Key events
Speed reduced on West Gate Bridge amid gusty winds
The speed on Melbourne’s West Gate Bridge has been reduced amid the gusty winds. VicTraffic said the speed had been reduced to 40km/h.
Please obey overhead lane signals, and drive with caution. Ensure your load is secured before departing, and watch out for debris blowing on the roadway.
The speed has been reduced to 40km/h on the West Gate Bridge, due to gusty winds. Please obey overhead lane signals, and drive with caution. Ensure your load is secured before departing, and watch out for debris blowing on the roadway. https://t.co/JBZvxU4vCP #VicTraffic
— VicTraffic (@VicTraffic) September 1, 2024
Coastal warnings for NSW and Victoria amid damaging winds
A vigorous westerly airstream across Victoria is leading to large and powerful waves along the south-west, the Bureau of Meteorology says, and is expected to last until late today.
Tides are expected to be near or higher than the highest tide of the year.
Abnormally high tides are possible along the Gippsland coasts until late Monday. Damaging surf conditions are occurring over south-west and central coastal parts of the state, between the SA/Victoria border and Cape Otway and between Blairgowrie and Wilsons Promontory.
These conditions may produce localised damage and coastal erosion. Beach conditions in these areas will be dangerous and people should stay well away from the surf and surf exposed area.
A 7.9m wave was recorded at Cape Bridgewater at 02:30am this morning.
Meanwhile in NSW, marine wind warnings are in place for much of the coast. Gale warnings are in place for Sydney’s enclosed waters, and the Macquarie, Hunter, Sydney, Illawarra, Batemans and Eden coasts.
Strong wind warnings are in place for the Byron and Coffs coasts, as well.
More than 25,000 without power in Tasmania
Meanwhile in Tasmania, more than 25,000 are without power, according to TasNetworks. The energy provider said on Sunday:
With more destructive winds expected, our highest priority remains the safety of our people and the community and although crews are still working hard to restore supply, the current weather conditions continue to make working at heights too risky in some areas. Customers are still advised to expect long delays.
Crews working to restore power across Victoria
Energy providers across Victoria have provided updates, as crews work to assess and resolve widespread power outages across the state.
Around 106,000 customers are without power with AusNet, who said crews are currently in the field assessing damage – “but weather is still affecting the network and it is very hazardous, so this may take a little longer than usual”.
United Energy said it is working to restore power to more than 20,000 customers across Melbourne’s south-east and the Mornington Peninsula. The hardest hit areas are in Dromana, Hastings, Flinders, RedHill, Mt Martha, Mount Eliza and Frankston South, it said.
CitiPower and Powercor said its crews were working to restore power for 34,600 customers, with extra crews responding to more than 239 individual jobs.
The hardest hit areas include Victoria’s southern region, the south-west coast, Geelong and the northern region including Shepparton.
And according to Jemena, 925 customers are without power.
Albanese’s approval rating slides in Newspoll
Satisfaction with the prime minister and the opposition leader has slumped, according to a Newspoll that puts support for Labor and the Coalition on a level pegging.
As AAP reports, the survey conducted for the Australian and published today registered disapproval for PM Anthony Albanese up four points to 54% while his approval rating fell two points to 41% – an overall reading of minus 13 that is the lowest for the Labor leader since 2022 election.
The opposition leader Peter Dutton’s support dwindled as well in the poll, also ending with a minus 13 net satisfaction rating.
The survey had Labor and the Coalition tied on 50% each on a two-party-preferred basis – the same result as the prior Newspoll three weeks ago.
On primary votes, the survey said the Coalition is down one point to 38% while Labor was unchanged on 32% and the Greens also level on 12%.
Support for other minor parties and independents remained steady on 11% while backing for One Nation rose one point to 7%.
The survey of 1,263 voters was conducted online between 26 and 30 August.
Victorian SES receives 1,900 calls for assistance
The Victorian SES chief operations officer, Tim Wiebusch, has just provided an update on the damaging winds across the state.
