a year, which means a herd of 30 deer could grow to 500 in a decade, according to the action plan.
In Tasmania, up to 100,000 deer are estimated to cover about one-quarter of the state, encroaching on the Tasmanian wilderness world heritage area, with more 500,000 deer expected in the state by 2050.
Some $18m has been funnelled directly into feral deer management programs since 2015, according to the federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
The action plan is pushing for national authorities to create a containment zone and eradicate small deer populations beyond the zone.
The draft action plan is open for public comment until 20 March, after which it will be considered by the federal agriculture department’s environment and invasives and national biosecurity committees.
– AAP
Updated
Oil refinery upgrade to be fast-tracked
Queensland will fast-track approvals for Ampol to upgrade one of the two remaining oil refineries in the country within two years.
Acting premier Steven Miles has declared the publicly listed fossil fuel producer’s upgrade of its ageing Brisbane plant to produce low-sulphur petrol by the end of 2024, when it becomes mandatory under federal law, as a critical infrastructure project on the advice of the coordinator general.
The federal government is in talks over a taxpayer-funded grant for Ampol to upgrade its refinery, which along with Viva Energy’s Geelong facility, it considers strategically important.
Miles said the state government’s declaration will speed up the approvals process, allowing the company to break ground sooner.
This is one of only two refineries in the country. It’s critical to fuel security for Queensland and for the entire nation.
This project will allow Ampol to deliver to Queensland businesses and consumers cleaner lower emissions fuel, it will safeguard the 850 jobs here directly employed and contractors, as well as create 300 additional jobs (in the construction phase).
Ampol project director Michael Grey welcomed the state government’s support for speeding up approvals for a project that will effectively extend the life of the 58-year-old refinery.
We’re looking to see effectively ultra-low sulphur gasoline product come on time ... for the Australian market by the end of 2024.
So it’s an aggressive project schedule and we’re looking to work hard on it.
Australian oil refineries have posted years of losses as they struggle to compete against larger Asian rivals, while decarbonisation policies have put them under further pressure.
However, supply disruptions caused by the pandemic and soaring fuel prices last year raised concerns about Australia’s long-term fuel security and spurred the Morrison government to consider other means of propping up refineries.
The former government agreed to offer Ampol and Viva grants of $125m each to upgrade their refineries by the end of 2024, which are being renegotiated by the Albanese government.
Despite bipartisan support for fossil fuel refiners, BP ceased operations at its Western Australian plant and Exxon Mobil shut its Altona plant in Victoria last year.
BP plans to refit its Bokarina facility to make biofuel for commercial aviation by 2025, while Oceania Biofuels is planning a $500m commercial aviation fuel bio-refinery in Gladstone in central Queensland.
– AAP
Shooters party to refer Perrottet to police over Nazi uniform
The leader of the New South Wales Shooters party has threatened to refer Dominic Perrottet to the state’s police, alleging that the premier may not have disclosed that he wore a Nazi uniform on his 21st birthday on legally binding candidate vetting forms.
As Perrottet looked to push past last week’s revelation and enter campaign mode on Sunday with the announcement of $1bn in new roads funding, he continued to face a series of questions about who was at the now-infamous party and whether a photo of the outfit existed.
But the premier has also faced questions about whether he declared the outfit on candidate vetting forms submitted during his time in NSW politics.
Liberal party candidates are required to fill out a nomination form as part of their application, which includes a section requiring them to declare there are “no other matters about me of any nature that are likely to cause embarrassment to the party”.
The section includes a warning that the form is a legally binding statutory declaration. It also warns that failing to disclose “any and all risks” could lead to disendorsement of candidates.
Perrottet has so far refused to say whether he disclosed the 21st birthday outfit on his nomination forms – which he would have been required to fill out at the three elections he has stood for the party – saying on Sunday that his selection was a “decision for the preselectors”.
On Sunday Robert Borsak, the leader of the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party, released a statement saying he would refer Perrottet to the police over the matter, saying it was “long past time that he be held to account, he is not above the law”.
Without providing any evidence, Borsak said it was “clear that the premier may have sworn a false oath on a number of occasions by not declaring that he had worn a Nazi uniform on his 21st birthday”.
