Welcome
Martin Farrer
Good morning and welcome to our rolling news coverage. I’m Martin Farrer and, while my colleague Emily Wind will be along shortly to take you through the day, we’ll have a quick look at the main stories overnight.
The death of Cardinal George Pell continues to dominate much of the news today with Pope Francis praising the “determination and wisdom” of Australia’s most senior Catholic who died on Tuesday in Rome. We’ll have coverage of a mass being held in his honour in his hometown of Ballarat, and all the other reaction as it happens.
Anthony Albanese will be making headlines today as he visits Papua New Guinea for talks aimed at yielding a new security agreement. The prime minister will become the first foreign government leader to address PNG’s parliament and will say he sees the relationship between the two countries as “a bond between equals”.
There’ll also no doubt be interesting follow-ups from last night’s news that two of Australia’s richest men, Mike Cannon-Brookes and Andrew Forrest, have fallen out over plans to build a giant solar farm to supply Darwin, Indonesia and Singapore with power, with the venture entering voluntary administration.
Key events
Filters BETA
Anthony Albanese has taken to social media before his flight to Papau New Guinea:
This morning I leave Cairns for a visit to our closest neighbour, Papua New Guinea.
We need to strengthen partnerships in our Pacific region so we can increase our security and prosperity.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) January 11, 2023
That’s why our two countries are forging deeper cooperation on defence.
Business links and investment is also growing, which presents a real opportunity for workers and industry in both Australia and Papua New Guinea.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) January 11, 2023
Australian farmers know just how important the Pacific Labour Mobility Scheme is. During the trip I’ll be discussing ways to expand this program with Prime Minister James Marape.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) January 11, 2023
Defence treaty ‘will be signed today’, PNG minister says
PNG foreign affairs minister Justin Tkatchenko said the bilateral defence treaty between Australia and Papua New Guinea “will be signed today”.
It will be announced today after our bilateral talks … our officials from both sides have been working on this for three or four months.
Earlier Australia’s Pacific minister Pat Conroy said the treaty was still being negotiated.
Tkatchenko said the treaty was about regional security, defence cooperation and also enhancing the PNG defence force.
He said China was one of PNG’s “biggest economic partners” when asked why Beijing was funding a new military hospital in PNG:
And we work with them in many different ways, on the understanding [of] what we can do together without causing issues amongst ourselves and our partners.
At the end of the day, China is economic partner and we will work with them for the benefit of our country … friends to all, enemies to none. We [will] work with everybody for the long-term benefit of our country and our sovereignty.
Justin Tkatchenko, Papua New Guinea’s minister for foreign affairs, is also due to speak on ABC Radio National this morning in just a few minutes.
Visa processing problems in spotlight
Pat Conroy acknowledged ongoing visa processing issues and said the government was “hopeful that we can get a resolution on that issue”:
People in Papua New Guinea are also very keen on our Pacific engagement visa, which is about creating 3,000 permanent migration spots each year into Australia … and there’s also lots of interest in Papua New Guineans working, studying in Australia as well.
In defence of democracy
Pat Conroy said the PM’s message would be about defending democracy and promoting peace, as Anthony Albanese becomes the first foreign leader to address PNG parliament:
His message around democracies is that [it is] incumbent upon politicians in both countries [to] defend democracy and we defend democracy by demonstrating it’s the best system to deliver actual benefits for the people that we govern. So that’s about investing in stronger health outcomes, lifting stronger economic outcomes.
Conroy added that the government plans to turbocharge its commitment to the Pacific Australia labour mobility scheme:
The average worker sends back $15,000 Australian dollars a year. And that’s in the context of a region where more than a third of the people live on less than $1,000 a year.
‘We are the biggest investor in Papua New Guinea’
When asked if Australia is in contest with China for influence in Papua New Guinea, Pat Conroy said:
[What] the Australian government is committed to doing not just in Papua New Guinea but throughout the Pacific is deepening our relationships and being the partner of choice.
I would make the point economically Australia is the biggest export destination … we are the biggest investor in Papua New Guinea of around $24bn. We invest more in Papua New Guinea than we do today for India, for example.
Is it possible that Papa New Guinea might want to have multiple partners of choice on security? It’s not for us to dictate what other countries do.
PNG security talks aimed at putting in place legal framework to allow greater cooperation
Pat Conroy says the purpose of the Papau New Guinea visit is to deepen the relationship between Australia and PNG, not just in defence but in a broader sense:
It’s about making it easier for Australia to support the security aspirations of Papua New Guinea and vice versa, noting that PNG soldiers supported us during the bushfire crisis of a few years ago.
He adds that the bilateral defence treaty, still being discussed, is about “opening up legal mechanisms for greater cooperation”:
So that could could include hypothetically allowing more visits by Australian naval vessels or Papua New Guinea naval vessels to Australia. It could include greater military cooperation in training, so it’s about putting in place the legal framework to allow greater cooperation.
The minister for international development and the Pacific, Pat Conroy, will be appearing on ABC Radio National shortly. He will be joining PM Anthony Albanese on a visit to Papua New Guinea today, with the two countries set to discuss a bilateral defence treaty.
Bushfire warnings in Western Australia
Fires are continuing to burn in Western Australia’s south-west, with three out-of-control bushfires. This comes just one week after the “once-in-a-century” flooding in the Kimberley.
An emergency warning remains in place for parts of Glen Mervyn, Mumballup and Noggerup. A blaze in Preston national park, east of Donnybrook, has destroyed 3,000 hectares of forest and farmland.
AAP is reporting that about 60 firefighters are tackling the blaze and an evacuation centre has been set up at the Donnybrook recreation centre.
The WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services said the bushfire had been started by lightning and was not contained or controlled.
A watch and act alert is in place for surrounding parts of Noggerup, Glen Mervyn, Mumballup and Yabberup.
Emily Wind
Thanks for getting us started, Martin! Good morning, everyone, Emily Wind here to take you through this morning’s news.
ADF could build temporary bridge over Fitzroy River
Australian Associated Press reports this morning that defence personnel could be flown into Western Australia to rebuild vital road bridges destroyed by floods.
Here’s the full report:
The race is on to reopen the only sealed road through Western Australia’s flood-ravaged Kimberley region, where defence personnel could be called in to construct a combat bridge over a swollen river.
The collapsed bridge at Fitzroy Crossing is crucial to the Great Northern Highway transport route, which links the north and south of the state, and will take years to rebuild.
Tonnes of food and boxes of medical supplies have been flown into the disaster-ravaged region, where many people are isolated by flood waters and damaged roads.
Acting WA transport minister John Carey said a preliminary damage assessment yesterday showed about half the bridge had been swept away.
He told reporters one option for reopening the critical road-freight link was building a temporary structure to replace the destroyed sections.
Main Roads WA said this could involve the Australian defence force building a Bailey bridge, a portable pre-fabricated structure, to allow lighter vehicles to use the highway.
A spokesman told AAP preliminary discussions were under way about the temporary option, although it wouldn’t allow heavy road trains to make the crucial journey with supplies.
A low crossing on the Fitzroy River bed further north will need to be built to accommodate heavy trucks and enable construction of a permanent bridge at Fitzroy Crossing.
It will be able to take triple road trains, which can weigh up to 170 tonnes, but construction will take four months. A suitable site won’t be chosen until flood levels drop.
In the meantime, road trains with freight for Kununurra and the Northern Territory have been diverted into South Australia to travel up the Stuart Highway through central Australia.
A barge is also transporting essential goods from Port Hedland to Broome, with authorities previously saying an airlift and boats may be the only way to reach some communities with fresh produce until damaged roads are repaired.
Design and construction of a final, replacement bridge at Fitzroy Crossing will take up to two years, according to the department’s spokesperson.
Further assessments will need to be carried out once the water level drops further to understand why the bridge piers that held up the structure failed.
Main Roads had hoped to send divers in yesterday, but the spokesperson said this had been postponed due to the risk from fast-flowing waters, debris and crocodiles.
Carey said 60 workers had also been deployed to repair accessible sections of the highway, which remains closed for 700km between Broome and Halls Creek and partially open to high-clearance vehicles in other areas.
Record major flooding continues downstream from Fitzroy Crossing at Willare amid fears the bridge and highway there could also be damaged.
Derby also remains isolated and minor flooding continues from Fitzroy Crossing to Noonkanbah, although water levels are receding rapidly.
Meanwhile, authorities continue to assess flood damage to about 130 government-owned rental homes in Fitzroy Crossing.
Carey said plans for carrying out repairs and rebuilding were under way but it would take a significant amount of time to carry out the work:
We are facing a heated construction market. This is northern Australia. It is far more difficult to get tradies here.
The flood damage was caused by ex-tropical cyclone Ellie as the storm system circled the remote town, dropping unprecedented rain last week.
The weather system has since weakened and moved over the Northern Territory and Queensland, bringing rain and thunderstorms.
Martin Farrer
Driver charged with four counts of dangerous driving causing death
A driver has been charged over a crash in regional Victoria that left his four passengers dead.
The 41-year-old was the sole survivor in a Peugeot that collided with a Toyota Hilux ute at an intersection in Pine Lodge, near Shepparton, last week.
The car went on to hit a road sign before coming to rest in a nearby paddock.
The Peugeot driver suffered serious chest injuries in the crash, while the ute driver from nearby Nathalia suffered minor injuries.
Major collision investigation unit detectives on Wednesday charged the 41-year-old with four counts of dangerous driving causing death.
He was remanded to appear in Melbourne magistrates court on 8 June.
Police were last week struggling to identify two of the four men killed in the crash as none of the passengers were carrying identification at the time.
Welcome
Martin Farrer
Good morning and welcome to our rolling news coverage. I’m Martin Farrer and, while my colleague Emily Wind will be along shortly to take you through the day, we’ll have a quick look at the main stories overnight.
The death of Cardinal George Pell continues to dominate much of the news today with Pope Francis praising the “determination and wisdom” of Australia’s most senior Catholic who died on Tuesday in Rome. We’ll have coverage of a mass being held in his honour in his hometown of Ballarat, and all the other reaction as it happens.
Anthony Albanese will be making headlines today as he visits Papua New Guinea for talks aimed at yielding a new security agreement. The prime minister will become the first foreign government leader to address PNG’s parliament and will say he sees the relationship between the two countries as “a bond between equals”.
There’ll also no doubt be interesting follow-ups from last night’s news that two of Australia’s richest men, Mike Cannon-Brookes and Andrew Forrest, have fallen out over plans to build a giant solar farm to supply Darwin, Indonesia and Singapore with power, with the venture entering voluntary administration.
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