Australia news live: BoM forecasts wetter-than-average summer for eastern states; Bandt urges PM to attend UN climate summit

BoM releases latest long-range weather forecasts

Peter Hannam

Peter Hannam

Summer’s looking a bit wetter than usual for the eastern half of Australia, according to the latest long-range forecasts released by the Bureau of Meteorology today. It’s the first look that we’ve had out to January.

The drivers were identified earlier this week, when the BoM formally declared a third La Niña in as many years, as we reported here:

With that extra rain there will be more cloud cover, and that means it’s very likely eastern Australia will have milder-than-usual temperatures out to December. By January the relatively cool patch starts to shrink to cover New South Wales mostly.

That reduction probably reflects the expected breakdown of the La Niña as summer rolls on, as indicated by the model forecasts the bureau relies on. For more on the triple-dip La Niña, have a listen to my colleague Graham Readfearn’s Full Story podcast.

Updated at 02.34 EDT

Key events

Academic calls for truth in political advertising

New laws enshrining truth in political advertising should be introduced to stop politicians lying with “impunity” and prevent division seeping into society, a parliamentary committee has been told.

A submission from UNSW professor George Williams to an inquiry into the May federal election calls for a crackdown on disinformation to strengthen the integrity of the electoral system and Australian democracy.

Williams said a “narrowly drawn law for truth in political advertising” should be a priority for the parliament, which was failing to regulate its own “falsehoods”.

“There must always be space for robust debate and to question even the most accepted orthodoxy,’’ he said.

“It is also important that any new law cannot be weaponised during an election campaign by one party seeking court injunctions against its opponents.”

Williams said a lack of regulation meant “politicians can lie with impunity in the hope of misleading voters to secure electoral advantage”, including scare campaigns involving Medicare and death taxes.

“When citizens cannot tell fact from fiction, and leaders spread falsehoods for political advantage, society as a whole is damaged,” he wrote.

“The United States readily demonstrates this – Donald Trump’s baseless claims about electoral fraud are sowing division and distrust throughout that nation and undermining good governance.”

– via AAP

Updated at 03.17 EDT

Paracetamol packet sizes should be reduced, TGA recommends

The size of paracetamol packets sold in supermarkets could be reduced and limits introduced on the number of boxes that can be bought in a bid to reduce injury and death from intentional overdoses.

The recommendations are contained in an independent expert report published by Australia’s drugs regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration. The report found rates of intentional paracetamol overdose were highest among adolescents and young adults and more common among women and girls.

You can read more on the story by Melissa Davey at the link below:

Updated at 02.55 EDT

Star’s interim chairman apologises

Interim Star Entertainment Group chairman Ben Heap has written a letter to shareholders apologising after the Bell inquiry found the company unsuitable to hold its Sydney casino licence.

The Star has 14 days to respond and show why its licence should not be permanently revoked, with Heap writing it was “clear from the report that we need to fundamentally transform our culture”:

We need more transparency, more robust governance and greater accountability. At its heart, we need to be a workplace where our team members feel free to raise concerns, where we have open and honest dialogue with our regulators and independent monitor, and where our leadership is both vigilant and listens when concerns are raised.

Our goal is to earn back your trust and the trust and confidence of the NSW Independent Casino Commission and indeed all our regulators. I recognise that we won’t be judged by our words but by our actions. You have my commitment and that of my fellow directors and senior management team that we will do everything in our power to make the necessary improvements.

Updated at 03.19 EDT

Players’ association slams NRL’s sanction of Caitlin Moran

The Rugby League Players’ Association has slammed the NRL’s decision to sanction NRLW player Caitlin Moran for a social media post following the death of the Queen.

The Newcastle Knights player took down the post but the NRL announced a proposed sanction of a one-match suspension and a suspended fine equal to 25% of her salary.

In a statement, the RLPA say the fine issued to Moran is “far too severe” and that the NRL has a “worrying track record of inconsistent punishments”:

The Rugby League Players’ Association acknowledges the breach notice the NRL have issued to NRLW player Caitlin Moran.

The RLPA believes a fine equivalent to 25% of Caitlin’s salary, although suspended, is far too severe. Caitlin’s proposed financial punishment is another example of the inconsistent and disproportionate penalties handed down to players.

Case by case, the NRL has a worrying track record of inconsistent punishments given to players. For integrity-related matters, the RLPA has continually advocated for transparency, but we are yet to see any framework that informs the NRL’s sanctions.

The lack of a clear and transparent framework puts players in an incredibly vulnerable position and leaves many within the game scratching their heads at administrative decision-making.

Concerningly, the game wants to be transparent with the public by publicising breach notices, but the game does not want to be transparent with key industry stakeholders on what framework informs that decision making.