It came as Perrottet on Sunday insisted he did not recall who was at the party and did not want to “drag” others into the saga. He said:
It’s not about other people, I made a mistake, it’s about what I did.
Updated
For the first time in Australia people queue to charge electric cars
Australians are familiar with holiday frustrations: queues at theme parks, traffic jams at the beach, competition for Boxing Day bargains. But this year, some discovered a new source of stress: delays when charging their electric cars.
Queues at some charging stations in the week after Christmas saw drivers forced to wait up to 90 minutes to get back on the road.
The scenes played out in regional areas between capital cities as electric vehicle owners set off on big road trips – some for the first time.
But, experts say, the queues might ultimately benefit the industry and future electric vehicle owners.
They provided the first “real-world data” into charging hotspots and the upgrades needed to ensure Australia’s electric transport future.
It highlighted the work still needed to be done before electric cars are widely adopted.
For more on how the federal government needs to act on EV infrastructure to make up for a decade of inaction, read the full story here:
Updated
No voice without treaty: Blak Greens
The Greens’ First Nations advisory group has laid out its conditions for supporting the voice to parliament, saying it must be subject to treaty negotiations with the government.
Pending further negotiations with the government, the Greens are holding out on explicitly supporting the looming referendum, wanting further progress on all three elements outlined in the Uluru statement from the heart: truth, treaty and voice.
Tjanara Goreng Goreng, a national co-convenor of the Greens’ First Nations Network, which informs the party’s policy on Indigenous matters, called on the government to include discussion of Indigenous sovereignty in the voice referendum.
“My view is the voice, as recognised in the constitution, will not provide what First Nations people have been asking for for a long time,” she said.
“We’ve always fought for our rights: human rights and rights to land. Our rights to land and country are about the recognition of prior sovereignty. Truth, treaty and voice as we’ve laid it out might be more difficult to do, but it’s more transformative for our country.”
For more on this story by Guardian Australia political correspondent Josh Butler read the full story here:
Updated
Unemployment rate for end of 2022 likely to be below 4%
Australia is expected to have ended 2022 with the jobless rate once again below 4%, according to economists.
The December labour force report due on Thursday will follow several months of ultra-low unemployment reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The Reserve Bank will likely be watching the numbers for any signs that the currently tight labour market is easing, to help take pressure off wages and price growth.
But forward-looking jobs data released last week pointed to still-robust demand for workers despite signs the market is cooling off its peak.
In measuring vacancies, the bureau found more than 440,000 jobs were unfilled in November, which is still robust albeit about 23,000 fewer than in August.
Seek job advertisement numbers also remain 34% above pre-pandemic levels.
– AAP
Updated
Swimmer missing in Yarra River
A man is missing after swimming in the Yarra River in Melbourne’s outer east.
Police have been told the 39-year-old man was with friends at Taroona Reserve, Warrandyte, on Saturday when he walked down a path toward the river by himself about 3pm.
His friends later tried to find him before contacting police to report him missing.
Air Wing as well as rescue divers were continuing to search the water and surrounding area on Sunday.
– AAP
Updated
Benalla storm ‘so wild I could not see where I was driving’
Just a bit more on the storm at Benalla in north-east Victoria that we reported on earlier.
Local resident Julie Harrison told Guardian Australia most in the area now have power back, but are expected to be waiting until about 2pm local time.
She said it was a scary evening with lightning, intense rain, hail and wind:
I was at Benalla Bowls Club about to leave when power went out and doors closed. Then power briefly came back on and doors opened again so I made a run for it to my car, as my elderly mum was at home alone.
By the time I had got in my car the power was out again. Traffic lights were out. It was so wild I could not see where I was driving and stopped in front of the rose gardens.
Harrison said she needed to “zigzag” between fallen trees, driving at about 5km/h to get home in the darkness.
The local State Emergency Service unit told residents to be patient while they responded to the significant number of callouts, stating that while a tree over a fence or shed might be scary, people should only call if there was significant flooding, structural damage, or if they are unable to enter or leave their home.
