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Malinauskas steps up One Nation attack ahead of SA election – as it happened

by lisa sad 03/19/2026
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Graham Readfearn

Graham Readfearn

Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle remains as a huge category 5 storm off the Queensland coast this afternoon and has picked up pace, now moving at about 28km/h.

The latest track map of the storm, just released by the Bureau of Meteorology, has Narelle 410km east of the small town of Coen on the Cape York peninsular. Wind gusts are at an incredible 295km/h.

The latest map also shows an earlier time for the storm to make landfall which is now estimated at 7am on Friday morning – three hours earlier than forecasts this morning.

A map shows the expected route of Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle, issued at 2pm AEST on 19 March
A map shows the expected route of Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle, issued at 2pm AEST on 19 March Illustration: Bureau of Meteorology

Earlier this morning, there were fears Narelle could cross the coast as a category 5 system, but the last two updates from the bureau (they are coming every four hours now) has a crossing as a category 4 very close to Coen.

That still means an incredibly dangerous storm with wind gusts between 225km/h and 279km/h.

According to the bureau, winds like that can cause significant roofing loss and structural damage” and can blow away caravans, cause dangerous airborne debris, cause extensive damage to vegetation and cause widespread power failures.

That’s where we’ll leave it for today on the blog. Here are Thursday’s main stories:

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    Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle forecast to hit far north Queensland three hours earlier than expected, with wind gusts up to 285km/h and daily rainfalls of 500mm possible.

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    The cyclone is also expected to hit the Northern Territory on Saturday, where several waterways are already flooding.

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    Treasury has downgraded Australia’s growth prospects over the coming few years, compounding the near-term damage from a global energy shock that Jim Chalmers says will be “a defining influence” on the May budget.

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    Anthea Harris is appointed to head a national fuel supply taskforce, as the prime minister says national cabinet acknowledged that the longer the Middle East conflict goes, “the more significant impact will be for the global supply chain, fuel prices and the wider economy”.

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    The unemployment rate lifted to 4.3% in February, from 4.1% the month before, despite a solid 48,900 increase in the number of employed Australians.

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    Six cases of legionnaires’ disease have been detected in Melbourne’s outer north, prompting a warning from Victoria’s chief health officer.

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    Australia’s competition watchdog is investigating each of the nation’s major fuel suppliers over allegations of anti-competitive conduct.

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    Notorious outback killer Bradley John Murdoch yelled at police to “get out” as he lay dying in hospital, refusing to the last to reveal where he hid a backpacker he shot dead on a remote highway, an inquest heard.

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We will see you here again for more news tomorrow.

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A day after an awkward run-in, the South Australian premier has dismissed Pauline Hanson as a hypocrite and pretender in response to One Nation’s “remarkable” surge ahead of the state election, AAP reports.

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Peter Malinauskas on Thursday stepped up his criticism of Hanson, accusing her of flying around the country on the nation’s richest person’s plane while advocating for battlers.

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The premier took aim at the One Nation leader ahead of Saturday’s SA election barely 24 hours after Hanson appeared to ambush him.

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She confronted Malinauskas over his recent One Nation comments as he headed to the final leaders’ debate in Adelaide on Wednesday before their uncomfortable meeting ended with a handshake.

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However the premier wasn’t as civil on Thursday as One Nation maintained its surge before the weekend poll.

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“These hypocrites flying around on private planes … that’s one thing, but having no plan or policy for the future of the state … that’s unforgivable,” he said.

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Australian premier Peter Malinauskas and state opposition leader Ashton Hurn during a debate in Adelaide on Wednesday.”,”caption”:”South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas and state opposition leader Ashton Hurn during a debate in Adelaide on Wednesday.”,”credit”:”Photograph: Brett Hartwig/AAP”}}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1773900246000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”02.04 EDT”,”blockLastUpdated”:1773901506000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”02.25 EDT”,”blockFirstPublished”:1773900781000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”02.13 EDT”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”02.13″,”title”:”Malinauskas steps up One Nation attack ahead of SA election”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Thu 19 Mar 2026 02.36 EDT”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Wed 18 Mar 2026 15.30 EDT”},{“id”:”69bb8f088f08376ddad1dd4e”,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

Notorious outback killer Bradley John Murdoch yelled at police to “get out” as he lay dying in hospital, refusing to the last to reveal where he hid a backpacker he shot dead on a remote highway, AAP reports.

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Northern Territory coroner Elisabeth Armitage on Thursday wrapped up an inquest into the 66-year-old’s death from throat cancer on 16 July 2025 at the palliative care unit of Alice Springs hospital.

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Murdoch was serving a life sentence for murdering 28-year-old British backpacker Peter Falconio, and the assault and attempted kidnapping of his girlfriend Joanne Lees, now 52, on the Stuart Highway near Barrow Creek in July 2001.

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The court heard that police visited Murdoch twice in the weeks before he died, in a final bid to uncover where Murdoch dumped Falconio’s body.

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On one occasion, they hoped to show him a video from Falconio’s parents.

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Murdoch was arrested in November 2003 over Falconio’s disappearance after a South Australian jury acquitted him of raping and falsely imprisoning a 12-year-old girl.

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The SA case allowed NT police to obtain his DNA, which was later found on the makeshift handcuffs worn by Lees, as well as on her T-shirt, leading to his arrest.

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Murdoch maintained his innocence and refused to divulge where he hid Falconio’s body.

n Counsel assisting Chrissy McConnel told the inquest in Alice Springs on Thursday Supt Bill Carroll and two other officers visited Murdoch in jail just weeks before he died.

