Australia news LIVE: Up to 150 ATO staff suspected of social media scam involvement; anniversary of stolen generations apology

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5.31pm

Half a million without power in Victoria after generator goes offline

By Kieran Rooney

In Victoria, half a million Victorian homes have been blacked out after extreme weather brought down power lines and the state’s largest coal generator, forcing the energy market operator to order electricity be shut off to some houses.

The Australian Energy Market Operator declared a “significant power system event” on Tuesday afternoon after storms brought down power lines around Melbourne and generators at Loy Yang A went offline.

The Loy Yang Power Station in Traralgon, Victoria.Credit: Eamon Gallagher

Wild weather has brought hail to parts of Melbourne, while two out-of-control bushfires burn near a popular tourist town in the Grampians National Park.

The spot price of electricity in Victoria soared to $16,600 after all four units at Loy Yang A went offline.

Loy Yang A is the state’s largest generator and removed 2.3 gigawatts of generation from the market amid a heatwave which placed extra demand on the system.

Spot prices in Victoria and Tasmania have soared as a result.

The cause of the shutdown is being investigated.

Read the full story here.

5.22pm

‘Too late to leave’: emergency warnings for Victorian bushfires

People near two bushfires raging out of control in catastrophic conditions in Victoria’s west need to seek shelter as it is too late to leave.

The emergency warning for the fire at Mt Stapylton in the Grampians National Park was updated to 4.45pm telling people to stay in place. It follows a similar warning issued at 3.15pm for a fire burning at nearby Bellfield.

A bushfire in the Grampians National Park located near Bellfield is travelling in a southerly direction.

Today Victoria has faced its worst day for fire conditions since the Black Summer fires of 2019-20.

The fires are believed to have been sparked by dry lightning with firefighters battling multiple other fires across the state.

“Those extraordinary temperatures and particularly those extraordinary winds … across the state really has been the perfect recipe for a bad fire day,” Mr Heffernan said.

Read the full story here.

AAP

5.13pm

Queensland MP recovering from serious injuries after car crash

A Queensland MP is recovering in hospital after a two-car collision at a busy Brisbane intersection on Monday evening.

Greens MP Amy MacMahon was treated for head and suspected spinal injuries before being taken to Princess Alexandra Hospital in a serious condition after the crash at Kangaroo Point.

Greens MP Amy MacMahon’s car after the collision at Kangaroo Point on Monday night.Credit: Nine News

The Greens MP had left a function and was on her way to another community event when the collision occurred about 6.30pm.

MacMahon was responsive and resting in hospital today, in a serious but stable condition.

“It will be a few days before we know the full picture as her healthcare team continues to assess her condition,” Queensland Greens leader Michael Berkman said.

“Anyone who knows Amy will know how keen she’ll be to get back out there serving more free community dinners and fighting for her community as soon as possible.”

AAP

4.49pm

WA treasurer issues warning to feds on GST

By Hamish Hastie

Any federal government that walks back the GST deal would lose every seat in Western Australia, state Treasurer Rita Saffioti says.

Saffioti delivered the warning at a business breakfast in Perth on Tuesday, amid concerns of more cost blowouts on the deal.

WA Treasurer Rita Saffioti.Credit: Jesinta Burton.

The state’s Liberal opposition is also claiming the federal government could renege on the current GST deal as it did with stage three tax cuts.

“I believe that no federal government will change it because you basically will lose every seat in the state,” Saffioti said.

“That deal will not be changed and we’ll continue to fight to make sure it’s protected, but I’ve had full confidence, including from the prime minister and the federal treasurer, that that deal will not change.”

Read the full story here.

4.28pm

ANZ to cut 170 jobs in business banking: union

By Millie Muroi

The country’s fourth largest bank is cutting 170 staff in a restructure of its business banking operation, according to the Finance Sector Union.

On Tuesday, union national president Wendy Streets said ANZ’s restructure would affect 1300 jobs, with 170 staff expected to be made redundant.

ANZ will cut 170 jobs, the Finance Sector Union says. Credit: Oscar Colman

“If ANZ wants to lead the industry in delivering services for businesses, it won’t get there by sacking 170 staff,” she said.

“Staff are being told this is about being the best in the industry but it’s hard to understand how ANZ can seriously believe that story when this will lead to jobs disappearing, the remaining staff being forced to pick up the work and cuts to the numbers of business centres the bank operates.”

An ANZ spokesperson said the changes would allow the bank to flexibly support more customers with simpler needs across branches, digital platforms and its national business centre.