The SES said:
If you require assistance for tree-damaged fences or buildings which aren’t used for residential purposes then it is best to take photos and contact your insurer if need be, or contact one of our many local contractors to assist.
Again we ask for patience as we make our way through our growing list of jobs. These will be triaged ad attended to as soon as possible.
The North Eastern Hotel posted on Facebook it would have to close for lunch on Sunday and possibly dinner while the damage, caused by a leaky roof, was assessed.
Updated
Dreyfus commits to taking advice on religious discrimination bill
In his speech, Mark Dreyfus also gave an update on progress towards a religious discrimination bill.
Dreyfus said:
As attorney general in the Albanese government, I am determined to continue in the proud Labor tradition of advancing human rights and strengthening the legal frameworks that protect us all from discrimination.
To that end, the government is committed to extending anti-discrimination protections to more Australians – including laws that prohibit discrimination against, and the vilification of, people on the basis of their religious beliefs. This work is already progressing.
Last November I asked the Australian Law Reform Commission to conduct an inquiry into the exemptions for religious educational institutions in the Sex Discrimination Act and a number of related issues. The ALRC will provide its advice to government by 21 April 2023.
... The ALRC’s inquiry is a crucial first step towards implementing all of the government’s commitments to extending federal anti-discrimination protections.
In delivering on those commitments, the government will seek to encourage a public discussion that is respectful, constructive, accepting and unifying, and recognises the wealth and value of Australia’s diversity, including its diversity of religious faiths.
Updated
Diplomat who saved thousands during Holocaust remembered
The attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, has delivered an address in St Kilda in memory of Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat who saved tens of thousands of Jews in Nazi-occupied Hungary from certain death by issuing them with a Swedish government protective travel document of his own invention: a “Schutzpass”.
Dreyfus said:
He was a diplomat from neutral Sweden, brought up in the Lutheran faith, who willingly agreed to be sent into a war zone and then, time after time, risked his life to save people he did not know and had no obligation to assist – no obligation, but a belief in our common humanity ...
While the exact number of people he saved will never be known, we do know that when the Germans finally surrendered to the Soviets in January 1945, over 100,000 Jews in Budapest had survived.
We know there are hundreds of thousands of people alive today who would not exist were it not for Wallenberg.
And we also know no single person was responsible for saving the lives of more Jews during the Holocaust than Raoul Wallenberg.
Wallenberg was made an honorary Australian citizen in 2013 by the Gillard government – the first person to ever receive this honour.
Updated
Thousands of food packs distributed to struggling families
A Victorian government program to provide free meals to students from struggling families has distributed thousands of food packs over the summer break.
Nearly 6,000 food packs have been delivered to families over the summer break, while about 28m free, healthy meals have been provided to students in 1,000 Victorian schools, as part of the state government’s School Breakfast Clubs program.
The $71m initiative, first launched in 2016, seeks to address the impact that disadvantage can have on education outcomes by offering free and healthy food in partnership with Foodbank Victoria.
Under the program, healthy breakfasts are available to all students, with lunches and home food supplies, including food products for holiday periods, provided to students requiring additional support.
Victorian education minister Natalie Hutchins said it was important for students to receive support when needed.
The program has already made a huge difference to students who need a bit of extra support to have a nutritious, delicious meal every morning and we’re proud to support the School Breakfast Club all year round.
– AAP
Updated
Body of bushwalker found on NSW Central Coast
A body found in bushland on NSW’s Central Coast is believed to be a missing 78-year-old American tourist.
Authorities found the body on Saturday after an extensive multi-agency search involving police dogs and rescue helicopters in bushland between Pearl Beach and Patonga.
Police spotted the body from the air and it was then retrieved by ground crews.
The body, which has not been formally identified, is believed to be a missing woman in her late 70s who was visiting from the US.
Police were notified of the missing bushwalker on Friday evening.
The search began immediately and the body was found early on Saturday morning.
– AAP
Updated
WA police ask for public help over death of 47-year-old man
Western Australian police are seeking information about the death of man in Yokine on Saturday night.
At 10.35pm, paramedics notified police they were attending a unit complex following reports a man was seriously injured and unresponsive.
Upon arrival, the paramedics confirmed a 47-year-old man was dead.
