In this bulletin;
- Cyclone Alfred's delay to prolong torrential rain;
- New racism register report highlights stereotypes confronting First Nations peoples;
- And in sport, Liverpool strike a lucky late goal to win first leg of Champions league clash.
Weather experts say Tropical Cyclone Alfred's delayed and unpredictable approach is set to ensure torrential rain lashes the coast of Queensland and New South Wales for even longer.
The latest forecast predicts Alfred will hit between the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast late Friday or early Saturday, almost 24 hours later than initially predicted, before moving downward to New South Wales.
The State Emergency Service has issued 24 prepare to evacuate orders in New South Wales's Northern Rivers, including towns such as Ballina, previously devastated by record-breaking floods three years ago.
Premier Chris Minns has asked flood-weary residents to prepare for the worst and hope for the best, with 20,000 people at risk of flooding in the worst case scenario.
"Alfred is behaving at the moment like a completely unwanted house guest. It's told us it's going to be late but linger even longer and unfortunately that means that the window of destruction in our community - heavy rain, winds, powerful surf - is longer than we would've otherwise liked. As a result of that, we're gonna need the local community, we're going to be leaning on this local community - this resilient, tough, defiant community in the Northern Rivers - to do their bit. It's very important that you prepare your house, keep your documents together, download the Hazards Near Me app and never ever drive through floodwaters."
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Racist attitudes and stereotyping are the predominant forms of racism experienced by First Nations peoples in Australia, according to the latest Call It Out report.
The Jumbunna Institute for Education and Research's national online register records racism and discrimination experienced by First Nations peoples, including direct reports by Indigenous peoples, as well as witnesses to incidents.
The October 2023 Voice Referendum was cited in one fifth of all reports of racism, with two thirds of those reports made by witnesses of racism, and predominantly involved negative attitudes or stereotyping, and hate speech.
Uncle Dale Ruska has been at the forefront of grassroots activism for Aboriginal rights since the 1970s and says Australia's colonisation is built upon a systemic racism that positions whiteness as superior to blackness.
"I see this country and how it administers, it ensures the maintenance of white supremacy and black disadvantage. And if that wasn't the case, I'd put the question out to all Australians that have established rights and interests in this country as a part of the colony as to whether they recognise that the land they occupy is stolen land?"
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Victoria's much-anticipated bail review has been fast-tracked, as crime statistics show home invasions - where the occupants are present or offender is armed - have doubled in the state over the past decade.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan tasked Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny and Police Minister Anthony Carbines with reviewing criminal justice settings, including bail, in early February.
The attorney-general now says the review's release is imminent.
In the 12 months to September 2015, there were 2576 private dwelling home invasions compared to 6390 in the year to September 2024.
It comes as a 15-year-old who allegedly stole a Mercedes in a Brighton home invasion last month, and led police on a chase at speeds up to 240 kilometres per hour, was bailed despite a magistrate noting the community was "totally over" the behaviour.
Premier Allan says her government is keen to bring laws into alignment with what the community have been calling for.
"What is clear to me is that our current settings need to be changed and do not align with community expectations and that is the work that the Attorney-General and the Police Minister are undertaking right now. What I'm focused on is making the changes to the law that supports the work that Victoria Police are undertaking 24 hours a day, seven days a week."
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In football,
Arne Slot's Liverpool are breathing a sigh of relief after surviving an onslaught of shots by Paris St Germain only to find a lucky late goal to win the first leg of their Champions League clash 1-0.
It took a career best display from Slot's keeper Allison Becker to defuse PSG's 27 shots as the Parisians dominated with 65 per cent of possessions.
And in just the first shot on target for Liverpool, substitute Harvey Elliott managed to win it for the Premier League leaders with a late goal in the 87th minute.
Arne Slot says his team was lucky to get out of the match with a win.
"I think if we would have had a draw over here, we already would have been the lucky ones. And that is clear for everyone. I think they were the much better team today, especially in the first half. They had a lot of open chances – well, three or four big, big, big chances. In the second half they were still the better team, still had a lot of shots on target."
Liverpool will face PSG again at Anfield next Wednesday, hoping to secure a place in the Champions League quarter-finals against either Aston Villa or Club Brugge.
