Queensland faces another cyclone threat; The federal government says the military will continue to provide support during natural disasters; And in football, women referees make history in Qatar.
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TRANSCRIPT
- Queensland faces another cyclone threat;
- The federal government says the military will continue to provide support during natural disasters;
- And in football, women referees make history in Qatar.
Queensland is facing threats of another cyclone after weeks of record flooding caused by Tropical Cyclone Jasper.
The Bureau of Meterology says heavy downpours are set to hit the far north with a monsoon trough expected to develop creating a small chance of a cyclone developing.
Queensland Premier, Steven Miles and Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese made a visit to the flood impacted areas, announcing additional grants and funding to assist with recovery.
Anthony Albanese says the recent intensity of weather events shows why the government must take climate change seriously.
"We know that there are more extreme weather events than there has been historically, the number of them increasing, and their intensity is increasing. We were told by the science of climate change, for many decades now we've been told that this wass something that we had to give consideration to. Which is why my government takes climate change seriously."
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The government says Australia's military will keep responding to natural disasters, even as Labor considers other measures to deal with such crises.
Australian Defence Force personnel and army Chinook helicopters have been deployed in far north Queensland this month to help with recovery and evacuation efforts following the destruction caused by ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper.
Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt says that will keep happening, even if the government decides to form a reserve force to respond to such crises - and despite the 2023 defence review finding that climate events are detracting from the military's primary objective, and their combat preparedness and effectiveness.
Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior analyst John Coyne says the idea of a reserve force is a "strong one" given the nation has a long history of volunteerism.
But he says many reservists are already healthcare workers or emergency services personnel, and the same pool of people cannot be drawn upon.
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Waves of interstate migration to Brisbane have driven the price of an average dwelling in the Queensland capital to surpass average prices in Melbourne.
Recent data from Corelogic has revealed that the cost of an average home in Brisbane has gone up by over 50 per cent since March 2020, with Melbourne recording an increase of just 11 per cent in the same period.
Experts say the migration to Brisbane shows a desire for a slower paced lifestyle following the COVID-19 lockdowns, as well as the new ability for many people to work from home.
Corelogic head of research Eliza Owens says new dwellings in the city are not meeting the rise in demand for housing in Brisbane.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the government has a comprehensive plan to ensure housing supply meets demand across Australia.
"You're seeing state and territory governments committed to improving planning so that we get appropriate development, with appropriate density, where possible. All of these measures are aimed at increasing supply"
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And to sport,
Australian football referee Kate Jacewicz is to be among the first women allowed to referee the men's Asian Cup this year.
The decision to allow women to referee the mens tournament was made in September last year.
In 2022, Stephanie Frappart became the first woman to referee a mens game in the FIFA World Cup.
Asian Cup Referee Kate Jacewicz says she doesn't feel like gender plays any role in her profession.
“Depending, different levels have different professionalism and that type of thing. But ultimately, my general experience is that they speak to you like you are a referee, and they don’t really see you as a female. And if I respect them, I generally get respect back. So I think it is more how I treat them, and the decisions I make, they will respect that. They know when I have made a mistake and I know when I have made a mistake."
The Asian Cup kicks off in Qatar on January 12th.
