Police statement on missing people in Eugowra
Here’s the information NSW police have put out regarding the two missing people in Eugowra, both last seen Monday morning.
Ljubisa ‘Les’ Vugec, aged 85, was last seen at a home in Evelyn Street, Eugowra, about 9am Monday 14 November 2022.
When family could not locate him or contact him, he was reported missing to officers from Central West Police District, who commenced an investigation into his whereabouts.
Family and police hold serious concerns for his welfare.
Dianne Smith, aged 60, last spoke to a relative on the phone about 9.30am Monday 14 November 2022, after calling from her car in Eugowra.
When relatives were not able to contact her again she was reported missing to officers from Parkes Police Station.
“Apocalyptic” is how one Eugowra resident, Tess Herbert, described the flash flooding to ABC Radio. An “inland tsunami” is how another, Mat Reid, put it to my colleagues.
If you want to understand a bit more about the devastation to the small central west NSW town, Caitlin Cassidy and Cait Kelly have this story:
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Transparency International responds to Labor whistleblower plan
The attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, has this morning revealed Labor’s plan to deliver “immediate improvements” to whistleblowing laws with a bill to be introduced in the final sitting fortnight of 2022 ahead of a fuller review in 2023.
The first tranche of reforms will deliver on an election commitment to act on recommendations of the 2016 Moss review into the Public Interest Disclosure Act.
Transparency International Australia chief executive, Clancy Moore, has responded:
We welcome the news by the Attorney-General to introduce legislation to improve protections for people that blow the whistle on corruption. This should include a dedicated whistle-blower authority and stronger protections for both public and private sector whistle-blowers. Whistle-blowers are often the single most important people to bring corrupt conduct to light. They should be protected and not prosecuted as has been the case recently. This news by the government is a step in the right direction.
NSW floods causing ‘Lismore-level devastation’: Andrew Gee
Nationals MP Andrew Gee is the federal member for Calare, which covers the area of central west NSW including Eugowra, which was devastated by flooding earlier this week.
Gee is speaking to ABC Radio and says it’s “Lismore level devastation but with smaller communities”. He’s also shared some pretty harrowing details and stories about what the community has experienced.
Gee says buildings were “picked up from their foundations and washed down streets”.
He says floodwaters have left “cars strewn over town” and over 90% of homes “hit in some way.”
On the eastern side of Eugowra, only three homes weren’t hit, Gee says.
The residents talk about a tsunami coming at them.
He shares the story of one of his constituents.
Floodwaters picked his vehicle up and slammed him into a house side on.
The man crawled through a window in the house, where he saw a mother and three children who he helped get onto the roof.
By the time hoisted last child up, flood waters were approaching his neck.
Turnbull says there is a ‘pressure from rightwing media” to appear hard on China
He says:
Just because you label a particular policy or statement ‘hashtag standing up to China’, and it plays well in the headlines, does not mean that you’re not shooting yourself in the foot.
Turnbull calls for politicians to act in a “sober adult way.”
Turnbull says Dutton used to wedge Morrison on China but expects more mature Labor approach
Malcolm Turnbull is now discussing some of the circumstances in the former Coalition government which led to the diplomatic freeze between Australia and China.
Turnbull has been highly critical of the now opposition leader and former defence minister Peter Dutton of wedging then prime minister Scott Morrison on China and escalating tensions. Turnbull said it was “highly irresponsible” of Dutton to do so.
He says he expected a more mature approach from Anthony Albanese on this issue.
Turnbull pinpoints China’s “overreaction” to Morrison’s call for there to be a Covid inquiry as the event which saw the relationship between the countries reach its lowest point.
Turnbull says Albanese’s Xi meeting not a ‘deep dive’ but still ‘important’
The prime minister Anthony Albanese is the first Australian prime minister to have a meeting with China’s leader Xi Jinping since Malcolm Turnbull in 2016.
Turnbull is now speaking with ABC Radio.
He says the half hour meeting “wasn’t exactly a deep dive but the important thing is that it happened”.
We should be looking forward to a more normal relationship resuming.
Turnbull is asked what a normal relationship with China might look like. He says there will be areas identified for collaboration, but other areas cooperation won’t be possible because of national security concerns.
The reality is that we don’t have a perfect level of trust, and neither do China with us.
Medibank set for AGM amid fallout from cyber-attack
Medibank will today hold its annual general meeting amid the fallout from the huge data hack that has left the company in turmoil.
