Malinauskas steps up One Nation attack ahead of SA election – as it happened

That’s where we’ll leave it for today on the blog. Here are Thursday’s main stories:

• Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle forecast to hit far north Queensland three hours earlier than expected, with wind gusts up to 285km/h and daily rainfalls of 500mm possible.

• The cyclone is also expected to hit the Northern Territory on Saturday, where several waterways are already flooding.

• Treasury has downgraded Australia’s growth prospects over the coming few years, compounding the near-term damage from a global energy shock that Jim Chalmers says will be “a defining influence” on the May budget.

• Anthea Harris is appointed to head a national fuel supply taskforce, as the prime minister says national cabinet acknowledged that the longer the Middle East conflict goes, “the more significant impact will be for the global supply chain, fuel prices and the wider economy”.

• The unemployment rate lifted to 4.3% in February, from 4.1% the month before, despite a solid 48,900 increase in the number of employed Australians.

• Six cases of legionnaires’ disease have been detected in Melbourne’s outer north, prompting a warning from Victoria’s chief health officer.

• Australia’s competition watchdog is investigating each of the nation’s major fuel suppliers over allegations of anti-competitive conduct.

• Notorious outback killer Bradley John Murdoch yelled at police to “get out” as he lay dying in hospital, refusing to the last to reveal where he hid a backpacker he shot dead on a remote highway, an inquest heard.

We will see you here again for more news tomorrow.

A day after an awkward run-in, the South Australian premier has dismissed Pauline Hanson as a hypocrite and pretender in response to One Nation’s “remarkable” surge ahead of the state election, AAP reports.

Peter Malinauskas on Thursday stepped up his criticism of Hanson, accusing her of flying around the country on the nation’s richest person’s plane while advocating for battlers.

The premier took aim at the One Nation leader ahead of Saturday’s SA election barely 24 hours after Hanson appeared to ambush him.

She confronted Malinauskas over his recent One Nation comments as he headed to the final leaders’ debate in Adelaide on Wednesday before their uncomfortable meeting ended with a handshake.

However the premier wasn’t as civil on Thursday as One Nation maintained its surge before the weekend poll.

“These hypocrites flying around on private planes … that’s one thing, but having no plan or policy for the future of the state … that’s unforgivable,” he said.

Notorious outback killer Bradley John Murdoch yelled at police to “get out” as he lay dying in hospital, refusing to the last to reveal where he hid a backpacker he shot dead on a remote highway, AAP reports.

Northern Territory coroner Elisabeth Armitage on Thursday wrapped up an inquest into the 66-year-old’s death from throat cancer on 16 July 2025 at the palliative care unit of Alice Springs hospital.

Murdoch was serving a life sentence for murdering 28-year-old British backpacker Peter Falconio, and the assault and attempted kidnapping of his girlfriend Joanne Lees, now 52, on the Stuart Highway near Barrow Creek in July 2001.

The court heard that police visited Murdoch twice in the weeks before he died, in a final bid to uncover where Murdoch dumped Falconio’s body.

On one occasion, they hoped to show him a video from Falconio’s parents.

Murdoch was arrested in November 2003 over Falconio’s disappearance after a South Australian jury acquitted him of raping and falsely imprisoning a 12-year-old girl.

The SA case allowed NT police to obtain his DNA, which was later found on the makeshift handcuffs worn by Lees, as well as on her T-shirt, leading to his arrest.

Murdoch maintained his innocence and refused to divulge where he hid Falconio’s body.

Counsel assisting Chrissy McConnel told the inquest in Alice Springs on Thursday Supt Bill Carroll and two other officers visited Murdoch in jail just weeks before he died.

They hoped to show Murdoch a video Falconio’s parents made with the help of UK police.

“When the officers attended at the prison to speak with Mr Murdoch, he stated his innocence and refused to watch the video,” McConnel said.

Police again visited Murdoch days before he died in the palliative care unit, watched by prison guards 24 hours a day.

But the officers were only at his bedside for about 30 seconds.

“Mr Murdoch did not speak with the officers, instead yelling for them to ‘get out’,” McConnel said.

Seven people have escaped serious injury after a light plane crashed in Western Australia.

In a statement, the WA police said two pilots and five passengers were on board when the plane crashed in shallow waters in Roebuck about 11.25am WA time. One person suffered minor head injuries. Police said:

Police were notified of a light plane crash in shallow waters at Fisherman Bend in Roebuck.

Emergency services, including Police, DFES, St John WA and Marine Rescue, responded to the incident.

An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash is now underway.

Teenage boy in custody after allegedly firing BB gun at Rose Bay school

A 15-year-old boy is in police custody after allegedly firing a BB gun at the back of another student at a high school in Sydney’s east.

NSW police said in a statement on Thursday afternoon that officers were called to the school in Rose Bay just after 1.45pm today after reports of a teenager with a firearm.

Police have been told a 15-year-old boy fired a pellet at the back of another student with what’s been described as a ‘BB’ gun.

