Australia news live: NSW government says ‘no blank cheque’ to end rail dispute after Fair Work ruling backs rail unions

Norelle is among scores living in cars and tents in a once-affordable Queensland city. Some are now being forced to leave

When John, 81, fled the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 at age 24, he never thought he’d end up living in a park outside Brisbane, Queensland.

“Every time I come here I wonder if I’ll find him alive,” says Beau Haywood, the founder of local food charity Nourish Street. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s found a rough sleeper dead.

John has spent a year at the car park at Bicentennial Park, one of a growing number of people living in cars, tents and worse – sheltering in corners and in plain sight all over the Redcliffe peninsula.

On Thursday night, Beau visits every one of them. He knows all the spots; the former methamphetamine addict was homeless here himself only a few short months ago.

The Guardian rides with Haywood from suburb to suburb to a dozen spots across the region. Here six tents behind a public swimming pool, there 30 people at the local showgrounds. He estimates 120 people all told, all living on the streets.

For more on this story, read the full report by Guardian Australia’s Andrew Messenger:

Queensland residents begin recovery after torrential rain

Residents in northern parts of Queensland have begun to survey the damage wrought by a fortnight of torrential rain that caused major flooding and the deaths of two people.

Flood warnings remain in place in flood-devastated areas of Queensland as residents return home to count the cost of the big clean-up.

Flood alerts include a major warning for the Lower Flinders River and a moderate warning for the Thomson River.

Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton joined Queensland Premier David Crisafulli in Ingham on Saturday, where two lives were lost.

Hundreds of people were forced to evacuate during a fortnight of record rainfall that flooded homes.

Dutton said lives had been destroyed and more action was needed to make flood insurance more affordable.

– AAP

Sydney’s archaic sewerage system a ‘significant’ source of microplastic pollution, CSIRO finds

It is not just human waste that is being pumped into the ocean off Sydney’s popular beaches due to the city’s unusual and archaic sewerage system – government scientists have confirmed billions of microplastics are also polluting the water.

A CSIRO report, released in 2020 but not reported on until now, found the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) at Malabar discharged an estimated 5.4bn to 120bn of microplastics into the ocean each day.

By comparison, the report found the Cronulla plant – which uses more advanced techniques to treat wastewater – discharged an estimated 86m to 350m microplastic particles each day.

Guardian Australia has previously reported that Sydney Water planned to spend $32bn to improve the city’s sewerage system but would not upgrade the Malabar, Bondi and North Head treatment plants.

Instead, the water authority planned to send less waste through the three coastal plants once it overhauls the rest of the city’s water infrastructure over the next 15 years.

For more on this story, read the full report by Guardian Australia’s Catie McLeod:

RTBU NSW branch Secretary Toby Warnes is speaking to reporters now about a decision by the Fair Work Commission to allow union members to continue industrial action in their ongoing dispute with the state government.

There have been at least five [Fair Work hearings] and the government haven’t won one yet. Right now they’re five for none.

Warnes said commuters looking to travel in Sydney is to check all the applications before leaving home, consider other methods or work from home, saying “if the government lifts its lockout notices, I can guarantee the trains will run pretty much as normal tomorrow”.

Warnes says that the New South Wales government has not been engaged with unions over the last ten months unless there are periods of industrial action.

Responding to questions about the government statements that it would continue taking legal action to end industrial action, Warnes says effort would be better spent negotiating a deal.

It would be nice if the government spent as much time and resources negotiating with its workers than bringing legal actions.

Warnes says rail workers have been coming to work, completing their shifts and have been told they would not be paid for the time. He said that the FWC found that Sydney Trains systems did not distinguish between those who do not come into work for sick leave, and those engaged in industrial action.

Warnes also rejected government allegations that it could not give the union “a blank cheque” due to risk that they would make new demands in six months, saying “that’s now how Enterprise Bargaining Agreements don’t work like that”.

Unfortunately we’ve seen a complete disregard for facts by Sydney Trains, Transport for New South Wales, and the government during this bargain.