Speaking to ABC News Breakfast, he said there was been more than 1,900 requests for assistance overnight.
Certainly a very windy night and we’re still seeing an influx of calls this morning as people start heading off to work or school or other activities.
He said 1,350 calls related to trees coming down, either on to buildings or on to cars.
Fortunately no one [is] in those cars at this point in time. We have seen just over 350 homes that have been seen some level of damage as a result of the wind overnight.
Earlier the SES said it was receiving a significant number of calls, urging people to “please be patient and keep trying”.
There is currently a significant number of calls to the @vicsesnews line on 132-500. If you need emergency assistance for storm damage or flooding, please be patient and keep trying.
If your need is not urgent, please try again later. If there is a threat to life, call 000. pic.twitter.com/LC6HdFyu1i
— VICSES News (@vicsesnews) September 1, 2024
Amy Remeikis
Albanese government to open consultation on foundational supports system
The Albanese government has announced it will open consultation on the foundational supports system later this month.
Securing the passage of its NDIS legislation through the Senate after a last-minute deal with the Coalition has laid the groundwork for establishing supports outside the disability insurance scheme.
The social services minister, Amanda Rishworth, said the government will begin public consultation with “people with lived experience and their families and carers, disability organisations [and the] broader sector” about what support outside the NDIS “should look like”.
For these supports to be effective they must be shaped by the experiences, insights and voices of Australians with disability and their families.
The supports will be established outside the NDIS and will be jointly funded by the states and territories and federal government.
The first stage of consultation will cover general supports and open in the second half of September. It will be opened through webinars, online questionnaires, in-person events across the country and written submissions.
Consultations on targeted supports for specific groups will open in October.
Communications firm The Social Deck has been contracted by the Department of Social Services to assist with the consultations.
More than 100 intersections without power in Victoria
VicTraffic says more than 100 intersections across the state are without power, while road and lane closures are in place amid fallen trees and debris. You can view the full map of impacts online here.
Meanwhile, buses are replacing trains between South Yarra and Sandringham due to “extreme weather conditions causing damage”. There are also major delays on the Craigieburn line.
Strong winds are continuing to impact the overall train network:
Strong winds continue to impact the train network with some power outages and debris on the tracks causing delays. Please check before you travel for the latest information and stay safe.
⛔ Sandringham line: Buses replace trains South Yarra – Sandringham due to extreme weather conditions causing damage.
• Buses operating.
• Allow an extra 45min.
• Trains operate Flinders St – South Yarra.Check information displays.
Listen for announcements. pic.twitter.com/2Ys8l16ml6— Metro Trains (@metrotrains) September 1, 2024
Natasha May
Delays predicted at Melbourne airport amid strike action
Melburnians catching a flight this morning may want to give themselves extra time as severe delays are predicted, with security screeners striking between 6am and 8.30am at the domestic airport.
Around 700 screeners and other airport security workers for Danish-based multibillion-dollar facilities management company ISS are taking protected strike action in order to demand what they say is a just pay offer from their employer and Melbourne arport.
The strike will come at a peak time for business travel between Melbourne and Sydney.
The international airport’s screeners made headlines recently when US actor and comedian Eric André claimed he was racially profiled in Melbourne airport’s security line when he was “pulled out of a lineup and put in a special line” where he was “sniffed thoroughly” by a security dog.
The comedian alleged the incident took place while travelling by Qantas international via terminal 2 at Melbourne airport, en route from Los Angeles to Brisbane.
Amy Remeikis
Government and ABS to ‘work through issues’ regarding census, PM says
Sticking with Anthony Albanese for a moment, the prime minister also gave some new comments about the census question debacle.
After confirming the new questions on sexuality, gender identity and sex characteristic variations had been ditched last Sunday, the government faced a week of criticism from its own backbench, advocacy groups as well as political opponents.
