Health News at Your Fingertips

From ACT senator (and finance minister) Katy Gallagher:

The ABC has just crossed to star reporter Louise Milligan (who was evacuated from the airport) and radio presenter Dan Bourchier (who was in a plane grounded on the tarmac). Unintentionally excellent coverage on the ground from the national broadcaster!

That Royce Kurmelovs had quite the busy bloggy Sunday! Tory Shepherd with you now for the afternoon, and we’re hoping to hear some more from police shortly about the shots fired at Canberra airport.

Josh Butler

Police say they are working to resume flights out of Canberra airport as soon as possible, and are hopeful service will resume this afternoon.

Flights are currently grounded, with some planes still sitting on the tarmac with passengers aboard.

One person has been arrested after the incident at Canberra airport with police confirming there have been no reported injuries.

In a statement issue on Sunday police say they responded to reports of gunshots in the main terminal building at the airport.

One person was taken into custody and a firearm was recovered.

Police believe only one person to be responsible for the incident and have reviewed CCTV footage.

The Canberra airport terminal was evacuated as a precaution and the situation at the airport is contained.

ACT police have asked the public not to attend the airport at this time.

Police say they are working to resume flights out of Canberra airport as soon as possible, and are hopeful service will resume this afternoon.

Flights are currently grounded, with some planes still sitting on the tarmac with passengers aboard.

A full statement is expected shortly.

Josh Butler

No injuries yet reported from Canberra airport incident

Witnesses have described hearing several gunshots during an incident at the Canberra airport concourse where a man is alleged to have fired into glass overhead.

Four bullet holes can be seen in three large glass windows on the second floor of Canberra airport, following reports of the shooting.

The gunshots prompted a chaotic mass evacuation of everyone present by security.

Police have still not confirmed any details but numerous officers are interviewing witnesses at the scene.

Large areas of the airport are blocked off with police tape, and officers are still stationed at the entry doors to the terminal.

There have been no reports of injuries at this stage and police are expected to give a statement shortly.

Witnesses describe evacuation ‘stampede’ and man ‘shooting in the air’ at Canberra airport

Josh Butler

Helen, who was flying to Melbourne with her husband, said she saw a man “shooting in the air” not far from the airport check-in counter. She described the man as middle-aged and “clean cut”, holding a pistol.

She said she heard around about six shots.

“Security just said ‘run, run’, so we all ran outside,” she said.

Another witness, who declined to give his name, said he was just putting his property through the security X-ray machine when the shooting started. Security guards yelled at people to leave their effects and run. The man said he was worried about getting his phone and wallet back.

Other witnesses claimed they had heard no announcement or alarm over the airport’s PA system, and complained of having been given no information.

“People just flooded out in a stampede. People were getting knocked over,” one woman said.

Tasmania has been battered by heavy rain and strong south-easterly winds across its south-east on Sunday morning.

Authorities have responded to about 95 calls for help on Sunday as heavy rainfall has lead to flood conditions across parts of the state.

Between 30mm to 60mm of rain has fallen over the state on Sunday.

Tasmania SES’s acting director Leon Smith said first responders had been active on the ground since 9am on SUnday.

“Initially the incidents were north of Hobart, in the Brighton and Bagdad areas, and then as the weather event moved we saw a big increase in activity in the Huon and Dover areas,” he said.

“While strong winds were forecast, what we’ve seen today from an SES perspective was rain related.

“Our crews have been responding to inundation into some homes and properties and are continuing to work alongside councils and Tasmania Police with road closures.”

“People are reminded to never walk, ride or drive through floodwaters.

Though conditions have eased, isolated thunderstorms and strong wind gusts may cause heavy rainfall to return this afternoon and continue overnight. If it does, authorities will issue a severe thunderstorm warning for heavy rain and damaging winds.

The event has caused minor flooding warnings to be issued for North Esk River, Jordan River, Macquarie River and Huon River. A Moderate warning has been issued for the South Esk River.

