This blog is now closedGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNew Joint Strike Fighters ‘absolutely critical’ to Australia’s national security, says PatersonParterson has spoken about the Coalition’s announcement today that if elected, it would commit $3b to obtaining an additional 28 Joint Strike Fighters for Australia’s military arsenal, bringing the total number to 100.As far back as the defence white paper in 2009, David, it was articulated that fifth generation strike fighters were going to be absolutely critical to Australia’s national security and our defence, and that we would need 100 of them. And it was the Bipartisan Policy of both parties for a decade that we should acquire 100 of the Joint Strike Fighters.This is a down payment on our commitment for increased and faster defence spending given the deteriorating security.We wouldn’t want China to misinterpret what is happening in Europe … we want the Americans to continue to support Ukraine, because it is possible that China would take lessons out of that for our own region, including, obviously, in relation to Taiwan, that would be a disaster.There is no retreat for America from the Pacific, and we shouldn’t expect to see that on this administration. Continue reading…This blog is now closedGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNew Joint Strike Fighters ‘absolutely critical’ to Australia’s national security, says PatersonParterson has spoken about the Coalition’s announcement today that if elected, it would commit $3b to obtaining an additional 28 Joint Strike Fighters for Australia’s military arsenal, bringing the total number to 100.As far back as the defence white paper in 2009, David, it was articulated that fifth generation strike fighters were going to be absolutely critical to Australia’s national security and our defence, and that we would need 100 of them. And it was the Bipartisan Policy of both parties for a decade that we should acquire 100 of the Joint Strike Fighters.This is a down payment on our commitment for increased and faster defence spending given the deteriorating security.We wouldn’t want China to misinterpret what is happening in Europe … we want the Americans to continue to support Ukraine, because it is possible that China would take lessons out of that for our own region, including, obviously, in relation to Taiwan, that would be a disaster.There is no retreat for America from the Pacific, and we shouldn’t expect to see that on this administration. Continue reading…
Crisafulli said campers had been told to leave K’gari as the state braces for the cyclone to hit a ‘broad area’ when it turns towards Queensland’s coast on Tuesday.
As mentioned in an earlier post, the bureau has warned people from Bundaberg down to the Gold Coast – where more than four million people live – that there would be significant winds, coastal inundation, intense rainfall and flooding. Waves at some beaches in Wide Bay had already hit 14 metres.
Speaking about people who are located on the Island’s off the coast of Queensland, Crisafulli said:
We will give the information to people in an honest and open and timely way, and then people need to make that decision when to leave an island, but if there will come a point where that option is removed for the individual and services, for example, won’t be there. So [we’re] just asking people to take the preparations and whatever their decision, just be prepared for that. [We] will support them whether they choose to go or whether they choose to stay.
And, that’s a wrap of our live news blog, this first Sunday of Autumn. Here’s what’s been keeping us busy today:
As ever, thank you for your company – we’ll be back bright and early tomorrow morning.
SES warns NSW Northern Rivers region and mid-north coast should be on alert for Tropical Cyclone Alfred
The SES has also warned the NSW Northern Rivers region and mid-north coast to be on alert for updates on Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
The region has been told there could be damaging winds, large surf, heavy rainfall and flash flooding.
The SES said in a statement that major riverine flooding and flash flooding were possible along the Northern Rivers and mid-north coast from Wednesday through at least the weekend.
NSW SES assistant commissioner Dean Storey said now was the time for residents to prepare.
The impacts of the cyclone may be felt from Tuesday with damaging winds, large powerful surf, coastal erosion, followed by intense and heavy rainfall from Wednesday onwards.
The SES said:
If major flooding occurs, people may be asked to evacuate their homes. We are asking the community to take steps now to ensure that if you are asked to evacuate, you have a plan for yourselves, your families and your pets and know where you will go.
Crisafulli said campers had been told to leave K’gari as the state braces for the cyclone to hit a ‘broad area’ when it turns towards Queensland’s coast on Tuesday.
