Latest news with #Canberra
News.com.au
8 hours ago
- Climate
- News.com.au
‘Disruptive start to school holidays': Icy blast to hit every state and territory
Australians nationwide are likely to wake up to frosty conditions in the coming days, as chilly morning ground temperatures are forecast across every state and territory. Frost alerts have been issued for several southeastern regions, including Canberra, where temperatures are expected to dip below freezing. Sky News meteorologist Marina Neuman described the frost forecast as 'widespread,' with cold conditions set to affect both the eastern and western parts of the country. The anticipated frost coverage spans a wide area, including the ACT, most of New South Wales, and parts of Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia. 'That means the entire country, every single state, are likely to see frost at least somewhere within their respective state or territory,' Neuman said. She noted that some southeastern regions already faced 'icy cold' conditions on Friday morning, with Canberra reaching a low of just 1.3°C. The capital was forecast to plunge to – 5°C on Saturday, while Sydney was expected to see a minimum of 7°C. The Bureau of Meteorology issued frost warnings for areas in Victoria and South Australia. In northern Victoria, severe frosts could send the mercury as low as – 4°C, potentially causing significant damage to crops, according to the bureau. In South Australia, frosts and lows of around – 1°C were forecast for districts such as the Mid North, Upper South East, Murraylands, and Riverlands. A sheep graziers' warning has also been issued for the Snowy Mountains in NSW, with cold temperatures and north-westerly winds expected. Up north a band of cloud and rain has started forming over The Gulf of Carpentaria, bringing wet conditions to parts of northern Queensland and the Northern Territory. As Sunday progresses, this rain band is expected to move eastwards, reaching the Queensland coast. By the end of the day, much of eastern Queensland — from Townsville down to Brisbane — is likely to experience rainfall. The bureau's latest weather update said the rain would 'continue into Monday morning, clearing out of the state by Monday evening as the wet weather pushes into NSW'. 'The rain isn't expected to be heavy or cause flooding. However, it does come during the drier time of year, so may be disruptive for the start of the school holidays,' the bureau said. A cold front is expected to sweep through the southeast on Sunday, though Neuman noted it won't bring a major shift in temperatures. Sunday's forecast includes highs of 19°C in Sydney, 21°C in Port Macquarie, 20°C in Coffs Harbour, and 21°C in both Brisbane and the Gold Coast. 'What we're looking at is temperatures remaining right where they should be for this time of the year,' Neuman said. 'However, it might feel a bit cooler than that in Queensland because we have rainfall moving in. That's going to be all the way across the tropics, through the centre and well into the coastline, and so that could make it feel a bit cooler both Saturday as well as Sunday.' Maximum temperatures forecast for other capitals on Sunday include 13°C in Melbourne, 20°C in Perth, 16°C in Adelaide, 11°C in Hobart, 13°C in Canberra, and a warm 31°C in Darwin.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Icy blast expected in ‘every state'
Australians nationwide are likely to wake up to frosty conditions in the coming days, as chilly morning ground temperatures are forecast across every state and territory. Frost alerts have been issued for several southeastern regions, including Canberra, where temperatures are expected to dip below freezing. Sky News meteorologist Marina Neuman described the frost forecast as 'widespread,' with cold conditions set to affect both the eastern and western parts of the country. The anticipated frost coverage spans a wide area, including the ACT, most of New South Wales, and parts of Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia. 'That means the entire country, every single state, are likely to see frost at least somewhere within their respective state or territory,' Neuman said. She noted that some southeastern regions already faced 'icy cold' conditions on Friday morning, with Canberra reaching a low of just 1.3°C. The capital was forecast to plunge to – 5°C on Saturday, while Sydney was expected to see a minimum of 7°C. The Bureau of Meteorology issued frost warnings for areas in Victoria and South Australia. In northern Victoria, severe frosts could send the mercury as low as – 4°C, potentially causing significant damage to crops, according to the bureau. In South Australia, frosts and lows of around – 1°C were forecast for districts such as the Mid North, Upper South East, Murraylands, and Riverlands. A sheep graziers' warning has also been issued for the Snowy Mountains in NSW, with cold temperatures and north-westerly winds expected. Up north a band of cloud and rain has started forming over The Gulf of Carpentaria, bringing wet conditions to parts of northern Queensland and the Northern Territory. As Sunday progresses, this rain band is expected to move eastwards, reaching the Queensland coast. By the end of the day, much of eastern Queensland — from Townsville down to Brisbane — is likely to experience rainfall. The bureau's latest weather update said the rain would 'continue into Monday morning, clearing out of the state by Monday evening as the wet weather pushes into NSW'. 