Australia information dwell: excessive warmth throughout nation; funding for native media to assist ‘health of our democracy’

A second individual has died following a deadly crash in Armidale on the weekend.

A automobile and several other cyclists collided about 3.30pm on Saturday afternoon, earlier than the automobile continued and hit a tree, NSW police mentioned. One of many cyclists, a person in his 60s, died on the scene and is but to be formally recognized.

Three different cyclists – aged 57, 39 and a teenage boy – had been handled by paramedics earlier than being taken to John Hunter hospital and Armidale hospital in a secure situation.

The motive force of the car, a 30-year-old girl, was trapped and launched shortly after emergency providers arrived. She was handled by paramedics and airlifted to John Hunter in a crucial situation and died in hospital yesterday.

Officers established against the law scene, which was examined by the crash investigation unit, and a report shall be ready for the coroner.

EV gross sales symbolize one in 10 new gentle car gross sales in 2024

Electrical Autos symbolize practically one in ten new gentle car gross sales, a 150% enhance on 2022, in line with the Electrical Autos Council.

Its state of EVs report, launched at this time. forecasts new EV gross sales will attain at the least 15% to 19% in 2026, based mostly on present insurance policies in Australia.

NSW claims the highest spot based mostly on EV insurance policies, adopted by the federal authorities and ACT, WA, QLD and Victoria, SA and Tasmania and the NT. The report additionally highlights that in Australia this yr:

• About 110,000 new EVs are anticipated to be bought this yr, a significant milestone for the Australian market;

• There at the moment are 122 EV fashions, and greater than 220 variants – a 50% enhance in variants in comparison with 2023.

• The variety of quick and ultra-fast charging areas throughout Australia has practically doubled inside a yr, surpassing 1,059 websites nationwide. At these areas there are greater than 1,849 excessive energy public chargers.

The council’s chief scientist, Dr Jake Whitehead, mentioned:

It’s clear {that a} rising variety of Australians are searching for cleaner, extra environment friendly automobiles. This yr’s gradual progress in EV gross sales and market share builds on the momentum of a blockbuster 2023, additional driving the upward pattern in BEV and PHEV adoption.

By any measure, there are extra EVs on our roads at this time than ever earlier than and that’s set to develop. The tempo of this progress, nevertheless, will rely upon the extent of assist from governments and business.

NSW premier glad 5 Bali 9 members again in Australia

Chris Minns additionally weighed in on 5 of the Bali 9 members being returned to Australia over the weekend. He instructed this system he was glad they’re again in Australia:

I’d say that the drug commerce is horrible and insidious and it does take lives, however these folks have been in jail in a third-world nation for 20 years. That’s an enormous value to pay.

I’ve to say, I’m glad they’re again in Australia. I additionally suppose it serves as a warning, significantly to younger folks, of how strict and utilized the jail sentences are in south-east Asian international locations for drug importation and certainly for a lot of of them, if not all of them. The sentence is loss of life.

In order morbid as that’s, I hope it’s a reminder to significantly younger folks to by no means get entangled on this horrific commerce, as a result of it might take your individual life within the course of.

The NSW premier, Chris Minns, will at this time lay a wreath in Martin Place to mark the 10-year anniversary of the Lindt cafe siege.

He spoke with the At this time Present earlier and mentioned the siege occurred earlier than he was in politics and he remembers watching it on tv dwell everybody else and “being gripped by what was [happening and] staying up through the night.”

It was a horrifying evil act, and it’s horrible that it took two folks’s lives. However I believe if there’s a glimmer of hope, if you happen to squint and also you see a glimmer of hope, it’s that there was an absolute outpouring of affection and group solidarity within the days afterwards. And I believe we keep in mind that as a lot because the evil acts on these two days.

Bureau of Meteorology says highest temperatures since black summer season fires forecast throughout sure areas

Dean Narramore, a Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist, spoke with ABC Information Breakfast earlier to offer an replace on the heatwave situations throughout the nation.

He defined that for some areas, that is the most well liked summer season situations for the reason that black summer season fires, 5 years in the past:

It’s the primary massive burst of warmth of summer season and for some, it’s in all probability the most well liked temperatures we’ve got seen for the reason that horrible black summer season of 2020. 5 years in some areas.

As we flagged earlier, massive components of South Australia and Victoria at this time, together with Melbourne, are dealing with dire temperatures:

So scorching, dry windy situations, and a few dry thunderstorms this afternoon with some gusty winds positively [are] a fireplace concern.

Ben Shepherd, an inspector with the NSW Rural Fireplace Service, mentioned NSW would fare a bit higher in relation to hearth hazard as a result of grass chopping charges are increased:

The grass continues to be greener than we might usually see, nevertheless it’s not going to take a lot till we begin to see harmful hearth situations … It now seems to be like we’re banking up heatwaves or excessive hearth hazard for a variety of days.

That’s going to show problematic, particularly as we method Christmas as effectively, and we begin to see folks travelling across the state and probably coming into excessive danger areas.

