Evacuation orders issued for northern New South Wales as Rockhampton braces for flood

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Evacuation orders issued for northern New South Wales as Rockhampton braces for flood

Every Monday to Friday I'll be delivering a personally-curated newsletter. Call it the double espresso of news – the morning news kickstart for busy people who want to know what they need to know before they get going.

By Latika Bourke
Updated

1. Flood devastation

Rockhampton in Queensland is preparing for what could be its worst-ever flooding as the aftermath of Cylone Debbie, which has already claimed five lives, rages on. [Cameron Atfield/Brisbane Times]

The Bureau of Meteorology says the Fitzroy River is expected to reach major flood level of 8.5 metres on Monday afternoon, peaking at 9.4 metres on Wednesday afternoon. [Statement]

Overnight in northern New South Wales, Seagulls Estate was flooded and isolated, meaning it's now too late to evacuate, while an evacuation order was given for Tweed Heads South and Tweed Heads West, Kyogle, Murwillumbah, South Murwillumbah, Condong, Billinudgel, New Brighton, Ocean Shores, Cabbage Tree Island and Tumbulgum. [ses.nsw.gov.au]

The 'all clear' was given for Lismore, Kingscliff and Tweed Heads, with one local mayor describing the flooded area as like a "war zone." [Eammon Duff/Sydney Morning Herald]

Floodwaters from the Wilsons River engulf homes in central Lismore.

Floodwaters from the Wilsons River engulf homes in central Lismore.Credit: Dave Hunt

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and federal Defence Minister Marise Payne will be visiting affected areas on Monday.

2. Australian politics

There has been a one-point movement in the primary vote to even out Labor and the Coalition, putting the opposition ahead on a two-party preferred basis 47-53. While the headlines scream "bad" for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, this is a one-point movement and within the margin of error. But, of course, it's still another poll loss for a man who was foolish enough to cite Tony Abbott's own performance in the same survey as a reason for a leadership change. [David Crowe/The Australian]

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If anything, the most striking result from the poll is that despite Pauline Hanson's retreat on penalty rates (a sign her support for cuts were hurting her) and her shocking campaign in the run up to the West Australian election, her vote is holding steady at 10 per cent – equal with the Greens.

Labor is criticising the government's company tax cut, but it won't say if it will repeal it in government. Naturally, the government is urging an answer now. [James Massola and Adam Gartrell/Fairfax]

Labor's hypocrisy will be cemented when it announces it will not seek to reverse this first stage of the phase-in agreed to by the Senate, says the Financial Review. [Editorial]

It's time to "reimagine" corporate pay, says Ian Silk, the head of AustralianSuper. [Sally Patten and James Eyers/Financial Review]

Chloe Shorten during last year's election campaign.

Chloe Shorten during last year's election campaign.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Chloe Shorten has thrust Bill Shorten's second marriage into the public spotlight, drawing attention to their blended family and his parenting skills, as well as her own difficulties dealing with the public intrusion into their marital union. [Caroline Overington/The Australian]

Her book, released today, could backfire in the long-term for the political couple because journalists in the future can point to Mrs Shorten's blueprint for step-families as an example of how the Shortens themselves have been willing to put their family life into the public eye.

Chloe Shorten with children Clementine (being held), Georgette and Rupert.

Chloe Shorten with children Clementine (being held), Georgette and Rupert.

In sum, they can no longer expect that there will never be scrutiny from the outside of what is mostly a no-go zone area in Australian politics – that being a politician's family.

Meanwhile, Turnbull welcomes the President of Afghanistan, Dr Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, to Australia for a three-day visit today.

3. May 'ready to go to war'

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May.

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May. Credit: PA

Well, there's certainly no backing away from this rhetoric.

A row has broken out over the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, which shares its northern border with Spain.

Spain cleverly negotiated a clause in the EU document circulated on Friday, at the end of a week in which British Prime Minister Theresa May pulled the Article 50 trigger.

Britain is having none of it. [Paul Sandle/Reuters]

The pushback began with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson engaging a pun to confirm the UK's "rock-like" support for the territory, but it racheted up on Sunday when the former leader of the Conservative Party Michael Howard said he was sure May would show the same resolve as Thatcher did over the Falklands. [Sky News Britain]

Significantly, Spain – which is denying an independence push from Catalonia – said it would no longer veto Scotland trying to join the European Union if Scotland were to gain independence from a Britain after it Brexited. [Jennifer Rankin/The Guardian]

4. US politics

The US President has done an interview with Britain's Financial Times. Trump has candidly warned Beijing that he will take action against North Korea to eliminate Pyongyang's nuclear threat if China doesn't solve the problem. [Lionel Barber, Demetri Sevastopulo and Gillian Tett]

The interview comes ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the US this week.

On tweets? No regrets, I wouldn't be here. Healthcare? I'll deal with the Dems.

President Donald Trump had an awkward meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

President Donald Trump had an awkward meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.Credit: AP

On the Merkel handshake? I didn't hear. [Edited transcript]

A judge in Kentucky is the latest to prove a judicial thorn in Donald Trump's political hide.

When Trump told supporters at a campaign rally "get 'em [protesters] the hell out of here," and then those demonstrators claimed to have been shoved and punched on their way out, Trump's lawyers defended his words as free speech under the First Amendment.

But Judge David J. Hale disagrees, saying Trump's words could have been taken as an instruction, and one that incited violence. [Fairfax]

The LA Times has published the latest in a series of searing editorials on the President from American newspapers. [Editorial]

5. Myanmar elections

Aung Sun Suu Kyi, leader of Myanmar's National League for Democracy Party, campaigning on the weekend.

Aung Sun Suu Kyi, leader of Myanmar's National League for Democracy Party, campaigning on the weekend. Credit: Getty Images

Aung Sun Suu Kyi's party has won nearly half the country's byelections held on Sunday, despite criticism of her government's handling of the crisis in the Muslim-dominated Rakhine state and the slow pace of domestic reform. [Reuters]

6. Ecuador elections

This election is one to watch closely because it could force Wikileaks founder Julian Assange out of his embassy hideout in London. [Ryan Dube/Wall Street Journal]

Or there's Xinhua's take:

And that's it from me today – you can follow me on Facebook for more.

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