The federal government will move to increase fraud protections following the Optus data breach.
The planned changes would allow large telecommunications companies to share more data with authorities to better detect fraud.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland says the changes have been designed to maintain the privacy and security of people's sensitive data.
"We have designed these regulations with strong privacy and security safeguards, to ensure that only limited information is made available for a specific set of designated purposes."
The New South Wales Government says more people are becoming isolated by the day as flooding across the state's west worsens.
There have been falls of more than 50 millimetres during the past 24 hours around Condoblin and other areas west of Parkes, with the weather bureau warning that more rain expected today.
New South Wales Emergency Services Minister Steph Cooke has confirmed that additional aircraft, vehicles and ground crews have been brought in to deal with the worsening situation.
She's urging residents to take extra care.
"Any rainfall has the potential to cause river flooding, but I think the greater risk at this point in time, and for communities out west, those communities out there can be isolated again just with a minimal amount of rain."
Queensland police have arrested a group of people in connection with the fatal shooting of a man in Brisbane earlier this week.
Detective Superintendent Andrew Massingham says the hunt for the four men and one woman suspected of being involved in the attack led police to an alleged secret drug lab in Brisbane.
Two people of interest were taken in custody.
Five others who were also at the home have been arrested as well.
The Detective Superintendent says they will be interviewing them today.
"We're seeking to interview those persons today. There's some challenges as to why we can't do that straight away, but we're working through those and we'll be seeking access to them for the purpose of interviews today. And more than keen to update you by way of written release if any charges are preferred."
The federal government says the list of jobs where skills shortages are high has almost doubled in the last year.
The skills priority list has grown from 153 to 286 occupations, which Skills Minister Brendan O'Connor has described as a difficult challenge for the country.
Mr O'Connor says the government has already started to address the shortages by processing the backlog of skilled migrant visa applications.
He has told the Nine Network the previous government failed to plan ahead.
"It's a report card on the labor market today, but it's an indictment on the failure to plan over the last ten years in areas of emerging demand. So our job is a big one. We're working tomorrow with state and territory ministers, and we need to work with industry to deal with this challenge."
To sport,
New South Wales police have launched an operation for this year's Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, vowing to come down hard on antisocial behaviour.
The operation will start today and continue until Sunday to ensure the safety and security of competitors, officials and the thousands of people expected to attend throughout the event.
