Key events
Summary
Thank you for joining us on the live blog today. Here is a wrap up, in case you missed any key headlines:
That’s all for today. See you back for tomorrow live blog in the morning.
Rower attempting record-breaking feat rescued
A Lithuanian rower was rescued off the Queensland coast earlier today after he was caught in tropical cyclone Alfred’s 130km/h winds and monster waves.
Aurimas Mockus ran into trouble about 740km east of Mackay while attempting a 12,000km Pacific Ocean crossing from San Diego to Brisbane in his solo rowing boat.
HMAS Choules, a 16,000-tonne Royal Australian Navy landing ship, rescued Mockus on Monday morning and was returning to Sydney.
Read the full story:
Most workers feel overwhelmed by AI, but bosses want it
Most Australians are overwhelmed by changes led by artificial intelligence in the workplace, according to a top LinkedIn executive, but even more bosses are eager to deploy the technology.
LinkedIn chief operating officer Dan Shapero revealed the findings at the company’s Talent Connect event in Sydney on Tuesday, where it also launched its first AI agent designed to assist recruiters. The event comes as the Australian government considers mandatory regulations to govern the use of AI within businesses, and months after the release of voluntary guidelines for the technology.
Surveys conducted for LinkedIn by Censuswide and YouGov, revealed at its annual Sydney event, found more than eight in 10 business leaders planned to deploy AI tools as a priority this year, and seven in 10 felt the pace of change was accelerating.
But enthusiasm towards AI was not shared throughout businesses, Shapero said, as changes inspired by the technology had left many employees nervous about their roles.
What’s interesting is the pace of change is being accompanied by a general feeling of overwhelm by most professionals.
In the case of Australia, [seven] in 10 professionals say they feel overwhelmed about how quickly their jobs are changing.
– Australian Associated Press
Tropical Cyclone Alfred has turned towards the Queensland coast, premier says
Andrew Messenger
Tropical Cyclone Alfred has executed a dramatic right turn, and is now “heading towards the Queensland coast”, the premier said this evening.
Alfred has been gradually heading in a generally southerly direction for 12 days, but was forecast to change course towards Brisbane on Tuesday.
“Tropical Cyclone Alfred has just changed direction and is now heading towards the QLD coast,” premier David Crisafulli said on Tuesday evening, on social media.
“We’re prepared for this weather event and we’re asking Queenslanders to do the same.
“Be prepared and stay informed.”
The weather system is now almost certain to be the first cyclone to make landfall at the capital since 1974.
It was updated to a category two system early on Tuesday.
Roll back speed limits to curb child deaths, state told
Slashing speed limits to 30km/h on local streets has been mooted to curtail child deaths and injuries as part of a long-term state vision.
Infrastructure Victoria on Tuesday released its draft 30-year infrastructure strategy with 50 future proposals for housing, energy, transport, health and the environment.
Most controversially, the independent advisory body called for speed limits to be reduced to 30km/h on streets frequented by children such as those around schools, playgrounds, childcare centres and kindergartens.
It said seven children die each year on Victoria’s roads and almost 300 are seriously injured, mostly on local streets with speed limits of 50km/h. The report cited research that a pedestrian hit by a car at 50km/h had an 85% chance of dying, compared to 40% at 40km/h and 10% at 30km/h.
Other 40km/h zones only apply to schools at certain times and some other busy areas, and the change should cover streets with speed limits of 50km/h or less, the report said.
Premier Jacinta Allan was non-committal on whether the government would heed the advice but acknowledged drivers slowing down would save pedestrians’ lives.
– Australian Associated Press
Read more from Adeshola Ore here:
Daisy Dumas
Customers urged to test for HIV and blood-borne viruses after Sydney beauty clinic searched
Customers of a central Sydney beauty clinic have been urged to test for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV after “highly concerning” infection-control practices, including the use of veterinary equipment, were discovered at the business.
The New South Wales Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) on Monday released a public health warning about the Ketthip Beauty Clinic on Sussex Street and imposed an interim prohibition order, preventing the clinic from providing health services of any kind for a period of eight weeks.
Customers who had infusions, injections, microdermabrasion or PDO thread lift procedures at Ketthip were advised to see their GP after a South Eastern Sydney Local Health District Public Health Unit inspection found some of its practices may have exposed people to blood-borne viruses including hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV.
Read the full story here:
Health alert as mosquito virus spreads across three states
A deadly mosquito-borne virus is spreading across three states, with a second confirmed case identified in Victoria.
Japanese encephalitis has infected a second northern Victorian resident this mosquito season, chief health officer Tarun Weeramanthri said.
The person is likely to have been exposed to the disease in the vicinity of the Murray River along NSW’s Riverina region.
