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Australia news updates live: ACT Covid restrictions to ease Friday; masks to come off in Queensland this week; NSW students to sit HSC exams

November 8, 2021

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11.58pm EST
23:58

The vaccination status of sports players is becoming a hot button issue, with the Australian Open coming up.

The federal government has said it’s open to having unvaccinated players come, they’ll just have to quarantine.

But that’s out of sync with some of the states, including Victoria. Daniel Andrews was asked about it earlier today and had some strong words.

“You can have unvaccinated people unable to buy a ticket while unvaccinated players move their way around Melbourne Park,” Andrews said.

“I don’t know why they would be let in, frankly. That is a matter for the Commonwealth.”

11.51pm EST
23:51

Checking in now with Nino Bucci – he is covering Adem Somyurek’s questioning by Victoria’s Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption agency today.

Nino Bucci
(@ninobucci)

Back from lunch. Somyurek is being asked why “many many dozens” of time sheets for his staff have “working on project” listed as their formal duties.

“It’s there, I’ve written it, but I’ve got to say I don’t usually do that,” Somyurek said.

November 9, 2021

Nino Bucci
(@ninobucci)

Carr says one time sheet related to a casual staffer who was told not to go into the office, did not do any electorate office work, and “that it was effectively just a charitable thing that he would be given free money by the taxpayer, because he was going through a hard time”

November 9, 2021

Nino Bucci
(@ninobucci)

Somyurek strongly denies the evidence given by this staffer, whose payment was authorised on a form signed by Somyurek telling Carr: “I wasn’t that desperate to have him, I could tell you. I’m not going to do that. No way”

November 9, 2021

Nino Bucci
(@ninobucci)

Carr: “That would be the most egregious form of corruption, wouldn’t it Mr Somyurek?”

Somyurek: “Yes…Yeah I’m not going to do that, there’s no way I’m going to do that.”

November 9, 2021

11.39pm EST
23:39

NSW hit another Covid vaccine milestone today – the big 9 0.

According to the federal government, the state hit 90.12% at the end of Monday.

Chris Minns
(@ChrisMinnsMP)

NSW has just hit 90% double vaxxed – one of the highest rates in the world ?

Thank you to everyone who rolled up their sleeve!

November 9, 2021

11.28pm EST
23:28

Here is a list of questions NSW police would not comment on in relation to this morning’s fatal shooting:

Did the man suffer chest wounds?

Was he being aggressive towards police officers?

Was it just one officer who fired a shot?

Are you able to clarify anything about the sex or rank of the officer-involved?

Police said there were four officers in the house and would all be subject to “ongoing welfare care and attendance”.

11.23pm EST
23:23

The NSW police spokesperson was asked what happens now.

“Forensics will be involved but beyond that, it is a critical incident investigation that will prepare a report for the coroner. I think that is it. No more questions.”

11.21pm EST
23:21

NSW police will not answer much on this.

They will confirm the shooting took place inside the premises.

“There were four offices inside the premises but I can’t yet confirm who fired the shot and how many shots were fired,” the police spokesperson said.

11.18pm EST
23:18

NSW police are now giving an update on the shooting this morning.

“Around 11.20am, Blacktown police attended an address in Bulah Way at seven Hills to search for a man wanted on an arrest warrant.

“They were confronted by a 45-year-old man who was armed with a knife and an axe. Officers let out a number of shots, unfortunately, the man collapsed.

“Officers used CPR but the man was unable to be revived. A critical incident investigation team has been formed and will investigate the circumstances surrounding the man’s death.”

Updated
at 11.23pm EST

11.11pm EST
23:11

Peter Hannam

It’s pretty clear that it won’t take much rain for sodden catchments across much of eastern Australia to start flooding.

As it happens, there’s already been a bit of rain in recent days, such as 113mm at Gunnedah in northern NSW in the past day or so, according to WaterNSW’s reports.

WaterNSW is expecting Wednesday will bring widespread rain over the NSW northwest slopes and plains, northern tablelands of about 20-40mm, with isolated areas collecting up to 100mm.

On Thursday, those in the northwest slopes and plains, northern tablelands and northern rivers regions can expect another 50mm or more of rain, with again the possibility of 100mm-plus totals.

