This blog is now closed
And that’s a wrap for this first Monday of 2023. Here’s what we learned:
Four people have died and three are in a critical condition in hospital after two helicopters collided on the Gold Coast this afternoon. Thirteen people were caught up in the incident.
Reaction from education, business and tourism groups has been mixed to the federal government’s announcement that all arrivals into Australia from China will need to present a negative Covid test before departure.
The group of eight universities is supporting the measure, airlines have been expressing concern, and the Business Council of Australia saying the government was “retreating” from its policy of living with Covid.
The health minister, Mark Butler, cited “an absence of comprehensive information about the situation in China” and lack of genomic sequencing as a factor in the decision.
An off-duty police officer who drowned at a beach on the New South Wales south coast on New Year’s Day had swum out to rescue his son from a “substantial” rip.
Victorian authorities issued emergency warnings for a “very dangerous thunderstorm” in central Victoria that they say could cause flash flooding, while large hail is seen in the state and further south in Tasmania, where dangerous thunderstorms are also occurring.
Thanks for sticking with us. Enjoy the rest of your evening.
Large hail and severe storms hit Tasmania’s south-east
Hail up to 5cm in diameter has been seen just north of Hobart as severe storms that developed this afternoon continue to pummel parts of south-eastern Tasmania.
The Bureau of Meteorology confirmed today that the storms produced large hail, short bursts of heavy rainfall and damaging wind gusts, and will continue for another couple of hours before moving up the north coast and clearing.
At this stage, the storms are unlikely to head south to Hobart.
Hail between 2cm-5cm, which is “close to the threshold for giant hail” according to a Bureau of Meteorology spokesperson, had been seen by members of the public in the area.
“Hail of this size is very dangerous,” the spokesperson said. “Storms of this intensity are rare [in Tasmania].”
SES assistant director Leon Smith said despite the fact that the SES had not yet received any calls for assistance during these storms, “People should not be complacent. If you don’t need to drive in these conditions, don’t.”
He urged anyone who was on the road during the storms to find a safe place to wait them out.
One man has died and another man is in hospital after they were pulled from a surf beach south of Byron Bay, New South Wales this afternoon.
Emergency services were called to New Brighton Beach, south of Byron Bay, at about 1pm today after reports that a 28-year-old man had collapsed after returning to shore, and another 27-year-old man was unresponsive after being pulled from the water by surf life savers and an off-duty nurse.
The nurse and life savers performed CPR until paramedics arrived, but the 27-year-old could not be revived, NSW police said.
The 28-year-old man has been taken to Tweed hospital and is in a stable condition.
Police will prepare a report for the coroner.
Four people have died and three are in a critical condition in hospital after two helicopters collided on the Gold Coast this afternoon.
At a media conference just now, Queensland police confirmed that there were 13 people identified on the helicopters: four people died, three are in a critical condition and six people have minor injuries, mainly from glass shrapnel.
One helicopter lost its windscreen in the incident; the other crashed upside down.
A Queensland police spokesperson said many members of the public rushed to help when they saw the incident happen, and thanked everyone who attempted to assist.
Some chunky hail in Maldon, Victoria, this afternoon:
Hailstones in Maldon,Victoria, right now pic.twitter.com/0bG1WeCSwj
Animal advocates call for ban on racing after horse dies at Perth Cup
The death of a racehorse at the Perth Cup has renewed calls from some animal welfare advocates to end horse racing in Australia.
West Australian mare Chili Is Hot was euthanised on the track at Ascot racecourse after a collision with another horse roughly 200 metres into the race on Sunday in front of about 10,000 spectators.
The other horse involved, Dom To Shoot, suffered abrasions and was left slightly lame after the incident. Initial reports suggest Chili is Hot clipped the heels of the horse in front of her in the crowded pack and went down, with Dom To Shoot unable to stop in time and running over the top of her.
Jockey Peter Knuckey, who was riding Chili is Hot, and Jordan Turner, aboard Dom To Shoot, were cleared of serious injury.
The incident led to the Perth Cup being called off for the first time in its 136-year history. The race will be rerun on 14 January.
Read the full story here:
Labor under renewed pressure to axe stage-three tax cuts
Warnings from the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, that Australia’s economy is slowing and that the population is ageing have prompted calls to scrap the stage-three tax cuts.
Chalmers said the latest Australian population data showed an ageing population continues to present a demographic challenge for Australia and the budget, with the government having to keep one eye on current challenges, while the other focuses on longer term needs in health, pensions and support services.
Work is under way for the May budget, which will be the first to tackle the $254bn Morrison government stage-three tax cuts. Labor voted in support of tax cuts while in opposition and went to the election promising no changes to stage three, which were already legislated and due to come into effect mid-next year.
Chalmers said Labor’s position on the cuts hasn’t changed, which the acting Greens leader, Larissa Waters, said was absurd:
The Greens will use our balance of power position in the parliament to continue to fight against Labor’s unfair and irresponsible stage-three tax cuts. We demand strong social services, not decades of entrenched economic inequality.
If the government is worried about how we’ll pay for essential services like Medicare and NDIS in the future, it beggars belief that they’re pushing ahead with the stage-three tax cuts.
Read the full story here:
Emergency weather warning issued in central Victoria
Victorian authorities have issued an emergency warning for a “very dangerous thunderstorm” in central Victoria that they say could cause flash flooding.
VicEmergency issued the alert for Maryborough, Castlemaine and surrounds at 4.50pm.
Severe Thunderstorm – Emergency Warning for Maryborough and surrounds. You should Shelter Indoors Now. For more info: https://t.co/Mk1sy8qMnh #vicstorms
The alert said the thunderstorm was “very dangerous” and could produce “giant hailstones, intense rainfall that may lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash-flooding and damaging winds”.
Weather warnings issued across Tasmania
More severe thunderstorm activity: this time in Tasmania, with parts of the east coast, Midlands and south east districts looking at “giant hailstones, damaging winds and heavy rainfall”, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
.@BOM_Tas has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning – Giant Hailstones, Damaging Winds and Heavy Rainfall for people in parts of East Coast, Midlands and South East Forecast Districts.
For more information, go to: https://t.co/ONIpnAFmrM pic.twitter.com/PVbHpWC79l
Queensland ambulance says 13 people being assessed at scene of helicopter crash
There were a lot of people in boats on the water around the sandbank where the helicopters came down on the Gold Coast, so there’s video circulating (I’m not going to post it here) showing what looks like wreckage on the sandbar, with another two helicopters upright nearby. At least one of those upright helicopters looks like an emergency responder vehicle.
Queensland Ambulance Service says 13 people are being assessed at the scene.
Authorities will investigate a “terrifying” crowd crush that occurred in a pedestrian tunnel in the centre of Melbourne on New Year’s Eve, with revellers saying they felt “totally wedged” and “couldn’t move in any direction”.
A City of Melbourne spokesperson said the council was aware of the safety concerns raised about the incident at the Elizabeth Street pedestrian underpass shortly before the midnight fireworks on Saturday.
It is understood the Elizabeth Street underpass will be investigated by the council, which is exploring a number of contributing factors.
About 475,000 people were in the Melbourne CBD for New Year’s Eve celebrations on Saturday evening. The council spokesperson said they were “pleased the vast majority of revellers celebrated safely”.
Police say injuries reported after two helicopters ‘came into contact’ mid-air near Gold Coast
One of the helicopters involved in the Gold Coast crash managed to land successfully but the other has injured parties on board, Queensland Police have confirmed.
In a statement just released, QPol said:
Early investigations indicate that the crash occurred around 2pm when two helicopters came into contact with each other.
One manage to successfully land.
There are injuries in the other helicopter with emergency services working at the scene.
We’re expecting the police to address the media sometime soon, but no details of when that will be just yet.
Queensland Police are now asking motorists and pedestrians to avoid the Main Beach area, with Seaworld Drive now closed off due to the helicopter crash.
GOLD COAST: Seaworld Drive in Main Beach has been closed off due to a helicopter crash. Motorists and pedestrians are urged to avoid the area.
Tourism CEO says Covid testing requirements for China arrivals are ‘a bit of a blow’
The chief executive of Australia’s Tourism and Transport Forum has called the government’s new Covid-19 test requirement for arrivals from China “a bit of a blow”.
Margy Osmond said on Tuesday that China was “an incredibly significant market for Australia”, but acknowledged that “we also have to be conscious of appropriately protecting our domestic market”:
Over the next year, we should see the numbers of international visitors to Australia improve significantly. However, a fair proportion of the projections was built around a significant number of Chinese travellers returning to Australia in the first half of 2023.
The industry will always support the government regarding decisions around health advice. However, we are really hoping things will resolve themselves in the positive so we can welcome back Chinese travellers during the course of this year.
Two helicopters have crashed on the Gold Coast, the Queensland Ambulance Service has now confirmed. The service said the incident happened just before 3pm AEDT, and that “multiple QAS resources and other emergency services are on the scene”.
The Courier Mail is reporting the collision happened near the Sea World theme park, with a Queensland Police Service spokesperson referring to it as an “aviation incident”.
Witnesses told the newspaper they saw two helicopters crash into each other, and that volunteer Marine Rescue Southport duty skipper Matt Fitzpatrick said at that point they did “not know the state of those who were aboard”.