Sewage expected to overflow into flood water, Queensland water authority warns
Look, this is both gross and important. In QLD the Seqwater authority is warning that sewage is expected to overflow into some flood water:
We’re experiencing wastewater overflows and releases from some of our wastewater infrastructure due to a range of reasons including increased flows from wet weather, power outages or critical components of pump stations having been removed as part of preparation works.
We’re reminding people to avoid contact with flood water and local waterways following wet weather. During wet weather events, waterways can be impacted by a range of sources including diluted wastewater, debris, animal waste and stormwater run-off.
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Drinking water remains safe.
You can find more info here: https://www.urbanutilities.com.au/faults-and-interruptions/incidents
Key events
Barrett said “a number of people” had been identified as part of the fake terrorism plot and the AFP was also working with law enforcement agencies overseas in order to pursue those responsible.
She continued:
Regardless of the motivation of those responsible for this fake plot, it has had a chilling effect on the Jewish community. This twisted self-serving criminality has terrorised Australians. What organised crime has done to the Jewish community is reprehensible, and it won’t go without consequences.
There was also unwarranted suspicion directed at other communities, and that is also reprehensible.
AFP ‘confident these tip-offs were fabricated’
Barrett said the joint investigation had considered giving the information to the public earlier but as they had continued to receive tip-offs “about other terror plots related to this matter … out of an abundance of caution it was agreed by all agencies the operation would remain in the joint counter-terrorism team”.
Barrett continued:
While we were confident these were fake, we could not risk ignoring the information provided and we kept investigating at highest level.
We are now confident these tip-offs were fabricated and the caravan plot was an elaborate scheme contrived by organised criminals domestically and from offshore. There were several people who had different levels of involvement in this fake terrorism plot, but put simply the plan was the following: Organise someone to buy a caravan, place it with explosives and written material of antisemitic nature, leave it in a specific location and then once that happened, inform law enforcement about an impending terror attacks against Jewish Australians.
We believe the person pulling the strings wanted changes to their criminal status but maintained a distance from their scheme and hired alleged local criminals to carry out parts of their plan.
AFP: caravan found in Sydney was ‘a fake terrorism plot’
Federal police say a caravan found in Sydney was “never going to cause a mass casualty event” and was a “fake terrorism plot”.
Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Krissy Barrett, speaking to media just now, said the AFP had been investigating those allegedly responsible for the caravan found with explosives and antisemitic material on the 19 January.
Barrett said:
Within hours of the caravan being found any perceived threat was mitigated and the investigation was referred to the New South Wales joint counter-terrorism team, which includes the AFP, NSW Police, ASIO and the New South Wales Crime Commission.
Almost immediately, experienced investigators within the joint counter-terrorism team believed that the caravan was part of a fabricated terrorist plot, essentially a … con job.
This was because of the information they already had, how easily the caravan was found and how visible the explosives were in the caravan. Also there was no detonator. Today, I can reveal the caravan was never going to cause a mass casualty event but instead [we will allege] was concocted … to cause fear for personal benefit.
Deputy Commissioner David Hudson said that until today, the investigation – the taskforce for which has 48 officers involved in it – had identified 14 offences for continued investigation, and until this morning had resulted in 15 arrests and 78 charges for several of those incidents.
The explosives-containing caravan that was discovered at Dural on 19 January, which also contained threats directed towards the Jewish community, was investigated jointly by the NSW police, Australian federal police, Asio and the New South Wales Crime Commission due to the possibility it reached the threshold of a terrorist incident, Hudson said.
Hudson said that very quickly following the detection of the caravan, police identified there were strong and significant crossovers between two investigations, which escalated investigations into a multi-jurisdictional operation involving other jurisdictions.
Hudson said:
As a result of these ongoing enquiries, and the significant investigative work, officers attached to Strike Force Pearl conducted over it activity commencing at 6am this morning. This was in the form of a further 11 search warrants and three firearm prohibition searches. It has resulted in the arrest of a further 14 individuals and we are charging them with 49 offences linked to Strike Force Pearl.
Police presser on investigation into ‘serious hate crimes’
The AFP and NSW police are speaking to media now about their investigations into “serious hate crimes and significant criminal activity committed on places of worship”.
Here’s a round up of the weather forecast for those already-inundated areas in Queensland and NSW.
Gold Coast mayor gives update
The mayor of the Gold Coast, Tom Tate, spoke to media a short time ago.
He said while the rain had started to ease, it was still very dangerous outside, on the foreshore especially. People should stay away from the flood water and the waterways generally. There are 20 sunken boats in the Broadwater.
The SES has picked up 2,600 jobs, with 1,500 outstanding.
Tate said:
Even though the rain is subsiding, there is still a tremendous amount of water coming through for isolated flash flooding to occur, so don’t take your chances, take a longer route home. We have teams ready on the beach, as I said, so there will be signage out there, and just take notice of that signage.
For those wondering what to do with their sandbags once they have no further use for them, Tate said:
Empty the sand, if you can, in your garden, and put the bags in your bin, and that’s probably the best way to take it away.
Some good news was that water quality was still good, Tate said, with the sewage system holding up and the mains water still very drinkable.
Reports have emerged this afternoon that NSW police have raided properties across Sydney today, investigating possible organised crime links to the Dural caravan.
That’s the caravan found in January on the outskirts of north-west Sydney, laden with explosives. Here’s some background on that one, if you need a refresher:
We’re expecting a press conference on this issue from NSW police and the Australian federal police within the hour. I’ll bring you all those details when it gets under way.
Cait Kelly
Righto, with that I am off. Thank you so much for spending the morning with me on the blog.
I am going to hand over to the formidable Stephanie Convery who will take you through the afternoon. Stay safe and dry please!
Flooding in Brisbane suburbs in the wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred:
Keen blog readers will remember NSW Premier Chris Minns got a little bit short with a reporter this morning, after he was asked a series of questions about evacuation centres closing.
We have the video here now if you want to take a look:
From AAP:
Star Entertainment Group is reviewing a recapitalisation offer from a US casino giant that could save it from going into administration.
Bally’s Corporation has proposed a last-minute $250m recapitalisation plan in exchange for at least a 50.1% stake in the casino operator.
Star’s board will review the proposal, after receiving the offer in a letter from Bally’s.
Star’s shares have been in a trading halt for more than a week, after it was unable to sign off on a financial report as spiralling debts of more than $400m had the company facing potential insolvency.