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They hoped to show Murdoch a video Falconio’s parents made with the help of UK police.

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“When the officers attended at the prison to speak with Mr Murdoch, he stated his innocence and refused to watch the video,” McConnel said.

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Police again visited Murdoch days before he died in the palliative care unit, watched by prison guards 24 hours a day.

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But the officers were only at his bedside for about 30 seconds.

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“Mr Murdoch did not speak with the officers, instead yelling for them to ‘get out’,” McConnel said.

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Seven people have escaped serious injury after a light plane crashed in Western Australia.

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In a statement, the WA police said two pilots and five passengers were on board when the plane crashed in shallow waters in Roebuck about 11.25am WA time. One person suffered minor head injuries. Police said:

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n

Police were notified of a light plane crash in shallow waters at Fisherman Bend in Roebuck.

n

Emergency services, including Police, DFES, St John WA and Marine Rescue, responded to the incident.

n

An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash is now underway.

n

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The New South Wales government will bring an end to the development of new coalmines on unexplored sites in the state under a policy change announced today.

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This afternoon, the Minns government released its coal industry statement for the years 2026-50, the first since the former Coalition government’s own framework in 2020, which committed to “significantly” scaling back where mining could occur.

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But new sites have continued to be approved, including at least eight since the Minns government was elected in 2023. Last year, the government was warned it could not continue to approve sites after the NSW net zero commission said expansions were “not consistent” with the state’s legal emissions reductions commitments.

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The change, under which the government will no longer consider proposals for “new standalone greenfield coalmines”, does not rule out the expansion of existing sites. The government has said it will “continue to support coal production where it is already occurring, while placing strong guardrails around future development”.

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NSW’s coal industry generated $23.4bn in exports during 2025, directly employing 23,800 people at more than 30 operational coal sites across the Gunnedah, Hunter, Newcastle, southern and western regions, but demand is expected to decline as the energy transition progresses.

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The finance minister, Courtney Houssos, says:

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n

Coal has powered NSW for more than a century, and it will continue to support our economy for decades to come.

n

We’ve engaged with communities, industry, consent authorities, environment groups and trading partners. Their feedback has shaped a direction that gives certainty, sets firm expectations and keeps NSW a reliable supplier where market demand exists.

n

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We’d like to speak with Australians feeling the petrol pinch.

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Are you consciously cutting back on fuel use? Have you cancelled a holiday? Are you working from home more? Are you taking fewer journeys? Are you limiting your use of energy for other things like air conditioning or cooking? Have you found a way to conserve fuel?

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Let us know about your experiences here:

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Shenagh Gamble with the Bureau of Meteorology just provided an update for the NT and the impacts Narelle will have on the territory.

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She said during a press conference:

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n

People in the Top End should begin to prepare now and stay informed as our warnings will be issued and updated frequently over this next period.

n

Our current forecast is that cyclone Narelle will cross the NT coast as a category 3 severe tropical cyclone during Saturday, with the earliest impacts to Groote Eylandt Saturday afternoon.

n

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The BoM will issue a tropical cyclone watch for communities in the eastern Top End and the surrounding areas. Rain from the cyclone will cause local creeks and rivers to rise again, including those that have already been affected by recent flood waters.

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Gamble said:

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n

It is very important that the community across the Top End stays aware of the current situation and stays alert to updated and new warnings as they are issued.

n

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Treasury has downgraded Australia’s growth prospects over the coming few years, compounding the near-term damage from a global energy shock which Jim Chalmers says will be “a defining influence” on the May budget.

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In a speech to the Australian Business Economists in Melbourne, the treasurer revealed that officials expect productivity growth to recover towards a more normal level over the coming five years, instead of two.

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Alongside some changes to population growth forecasts to include a slower fall in net overseas migration, “GDP is now likely to be a quarter to half a percentage point weaker in the middle years of the forward estimates,” he said.

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Jim Chalmers”,”caption”:”Treasurer Jim Chalmers.”,”credit”:”Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP”}},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

Chalmers flagged yesterday that the Middle East conflict could deliver a multi-billion dollar blow to the economy while also pushing inflation above 5% in a worst-case scenario.

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The treasurer in today’s speech said the country was already struggling with high inflation, weak productivity growth, and a highly volatile global environment:

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n

This conflict is not the only major challenge we face in our economy, but it exacerbates the others.

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It’s adding to inflation when it is already too high, intensifying uncertainty when it is already elevated, and straining our productive capacity when it is already close to its limit.

n

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As flagged earlier, Chalmers promised that his fifth budget would deliver a trio of “ambitious reform packages” to rebuild fiscal buffers, make the tax system fairer, and lift the nation’s lagging productivity performance.

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The Queensland premier, David Crisafulli, is addressing the media ahead of the expected arrival of Tropical Cyclone Narelle. Crisafulli says:

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n

This system will provide the following challenges: strong winds, the potential for storm surge, heavy rainfall, and flash flooding.

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All of those things are in play for a number of reasons including the intensity of the cyclone and the already flooded catchments.

n

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Crisafulli says current modelling shows Narelle crossing the coast in conjunction with the high tide on Friday. That would create “added complexity” for the response.

