Key events
Natasha May
Delays predicted at Melbourne Airport amid strike action
Melburnians catching a flight this morning may want to give themselves extra time as severe delays are predicted with security screeners striking between 6am and 8.30am at the domestic airport.
Around 700 screeners and other airport security workers for Danish-based multi-billion-dollar facilities management company ISS are taking protected strike action in order to demand what they say is a just pay offer from their employer and Melbourne Airport.
The strike will come at a peak time for business travel between Melbourne and Sydney.
The International airport’s screeners made headlines recently when US actor and comedian Eric André claimed he was racially profiled in Melbourne Airport’s security line when he was “pulled out of a lineup and put in a special line” where he was “sniffed thoroughly” by a security dog.
The comedian alleged the incident took place while travelling by Qantas International via Terminal 2 at Melbourne airport, en route from Los Angeles to Brisbane.
Amy Remeikis
Government and ABS to ‘work through issues’ regarding census, PM says
Sticking with Anthony Albanese for a moment, the prime minister also gave some new comments about the census question debacle.
After confirming the new questions on sexuality, gender identity and sex characteristic variations had been ditched last Sunday, the government faced a week of criticism from its own backbench, advocacy groups as well as political opponents.
The government later said the proposal had been dumped in an attempt to avoid “divisive” debates. Albanese returned from the Pacific Island Forum and said there would be one question on sexuality in his first comments on the issue. He later said that “nothing had changed” and the government was being consistent.
Yesterday, social services minister Amanda Rishworth said the proposed questions shown to the government by the ABS were too complicated. Albanese echoed that view later on Sunday saying some of the forwarded questions “weren’t appropriate to be tested”.
(The ABS goes through a rigorous process ahead of each census, testing each proposed new question before it becomes part of the documented sent to Australian households.)
Albanese said the government and ABS would “work through these issues”.
My government values every Australian, regardless of who they are, regardless of their sexuality, their race, their faith, their gender, we value every single Australian and people should be valued and respected for who they are, including their identity, and we’ll work these issues through constructively.
The ABS were going to go out and test some questions last Monday, why two years in advance is a matter for them, and that’s why we put a pause on that so that we could consider appropriate, appropriate questions that were easily understood by people when they get the census.
Government ministers have pointed to other avenues to collect data, which Albanese also appeared to reference.
The census in today’s world, with these little things that you’re holding there [pens and phones] there’s a range of data collected. It’s not all collected by paper and pens in 2026 and that is why we’ll work it through constructively.
Amy Remeikis
National cabinet to discuss youth justice taskforce
Anthony Albanese says national cabinet will discuss the idea of a national youth justice taskforce. The PM was asked about the National Children’s Commissioner suggestion at a press conference late on Sunday, and said:
We’ll discuss [it] with [the] states and territories. I’ve got a national cabinet meeting this week. We discuss cooperatively with states and territories, and one of the things that we can always do is learn off best practice and have them engage with each other as well.
But Albanese maintained the ultimate responsibility remained with the states.
These services are delivered at the state level, the juvenile justice systems. The commonwealth do not have a direct role in them, but we’ll work cooperatively, and I’m sure that states and territories as well need to learn from these experiences.
The issue of youth justice is once again dominating the national agenda after a 17-year-old killed himself in a WA youth detention facility. He was the second teen to kill themself in just 10 months in the state’s youth justice system. Albanese said:
As I said, this is a terrible tragedy. This is the second in the last year, and we know that that is of great regret and will be a cause of much pain for the people who’ve lost loved ones.
Albanese ministry in Western Australia
Amy Remeikis
It’s all about Western Australia this week with the Albanese ministry in the west as it works to bed down seats ahead of the next election.
Anthony Albanese flew to Perth on Sunday along with senior ministers to kickstart the political assault.
Yesterday it was all about energy after the WA capacity investment scheme auction success (Chris Bowen said it was six times over-subscribed) and energy will continue to play a starring role while the ministry is in town.
The government is attempting to refocus the agenda on cost of living and its energy plan, with Peter Dutton’s nuclear sketch in its sights.
Circling back to the damaging winds and risk of flooding in Tasmania
The executive director of Tasmania SES, Mick Lowe, said there has been 347 requests for assistance overnight.
Over the next 24 hours, we are expecting weather conditions to ease across the state, however the risk of damage and flooding has not passed.
With damaging winds and rainfall, we’re seeing trees down across the state and I urge people to be alert, especially when driving on the roads.
Twenty warnings are currently in place, with an emergency warning to evacuate now in place for the Derwent River – as we flagged just earlier. Lowe said:
[Properties] face a significant risk of flooding and it is likely roads and properties will become inundated by flood waters and become inaccessible.