Newcastle Knights player Caitlin Moran.
Newcastle Knights player Caitlin Moran. Photograph: NRL PHOTOS

Updated at 03.14 EDT

BoM releases latest long-range weather forecasts

Peter Hannam

Peter Hannam

Summer’s looking a bit wetter than usual for the eastern half of Australia, according to the latest long-range forecasts released by the Bureau of Meteorology today. It’s the first look that we’ve had out to January.

The drivers were identified earlier this week, when the BoM formally declared a third La Niña in as many years, as we reported here:

With that extra rain there will be more cloud cover, and that means it’s very likely eastern Australia will have milder-than-usual temperatures out to December. By January the relatively cool patch starts to shrink to cover New South Wales mostly.

That reduction probably reflects the expected breakdown of the La Niña as summer rolls on, as indicated by the model forecasts the bureau relies on. For more on the triple-dip La Niña, have a listen to my colleague Graham Readfearn’s Full Story podcast.

Updated at 02.34 EDT

Minister says NSW rail union’s plan to turn off Opal machines is illegal

The New South Wales transport minister, David Elliott, believes the rail union’s plan to switch off Opal card readers next week is “illegal”.

As part of the ongoing industrial action undertaken by the Rail Tram and Bus Union, opal machines will be shut down “indefinitely” from 21 September.

Elliott said the government had received legal advice that indicated the action was illegal, and that the government could take any worker seen switching off the machines to court:

Prima facie we believe it’s illegal.

I will go down to any court in the country to make sure that any person who is seen to be doing this is prosecuted.

I don’t believe any court in this state would say inciting people to destroy public property is anything but illegal.

The NSW transport minister David Elliott.
The NSW transport minister David Elliott. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

Updated at 03.21 EDT

Pocock urges government to divert money for dam projects to environmental protection

The independent senator David Pocock is calling on the government to divert money allocated to a promise made to the former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce.

The former PM Scott Morrison promised billions of dollars for six major dam projects for Joyce in return for backing a commitment to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The dams deal included $5.4bn for the Hells Gate project in north Queensland and upgrades worth $600m and $433m at the Paradise and Dungowan dams, respectively.

Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Pocock said that with the money currently unspent, the government should look to reallocate them to halt the the “extinction crisis” that the environment and water minister, Tanya Plibersek, said was due to a lack of funding:

The state of the environment report revealed just how desperately urgent this task is. Meaningful reform takes money.

If the billions in taxpayer funding allocated for water infrastructure isn’t going to proceed, it is imperative that this money be invested in environmental protection.

I appreciate the government is on the hunt for savings, but taking this money back into consolidated revenue would be a huge blow to our capacity to achieve the outcomes our environment so urgently needs.

The government needs to be setting minister Plibersek up to succeed.

Updated at 01.31 EDT

Emergency minister says flood risks due to third La Niña ‘very high’

The federal emergency management minister has conceded that the risk of flooding due to the third consecutive La Niña is “very high.”

Murray Watt was on ABC’s RN Breakfast earlier today, and said the areas that have faced flooding in recent years are likely to face flooding once again:

I think given how wet the catchments are in so much of the east coast of Australia, the risk of flooding is very high. And that’s why we need to be taking all the steps that are possible to prepare for right now.

The areas where we have seen flooding in Queensland and NSW over the last couple of years unfortunately are, again, faced with the risk of more. But really, anywhere in the east of and anywhere in northern Australia.

We have, specifically, been working with the state governments about what the plans are around people who are not living in permanent accommodation at the moment to make sure that there are flood plans in place [for those residents]. If people are living in temporary accommodation, that’s going to require a different response to what would happen if people were in their permanent homes.

I certainly think the NSW government and the NSW SES have really done a lot of work since last summer to improve its response and readiness for disasters. I think that everyone learned a big lesson from last summer about where people need to be positioned and how they need to be resourced.

Updated at 01.06 EDT

Queensland premier writes to King Charles III

Queensland’s premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, has written to King Charles III via Queensland’s governor, Jeannette Young, expressing the “deep sadness” state MPs are feeling at the passing of the Queen.

It came as part of a very brief sitting of state parliament, where Palaszczuk praised the Queen for her “years of dedicated service and duty”.

(We express our deepest sympathy to your majesty and other members of the royal family for the loss they have sustained.

We also extend our sincere congratulations to your majesty on your ascension to the throne, and express our wishes that your reign is a long and happy one.

Updated at 00.33 EDT

Mostafa Rachwani

Mostafa Rachwani

Good afternoon, Mostafa Rachwani with you this afternoon, taking over from the always brilliant Amy Remeikis.

Updated at 00.17 EDT

Amy Remeikis

Amy Remeikis

Mostafa Rachwani will guide you through the afternoon. Thank you so much for joining me today – take care of you.

Updated at 00.16 EDT

Government responds to labour force figures

The employment minister, Tony Burke, has responded to today’s labour force figures – he wants to see stronger wage growth:

A slight uptick in the overall unemployment rate is due to a welcome increase in the participation rate. Unemployment remains at an historically low level.