Police say there were no injuries and the weapon has been seized:

The 15-year-old boy was arrested at the scene pending further inquiries.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle remains as a huge category 5 storm off the Queensland coast this afternoon and has picked up pace, now moving at about 28km/h.

The latest track map of the storm, just released by the Bureau of Meteorology, has Narelle 410km east of the small town of Coen on the Cape York peninsular. Wind gusts are at an incredible 295km/h.

The latest map also shows an earlier time for the storm to make landfall which is now estimated at 7am on Friday morning – three hours earlier than forecasts this morning.

Earlier this morning, there were fears Narelle could cross the coast as a category 5 system, but the last two updates from the bureau (they are coming every four hours now) has a crossing as a category 4 very close to Coen.

That still means an incredibly dangerous storm with wind gusts between 225km/h and 279km/h.

According to the bureau, winds like that can cause significant roofing loss and structural damage” and can blow away caravans, cause dangerous airborne debris, cause extensive damage to vegetation and cause widespread power failures.

Tropical Cyclone Narelle update

There’s an update on the severe tropical cyclone Narelle set to hit Queensland early Friday, and the Northern Territory on Saturday.

It’s expected to hit between Lockhart River and Cape Melville, with winds of up to 285km/h and rainfalls up to 500mm a day.

It is expected to downgrade to a category 3 by the time it reaches the NT, but could still have 150-200mm of rain per day.

Those parts of the country are already sodden, with several NT catchments already in flood, increasing the risk of flash flooding.

Kristy McBain, the minister for regional development, said there’s no request for military assistance in Queensland, but there has been a request in the NT.

Energy minister confident in Australia’s fuel supply, but ‘more uncertainty’ ahead

Chris Bowen, the minister for energy and climate change, is giving a press conference in Brisbane.

There’s plenty of questions about energy supply, as you’d expect, but not much in the way of new details.

He said that 519m litres of unleaded and diesel fuel had been released from the country’s reserves, and much of that would be sent to regional and rural areas.

It may take some time to reach these areas, he said.

As to whether supply could be guaranteed beyond the end of next month, Bowen said:

Ships are arriving, the refineries are working full pelt, but beyond the second part of April, is where there’s more uncertainty.

On reports that gas fields in the Middle East were being targeted, he said “obviously anything like that is a negative development”. But there was little current impact on gas prices.

Really wish someone had taken it to the counter and tried to buy it:

ACF welcome NSW coalmine announcement, urge further action

The Australian Conservation Foundation say the NSW government ban on coalmines at greenfield sites is a good step, but a full transition away from the sector should be accelerated.

In a statement, ACF campaigner Freja Leonard said:

Today’s announcement is recognition that the coal industry is already in decline.

The NSW government should now plan for the orderly phase out of coal mining and support for coal workers.

The Minns Government’s continued acceptance of massive coal extensions or expansions, such as the Hunter Valley Operations Continuation project, runs contrary to the urgency that is required to meet the state’s own emission reduction targets.

The New South Wales government will bring an end to the development of new coalmines on unexplored sites in the state under a policy change announced today.

This afternoon, the Minns government released its coal industry statement for the years 2026-50, the first since the former Coalition government’s own framework in 2020, which committed to “significantly” scaling back where mining could occur.

But new sites have continued to be approved, including at least eight since the Minns government was elected in 2023. Last year, the government was warned it could not continue to approve sites after the NSW net zero commission said expansions were “not consistent” with the state’s legal emissions reductions commitments.

The change, under which the government will no longer consider proposals for “new standalone greenfield coalmines”, does not rule out the expansion of existing sites. The government has said it will “continue to support coal production where it is already occurring, while placing strong guardrails around future development”.

NSW’s coal industry generated $23.4bn in exports during 2025, directly employing 23,800 people at more than 30 operational coal sites across the Gunnedah, Hunter, Newcastle, southern and western regions, but demand is expected to decline as the energy transition progresses.

The finance minister, Courtney Houssos, says:

Coal has powered NSW for more than a century, and it will continue to support our economy for decades to come.

We’ve engaged with communities, industry, consent authorities, environment groups and trading partners. Their feedback has shaped a direction that gives certainty, sets firm expectations and keeps NSW a reliable supplier where market demand exists.

That’s all from me. Nino Bucci will be your guide from here. Take care.

We’d like to speak with Australians feeling the petrol pinch.

Are you consciously cutting back on fuel use? Have you cancelled a holiday? Are you working from home more? Are you taking fewer journeys? Are you limiting your use of energy for other things like air conditioning or cooking? Have you found a way to conserve fuel?

Let us know about your experiences here:

Boats being moored in Cooktown in far north Queensland as Cyclone Narelle approaches – video

Shenagh Gamble with the Bureau of Meteorology just provided an update for the NT and the impacts Narelle will have on the territory.

She said during a press conference:

People in the Top End should begin to prepare now and stay informed as our warnings will be issued and updated frequently over this next period.