Karen Middleton

New funding to fast-track pre-election social housing tasks

The Albanese authorities says it’s unlocking as much as $3b extra from the Housing Australia Future Fund (Haff) and has partnered with state and territory counterparts to fast-track social housing tasks and construct as much as 5,000 new houses for low-income Australians.

The brand new partnership, which shall be introduced formally by the housing minister, Clare O’Neil, at this time, includes state and territory governments releasing land and becoming a member of with group housing suppliers to plan and oversee tasks that may enhance social housing inventory.

The approval course of is being fast-tracked, with functions closing on the finish of January and selections to be made quickly after. This timing would allow the Albanese authorities to announce the areas of the housing growth tasks earlier than the federal election, due by mid Could.

Yesterday, O’Neil mentioned:

The way in which out of this housing disaster is to construct, construct, construct. This partnership is about constructing 1000’s of houses shortly and it’s one a part of Labor’s bold plan to construct extra homes proper throughout Australia, making housing extra plentiful and inexpensive.

The primary spherical of Haff funding, introduced in September, goals to construct as much as 13,700 social and inexpensive houses.

Karen Middleton

Extra from the funding for native information and group broadcasting

Persevering with from our final put up: The funding for AAP over three years is designed to recognise its key position in supporting media range and native information. The subscriber information service supplies information from round Australia and is a mainstay for native information organisations specifically.

It was saved from closure in 2020 by a consortium of philanthropic buyers.

One other $3.8m is being directed in the direction of a nationwide media literacy technique to assist Australians apply a crucial eye to the information and data they eat.

The federal authorities has additionally vowed to dedicate at the least $3m a yr of its total promoting price range to promoting in regional newspapers for the subsequent two years.

It’s establishing an professional advisory panel to advise on how the media sector can greatest be supported, together with by philanthropy. It additionally has a evaluation beneath method into the sustainability of the group broadcasting sector.

The funding announcement comes after the federal government confirmed final week that it might impose a levy on main tech platforms which didn’t strike ongoing monetary offers with media organisations for using their information content material.

New funding for AAP and native media to assist ‘the well being of our democracy’

Karen Middleton

The federal authorities is committing $180.5m to assist native information shops and group broadcasting by a newly established information media help program which incorporates $33m for the nationwide information wire service, Australian Related Press.

The funding bundle contains $116.7m over 4 years to assist media organisations’ capability to ship public curiosity journalism and native information, although particulars weren’t obtainable forward of the formal announcement due on Monday.

An extra $15m shall be spent on group broadcasting, $3m of that on group tv, and one other $12m will assist First Nations media by the Indigenous Broadcasting and Media Program.

In a joint assertion, the communications minister, Michelle Rowland, and Indigenous Australians minister, Malarndirri McCarthy, mentioned native media and group broadcasting are “critical to the health of our democracy, social cohesion and informing communities”:

Native information and group broadcasting is on the coronary heart of native communities, and makes a significant contribution to nationwide identification and media range in Australia.

AAP has extra particulars on the intense warmth warnings in place, as a sweltering heatwave brings one of many hottest December days in years.

Temperatures within the excessive 40s are anticipated in components of Victoria and NSW, whereas the Northern Territory faces extreme to excessive heatwave situations for a lot of the subsequent three days.

Whereas Adelaide sweated by a 40C day yesterday, Victoria and NSW endured an evening of minimal temperatures between 12 and 16 levels above common.

Excessive hearth hazard has been declared in Victoria’s central and western districts whereas Melbourne, with an anticipated forecast of 41C, will face its hottest day since January 2023 and its hottest December day since 2019.

The mercury is anticipated to hit 46C in Mildura within the state’s north-west, 45C in Swan Hill and 44C in Horsham. Whole hearth bans have been declared throughout most of Victoria with incident administration groups and firefighting plane on standby in crucial regional areas.

Whereas Sydney can anticipate a light begin to the week with a 28C most forecast for Monday, components of inland NSW might face much more excessive warmth than Victoria. A most temperature of 47C is anticipated in Wilcannia, in central north-western NSW, and 46.5C in Ivanhoe, about 180km additional south.

Good morning

Emily Wind

Blissful Monday, and welcome again to the Australia information dwell weblog. My title is Emily Wind, and I’ll be taking you thru our rolling protection all through most of at this time.

The federal authorities is committing $180.5m to assist native information shops and group broadcasting by a newly established information media help program. This can contains $33m for the nationwide information wire service, Australian Related Press.

The funding comes after the federal government confirmed final week it might impose a levy on main tech platforms which didn’t strike ongoing monetary offers with media organisations for using their information content material. Karen Middleton may have all the small print shortly.

In the meantime, a lot of Australia will bake beneath intense heatwave situations over the approaching days, with a number of areas set to file temperatures above 40C. The Bureau of Meteorology has issued heatwave warnings for giant components of northern, jap and central Australia, overlaying each state and territory besides Western Australia and Tasmania.

As all the time, you’ll be able to attain out with any suggestions, suggestions or questions through electronic mail: emily.wind@theguardian.com.

Let’s get began.