The overall result in South Australia (3.9%) and Queensland (3.2%) are particularly encouraging, with both recording their lowest unemployment rates since records began in 1978.

But these economic circumstances should be resulting in stronger wages growth.

These results once again demonstrate why we need to update the workplace system and close the loopholes that are undermining wages growth.

Updated at 00.17 EDT

Parliament launches inquiry into online gambling

Australia has a well documented problem with gambling – but did you know it is now affecting kids as well?

The parliament’s standing committee on social policy and legal affairs has launched an inquiry into online gambling and will look at a range of issues relating to online gambling, including consumer protections support services, regulatory regimes, emerging technologies and advertising restrictions, to report back in May next year.

The independent Curtin MP, Kate Chaney, who is a member of the standing committee, said she was particularly concerned over what she was hearing about gambling and children:

I have heard heart-breaking stories of loss and shame from my electorate. An immediate priority should be reducing children’s access to online gambling advertising. A gambling ad is shown every two minutes on free-to-air TV in Australia. We are conditioning our kids to think gambling is normal.

Chaney said three quarters of Australian kids aged 8–16 years who watch sport think betting on sport is normal and can also name one or more sports betting companies (25% can name four or more).

The very real and insidious nature of this issue was brought to my attention by a number of constituents who relayed their stories. Rod told me of his son Ollie, who had lost $25,000. Sandra told me of her son, who started with a rite-of-passage trip to the races for his 18th birthday and ended up borrowing tens of thousands of dollars from friends and family and losing it through online gambling.

You can find more details of the committee, here (including on how to make a submission).

Updated at 00.31 EDT

PM should attend UN climate summit: Adam Bandt

Following reports Anthony Albanese may not attend the next UN climate summit in Egypt in November (still to be decided, but there is a bit on with parliament and whatnot), the Greens leader, Adam Bandt, said the prime minister needs to go so he doesn’t repeat his predecessor’s mistakes:

As opposition leader, Anthony Albanese slammed Scott Morrison’s refusal to show up to the climate summit. The prime minister must not repeat Scott Morrison’s mistakes, but should show up to the summit and join other world leaders acting on coal and gas.

Anthony Albanese said Australia is ‘rejoining’ the world on climate action, but despite passing a climate law with a low emissions reduction target, his government has backed more coal and gas and opened up huge swathes of ocean for oil and gas drilling.

As Pacific Leaders have said, to be taken seriously on climate Australia needs to get serious about coal and gas, which means the prime minister turning up to the climate summit with a commitment to join the Global Methane Pledge and the Powering Past Coal Alliance.

If Australia wants to host a climate summit in the future, the prime minister needs to turn up to this one with a pledge to stop opening up more coal and gas mines.

Updated at 02.46 EDT

Melissa Davey

Melissa Davey

World Health Organization hits back at criticism from Lancet commission on global Covid response

A newly published Lancet commission report has found widespread, “massive” global failures in the Covid-19 response, which the commission said led to millions of preventable deaths and reversed progress made towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals in many countries.

The commission is the result of two years of work from 28 of the world’s leading experts in public policy, international governance, epidemiology, vaccinology, economics, international finance, sustainability, and mental health, and included consultations with over 100 other contributors to 11 global task forces.

“We must face hard truths – too many governments have failed to adhere to basic norms of institutional rationality and transparency; too many people have protested basic public health precautions, often influenced by misinformation; and too many nations have failed to promote global collaboration to control the pandemic,” the commission’s chair, Prof Jeffrey Sachs, said.

The commission also took aim at the World Health Organization, saying there were multiple failures of global cooperation and costly delays by the WHO to declare a “public health emergency of international concern” and to recognise the airborne transmission of the virus.

This coincided with national governments’ failure to cooperate and coordinate on travel protocols, testing strategies, commodity supply chains, data reporting systems, and other vital international policies to suppress the pandemic, the commission said.

The lack of cooperation among governments for the financing and distribution of key health commodities – including vaccines, personal protective equipment, and resources for vaccine development and production in low-income countries – has come at dire costs, the report found.

In a statement just issued, WHO hit back at the claims, saying “there are several key omissions and misinterpretations in the report”.

“The commission does not convey the full arc of WHO’s immediate, multi-year, life-saving response,” the statement said.

Updated at 02.49 EDT

Save the Children bringing week of Indigenous-focused story events to Canberra

Save the Children is bringing its “Our Yarning” program to Canberra from 19-21 September:

Our Yarning is a free, digital library of culturally relevant books created by and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The Our Yarning team will host three story time sessions at early childhood centres, host writers’ workshops, and hold a public lecture at Canberra University presented by Our Yarning’s Cultural Advisor Dr Julie Owen during the week of events.

You can find all the information here:

Updated at 23.32 EDT