The Bureau of Meteorology predicts sizeable falls over the next eight days over a large area:

Peter Hannam
(@p_hannam)

Those widespread falls over the next eight days are likely to bring minor to major flooding in a host of inland rivers, particularly in NSW. https://t.co/B0qq6ELdCf pic.twitter.com/eLvsXmDoXM

November 9, 2021

They have also issued an initial and lengthy list of rivers likely to have minor to major flooding.

As a result, parts of the NSW State of Emergency Service are gearing up for a “significant weather event moving from the north west of NSW to the east coast in coming days”.

“The system will bring heavy rainfall and potential flooding to widespread areas of NSW,” the SES said.

All SES units in the Northern Zone, for instance, will be briefed today at 6pm AEDT on the likely hazards.

For now, Warragamba, Sydney’s main dam, is not expected to spill. It’s sitting at about 97% full. That dam last spilled in March, with large flooding downstream.

Keepit dam is full and is among the inland NSW dams likely to spill. Wyangala, another big one, is at 99% full and is receiving about 30 billion litres a day. It will be spilling soon if it isn’t already.

It looks like farmers racing to get their crops in aren’t the only ones likely to be extra busy this week.

Updated
at 11.21pm EST

11.01pm EST
23:01

There will be a press conference in a few minutes with NSW police, after officers shot and killed a man during a confrontation in Seven Hills in Sydney’s west this morning.

Updated
at 11.08pm EST

10.56pm EST
22:56

Dwyer said the driver then fled the crash scene before getting into a black SUV 2.5km away.

“Police attempted to intercept …. the black SUV has driven at the police members and they were unable to engage further pursuit at that point,” he said.

The driver is described as a Caucasian male in his 30s. Police are now undertaking a land and air search in an attempt to track him down.

Updated
at 11.00pm EST

10.47pm EST
22:47

Dwyer said the driver was travelling above the speed limit before hitting the two workers. The driver is believed to have suffered some facial injuries.

“Eyewitness accounts indicate that he was travelling at speed in the right-hand lane and at the last moment he made an attempt to avoid colliding with the ute on the road by veering left at the very last second but it was too late,” Dwyer said.

Updated
at 10.53pm EST

10.45pm EST
22:45

In Melbourne, Victoria Police are giving an update on this morning’s hit-and-run in Carrum Downs.

Police are searching for a hit-and-run driver who left one person dead and another with life-threatening injuries after hitting road workers in the city’s southeast.

“It is just a callous, cold act. The act of a coward,” detective acting senior sergeant Jarrod Dwyer said.

Updated
at 10.48pm EST

10.33pm EST
22:33

Tess McClure

New Zealand’s parliament is on high alert after thousands of anti-vaccination mandate protesters, some threatening violence, gathered in Wellington and across the country.

As of early Tuesday, about 2,000 people had gathered in central Wellington, and almost all the gates and entrances to parliament had been shut off. According to news outlet Stuff, the Speaker of the house, Trevor Mallard, said it was the biggest increase in parliamentary security he had seen since his election in 1984.

Updated
at 10.38pm EST

10.25pm EST
22:25

This tweet from Luke, who is watching the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability.

Luke Henriques-Gomes
(@lukehgomes)

Christina Ryan from the Disability Leadership Institute has told the royal commission: “We have actually
got, for example, an NDIA [National Disability Insurance Agency] with no disabled people on its board or in its executive leadership team.”

November 9, 2021

10.21pm EST
22:21

Paul Karp

At the Senate inquiry into money laundering, Transparency International Australia’s chief, executive, Serena Lillywhite, has warned Australia is “highly exposed to money laundering and the flow of dirty money”.

The Senate legal and constitutional affairs references committee is considering whether anti-money laundering laws should be extended to lawyers, accountants and real estate agents.

Lillywhite said Australia is a “destination of choice for corruption-related proceeds” from countries such as Sudan, China, Russia and Malaysia which “too often ends up in the property market”.

She said: “Money laundering is not a faceless crime. It has devastating impacts in Australia and overseas. It can reasonably be argued it is pushing up property prices in Australia and locking Australians out of owning their own home.”

Lillywhite welcomed the Australian government’s introduction of director ID numbers, but wants much bigger reforms including a register of beneficial ownership.

In April 2016, Kelly O’Dwyer, then assistant treasurer, said “we agree there needs to be a registry of beneficial ownership in our country”, but ahead of the 2019 election the Coalition backflipped and said it was not policy to create one.

Updated
at 10.27pm EST