Key occasions
Taree anticipated to be hit by file flood
The city of Taree in NSW is experiencing main flooding, the NSW SES says.
The Manning River was anticipated to peak at a brand new file of 6.3 metres, and stay above the foremost flood stage of three.7m all immediately.
The SES warned folks to not enter flood water for their very own security this morning.
The ABC reported that some residents in Taree and close by cities had been remoted by flood waters and a few had taken refuge on their roofs.

Rafqa Touma
Thanks to Martin Farrer for getting us began on the weblog this morning. I’ll be maintaining you posted from right here – let’s go.
Sydney commuters advised to keep away from practice journey on morning after high-voltage wires collapsed on practice
Sydney commuters have been advised to keep away from travelling by practice this morning after main disruptions to the community yesterday afternoon involving high-voltage wires collapsing on the top of a train and shutting down your complete westbound line.
“Passengers planning on travelling on the rail community this morning are suggested to keep away from journey or use various transport if potential,” Transport for NSW mentioned in a media launch this morning. Trains are operating on all traces however at a lowered frequency.
A faulty practice has been eliminated and repairs have been accomplished to overhead wiring in a single day.
Last inspections are being accomplished earlier than Transport for NSW reinstate energy later this morning so all six tracks from the west by way of Homebush can function. Regular timetabled companies are anticipated to return for the afternoon peak.
“Sydney Trains apologises once more to passengers for the inconvenience of the persevering with disruption,” Transport for NSW mentioned.
“The place the incident occurred is a significant rail artery and significant a part of the community, which noticed 5 of the six traces closed from 2:30pm yesterday.”
Dutton hit fallacious be aware all through marketing campaign – Labor chief

Tom McIlroy
The architect of federal Labor’s 3 Might election victory is talking on the Nationwide Press Membership immediately, explaining how Anthony Albanese held onto authorities in a landslide outcome.
The Labor celebration’s nationwide secretary and marketing campaign boss, Paul Erickson, will communicate at 12.30pm and take questions from the Canberra press gallery. Excerpts of the speech supplied to the media final night time present Erickson will speak about how efforts to convey down inflation and promote Labor’s cost-of-living message helped safe the historic win.
He says the prime minister hit his strides simply on the proper time to win. He’ll say:
From the primary Monday of January by way of to election day, the prime minister was within the type of a lifetime. At a presentational stage, the prime minister’s campaigning was exemplary.
The rallies, the speeches and the launch. The road walks, the varsity visits and the shifts on pre-poll. The debates, which each smart observer scored four-nil.
Albo was in his aspect, connecting with on a regular basis folks and having fun with it.
Chief of the Opposition Peter Dutton speaks on the perform centre for the 2025 Federal Election, on the Federal Liberal Reception in Brisbane, Australia, Might 3, 2025. {Photograph}: Mick Tsikas/Reuters
Erickson will say defeated opposition chief Peter Dutton hit the fallacious be aware for voters:
Peter Dutton was gloomy in regards to the nation, downcast in regards to the future, and most animated when magnifying the issues going through Australia. Which connects to the extra substantive dimension to the management distinction.
The prime minister and the opposition chief have been confronted by some essential management exams. The imposition of tariffs on Australian aluminium and metal. Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Liberation Day. The disruption of Anzac day commemorations by a neo-Nazi.
The distinction was as clear as night time and day: the prime minister provided genuine, measured and agency management. And Peter Dutton by no means missed a possibility to overlook a possibility.
In the event you’ve not heard of Erickson earlier than, now we have a useful profile which you’ll be able to learn beneath.
Albanese due residence after worldwide post-victory tour
The disarray within the opposition ranks will little question put a spring within the step of Anthony Albanese when he returns residence immediately after finishing his first worldwide engagements since being re-elected.
After conferences with President Prabowo Subianto in Indonesia, the prime minister joined Catholics and world leaders on the Vatican to signify Australia on the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV.
Albanese had a personal viewers with the newly elected pontiff and formally invited him to Australia for the Worldwide Eucharistic Congress in Sydney in 2028.
Albanese additionally met a variety of different world leaders, together with Volodomyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine and Ursula von der Leyen from the European Fee.
On his closing cease, Albanese met the prime minister of Singapore, Lawrence Wong, throughout a stopover within the metropolis state on the way in which again to Australia.
Talking about his final leg, Albanese mentioned: “Australia’s prosperity and financial future are linked with south-east Asia. I look ahead to additional discussing with Prime Minister Wong my authorities’s give attention to increasing Australia’s complete strategic partnership throughout our annual leaders’ assembly later this 12 months.”
Ley and Littleproud refuse to take blame for Coalition cut up