'The rain isn't expected to be heavy or cause flooding. However, it does come during the drier time of year, so may be disruptive for the start of the school holidays,' the bureau said. A cold front is expected to sweep through the southeast on Sunday, though Neuman noted it won't bring a major shift in temperatures. Sunday's forecast includes highs of 19°C in Sydney, 21°C in Port Macquarie, 20°C in Coffs Harbour, and 21°C in both Brisbane and the Gold Coast. 'What we're looking at is temperatures remaining right where they should be for this time of the year,' Neuman said. 'However, it might feel a bit cooler than that in Queensland because we have rainfall moving in. That's going to be all the way across the tropics, through the centre and well into the coastline, and so that could make it feel a bit cooler both Saturday as well as Sunday.' Maximum temperatures forecast for other capitals on Sunday include 13°C in Melbourne, 20°C in Perth, 16°C in Adelaide, 11°C in Hobart, 13°C in Canberra, and a warm 31°C in Darwin.
ABC News
15 hours ago
- Health
- ABC News
Concerns upcoming NDIS price changes could force providers to stop out of office services
When physiotherapist Kate Caldow was asked how she's feeling about the future, her eyes welled up with tears. "We're all feeling a bit down, a bit deflated, a bit under-valued," Ms Caldow said. "And we're having to make really tough decisions." Ms Caldow is one of a number therapy support providers in Canberra struggling to make sense of the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA's) latest annual pricing review. From July 1, the fee for physiotherapy services will be capped at $183.99 per hour, marking a $10 reduction. Dietitian and podiatry appointments will be capped at $187.99 per hour, marking a $5 reduction. And travel subsidies for allied health professionals will be cut in half. Ms Caldow opened Country Children's Physiotherapy in Belconnen almost a decade ago with the goal of ensuring children living in regional towns surrounding the ACT had access to good quality care. Hayden Traynor fits that exact bill. The six-year-old, who lives in Booroowa, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy after having a stroke at just three months old. Regular physiotherapy has been key to helping Hayden overcome those challenges and has helped him to learn to walk, dress himself and make his own breakfast. Once a week, a physiotherapist or allied health assistant from Ms Caldow's team visits Hayden at home or at school. His speech pathologist also travels to Booroowa for appointments, and he sees an occupational therapist in Canberra. "I think he'd be completely [incapacitated] without all of the intervention we've done," Ms Moorby said. "We were lucky enough to get streamlined on to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) early." Hayden's physiotherapy visits are now seriously in doubt, with Ms Caldow grappling with the prospect of scaling back her team's travel on account of the looming pricing changes. NDIS participants currently make up around 75 per cent of her clinic's clients. "We travel to Booroowa, Gunning, Gundaroo, Harden, Collector — all the areas around Canberra," she said. "For some parents, especially those with children with high needs, it's so hard to come and see us and there are no providers in these areas. "Now, we have to make a decision whether we continue to see children by travelling and put our business at huge financial risk or whether we say, 'No sorry, we can't see these clients'. "That's an awful decision to be making. It's heartbreaking, gut-wrenching." The risk for Hayden, if he were to go without regular physiotherapy, is significant. "If there's no intervention, he's likely to end up in a ball due to tightening muscles," Ms Caldow said. "That will impact his ability to function, his ability to walk and his ability to use his arm." Ms Moorby will do whatever it takes to prevent her son from missing out — including making the three-hour round trip to Canberra — but admitted the constant battle for adequate support was exhausting. "I'd do anything for my children, but it's been an uphill battle from the beginning with Hayden so to find out we have another challenge in front of us, it's just really hard," she said. "It's honestly devastating, a real kick in the guts. "And it's like it's targeted at us. We already miss out on so much living in a country town and now they're taking this away from us as well." In a statement to the ABC, a spokesperson for the NDIA described the caps to hourly rates as "modest". "It's important that NDIS participants are paying prices that are fair and in line with industry standards," the spokesperson said. "In some cases, NDIS price limits exceeded the market rate by up to 68 per cent." The spokesperson also said the changes to travel claims were in direct response to feedback from NDIS