Melbourne zoo investigating shock death of Kimya the western lowland gorilla

Vets at Melbourne zoo are investigating the sudden death of Kimya, a 20-year-old western lowland gorilla.

In a statement, Zoos Victoria said the gorilla’s death was “unexpected” and that staff were “devastated” at the news.

“Kimya passed away unexpectedly this morning, and vets are undertaking a necropsy to determine the cause of death,” Zoos Victoria said.

Melbourne zoo members, visitors, volunteers, and staff – especially Kimya’s dedicated keeper team, many of whom have cared for her since her arrival – will deeply feel this loss.

The zoo said it was looking in the matter, and “as part of this investigation a full necropsy will be undertaken to determine the cause of death”.

For more on this story, read the full report by Guardian Australia’s Mostafa Rachwani:

Children among seven injured as burnout goes wrong in NSW

A five-year-old and six-year-old are among seven people injured after a teen driver lost control of his car while doing a burnout, AAP reports.

The 18-year-old driver lost control while performing the burnout in front of a crowd at Abermain, west of Newcastle in the NSW Hunter Valley, just after midnight on Saturday night.

The man’s car smashed into a parked vehicle which then struck seven onlookers, including a five-year-old and a six-year-old.

The children were treated by paramedics at the scene and rushed to hospital with serious injuries.

Five other adults were also injured and taken to hospital for further treatment.

The driver remains in hospital under police guard with serious injuries.

Police have established a crime scene on Bromage Road as they probe the circumstances of the crash.

PM sparks anger with pledge over salmon farming in Tasmania

Anthony Albanese has promised to introduce legislation that will allow “sustainable salmon farming” to continue in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour, sparking anger from conversationists and researchers who urged for the local industry to be scaled back.

The promise, made in a letter to industry group Salmon Tasmania, came after years of lobbying for action in Macquarie Harbour to save the threatened Maugean skate from extinction.

The environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, had also been reconsidering the future of salmon farm licences in Macquarie Harbour after environment groups made a legal case that an industry expansion in 2012 had not been properly approved.

In the letter, the prime minister referenced a new report from the University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (Imas) which shows the Maugean skate population is “consistent with the long term average as at 2014”.

Albanese said the report noted positive signs with oxygenation efforts – with reduced levels of dissolved oxygen across the harbour posing the main threats to the species.

The prime minister said in the letter, seen by Guardian Australia:

But even with this new and positive data, it is clear to me the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act – introduced 25 years ago – does not allow for a commonsense solution on an acceptable timeline.

For more on this story, ready the full report by the Guardian Australia’s Emily Wind:

NSW man dies after car driven by 14-year-old rolls

An investigation is under way after a man died after a single-vehicle crash in the state’s Hunter region yesterday.

Police were called to Merriwa hospital about 4.20pm on Saturday, after a 65-year-old man died shortly after being driven there by a family member.

Officers attached to Hunter Valley police district were told the man suffered critical injuries when the 4WD in which he was a passenger crashed and rolled on Roma Road, 40km north of the Merriwa township.

The driver, a 14-year-old girl, was uninjured.

Police have been told the area is out of phone reception and the crash was only discovered when a neighbour and a family member drove past.

They took the injured man to hospital; however, he died shortly after arrival.

Local police have established a crime scene and an investigation has commenced by officers attached to the Crash Investigation Unit.

NSW seeks end to industrial action by train drivers with application to Fair Work

Schools to get new anti-bullying standard

The government wants to tackle bullying in schools with a new national standard on best practice response for teachers.

The education minister, Jason Clare, announced the initiative on Sunday, appointed Dr Charlotte Keating and Dr Jo Robinson as co-chairs of the an anti-bullying rapid review to look at how schools could better address bullying.

Clare said:

Bullying is not just something that happens in schools, but schools are places where we can intervene and provide support for students. All students and staff should be safe at school, and free from bullying and violence.

That’s why we’re taking action to develop a national standard to address bullying in schools.