The government later said the proposal had been dumped in an attempt to avoid “divisive” debates. Albanese returned from the Pacific Island Forum and said there would be one question on sexuality in his first comments on the issue. He later said that “nothing had changed” and the government was being consistent.
Yesterday, social services minister Amanda Rishworth said the proposed questions shown to the government by the ABS were too complicated. Albanese echoed that view later on Sunday saying some of the forwarded questions “weren’t appropriate to be tested”.
(The ABS goes through a rigorous process ahead of each census, testing each proposed new question before it becomes part of the documented sent to Australian households.)
Albanese said the government and ABS would “work through these issues”.
My government values every Australian, regardless of who they are, regardless of their sexuality, their race, their faith, their gender, we value every single Australian and people should be valued and respected for who they are, including their identity, and we’ll work these issues through constructively.
The ABS were going to go out and test some questions last Monday, why two years in advance is a matter for them, and that’s why we put a pause on that so that we could consider appropriate, appropriate questions that were easily understood by people when they get the census.
Government ministers have pointed to other avenues to collect data, which Albanese also appeared to reference.
The census in today’s world, with these little things that you’re holding there [pens and phones] there’s a range of data collected. It’s not all collected by paper and pens in 2026 and that is why we’ll work it through constructively.
Amy Remeikis
National cabinet to discuss youth justice taskforce
Anthony Albanese says national cabinet will discuss the idea of a national youth justice taskforce. The PM was asked about the National Children’s Commissioner suggestion at a press conference late on Sunday, and said:
We’ll discuss [it] with [the] states and territories. I’ve got a national cabinet meeting this week. We discuss cooperatively with states and territories, and one of the things that we can always do is learn off best practice and have them engage with each other as well.
But Albanese maintained the ultimate responsibility remained with the states.
These services are delivered at the state level, the juvenile justice systems. The commonwealth do not have a direct role in them, but we’ll work cooperatively, and I’m sure that states and territories as well need to learn from these experiences.
The issue of youth justice is once again dominating the national agenda after a 17-year-old killed himself in a WA youth detention facility. He was the second teen to kill themself in just 10 months in the state’s youth justice system. Albanese said:
As I said, this is a terrible tragedy. This is the second in the last year, and we know that that is of great regret and will be a cause of much pain for the people who’ve lost loved ones.
Albanese ministry in Western Australia
Amy Remeikis
It’s all about Western Australia this week with the Albanese ministry in the west as it works to bed down seats ahead of the next election.
Anthony Albanese flew to Perth on Sunday along with senior ministers to kickstart the political assault.
Yesterday it was all about energy after the WA capacity investment scheme auction success (Chris Bowen said it was six times over-subscribed) and energy will continue to play a starring role while the ministry is in town.
The government is attempting to refocus the agenda on cost of living and its energy plan, with Peter Dutton’s nuclear sketch in its sights.
Circling back to the damaging winds and risk of flooding in Tasmania
The executive director of Tasmania SES, Mick Lowe, said there has been 347 requests for assistance overnight.
Over the next 24 hours, we are expecting weather conditions to ease across the state, however the risk of damage and flooding has not passed.
With damaging winds and rainfall, we’re seeing trees down across the state and I urge people to be alert, especially when driving on the roads.
Twenty warnings are currently in place, with an emergency warning to evacuate now in place for the Derwent River – as we flagged just earlier. Lowe said:
[Properties] face a significant risk of flooding and it is likely roads and properties will become inundated by flood waters and become inaccessible.
Two evacuation centres are open – one at the Derwent Valley Sport and Recreation Centre on Derwent Terrace in New Norfolk and another at the Memorial Hall in Circle Street.
More than 100,000 without power in Victoria
In Victoria, around 103,000 remain without power amid the severe weather.
A strong cold front over central Victoria to the east of Melbourne will continue to move rapidly eastwards today, the Bureau of Meteorology says.
The strength of these winds aloft, combined with scattered lines of showers and a few thunderstorms will continue to bring damaging winds to parts of the state today.
