AAP is reporting that homes remain under threat from rising floodwaters despite no rain and warm weather predicted for Victoria.
Watch and act alerts remain active for the Goulburn River from Seymour to Shepparton, as well as Bendigo and Bullock creeks downstream of Minto.
Temperatures are predicted to reach the mid-to-high 30s across the state on Friday, with the Bureau of Meteorology tipping Shepparton to hit 36C, Bendigo 35C and Seymour 34C.
Authorities believe about a dozen houses could be flooded when waters peak at Shepparton on Friday, prompting the SES to doorknock about 300 homes.
Moderate flooding is expected at McCoys Bridge over the weekend and into next week, according to the Vic Emergency website.
Flash flooding hit parts of the state on Sunday and Monday, while more than 180mm of rain was recorded in the central Victorian town of Heathcote, amounting to three months’ worth in 24 hours.
Redesdale’s more than 117mm in 24 hours was a daily record for any month, from 120 years of data. The 92mm recorded in Bendigo broke 90-year records.
Towns in central Victoria endured an intense 24 hours as the region faced its fourth major rain event since Christmas.
The Goulburn River is not expected to have any significant rainfall over the coming days, offering some relief to communities impacted by the emergency.
Queensland tertiary admissions says delaying university offers was ‘not a move made lightly’
The Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) says the decision to delay its largest release of university offers was “not a move we made lightly”, apologising for any impact it may have on applicants and families.
The four-day delay in releasing the first January offer round was announced by QTAC, the body responsible for course applications for the state, on Wednesday – hours before it was due to land.
QTAC’s chief executive officer Dr John Griffiths said delay to Monday would allow the body to “deliver the best offers and opportunities to the maximum number of applicants”.
The method of finalising offers for applicants this year has included new processes that have played out across a tight timeframe, one that draws on complex factors.
When it became clear that we needed more time to do this for the maximum number of applicants, we made the decision to delay the offer round. It’s certainly not a move we made lightly.
Griffiths said QTAC understood applicants and their families had planned around the original date – whether it be relocation practicalities or celebrations.
As a team we share in the emotions and excitement around offer rounds, so we sincerely appreciate the understanding and feedback we’ve been shown as we work to best support applicants with their move into tertiary study.
A new deadline has been made for Friday 19 January for applicants to respond to their offers.
NSW to host first road safety forum
Road safety experts from around the world will join with local reform advocates and policymakers as part of the first road safety forum to be held in New South Wales next month.
The stakeholders will meet on 22 February to discuss what can be done to reduce the number of people dying on roads across the state.
Last year, 351 people died on roads in NSW.
The forum will hear from Scandinavian experts about how their countries have been able to reduce road fatalities over the past two decades.
State roads minister John Graham said:
The road toll has increased across Australia and many parts of the world after Covid. This forum is an opportunity to hear from experts who have had some success in reducing the road toll and identify new measures and actions from the road safety plan that could be accelerated.
Good morning, Mostafa Rachwani with you to take you through the day’s news.
We begin in Queensland, where residents are being urged to prepare for even more wild weather, as another potential cyclone looms. While deputy premier Cameron Dick has said Queenslanders are “battle-hardened,” residents are still being urged to be wary of flash flooding and heavy rain.
It comes as people in parts of Western Australia brace for a heatwave, with the Bureau of Meteorology issuing a warning of temperatures as high as the mid 40s for the Kimberley, Pilbara and Goldfield regions. A low intensity heatwave is expected in Perth, with much of the state expected to swelter today.
Finally, new research from the Australia Institute shows that an EU-style tax on plastic in Australia could raise up to $1.5bn each year. Their research found that the government could raise $1,300 per tonne of “virgin” or un-recycled plastic through a levy on businesses that import or manufacture plastic packaging. Voters polled by the institute showed strong support for the measure, with 85% saying they support legislated waste reduction targets.
We’ll bring you the latest updates and more as the day unfolds.