An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death is ongoing.
Updated
Storm updates from north-eastern Victoria
I just want to go back and follow up on the storm that hit Benalla in north-eastern Victoria on Saturday night.
I’m told that the Bureau of Meteorology recorded no rain in the area overnight as Wangaratta is the centre, not Benalla, but the town reportedly was hit by 26mm in 20 minutes.
The SES has received dozens of calls for help in the town with 3,000 properties left without power.
Here some photos from social media users looking at the aftermath – and a church with the roof ripped clean off.
It was looking a bit like that. That curl was churning! This is just before the main show last night, looking towards Benalla from a couple of Km out of town. pic.twitter.com/IeSxD4SREl
— Andy (@OzandyHoward) January 14, 2023
Had to laugh,we’re in the dark cause of the black out and all I can here is pelting rain down and I heard 2 big branches snap,should’ve heard my language🤣🤣poor Kitty hid under the couch,Ralphie?He’s deaf so he didn’t hear a thing. Ian
— Ian Graves. #JusticeForCassius (@xskinn) January 14, 2023
This’ll give you an idea how strong the storm was. Ian pic.twitter.com/nFiM2wCuw2
— Ian Graves. #JusticeForCassius (@xskinn) January 15, 2023
Tree damage like this is everywhere,roads blocked everywhere. Ian pic.twitter.com/RptU8gDAiQ
— Ian Graves. #JusticeForCassius (@xskinn) January 14, 2023
Updated
NSW firefighters to help WA flood response
NSW firefighters will travel to Western Australia to help with the state’s flood response.
The state’s north has been inundated after extreme weather, with ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie dumping record amounts of water across the region.
Six firefighters will head to Broome and Kalgoorlie, which are now bearing the brunt of the extreme weather.
They will be there for five days, helping with community liaison as well as planning and safety.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued an extreme weather warning for the region on Saturday, with a hot and unstable air mass threatening to create major thunderstorms across the Pilbara.
But that has since been downgraded as flood recovery efforts continue.
Meanwhile, another group of specialist NSW firefighters has been sent to the far-west of their home state.
The in-water team will help with efforts in Menindee, where the remote town has been cut off by flood waters.
In Queensland, the bureau was still warning of the risk of flash flooding as heavy rain hits the Central Coast and Whitsundays.
Up to 250mm of rain could be dumped on the region in just six hours on Sunday, with a 24-hour total of up to 400mm possible.
– AAP
Updated
Thousands without power in Victoria
Storms overnight at Falls Creek have cut power to thousands of residents, 120mm of rain falling in just over an hour.
The SES has received dozens of calls for help at Benalla in the Victoria’s north-east, with 3,000 properties left without power.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Meteorology has forecast thunderstorms and heavy rainfall in Queensland, and isolated thunderstorms in parts of New South Wales.
Severe #thunderstorms are possible with heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding. There is also a risk of locally intense rainfall.
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) January 14, 2023
A separate severe weather #warning for heavy to locally intense rainfall is current. See https://t.co/wjeHXb7pNR pic.twitter.com/0WEI3HhJa8
Isolated #thunderstorms are expected across southern and western parts today, more frequent about the southern ranges.
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) January 14, 2023
Severe thunderstorms are possible about the southern ranges, including the ACT, for the risk of heavy rainfall, damaging wind gusts, and possible large hail. pic.twitter.com/vPy4sDkYFn
Updated
Threat reduced in Adelaide Hills bushfire
Ground crews will continue monitoring the fireground and targeting hotspots over the coming days, with the South Australia state emergency service saying the threat has reduced.
Country Fire Service crews with aircraft support worked in extreme conditions on Saturday to fight a scrub fire at the Black Hill conservation park. The area contains steep, hard-to-reach gullies with tightly packed scrub.
The cause of the fire is unknown but it has so far burned 45 hectares near Montacute. Two firefighters have sustained minor injuries but are recovering well and there have been no reports of property damage.
With warm weather forecast, ground crews will be working to mop up hotspots over the coming days with support from observation aircraft.
Residents are advised to remain vigilant as there may still be smoke.