“While we recognise this is a challenging time for our people affected by these changes, we’re providing support and we’re confident many employees will find alternative roles within ANZ,” they said.

4.20pm

ABC hearing turns to definition of a pay rise

By Calum Jaspan

Back to the ABC, where Senator Sarah Henderson and ABC boss David Anderson have been arguing in Senate estimates over the definition of a pay rise.

The Liberal senator has accused Anderson of misleading the committee at a hearing in May last year, when he said he had not received a pay rise alongside his new contract, which was not public at the time.

ABC boss David Anderson appears at Senate estimates on February 13. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Henderson has been arguing an extended five-year contract equates to a pay rise. Committee chair Karen Grogan could be overheard saying “this is ridiculous”.

Anderson said that at the time of his new contract being awarded it did not come with a pay rise.

Henderson argued Anderson was being “cute” over terminology, while Anderson said one of the reasons the announcement about the contract was made was due to looming reorganisation at the ABC in June last year, which resulted in redundancies.

“I would suggest one of the reasons would be to be after that period, not before,” he says, while not wanting to speak on behalf of the board who took the decision.

3.38pm

Government seeking to return some detainees to custody

By Olivia Ireland

After eight questions during Question Time, Immigration Minister Andrew Giles confirmed the government was preparing applications to re-detain some of the 149 immigration detainees released last year, under the laws rushed through parliament last December to allow high-risk offenders to be returned to custody.

Tehan asks: “Evidence in estimates has revealed the government has not even applied for a single community safety order to protect the public from these criminals. Minister, how is this possible?”

Coalition immigration spokesman Dan Tehan.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Giles responds, saying: “I remind them too, including the Leader of the Opposition who was the minister at the time, that it took more than three years for the first continuing detention order application to be lodged under the high-risk terror offenders scheme.

“We are preparing applications and we are making sure as the evidence … made clear in the Senate estimates yesterday that we will do so properly.”

3.33pm

ABC racism review to deliver findings mid-year

By Calum Jaspan

Back to Senate estimates, where ABC boss David Anderson says a review into racism at the broadcaster, led by Terry Janke, will deliver its results in the middle of 2024.

Work on the review began on October 20. Anderson says he would like the results sooner but accepts the reasons Janke has given for its timing.

ABC boss David Anderson is speaking about the national broadcaster’s racism review. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

The review was prompted by the broadcaster’s handling of criticism directed at Stan Grant after his appearance on the ABC’s coverage of King Charles III’s coronation.

Anderson says there is no evidence of institutional racism at the ABC but he worries there are people at the broadcaster that don’t feel comfortable raising these issues.

“If people don’t feel comfortable coming forward then we haven’t done enough and we’re not doing enough and the managers aren’t doing enough to make sure they do feel comfortable.”

3.29pm

Burney addresses rumours she will quit

By James Massola

Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney says she intends to keep serving in the parliament, despite Labor colleagues saying it could be her last term.

Speaking in Canberra after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tabled the Closing the Gap report, Burney also said work to create a Makarrata Commission – a body to record the history and treatment of Indigenous Australians since colonisation – was still underway.

Linda Burney addresses Parliament today.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Some Labor MPs, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they could not speak out of party ranks, believe that Burney, who served for years in the NSW parliament before going federal, could quit at the end of this term because of ongoing health issues.

“I am incredibly busy and very honoured to be doing the job that I’m doing, and I intend to keep doing that job,” Burney said in response to a question on her position this afternoon.

“The second point [on the Makarrata Commission] is an issue that has not been resolved yet, but I think that what we can say and what’s important on a day like today, is not about disappointment, it’s about recognising the incredibly important role that Patrick Dodson has undertaken.”

3.02pm

Chalmers praises colleague for war on ‘evil’ scams

By Olivia Ireland

Independent MP Russell Broadbent has asked Treasurer Jim Chalmers about the issue of customers withdrawing cash from banks and being scammed, asking what more can be done.

Chalmers responds saying: “I want to be upfront and say that I’d take absolutely no credit for the government’s focus on scams and that is because the work of the Assistant Treasurer [Stephen Jones] in this regard has been absolutely terrific,” he said.

Jim Chalmers addresses Question Time.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

“He has worked tirelessly to tackle and take on this evil in our community and in our economy in a really impressive way and he has done that in collaboration with the banks, he has done that in collaboration with key institutions and with other ministers.

“In last year’s budget we invested $86.5 million in fighting scams and online fraud, $76 million to bust fake investment websites, $58 million for the ACCC to establish a world-leading national anti-spam centre and over $10 million for ACMA to enforce an SMS registry to stop scam texts.”

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