Conditions are expected to gradually ease throughout the state during late afternoon and evening today.
East of Melbourne, damaging winds averaging 50 to 65km/h with peak gusts of around 110km/h are forecast early this morning. West of Melbourne, winds averaging 50 to 65km/h with peak gusts of around 110km/h are forecast.
Here are some notable wind gusts recorded in the past six hours:
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133km/h wind gust was recorded at Mount Gellibrand
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131km/h wind gust was recorded at Falls Creek km/h wind gust was recorded at Cape Otway
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113km/h wind gust was recorded at St Kilda Harbour
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109km/h wind gust was recorded at Casterton
The Victorian SES says it is currently receiving a significant number of calls.
If you need emergency assistance for storm damage or flooding, please be patient and keep trying.
Extreme fire danger for Illawarra
There is an extreme fire danger rating across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven today in New South Wales.
There is also a total fire ban in place for the Illawarra/Shoalhaven and the greater Sydney region, which has a high fire danger rating today.
The far north coast, and the south-western region, also have high fire danger ratings today.
This comes as a severe weather warning for damaging winds is in place across parts of NSW and ACT today. For Sydney, the Illawarra, Blue Mountains, south coast and the Hunter, damaging winds around 60 to 70km/h with peak gusts of around 100km/h are possible.
Sustained 92km/h winds with 113km/h gusts were recorded at Thredbo at 2:43am this morning.
Woman killed after tree falls on cabin
A woman has died after a tree fell on a cabin in southern New South Wales, near Albury.
New South Wales police said it received reports a tree had fallen on a cabin at Moama about 3.50am this morning.
Officers found the body of a woman, aged 63, in the wreckage. She is yet to be formally identified.
A man, aged 63, was treated by paramedics for injuries to his right hand, and taken to Echuca hospital for further treatment.
A report will be prepared for the coroner.
Police were unable to say whether the tree was brought down by the damaging winds currently lashing parts of the state.
Evacuation order for parts of Tasmania amid flooding
A flood emergency warning has been issued for parts of the Derwent Valley in Tasmania.
Major flooding is likely along the River Derwent this morning, with Meadowbank, Glenora, Bushy Park, Gretna, Macquarie Plains and surrounding areas likely to be impacted.
TasAlert says that over the next six hours, some properties are likely to become isolated or inundated, property is likely to be threatened by flood waters, and driving conditions may become dangerous.
Following heavy rainfall in the last few days, the River Derwent below Meadowbank Dam is currently at 6.92m and rising, likely to exceed the major flood level (7.30m) this morning. It may peak near 7.50m later this afternoon.
There are 10 watch and act alerts in place for flooding across the state.
A severe weather warning for damaging winds is also in place for much of Tasmania’s west coast, including King Island and Furneaux Islands.
A 157km/h wind gust was recorded at King Island airport at 10:38pm last night. A 141km/h wind gust was also recorded at Mount Read, and a 135km/h gust at Cape Grim.
Welcome
Emily Wind
Good morning, and welcome back to a new week on the Australia news live blog. I’m Emily Wind, and I’ll be taking you through our rolling coverage for most of today.
There’s lots of wild weather about today, with severe weather warnings for damaging winds in parts of NSW and the ACT, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. More than 100,000 Victorians remain without power, with trees down and buildings damaged, and in Tasmania, there are emergency warnings in place amid flooding.
Meanwhile in NSW, there is an extreme fire danger rating for the Illawarra, and total fire bans in place for the Illawarra and greater Sydney. We’ll bring you the details on all of this shortly.
The Albanese ministry is in Western Australia this week as it works to bed down seats ahead of the next election. Amy Remeikis will bring us the latest on this in a moment.
And Melburnians catching a flight this morning may want to give themselves extra time as severe delays are predicted with security screeners striking between 6am and 8.30am.
As always, you can get in touch via X, @emilywindwrites, or email – emily.wind@theguardian.com. – with any thoughts, feedback or tips. Let’s get started.