PM pays tribute to police killed in shooting – as it happened

A bushfire warning has been upgraded to watch and act in Geraldton in WA

Meanwhile, parts of WA’s Goldfields, South Interior and Gascoyne districts are being urged to take action and stay safe with severe thunderstorms to come.

Locations which may be affected include Carnegie and Wiluna.

Consumer sentiment holding up despite RBA rate hikes

The Reserve Bank can fade a bit into the background now that we don’t have a monthly rates meeting by them until 7 February.

In the meantime, though, there have been a couple of indicators of how consumer sentiment is holding up as we rush into the annual spending spree aka Christmas.

ANZ and Roy Morgan in their weekly survey found confidence perking up even after the eighth RBA rate rise (a record series) in as many months.

Senior ANZ economist Catherine Birch reckons it might be because consumers reckon the central bank might be inclined to pause come next February at least, and leave the cash rate at 3.1% while it studies the effects of rate hikes.

As it happens, investors have been rating the chance of a 25 basis point rate rise come February as slightly less than 50:50.

On a similar tack, the Westpac-Melbourne Institute’s monthly Consumer Sentiment Index also increased 3% to 80.3 in December.

While heading in the right direction, Westpac notes that the level of confidence is similar to the lows of both the Covid pandemic and also the Global Financial Crisis.

Still, the result was way better than the “disastrous 6.9% drop in November that saw the Index collapse to just 78 – one of the weakest reads recorded outside of a recession”.

And rounding things out, businesses seem to be turning more gloomy, according to NAB.

Confidence by firms turned negative last month for the first time since December 2021. Business conditions, though, remained at 20, down 2 points in November.

“Conditions remain strong across industries with only construction and finance, business & property below 20pts in trend terms, and conditions have also held up across the states,” NAB said.

“With activity holding up there are few signs of any turnaround in inflation, with cost growth largely unchanged at elevated levels on both the labour and purchase cost side, and retail prices continuing to rise at a rapid rate,” the bank said.

In other words, the tidings – including the prospect of higher interest rates – suggest the outlook is not as promising as the present.

It’s summer, but you wouldn’t know this by this string of weather warnings, from dangerous roads to heavy winds and cold snaps.

60th Victorian parliament officially opened

A round of applause for the official proclamation summoning the open of the 60th parliament. It doesn’t get much more exciting than this!

WA bushfire emergency warning updated

Back in Western Australia, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) has updated an active bushfire emergency warning in Cervantes and southern parts of Jurien Bay, north of Perth.

A number of residents are under evacuation orders as the blaze continues.

Please note changes to Bushfire Behaviour. People in the Marine Fields Estate need to evacuate north on Indian Ocean Drive towards Jurien Bay.

People south of the Cervantes Road and Indian Ocean Drive intersection need to leave in a southerly direction towards Lancelin on Indian Ocean Drive

You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. There is a threat to lives and homes. The alert level for this fire has been upgraded as fire behaviour is escalating.

It is too dangerous to return home if outside of the bushfire zone.

RBA’s Covid funding intervention had limited effect on boosting loans to business

The Reserve Bank is the subject of an independent review but that doesn’t mean it’s not doing a bit of self-reflection of its own.

One instance is contained in a paper released by the central bank today that examines the effectiveness of its Term Funding Facility, which was deployed during the pandemic from March 2020.

Indeed, more than 130 Australian banks, credit unions and building societies, as well as foreign bank branches and subsidiaries operating in Australia, had access to the three-year funding at a fixed rate well below their cost of wholesale market funding at the time.

The measure, used by central banks elsewhere, was part of the emergency response by authorities to stop the economy stalling during the Covid lockdowns.

The paper, by Sharon Lai, Kevin Lane and Laura Nunn using confidential data supplied by banking regulators, explored whether the extraordinary measures were effective, particularly in boosting credit to businesses.

“Overall, we find little evidence that the TFF caused the amount of lending to businesses, including to [small-, medium-sized enterprises], to be higher than would have occurred if the policy were not introduced,” the authors found.

Some large businesses ended up tapping the resource, but there was “[no] evidence that a lender’s take-up of the TFF increased their business lending”.

It’s perhaps less clear whether the failure of the funding was because companies were generally not in the mood to increase borrowing even amid record low interest rates. Still, the study might prove useful should we go down this perilous path again.

Richard Marles says Australia-Vanuatu deal a ‘family first’ approach to security

We have some more detail on the new bilateral security deal signed between Australia and Vanuatu today.

A joint release between the defence minister, the minister for foreign affairs, the attorney general and minister for international development and the Pacific said the agreement recognised security cooperation between the two nations “must continue to adapt” on a string of points including climate and the “security effects” of Covid.

The agreement cements our ability to work together across … humanitarian assistance and disaster relief; policing, law enforcement and justice; defence; border security, human security; environment and resource security; biosecurity; cybersecurity; maritime safety and security; and aviation safety and security.

It also enables strengthened information and assessment exchange.

The agreement will be publicly available as nations “committed to democracy, accountability and transparency”.

The defence minister, Richard Marles, said the agreement was an expression of the “family first” approach to peace and security in the region.

