Australia information dwell: NSW authorities urges Sydney commuters to keep away from trains resulting from industrial motion

Dutton says tariffs would harm US-Australia relationship in the event that they keep in place

US president Donald Trump has this week mentioned there can be “no exemptions” to his 25% tariffs on metal and aluminium imports – regardless of efforts from prime minister Anthony Albanese to achieve an exemption for Australia.

Peter Dutton was requested about accusations from the Trump administration that Australian exporters had exploited the tariff exemptions it was granted in 2018 – did Australia break its promise to Trump?

The opposition chief mentioned the “short answer is no” and that he doesn’t assist the tariffs “at all”.

I feel they harm the connection in the event that they keep in place now. Because the president’s demonstrated, he’s a deal maker, and I feel the prime minister, frankly, ought to have been making ready the bottom lengthy earlier than this choice was made.

Dutton criticised Albanese for not going to go to the president after his inauguration, and argued there had been “limited engagement even by the ambassador or the foreign minister with her counterparts or his counterparts.”

I simply assume the prime minister has dropped the ball right here. He’s simply lower than the duty of negotiating these huge offers. And there’s a deal, I’m certain, to be finished with the US, and there’s a lot Australia has to supply. However it’s fallacious that these tariffs are in place.

Dutton requires extra particulars on interplay between Australia and China in South China Sea

The opposition chief, Peter Dutton, has additionally weighed in on that interplay between Australian and Chinese language plane within the South China Sea on Tuesday.

Talking on the At this time Present, he mentioned this was “obviously very concerning and it’s incredibly unsafe.”

He took goal on the prime minister and deputy PM for not saying something about this in parliament yesterday and ready till parliament had concluded.

After which Richard Marles did a press convention to offer particulars. So we haven’t had a briefing on it as but, however on what the deputy prime minister says it’s deeply regarding as a result of it places that security in danger, the protection of our personnel. And that isn’t one thing that Australia can tolerate …

[It] must be clear when it comes to what’s occurred, and I simply don’t assume we’ve seen all the element but from Richard Marles.

Wayne Swan on interplay between Australian and Chinese language plane in South China Sea

Yesterday, the Division of Defence launched details about an “unsafe and unprofessional interaction” between Australian and Chinese language plane within the South China Sea on Tuesday, the place flares had been allegedly launched close to the Australian airplane.

Requested in regards to the experiences on the At this time present earlier, the nationwide president of the Labor social gathering, Wayne Swan, mentioned this was “happening with increasing frequency across the region.”

It doesn’t occur accidentally, however it’s occurring proper throughout the area. It’s occurring in Vietnam, it’s occurring within the Philippines … and due to this fact we’ve to be as ready as we presumably can, and we’ve to be as skilled as we presumably can whereas making our long-term defence preparations, placing these in place with all of our allies.

Emily Wind right here, signing on for running a blog duties. I’ll be taking you thru our rolling protection for many of at the moment.

As at all times, you’ll be able to attain out with any suggestions, questions or suggestions by way of e mail: emily.wind@theguardian.com. Let’s go.

Communities are bracing as an out-of-control bushfire bears down on Tasmania’s west coast, with greater than 20 blazes raging as climate situations quickly change, AAP experiences.

Residents and guests to Corinna had been issued with an emergency warning final night time and informed to take shelter. The blazes put individuals and houses at excessive danger, authorities warned.

Corinna and surrounds is presently at excessive danger. The fireplace is travelling in the direction of Corinna. Burning embers could threaten your own home earlier than the primary fireplace arrives. Smoke and ash could make it tough to see and breathe.

Faculties had been closed and evacuation centres established. Residents had been urged to keep away from utilizing hoses and sprinklers until an ember assault instantly threatened their property.

Scott Vinen from the Tasmanian Fireplace Service mentioned embers had begun to descend in town, which prompted an emergency warning.

We now have had embers in and round Zeehan with smoke. We do have some firefighting assets within the space who will probably be patrolling and searching for any ember assaults.

Watch and act alerts had been in place for Sandy Cape, Pieman Heads, Conical Rocks, Savage River and Granville Harbour. In all, there have been 25 bushfire warnings issued throughout Tasmania.

Caitlin Cassidy

5 new college hubs for Western Sydney, Brisbane and Logan

Western Sydney, Brisbane and Logan will probably be residence to 5 new college research hubs to deliver the outer suburbs nearer to greater training.

Labor will announce the areas of the research hubs at the moment, which had been a key suggestion of the Universities Accord to encourage college attainment amongst under-represented outer suburban Australians.

They are going to be situated in Fairfield, Mt Druitt and Liverpool in western Sydney, Inala in Brisbane and Beenleigh in Logan.

They add to 10 current suburban college research hubs, with all 15 anticipated to be open by late 2025, providing campus-style services for college students endeavor a level. Some 56 regional research hubs are working throughout the nation.

The minister for training, Jason Clare, mentioned nearly half of individuals of their 20s and 30s had a college diploma, however not in outer suburbs or regional Australia.

I do know rising up in western Sydney I noticed a variety of golden arches and KFC and Westfield however not a variety of college crests. Loads of my pals felt like college was someplace else for another person. I would like this to alter, and meaning bringing college nearer to the place individuals dwell.

A “super black” sky has supplied a chilling reminder of the potential hazard forward as a harmful cyclone zeros in on Australia, based on Australian Related Press.

Tropical Cyclone Zelia is about to hit Western Australia’s Pilbara coast at the moment, turning into a class 5 system with forecast wind gusts of greater than 300km/h.

Outlets, faculties, roads and ports in WA’s north-west have closed in preparation for the “dangerous” system, with individuals informed to take shelter.