Our current forecast is that cyclone Narelle will cross the NT coast as a category 3 severe tropical cyclone during Saturday, with the earliest impacts to Groote Eylandt Saturday afternoon.

The BoM will issue a tropical cyclone watch for communities in the eastern Top End and the surrounding areas. Rain from the cyclone will cause local creeks and rivers to rise again, including those that have already been affected by recent flood waters.

Gamble said:

It is very important that the community across the Top End stays aware of the current situation and stays alert to updated and new warnings as they are issued.

Cargo to remote Cape York communities disrupted by Tropical Cyclone Narelle

A cargo shipping company which delivers food, fuel and other essential goods to several remote communities across Cape York has halted operations for the rest of the week, with Tropical Cyclone Narelle expected to make landfall on Friday morning.

In a statement on Thursday, shipping and logistics company, Sea Swift said due to the “significant safety risk”, deliveries would not recommence until next week.

There will be no delivery to Cape York communities this week. These communities include Weipa, Skardon River, Lockhart River, and Aurukun. The Marine Team are working to minimise the disruption to the regular schedule as our depots prepare for TC Narelle to make landfall on Friday 20 March.

Over the coming days and remaining storm season we will maintain our commitment to safety and reliability in service for our crew and the communities of Northern Australia.

We will be taking guidance from authorities and disaster management teams in the Cape regarding the safe reopening of the ramps once the storm has passed.

The mayor of Lockhart River, Wayne Butcher, said his community was already prepared.

Our infrastructure is in pretty good condition, mainly water and sewerage, and we’ve got plenty of food and fuel left in the community.

Pauline Hanson says bill for using Rinehart’s plane is for SA One Nation leader Cory Benardi

Over in South Australia, Pauline Hanson has claimed the minor party’s state leader, Cory Bernardi, will pay to use a private plane registered to Gina Rinehart’s agricultural company S Kidman and Co to travel the state during their election campaign.

The One Nation leader has used a Pilatus PC-12 registered to Kidman and Co to travel the state in the lead up to his weekend’s election.

On Thursday afternoon, Hanson was asked who would be footing the bill and whether she considered the flights a political donation. The senator responded she had “nothing to do with it” and that Bernardi would pay for the costs.

She said:

No, I have nothing to do with it, actually. So my understanding is the bill’s going to Cory Bernardi, who’s paying for it. So it’s nothing to do with me … I was a passenger on the plane. It’s got nothing to do with me … I think you better go and ask Cory [Bernardi].

Hanson updated her register of interests this week to thank Kidman and Co chief executive, Adam Giles, for the flights, which have visited mostly regional areas of South Australia including Mount Gambier, Port Lincoln and Whyalla.

Hanson wrote: “It’s also wonderful catching a flight that doesn’t try and welcome me to my own country each time it touches down.”

Guardian Australia reporter, Sarah Martin, reported on Tuesday the senator had failed to properly declare more free flights on Rinehart’s planes, including a Tamworth to Brisbane flight in December last year on the day the former Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce announced his defection to One Nation. It follows a series of reports about Hanson’s failure to declare flights within the proper timelines, including Hanson’s trip to and from Florida last year with her chief of staff, James Ashby, provided by Rinehart’s company Hancock Prospecting, where they also stayed at Rinehart’s $66m Palm Beach mansion.

Read more here:

Treasury has downgraded Australia’s growth prospects over the coming few years, compounding the near-term damage from a global energy shock which Jim Chalmers says will be “a defining influence” on the May budget.

In a speech to the Australian Business Economists in Melbourne, the treasurer revealed that officials expect productivity growth to recover towards a more normal level over the coming five years, instead of two.

Alongside some changes to population growth forecasts to include a slower fall in net overseas migration, “GDP is now likely to be a quarter to half a percentage point weaker in the middle years of the forward estimates,” he said.

Chalmers flagged yesterday that the Middle East conflict could deliver a multi-billion dollar blow to the economy while also pushing inflation above 5% in a worst-case scenario.

The treasurer in today’s speech said the country was already struggling with high inflation, weak productivity growth, and a highly volatile global environment:

This conflict is not the only major challenge we face in our economy, but it exacerbates the others.

It’s adding to inflation when it is already too high, intensifying uncertainty when it is already elevated, and straining our productive capacity when it is already close to its limit.

As flagged earlier, Chalmers promised that his fifth budget would deliver a trio of “ambitious reform packages” to rebuild fiscal buffers, make the tax system fairer, and lift the nation’s lagging productivity performance.

David Crisafulli says planning is already under way for expected recovery efforts.

I want communities to know that we’ll be there before, during and after the event. There can’t be daylight between that.

I know these communities are resilient and they’ve been here before and they know what wind and a lot of rain looks like.

This is a serious system though, and I’m asking people to take it seriously. Because it is the kind of event that doesn’t happen all that often.

To put it in perspective, not since the late 1800s in the far north of this state has a category five system crossed. Category five systems don’t cross the coast that frequently. It’s a serious event, but I can assure you we can get through it.