Australia news live: government tells non-essential officials to leave Israel and UAE; NSW extends no-interest loans scheme

From 13m agoGovernment orders non-essential staff to leave Israel and UAEThe Australian Government has told non-essential Australian officials in Israel and the UAE to leave due to the deteriorating security situation amid the ongoing war in the Middle EastPenny Wong, foreign affairs minister, announced the decision on Thursday night in which she said “essential” Australian officials would remain in the countries to help Australians who needed support.She added that registrations for the Department of Foreign Affairs crisis portal were open for Australians in Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Iran, Israel, Qatar and the UAE.The Australian Government has directed the departure of non-essential Australian officials posted to Israel and the UAE, due to the deteriorating security situation. Essential Australian officials will remain in-country to support Australians who need it.— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) March 12, 2026Key events10m agoBackpackers found dead in submerged car were heading for fruitpicking jobs12m agoNSW government extends no-interest loan scheme amid cost-of-living concerns13m agoGovernment orders non-essential staff to leave Israel and UAE17m agoWelcomeShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this featureQueensland and Northern Territory battered by floodingThe deaths are another blow for an area which has been hit hard by the wild weather, Gympie mayor Glen Hartwig told Australian Associated Press.Up to 400mm of rain fell in 24 hours before flood waters “absolutely smashed” the region’s western areas.Crops, fences and roads were destroyed but the full extent of the damage won’t be known until flood waters recede.“Looking at the financial impact on farmers, it will be 12 months before they will take any money from these paddocks that have been destroyed,” Hartwig said.Chinchilla, north-west of Brisbane, had been next in line after Bundaberg was flooded on Wednesday, swamping hundreds of houses and businesses.An emergency was declared and exclusion zone set up in the Western Downs town as locals evacuated to the showgrounds.Nearby Charleys Creek peaked on Thursday at 6.4m, well short of the 2011 record of 7.45m, but more than 60 homes and businesses were still impacted.Attention has turned further west to Longreach where residents face an anxious wait ahead of the town’s first major flood since 2000.In the Northern Territory, multiple flood warnings and watches are in place across the saturated Top End.Residents have been evacuated at Katherine, with further river rises expected.Backpackers found dead in submerged car were heading for fruitpicking jobsTwo backpackers were on their way to pick fruit when their car drove off a bridge into flood waters, Australian Associated Press reports.Their bodies were discovered at Kilkivan, west of Gympie, yesterday in the submerged vehicle during a search for two missing Chinese tourists who disappeared in flood-ravaged Queensland.The tragedy marked the first flood-related deaths in the rain-drenched region as other communities braced for rising river levels.The backpackers – a 26-year-old man and 23-year-old woman – left Brisbane on Sunday to take the four-hour drive up to the North Burnett region.“Their intention was to go to Mundubbera to do fruit picking,” the police minister, Dan Purdie, told reporters.A friend reported them missing on Tuesday, sparking a large-scale search.“It looks like the vehicle has driven off a bridge into flooded waters, which is really sad to see,” Purdie saidThe victims’ families have been notified and will travel to Australia as police work with the Chinese consulate.NSW government extends no-interest loan scheme amid cost-of-living concernsPenry BuckleyThe Minns government has extended a no-interest loan scheme for a further five years amid renewed cost-of-living concerns including a burgeoning energy crisis caused by conflict in the Middle East.The government has announced a further $21.5m will go towards the NSW no-interest (NIL) scheme, under which individuals who earn less than $70,000 before tax, or families who earn less than $100,000 combined, can borrow up to $2,000 for appliances, furniture, car repairs or medical expenses, or up to $3,000 for housing-related expenses such as rental bonds.The NSW minister for better regulation and fair trading, Anoulack Chanthivong, says: double quotation markWe understand the pressure households in every corner of NSW are facing – whether they need to replace a stove, or a fridge, or are just trying to get help securing a new rental property. By offering this alternative, consumers can safely obtain items for the household or key medical procedures while safeguarding their financial wellbeing and independence. About 12,000 people used the scheme in the last financial year, down from almost 13,500 in 2023–24, but there are renewed cost-of-living concerns amid potential fuel shortages. As we reported yesterday, the NSW premier, Chris Minns, has warned against panic buying, saying government departments had met to discuss the coordination of fuel for hospitals and emergency services in the event of shortages.Government orders non-essential staff to leave Israel and UAEThe Australian Government has told non-essential Australian officials in Israel and the UAE to leave due to the deteriorating security situation amid the ongoing war in the Middle EastPenny Wong, foreign affairs minister, announced the decision on Thursday night in which she said “essential” Australian officials would remain in the countries to help Australians who needed support.She added that registrations for the Department of Foreign Affairs crisis portal were open for Australians in Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Iran, Israel, Qatar and the UAE.The Australian Government has directed the departure of non-essential Australian officials posted to Israel and the UAE, due to the deteriorating security situation. Essential Australian officials will remain in-country to support Australians who need it.— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) March 12, 2026WelcomeGood morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories before Nick Visser takes you through to the weekend.