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n

A large system like this crossing on a high tide does come with the prospect of storm surges does add a layer of complexity and we’re planning for that …

n There are challenges in this system, big challenges. But we have prepared for them. This is the last window that people have [to prepare] and people have to respond accordingly

n

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A shopkeeper in Coen says she is selling gas stoves, canned meals and hardy vegetables as people in the remote Aboriginal community in far north Queensland prepare to feel the brunt of Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle – and the days of isolation it could bring.

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Sara Watkins runs one of two fuel and grocery shops in town, which she says will close at the end of today – or sooner, should the rains hit.

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Watkins, originally from the UK, says the community was preparing for days without power, mobile coverage or access in and out of the landlocked town.

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“The town is prepared. Everyone has been pulling together, cleaning up yards together,” she says. “Both shops have been preparing, taking down signage, sandbagging and everything else to reduce the damage. It’s been a really great community effort.”

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“Of course”, she says, “everybody is anxious”.

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“There are really old properties here that might not necessarily be cyclone-proof,” Watkins says. “[But] the town is incredibly resilient. We deal with isolation every single wet season. Coen is a very resilient place”.

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Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle has now intensified to a Category Five storm – the highest category available – as it moves swiftly west towards the Queensland coast.

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image of the route tropical cyclone Narelle is expected to take.”,”caption”:”A map shows the expected route of Trevere Tropical Cyclone Narelle, issued at 11am AEST on 19 March”,”credit”:”Illustration: Bureau of Meteorology”}},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

In the latest update from the Bureau of Meteorology, the storm is now about 500km east of Coen and is expected to make landfall on Friday morning.

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But a change from the bureau’s earlier map now suggests Narelle will cross as a category four storm rather than a category five, as was being forecast earlier today.

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A cat 4 storm is still very destructive and can cause “significant roofing loss and structural damage” with typical wind gusts between 225 km/h and 279 km/h.

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Don’t be surprised if the outlook changes again as the storm gets closer to the coast.

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The unemployment rate has lifted to 4.3% in February, from 4.1% the month before, despite a solid 48,900 increase in the number of employed Australians.

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The mixed picture of solid jobs growth and a higher unemployment rate is a result of a lift in the workforce participation rate, the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed.

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Employment growth was thanks to a 79,400 jump in part-time workers, offset by a 30,500 fall in full-time employment, the seasonally adjusted figures revealed.

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Underemployment – which adds in those with work but who can’t get the hours they want – was steady at 5.9%.

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The Reserve Bank has repeatedly pointed to a tight-ish labour market as part of its concerns around returning inflation back to its target range of 2-3%.

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The jobless rate has been in the low fours for the past two years.

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Six cases of legionnaires’ disease have been detected in Melbourne’s outer north, prompting a warning from Victoria’s chief health officer.

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Dr Caroline McElnay said in the CHO warning issued on Thursday that the department of health was investigating the outbreak in Craigieburn and surrounding suburbs.

n People who have been in Craigieburn or the surrounding suburbs of Mickleham, Greenvale and Roxburgh Park from late February and who develop flu-like illness should seek urgent medical care, the warning said.

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The prime minister said national cabinet had acknowledged that the longer the conflict goes, “the more significant impact will be for the global supply chain, fuel prices and the wider economy”.

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Still, he said, there “was a good feeling of common purpose expressed during that meeting”.

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He has appointed Anthea Harris as a national fuel supply taskforce coordinator. She will work across government and the private sector, and every state and territory will appoint someone in a similar capacity to work with her. Albanese said:

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n

I cannot think of anyone better with more experience, more knowledge, as well as that experience in a state government, to be able to coordinate these efforts.

n

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Harris”,”caption”:”Anthea Harris in 2012.”,”credit”:”Photograph: Alan Porritt/AAP”}}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1773879365000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”20.16 EDT”,”blockLastUpdated”:1773879622000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”20.20 EDT”,”blockFirstPublished”:1773879394000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”20.16 EDT”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”20.16″,”title”:”PM appoints Anthea Harris to head national fuel supply taskforce”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Thu 19 Mar 2026 02.36 EDT”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Wed 18 Mar 2026 15.30 EDT”},{“id”:”69bb39ff8f08376ddad1db5b”,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

Australia’s competition watchdog is investigating each of the nation’s major fuel suppliers over allegations of anti-competitive conduct.

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In a press release on Thursday morning the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said it had “launched an enforcement investigation into allegations of anti-competitive conduct by each of the major fuel suppliers, Ampol Ltd, BP Australia Pty Ltd, Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd, and Viva Energy Australia Pty Ltd”.

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Ampol service station”,”credit”:”Photograph: George Chan/Getty Images”}},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

It said it had received reports concerning diesel availability to independent wholesalers and distributors servicing regional and rural Australia.

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ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said:

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n

The ACCC is closely scrutinising all fuel markets during this period, and we have received reports of alleged anti-competitive behaviour. We are therefore investigating these matters urgently.

n

It is not our usual practice to publicly announce investigations, but given the significance of the issue, the ACCC is confirming this enforcement investigation. We recognise the widespread concerns held by consumers, businesses and farmers about fuel pricing and supply issues arising during the Middle Eastern conflict.

n It is important that fuel market participants and the community know that we are closely watching market conduct in relation to all fuels and we will not hesitate to act swiftly to enforce Australia’s competition and consumer laws.

n

“,”elementId”:”fc97e3b5-46ef-441b-a32b-4d0bd9f87d74″}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1773877759000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”19.49 EDT”,”blockLastUpdated”:1773878239000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”19.57 EDT”,”blockFirstPublished”:1773877922000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”19.52 EDT”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”19.52″,”title”:”ACCC investigating fuel suppliers over alleged anti-competitive conduct”,”contributors”:[{“name”:”Nick Miller”,”imageUrl”:”https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2022/08/10/Nick_Miller.jpg?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=8d8585910245149d8fbe5091c996ee45″,”largeImageUrl”:”https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2022/08/10/Nick_Miller.png?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=be156146b9c67880f28982467629e4a3″}],”primaryDateLine”:”Thu 19 Mar 2026 02.36 EDT”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Wed 18 Mar 2026 15.30 EDT”},{“id”:”69bb39448f08376ddad1db50″,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

An eerie quiet has descended upon Coen, as the remote Aboriginal community prepares to bear the brunt of what has the potential to be a category five cyclone – and could be its worst in living memory.