The board is expected to face a grilling from shareholders at the meeting, a month on from hackers stealing personal information from all of the health insurer’s 9.7 million former and current customers.
Medibank shares sat at $3.55 before the hack and dropped as low as $2.75, as directors refused to pay a $US9.7m (almost $A15m) ransom.
Shareholders are expected to vote on performance bonuses for Medibank’s executives and re-elect directors.
The hackers, who police said late last week were from Russia, have indicated they’ll be watching the meeting to see if the insurer opts to take a different course regarding the stolen data.
Releasing their latest batch of stolen information – 500 records for people’s mental illness diagnoses – the hackers said they wouldn’t post more until the meeting was over. They earlier wrote in an update:
There is some more records for everybody to know.
We’ll announce that next portion of data we’ll publish at Friday, bypassing this week completely in a hope something meaningful happened on Wednesday.
A 100 officer-strong, standing cybercrime operation targeting the hackers will be led by the Australian Federal Police and Australian Signals Directorate.
Data including names, phones numbers, Medicare numbers and sensitive health information were taken by the hackers during the breach.
– via AAP
Russia playing a ‘dangerous game’, Simon Birmingham says
ABC Radio asked Simon Birmingham about reports from this morning that a Russian missile has hit Poland near the Ukraine border: The shadow foreign affairs minister says:
This is deeply, deeply troubling news.
If an accident occurs it can result in a real escalation … it shows just how dangerous a game Russia is playing.
For live updates on the situation in Ukraine, follow our blog:
What does Birmingham expect will come out of this dialogue?
We can’t expect instant miracles, but the ultimate test of dialogue will be the outcomes that are received if this dialogue is successful, to see breakthroughs in regard to those trade barriers… and also critically the just treatment of Australian’s detained in China.
And then of course challenges in terms of engagement within the region, that we must continue to argue for China to respect international law, international rules and norms
Opposition welcomes Albanese’s meeting with Xi
The prime minister Anthony Albanese yesterday met with China’s president Xi Jinping. After the historic meeting, Albanese said:
We will cooperate where we can, disagree where we must.
The shadow foreign affairs minister Simon Birmingham has spoken with ABC Radio this morning.
RN Breakfast host Patricia Karvelas asked Birmingham if he gives the Albanese government credit for pulling off this meeting, where the former Coalition government couldn’t.
Yes, it’s a very good thing that this meeting has happened. Having a dialogue is always far preferable than having a stand-off.
It’s important the [Australian] government continues to stand firm on those matters of Australia’s national interest, as they have indicated they’re doing.
On the possbility some of the Coalition’s trumped-up rhetoric against China led to this very prolonged period of Australia being in the deep freeze, Birmingham says there were “many difficult issues” the former government confronted, including China’s actions in the South China Sea, Covid, and the detention of Australians. He says many of these issues will continue into the future.
All of those issues have created additional tensions.. no doubt there will be challenges in the future.. but where possible I hope we can maintain progress in terms of the stabilisation of the relationship.
Police statement on missing people in Eugowra
Here’s the information NSW police have put out regarding the two missing people in Eugowra, both last seen Monday morning.
Ljubisa ‘Les’ Vugec, aged 85, was last seen at a home in Evelyn Street, Eugowra, about 9am Monday 14 November 2022.
When family could not locate him or contact him, he was reported missing to officers from Central West Police District, who commenced an investigation into his whereabouts.
Family and police hold serious concerns for his welfare.
Dianne Smith, aged 60, last spoke to a relative on the phone about 9.30am Monday 14 November 2022, after calling from her car in Eugowra.
When relatives were not able to contact her again she was reported missing to officers from Parkes Police Station.
“Apocalyptic” is how one Eugowra resident, Tess Herbert, described the flash flooding to ABC Radio. An “inland tsunami” is how another, Mat Reid, put it to my colleagues.
If you want to understand a bit more about the devastation to the small central west NSW town, Caitlin Cassidy and Cait Kelly have this story:
SES issues more than 100 flood warnings across NSW
Evacuation orders are currently affecting Forbes, Eugowra and Gunnedah.
The orders for Gunnedah are the latest, only coming through late last night.
EMERGENCY WARNING- PARTS OF NORTH GUNNEDAH
People in the following areas to EVACUATE NOW due to dangerous major flooding:
Bloomfield St
Little Conadilly St
Rosemary St
Tempest St
Maitland St
Marquis St
Maitland St
Elgin St
Abbott St
Little Conadilly Sthttps://t.co/FZooFaAris pic.twitter.com/bZqLT7Zxad— NSW SES (@NSWSES) November 15, 2022
Emergency crews carry out 17 flood rescues in NSW
The SES have responded to 329 calls for help and performed 17 flood rescues in the past 24 hours.
