Australia live news updates: Queensland passes 70% vaccination milestone; Cop26 coal deal sends ‘clear message’ to Coalition; 905 Covid cases in Victoria | Australia news

Got some bad neighbours? Well, you’re not alone. But don’t fret! We’ve got this great little yarn about how you can handle it.

We’ve got some more information on the large fire that has broken out at a factory site in the Hunter region of New South Wales.

More than 20 firefighting units are attending the scene in Kurri Kurri and multiple large buildings are ablaze. The fire is being fuelled by the strong winds and large quantities of chemicals, hand sanitiser and paint.

The site includes a medical waste incinerator.

NSW police said the building was believed to be empty.

A police spokesperson said:

There is currently no risk to residential properties.

The building is believed to have been unoccupied at the time, and no injuries have been reported.

Members of the public are advised to stay home with your windows closed and air-conditioning on. Those suffering from a respiratory condition are advised to avoid the area and seek medical assistance if required.

And I’ve got some extra information on Queensland borders.

Earlier today Queensland health minister Yvette D’Ath addressed the media.

By the federal government’s numbers, the state hit the 70% milestone today, but premier Annastacia Palaszczuk would officially announce it tomorrow, D’Ath said.

The premier will stand up tomorrow with great news.

Queensland, you are kicking this out of the park. This 70% is just the start. We are on our way not just to meeting our 80% target as well, but getting to 90% target.

Palaszczuk is expected to announce an easing of border restrictions early next week.

D’Ath said people from hotspots who were hanging out to get into Queensland should start getting prepared.

They need to be double vaxxed, have a test 72 hours before they arrive in the state and have adequate home quarantine measures in place. When those border passes become available in the next few days, they can apply.

A woman is on the run from South Australian police after allegedly giving false ID before escaping from a medi-hotel in Adelaide last night.

The woman had arrived from Darwin and was transferred to a city medi-hotel, but left the hotel about 7.45pm on Saturday.

It will be alleged she provided false identification to police on arrival in South Australia.

The woman tested negative to Covid-19 on arrival in SA.

She was last seen wearing the same outfit as in CCTV image and may have gotten into a taxi near the intersection of Pulteney Street and Rundle Mall, Adelaide.

Anyone who knows the woman’s identity or her whereabouts, or any taxi or other private passenger services that may have transported this person, is asked to contact police immediately on 131 444.

We’ve been following the searing statement from Ita Buttrose today, but for those who want the rundown, Amanda Meade has the full story here:

Two men escaped an incredible near-death experience yesterday when the plane they were flying crashed into the ocean off City beach in Perth.

Western Australia police said the pilot reported engine troubles, before being forced to manoeuvre the plane into the ocean shortly after 3.30pm on Saturday, local time.

The pilot and passenger were able to exit the aircraft and swim about 20 metres to shore. Neither have any serious injuries.

Insp Vic Hussey told reporters it had been airborne for about 20 to 30 minutes, having taken off from Jandakot airport, when the pilot reported an engine problem.

“He’d flown north across the coast. He just said to me he was looking for a safe spot to land, and the safest spot he could work out was the ocean, so that’s where he landed,” Hussey said.

The ABC had this photo below of the plane crash:

For any of you who are interested, here is the full statement from Ita Buttrose … and it is pretty searing stuff.

“I will leave it to Senator Bragg to explain his motives but the impact of this action is clear. As Chair of the ABC Board I am duty bound to call out any action that seeks to undermine the independence of the national broadcaster.”

This CNN package on Australia’s participation at Cop26 makes for grim viewing. A lot of disappointment from global heads of environmental groups like Greenpeace and Destination Zero.

We reported earlier today that the Ben Boyd national park is to be renamed, due to Boyd’s association with blackbirding, a form of slave trade that forced Pacific Islanders to work in Australia.

The park will now be renamed by traditional owners.

The questioning of place names has been welcomed by Indigenous leaders.

Yvonne Weldon, chairwoman of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council and the first Aboriginal candidate for lord mayor of the City of Sydney, said the questioning of public space names showed “we are moving forward as a society”.

She told the Guardian:

We must be secure enough in our identities to continue to talk about our public spaces.

Questioning who and what we remember, even when it throws up contradictions, is a sign that we are moving forward as a society and repairing relationships with our communities.

Weldon said she had been campaigning to have Aboriginal leaders recognised across Sydney without success.

There are 25 publicly funded statues of the colony’s early leaders around the CBD. Among them are Captain Cook, Governor Arthur Phillip, Lachlan Macquarie, Queen Victoria, explorer Matthew Flinders and even his cat Trim. But there isn’t one that recognises Indigenous leaders.

You can read the full story here: