Australia news live: workers evacuated after grain silos collapse; ‘life-threatening’ flooding forecast for Geelong | Australia news
Grain silos spill into NSW’s Shoalhaven River
The Shoalhaven River on New South Wales’ south coast has filled with grain after two silos collapsed overnight.
The collapse, at an animal feed manufacturing facility in Bomaderry, triggered an automatic fire alarm. Firefighters established an exclusion zone around the silos and evacuated about 65 workers at 10pm yesterday night.
Fire and Rescue NSW said a third silo has been compromised and is being monitored. At midday, 20 firefighters were still on scene, including hazmat specialists and drone pilots.
Recovery efforts and investigations were continuing onsite, led by SafeWork NSW and the NSW Environmental Protection Agency.
Key events
Senior cop charged with assault over alleged trespass run-in
A senior off-duty police officer has been charged with assaulting two men after allegedly intervening in a scuffle at a house before backup arrived, AAP reports.
The 55-year-old superintendent will face court to answer three counts of assault causing bodily harm following the incident at Stanmore, in Sydney’s inner west, on 21 September.
Two men aged 18 and 31 suffered bruising and one of them a shoulder injury after being hurt by the officer, investigators will allege. Assistant Commissioner David Driver said the men were arrested for trespass and assault offences, “and an off-duty officer intervened in the interim.”
The superintendent was only charged after a review of the evidence in their cases, involving analysis of CCTV from the scene.
Driver would not give further details of the circumstances that led to the alleged altercation but noted the policeman involved was highly experienced. He would also not confirm if the officer lived in the area where the events unfolded.
The superintendent was issued with a court attendance notice yesterday, nearly a month after the incident, after an investigation by detectives from the force’s Professional Standards Command. Police said the officer’s employment status was under review and he was no longer in the workplace but had previously been based in Sydney’s central metropolitan region.
He is due to face Downing Centre Local Court on December 5.
Luca Ittimani
Handing over to Cait Kelly for the afternoon! Thanks for joining us today.
‘Life-threatening’ flash flooding forecast for Geelong
Geelong is facing life-threatening flash flooding as a very dangerous thunderstorm with intense rainfall approaches, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned.
The “very dangerous” system was detected north-west of Geelong and is forecast to move through Geelong City in the next half hour.
Other severe thunderstorms are bringing heavy rain and possible floods to the city’s north-east.
Ballot papers lost after Australia Post van allegedly stolen
An Australia Post van collecting council election ballots in Melbourne’s east was stolen on Thursday, the Victorian electoral commission has said, with residents who lodged their votes urged to get new ballot packs.
All local councils in Victoria are having elections by post this October except Moira Shire council. Ballot packs were meant to reach voters by Tuesday.
The van had collected post from nine post boxes in the Mount Waverley and Oakleigh areas, in the City of Monash. The VEC warned that it may have been carrying papers posted after mail was collected on Wednesday but before 1pm yesterday.
The affected post boxes are as follows:
16 Pinewood Drive, Mount Waverley (opposite corner Illuka Crescent)
Corner Kingswood Avenue and Bellerive Avenue, Mount Waverley
59 Stanley Avenue, Mount Waverley (corner Ian Grove)
2 Macrina Street, Oakleigh East (corner Ferntree Gully Road)
68 Burlington Street, Oakleigh (corner Connell Road)
139 Atherton Road, Oakleigh (corner Grant Street)
1436 Dandenong Road, Oakleigh (corner Atkinson Street)
24 Atherton Road, Oakleigh (corner Eaton Mall)
Oakleigh Railway Station, 5 Portman Street, Oakleigh
Voters can request replacement votes at onlinepva.vec.vic.gov.au/net/ORVA or call 131 832.
Australia Post and Victoria Police are investigating the alleged theft of the vehicle and invited anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.
Calla Wahlquist
NSW passes legislation for new independent agriculture commissioner
The NSW parliament has passed legislation to create a new statutory role of independent agriculture commissioner in an effort to improve collaboration and consultation with farmers.
Creating the position was an election promise for the Minns government and follows the establishment of an independent biosecurity commissioner.
The new commissioner, who has not yet been appointed, will report directly to the agriculture minister, Tara Moriarty, and advise the government on the development of rural land use policy, mapping of agricultural areas, and provide advice on “addressing ongoing challenges” related to the renewable energy rollout.
Moriarty said the commissioner would have “the required powers to assist our primary industries to be the best, safest and most productive they can be”.
Low Melbourne bridge strikes again
The notorious Montague Street bridge has claimed another scalp this afternoon, after an over-height truck hit the light rail bridge.
The street’s left lane is again blocked southbound in the wake of the crash,VicTraffic said in a post on X. It was closed earlier today due to flash flooding.
No one was injured and one lane remains open, with emergency services and a recovery crew attending.
Photos on a Facebook group dedicated to the Montague Street bridge show a Yokohama Tyres truck with its top and back ripped from the rest of the vehicle.
The bridge is infamous for catching or crushing the tops of trucks, buses and other vehicles too tall for its 3.0m clearance.
According to the dedicated How Many Days Since the Montague Bridge Has Been Hit website, it had been 43 days since the last collision – well above the median wait of 26 days. The website managers wrote that a “bout” between bridge and vehicle was “WAAAAY overdue!!”.
But as Guardian Australia’s Josh Taylor writes, there’s not much the government can do to keep drivers from crashing into the bridge:
Severe thunderstorms in Melbourne’s north
Melbourne’s north is now being hit by severe thunderstorms, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned, after heavy rainfall drenched the city’s south earlier this afternoon.
Storms that could lead to flash flooding were detected near Sydenham, Yarra Glen and the area south of Whittlesea and are on track to move southeast towards Melbourne Airport and then Melbourne City in the next half hour.
Man charged for allegedly running online livestock scam
Cattle, a kitten and even donkeys have allegedly been falsely advertised for sale on social media by a man accused of running an online livestock scam, AAP reports.
Police have encouraged people to conduct background checks before paying deposits for animals online after charging a 26-year-old man with a string of fraud offences.
The man is accused of falsely advertising for sale on social media livestock feed and animals including cattle, donkeys and a kitten, allegedly receiving money from victims between August and October last year.
Police said they had identified 12 buyers who deposited more than $7500 to the alleged seller but never received the animals or feed. Detectives arrested the man on Tuesday after searching a Kallangur property, north of Brisbane.
The man was charged with 14 counts of fraud along with a number of drug offences. He will face Pine Rivers Magistrates Court on November 14.
Good Samaritan Australian missing in waters off Bali
An Australian man has reportedly disappeared in waters off Bali while trying to rescue a German tourist in rough seas, AAP reports.
Craig Laidley was walking along Balian beach on the Indonesian island’s west coast on Wednesday afternoon when he heard the man shouting for help, ABC news says.
After helping to save the 29-year-old, the 56-year-old was carried away by the current. Relative Mark Laidley asked for help finding his cousin on Facebook:
Our Uncle/Brother and Son [Craig] was last seen helping a male that was reportedly drowning in the ocean between Tebing Balian rocks near Balian Beach at 4pm 16th of October.
He was then seen drifting back out to the ocean after saving this man’s life.
The post said local fishermen were helping with the search. A land and sea search, involving 10 people, is understood to be under way.
Emily Wind
Police seek footage of fatal collision on Sydney Harbour Bridge
NSW police are seeking dashcam footage of the multi-vehicle collision on the Sydney Harbour Bridge yesterday afternoon, which left two dead.
Four cars and a bus collided about 1.40pm yesterday on the bridge. Paramedics treated the drivers of two vehicles, a 51-year-old man and a 44-year-old man, however they died at the scene.
The bus driver was uninjured and no passengers were onboard. The drivers of the other cars were not injured.
Anyone with dashcam footage of the area at the time of the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
NSW police investigate claims of fraud
Police are investigating claims of fraud where police say alleged offenders took money from people after claiming to be psychics.
NSW Police claim the alleged offenders have been committing offences in the greater Sydney area since as early as 2006.
A woman aged 48 and a man aged 50 were arrested in August and remain before the courts.
Police have appealed for information to identify another woman they believe may be able to assist. The woman is of caucasian appearance, believed to be aged in her 40s, about 150cm tall, large build and speaks with a Romanian accent.
Investigations are being led by Strike Force Recycling, established in July 2024. Police urged anyone with information about the woman to contact Campsie Police Area Command or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Severe weather warning for Melbourne with heavy rainfall and thunderstorms
Severe weather is hitting Melbourne especially hard, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned.
Heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding has hit the eastern edge of the city around Pakenham and Warburton, and will move to Bacchus Marsh in the next half hour.
The city has already recorded heavy rainfall at multiple sites today, with Elsternwick soaked with 26mm in the 30 minutes to 12:00 pm and Frankston recording 35.2mm in the two hours to 11:45 am.
Much of central Victoria remains at risk of severe thunderstorms and damaging winds, including Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning – Melbourne area for heavy rainfall.
Heavy rainfall with developing thunderstorms.
They are forecast to affect Bacchus Marsh by 1:30 pm and Exford and the area south of Melton by 1:45 pm.
Stay informed: https://t.co/yQGbyOfvgo pic.twitter.com/1wjK9x1J5M
— VICSES News (@vicsesnews) October 18, 2024
Outside Victoria, the BoM has warned fast-moving severe thunderstorms are developing through central NSW, potentially bringing large hailstones. Damaging winds averaging 80 to 90 km/h with peak gusts up to 120km/h are expected in high-altitude alpine areas in the state’s south.
In South Australia, the SES has responded to more than 150 requests for assistance since yesterday as severe storms rolled through the state.
Weather update
For the latest on the severe thunderstorms battering eastern Australia, here’s an update from the Bureau of Meteorology:
Grain silos spill into NSW’s Shoalhaven River
The Shoalhaven River on New South Wales’ south coast has filled with grain after two silos collapsed overnight.
The collapse, at an animal feed manufacturing facility in Bomaderry, triggered an automatic fire alarm. Firefighters established an exclusion zone around the silos and evacuated about 65 workers at 10pm yesterday night.
Fire and Rescue NSW said a third silo has been compromised and is being monitored. At midday, 20 firefighters were still on scene, including hazmat specialists and drone pilots.
Recovery efforts and investigations were continuing onsite, led by SafeWork NSW and the NSW Environmental Protection Agency.
Jonathan Barrett
Court finds Harvey Norman engaged in misleading advertising ‘blitz’
Harvey Norman and credit provider Latitude used misleading advertisements during a radio, newspaper and television campaign “blitz” offering 60 months interest-free purchase terms for household goods, the federal court found today.
The retailer and finance company told shareholders in separate statements they will review the court decision before deciding whether to appeal.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission had alleged in the proceedings that advertisements in 2020 and 2021 misled consumers into thinking they could buy goods from Harvey Norman by making 60 equal monthly payments.
The ads described the payments as “no deposit” and “interest free”, according to the judgement published today.
But the offer required buyers to sign up for and use a credit card offered by Latitude, which carried fees and charges that could result in them paying hundreds of dollars more than the sticker price of the goods they bought, according to Asic.
The regulator described the campaign as an “advertising blitz” that would have been seen by millions of people in Australia, and likely on multiple occasions and across multiple media.
The regulator said in court documents that disclaimers were inadequate, which included “tiny text” in TV ads.
A hearing to determine penalties is likely to be scheduled for next year, Harvey Norman said.