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Wind and rain began buffeting areas farther south overnight, but there were patches of blue sky in Coen on Thursday morning. The trees in town stood unruffled. A crow cawed and a few birds cheeped in the streets but the bush, normally raucous, was largely silent.

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The Coen Regional Aboriginal Corporation general manager, Lucretia Huen, says the town had no official cyclone shelter, was low on fuel and had already not had a food truck come for several months.

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People from surrounding outstations and homesteads have been evacuated, she says, some moving into the town of approximately 400 people, others fleeing further afield.

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“They are on high alert,” she says. “They are not panicking. But they are concerned. They are worried about how this will impact them and, obviously, long term issues – if houses get damaged.”

“,”elementId”:”0662528c-882c-4c75-bda1-b5eeb8c04cf6″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”

n

But they are also quite happy how the community has come together.

n

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Huen herself was in Brisbane, saying it was highly stressful to think of what her family and community was about to go through, not just in coming hours, but the potential weeks of isolation to follow.

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“They say it’s very calm and still,” she says. “Very eerie. It’s eerily silent. They can’t hear birds.

“,”elementId”:”91d75673-2dcc-426e-abf6-adb590428745″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”

n

We anticipate that this is the calm before the storm.

n

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across Coen River”,”caption”:”The small town of Coen is preparing for Cyclone Narelle to cross the coast later today or early tomorrow.”,”credit”:”Photograph: Coen Regional Aboriginal Corporation”}}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1773877572000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”19.46 EDT”,”blockLastUpdated”:1773881416000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”20.50 EDT”,”blockFirstPublished”:1773877664000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”19.47 EDT”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”19.47″,”title”:”Eerie calm in Coen as remote Aborignal community prepares for category 5 Narelle”,”contributors”:[{“name”:”Joe Hinchliffe”,”imageUrl”:”https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2022/05/27/Eden_Gillespie.jpg?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=120cd7230c6f398387011ddfa9e38fce”,”largeImageUrl”:”https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2022/05/27/Eden_Gillespie.png?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=41d4167ed20837dcf9079f4cebe7e042″}],”primaryDateLine”:”Thu 19 Mar 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Australian shares are set to fall sharply this morning after an attack against the heart of Iran’s gas infrastructure, and threats of reprisal, marked another escalation in the Middle East conflict.

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The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 is expected to open about 1.7% lower, according to futures pricing, which would push the index below 8,500 points.

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The anticipated fall comes after Iran threatened to attack energy infrastructure across the Gulf region in retaliation for Israeli strikes on its largest gasfield.

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Iran has warned regional energy assets are now “direct and legitimate targets”.

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The escalation in the conflict has sent the price of oil soaring towards $US110 a barrel, adding costs to goods and services across the global economy. This has added to global inflation which is now weighing on equities.

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While investors largely ignored the initial strikes against Iran, sentiment has soured due to concerns the US does not have a clean exit strategy that can guarantee a stable resumption of the oil trade, and other freight, through the crucial strait of Hormuz.

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The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, just held a press conference in Melbourne to announce the introduction of new planning rules for mid size apartments.

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But the majority of questions have centred on reports in News Corp papers that her own Socialist Left faction is in talks with the right about a possible leadership spill.

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Asked whether she was concerned about the report, she said she was focused on Victorians and dismissed it as “anonymous gossip”. Allan said:

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n

I’m focused on heading off very shortly to a really important national cabinet meeting where we are working through as a nation, the consequence of the ongoing conflict and crisis around Iran and I’m focused on these things because this is what’s worrying families and households … not anonymous gossip that could be from a few scallywags out there that might need a bit of a cuddle.

n

I have this strong support of my Labor team.

n

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Asked if she was concerned the anonymous sourcing was coming from within her own party room, she said:

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n

I said to the earlier question, this is, this is anonymous gossip. It’s from a few scallywags. And I’m much more focused on the important matters important to the Victorian community.

n

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premier Jacinta Allan”,”caption”:”Victorian premier Jacinta Allan.”,”credit”:”Photograph: Jay Kogler/AAP”}}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1773871739000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”18.08 EDT”,”blockLastUpdated”:1773872065000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”18.14 EDT”,”blockFirstPublished”:1773871906000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”18.11 EDT”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”18.11″,”title”:”Victorian premier dismisses leadership whispers as gossip ‘from a few scallywags’”,”contributors”:[{“name”:”Benita Kolovos”,”imageUrl”:”https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2022/03/03/Benita_Kolovos_2.jpg?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=d3f0a5f1842f00e9418475562a58b666″,”largeImageUrl”:”https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2022/03/03/Benita_Kolovos.png?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=5eab712ba445dc6cf12cdc0f9a1eff16″}],”primaryDateLine”:”Thu 19 Mar 2026 02.36 EDT”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Wed 18 Mar 2026 15.30 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The Iranian women’s football team crossed the Turkish border into Iran overnight to complete a fraught return journey from Australia, after five members withdrew asylum claims they had lodged there, Reuters reports.

