Updated at\u00a019.28 EDT<\/p>\n
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Tropical cyclone Narelle continues to weaken and has now been downgraded to an ex-tropical cyclone, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.<\/p>\n
However, a severe weather warning remained in place across the central and western Top End due to the risk of heavy, locally intense rainfall and damaging winds.<\/p>\n
The ex-tropical cyclone was currently located about 225km northeast of Katherine, bringing wind gusts to 100km\/h.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n Read more: Saturated NT braces for Tropical Cyclone Narelle<\/p>\n As Tropical Cyclone Narelle makes its way across the Top End, many territory communities are still reeling from a series of extreme weather events.<\/p>\n (A)manda Parkinson details the effects the extraordinary wet season has had on the region in this story:<\/p>\n Updated at\u00a021.05 EDT<\/p>\n NSW town flips switch on Australia\u2019s first community-owned solar farm and battery<\/p>\n Australia\u2019s first community co-op solar farm and battery has officially opened in Goulburn, New South Wales.<\/p>\n The project, a 1.4-megawatt solar farm with a 4MWh battery, is owned by 288 investors, 80% of whom are from the region\u2019s community.<\/p>\n Move over, Big Merino, Goulburn has a new star attraction. Photograph: Mike Bowers\/The Guardian<\/p>\n Andrew Bray, the chair of the Goulburn Community Energy Co-operative, said it was the culmination of 12 years of hard work by the community.<\/p>\n double quotation markThe powerful thing is these members now have a stake in a renewable energy power plant rather than leaving the clean energy market to large national and international interests. It is a great step in true benefit sharing.<\/p>\n The co-op ownership structure means that each investor has one vote, regardless of the size of their shareholding. As well as financial returns for investors, Bray said a portion of annual profits would be directed to a community fund to address energy poverty in the area.<\/p>\n Edison Zhou, the group director of Australia and New Zealand for Trinasolar Asia Pacific, which supplied the solar modules and energy storage, said:<\/p>\n double quotation markCommunity energy projects like this one show what is possible when local determination meets the right technology and the right partners.<\/p>\n We are proud that Trinasolar\u2019s solar modules, tracker and storage solutions could play a part in making it a reality, demonstrating that advanced clean\u2011energy technology is no longer just for large-scale developers, it is accessible to communities too.<\/p>\n The solar farm is completing final commissioning and is expected to be fully connected to the grid within weeks.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.51 EDT<\/p>\n Severe weather warning for central Top End as Tropical Cyclone Narelle<\/a> heads west<\/p>\n The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for intense rain and damaging winds across the central Top End, south of Darwin, as Tropical Cyclone Narelle continues its westward path.<\/p>\n Heavy rain, including six-hourly totals of 80 to 120mm, is heading for Katherine and the Daly River district \u2013 areas already dealing with the aftermath of severe flooding<\/a>.<\/p>\n Flood water in Katherine from heavy rain earlier in March, as the region prepares for more severe weather. Photograph: (A)manda Parkinson\/The Guardian<\/p>\n Prolonged significant flooding would continue at Daly police station, after river levels peaked at 16.42m last Sunday, above the 1998 flood level (16.25m).<\/p>\n According to the BoM, the river is expected to remain above the major flood level for the rest of the weekend and into next week, with renewed rises possible.<\/p>\n Significant flooding is also possible at Nitmiluk.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a021.07 EDT<\/p>\n Missing elderly Japanese tourist found alive in Tasmanian national park<\/p>\n An 81-year-old Japanese tourist, who was reported missing in Cradle Mountain national park, has been found alive this morning, Tasmanian Police said.<\/p>\n A search operation was launched about midnight on Saturday when the man could not be contacted.<\/p>\n Members of the public, not involved in the search, located the man about 7.45am on Sunday.<\/p>\n Police reported that he had walked away from his accommodation during the night and became disoriented in the darkness.<\/p>\n double quotation markThe male was located with non life-threatening injuries and is being assessed by Ambulance Tasmania paramedics at the scene. Police would like to thank all assisting Tasmanian emergency services and members of the public in successfully locating the missing person.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.24 EDT<\/p>\n Explainer: Could Australia ration fuel? <\/p>\n While fuel rationing is not on the cards just yet, according to the energy minister, Chris Bowen, federal and state governments have the power to ration supplies in an emergency.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re wondering what that could look like, this explainer from Guardian Australia\u2019s economics editor Patrick Commins provides some context:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a019.20 EDT<\/p>\n Bowen concedes fuel supply slowdown after earlier shrugging off reports top oil sources could cut Australia<\/p>\n Speaking on ABC\u2019s Insiders program, Chris Bowen has acknowledged that the flow of crude oil to some key importers has slowed, leading to knock-on effects for their customers, including Australia.<\/p>\n My Guardian Australia colleagues reported on this<\/a> on Friday, noting that the energy minister had shrugged off reports that some countries may prioritise their needs over exporting fuel to Australia.<\/p>\n They wrote:<\/p>\n double quotation markMajor sources of Australian oil, including Malaysia and South Korea, could cut their exports to prioritise local fuel needs, energy experts have warned, as Chris Bowen concedes some service stations are running out of stock. The energy minister said governments had \u2018powers\u2019 to ration petrol if supplies were more severely disrupted.<\/p>\n Bowen shrugged off reports in the Australian Financial Review on Thursday that the Malaysian embassy said the country\u2019s government would \u2018prioritise our own needs, and only then we can look at whatever demand that we receive from overseas\u2019. Malaysia is Australia\u2019s top source of crude oil.<\/p>\n Read more here:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a019.55 EDT<\/p>\n Australia not \u2018contemplating\u2019 fuel rationing but state and federal governments have powers, Bowen says<\/p>\n State governments also had fuel rationing powers, Chris Bowen said.<\/p>\n double quotation markWhen I was a kid \u2026 in the 80s in Sydney, I remember petrol rationing was done by state governments \u2013 the state governments do have powers there.<\/p>\n Yes, the Commonwealth government, under the fuel emergency act, has powers.<\/p>\n We are not contemplating, at this point, needing to use any of those powers.<\/p>\n Of course, they\u2019re there. And I think that can also give Australians reassurance that, yes, there are powers there, and there\u2019s plans in place and contingency, prudent contingency planning for the worst.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a019.23 EDT<\/p>\n Rationing under fuel emergency act only to be invoked in extreme shortage, Bowen says<\/p>\n The National Fuel Emergency Act 1984, which enables measures such as fuel rationing, had never been invoked, including during the first two Gulf wars and the Covid-19 pandemic, Chris Bowen said. The energy minister said:<\/p>\n double quotation markIt\u2019s not designed to be invoked lightly. It really has powers primarily around defence and health, in the first instance, to ensure that those key areas are getting diesel that they need, but also other forms of fuel.<\/p>\n I would need to be satisfied that there\u2019s a real shortage and that the powers under that act are useful.<\/p>\n I wouldn\u2019t exercise those quite remarkable powers unless I had pretty strong advice that it was necessary in the circumstances, and obviously it\u2019s something I would work through with the states.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a019.05 EDT<\/p>\n \u2018Massive increase\u2019 in fuel demand hitting regional areas hardest, Bowen says<\/p>\n Petrol stations were facing a huge spike in demand \u2013 a 100% increase in a few days, which Chris Bowen said was \u201cunderstandable and expected\u201d.<\/p>\n double quotation markWe\u2019ve seen a massive increase in demand, accompanied by that increase in regional areas. Obviously, the regional areas are where the supply chain is the hardest to manage. It takes longer to get from Geelong and Brisbane to the various regional areas.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve also got lots of rural suppliers, distributors and service stations working on very tight margins and not always able to access fuel that\u2019s available.