Australia news live: 500 ADF personnel to assist in Victoria and NSW floods recovery; Victoria to boost renewable energy targets | Australia news

Adeshola Ore

Victoria’s new emissions reduction targets world-leading: energy minister

Victoria’s energy minister Lily D’Ambrosio said the new emissions reduction targets were world-leading. She said:

We are the second jurisdiction in the world to set the 75-80% reductions target by 2035.

Andrews pledges to supercharge renewables in Victoria’s ‘most significant’ energy announcement in 30 years

Adeshola Ore

The Andrews government has pledged to revitalise Victoria’s State Electricity Commission (SEC) under public ownership to build renewable energy projects.

Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, described the commitment as the “most significant” energy announcement in the state over the past 30 years. The government, if re-elected next month, will make a $1bn investment towards delivering 4.5 gigawatts of renewable power – the equivalent capacity of the state’s largest power station Loy Yang A, which will close by 2035.

Andrews said Victoria needed a “plan to keep the lights on”, pointing to the closure of privatised coal-fired power plants.

Andrews said the increased power supply would create downward pressure on household energy bills. He said:

This is good news when it comes to emissions and our total energy mix.

The government has estimated its energy plan will create 60,000 jobs by 2035.

Victoria to boost renewable energy targets

Benita Kolovos

The Victorian government will shortly announce a plan for 95% of electricity to come from renewable sources by 2035.

Guardian Australia understands the premier, Daniel Andrews, and environment minister, Lily D’Amboriso, will outline the new target as well as boosting its 2030 target from 50% renewable energy to 65% at a press conference at 10am.

It will also announce its emissions reduction target of 70-80% by 2035 and for 4.5 gigawatts of renewable energy storage capacity to be publicly owned.

It follows targets set to reduce emissions by 28-33% by 2025 and 45-50% by 2030. The opposition has pledged it will legislate the targets if elected in November.

Our state reporter, Adeshola Ore, will be heading to the press conference and will provide some more information as we get it.

The government has approved up to 500 Australian defence force personnel to assist with the flood recovery in Victoria and New South Wales.

The decision comes after a request from Emergency Management Victoria to provide up to 400 personnel to assist emergency authorities with tasks including:

• Filling and distributing sandbags

• Transport support to isolated families and emergency services

• Diversion of water from a small dam and construction of three levees

• Door knocking to support flood-affected residents

ADF personnel have been already been assisting communities in flood-affected areas in regional Victoria, including supporting evacuation and resupply efforts with two CH-47 Chinook helicopters.

About 100 ADF members are assisting communities in NSW, where there is also a helicopter available for night search and rescue, primarily in the west of the state.

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said:

We’ve already seen our ADF members hard at work filling sandbags in Shepparton, building levee banks in Echuca and helping out in Wagga Wagga. Now they will also be supporting more people as we move to the clean-up phase of this disaster.

The emergency management minister, Murray Watt, said:

Having the ADF step up and help is be greatly appreciated in flood-affected areas. This is a short and sharp operation to complement the great work of the state emergency agencies and will assist our hardest hit communities.

Adeshola Ore

Victoria’s mental health units need urgent upgrades: peak psychiatry body

Victoria’s peak psychiatry body has called on the Andrews government to urgently upgrade the state’s mental health units, warning poorly designed facilities could risk patient safety.

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists’s Victorian branch said Victoria’s mental health infrastructure needed to be fit-for-purpose to ensure patient safety.

The branch’s president Astha Tomar said Victoria’s mental health units needed to be reviewed and refurbished, with input from psychiatrists in the design process.

Tomar said:

In Victoria we’re seeing poorly designed facilities coupled with a stretched workforce. It’s a combination that simply can’t deliver the best quality support Victorians deserve.

We need to ensure our facilities are designed to deliver the best possible outcomes for everyone, but at the moment that’s not always the case.

The body said Victoria’s mental health units had not been built with a focus on physical and psychological safety of patients and staff.

Adeshola Ore

Historic deal struck to begin Victorian treaty negotiations

Victoria will become the first Australian jurisdiction to begin negotiating treaties with First Nations groups next year, after a historic deal was brokered to allow traditional owners to enter into interim agreements during negotiations.

The deal struck between the Andrews government and the First Peoples’ Assembly – the body elected to negotiate an overarching framework for treaty – includes an initial investment of $65m over three years into a fund to help traditional owners commence treaty negotiations.

Mike Bowers

Farms around Echuca inundated – in pictures

Victorian premier Daniel Andrews yesterday described the areas hit by flooding as “the food bowl of our nation.”

Here are some of the images from farms around Echuca taken by Guardian photographer at large Mike Bowers yesterday.

Central and southern Queensland are on flood watch as a low pressure system and trough will track slowly eastwards this week, AAP reports.

Catchments are already soaked and the Bureau of Meteorology has forecast increasing showers and thunderstorms, some likely to be severe, in the coming days.

The bureau said:

River and creek level rises, and at least minor flooding, are likely in many rivers and creeks across the Flood Watch area.

This is likely to impact on road transport and access later this week and into next week.

In the southern town of Goondiwindi, the Macintyre River is at 2.72m and may exceed a minor flood level of 4m on Thursday.

The bureau said the river could possibly rise to a moderate flood level above six metres with more rainfall forecast on Friday and the weekend.

In western Queensland, the Bulloo River is just below a minor flood level but rising at Quilpie. The waters are above moderate levels downstream at Thargomindah and are expected to remain at that level for the next few days.

The Paroo River peaked at Hungerford on the NSW border on Wednesday night, but likely to remain around a moderate level in coming days with further rises are possible with more rain.

Amy Remeikis

Labor promises full-fibre NBN access to 1.5m homes and businesses by 2025

Labor is announcing movement on its promise to improve the national broadband network, with money in Tuesday’s budget to expand full-fibre access to 1.5m homes and businesses, mainly in outer city and regional areas.

Labor had been highly critical of the Coalition government’s decision to change the NBN from the planned fibre-to-the-premises model to a multi-technology mix model that used the existing and ageing copper network.

Redcliffe Queensland Cup player Liam Hampson has been found dead on an end-of-season trip to Spain, AAP reports.

The dummy-half had been on holiday with a group of NRL players including Gold Coast star AJ Brimson and Brisbane Broncos players Jordan Riki and Jesse Arthars.

Concerns were first raised for the 24-year-old when Arthars and others posted to social media that he had not been seen for 24 hours after last being spotted at the Sala Apollo nightclub.

Barcelona police confirmed to 7News on Thursday morning that a body believed to be that of Hampson was found on a nightclub floor, believed to have been after a fall from a substantial height.

His father Brett confirmed Hampson’s death on social media. He wrote on Facebook:

Waking up to the news no one wants to hear, we are devastated to find out that Liam had an accident and sadly has not survived.

We are heartbroken to say the least. Liam had a heart of gold and was a much loved son, brother, grandson, uncle and friend. Words can not express our grief.

We can not thank his mates enough for being there with Liam having the time of his life and assisting in the search for our boy. Our thought are with them.

Earlier, Arthar had posted to social media that Hampson had not been seen since 4.30am on 18 October wearing a black T-shirt and beige shorts. He said:

Hasnt been able to be contacted and no one has seen him for 24 hours … was travelling with a group and very out of character.

This is very scary for all of us.

Hampson had played four years in the Queensland Cup, moving from Tweed Head Seagulls to Redcliffe at the end of 2021.

He came off the bench in last month’s Queensland Cup grand final loss to Norths Devils, and was in a position to impress Wayne Bennett and the NRL’s 17th franchise at the Dolphins.