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Australia had granted humanitarian visas to six players and one support staff member after they sought asylum, saying they feared possible persecution if they returned to Iran.

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In a post on X, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said the players were Iran’s “dear daughters” and praised them for resisting the “temptations” of life in Australia:

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n

The female footballers of the national team and the technical staff are the dear daughters of this land and water, and the people of Iran embrace them.

n

Our daughters, despite all the malice of the enemies of this country, have not become disillusioned with themselves; they have not surrendered to the temptations and intimidation of the Iran-haters, and they will return with pride to their eternal home, Iran.

n

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Concerns over their safety surfaced when several players failed to sing the national anthem at a Women’s Asian Cup match earlier this month after the United States and Israel launched the war against Iran.

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Iranian state television had labelled them “wartime traitors”.

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Northern Australia is braced for what could be the biggest cyclone “in living memory” as tropical cyclone Narelle heads toward far north Queensland.

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Narelle is now a category 4 system, with a severe impact likely on Friday.

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The huge system is expected to cross near Coen, north of Cairns, triggering evacuations, with warnings it could tear off roofs and propel debris at deadly speeds.

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Read our full report here:

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Australia last night co-sponsored an emergency declaration condemning Iran’s attacks on seafarers and merchant vessels in the strait of Hormuz.

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The declaration was moved at the International Maritime Council.

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Drafted by the United Arab Emirates, the declaration demands that Iran immediately refrain from “actions aimed at closing or obstructing the Strait, which have triggered severe global energy shocks, causing oil and fuel prices to surge”.

n As part of the move, Australia will join international partners in calling for coordinated measures to prioritise the safe passage of stranded seafarers.

n The emergency special session of the IMC was convened at the request of the UAE, with the support of Australia and other countries, in response to Iran’s attacks in and around the key strategic waterway, which have transformed one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes into a theatre of coercion and conflict.

n A spokesperson for the transport minister, Catherine King, said Australia was working with partners to reinforce the importance of the safety and security of seafarers.

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n

This is just one of the measures our government has taken since the beginning of the conflict to protect our fuel supply and defend our national interests.

n This government will continue working constructively with industry, unions and our international partners to keep people and goods moving freely.

n

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Callisto tanker sits anchored as the traffic is down in the strait of Hormuz.”,”caption”:”The Callisto tanker sits anchored as the traffic is down in the strait of Hormuz.”,”credit”:”Photograph: Benoît Tessier/Reuters”}}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1773862247000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”15.30 EDT”,”blockLastUpdated”:1773864571000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”16.09 EDT”,”blockFirstPublished”:1773864004000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”16.00 EDT”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”16.00″,”title”:”Australia and other counties denounce Iran’s obstructing of shipping channel”,”contributors”:[{“name”:”Tom McIlroy”,”imageUrl”:”https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2025/04/30/Tom_McIlroy.jpg?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=7569685c8316a272bbf1c0c6f163a8af”,”largeImageUrl”:”https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2025/04/30/Tom_McIlroy.png?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=20292f2f01dd62725df42f8216da31a6″}],”primaryDateLine”:”Thu 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Jim Chalmers will today promise to deliver a trio of “ambitious reform packages” in the May budget that will rebuild fiscal buffers, make the tax system fairer, and lift the nation’s lagging productivity performance.

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In a major speech in Melbourne today, the treasurer will commit to “make hard decisions” in the upcoming budget, amid an ongoing US-Israel war on Iran that “is adding to inflation risks, weighing on growth and increasing already elevated uncertainty”.

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In extracts from the address to the Australian Business Economists, Chalmers spruiked Labor’s existing tax policies – including upcoming income tax cuts – but flagged no final decisions had been made on future changes.

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n

We are working on more tax reform in the budget – how much we can do in May depends on fiscal considerations, international developments and cabinet deliberations.

n

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There is a broad expectation the budget will include a plan to scale back the 50% capital gains tax discount but the treasurer cautioned that no final decision had been made.

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He said tax reform “would be guided by some clear principles”.

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They included addressing intergenerational equity, incentivising productive business investment – “if we can afford to” – and making the system “simpler and more sustainable”.

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n

We recognise an outdated tax system is weighing on the opportunities faced by younger Australians and future generations.

n

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Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it will be Nick Visser with the main action.

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Jim Chalmers will today promise to deliver a trio of “ambitious reform packages” in the May budget that will rebuild fiscal buffers, make the tax system fairer and lift the nation’s lagging productivity performance. The treasurer will be speaking at an event in Melbourne at 12.30pm. More coming up.

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The background to Chalmers’ speech is the global energy crunch brought on by the US-Israeli war on Iran, which Treasury models suggest could push inflation past 5%. Anthony Albanese will today hold a virtual meeting of the national cabinet from Tasmania to discuss how to respond to the crisis, which has seen panic-buying of petrol and fears about shortages. We’ll have more when it happens.

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Tropical Cyclone Narelle could be one of the biggest storms ever to hit northern Australia when it makes expected landfall tomorrow. We’ll have regular updates on what’s happening.

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Index

What we learned: Thursday 19 March

That’s where we’ll leave it for today on the blog. Here are Thursday’s main stories:

  • Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle forecast to hit far north Queensland three hours earlier than expected, with wind gusts up to 285km/h and daily rainfalls of 500mm possible.

