Queensland in the spotlight as El Niño signals drought/flood risks clash with heat records and new hate-speech debates shake state politics. Local gov leader background: a northeastern state in Australia.
Heavy rains in Northern Territory and Queensland have caused severe flooding, resulting in two deaths of Chinese tourists and ongoing evacuations. Australian authorities have deployed Defence Force personnel to assist communities, with climate change contributing to increased intensity of such weather events.
Australia's states and federal government are implementing temporary free public transport measures to counter rising fuel prices caused by the Iran war. Victoria and Tasmania are providing free travel until July, while other states focus on different cost-of-living relief strategies. The measures aim to ease household financial pressures.
Experts are monitoring a high likelihood of a strong El Niño developing this summer, which could lead to record global temperatures in 2027. The phenomenon may cause extreme weather events worldwide, including droughts and heavy rainfall, with a 62% chance of a super El Niño persisting into the end of the year.
A man has died after a shark bite while spearfishing near Kennedy Shoal, about 45 km off Queensland’s northeast coast. He was taken ashore by boat and pronounced dead shortly after. The incident follows a separate fatal shark attack near Rottnest Island, Western Australia, on May 16. Authorities note that there are about 20 shark attacks in Australia each year, most not fatal.