Key events
Firefighters at the ready as hot winds heighten risk
Increased fire danger is building across Australia’s southeast as wild winds and warm conditions keep crews on alert, AAP reports.
Total fire bans have been declared across Tasmania and parts of Victoria as conditions challenge firefighters in two states.
No fires can be lit in Tasmania on Sunday, including incinerators, burn-offs, campfires, fire pits and wood-fuelled barbecues.
More than 150 firefighters, 14 aircraft, eight bulldozers and scores of interstate and international teams have been battling fires sparked by dry lightning earlier in February.
The blazes have scorched at least 94,500 hectares of Tasmanian wilderness and world heritage forest.
Tasmania’s fire commander, Matt Lowe:
We have strike teams pre-positioned at strategic locations across the state ready for a rapid response if required.
GPs welcome Labor’s Medicare plan but flag not everyone will be bulk-billed
The Royal Australian College of GPs has applauded the government’s workforce commitment to train 2,000 new GPs every year by 2028 and incentivise more junior doctors to become specialist GPs, as part of the package.
But RACGP president, Michael Wright, flagged the proposal for a universal bulk-billing scheme wouldn’t necessarily mean everyone can access free medical care:
Extending bulk-billing incentives to everyone won’t necessarily mean everyone gets bulk-billed, because patient rebates are still too low to cover the cost of care.
Australia’s bulk-billing rate plummeted to 20.7% at the start of 2025, down from 35.7% two years earlier, according to data released by health care directory Cleanbill in January.
The proposed cash injection would be the biggest investment in Medicare since its creation 40 years ago, the government said.
– AAP
Real or fake? AI tech sparks election deception fears
The possibility Australians could fall prey to fake political videos and audio grabs ahead of the federal election has sparked concerns around electoral interference.
To test the likelihood, MPs from across the political spectrum have been approached by AAP and shown a series of deepfakes, or digitally altered videos, of their leaders announcing false policies.
While able to spot the ruse themselves, they expressed unanimous concern that members of the public would be taken in by the deception.
Labor MP Graham Perrett picked the anomaly in a clip of the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, but admitted it was because he knew him too well to be duped.
But a significant number of people would believe it’s real, especially if you didn’t have ongoing interaction with the Australian political process.
So it could be two, three, four out of 10 that would actually think that’s a fair dinkum message from a politician.”
One man dead and another police guard in Tamworth hospital standoff
A 47-year-old man has died and a 55-year-old man is under police guard in a Tamworth hospital, after a standoff with police last night.
NSW Police say they were called to a unit about 4.30pm on Saturday, where they discovered the 47-year-old with critical head injuries.
He was taken to Tamworth Base hospital where he was declared dead.
Police say the other man, who was allegedly armed with a knife, locked himself inside a bedroom before climbing on to the roof of the unit.
Tactical officers and negotiators spoke with the man before he allegedly fell from the roof.
He was treated for stab wounds before being taken to hospital, where he remains under police guard.
Good morning
Welcome to the Australia news live blog. We’ve got a busy day ahead.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, will hold a campaign rally in Tasmania. He’ll be outlining an 8.5bn investment to create an extra 18m bulk-billed GP visits a year.
Before that, the federal treasurer, Jim Chalmers, will be doing the media rounds selling the policy. We’ll also bring you the Coalition’s response through the day.
One man dead and another police guard in Tamworth hospital standoff
A 47-year-old man has died and a 55-year-old man is under police guard in a Tamworth hospital, after a standoff with police last night.
NSW Police say they were called to a unit about 4.30pm on Saturday, where they discovered the 47-year-old with critical head injuries.
He was taken to Tamworth Base hospital where he was declared dead.
Police say the other man, who was allegedly armed with a knife, locked himself inside a bedroom before climbing on to the roof of the unit.
Tactical officers and negotiators spoke with the man before he allegedly fell from the roof.
He was treated for stab wounds before being taken to hospital, where he remains under police guard.
