Key occasions
Damaging wind warning for elements of Tasmania
In additional climate information, a extreme climate warning is in place for damaging winds throughout a lot of Tasmania right now.
The Bureau of Meteorology says an approaching chilly entrance is tightening the stress gradient throughout the state, leading to vigorous westerly winds.
Winds will begin to ease as soon as the entrance has crossed the state late this afternoon, nevertheless winds will stay gusty.
Damaging westerly winds round 60-70km/h with gusts round 100km/h are seemingly throughout southern, central, and japanese elements of the state, together with over Hobart.
In the meantime peak gusts round 120 km/h are doable in regards to the japanese coastal strip district between Scamander and Swansea, in addition to uncovered and elevated areas of the state.
Areas which can be affected embody St Helens, Swansea, New Norfolk, Hobart, Geeveston and Dover.
Put together to depart warning for Queensland city amid hearth
A “prepare to leave” warning remans in place for the agricultural Queensland city of Lakeland, amid a fast-moving hearth.
In keeping with the Queensland Hearth Division, the hearth is burning alongside Mulligan Freeway in the direction of Peninsula Developmental Highway. Situations might worsen shortly, it mentioned, with firefighters working to include the blaze.
The division mentioned some properties are in danger and the hearth is prone to influence the neighborhood within the coming hours.
In the meantime, a hearth ban for southwest Queensland is in place from right now to Wednesday, attributable to heightened hearth situations. This may cowl Toowoomba, the Southern Downs, Western Downs, Goondiwindi, Maranoa, Balonne, Murweh, Paroo, Quilpie and Bulloo LGAs.
Australia overtakes Russia in Asia affect rankings
Daniel Hurst
Australia has jumped one place within the Lowy Institute’s annual Asia Energy Index, largely attributable to Russia going backwards because of its battle in Ukraine.
The assume tank ranks 27 international locations and territories to rank their relative energy in Asia. It’s primarily based on 131 indicators throughout eight broad themes: army functionality, defence networks, financial functionality, financial relationships, diplomatic affect, cultural affect, resilience and future assets.
In its 2024 report, launched final night time, the Lowy Institute continued to rank america in first place and China in second place, though Beijing was steadily eroding Washington’s comparative army functionality benefit:
For the primary time, specialists surveyed for the Asia Energy Index judged that China is best in a position to deploy quickly and for a sustained interval within the occasion of an interstate battle in Asia.
The report mentioned India’s energy in Asia was rising and it had overtaken Japan to take third place for its complete energy for the primary time. After Japan in fourth place, Australia was ranked fifth within the 2024 index, an enchancment from the sixth place it held final yr.
Australia has traded locations with Russia, the report mentioned, as a result of the latter’s “relevance to Asia is declining as its war on Ukraine saps resources and focus”.
This enhance in rating, Australia’s second for the reason that inception of the Asia Energy Index (it surpassed South Korea in 2020), is extra a perform of Russia’s decline since 2018 than Australia’s rise.
The report additionally famous that south-east Asia’s most populous international locations, Indonesia and the Philippines, had been changing into extra influential.
Chalmers reveals $149bn reduce to nationwide debt underneath Labor
Paul Karp
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has revealed that the ultimate price range consequence will present that gross debt in 2023-24 is $149.1bn decrease than what Labor inherited on the time of the election.
It’ll present gross debt on the finish of 2023-24 was $906.9bn in contrast with the pre-election fiscal outlook which projected gross debt would exceed a trillion {dollars} final yr.
Yesterday, Chalmers additionally revealed the ultimate price range consequence will probably be a surplus within the “mid teens” reasonably than the $9.3bn projected in Might.
In an announcement, he mentioned:
Via accountable financial administration and spending restraint we’ve been in a position to do away with an enormous chunk of the debt left to us by the Liberals and Nationals. Decrease debt saves taxpayers on curiosity prices, helps within the struggle in opposition to inflation and makes extra room within the price range for what issues most like Medicare, aged care and defence.
Our financial plan is all about easing stress on individuals concurrently we struggle inflation and get the price range in a lot better nick and this reveals we’re making significant progress.
Again-to-back surpluses are serving to within the struggle in opposition to inflation and lowering the curiosity prices on a trillion {dollars} of Liberal celebration debt we inherited. We’re the primary authorities to publish back-to-back surpluses in almost 20 years.
Welcome
Emily Wind
Good morning, and welcome again to a brand new week on the Australia information reside weblog. I’m Emily Wind, and I’ll be with you most of this Monday as we carry you our rolling protection.
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has revealed a $149bn reduce to nationwide debt underneath Labor. The ultimate price range consequence will present gross debt on the finish of 2023-24 was $906.9bn, in contrast with the pre-election fiscal outlook which projected gross debt would exceed a trillion {dollars} final yr, he mentioned.
Again-to-back surpluses are serving to within the struggle in opposition to inflation and lowering the curiosity prices on a trillion {dollars} of Liberal Get together debt we inherited. We’re the primary authorities to publish back-to-back surpluses in almost 20 years.
Paul Karp will carry us the complete particulars in a second.
In the meantime, Australia has jumped one place within the Lowy Institute’s annual Asia Energy Index, largely attributable to Russia going backwards because of its battle in Ukraine. The thinktank ranks 27 international locations and territories to rank their relative energy in Asia, primarily based on 131 indicators throughout eight broad themes. Daniel Hurst could have extra on Australia’s place quickly.
As all the time, you possibly can attain out by way of X, @emilywindwrites, or e-mail, emily.wind@theguardian.com, with any story ideas, questions or suggestions.
Let’s get began.