It reflects Australia and Vanuatu’s ongoing commitment to working together as members of the Pacific family to address shared security challenges.

Dutton says Wieambilla deaths would ‘send a shiver down the spine of any police officer’

The opposition leader has also paid tribute to the two police officers who died in Wieambilla yesterday, reflecting on his own time with the force.

When you have a few police officers who are turning up to check an address, walking up the driveway and they’re gunned down in a cold-blooded style, that will send a shiver down the spine of any police officer attending any job today right around the country.

It’s time for our community, our country to come around police and support them … they go into the line of fire and that danger zone so we don’t have to.

Meanwhile, the shower of bouquets is growing outside Chinchilla Police Station.

Brisbane bridges to be lit up in blue and white

Two bridges in Brisbane will be lit up in blue and white this evening in tribute to the two police officers killed in line of duty.

BoM says La Niña will continue until mid-to-late summer

The Bureau of Meteorology has released its latest tropical climate update and, some good news, the Indian Ocean Dipole has returned to neutral and is expected to remain so for the coming months.

La Niña, though, is predicted to continue until mid-to-late summer.

The bureau’s long-range forecast indicates roughly equal chances of above or below-median rainfall across northern Australia in the coming months.

Rainfall in Northern Australia is expected to ramp up in the coming weeks following a string of dry and hot days, bringing possible monsoon weather.

Models indicate that atmospheric conditions are likely to become more favourable for widespread rainfall and cooler weather in the next fortnight. The Australian monsoon may become established over northern Australia during this time.

Adam Bandt says Greens negotiating with Labor in ‘good faith’ over energy bill

Bandt is asked if the Greens will “stand in the way” of the “relief” the government has outlined in its bill – which is aiming to drive down energy prices – if Labor doesn’t agree to the party’s amendments.

He says efforts over the next 24 hours will be to talk to the government in “good faith” and come to a position “where we get at least some of those concerns addressed”.

It is disappointing that today the government still doesn’t want to put a windfall tax on these coal and gas corporations and freeze power bills. Our view is we are not going to die wondering on this, we’re going to keep pushing to do our best to get the most amount of money in people’s pockets and to make these coal and gas corporations pay their fair share of tax. Ultimately, if the government goes in a different way, then of course we will have to consider that but the plan at the moment is to try and get the government to address those areas of concern for us.

Greens want ‘freeze on power bills at pre-crisis levels’

Bandt says he will continue to have discussions and negotiations with the federal government over the next 24 hours and hopes the party’s concerns will be addressed by Thursday, when the final legislation is put to the parliament.

The Greens want to see a freeze on power bills at pre-crisis levels and the government is offering a different approach. We want to have further discussions with the government about the level of support that is going to be provided to people because we are worried people will end up doing it tough.

Another area of concern for us is that we don’t want to be in a situation in 12 months’ time where people are still stuck on expensive and dirty gas appliances because if the price caps lift – then the price of gas will go up as well.

We’re still waiting to see the final legislation … Hopefully, our concerns can be addressed by the time legislation comes to parliament on Thursday. We will continue having discussions in good faith with the government. Obviously, this is all moving quickly and we are responding to it very quickly.

Adam Bandt says energy companies aren’t paying enough tax

Greens leader Adam Bandt is speaking now on the federal government’s proposed energy bill in response to rising cost of living pressures.

Bandt – who is rocking some serious holiday-mode facial hair – says the party has two main concerns – that energy bills will continue to rise and that corporations aren’t paying adequate tax.

Firstly, it appears that even under the government’s plan, energy bills and electricity bills in particular will continue to rise in a way that will put a lot of pressure on people.

The Greens have been proposing that energy bills be frozen for two years and that we fund it by a windfall tax on the greedy coal and gas corporations. That will deliver relief to people - $750 over the next couple of years.

We are concerned that … if electricity bills continue to rise it will put a lot of pressure on a lot of people. We want to see … the big corporations pay their fair share of tax. They are making record profits off the back of a war in Ukraine and people in Australia’s household pain. Energy bills are going up, driven by these coal and gas corporations.

MPs pay tribute to those who died in Wieambilla

MPs are continuing to pay tribute to the two police officers and neighbour who died in Wieambilla yesterday.

You can watch the prime minister’s address here:

Bushfire north of Perth worsens

An evacuation centre has been opened at Jurien Bay Sport & Recreation Centre as a bushfire continues north of Perth in Western Australia.

An emergency warning is in place for people between Mosman Parade and Hamptons Bay Lookout in Cervantes and southern parts of Jurien Bay.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES):

You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. There is a threat to lives and homes.

The alert level for this fire has been upgraded as fire behaviour is escalating.

New details on Australia’s other giant wombat

If you’re a wombat fan – and let’s be real, who isn’t! - cast your eyes on this intriguing report from AAP:

A complete skull of Australia’s lesser-known giant wombat has revealed new insights into the biology and appearance of the extinct megafauna species.

Although the more famous hatchback-sized Diprotodon is commonly referred to as a giant wombat, there’s a more perfect match, associate professor Julien Louys from Griffith’s Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution says.