AAP have more detail on the flood rescues in NSW:
Fourteen people were rescued in Forbes at around 8pm last night after the Plainsman Motel was inundated.
A rescue helicopter rescued an elderly couple, their daughter and two small dogs from a Forbes home that was threatened by rising waters about 10pm.
Just before dawn this morning, two people were plucked from the roof of a submerged vehicle in flood water at Condobolin.
The SES has issued 25 emergency warnings across the state, while in Forbes about 1,000 people and up to 600 homes and businesses are affected by evacuation orders.
Fourteen aircraft have been designated to support stranded residents and another four are helping with logistics and transport.
Two missing amid major flooding in NSW
Good morning! Natasha May now on deck with you. A bit more information about flooding as rivers continue to swell across the south east of the country.
The peak of the flood in the central west NSW town of Forbes is expected today and the Lachlan River could reach 10.8 metres, just above the peak of the town’s last major flood a fortnight ago.
Emergency services are searching for two people missing in the town of Eugowra, following roof-high flash flooding Monday.
Dianne Smith, 60, last spoke to a relative on the phone from her car on Monday morning and Ljubisa “Les” Vugec, 85, was last seen at his Eugowra home around the same time.
More than 160 emergency personnel, including 12 volunteers from New Zealand, have been deployed to help in the flood-ravaged central west.
People in parts of the north-western town of Gunnedah have been told to evacuate as the area is hit with major flooding.
The Namoi River is predicted to peak near 8.2 metres early in the day.
Major flooding continues across several rivers in SE Aus. A Severe Weather Warning for heavy rainfall is current for eastern TAS.
Showery and cool conditions are forecast to continue in SE Aus before drier weather arrives on Thurs.
Latest warnings: https://t.co/t7ZB5p9k69 pic.twitter.com/fNatwbNhhT
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) November 15, 2022
– with AAP
White Ribbon Australia backs away from Sydney jetski parade
Another headline-maker this morning is anti-domestic violence group White Ribbon Australia which has distanced itself from a controversial plan for 50 jetskis to ride on Sydney Harbour.
The fundraising idea for a flotilla of jetskis to form a ribbon shape on Friday’s White Ribbon Day has been labeled “tokenistic” and a “tone-deaf stunt” by some anti-violence groups and the NSW Labor opposition, though others welcomed it as a valuable awareness-raising activity.
The organisation’s national director, who had previously defended the idea, points out the event was not organised by the official White Ribbon group but was co-ordinated by NSW Maritime.
There’s a lot of press reaction to the Albanese-Xi meeting.
In the Sydney Morning Herald, international editor peter Hartcher argues that “this what capitulation by a great power looks like”. He says that, in contrast to some Beijing propaganda, China instituted the rapprochement and we can expect export bans to fade away in the comiong months.
It’s too much to expect Xi to be embarrassed. But the Australian apologists for China, who hysterically warned of economic armageddon unless Canberra surrendered, should be ashamed.
In contrast, in the Australian Greg Sheridan says that although it appeared to be like old times again as the leaders of China and Australia exchanged warm handshakes, the reality is different.
This is a chastened and mature Australian leadership, which has absorbed all the sobering lessons of the 10 years of Xi Jinping’s rule in China.
Good morning
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of today’s news on Wednesday 16 November.
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The big story overnight was Anthony Albanese’s meeting with Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Bali last night. The prime minister told the Chinese president that Australia would stick to its values as he laid down a marker in the first top-level talks between the two countries for six years. Our political editor, Katharine Murphy, says the meeting showed Anthony Albanese is realistic about the relationship and is prepared to negotiate a way through the diplomatic maze. Standby for lots of reaction to what went down at the luxury Mulia Resort in Nusa Dua.
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Albanese’s agenda for today is expected to include formal bilaterals with British prime minister Rishi Sunak, French president Emmanuel Macron and Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi.
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Floods were discussed by Albanese and Xi and they continue to dominate the agenda back home as people in central New South Wales start cleaning up after days of devastating floods surged through towns, sweeping away houses, cars and and anything else in their path. Our reporters Caitlin Cassidy and Cait Kelly sent this dispatch about incredible scenes of devastation, and some equally incredible rescues.