participants. "The updated travel therapy claiming rules encourage more efficient scheduling by providers and provide clear cost expectations for participants to help them get better value from their funding." Like most five year olds, Jon Beit loves Bluey, trains and playing in playgrounds. But unlike most other children his age, Jon requires an array of equipment to do the things he loves. He also relies on equipment to move, eat, sleep and shower. "Jon lives with a genetic condition called spinal muscular atrophy," his mother Megan Beit said. It's occupational therapist Kat Senger who has been there every step of the way — picking the appropriate equipment and ensuring it's correctly fitted at home and school. Her Canberra clinic, Little Hands OT, is focused on children with high, complex needs, with NDIS participants accounting for 95 per cent of her client base. The latest NDIA pricing review delivered her an unwelcome blow. "Before these changes, I would say we were surviving, not thriving," Ms Senger said. Although occupational therapy won't see a reduction in pricing caps, it will endure a seventh year without a pricing increase from $193.99. Visits to a client's home, school or work as well as experiences in the community, such as supermarkets and on public transport, are foundational for occupational therapy. Given that, the cut to travel claims will also put additional pressure on Ms Senger's business. "Ultimately, occupational therapy is about life skills, so we practice those in our clinic but if we don't go into the environment, there's no way of knowing if those skills are transferring," Ms Senger said. "And for some of our families, they just can't come here — they're financially strapped or they're single parents with four children who all require care — so we go to them." Ms Senger is now considering introducing a gap fee to cover travel costs. "We wouldn't change anything in terms of the hourly rate," Ms Senger said. "For us, the gap fee would be the 50 per cent travel that the NDIS has taken away. "Anything more, we will do our hardest to avoid." It's a price Jon's mother, Megan, is not confident her family can afford to pay. "Or something else gets missed in order to pay for it — maybe that's takeaway one night or a night out at the movies. "I think it's really heartbreaking that you have to make those choices." Ms Senger and Ms Caldow are still considering workforce changes, but both have made the decision to let go of their therapy assistants, who are typically university students. "I was really hopeful this time around that with all the cost of living increases, wage increases, superannuation increases, the NDIA would see the numbers weren't adding up," Ms Senger said. "I can't believe that's not been recognised and instead we're being portrayed as money hungry, price-gouging, fraudulent allied health professionals because of a few bad eggs, which are in every profession. "All I want is to provide the best care for my kids and these new changes really stop us from being able to do that." In Australia, more than 65 per cent of NDIS participants have their funds managed by a financial intermediary or plan manager. Jess Harper, the chief executive of Disability Intermediaries Australia, said those working in that sector are also reeling. "It's a pretty big kick in the guts," he said. "It will now be seven years of systemic price freezes. "And on top of that, the NDIA has also made the decision to pretty significantly cut the amount and the type of service plan managers can claim for." From July 1, a one-off establishment fee of $232 will be scrapped and some loading charges will also be removed, with a nationally consistent price introduced. "In the last 12 months, we've seen more than 600 providers close their doors because they just can't keep the lights on and we expect that number will be significantly more this year," Mr Harper said. "In the ACT, we've had 22 providers close their doors in the past 12 months, and we've had a further four give notice that they'll be closing come July 1. "Ultimately, what we're seeing is a race to the bottom on quality and so for participants, that means they're getting less — less choice, less access, less availability." Mr Harper said introducing an independent pricing approach was vital. "The sector has been calling for this for years," he said. "It is beyond belief that a government agency that is ultimately the payer gets to set the prices." It's a view shared by Michael Perusco, the chief executive of National Disability Services, an organisation that advocates for disability service organisations. "Like aged care, like health, we think it makes a lot of sense for pricing in the NDIS to be independent," Mr Perusco said. He said he was "deeply concerned" that providers of therapy support were going to leave the market. "Organisations are looking at their finances and are going to make very difficult decisions about what they can continue and what they can't," Mr Perusco said. "For some of those organisations, it means they won't continue at all. "If that occurs, participants suffer and particularly those with the most complex needs who need the NDIS the most."