  • The cyclone is also expected to hit the Northern Territory on Saturday, where several waterways are already flooding.

  • Treasury has downgraded Australia’s growth prospects over the coming few years, compounding the near-term damage from a global energy shock that Jim Chalmers says will be “a defining influence” on the May budget.

  • Anthea Harris is appointed to head a national fuel supply taskforce, as the prime minister says national cabinet acknowledged that the longer the Middle East conflict goes, “the more significant impact will be for the global supply chain, fuel prices and the wider economy”.

  • The unemployment rate lifted to 4.3% in February, from 4.1% the month before, despite a solid 48,900 increase in the number of employed Australians.

  • Six cases of legionnaires’ disease have been detected in Melbourne’s outer north, prompting a warning from Victoria’s chief health officer.

  • Australia’s competition watchdog is investigating each of the nation’s major fuel suppliers over allegations of anti-competitive conduct.

  • Notorious outback killer Bradley John Murdoch yelled at police to “get out” as he lay dying in hospital, refusing to the last to reveal where he hid a backpacker he shot dead on a remote highway, an inquest heard.

We will see you here again for more news tomorrow.

Malinauskas steps up One Nation attack ahead of SA election

A day after an awkward run-in, the South Australian premier has dismissed Pauline Hanson as a hypocrite and pretender in response to One Nation’s “remarkable” surge ahead of the state election, AAP reports.

Peter Malinauskas on Thursday stepped up his criticism of Hanson, accusing her of flying around the country on the nation’s richest person’s plane while advocating for battlers.

The premier took aim at the One Nation leader ahead of Saturday’s SA election barely 24 hours after Hanson appeared to ambush him.

She confronted Malinauskas over his recent One Nation comments as he headed to the final leaders’ debate in Adelaide on Wednesday before their uncomfortable meeting ended with a handshake.

However the premier wasn’t as civil on Thursday as One Nation maintained its surge before the weekend poll.

“These hypocrites flying around on private planes … that’s one thing, but having no plan or policy for the future of the state … that’s unforgivable,” he said.

South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas and state opposition leader Ashton Hurn during a debate in Adelaide on Wednesday. Photograph: Brett Hartwig/AAP

Falconio killer told police to leave when they made deathbed visit, NT inquest hears

Notorious outback killer Bradley John Murdoch yelled at police to “get out” as he lay dying in hospital, refusing to the last to reveal where he hid a backpacker he shot dead on a remote highway, AAP reports.

Northern Territory coroner Elisabeth Armitage on Thursday wrapped up an inquest into the 66-year-old’s death from throat cancer on 16 July 2025 at the palliative care unit of Alice Springs hospital.

Murdoch was serving a life sentence for murdering 28-year-old British backpacker Peter Falconio, and the assault and attempted kidnapping of his girlfriend Joanne Lees, now 52, on the Stuart Highway near Barrow Creek in July 2001.

The court heard that police visited Murdoch twice in the weeks before he died, in a final bid to uncover where Murdoch dumped Falconio’s body.

On one occasion, they hoped to show him a video from Falconio’s parents.

Murdoch was arrested in November 2003 over Falconio’s disappearance after a South Australian jury acquitted him of raping and falsely imprisoning a 12-year-old girl.

Peter Falconio with girlfriend Joanne Lees.
Peter Falconio with girlfriend Joanne Lees. Photograph: AAP

The SA case allowed NT police to obtain his DNA, which was later found on the makeshift handcuffs worn by Lees, as well as on her T-shirt, leading to his arrest.

Murdoch maintained his innocence and refused to divulge where he hid Falconio’s body.

Counsel assisting Chrissy McConnel told the inquest in Alice Springs on Thursday Supt Bill Carroll and two other officers visited Murdoch in jail just weeks before he died.

They hoped to show Murdoch a video Falconio’s parents made with the help of UK police.

“When the officers attended at the prison to speak with Mr Murdoch, he stated his innocence and refused to watch the video,” McConnel said.

Police again visited Murdoch days before he died in the palliative care unit, watched by prison guards 24 hours a day.

But the officers were only at his bedside for about 30 seconds.

“Mr Murdoch did not speak with the officers, instead yelling for them to ‘get out’,” McConnel said.

Broome plane crash: light plane carrying seven people crashes in WA

Seven people have escaped serious injury after a light plane crashed in Western Australia.

In a statement, the WA police said two pilots and five passengers were on board when the plane crashed in shallow waters in Roebuck about 11.25am WA time. One person suffered minor head injuries. Police said:

double quotation markPolice were notified of a light plane crash in shallow waters at Fisherman Bend in Roebuck.

Emergency services, including Police, DFES, St John WA and Marine Rescue, responded to the incident.

An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash is now underway.

Caitlin Cassidy

Caitlin Cassidy

Teenage boy in custody after allegedly firing BB gun at Rose Bay school

A 15-year-old boy is in police custody after allegedly firing a BB gun at the back of another student at a high school in Sydney’s east.

NSW police said in a statement on Thursday afternoon that officers were called to the school in Rose Bay just after 1.45pm today after reports of a teenager with a firearm.

double quotation markPolice have been told a 15-year-old boy fired a pellet at the back of another student with what’s been described as a ‘BB’ gun.

Police say there were no injuries and the weapon has been seized:

double quotation markThe 15-year-old boy was arrested at the scene pending further inquiries.