Diprotodon belongs to an entirely different family - equivalent to saying a hippo is just a giant pig.

“True” giant wombats have traditionally been poorly known, but the discovery of the most complete skull of one of these giants, Ramsayia, gave researchers the chance to reconstruct what this creature looked like, where and when it lived, and how evolution unfolded.

Ramsayia had extensive cranial sinuses, which hadn’t been previously reported for a wombat.

Louys:

This indicates that the wombat had a large, rounded skull for the attachment of specific and strong chewing muscles.

The giant wombat also possessed a premaxillary spine, an indication that it had a large, fleshy nose.

Research shows that all “true” giant wombats first evolved large body sizes before becoming more specialised to eat different types of grasses.

We also dated this species as being about 80,000 years old. This is the first date for this species and is much earlier than human arrival in Australia, although we still don’t know exactly when or why this species became extinct.

Police issue more details about Queensland shootings

Queensland police have issued a third update on the police investigation into the six deaths at Western Downs.

Around 4.30pm four officers were in attendance at a property on Wains Road at Wieambilla in relation to a missing person investigation when two officers and a member of the public were fatally shot.

Tara police officers Constable Matthew Arnold, 26, and Constable Rachel McCrow, 29, died at the scene. A 58-year-old local man from a neighbouring property also died during the incident.

Constable Randall Kirk sustained a gunshot injury and is continuing to receive treatment in hospital. Constable Keely Brough was transported to hospital as a precaution and has since been released. Both officers are aged 28 and from Chinchilla police station.

Three people at the property, a 46-year-old Kewarra Beach man, a 47-year-old Wieambilla man and a 45-year-old Wieambilla woman, were fatally shot by specialist police at the scene around 10.30pm.

Forensic officers continue to process the crime scene at the property.

PM praises the ‘courage’ of police officers after Queensland shooting

Albanese says the loss of life is not a price “anyone who puts on the uniform should ever have to pay”, commending officers in Tara and around the nation.

Our hearts go out to those in the grip of terrible grief. We know that this news has fallen hard on a close-knit and caring Queensland community. As well as, of course, the community to which all police officers belong.

Today is a rough day indeed for all police officers and their families. Every officer knows the risk that they face in the life of duty. They are all too aware of the dangers that they face. Yet they do their job, they do it for our communities.

That is courage and it is public service at the highest level, and today and every day I pay tribute to each and every one of the police officers who serve their local communities and who serve their nation.

This is not a price that anyone who puts on the uniform should ever pay. We can never count the true cost. My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of all those affected by this tragedy. With honour, they served, and Australia mourns with you today. We stand with you always.

Bushfire warning north of Perth

Over in Western Australia, a bushfire emergency warning has been issued for Cervantes north of Perth.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services warned the fire was threatening lives and homes.

A bushfire emergency warning is in place for people between Marine Drive and Kangaroo Point in Cervantes in the Shire of Dandaragan.

You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. There is a threat to lives and homes.

The alert level for this fire has been upgraded as fire behaviour is escalating.

Thanks as always to Natasha May for keeping us up to date on a tough day of news. I’ll be with you for the rest of the afternoon.

I am saying sayonara and handing over to the lovely Caitlin Cassidy. She’ll be bringing you what the prime minister Anthony Albanese has to say on the Queensland shooting shortly.

Some more tributes from the Tara community for the two police constables and the civilian killed last night at a remote property,

Flowers have also been left at the police station.

Prime minister’s literary awards announced for 2022

Looking for recommendations for your summer reading list?

The prime minister’s literary awards for this year have been announced. Most aren’t exactly light beach reading, but should make for interesting discussion around the table at your holiday gatherings.

Have a read of Kelly Burke’s article to see which works have won across the different categories of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, childrens and history prizes.

Minute’s silence at Tara police station after police deaths

The community of Tara have gathered for a minute’s silence at the local police station following the deaths of Constables Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29, last night.

The deceased police officers were new to the force, and both were stationed in the close-knit community of Tara, Queensland police commissioner Katarina Carroll told a press conference this morning.

Matthew was sworn in as a police officer in March 2020, while Rachel was sworn in last year in June 2021.

Nick Kelly of Nine News shared this image:

Dan Andrews expresses sympathies on behalf of Victoria to all Queenslanders

The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, has taken to social media to express his sympathies to Queenslanders following the deaths of police officers Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow.

As we mentioned on the blog earlier, the Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, mentioned in her press conference that the NSW premier, Dominic Perrottet, had reached out earlier this morning:

I also want to thank the New South Wales premier who also reached out today offering his condolences to the two officers that were tragically killed, as it was a request from the New South Wales police.

Penny Wong asked about Australia’s negotiation of security deals in contrast with China’s efforts in Pacific

Penny Wong, in her press conference in Vanuatu, is asked whether Australia is negotiating similar agreements with other Pacific nations (we already know there are ongoing talks with PNG about a security agreement). The foreign affairs minister replies:

Decisions about how a country wishes to engage with us, what level of cooperation, what priorities that country articulates are issues for that sovereign nation … we as Australia come to that discussion with respect – mutual respect. We come to it with a recognition that we are equal partners and we come to listen, and that is how we’ll deal with these issues. This is a result of that approach.