ABC News
15 hours ago
- Business
- ABC News
ACT opposition leader's first budget reply speech upstaged by Greens' health levy opposition
Despite her long career in show business, Leanne Castley may never have been upstaged quite like she was in the ACT Legislative Assembly on Thursday. But the last week may have provided material for some new country songs. The Canberra Liberals leader rose to her feet for her first budget reply speech; a major set piece event for someone who admits she's not a "typical politician". At the conclusion, she left the chamber with an easy smile, embraced by supporters congratulating her on a job well done. Yet it was the speech that followed — from ACT Greens Leader Shane Rattenbury — that left the biggest mark on budget week. The Greens' decision to oppose the government's $250 health levy is a sign that, when it comes to passing bills in this assembly, the Animal Farm theory applies; some MLAs are more equal than others. The Liberals can but oppose, while the Greens — flexing their crossbench muscle — are the ones the government must pay attention to. This is arguably the most significant political fight the minor party has picked with its former coalition partner so far. The question now is how the fight ends. Negotiations began yesterday, with no clear resolution. The Greens have indicated they're open to means-testing the levy, if it can't be removed from the budget entirely. But if either side makes the political calculation they should play hard ball, its fate could hang in the balance for months, with the assembly not sitting again until September. Greater costs for ratepayers may have been foreshadowed when Treasurer Chris Steel said there would be "tough decisions" at his mid-year budget update. The levy, however, shocked many — and stands in stark contrast to the pre-election budget we got last year which contained few, if any, surprises. It's not unusual for governments to get the tough budget out of the way in the first year of a term. But this is also not Labor's first term. By bringing down a budget of this nature after 24 years in office, the government is setting a high bar for itself to have made significant improvements by the time voters next go to the polls. Part of why Labor was successful last year even after six terms was the ability to stake a claim as the superior economic managers. The chief minister famously accused the opposition of "magic pudding economics" during the leaders debate. He might have been wishing for his own magic pudding this week. The events of the last few days have taken some of the attention away from an opposition leader, who could have used an unobstructed moment in the spotlight. Ever since Peter Cain's departure from shadow cabinet last week, Leanne Castley has struggled for clear air, with an ongoing dispute about exactly how his resignation came about. Her budget reply was the ideal opportunity, but through no fault of her own, it failed to provide the kind of moment she was after. Attention now turns to the forthcoming announcement of the revised shadow cabinet, which may provide another reset moment. If there is any lesson from a budget week, it is surely that nobody gets everything they want.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Quest for a Lions clean sweep begins NOW as Andy Farrell's side eye nine out of nine in Australia with plenty at stake in Western Force opener
When the Lions last toured Australia, a dozen years ago, Mack Hansen was sitting in the stand with his family as the Brumbies produced an historic, seismic upset to beat the iconic visitors in Canberra. So, the Ireland wing knows, from first-hand experience, all about the dangers which lie in wait for the British and Irish tourists over the days and weeks ahead, as they seek to conquer all-comers and establish thunderous momentum for the Test series against the Wallabies. He knows that they will face opponents hell-bent on overcoming a vastly superior, four-nation alliance to earn their place in rugby folklore, by claiming arguably the most prized scalp in the sport. Starting against Western Force at Optus Stadium on Saturday, the Lions are on a mission for perfection. Having endured a false start to their 2025 crusade by losing the pre-departure money match against Argentina in Dublin, they are targeting a clean-sweep Down Under. 