Key Points
- Anthony Albanese tours NSW flood disaster
- WA Stolen Generation eligible for compensation
- Fresh faces in Matildas' squad
TRANSCRIPT
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is visiting flood zones in New South Wales today and warns the devastation could have costs for the entire country.
Claiming five lives so far, the intense flooding along New South Wales' mid-north coast has left almost 800 homes and businesses uninhabitable.
That number is expected to rise as recovery efforts continue.
The floods have prompted federal and state natural disaster recovery arrangements, including small loans for business, which have been activated for 19 local government areas.
Mr Albanese says the entire country will be impacted by the disaster.
"Whilst there are people who are directly affected here, every Australian is affected as well, by the fact that we've had a loss of dairy industries. That will have an impact right throughout Australia and right throughout the economic impact here as well, but the human impact, we must remember, first and foremost."
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Stolen Generation survivors in Western Australia will now be eligible for redress for the harm caused by forced removals from family and community.
The state government has announced that living survivors will be eligible for payments of up to $85,000 under the scheme.
This follows National Sorry Day on Monday, which marks the anniversary of the tabling of the Bringing Them Home report to parliament in 1997.
Premier Roger Cook says the scheme is a major step towards reconciliation.
"We deeply regret this shameful period in our state's history and acknowledge the profound impact that this has had on Aboriginal families and people. Today, I want to leave you with more than just words. I want to leave you with action. Today, I can announce that the WA government will deliver a redress scheme for living members of the Stolen Generations of Western Australia."
Queensland remains the only jurisdiction that does not offer reparations to survivors.
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New South Wales police commissioner Yasmin Catley has announced a new taskforce to tackle gangland violence after a recent spate of attacks.
Taskforce Falcon will combine 13 separate investigations into one effort involving 150 people, including 100 detectives.
The announcement comes after three shootings in one fortnight sparked fears of more retaliation.
Police say they believe the recent increase in violence is linked to feuds over Sydney's lucrative drug market.
Deputy Commissioner David Hudson says they will leave no stone unturned.
"Since 2021 we have had 25 organized crime murders in the state of New South Wales. 20 of those have been solved through investigation, and the other five are ongoing. None of these jobs are put to bed until they are resolved, and some of those investigations have involved the arrests of up to 30 people."
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Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie has defeated Pauline Hanson's daughter, Lee Hanson, in a tight race for Tasmania's final Senate seat.
Tasmania's other senators include Labor's Carol Brown and Richard Dowling, the Liberals' Claire Chandler and Richard Colbeck, and Nick McKim from the Greens.
In the lower chamber, two seats are undergoing recounts after fierce contests.
Election officials in the seat of Bradfield are conducting a full recount after eight votes separated Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian from independent Nicolette Boele.
Meanwhile, a partial recount is underway in the inner-Melbourne seat of Goldstein, where independent Zoe Daniel was fending off Liberal candidate Tim Wilson.
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Tasmania's state government has released fast track legislation designed to speed up approvals for a new waterfront stadium in Hobart.
The cost of the contentious project, which is a condition of the state's license for an A-F-L team, has now blown out to almost $1 billion.
The project was originally slated to cost $715 million and is now expected to cost around $945 million.
Business and Industry Minister Eric Abetz says the increase is to better cater for a wide range of planned uses.
"This is going to be an iconic gateway to our capital city. It's going to provide a multipurpose stadium for concerts, for cultural events, for conventions, and of course, an AFL Stadium. And the AFL has made it perfectly clear, and we fully understand why, that without a stadium, there won't be a team."
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To soccer now, with a new coach on the horizon for the Matildas, the next generation of players know the time to impress is now.
Australia play Argentina at Melbourne on Friday night, then in Canberra three days later.
Sam Kerr, Mary Fowler, Ellie Carpenter, Katrina Gorry, Hayley Raso and Mackenzie Arnold are among the big-name players absent.
It means the games loom as an audition for other players to show their wares.
Young Calgary Wild attacker Kahli Johnson has earned her first call-up and says she's ready to make the most of her chance.
"I think you know there's some great players like Caitlin Foord, Steph Catley, you know they obviously have so much experience. Emily van Edgmond. So, I think those older girls that have been doing it for a while, I think, just kind of soaking up as much as I can from them and seeing how they carry themselves, yeah, just trying to see what it's like to be a top footballer like they are."
