21:36
Federation at work?
From our NSW and Victoria state politics bureaux, Michael McGowan and Belinda Kolovos report on the bonhomie between the premiers, not ideologically aligned, of Australia’s two largest states.
Listening to the New South Wales premier, Dominic Perrottet, speaking on Friday, you’d be forgiven for thinking Victoria was a new member of his cabinet.
Perrottet said the NSW government had “worked alongside” Victoria to deliver thousands of rapid antigen tests before schools resume next week. They were “the only states in the country” that could boast as much, he said.
On the business support package likely to be announced in the coming days Perrottet again referenced Victoria – the NSW treasurer, Matt Kean, was working “very closely” with his southern counterparts “because we’re in a very, very similar situation,” he said.
The bonhomie is apparently shared. On Thursday the Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, said the two premiers “work together as close as we can”.
21:05
Graham Readfearn
Temperatures over the Great Barrier Reef in December were the highest on record with “alarming” levels of heat that have put the ocean jewel on the verge of another mass bleaching of corals, according to analysis from US government scientists seen by Guardian Australia.
20:58
There will be a federal election this year. May is unbackable as the favoured month for it to be held. But make no mistake, the campaign has begun.
Political editor Katharine Murphy has been on the road with a man who wants to be prime minister, and asks two questions: Is Anthony Albanese ready to be prime minister? And, if he is, can he win?
(It’s first-class reportage and analysis, vintage Murpharoo).
20:50
Good morning/afternoon/evening, wherever these words might find you.
Ben Doherty here, bravely helming Guardian Australia’s liveblog this Saturday morning.
We have much to cover: there will be Covid updates from around the country after Australia reported a record number of Covid deaths yesterday, with 98 fatalities nationwide and 39 in Victoria alone.
The flood emergency in South Australia could worsen this weekend, after flash flooding also hit parts of Victoria and New South Wales.
There is much to contemplate on arenas sporting. The Ashes Test between the England and Australian women’s sides enters its third day, poised in Australia’s favour (but not irreparably so).
And at the tennis complex formerly known as Flinders Park (showing my age there), we will have the Australian Open women’s final between Australian Ash Barty and American Danielle Collins. If Barty wins, she will become the first Australian woman to win the Australian Open in 44 years.
That will be followed by the men’s doubles final – an all-Australian affair: Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis versus Matt Ebden and Max Purcell.