Two evacuation centres are open – one at the Derwent Valley Sport and Recreation Centre on Derwent Terrace in New Norfolk and another at the Memorial Hall in Circle Street.
More than 100,000 without power in Victoria
In Victoria, around 103,000 remain without power amid the severe weather.
A strong cold front over central Victoria to the east of Melbourne will continue to move rapidly eastwards today, the Bureau of Meteorology says.
The strength of these winds aloft, combined with scattered lines of showers and a few thunderstorms will continue to bring damaging winds to parts of the state today.
Conditions are expected to gradually ease throughout the state during late afternoon and evening today.
East of Melbourne, damaging winds averaging 50 to 65km/h with peak gusts of around 110km/h are forecast early this morning. West of Melbourne, winds averaging 50 to 65km/h with peak gusts of around 110km/h are forecast.
Here are some notable wind gusts recorded in the past six hours:
-
133km/h wind gust was recorded at Mount Gellibrand
-
131km/h wind gust was recorded at Falls Creek km/h wind gust was recorded at Cape Otway
-
113km/h wind gust was recorded at St Kilda Harbour
-
109km/h wind gust was recorded at Casterton
The Victorian SES says it is currently receiving a significant number of calls.
If you need emergency assistance for storm damage or flooding, please be patient and keep trying.
Extreme fire danger for Illawarra
There is an extreme fire danger rating across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven today in New South Wales.
There is also a total fire ban in place for the Illawarra/Shoalhaven and the greater Sydney region, which has a high fire danger rating today.
The far north coast, and the south-western region, also have high fire danger ratings today.
This comes as a severe weather warning for damaging winds is in place across parts of NSW and ACT today. For Sydney, the Illawarra, Blue Mountains, south coast and the Hunter, damaging winds around 60 to 70km/h with peak gusts of around 100km/h are possible.
Sustained 92km/h winds with 113km/h gusts were recorded at Thredbo at 2:43am this morning.
Woman killed after tree falls on cabin
A woman has died after a tree fell on a cabin in southern New South Wales, near Albury.
New South Wales police said it received reports a tree had fallen on a cabin at Moama about 3.50am this morning.
Officers found the body of a woman, aged 63, in the wreckage. She is yet to be formally identified.
A man, aged 63, was treated by paramedics for injuries to his right hand, and taken to Echuca hospital for further treatment.
A report will be prepared for the coroner.
Police were unable to say whether the tree was brought down by the damaging winds currently lashing parts of the state.
Evacuation order for parts of Tasmania amid flooding
A flood emergency warning has been issued for parts of the Derwent Valley in Tasmania.
Major flooding is likely along the River Derwent this morning, with Meadowbank, Glenora, Bushy Park, Gretna, Macquarie Plains and surrounding areas likely to be impacted.
TasAlert says that over the next six hours, some properties are likely to become isolated or inundated, property is likely to be threatened by flood waters, and driving conditions may become dangerous.
Following heavy rainfall in the last few days, the River Derwent below Meadowbank Dam is currently at 6.92m and rising, likely to exceed the major flood level (7.30m) this morning. It may peak near 7.50m later this afternoon.
There are 10 watch and act alerts in place for flooding across the state.
A severe weather warning for damaging winds is also in place for much of Tasmania’s west coast, including King Island and Furneaux Islands.
A 157km/h wind gust was recorded at King Island airport at 10:38pm last night. A 141km/h wind gust was also recorded at Mount Read, and a 135km/h gust at Cape Grim.
Welcome
Emily Wind
Good morning, and welcome back to a new week on the Australia news live blog. I’m Emily Wind, and I’ll be taking you through our rolling coverage for most of today.
There’s lots of wild weather about today, with severe weather warnings for damaging winds in parts of NSW and the ACT, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. More than 100,000 Victorians remain without power, with trees down and buildings damaged, and in Tasmania, there are emergency warnings in place amid flooding.
Meanwhile in NSW, there is an extreme fire danger rating for the Illawarra, and total fire bans in place for the Illawarra and greater Sydney. We’ll bring you the details on all of this shortly.
The Albanese ministry is in Western Australia this week as it works to bed down seats ahead of the next election. Amy Remeikis will bring us the latest on this in a moment.
And Melburnians catching a flight this morning may want to give themselves extra time as severe delays are predicted with security screeners striking between 6am and 8.30am.
As always, you can get in touch via X, @emilywindwrites, or email – [email protected]. – with any thoughts, feedback or tips. Let’s get started.