The virus has been detected along the Murray River from Mildura in the state’s north-west to Moira in central Victoria and in piggeries across all three eastern states.
Across the border, five human cases of Japanese encephalitis have also been reported in NSW and Queensland.
Japanese encephalitis, a flavivirus related to dengue and yellow fever, is transmitted by mosquitoes and can cause serious infection of the brain. Most people do not become sick but symptoms can include a fever, vomiting and headaches. In more severe cases patients can experience seizures, paralysis, permanent disability or even death.
– Australian Associated Press
Watch: David Crisafulli on preparing for Tropical Cyclone Alfred
Queensland’s premier, David Crisafulli, has stressed the importance of communities preparing for the approaching Tropical Cyclone Alfred. At a press briefing earlier today, he said there was “still an element of the population that hasn’t yet fully understood the magnitude of this system”.
Watch here:
Hyundai Australian Boardriders grand final postponed as cyclone approaches
The Hyundai Australian Boardriders grand final has been postponed, joining a lineup of Gold Coast events called off this week due to Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
The Boardriders competition was originally scheduled to take place on the Gold Coast this Saturday and Sunday, but “has been postponed due to Cyclone Alfred and the extreme weather conditions forecast for the region,” Surfing Australia said in a statement.
Due to forced measures, and based on official weather models and advice from the Bureau of Meteorology, council and emergency services authorities, we have made this decision in the interest of the safety of all competitors, staff, and spectators.
Safety remains our highest priority. Forecast conditions indicate that it will not be safe to run the event or for competitors and officials to travel.
New event dates will be announced shortly.
The AFL’s season opening match between Brisbane Lions and Geelong originally scheduled for Thursday has also been called off, as well as the WPGA championship. The Gold Coast acting mayor, Donna Gates, said the Green Day tour may also make an announcement by close of business today.
Natasha May
‘Gaining health, not just losing weight’: peak body for GPs seeks to change public health messaging
The peak body for GPs has released a new position statement on obesity prevention and management calling to “flip the script … about gaining health, not just losing weight”.
It comes on World Obesity Day, as a new study has predicted one in two Australian children will be obese or overweight by 2050 unless action is taken now.
Dr Terri-Lynne South, the chair of the Royal Australian College of GPs Obesity Management Specific Interest Group said:
We need to flip the script when it comes to public health messaging – it’s about gaining health, not just losing weight. Obesity affects health and wellbeing in numerous ways, it has links to many chronic conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and many cancers, as well as mental health issues.
The evidence on obesity has advanced significantly. We now know the causes are multiple and complex, including genetics, early life experiences, changes in the gut microbiome, stress, and disordered sleep, as well as the environment around us, the impact of junk food advertising and food choices available.
There are also many more effective therapeutic treatments, which can be used together with lifestyle changes, to support people to improve their health and wellbeing.
The RACGP president, Dr Michael Wright, said more government funding for longer GP consults and mental healthcare consults was essential in supporting people who are overweight or obese across Australia.
Opening AFL match called off due to QLD cyclone
Mike Hytner
The AFL’s season opening match between Brisbane Lions and Geelong originally scheduled for Thursday has, as expected, been called off due to the potential impact of Tropical Cyclone Alfred in Queensland. Saturday’s game between the Suns and Essendon on the Gold Coast will also be rescheduled, the AFL confirmed on Tuesday afternoon.
“Out of an abundance of caution and after ongoing communication with the Queensland government, the Bureau of Meteorology and Stadiums Queensland, the AFL made the decision now to ensure the health and safety of clubs, players, officials and – importantly – the wider southeastern Queensland and northern NSW community remains the priority,” an AFL statement read.
An alternative date for the games will be announced as soon as possible, the AFL said, but that would definitely not be during this week’s opening round.
The AFL CEO, Andrew Dillon, said he hoped the weather event didn’t eventuate, but plans needed to be made to prepare the area for the worst and the AFL does not want its games to distract from those preparations. Dillon said:
We want to make the decision now to give clubs and fans certainty in an uncertain environment and allow anyone from Queensland who would normally be involved in this game through coaching, playing, attending or working at the venue time to be home with their families and available in the community if required.
The first game of the season will now be on Friday, when the Sydney Swans take on Hawthorn at the SCG.
Stay off roads and tie down outdoor furniture, acting Gold Coast mayor says
Gates has urged people to get off the roads and to prepare outdoor furniture for the incoming Tropical Cyclone Alfred. The acting mayor for the Gold Coast said:
We’re urging people to stay off the roads on Thursday and Friday. Hopefully, they’ll reopen on Saturday. So, still urging people to please clear your gutters. You have time this afternoon. Clear the gutters, tie down the furniture. If you live in a high-rise and you have things on the balcony, get them inside. It’s really important that there are no objects lying around that are going to … cause damage.