As mentioned in an earlier post, the bureau has warned people from Bundaberg down to the Gold Coast – where more than four million people live – that there would be significant winds, coastal inundation, intense rainfall and flooding. Waves at some beaches in Wide Bay had already hit 14 metres.
Speaking about people who are located on the Island’s off the coast of Queensland, Crisafulli said:
We will give the information to people in an honest and open and timely way, and then people need to make that decision when to leave an island, but if there will come a point where that option is removed for the individual and services, for example, won’t be there. So [we’re] just asking people to take the preparations and whatever their decision, just be prepared for that. [We] will support them whether they choose to go or whether they choose to stay.
BoM warns of flooding and coastal inundation from Tropical Cyclone Alfred
The Bureau of Meterology says Tropical Cyclone Alfred is expected to turn west towards the south-east Queensland coast on Tuesday.
A spokesperson warned people located in Bundaberg down to the Gold Coast that there would be significant winds, coastal inundation, intense rainfall and flooding. They said:
I urge the community to stay up to date by the Bureau’s webpage, the Bureau’s app and also emergency services messaging.
Crisafulli said the government was making preparations to mitigate risks:
I’ve engaged with some of the telecommunication providers and asked them to do everything they can to make sure that there is bandwidth capacity, [so people] are to be able to get our messages as quickly as they humanly can get out. We will work with the councils as well as state wide messaging to make sure that messages are up-to-date [and] accurate and by working with those telco providers.
Many of those telecommunications [are] reliant on backup generators, so we have also spoken … [to] telcos [and] are making sure that they have backed up power sources if we were to lose power
The Queensland Fire Department is in the process of redeploying some assets and making sure that we have the best and brightest ready to respond.
We’ve begun communication with some of the hospitals … about a plan for their residents.
Waves in parts of south-east Queensland hit 14 metres
Crisafulli said the waves in some parts of south-east Queensland had already hit 14 metres:
To put into perspective what we’ve seen already, some of the waves of the Wide Bay have reached in the order of 14 metres in the early hours of this morning, some of the monitoring of the system has not been in place for a long time but that is certainly amongst the highest recorded figure on some of those gauges.
Queensland premier David Crisafulli is speaking now about Tropical Cyclone Alfred, now a Category 2 cyclone and which is expected to hit the state this week.
Crisafulli said:
A flood watch has been put in place for areas from the Murray River right through to the border… That is a large part of the Queensland coastline but it shows the volatility of the system.
[A] Tropical Cyclone warning is not in place at this stage but it is expected that that will occur within the days ahead.
Defence expert criticises Coalition’s $3bn pledge to buy more fighter jets, saying ‘there are higher priorities’
The federal Coalition says it would spend $3bn for 28 fighter jets to add a fourth squadron to the country’s F-35 fleet – but it won’t reveal where the money is coming from.
The election pledge means Australia would end up with 100 of the F-35s if the Coalition wins the upcoming poll.
The opposition home affairs spokesperson, James Paterson, wouldn’t reveal on Sunday whether the $3bn would be additional money or redirected from elsewhere in the Defence budget.
More on this story here:
New Spirit of Tasmania ferry to leave Scotland after govt U-turn
A new Spirit of Tasmania ferry is set to leave Scotland bound for the Apple Isle after lease talks spectacularly fell through.
The first of two $900m Spirit of Tasmania replacement vessels has been docked in the Scottish town of Leith since early December as a required port in Devonport in the state’s north-west hasn’t been built.
Its operator TT-Line in late January said it had entered “commercial negotiations” after receiving an offer to lease the ship.
In a stunning U-turn, the Tasmanian government announced it had instructed TT-Line to immediately cease negotiations and begin planning to relocate Spirit IV to Tasmania.
“TT-Line has been engaging with a broker in good faith,” the transport minister, Eric Abetz, said in a statement on Sunday.