The following road closures remain in place:
Gorge Road remains closed to the public between the intersections of Kirkevue Road and Corkscrew Road and is likely to remain closed for the next 24 hours
Corkscrew Road is closed between Gorge Road and Montacute Road; however, it is expected that this will reopen today
Updated
New South Wales premier Dominic Perrottet has announced he will hold another press conference.
This time with the parliamentary secretary for the Central Coast and member for Terrigal Adam Crouch to make a health an infrastructure announcement at 11.30am.
Updated
WA bushfire downgraded
Authorities in Western Australia have downgraded an alert for a bushfire burning south of Perth.
A bushfire watch-and-act alert is now in place for residents in the area, with the state emergency service advising that two areas have now been given the all-clear.
Firefighters have been working overnight as the 6,000-hectare blaze was thought to be contained but uncontrolled.
06:50 AM - Bushfire WATCH AND ACT for for parts of GLEN MERVYN, MUMBALLUP, NOGGERUP, THOMSON BROOK, YABBERUP, BEELERUP, LOWDEN, QUEENWOOD, WELLINGTON FOREST, WELLINGTON MILL in the SHIRE of DONNYBROOK-BALINGUP and SHIRE OF DARDANUP: https://t.co/ZSEIQDbkiJ
— DFES (@dfes_wa) January 14, 2023
Updated
Dutton renews demand for more information on voice to parliament
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, is continuing to pressure the Albanese government to release more information about the Indigenous voice to parliament.
In an interview with Nine Newspapers Dutton said that he does “support constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians” but accused Labor of playing a “tricky but dangerous political game in holding back the detail on how the voice would operate”.
Last week Dutton suggested that the government could legislate the voice before going to a referendum to constitutionally entrench it but Anthony Albanese rejected the proposal by noting the Uluru statement from the heart called for the voice in the constitution.
On Sunday, Dutton said:
The Australian public won’t vote for something the prime minister refuses to explain. This makes it essential to release the detail, in the form of a draft bill and regulations. This would be the respectful thing to do instead of keeping Australians in the dark.
The Nine Newspapers story compared this to the approach in the marriage law postal survey – although the bill circulated before that was not the one used to pass marriage equality into law.
Labor is being pulled in two directions on the voice – and my colleague Josh Butler has written today about the Blak Greens’ insistence that the voice must be accompanied by negotiations for a treaty.
Updated
The presser wraps up now with a final word from Perrottet talking about the $1bn his government is setting aside for new road projects in western Sydney. The premier says he is “not focused on the party”.
I’m not focusing on the party, I’m not focused on ourselves. I’m focused on the people of our state. And that’s why I will finish with this. That’s why we are here today, announcing $1bn to improve the lives of people of western Sydney.
Updated
Perrottet ‘not focused on the party or politics’
Perrottet is now attempting to reframe the conversation towards the future.
I’m not focused on the party or politics. I’m focused on taking our state forward and having the long-term economic plan that will drive New South Wales and our people to great heights. That’s what I’m focused on. It’s what I’ve focused on my entire political life, whether that’s been premier, and it’s treasurer, and it’s been a very difficult few years for our people. And I’ve been there every single day. Tirelessly working to drive New South Wales forward.
Minister for metropolitan roads Natalie Ward is thrown a question about her thoughts on the revelation that the premier wore a Nazi uniform to his “uniform-themed” 21st birthday. Ward gives Perrottet her full support.
What I’ve seen in Dom Perrottet is that he is a compassionate, kind person who works his guts out every day for the people of New South Wales. I think ultimately, what he’s done, is he’s owned this or he’s stepped up, he’s answered questions, hasn’t shied away from it. And I think that that commitment and his demonstration and commitment to the community over time, as demonstrated by his actions, shows how he is deeply sorry for this, and he’s committed to multiculturalism in New South Wales.
The person that I know is someone who has absolutely committed to working hard for the people of New South Wales every single day. And I think that’s the important thing that people will see and recognise. But he hasn’t shied away from this in any respect.
Ward ends by saying that at her 21st, she had “criminally big hair” and that “hopefully” there were no photos.
