TRANSCRIPT
Emergency Services Minister Jenny McAlister is on her way to north Queensland as the flooding emergency continues to unfold.
She is expected to speak with representatives from affected communities in Townsville, one of the cities military personnel are currently providing assistance to amid heavy rain and flash flooding across the region.
Miriam Bradbury from the Bureau of Meteorology says some catchments are holding steady or even starting to fall as the rain continues, while others are continuing to rise in response to past rainfall.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli says flood-hit Queensland is ready for whatever happens.
"I am asking Queenslanders to do all they can to make sure that you stay safe. And that means listening to warnings, responding as quickly as you can, helping out friends and family. And I'm very confident that we will get through this."
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The New South Wales Premier says he expects the government's ethics rules will be changed following revelations that the state's transport minister used a taxpayer funded car and driver for private use.
More instances have emerged since it became public knowledge that Jo Haylen used the official car to take her and some friends to a boozy winery lunch in the Hunter Valley - including dropping her children off at weekend sport in Sydney.
The revelations have sparked calls for Jo Haylen to be sacked, along with Housing Minister Rose Jackson, who was part of the group taken in the government car to the Hunter Valley private event.
But Chris Minns has maintained amending the ethics rules is the better approach.
"I appreciate that this is a major error and a big lapse of judgement. And I am confident, and I am hopeful - and I have told them both - that I expect that they'll learn from this mistake, and they won't repeat it."
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A review of online safety laws has recommended social media companies face massive fines if they fail to protect Australians from online harm.
The recommendations essentially shift the legal onus for safety on to tech giants, which would include requiring companies with the greatest reach to complete a risk assessment at least every 12 months and produce an annual report detailing their risk mitigation actions.
The review findings have been in the government's hands for months but today is the first day it has been publicly released.
It's unlikely the government will respond this fortnight of parliamentary sittings - but Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says ultimately the policy that comes from this report should not be influenced by fear of intimidation from tech giants.
"We know that Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, cosied with President Trump, wanting to make sure that they can have full control over tech policy. Australia cannot hide behind the couch, hoping that Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Donald Trump won't notice us."
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has joined an informal meeting of European Union leaders in Brussels, part of an effort to improve relations years after Britain left the bloc.
He has said he wants to make progress on that score - but the Prime Ministe has shut down speculation this means the UK will rejoin the EU.
"That isn't going to happen. That question was answered when we had the referendum in the UK some years ago. So that's settled. But I do think that we can have a better, closer relationship when it comes to trade and security."
European Union leaders have gathered to discuss how to bolster the continent's defences against Russia and how to handle U.S. President Donald Trump after his decision to impose tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China.
Starmer has declared his country is not choosing between either the United States or the 27-member EU, and that it intends to work with both partners.
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To sport, Travis Head and Annabel Sutherland have won Australian cricket's top individual honours for the first time.
Head has convincingly won the Allan Border Medal, becoming the first South Australian to claim the award, while Sutherland has won the Belinda Clark Award days after becoming the first woman to score a Test ton at the MCG.
Ms Sutherland says she's proud to have played for her country this year - but maintains it's been a whole of team effort.
"I feel like the team performances stick with me more than individual performances, I think. It's sort of been ups and downs with the World Cup in there and then to cap off with the Ashes. But I've thoroughly enjoyed the last twelve months. You can't complain when you're pulling on the Aussie colours. And yeah, I've loved every minute of it."