The Derwent and Coal River catchments remain in flood watch and are being closely monitored.

A slow-moving low-pressure system is responsible for the conditions on Sunday but is expected to move away to the east of Tasmania on Monday evening, with weather conditions settling on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Police preparing to give a statement on events at Canberra airport

Josh Butler

Witnesses have reported hearing “eight to 10” gunshots, after a potential shooting incident at Canberra airport this afternoon.

A large contingent of police has blocked off Canberra airport, with armed AFP officers barring the doors. At least a dozen police vehicles are stationed at the airport, with all visitors evacuated from the terminal. Hundreds of people are gathered waiting outside the building.

One family told Guardian Australia they heard shooting near the Qantas terminal, claiming up to 10 shots were fired.

“They told us ‘run, run’. It was very scary,” one man, who declined to give his name, said.

Canberra police have confirmed an incident at the city’s airport but won’t confirm exactly what has happened or whether any arrests have been made. Police have said a statement will be issued shortly.

People waiting on planes at Canberra airport after gunshots heard

More details are emerging of people being held on planes as police work to respond to the development at Canberra airport.

Guardian Australia is still working to confirm with police that gunshots were fired at the airport.

Early reports suggest at least three gunshots were heard at Canberra airport and a man has been detained after a search of the building by police.

Guardian Australia has not yet confirmed with police that gunshots were fired at the airport.

ABC journalist Louise Milligan was among those evacuated from the Qantas lounge.

There is a heavy police presence and people have reportedly been evacuated at Canberra airport following reports gunshots were heard in the terminal.

We are working to confirm the details of this story and will have more as it comes in.

Queensland announces $20m spend on new police kit

Queensland police will be better protected under a rollout of a new state-of-the-art vest design, as part of a $20m investment from the state government.

The state government said its frontline officers would be among the “best protected” in the world. The integrated vests combined ballistic and edged weapon safety features.

Police minister Mark Ryan said the new vests would allow provide officers with added protection against offenders who may be armed with knives or firearms:

Our officers put their lives on the line whenever they respond to highly volatile and dangerous situations, and they should be protected with the latest technology in officer safety equipment.

Queensland’s police force has been the subject of a landmark inquiry into the institution’s responses to domestic and family violence which concluded this week. It was established after a task force concluded that “cultural problems” within the police force were widespread.

Here are the latest coronavirus numbers from around Australia today, as the country records at least 34 deaths from Covid-19:

ACT

NSW

Northern Territory

Queensland

South Australia

Tasmania

Victoria

Western Australia

Josh Butler

Prime minister back to work on Monday

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is returning from a week of leave tomorrow, and has marked the end of his holiday with a few little social media happy snaps.

The PM spent the week in Broome, and while he was spotted in restaurants and art galleries on his trip, he kept the holiday relatively low-key on his own online channels until yesterday.

After a week where he kept his timeline ticking over by posting some older photos from the previous week of parliament, Albanese last night posted a melancholic photo of the moon illuminating the Western Australian ocean.

The Instagram photo was geolocated at the Mangrove hotel, a beachside accommodation which bills itself on its website as “a bayside escape of unparalleled style and service”.

On Saturday afternoon, Albanese also posted an Instagram story – presumably snapped out the window of his plane – of the emerald green waters off the WA coast, subtitled “see you next time” with an emoji of a waving hand.

Last week he retweeted some photos from the Shire of Broome, showing him at a gallery.

Albanese’s office had been upfront about his quick break, with the PM disclosing the holiday in an ABC radio interview last week and his office saying he’d be off until 15 August.

We’re told Albanese is back on the east coast and will be back on deck tomorrow, to take the reins from acting PM Richard Marles.

No one with Covid-19 has died in the Northern Territory overnight, with the state recording 111 new cases on Sunday morning, 26 people in hospital and one in ICU.