Australia news live: government tells non-essential officials to leave Israel and UAE; NSW extends no-interest loans scheme | Australia news
Government orders non-essential staff to leave Israel and UAE
The Australian government has told non-essential Australian officials in Israel and the UAE to leave the country amid a deteriorating security situation amid the ongoing war in the Middle East.
Penny WongThe Foreign Secretary announced his decision on Thursday night, saying “key” Australian officials would remain in the countries to help Australians in need of support.
The Foreign Office added that crisis portal registrations were open to Australians in Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Iran, Israel, Qatar and the UAE.
The Australian Government has ordered the departure of non-essential Australian officials deployed to Israel and the UAE due to the deteriorating security situation. Essential Australian officials will remain in the country to support Australians in need.
— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) March 12, 2026
important events
Man restrained by police in Melbourne dies
Victoria police are investigating after a man died in Fitzroy North on Thursday afternoon.
Police said in a statement that officers responded to ambulance calls for assistance regarding an uncooperative patient at a property at around 3.50pm. The teams arrived at the scene and captured the man. He then lost consciousness and paramedics began CPR.
He died shortly after. The exact circumstances of his death are still being determined.
Homicide detectives will investigate the case under the supervision of the professional standards command, as is normal practice when someone dies in police custody.
Good morning, happy Friday. Nick Visser I’m here to get the blog and guide you through the weekend. Let’s get to the point.
Queensland and Northern Territory damaged by floods
Gympie mayor says the deaths are a fresh blow for the area hit hard by severe weather Glen Hartwig he told the Australian Associated Press.
Up to 400mm of rain fell in 24 hours before floodwaters “absolutely ripped apart” western parts of the region.
Crops, fences and roads have been destroyed but the full extent of the damage will not be known until the floodwaters recede.
“Looking at the financial impact on farmers, it will be 12 months before they get any money back from these destroyed pastures,” Hartwig said.
Chinchilla, northwest of Brisbane, was next in line after Bundaberg was flooded on Wednesday, leaving hundreds of homes and businesses submerged.
A state of emergency was declared in the Western Downs town and an exclusion zone was created after local people were evacuated to the demonstration areas.
Nearby Charleys Creek peaked at 6.4 meters on Thursday, falling well short of the 2011 record of 7.45 metres, but more than 60 homes and businesses were still affected.
Attention has turned further west to Longreach, where residents face an anxious wait ahead of the town’s first major flood since 2000.
In the Northern Territory, there are numerous flood warnings and watches in place across the saturated Upper End.
While residents of Katherine are being evacuated, the river is expected to rise further.
Backpackers found dead in a submerged car were on their way to pick fruit
Two backpackers were on their way to pick fruit when their car flew off a bridge into floodwaters, Australia’s Associated Press reported.
Their bodies were found in a submerged vehicle at Kilkivan, west of Gympie, yesterday during the search for two Chinese tourists missing in flood-ravaged Queensland.
The tragedy marked the first deaths from flooding in the rain-soaked region, as other communities braced for rising river levels.
The backpackers, a 26-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman, left Brisbane on Sunday for the four-hour journey to the North Burnett region.
“Their intention was to go to Mundubbera to pick fruit,” the police minister said. Dan Purdie, he told reporters.
A friend reported them missing on Tuesday, prompting a massive search.
“It looks like the vehicle went off a bridge into the flooded waters, it’s really sad to see that,” Purdie said.
The victims’ families have been notified and will travel to Australia while police work with the Chinese consulate.
NSW government extends interest-free loan program amid cost of living concerns
Penry Buckley
The Minns government has extended its interest-free loan scheme for another five years as cost-of-living concerns re-emerged, including a developing energy crisis caused by conflict in the Middle East.
The government has announced a further $21.5 million will be transferred to the NSW interest-free (NIL) scheme, where people earning less than $70,000 before tax, or families earning less than $100,000 overall, can borrow up to $2,000 for appliances, furniture, car repairs or medical expenses, or up to $3,000 for housing-related expenses such as rental bonds.
NSW minister for better regulation and fair trading Anoulack Chanthivongsays:
We understand the pressure faced by households in every corner of NSW; Whether they need to replace their stove or refrigerator or they’re just trying to get help buying a new rental property.
By offering this alternative, consumers can safely obtain essential supplies for home or essential medical procedures while maintaining their financial well-being and independence.
Nearly 12,000 people used the program last fiscal year; That’s down from almost 13,500 in 2023-24, but cost-of-living concerns have re-emerged due to potential fuel shortages. As we reported yesterday, the Premier of NSW, Chris MinnsHe warned against panic buying, saying government departments were meeting to discuss coordinating fuel for hospitals and emergency services in case of shortages.
Government orders non-essential staff to leave Israel and UAE
The Australian government has told non-essential Australian officials in Israel and the UAE to leave the country amid a deteriorating security situation amid the ongoing war in the Middle East.
Penny WongThe Foreign Secretary announced his decision on Thursday night, saying “essential” Australian officials would remain in the countries to assist Australians in need of support.
The Foreign Office added that crisis portal registrations were open to Australians in Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Iran, Israel, Qatar and the UAE.
The Australian Government has ordered the departure of non-essential Australian officials deployed to Israel and the UAE due to the deteriorating security situation. Essential Australian officials will remain in the country to support Australians in need.
— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) March 12, 2026
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I Martin Farrer with the most talked about night stories before Nick Visser gets you through the weekend.