There is a question about how Australia’s efforts to sign security agreements in the Pacific contrast with China’s own efforts. Wong says of the Australian push:

This is the embodiment of what Australia and Vanuatu do, which is we work together to secure our future.

The minister for international development and the Pacific, Pat Conroy, says Australia is working through some identified problems with the Australian-supplied Guardian-class patrol vessels (these problems were announced months ago). Conroy says that when Australia supplies such vessels to the Pacific, it isn’t the end of the story, and Australia is involved in fixing any problems:

We are committed to resolving all those issues.

Simon Birmingham highlights ‘Pacific-led solutions to security’ in Vanuatu

The Coalition’s foreign affairs spokesperson, Simon Birmingham, who is part of the bipartisan delegation to Vanuatu, is at the joint press conference with Penny Wong.

Birmingham adds:

Can I warmly welcome and celebrate the signing today of the agreement … This is an agreement that has been in the making since it was announced in 2018, just as the wharf behind us has been in the making since it was announced in 2021. The Guardian-class patrol vessels have been in the making for a number of years and continue to be produced to support our Pacific island nations and partners.

In a challenging and contested world, Australia and Vanuatu are at our strongest when we stand together and when we work together. The signing of this partnership and the delivery of these tangible results of our cooperation and partnership are a demonstration of how effectively we are standing together as nations.

Birmingham stresses the importance of “Pacific-led solutions to security and stability in the Pacific” (that is another reference to the contest for influence with China).

Penny Wong speaking in Vanuatu

The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has begun a press conference in Vanuatu. She is talking about an agreement to deepen security ties and says:

Our history is rooted in 40 years of cooperation between our security forces … and [that] will continue. And as two nations committed to democracy, accountability and transparency, we will ensure that the agreement is made publicly available.

That is clearly a reference to China, whose agreement with Solomon Islands has not been released publicly.

Wong adds:

We’re deeply proud to be the Vanuatu principal security partner of choice.

Gareth Train posted regularly on online conspiracy website before police killed

Our Queensland correspondent Ben Smee brings you this exclusive report on the Wieambilla shooting.

Gareth Train, the owner of a rural Queensland property where six people, including two police officers, were shot and killed on Monday, had become deeply entangled in an online conspiracy community, where he posted about a mistrust of police and claims the Port Arthur massacre was a false-flag operation.

Read the full story here:

Civilian killed in Queensland shooting was ‘lovely’, neighbour says

The smell of smoke is still thick in the air on Wains Road in Wieambilla.

Cassy lives with her daughter Jess on the property neighbouring the scene of the shooting.

Last night she chose to stay in the town of Tara with a friend, as her daughter had a shift at the local co-op.

I’m just lucky I wasn’t home last night. I would have been by myself.

Cassy has a small hobby farm on her 125-acre block, and had to come back in the morning to feed her menagerie of pigs, goats, guinea fowl and chickens which ran amid the caravans and play equipment and run-down machinery.

I’m shaken. This is a small country community. These things don’t happen here.

Cassy says she never saw her neighbours and didn’t know them. But she did know her other neighbour, Alan Dare, who was shot dead when he heard the gunfight and went to investigate.

He always seemed lovely. He was just out here, trying to do what you do.

Another Wieambilla resident, Jen, says she didn’t know the people involved in the shooting but the community and those in the nearby town of Tara are in shock.

The whole town is shocked. You get your robberies and things like that around here … but shooting cops? Things like that don’t happen.

Pocock calls on government to rethink cutting back Medicare-backed psychologist appointments

Senator David Pocock is calling on the government to rethink its plans to cut Medicare-backed psychologist appointments from 20 to 10, urging health minister Mark Butler to either reverse course or to reinvest any savings in other mental health supports.

Butler announced yesterday that the temporary expansion of the Better Access system, which temporarily doubled the amount of subsidised mental health appointments for Covid reasons, would end this year. A review of the system said the expansion had created delays and barriers to new clients accessing psychological help, and that it had made it harder for some lower income people to access assistance.

But health and suicide prevention groups said they were “baffled” at the decision, coming as Australia still faces two years of Covid waves, according to the chief medical officer, Paul Kelly.

Pocock, a crucial linchpin vote in the Senate for the government, today demanded the government reinvest in the assistance. He said in a statement:

We are still in the midst of a mental health crisis, now is not the time to be removing funding without a solid plan to address the significant issues with our mental health system.

Pocock acknowledged the report’s findings that the 20 sessions may have some adverse effects on new patients, but pointed out the report had actually recommended the maintenance of the extra sessions – albeit better targeting them to people with complex needs. He said mental health services were crying out for more support, not less.

I am concerned that despite all of this evidence, and all of these recommendations, the government is letting multiple mental health programs come to an end without a plan for what comes next.

Pocock said that if the government failed to reinstate the full 20 sessions, then he wanted to see any funding savings be reinvested into other mental health programs.

