Australia news live: BoM says cyclone Maila may approach Queensland; Chris Bowen calls for Hormuz reopening | Australia news
BoM tracking tropical cyclone in Solomon Sea that could move towards Queensland coast
A tropical cyclone in the Solomon Sea could move closer to the Queensland coast later this week.
The Bureau of Meteorology is tracking severe tropical cyclone Maila, which is now a category 3 storm with sustained winds of 120 km/h and gusts of up to 165 km/h.
The storm is now expected to be slow moving through the middle of the week in the region, before it’s forecast to head south-west. It’s not expected to directly affect the Queensland coast before the middle of the week, but may move closer to north Queensland afterwards.
Key events
More on Bowen’s fuel comments this morning, with reserves in ‘pretty good’ condition
As we reported earlier, the energy minister, Chris Bowen, spoke to RN Breakfast this morning about the state of the nation’s fuel supply.
The minister said 3.7bn litres of different types of fuel are on their way to Australia this month. Bowen said the country’s fuel reserves remained “pretty good”, despite ongoing issues with transport through the strait of Hormuz.
He said Australia had 39 days worth of petrol in reserve, 29 days of diesel and 29 days of jet fuel.
“That’s pretty flat, that’s been pretty consistent all the way through,” Bowen added.
BoM tracking tropical cyclone in Solomon Sea that could move towards Queensland coast
A tropical cyclone in the Solomon Sea could move closer to the Queensland coast later this week.
The Bureau of Meteorology is tracking severe tropical cyclone Maila, which is now a category 3 storm with sustained winds of 120 km/h and gusts of up to 165 km/h.
The storm is now expected to be slow moving through the middle of the week in the region, before it’s forecast to head south-west. It’s not expected to directly affect the Queensland coast before the middle of the week, but may move closer to north Queensland afterwards.
Long weekend sees spate of road fatalities across Australia
The Easter long weekend was marred by a string of road fatalities across the country, with many involving motorcyclists, AAP reports.
In the latest incident, police found a car crashed into an embankment after leaving the road in the NSW upper Hunter area on Sunday night. Paramedics attempted to treat a man but he died at the scene.
A few hours earlier, emergency services were called to South West Rocks on the NSW mid-north coast on Sunday afternoon. They found a motorbike rider had crashed on the road before becoming trapped under a nearby vehicle. The rider died at the scene.
The same day, in far north Queensland, a 31-year-old man lost control of his quad bike on a local road in East Palmerston, a rural farming area near Innisfail, on Saturday. His green Kawasaki bike struck a pole and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
More than 1,336 people have died on Australia’s roads in the 12 months to February, according to the federal government figures, marking a 4.4% increase from the same time the previous year.
TGA opens public comment period on improved sunscreen regulations
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is asking for public comment on a proposal to improve the regulation of sunscreens in Australia.
The agency said interested parties have until 23 May to comment on a range of options, including improving the reliability and transparency of SPF testing and simpler labels on sunscreens. The TGA said:
double quotation mark These proposals are intended to strengthen confidence in sunscreen performance. If accepted, options presented in this paper would be implemented in a proportionate and targeted manner, with appropriate transition periods incorporated. …Given Australia has the highest rates of skin cancer and melanoma in the world, with around 2,000 people dying each year, it is critical that the regulatory settings are appropriate to ensure consumer confidence in sunscreens.
Bowen says Australian fuel supplies ‘OK’ through April and into May
Bowen said he’s been encouraged by how fuel retailers have passed on cuts to the fuel excise.
He told RN Breakfast:
double quotation mark We’re encouraged by how quickly that’s been passed on. Obviously, the ACCC is monitoring closely any particular service stations or suppliers that might not do the right thing. I’ll leave them to comment on their own actions and independent activities.
Bowen added that Australia’s fuel supplies were “OK” through the end of April and into May, saying orders were “locked in”.
Bowen won’t comment on Trump’s Iran tirade but agrees strait of Hormuz should re-open
Chris Bowen, the minister for climate change and energy, said he wouldn’t comment on US president Donald Trump’s expletive-laden social media posts, but noted Australia, too, wanted the strait of Hormuz to reopen.
Bowen was asked about Trump’s remarks, where the president called on Iran to let ship through the strait while threatening further attacks on Iranian infrastructure. Bowen told RN Breakfast this morning:
double quotation mark Well, for the last 10 years, I haven’t made a habit of commenting on every social media comment of president Trump, and I don’t intend to start now because we’d all keep ourselves very busy. We want to see the strait of Hormuz open.
When pressed if that level of retort from Trump warranted a comment from the Australian government, Bowen added:
double quotation mark We are not participants in this war. We didn’t participate in the decision to begin the war, but we are, like many like-minded countries, calling for it to end in the best interest of the people of the Middle East, obviously, but also in the best interest of the world economy.
Read more here:
Moira Deeming endorsed for top spot on Victorian Liberal ticket
An outspoken state Liberal MP, who was previously ejected from her party, has made a shock comeback after winning a bruising internal battle, AAP reports.
Moira Deeming secured endorsement for the top spot on the party’s Victorian upper-house ticket for the Western Metropolitan Region after the other candidates withdrew from the running.
She previously dropped her candidacy after the party overlooked her for businessman and Indian community leader Dinesh Gourisetty, who garnered support from the party’s moderate wing.
But he was forced to step aside after it was revealed he previously provided a character reference for a now-convicted child sexual abuse offender, triggering another preselection contest.
Deeming was the only eligible nominee remaining for the position.
On Sunday, she thanked everyone who had supported her – including state Liberal leader Jess Wilson – adding she looked forward to exposing “Labor’s callous betrayal of hard-working families” ahead of the November election:
double quotation mark When we win, I will work tirelessly to restore good governance to this great state of Victoria.
Good morning
Good morning, and happy Monday. Nick Visser here to take you through the day’s news. Let’s dive in.