Graham Readfearn

Graham Readfearn

Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle remains as a huge category 5 storm off the Queensland coast this afternoon and has picked up pace, now moving at about 28km/h.

The latest track map of the storm, just released by the Bureau of Meteorology, has Narelle 410km east of the small town of Coen on the Cape York peninsular. Wind gusts are at an incredible 295km/h.

The latest map also shows an earlier time for the storm to make landfall which is now estimated at 7am on Friday morning – three hours earlier than forecasts this morning.

A map shows the expected route of Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle, issued at 2pm AEST on 19 March
A map shows the expected route of Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle, issued at 2pm AEST on 19 March Illustration: Bureau of Meteorology

Earlier this morning, there were fears Narelle could cross the coast as a category 5 system, but the last two updates from the bureau (they are coming every four hours now) has a crossing as a category 4 very close to Coen.

That still means an incredibly dangerous storm with wind gusts between 225km/h and 279km/h.

According to the bureau, winds like that can cause significant roofing loss and structural damage” and can blow away caravans, cause dangerous airborne debris, cause extensive damage to vegetation and cause widespread power failures.

Tropical Cyclone Narelle update

There’s an update on the severe tropical cyclone Narelle set to hit Queensland early Friday, and the Northern Territory on Saturday.

It’s expected to hit between Lockhart River and Cape Melville, with winds of up to 285km/h and rainfalls up to 500mm a day.

It is expected to downgrade to a category 3 by the time it reaches the NT, but could still have 150-200mm of rain per day.

Those parts of the country are already sodden, with several NT catchments already in flood, increasing the risk of flash flooding.

Kristy McBain, the minister for regional development, said there’s no request for military assistance in Queensland, but there has been a request in the NT.

Energy minister confident in Australia’s fuel supply, but ‘more uncertainty’ ahead

Chris Bowen, the minister for energy and climate change, is giving a press conference in Brisbane.

There’s plenty of questions about energy supply, as you’d expect, but not much in the way of new details.

He said that 519m litres of unleaded and diesel fuel had been released from the country’s reserves, and much of that would be sent to regional and rural areas.

It may take some time to reach these areas, he said.

As to whether supply could be guaranteed beyond the end of next month, Bowen said:

double quotation markShips are arriving, the refineries are working full pelt, but beyond the second part of April, is where there’s more uncertainty.

On reports that gas fields in the Middle East were being targeted, he said “obviously anything like that is a negative development”. But there was little current impact on gas prices.

Really wish someone had taken it to the counter and tried to buy it:

ACF welcome NSW coalmine announcement, urge further action

The Australian Conservation Foundation say the NSW government ban on coalmines at greenfield sites is a good step, but a full transition away from the sector should be accelerated.

In a statement, ACF campaigner Freja Leonard said:

double quotation mark

Today’s announcement is recognition that the coal industry is already in decline.

The NSW government should now plan for the orderly phase out of coal mining and support for coal workers.

The Minns Government’s continued acceptance of massive coal extensions or expansions, such as the Hunter Valley Operations Continuation project, runs contrary to the urgency that is required to meet the state’s own emission reduction targets.

NSW to ban new coalmines on greenfield sites

Penry Buckley

Penry Buckley

The New South Wales government will bring an end to the development of new coalmines on unexplored sites in the state under a policy change announced today.

This afternoon, the Minns government released its coal industry statement for the years 2026-50, the first since the former Coalition government’s own framework in 2020, which committed to “significantly” scaling back where mining could occur.

But new sites have continued to be approved, including at least eight since the Minns government was elected in 2023. Last year, the government was warned it could not continue to approve sites after the NSW net zero commission said expansions were “not consistent” with the state’s legal emissions reductions commitments.

The change, under which the government will no longer consider proposals for “new standalone greenfield coalmines”, does not rule out the expansion of existing sites. The government has said it will “continue to support coal production where it is already occurring, while placing strong guardrails around future development”.

NSW’s coal industry generated $23.4bn in exports during 2025, directly employing 23,800 people at more than 30 operational coal sites across the Gunnedah, Hunter, Newcastle, southern and western regions, but demand is expected to decline as the energy transition progresses.

The finance minister, Courtney Houssos, says:

double quotation markCoal has powered NSW for more than a century, and it will continue to support our economy for decades to come.

We’ve engaged with communities, industry, consent authorities, environment groups and trading partners. Their feedback has shaped a direction that gives certainty, sets firm expectations and keeps NSW a reliable supplier where market demand exists.

Nick Visser

Nick Visser

That’s all from me. Nino Bucci will be your guide from here. Take care.

Reader callout: are you feeling the petrol pinch in Australia, and how is it affecting you?

We’d like to speak with Australians feeling the petrol pinch.

Are you consciously cutting back on fuel use? Have you cancelled a holiday? Are you working from home more? Are you taking fewer journeys? Are you limiting your use of energy for other things like air conditioning or cooking? Have you found a way to conserve fuel?

Let us know about your experiences here:

Boats being moored in Cooktown in far north Queensland as Cyclone Narelle approaches – video

Boats being moored in Cooktown in far north Queensland as Cyclone Narelle approaches – video

‘People in the Top End should begin to prepare now’, BoM says as Narelle takes aim

Shenagh Gamble with the Bureau of Meteorology just provided an update for the NT and the impacts Narelle will have on the territory.

She said during a press conference:

double quotation markPeople in the Top End should begin to prepare now and stay informed as our warnings will be issued and updated frequently over this next period.

