All of Australia’s mainland states and the Northern Territory had areas that reached more than 40C yesterday, as residents were warned it was too late to leave as two serious bushfires hit areas of South Australia. 

Meanwhile, a code red bushfire warning – signifying the worst possible conditions – was issued for parts of Victoria today.

As a result of the predicted conditions, some schools and early childhood centres will be closed in some districts and community services may not be available.

New figures from the ABC show one in 10 people on Queensland public housing waitlist are known to be at risk of domestic violence.

Almost 2200 people on the waitlist are desperate for housing due to concerns for their safety, with a number claiming that it’s not hard for their partners to find out where they are. 

So far today police in Australia would have dealt with 292 domestic violence matters. 

If you need someone to talk to, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. 

Queensland generated 15% of its electricity from renewable energy sources in September and October.

The Sunshine State aims to provide 20 per cent of its electricity from renewables - solar, wind and hydro - by 2020 and 50 per cent by 2030.

While Green Energy Markets believes Queensland will struggle to reach its target, Energy Minister Anthony Lynham remains confident, claiming Queensland is already making the steady transition to renewable energy. 

Colombia has announced plans to close borders, enforce curfews, and place bans on the sale of alcohol in an attempt to contain mass protests, amid sweeping unrest in South America.

Tens of thousands are expected to join protests today against the rightwing government of Iván Duque, whose popularity has fallen since taking office last year.

Director of Colombia Risk Analysis, Sergio Guzmán, says the government is worried because the people and organizations that have come out in support of the protest are more united than ever before.  

Former UK consulate employee, Simon Cheng, says he was tortured in China and accused of encouraging political unrest.

Whilst being detained for 15 days on China’s mainland, Mr Cheng claims he was “shackled, blindfolded and hooded”.

An interview with the British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab revealed the UK government supports Mr Cheng and has summoned the Chinese Ambassador.

Mr Raab said they have made it clear that it is expected the Chinese authorities will review and hold to account those responsible.

Australian universities RMIT and Murdoch have cut ties with Prince Andrew’s Pitch@Palace program following his disastrous BBC interview during which he was questioned about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. 

The Pitch@Palace competition aims to match young entrepreneurs with influential business leaders, and will not be continuing at the universities in 2020. 

Westpac’s failure to obey anti-money laundering and counter-terror finance laws allowed a customer to make payments to a person in the Philippines, who was later arrested for child sex trafficking and live-streaming child sex shows. 

The national bank has been accused of 23 million breaches of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws.

A group of 6800 Queenslanders is calling for New South Wales Supreme Court Justice Robert Beech-Jones to make a decision before Christmas on their almost nine-year class action for compensation from Seqwater for damage to their homes in the 2011 floods. 

Justice Beech-Jones retired in March 2019 to consider the evidence presented during the trial, which began in the NSW Supreme Court in December  2017.

Australia’s first national, not for profit legal watchdog for the environment, launches today to ensure Queensland’s environmental laws observed and enforced. 

CEO of the Environmental Defenders Office, David Morris, said the environmental problems facing Australia aren’t bound by state or territory lines.