Krishani Dhanji
Sussan Ley and David Littleproud each spoke to media final night time, refusing to take the blame for the coalition breaking apart.
On ABC 730, Sarah Ferguson requested Ley whether or not she’d “blown up” the Coalition. Ley mentioned “completely not”.
“Completely not. I’m very disillusioned that the Nationals have chosen to stroll away from the Coalition. However I stay very respectful of David Littleproud and his workforce.”
Ferguson requested Littleproud the identical query in an interview on this system. The Nationals chief mentioned the celebration was in an “untenable place” after not getting a assure from the Liberal celebration on 4 coverage areas they needed within the new Coalition settlement.
Ley advised 730 she was additionally involved that the Nationals would break shadow cupboard solidarity, notably over local weather insurance policies.
“Clearly, the priority can be that it [breaking solidarity] would possibly relate to local weather coverage and it’d relate to different insurance policies, the place we should always current a united entrance to the Australian folks.”
However Littleproud advised 730 earlier in this system that the splinter wasn’t associated to web zero by 2050 or different local weather insurance policies. “Our place in the mean time is to assist web zero,” he mentioned. “So, nothing has modified with respect to that.”
Sydney trains nonetheless disrupted after yesterday’s energy failure
Sydney commuters face widespread disruption this morning as the town’s practice community recovers after a high-voltage wire fell on to the highest of a practice at Strathfield yesterday afternoon, trapping 300 passengers and sparking chaotic scenes through the night rush.
Sydney Trains mentioned earlier that “companies on most traces will likely be impacted this morning attributable to energy provide points at Strathfield. Trains will proceed to function on all traces however won’t run to timetable and the frequency of service will likely be lowered”.
Prepare companies on most traces will likely be impacted this morning attributable to energy provide points at Strathfield.
Trains will proceed to function on all traces however won’t run to timetable and the frequency of service will likely be lowered. pic.twitter.com/1R7XvRPOJe
— T9 Sydney Trains (@T9SydneyTrains) May 20, 2025
In one other social media assertion, the organisation mentioned folks ought to keep away from non-essential journey. All traces can be working by way of Strathfield by 6.30am it mentioned.
Restricted buses are supplementing trains between Lidcombe and Ashfield.
Please delay all non-essential journey or think about using different transport the place potential.
We anticipate all traces at Strathfield to be open once more round 6:30am. pic.twitter.com/dkPYPqIbdF
— T9 Sydney Trains (@T9SydneyTrains) May 20, 2025
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our reside information weblog. I’m Martin Farrer with the highest in a single day tales after which my colleague Rafqa Touma will take over.
Sydney Trains have warned commuters to anticipate delays this morning and check out totally different journey choices after yesterday’s overhead line collapse at Strathfield paralysed massive elements of the system and triggered intensive delays. Prepare companies on most traces will likely be affected this morning, Sydney Trains mentioned. We’ll have updates quickly.
The gender pay hole at greater than 100 commonwealth public sector employers together with the ABC has been laid naked for the first time. Information from the Office Gender Equality Company reveals the nationwide broadcaster pays males practically 10% greater than girls, however the personal sector hole (21.1%) was greater than triple the common public sector hole (6.4%).
Sussan Ley and David Littleproud have each refused to take the blame for the Coalition breaking apart. On ABC 730 final night time, Ley responded “completely not” when requested if she had “blown up” the Coalition, whereas Littleproud mentioned he had been left with no alternative however to tug the Nationals out. Extra arising.
And the NSW floods have continued to hit regional cities, with Taree a specific focus, the place residents have reportedly needed to wait on their roofs for rescue. Extra on this quickly too.