Our current forecast is that cyclone Narelle will cross the NT coast as a category 3 severe tropical cyclone during Saturday, with the earliest impacts to Groote Eylandt Saturday afternoon.

The BoM will issue a tropical cyclone watch for communities in the eastern Top End and the surrounding areas. Rain from the cyclone will cause local creeks and rivers to rise again, including those that have already been affected by recent flood waters.

Gamble said:

double quotation markIt is very important that the community across the Top End stays aware of the current situation and stays alert to updated and new warnings as they are issued.

Douglas Smith

Douglas Smith

Cargo to remote Cape York communities disrupted by Tropical Cyclone Narelle

A cargo shipping company which delivers food, fuel and other essential goods to several remote communities across Cape York has halted operations for the rest of the week, with Tropical Cyclone Narelle expected to make landfall on Friday morning.

In a statement on Thursday, shipping and logistics company, Sea Swift said due to the “significant safety risk”, deliveries would not recommence until next week.

double quotation markThere will be no delivery to Cape York communities this week. These communities include Weipa, Skardon River, Lockhart River, and Aurukun. The Marine Team are working to minimise the disruption to the regular schedule as our depots prepare for TC Narelle to make landfall on Friday 20 March.

Over the coming days and remaining storm season we will maintain our commitment to safety and reliability in service for our crew and the communities of Northern Australia.

We will be taking guidance from authorities and disaster management teams in the Cape regarding the safe reopening of the ramps once the storm has passed.

The mayor of Lockhart River, Wayne Butcher, said his community was already prepared.

double quotation markOur infrastructure is in pretty good condition, mainly water and sewerage, and we’ve got plenty of food and fuel left in the community.

Sarah Basford Canales

Sarah Basford Canales

Pauline Hanson says bill for using Rinehart’s plane is for SA One Nation leader Cory Benardi

Over in South Australia, Pauline Hanson has claimed the minor party’s state leader, Cory Bernardi, will pay to use a private plane registered to Gina Rinehart’s agricultural company S Kidman and Co to travel the state during their election campaign.

The One Nation leader has used a Pilatus PC-12 registered to Kidman and Co to travel the state in the lead up to his weekend’s election.

On Thursday afternoon, Hanson was asked who would be footing the bill and whether she considered the flights a political donation. The senator responded she had “nothing to do with it” and that Bernardi would pay for the costs.

She said:

double quotation markNo, I have nothing to do with it, actually. So my understanding is the bill’s going to Cory Bernardi, who’s paying for it. So it’s nothing to do with me … I was a passenger on the plane. It’s got nothing to do with me … I think you better go and ask Cory [Bernardi].

One Nation leader, Pauline Hanson.
One Nation leader, Pauline Hanson. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Hanson updated her register of interests this week to thank Kidman and Co chief executive, Adam Giles, for the flights, which have visited mostly regional areas of South Australia including Mount Gambier, Port Lincoln and Whyalla.

Hanson wrote: “It’s also wonderful catching a flight that doesn’t try and welcome me to my own country each time it touches down.”

Guardian Australia reporter, Sarah Martin, reported on Tuesday the senator had failed to properly declare more free flights on Rinehart’s planes, including a Tamworth to Brisbane flight in December last year on the day the former Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce announced his defection to One Nation. It follows a series of reports about Hanson’s failure to declare flights within the proper timelines, including Hanson’s trip to and from Florida last year with her chief of staff, James Ashby, provided by Rinehart’s company Hancock Prospecting, where they also stayed at Rinehart’s $66m Palm Beach mansion.

Read more here:

Iran war a ‘defining influence’ on May budget, Chalmers says

Patrick Commins

Patrick Commins

Treasury has downgraded Australia’s growth prospects over the coming few years, compounding the near-term damage from a global energy shock which Jim Chalmers says will be “a defining influence” on the May budget.

In a speech to the Australian Business Economists in Melbourne, the treasurer revealed that officials expect productivity growth to recover towards a more normal level over the coming five years, instead of two.

Alongside some changes to population growth forecasts to include a slower fall in net overseas migration, “GDP is now likely to be a quarter to half a percentage point weaker in the middle years of the forward estimates,” he said.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers
Treasurer Jim Chalmers. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Chalmers flagged yesterday that the Middle East conflict could deliver a multi-billion dollar blow to the economy while also pushing inflation above 5% in a worst-case scenario.

The treasurer in today’s speech said the country was already struggling with high inflation, weak productivity growth, and a highly volatile global environment:

double quotation markThis conflict is not the only major challenge we face in our economy, but it exacerbates the others.

It’s adding to inflation when it is already too high, intensifying uncertainty when it is already elevated, and straining our productive capacity when it is already close to its limit.

As flagged earlier, Chalmers promised that his fifth budget would deliver a trio of “ambitious reform packages” to rebuild fiscal buffers, make the tax system fairer, and lift the nation’s lagging productivity performance.

Ben Smee

Ben Smee

David Crisafulli says planning is already under way for expected recovery efforts.

double quotation markI want communities to know that we’ll be there before, during and after the event. There can’t be daylight between that.

I know these communities are resilient and they’ve been here before and they know what wind and a lot of rain looks like.

This is a serious system though, and I’m asking people to take it seriously. Because it is the kind of event that doesn’t happen all that often.

To put it in perspective, not since the late 1800s in the far north of this state has a category five system crossed. Category five systems don’t cross the coast that frequently. It’s a serious event, but I can assure you we can get through it.