Showers are moving across Southern QLD – you can check the forecast at bom.gov.au.
Showers and storms are moving across southern #Qld and northern/eastern #NSW. Severe #storms possible with a risk of damaging winds, large/giant sized #hail and heavy rainfall, clearing tonight. Latest forecasts: https://t.co/4W35o8i7wJ pic.twitter.com/Vk6K8fbyfG
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) April 18, 2024
Protest at treasurer’s office
Antipoverty activists gathered at the treasurer Jim Chalmers’ office today to protest what they say is a lack of government action on the cost of living crisis. They say they were met with a heavy police presence and a note on the door saying the treasurer’s office has been closed for the day.
Antipoverty groups including Anti-Poverty Network Qld (APN Qld), Anti-Poverty Network SA (APN SA), the Australian Unemployed Workers’ Union and the Antipoverty Centre are calling for the government to increase the base rate of all Centrelink payments to at least the Henderson poverty line and stop payment suspensions for “mutual” obligations activities before the federal budget.
Anti-Poverty Network Queensland spokesperson Jayden Oxton-White said:
When Jim Chalmers was in opposition, we met with him and he said he appreciated our work and supported a raise to JobSeeker.
Now that he’s in power, there’s been a complete change in tune. I think his offices actions today are a pretty clear statement that Jim Chalmers doesn’t care about poverty, and he doesn’t care about people.
Many thanks for joining me on the blog today, Cait Kelly will be here to guide you through the rest of today’s rolling coverage. Take care.
My fellow Sydneysiders would have seen (or heard!) that sudden burst of rain just a short while ago.
There are showers about much of the east coast today, the Bureau of Meteorology says, with showers and storms making their way across southern Queensland and northern/eastern NSW.
Showers and storms are moving across southern #Qld and northern/eastern #NSW. Severe #storms possible with a risk of damaging winds, large/giant sized #hail and heavy rainfall, clearing tonight. Latest forecasts: https://t.co/4W35o8i7wJ pic.twitter.com/Vk6K8fbyfG
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) April 18, 2024
Animal welfare organisations want end date for life sheep export legislated
Australia’s leading animal welfare organisations have called on the government to fulfil its election promise and legislate an end date for the live sheep export trade.
In an open letter to the PM, the organisations noted that Labor promised to phase out live sheep exports in May 2018, reiterated in 2022, but this is yet to happen.
On each occasion, these promises were applauded by the community. Australian’s know there’s a better way. They know that processing sheep here on Australian shores better protects animal welfare and value-adds to local economies at the same time.
There was also a deep sense of relief that finally a government would act, and we would no longer have to witness the litany of disasters and horrifying incidents of cruelty that have been synonymous with this trade.
The groups are calling for the phase out of the trade to commence and be enshrined within legislation this term of government.
Signatories include the RSPCA, Humane Society International, World Animal Protection, Vets Against Live Export and the Australian Alliance for Animals.
Taking questions, Det Supt Adrian Telfer from the AFP said they expect further arrests to come as investigations continue.
Obviously this is a very sophisticated syndicate operating out of Queensland and the investigation doesn’t stop today. So we will be pursuing everyone involved in this investigation.
Telfer said the individual, who was arrested yesterday, was being investigated by the AFP for over 12 months. He said the alleged offender attempted to run from police when being arrested, but was apprehended.
Telfer added that at this stage, 256kg of cocaine had been recovered across NSW which means “there is more out there”.
We believe the drugs were coming from all across the globe [on a cargo ship]… It’s a reminder like NSW [police] has said publicly, [you would be] facing very serious offences if you take possession of those drugs.
Telfer said “very adverse weather conditions” were the likely cause as to why the packages were not off-loaded as planned by the individual, and ended up in the ocean.
He said the covert investigation has involved “all agencies in this country just about”.
The Australian Federal Police are speaking to the media about the cocaine packages that washed up along the country’s east coast since late last year.
The AFP have charged a man over an alleged transnational drug trafficking operation, and he will face court with seven commonwealth offences and numerous state-based offences this afternoon.
Det Supt Adrian Telfer told the media the AFP will allege that in November, the man coordinated the importation of 900kg of cocaine into waters off Brisbane. The AFP will allege the collection at sea was unsuccessful.
The AFP believe this is what has been washing ashore the eastern coast.
We have been engaged with New South Wales police since early December, concerning these drugs washing ashore.
The AFP will allege the man has attempted to import drugs into Australia on 20 separate occasions since November last year, totalling more than 20 tonnes of drugs.
Storms forecast about northern NSW today, Bureau says
Severe storms are possible for northeast NSW today, including the Hunter region.
The Bureau of Meteorology says severe storms are likely in the far northeast and adjacent ranges, bringing heavy rain, damaging winds and large hailstones.
⛈️Storm Forecast for today 18/4. Severe storms are possible for the northeast quarter of NSW today, including the Hunter. Severe storms are likely in the far northeast & adjacent ranges. Heavy rainfall, damaging winds & large hailstones possible with severe storms. pic.twitter.com/y2WhRJ23P5
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) April 18, 2024
The World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia has welcomed new emissions reduction targets passed by the Queensland government and labelled this is a “landmark moment”.
CEO Dermot O’Gorman said:
It is a significant step forward, legislating sensible emissions reduction targets, backed by a clear and credible plan to meet them.
This ambitious emissions reduction target and renewables plan is globally significant. Under Premier Steven Miles’ leadership, Queensland – historically a fossil fuel state – is seizing the opportunity to become a renewable energy superpower with these two bills.
O’Gorman also congratulated opposition leader David Crisafulli and his party for their bipartisan support for the climate target:
After the climate wars, support from both sides of politics for a strong target is a watershed moment.
Greens lambast government for delaying reform to ballooning student debt
Greens leader Adam Bandt has lambasted the federal government for delaying reforms to ballooning student debt, in a bid for Labor to halt indexation on loans entirely.
The prime minister hinted this morning that changes to make student loans “simpler and fairer” would be made imminently, following data revealing debts would rise by more than 4% when next indexed on 1 June.
The Universities Accord final report, made public earlier this year, recommended the commonwealth ensure loans didn’t outpace wage growth by setting the indexation rate to whatever was lower out of consumer price index and the wage price index.
But Bandt told reporters that wasn’t enough.
The Greens are calling on Labor to stop student debts going up by pausing indexation of student debt as part of a move to wipe out student debt entirely, so that people have got a chance to get ahead.
So many people are doing the right thing. They’ve gone to university. They’ve done what’s been asked of them, and yet still, their debt is rising faster than they’re able to pay it off.
