TRANSCRIPT
- Boats and helicopters supplying New South Wales communities cut-off by floodwaters
- Donald Trump imposes a 50 per cent tariff on the European Union
- Australia's Oscar Piastri crashes during practice for Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix
Authorities say their focus has begun to shift to the supply of isolated communities as the weather eases in northern New South Wales.
Essential supply drops are being delivered by boat and helicopter for the hardest hit towns including Taree, Kempsey, Dungog, Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour.
But Deputy State Emergency Services Commissioner Mike Wassing says rescues are still happening in the mid north region as the rain moves south and people start to move around more.
He says that is mostly because people are driving through floodwaters, against official advice.
"Fifty-two flood rescues overnight, in the last 24 hours. Most of those are still associated with people driving through floodwaters... It is taking up valuable emergency services personnel time and efforts and priorities that are needed elsewhere. It is also obviously a key life risk and we've already seen the tragic deaths associated with people driving into floodwaters."
**
Just two seats remain undecided three weeks after this year’s federal election.
But it could be weeks before the result in one seat - Bradfield - is known, with a recount due to begin on Monday after Independent candidate Nicolette Boele finished ahead of Liberal Gisele Kapterian by just three votes in the initial distribution of preferences for the Sydney electorate.
Meanwhile Labor is on track to pick up an extra seat to add to its increased majority as counting continues in the Melbourne-based seat of Calwell.
The electoral commission has described the count as the most complex in its history, due to the number of candidates contesting and primary votes being close between them.
**
An Indigenous woman suing the federal government over the controversial Northwest Shelf gas project in Western Australia says she is doing it out of frustration.
Mardathoonera woman Raelene Cooper says the federal government has spent the last three years ignoring her application that seeks to protect Murujuga rock art from the impacts of industrial development at Woodside's Burrup Hup - which includes the Northwest Shelf.
Her Federal Court suit seeks to compel Environment Minister Murray Watt to make a determination on her application.
Senator Watt has given himself until the end of May to approve or reject Woodside's proposal to extend its project from 2030 to 2070, a project that has been under assessment for six years.
**
A 5.2 magnitude earthquake has rattled north-western New South Wales.
Geoscience Australia says the earthquake was felt in the Orana region, which features the major localities of Dubbo and Cobar.
It says an aftershock was measured at 4.1 in magnitude, which was itself followed by a second smaller 3.6 magnitude earthquake.
Seismologists say earthquakes above a 5.0 magnitude occur on average every one to two years in Australia.
**
Donald Trump has announced he will follow through on his threat to impose a 50 per cent tax on goods imported into the US from the European Union.
Earlier, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul had flagged the European Commission was handling negotiations on a trade deal that he hoped would preserve access to the American market.
But the President says the tariffs are locked in - unless European companies make commitments to build factories inside the US.
“I’m not looking for a deal. We’ve set the deal... They haven't treated us properly, they have not treated our country properly. They banded together to take advantage of us."
**
A 135-metre container ship has mounted the front garden of a fjord-side home in Norway - an event the homeowner slept through.
Authorities say the bow of the cargo vessel - identified as the Cypriot flagged ship NCL Salten - narrowly missed Johan Helberg's bedroom when it ran aground.
Yet Mr Helberg says it was not the sound of the collision that woke him up, but the persistent doorbell ringing of an astonished neighbour who witnessed everything.
**
To sport, Australia's world championship leader Oscar Piastri has crashed into the barriers during practice for Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix.
The crash happened after the Australian made a rare mistake as he locked up on the way into turn one and lost his front wing.
Piastri maintains a 13-point lead over McLaren teammate Lando Norris in the standings ahead of tomorrow's race.