Carrie McDowell known as the “super black” sky over her Karratha group ominous as locals had been warned to anticipate harmful winds and extra heavy rain.

The 22,000-strong city of Karratha sits within the area bracing for influence when Cyclone Zelia is forecast to cross the coast between Dampier and De Gray, together with Port Hedland, late at the moment. McDowell informed AAP:

We’ve not had a class 5 whereas we lived right here. We had a class three in 2020 and that was actually scary. I’m a bit frightened about flooding.

Karratha and Port Hedland are each prone to a direct hit, the Bureau of Meteorology warned. The bureau’s James Ashley mentioned:

It is a very harmful system that may trigger vital impacts.

Learn our story right here:

The New South Wales authorities is urging commuters to delay non-urgent journey at the moment, amid industrial motion.

As we reported simply earlier, trains will run 23km/h slower than standard in areas the place the pace restrict is over 80km/h, amid industrial motion from the Rail, Tram and Bus Union.

A NSW authorities spokesperson mentioned it was taking a look at all its choices, “including urgent legal action”.

After intensive negotiations over the previous couple of days the unions on the final hour requested for a $4,500 bonus cost for each rail employee. This was by no means a part of our provide, nor was it within the union’s counter provide.

We now have a good and affordable pay provide on the desk. We will’t say sure to rail unions and no to nurses. We now have made that clear.

Because of this the union has instructed drivers to not present as much as work at the moment. We’re taking a look at all our choices together with pressing authorized motion.

BoM shares long-range forecast

Caitlin Cassidy

Hotter than common days and nights are on the playing cards throughout giant components of the nation within the coming months as Australia enters autumn, the Bureau of Meteorology has revealed.

Its long-range forecast for March to Could, launched on Thursday night, predicts hotter than common days are “likely to very likely” throughout many of the nation, with an elevated change of unusually excessive daytime temperatures throughout the southern two-thirds of the nation, notably Tasmania.

Hotter than common nights are additionally “very likely”, alongside unusually excessive in a single day temperatures.

The forecast additionally predicts above common rainfall throughout a lot of northern Australia and components of the jap shoreline for autumn. Australia’s south is predicted to fall inside the typical rainfall vary.

It has been a sweltering begin to the 12 months, off the again of a sweltering 2024. January this 12 months was Australia’s second-warmest on file, with above common climate throughout many of the nation. Ocean temperatures are forecast to stay hotter than common in March to Could.

Australia’s land floor has warmed by 1.5C since 1910, based on the BoM, with the local weather disaster making heatwaves longer and extra intense, and rising the variety of extraordinarily scorching days.

Sydney commuters will probably be hit by contemporary delays on the practice community this morning as rail employees go forward with their risk to run trains beneath the pace limits.

Trains will run 23km/h slower than standard in areas the place the pace restrict is over 80km/h, the Rail, Tram and Bus Union mentioned final night time in a deliberate protected industrial motion.

The union blamed Transport for NSW for backing out of an settlement to go off the dispute, whereas it additionally mentioned the state authorities had confirmed its plans to lock out employees from 12am this morning.

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union NSW secretary, Toby Warnes, mentioned whereas the extent of the delays was unclear, commuters ought to plan for delays, and direct their anger on the NSW authorities for the uncertainty.

Commuters throughout the state ought to put together for delays because of the NSW authorities’s choice to lock out its rail employees from Friday morning.

We requested the federal government to rescind its lockout notices to make sure providers ran easily on Friday however sadly they refused. We hope that the NSW authorities doesn’t select to blow this up and trigger critical delays, however the actuality is we will’t predict the influence.

It’s bitterly disappointing that we haven’t been in a position to attain a smart settlement over the previous 48 hours. We had been extremely shut in negotiations but it surely appears there are individuals inside Transport for NSW who’re nonetheless intent on blowing this dispute up.

Sydney Trains apologised for the anticipated delays and mentioned talks on a brand new enterprise settlement had been persevering with earlier than the following Truthful Work Fee listening to on Monday.

Good morning and welcome to our dwell information weblog. I’m Martin Farrer with the very best of the in a single day tales after which it’ll be Emily Wind to select up the reins.

The 2 important events have been accused of a “bidding war” of their response to anti-Israeli feedback by two nurses in Sydney. However we report at the moment on the constitutional legislation knowledgeable who believes there may very well be a ceiling to Peter Dutton’s doable most popular coverage of rethinking citizenship guidelines. Helen Irving thinks that the Coalition chief’s suggestion of stripping citizenship from individuals who fall foul of Australian norms might require a referendum.

Khaled Sabsabi, the western Sydney artist who fled Lebanon’s civil battle as a toddler, has been dropped from representing Australia on the 61st Venice Biennale amid criticism of his appointment. Inventive Australia, which solely introduced its choose 5 days in the past, launched an announcement final night time saying Sabsabi had been eliminated due to the necessity to keep away from “divisive debate”. The artist has portrayed the late Hezbollah chief in his artwork and his choice prompted questions within the federal Senate. We’ll have all of the response because it occurs at the moment.

Sydney commuters will probably be hit by contemporary delays on the practice community this morning as rail employees go forward with their risk to run trains beneath the pace limits. Trains will run 23kmh slower than standard in areas the place the pace restrict is over 80kmh, the Rail, Tram and Bus Union mentioned final night time in a deliberate protected industrial motion. Extra arising.

Extreme Tropical Cyclone Zelia is about to make landfall on the north coast of Western Australia at the moment. The storm has quickly intensified since creating over the Indian Ocean and is forecast to be at its most harmful and highly effective when it hits land. Faculties, ports and roads have been closed amid fears that the class 5 system might deliver ferocious wind gusts as much as 320km/h. Extra arising.