I understand that the budget is in bad shape, but healthcare is core business and these types of investments should be made.

Robodebt inquiry shown Marise Payne’s ‘You’re next’ letter

The former human services minister, Marise Payne, toughened up language on a brief spruiking robodebt and other compliance proposals for Scott Morrison, writing: “You’re next”.

Payne, who is appearing at the royal commission this morning, was the junior minister in the portfolio under Morrison in early 2015 when the plan was being developed.

She worked with Department of Human Services officials on a brief for the proposals which eventually went to Morrison in February 2015.

A draft of the executive minutes that had been marked up by Payne was shown to the commission on Tuesday.

The version prepared by public servants noted:

The comprehensive nature of these reviews will send an important message to those all around the country that they could be next and there is very little chance they will avoid punishment.

Payne’s annotation changed “they could be next” to “you’re next”.

Senior counsel assisting Justin Greggery KC said it was a correction of “intent” and that Payne had put the proposal in more “direct language”.

The annotation related to a proposal separate to robodebt that targeted fraud which was eventually put in place as “taskforce integrity”. Payne’s annotations also suggested the use of the word “taskforce” rather than “strikeforce”.

In the draft, what became the robodebt program was yet to be named and was described only as “(Operation XXXX2)”.

Wieambilla shooting deaths ‘going to take a lot of processing’: Littleproud

The Nationals leader, David Littleproud, is the local MP for Wieambilla where six people were killed last night. He’s just spoken with ABC News about how the local area is feeling in the aftermath of the event.

I grew up in Chinchilla, it’s my home town, and I know that the community out there has been rocked by this. We feel numb. We don’t know how or why, and obviously it’s going take a lot of processing, but it’s about the community now coming together.

The people in this community that I grew up in, we’re law-abiding citizens, so we don’t expect this to happen in Australia let alone in Chinchilla and Tara.

With two police officers killed, Littleproud speaks about the role law enforcement plays in rural communities and the ripples these deaths will create.

When you become a copper you’re part of the community. You’re revered. You’re held in an exalted position, looked up to, supported – because we know that in the darkest hours of these small communities it’s their leadership, their professionalism, that gets us through, and so when you become a country copper you become ensconced in that community. You’re looked up to from the small children right through, and if something happens to your local police, the whole community feels it because we also feel this sense of protection around them because of the protection they give us.

Man charged over alleged concealment of Cheryl Ardler’s death in Sydney’s west

A man has been charged over allegedly concealing information related to the suspicious death of a woman in Sydney’s west a decade ago.

Cheryl Ardler, 41, was last seen by neighbours on Greenhalgh Road in Cranebook on 12 December, 2012.

After failing to hear from her, her family reported her missing in June the following year with concerns for her welfare. Extensive inquiries and searches were unsuccessful.

On 6 May 2018, human remains were located in bushland near Laycock Street, Cranebrook, which were later forensically confirmed to be Ardler.

A renewed investigation led to the arrest and charge of a man in April 2019. He has since been convicted of manslaughter.

Yesterday evening, a 38-year-old man spoke with detectives at a Sydney police station. He was arrested and charged with “improperly interfere with corpse or human remains”, and “conceal serious indictable offence of another person”.

He has been refused bail and will face court today.

NSW energy regulators push for crackdown on embedded networks

New South Wales energy regulators are lobbying to crack down on embedded networks in the wake of rising prices and concerns over consumer protections.

One in 10 Australians live in embedded networks – private electricity networks which supply multiple homes or businesses, common to apartment complexes and retirement villages.

Its operators buy-bulk energy for the entire complex from the grid and sell it on to residents, typically reducing their capacity to access market competition and consumer protections.

On Tuesday, the Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW and the Australian Energy Regulator launched a campaign pushing for residents, more vulnerable to the energy crisis due to lack of choice, to access dispute resolutions amid price hikes.

Four years ago, membership of embedded network operators to the ombudsman was mandated in NSW. In Victoria, the Labor government has gone a step further, moving to ban the private networks in new apartment buildings.

Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW’s Janine Young:

Billing concerns made up 80% of complaints raised by residents in embedded networks to EWON in the last financial year …. but many residents are not aware of their right to complain to us.

Energy prices are rising for all customers in NSW, but customers within embedded networks are particularly exposed due to the lack of retailer choice and many aren’t protected.

AER chair Clare Savage said customers were “vulnerable” under the embedded network system.

We have been working with EWON to increase awareness of dispute resolution options for these customers and this multilingual education campaign will help promote this important consumer right.

Cindy Cook appointed CEO of Brisbane 2032 Olympics and Paralympics Organising Committee

Cindy Cook will be the CEO of the Brisbane 2032 Olympics and Paralympics Organising Committee, it has been announced.

Opposition to energy plan is ‘voting against for Australian families’: Bowen

The energy minister Chris Bowen has fronted the media spruiking the government’s plan to cap energy prices, which parliament will debate Thursday.

Bowen said:

If people vote against real relief they are voting against for Australian families. Gas companies want to protect their profits. We want to protect the Australian people. That’s the essential difference.