Updated
NSW premier: ‘I don’t recollect’ who was at 21st birthday party
Questions for the NSW premier turn to his Nazi uniform admission earlier this week. Perrottet is asked whether he has the confidence of the Liberal party cabinet.
Yes. Yes, I do.
The premier then repeats the statements he has made previously, saying he was a younger man who made a mistake.
I have a significant amount of support from my colleagues. I am not focused on the past, I am focused on driving our state forward.
Pressed on who else might have been at his 21st birthday party, where he wore the uniform, Perrottet makes clear to take the blame for himself saying, “it’s not about other people” and that “what’s important is that I did it”.
I don’t recollect. People have asked me a number of questions about who was there. It was a long time ago. What I know because I was there and I know what I did.
Again the premier falls on the suggestion that he was a younger man.
I was naive and young and didn’t see it that way. And that’s that’s just the reality of that time. I didn’t see it that way and and I made a terrible mistake, but I’m not, you know – I’ve answered, I’m just not going to keep going.
Updated
Perrottet pledges $1bn for western Sydney road projects
New South Wales premier Dominic Perrottet has announced $1bn for new road projects across western Sydney.
After a brief introduction by Liberal candidate for Riverston, Mohit Kumar, the premier said the area is expected to grow by over 250,000.
It’s crucially important not just to drive jobs growth, but to ensure western Sydney is the best place to live, to work to run a business and to raise a family. That’s what this investment is all about today.
Updated
WA bushfire contained but uncontrolled
A bushfire south of Perth has been contained but remains uncontrolled.
Some 100 firefighters battled the 6,000-hectare blaze on Saturday before its started to slow.
Aerial support was also dispatched to the Donnybrook-Balingup shire on Saturday.
The fire, believed to have been sparked by lightning, was moving slowly north-west as of Sunday morning after breaching containment lines on Saturday.
04:55 AM - Bushfire EMERGENCY WARNING for for parts of GLEN MERVYN, MUMBALLUP, NOGGERUP, THOMSON BROOK, YABBERUP, BEELERUP, LOWDEN, QUEENWOOD, WELLINGTON FOREST, WELLINGTON MILL in the SHIRE of DONNYBROOK-BALINGUP and SHIRE OF DARDANUP: https://t.co/ZSEIQDbkiJ
— DFES (@dfes_wa) January 14, 2023
An emergency warning remained in place for the fire area, with residents told to flee.
Meanwhile, in South Australia, firefighters have managed to contain a bushfire in the Adelaide Hills, just east of the state capital.
Residents in Montacute had been earlier told to leave or take shelter on Saturday.
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning for damaging winds has been issued for the Flinders and parts of Eastern Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, Mid North, North West Pastoral and North East Pastoral districts. https://t.co/aUYcOUmrvm pic.twitter.com/6ccL8EjlM8
— Bureau of Meteorology, South Australia (@BOM_SA) January 14, 2023
But by that night the fire was contained with firefighters remaining on scene to monitor hotspots.
Firefighters had been battling the blaze over steep, inaccessible terrain in the Adelaide Hills with 15 tankers and eight aircraft.
- AAP
Updated
New South Wales premier Dominic Perrottet has called a press conference for 9am where he will appear alongside minister for metropolitan roads Natalie Ward to make a major announcement.
We will bring you the latest when it happens.
Updated
Good morning
And welcome to another Sunday morning Guardian live blog.
Bushfires just outside Perth and Adelaide have continued to burn overnight. A 6,000-hectare blaze in Western Australia is moving slowly north-west on Sunday morning with an emergency warning still in place. About 100 firefighters had been battling the blaze – believed to have been sparked by a lightning strike – with air support. Meanwhile, in South Australia, firefighters have worked overnight to contain a bushfire in the Adelaide Hills near Montacute.
Cardinal George Pell will make his journey home after a funeral mass in Rome that concluded with a blessing from the Pope. Australia’s most senior Catholic was farewelled on Saturday in a ceremony held at St Peter’s Basilica. His coffin will now be returned to Australia to be buried in the crypt at St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney where he served as archbishop.
I’m Royce Kurmelovs, taking the blog through the day. With so much going on out there, it’s easy to miss stuff, 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.
With that, let’s get started ...