'Faz (Andy Farrell – head coach) set out a challenge for us to win every game,' said Ireland centre Bundee Aki. They slipped up against the Pumas but now they are actually on tour, they want a nine-from-nine return. The Force will pose a threat to this grand ambition, given the presence of several Australia players in their ranks. They have no intention of being cannon fodder in the manner of their predecessors who lost 69-17 the last time the Lions were here in 2013 and a whopping 116-10 back in 2001. Those were jarring reputational stains for rugby in these parts and the locals are rightly expecting far more of a fight this time, in front of a crowd in excess of 40,000. But Hansen made no bones about the fact that the Lions should be burdened by expectation here then over on the east coast, for the remaining tour games and Tests. Given the resources at their disposal — the sheer depth of talent available to Farrell across the board, well supported and funded — the tourists have to accept the demand for relentless success. 'If you put the jersey on, we're four of the best teams in the world, so the expectation is to win regardless of who you're playing,' he said. 'If you have some of the best players in the world, you should be winning every time, so every time it's a loss, it just isn't good enough. 'We know that and as disappointed as we were (after the 28-24 defeat against Argentina), we don't want to feel that again. If anything, it's good to feel it early. We know we'll get our heads absolutely chewed off if it happens again, so the plan is to win from here on out. If you get the opportunity to be on this tour and play in the red jersey, you should be winning games.' The first outing since the Lions arrived here last Sunday will pit them against six Force players who will join up with the Wallabies after this encounter — Nic White, Ben Donaldson, Darcy Swain, Tom Robertson, Dylan Pietsch and Nick Champion de Crespigny. Next up, Farrell's side will travel to Brisbane to take on the Reds, who will also be bolstered by Australia players who have been cleared to represent their franchise team. This trip started with Lions chief executive Ben Calveley demanding that Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt releases members of his squad to take part in the tour games. Time will tell whether that request — and associated warning about adhering to the tour agreement — comes back to bite him and the Lions. The phrase 'be careful what you wish for' may just spring to mind in due course. While there is considerable, understandable expectation on the Lions to swat aside these provincial opponents, sometimes that doesn't happen. While upsets are rare, Hansen was present for the last one in this country, as his home-town Brumbies beat Warren Gatland's visitors 14-12. It didn't halt the Lions' charge towards a Test series victory, but it was a result which reverberated nonetheless — earning the victors vast acclaim and, in some cases, international honours. 'On the last Lions tour, I was at the Brumbies game and the Brumbies beat them (Lions),' said Hansen. 'I was with my dad and my brother. We were sitting behind the goalposts watching. It was mad. You don't expect anyone to actually do it but I talked to guys after and they'd been pumped up for the game for weeks. 'They saw it as the be-all and end-all. Also, guys are playing to get into the Wallabies, so there's a lot on the line for a lot of these teams. When you come up against a big team like us, those (opposition) guys will definitely be up for that. They've only got one game then they're on holiday, all these teams, as well. 'I don't think any of the games are going to be easy. Everyone wants to win. We're not playing the Force this week with them saying, 'Alright boys, let's go out and lose by 40'. They'll be coming out thinking: 'We can cause an upset'. Things do happen. We are not taking anyone lightly.' Frankly, the Lions should win with plenty of room to spare on Saturday, although perhaps not by 40 points. Farrell knows that the home team have proved their resilience, despite a challenging Super Rugby campaign. 'They had nine losing bonus points this year, which says it all really, that they don't go away,' he said. Dan Sheehan (centre) will skipper the Lions with regular captain Maro Itoje sitting this one out As ever on these tours, selection sub-plots will ensure there is no shortage of individual motivation for the Lions players, even if there might still be a shortage of collective cohesion. They all know the clock is ticking towards the deadline to make a case for Test inclusion, ahead of the Test series opener in Brisbane on July 19. The next fixture against the Reds looms as a tough assignment, as does the clash with the Brumbies seven days later. In between, the Waratahs appear more beatable in Sydney and the Australia-New Zealand invitational side cobbled together to face the Lions in Adelaide could struggle to compete. On that basis, Farrell could be planning to deploy his strongest side for the next two midweek matches, which means the players on duty on Saturday are under pressure to force their way into that rotation. The likes of captain Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Beirne, Finn Russell, Sione Tuipulotu and James Lowe are among those capable of earning that promotional shift.