The opposition is yet to say whether they will support the energy plan but Bowen says the opposition is “all over the place” with differing opinions among ministers. He says the government however is “clear and consistent working with the states”.

‘Accuracy is on both sides of the coin’: Payne

Marise Payne’s evidence continues at the robodebt royal commission questioned by counsel assisting the royal commission, Justin Greggery KC.

Greggery:

And did you understand that responsibility to extend to this particular measure in the sense that it created – not only ultimately was it a budget measure, but because it emanated from the department and related to the calculation of overpayments for recipients of social security benefits?

Payne:

Yes, because compliant and integrity were core business for the Department of Human Services in the making of payments to ensure that the right people were being paid the right amount, people were not able to defraud the commonwealth if they set out to do so. And that where incorrect payments were made, no matter where the error lay, that they could be corrected.

Greggery:

And the use of the word “integrity” relates to either overpayments or deliberate fraud in that sense?

Payne:

Yes.

Greggery:

It seems to be used generally by the department as if it were interchangeable with accuracy, Ms Payne. Is that right?

Payne:

Commissioner, I’ve not seen it used in that way in the context of my preparation with these documents for this royal commission ... Accuracy is, on both sides of the coin, for both the recipient of the payment and the department as the issuing body.

Marise Payne has begun giving evidence at the robodebt royal commission

Former human services minister Marise Payne is being questioned by counsel assisting the royal commission, Justin Greggery KC.

Payne is being asked about a series of documents from January 2015 when she was a junior minister while the former prime minister, Scott Morrison, was senior minister.

Greggery:

You just described the process of a proposal or a brief coming through the junior minister – and we’re about to go through a number of the versions of the draft. What role did you have to play as the junior minister in response to Mr Morrison’s request of Ms Campbell?

Payne:

A junior minister in a portfolio would be working with, and encouraged their department and this is a slightly unique situation to extent that a portfolio contains two separate departments, standalone departments, would, as I said, encourage and work with the department to produce the material that had been requested in response to the cabinet minister’s meeting, the meeting with the cabinet minister, with my secretary, and I would expect that to include engagement with my staff, with me from time to time, but overwhelmingly, the work is done within the department, and led by the appropriate member of the SES.

Images of police working near scene of fatal shooting

We have some pictures coming through of police working near the scene of the fatal shooting in Wieambilla, Queensland.

First Peoples’ Assembly at Yoorrook seeks overhaul of child protection system

Victoria’s First Peoples’ Assembly has flagged it will seek an interim agreement with the state government to overhaul the child protections system, warning reform cannot wait for treaty negotiations to begin.

The co-chair of the assembly Geraldine Atkinson is appearing at the Yoorrook Justice Commission – Victoria’s Indigenous truth-telling commission – this morning. Her appearance comes after the Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, last week vowed to reform the state’s child protection system, saying too many First Nations children were being taken away from their families by the state.

Atkinson told the inquiry the assembly could play a leadership and coordinating role in the reform:

We can’t wait until 2024 for a state-wide treaty and then begin negotiations on this work. This work needs to start now.

Under Victoria’s treaty framework, traditional owners can enter into interim agreements during negotiations.

PCR tests will be available for the vulnerable, Albanese says

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has denied Australians will be discouraged from getting PCR tests for Covid after government changes to require referrals for some screenings, even as doctor’s groups raise concerns.

He told ABC Brisbane radio:

PCR tests will still be very much available to people who are immunocompromised and people who are vulnerable.

On the advice of health professionals, [we are] gradually moving toward treating this like other respiratory diseases are treated.

Yesterday the health minister, Mark Butler, released a 2023 Covid management stating “From 1 January 2023, to obtain a Medicare-funded PCR test you will require a referral from a medical or nurse practitioner.”

After criticism at the change, the minister’s office later clarified that PCR tests could be obtained through GP respiratory clinics, state-run testing clinics or hospitals without a referral, and would “remain free for everyone who needs them”.

In an interview this morning, the ABC Brisbane host put it to Albanese that the referral would create a barrier to people seeking PCR tests, noting some people could wait days for a GP appointment to even obtain the referral.

Albanese said:

That’s not right. People now take rapid antigen tests, PCRs are still available but they’ve been gradually wound down, the centres where people can go, the drive-through centres, over a period of time, many of them have been closed.

This is just recognising the changes that are occurring over a period of time.

The Australian Medical Association yesterday told Guardian Australia it had concerns about the knock-on effects.

The AMA president, Dr Steve Robson, said:

We are concerned it could create barriers for people to get tested.

Palaszczuk:

We do know that there will be a thorough investigation, ethical standards and homicide investigation in relation to these matters as well. Just something that no-one wants to wake up to or hear about.

You know, these are things that we often hear about happening in other countries. But to happen here with such a routine matter.

These young constables were just going about their normal job. It was just a routine matter. And to be confronted with this is beyond imagination.

Palaszczuk thanks Perrottet for his call

Palaszczuk:

I also want to thank the New South Wales Premier who also reached out today offering his condolences to the two officers that were tragically killed, as it was a request from the New South Wales police.