“However, it has become evident that an agreement will not be reached.”
It followed the Scottish government shooting down speculation it could lease the Spirit of Tasmania ferry to house Ukrainian refugees.
Tasmania’s government has been paying more than $47,000 a week plus “ancillary services” for a minimum 30-day berth after the ferry left its construction yard in Finland.
– AAP
Greens announce new candidate for Calwell after previous defects to Fatima Payman’s new party
The Greens party – whose leader Adam Bandt and senator Mehreen Faruqi marched in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras last night – has announced its candidate for Calwell will step aside. Ravneet Garcha has put herself forward as the new Greens candidate for the outer Melbourne electorate.
In a statement, the Greens said Garcha was a young woman of Indian heritage and a trained nurse, “whose family has experienced the injustice of Australia’s immigration system first-hand”.
Garcha said that “for too long” Calwell had been taken for granted.
I want to be a strong independent voice fighting for renters, getting dental into Medicare, and Palestine. Together we can turn Calwell Green, keep Peter Dutton out and get Labor to act.
Outgoing Mohamed El Masri, whoquit to join Fatima Payman’s new Australia’s Voice party (read more below), thanked the Greens for the opportunity to represent his community.
Preselection is expected to be finalised by early next week.
PM says government has ‘absolute confidence’ in ADF after Chinese warships spark national security concern
We’ll circle back to Anthony Albanese’s press conference a short time ago, where the PM was asked about the Chinese warships that have raised eyebrows about national security and communications around international military exercises this week.
We receive intelligence briefings, and we also have absolute confidence in our Australian Defence Force … we monitor these things.
And there have been, of course, Australian or New Zealand cooperating appropriately. I’ve had direct discussions with prime minister Luxon of New Zealand about this. We’re cooperating to make sure that throughout the journey that these Chinese ships have taken, they have been monitored by Australian or New Zealand vessels, frigates, in the latest case, HMAS Stuart … or as well, by surveillance aircraft. So that has been occurring.
I have seen some of the criticism of Scott Morrison, for example … The Liberal party must think people are goldfish here, in 2019 on Scott Morrison’s watch, there were Chinese warships, not around the coast, in Sydney harbour, pulled up to Garden Island.
He said that Chinese ships off Western Australia in 2022 were not monitored by the Coalition government, which leased the Port of Darwin – “our most important northern port” – to a company that had direct links with China’s government.
The Bureau of Meteorology has published its latest tropical cyclone bulletin.
It said Tropical Cyclone Alfred, now a Category 2 cyclone, was a short time ago about 515km east of Rockhampton and 370km east northeast of Bundaberg.
Tropical Cyclone Alfred has been moving southwards while weakening during yesterday and overnight. Tonight it is forecast to turn southeast and move further away from the Queensland coast while weakening a little further.
Alfred is then expected to slow down and is likely to turn westward from Tuesday, moving back towards the southern Queensland coast.
The bureau warned that strong to gale-force winds may occur in K’gari today and that severe coastal hazards were expected in southern Queensland and northeast New South Wales.
Large and powerful to potentially damaging easterly swell as well as abnormally high tides were developing about exposed southern Queensland beaches, and are forecast to extend to northern New South Wales from Monday.
PM to celebrate his birthday today with governor general visit
It’s the PM’s birthday – and what better way to celebrate, he asked reporters, than to speak about Labor’s urgent care clinics.
Health policy-related press conferences aside, Anthony Albanese would not be drawn on whether he may approach the governor general this afternoon to launch an official election campaign.
He said:
I am going to Canberra this afternoon. Keep your eye on that white car with the little flag on the front. If I dropped by the governor general’s this afternoon, it would be for maybe a birthday cake or something like that.
I’m not sure if the governor general’s aware it’s my birthday today, I am planning to have dinner at the lodge, a quiet dinner with Jodie and Nathan.
I was elected on my birthday, so it’s the anniversary of that as well … but we’re continuing to govern.