Australia news live: ACT closes 71 schools over play sand health scare; NSW police charge 752 people in DV blitz

9.00pm GMT Think tank warns against gas-backed rescue of Whyalla steelworks Taxpayers will need to pay up to $2bn in additional subsidies if the federal and South Australian governments support an “entirely uneconomic” gas-backed plan to rescue the ailing Whyalla steelworks, according to new analysis by Climate Energy Finance. The warning comes ahead of a decision by administrators over the future of the steelworks, one of only two major integrated steel projects in Australia and the only local manufacturer of rail. The decision is seen as a defining choice for Australia between reverting to manufacturing powered by gas, and developing renewables-based industrial capacity. Climate Energy Finance calculated that it would cost between $1.7bn and $2bn over a decade in gas supply subsidies and hundreds of millions in pipeline infrastructure to help a gas-based plant compete with overseas manufacturers. It says: The SA and Australian governments have a time-critical opportunity to deploy targeted, national interest public capital to strategically invest in pivoting the steelworks to Australia’s first-of-a-kind green iron and steel production hub powered by large-scale firmed renewables. A consortium including manufacturer BlueScope is seen as the leading bidder to take over Whyalla. Earlier in 2025, the steelworks received a $2.4bn state and federal government bailout package to help keep it afloat and save jobs. There are concerns that billions of dollars of public money may be used to prop up power-hungry manufacturing operations around Australia that prove to be unsustainable. 8.48pm GMT Ley defends abandoning net zero by 2050 target, says renewables too expensive Opposition leader Sussan Ley spoke with RN Breakfast this morning to stress she cares about the climate, but “when energy is unaffordable, everything is unaffordable”. Her comments come after the Liberal party dumped its net zero emissions targets last week. Related: Factchecking five Coalition claims about net zero, from power prices to the $9tn cost Ley was asked repeatedly how the Coalition could assure voters it took climate change seriously after the move, and how she responded to findings that renewable energy remains the lowest cost new build electricity generation in Australia. She said: I want to reassure people listening who care about the climate that I do too, which is why we have dedicated emissions reduction goals in our plan. And I want to make this clear: emissions will be reduced on average year on year for every five-year period under our nationally determined contribution. And we’ll do our fair share. … There will always be renewables under our plan. But in rushing the transition, what we’re doing is pushing prices up. The CSIRO said in July renewables are the cheapest option for new-build electricity generation. Updated at 8.53pm GMT 8.39pm GMT Government funds $200m in weather resilience projects The federal government has announced $200m in new funding for projects to help communities in every state and territory become more resilient to severe weather events. Ahead of the summer bushfire season, the minister for emergency management, Kristy McBain, said 96 projects will receive new support from the government’s $1b Disaster Ready Fund. “Australians are no stranger to the floods, bushfires and cyclones that impact us year-on-year,” she said. Examples of the new funding including: NT: $594,000 for an Emergency Coordination Facility that will be developed for the Alice Springs Town Council, enhancing local disaster response capabilities. NSW: $14,174,095 for the Narrandera Urban Stormwater Upgrade to mitigate the impacts of 1 in 100-year flood events. WA: $895,114 for increasing Karajarri Ranger Capacity to mitigate extreme wildfire risks. VIC: $6,454,104 for the Numurkah Flood Mitigation – construction of two ring levees. QLD: $14,620,000 for the Palm Island Cyclone Shelter – an 800-person cyclone shelter and evacuation centre. SA: $1,600,634 for the Building Wakefield’s Flood Resilience – an infrastructure project to protect Townsvale Estate, Balaklava. TAS: $540,000 for the Launceston Flood Mitigation Plan. ACT: $421,240 for the Flash Flood Warning System – using flood data and modelling to provide timely, location specific, relevant warnings to the community. Updated at 8.41pm GMT 8.32pm GMT Good morning Good morning, and welcome to Monday. Nick Visser here to dive into the week’s news. Here’s what’s on deck: 71 public schools will be closed in the ACT today after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said more children’s sand products may contain asbestos. The sand, sold at Kmart and Target, is now subject to a voluntary recall. The ACT said “in the interest of the safety of our students, staff and community we have decided to close some schools that have this product to allow for assessment clean-up and remediation to occur”. NSW police arrested and charged 752 people with domestic violence offences during a four-day operation across the state. Officials said the effort, Operation Amarok, “sends a powerful message to every victim-survivor that you are not alone and police are working every day to protect you”. Stick with us.