Flags on government buildings to fly at half-mast, premier says

Palaszczuk:

Tonight, and today, flags on government buildings will fly at half-mast. Hopefully, it will give the QPS family some comfort to know that the people of their state absolutely respect and appreciate every single thing that they do.

I doubt that this will bring much comfort to the families and loved ones of those who were killed. They were so young. So young. They were incredibly brave. These were absolutely callous, brutal acts. And with honour, they served.

We will also, as a sign of respect, the lord mayor has advised me that the Storey Bridge will be in blue and white, and we will light our government buildings in blue and white today also as a mark of respect.

Palaszczuk offers condolences to families of dead police officers on behalf of state

The Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, is now speaking from Brisbane:

I have this morning been in contact with the police commissioner and last night, regularly with the police minister.

I’m advised that four police went to a remote property around 4.30 yesterday in relation to a missing person investigation at the request of New South Wales police.

Tragically, two of the police, 26-year-old constable Matthew Arnold and 29-year-old Constable Rachel McCrow were shot dead. Their two colleagues were lucky to escape. A bystander was also tragically killed. The offenders – the two men and women on the property – were killed during the confrontation with the police.

This is, indeed, a horrific tragedy, and on behalf of the entire state of Queensland, I offer my deep, deep condolences to the families and loved ones of those two young constables who were tragically killed.

Further tributes

That press conference in Chinchilla is over now but the tributes from leaders to the officers killed continue to flow in.

Final question

Reporter:

The three people shot by police. Are they all considered offenders or any innocent party in that group?

Carroll:

They’re all considered offenders.

‘I cannot believe that two officers got out alive’

Reporter:

When you walked the scene, can you describe what you found?

Carroll:

Look, I won’t go into too much of that, other than to say that when you are in that scene, walking towards the house and where this apparently took place, they were in an exposed area where I would go back to say that I cannot believe that two officers got out alive.

‘One of the most complex and horrendous environments’

Carroll has flagged it could take weeks to understand what happened:

As things unravel that quickly, in what is one of the most complex and horrendous environments that you can be in, it is going to take us a number of days, if not weeks unravel every single aspect of the scene, but every single second of what took place.

Surviving female constable in hospital

Commissioner Carroll paid tribute to the other two officers who attended, Constable Keeley Brough and Constable Randall Kirk.

Reporter:

The two surviving officers. The female first-year constable. Can you speak of their bravery?

Carroll:

The bravery of those officers is just unbelievable. To think that they survived the scene, let alone then got out to make phone calls and call for assistance, was just extraordinary. I will shortly meet with Keeley, and I know that she’s already talked people through what took place. And the people that I have spoken to cannot believe how she survived and what she did during that period of time.

Reporter:

Has Keeley been in hospital?

Carroll:

She has at the moment and I will take up with her shortly.

‘Considerable weaponry involved’: Carroll

Carroll:

There’s considerable and I think, we’d all know this from just the messaging that’s going out, but there’s considerable weaponry involved in what took place there.

The missing person check

Carroll is asked about the missing person, who was the reason officers attended the property:

We, as I said, got a request from New South Wales that a person had been missing for a considerable period of time and then that request was given to the local police to go to this address to check on that missing person. I understand from my brief that that person had been missing from up to about 12 months but people had been in contact with him. However, that contact was lost in recent days and they just wanted to check on that missing person.

‘Those officers did not stand a chance’: Carroll

Taking questions Carroll gives more detail:

So two sets of officers went, two from Chinchilla and two from Tara. As I said. I went to the scene. It’s confronting as you can appreciate.

In my opinion, those officers did not stand a chance. The fact that two got out alive is a miracle.

‘They will never be forgotten’: officers killed will be remembered in Brisbane and Canberra

Ian Leavers, the general president and CEO of the Queensland Police Union, steps up next:

Many members of the community have wanted to know if they can donate to assist their families. We’ve established a fund and every cent will go to the families of Rachel and Matthew. One thing as a union we will do is not only look after our own and the entire blue family but we’ll continue to do our job but as well we will ensure that their memories are never forgotten. They will be honoured.

No police officers ever wants to go on the memorial wall, but sadly, Matthew and Rachel, their memory will be honoured and on our police remembrance wall in the botanical gardens in Brisbane, their names will be added as it will be in the national capital in Canberra, so they will never be forgotten.

We will remember the courage and their diligence and their sense of community they displayed and they put their lives on the line.

As we moved forward, we are coming into the festive season, not that any time is good but as we come into the festive season, it’s even worse because families come together and I can only think for Matthew and Rachel’s families and close colleagues the hurt and the pain they are going to go through as we lead into Christmas which is only 12 days away.

Police commissioner to visit families of officers killed

Carroll finishes her speech saying:

We have dedicated family liaison officers in place supporting their families. I will be visiting their families in the very near future.

Tara is small station within a very tight-knit community. We have support mechanisms in place to assist those and their close colleagues who were involved in this incident. Unfortunately, this incident is a tragic reminder of the unpredictable nature of policing. Every day, our officers face very real dangers while protecting their communities.

I know the days and weeks ahead will be extremely difficult for us as a police family. To all our officers and their loved ones, please look out for each other.