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a018.51 EDT<\/p>\n Six cancelled fuel deliveries mainly from Asia, Bowen says<\/p>\n The six cancelled fuel deliveries were primarily from Asia, Chris Bowen said.<\/p>\n double quotation markIt\u2019s a matter of the refineries seeing some supply problems with their crude oil, which is then impacting on their ability to deliver to their customers, including Australia, but not exclusively Australia.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve always been clear, we\u2019re in an uncertain environment.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a018.43 EDT<\/p>\n Six of 81 ships carrying fuel to Australia cancelled since start of Iran war, Bowen says<\/p>\n Chris Bowen said it was a challenging international situation, and while import ships were still arriving, some had been cancelled. The energy minister said:<\/p>\n double quotation markWe get, on average, around 81 boats a month delivering fuel to Australia. We\u2019re aware of six boats that have been cancelled out of that 81, on average.<\/p>\n Some of those have already been replaced by the importers and refiners with other sources.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a019.28 EDT<\/p>\n Chris Bowen gives fuel crisis update<\/p>\n The energy minister, Chris Bowen, gave an update on the fuel crisis, telling the ABC Insiders program that petrol supply had increased to 38 days, with 30 days of diesel and jet fuel.<\/p>\n double quotation markThat indicates that while we\u2019ve released more from the strategic reserve, the ships continue to arrive in good numbers, and both [of] our refineries are working absolute full pelt, and they\u2019re both entirely 100% dedicated to Australian suppliers, not exports.<\/p>\n Chris Bowen. Photograph: Lukas Coch\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a018.48 EDT<\/p>\n Federal government must ensure prosperity for all, Malinauskas says<\/p>\n The SA premier, Peter Malinauskas, has told Insiders that the federal government needed to get the economic settings right to ensure that people weren\u2019t left behind as the economy grew.<\/p>\n double quotation markI think the prime minister, and the entirety of the federal Labor team, are very conscious of the fact that you\u2019re going to make sure that, first and foremost, the economic settings are right \u2013 to ensure that a growing economy doesn\u2019t leave people behind and actually delivers a dividend for more people to have a degree of prosperity in their lives.<\/p>\n And that\u2019s, of course, a very difficult thing to achieve, particularly in a global climate like the one that we have now<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a018.25 EDT<\/p>\n Triumphant Malinauskas says housing key to counter rise of protest parties<\/p>\n The re-elected South Australian premier, Peter Malinauskas, said mainstream parties needed to offer a clear policy agenda in response to the rise of parties like One Nation.<\/p>\n Peter Malinauskas at his post-election function. Photograph: Matt Turner\/AAP<\/p>\n Appearing on ABC Insiders, he said:<\/p>\n double quotation markIf I was going to pick one area of policy that requires ongoing, sustained effort around the country, it is undoubtedly housing. I think that social compact that we have in Australia, where one family to the next can pass on to the idea of home ownership as an aspiration \u2013 I think that\u2019s at risk.<\/p>\n For me, it\u2019s all in on housing.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a019.27 EDT<\/p>\n Good morning<\/p>\n Welcome to another Sunday Guardian live blog.<\/p>\n We\u2019ll continue to bring you the latest on Tropical Cyclone Narelle<\/a>, which crossed the Northern Territory coast early this morning as a severe category three system, and will continue moving west bringing rain and dangerous storm surges across the Top End.<\/p>\n We\u2019ll also bring you all the wash-up from yesterday\u2019s South Australian state election, and keep across the unfolding situation in Iran.<\/p>\n We\u2019re expecting to hear from the energy minister, Chris Bowen, in TV interviews this morning for the latest on the fuel crisis, which the International Energy Agency has called the \u201clargest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market\u201d.<\/p>\n I\u2019m Petra Stock, and I\u2019ll be taking the blog through the day.<\/p>\n![\"Katherine](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Katherine_River_in_flood__Katherine__NT._Sunday_22_March_2026.--07f38818-89a8-4c30-919d-a51aac92750c.jpeg\")
Katherine River in flood, Katherine, NT. Sunday 22 March 2026. Video: (A)manda ParkinsonShare<\/a><\/p>\n