I would like to thank the local community here as well as everyone across Queensland and Australia for their support – the texts, the messages, the phone calls, the emails have been endless. A sincere thank you to all of you. I know we are all thinking of the victims’ families who are grieving at this difficult time. With honour, they served.

Police officers killed yesterday had only just started careers, commissioner says

Carroll is speaking more about the two police officers killed:

Matthew and Rachel were highly respected and much loved members of the Queensland police service. They were both committed and courageous young people who had a passion for policing and for serving their community.

Both under 30 years of age. Both had wonderful careers and lives ahead of them.

Yesterday, as they did every day, they put their lives on the line to serve their community. In this awful incident, they made the ultimate sacrifice.

Sadly, both Matthew and Rachel had only recently commenced their policing careers. Matthew was sworn in as a police officer in March 2020, while Rachel was sworn in last year in June 2021. Both officers started their careers in the Dalby division before transferring to Tara police station.

Queensland police confirm deaths of Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow

Speaking at a press conference this morning Queensland police commissioner Katarina Carroll gave more details about 26 years old Constable Matthew Arnold and 29 year old Constable Rachel McCrow both from Tara police station killed last night.

Matthew and Rachel were highly respected and much loved members of the Queensland police service. They were both committed and courageous young people who had a passion for policing and for serving their community.

Both under 30 years of age. Both had wonderful careers and lives ahead of them.

Yesterday, as they did every day, they put their lives on the line to serve their community. In this awful incident, they made the ultimate sacrifice.

Sadly, both Matthew and Rachel had only recently commenced their policing careers. Matthew was sworn in as a police officer in March 2020, while Rachel was sworn in last year in June 2021. Both officers started their careers in the Dalby division before transferring to Tara police station.

Coalition has ‘open mind’ on energy relief

The federal opposition might be open to supporting the government’s energy bill relief measures but is critical of the lack of detail.

Parliament will be recalled on Thursday to debate the laws, which provide for a 12-month price cap of $12 per gigajoule through a “gas market emergency price order”, applying to uncontracted gas offered on the wholesale market.

Opposition energy spokesman Ted O’Brien said the coalition was “open minded” to the energy relief measures but was still sceptical about some of the plans put forward.

He told ABC Radio this morning:

We want to help families out and we’ve been calling for this. We are on the side of Australian families and businesses.

We want to see the details but what I’m saying is we’re very open minded to it.

If there is targeted relief, as mangled and messy as Anthony Albanese has made it, we want to see that relief hit people’s pockets because they are in pain.

– from AAP

‘Utterly heartbreaking’: Perrottet pays tribute to Queensland police officers killed

Ian Leavers, the general president and CEO of the Queensland Police Union, told ABC Radio that Queensland police were responding to a “routine call for a missing persons enquiry on behalf of NSW police.”

The NSW premier Dominic Perrottet has now also paid tribute to the Queensland officers on social media. Perrottet says he’s also picked up the phone to his Queensland counterpart, Annastacia Palaszczuk.

Keep across the news with morning mail

Just a reminder that we have a weekday morning email that can get you up to date across a whole range of national and international issues.

Martin Farrer has put together today’s Morning Mail on everything from passport problems at home to capital punishment in Iran.

Tributes to Queensland police officers killed at Wieambilla

Members of parliament continue to pay tribute to the Queensland police officers killed overnight, including the federal attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, and the treasurer, Jim Chalmers.

Police union head spoke to father of police officer killed

Circling back to the interview with Leavers who said he spoke to the distraught father of the male police officer killed last night.

He’s just lost for words and the pain that goes out to police families across Queensland and across the country is immense.

The father said his son “loved his job”.

We’ve got to support the families and support our colleagues. They were distraught last night.

‘Our community is numb’: Littleproud

The National party leader, David Littleproud, is the MP for Maranoa, which includes Wieambilla, the location of the fatal shooting last night.

He has taken to social media paying tribute to the police officers who lost their lives and saying the local community is shocked by the tragedy.

Today our community is numb.

Chinchilla and Tara are both quiet, peaceful country towns. The shocking event that unfolded yesterday is not what our community is.

My thoughts are with the two brave police officers and the member of the public who lost their lives. The police community will be raw today and we grieve with them.

Energy companies ‘need to consider their steps very carefully’: industry minister

The industry minister, Ed Husic, is speaking to ABC Radio at the moment about the government’s plan to cap wholesale coal and gas prices.

In the face of concerns the price cap will encourage gas companies to put more of their supply onto the spot market, Husic says the government will be watching the situation “very closely”.

Shell is suspending its role in a gas supply deal designed to prevent shortfalls on the east coast next year, as it assesses the impact of the plan. RN Breakfast host Patricia Karvelas asks Husic if developments like this show the plan is already having an impact on supply:

A lot of these players have made extraordinary profits, so, when these firms are making claims about the viability of projects, this is about them trying to maintain their profits in extraordinary times.

For [energy companies] to claim this is a shock, or to threaten the nation, effectively, by saying they’ll walk away from a heads of agreement they walked into, I think they will need to consider their steps very carefully.