Here is a look at what is making news around the country today.
Today’s national news includes Mexican drug cartels eyes Australia for meth importation, Skyrocketing food prices causing Australians a lot of pain in their hip pocket, Hundreds rescued after massive flooding, and Aukus expansion talks to draw in Japan as a deterrent against China.
Nation
Hundreds rescued after massive flooding
Widespread flooding in Australia left hundreds needing to be rescued after a natural disaster was declared in regions across New South Wales, RTE News has reported. Intense rainfall at the start of the weekend saw around 300 homes evacuated in northeast Sydney. “The New South Wales government is continuing to assess the damage and understand the impact of this disaster,” federal minister for emergency management Catherine King said. Emergency crews have performed about 200 flood rescues since Friday, as some regions were left cut off by damaged or flooded roads. State emergency commissioner Carlene York said 60 community warnings remained in place for regions affected by the flooding.
https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2024/0407/1442151-australia-flooding/
Mexican drug cartels eyes Australia for meth importation
Mexican drug cartels are targeting Australia and bringing in more methamphetamine than ever before according to new federal police data, the Herald Sun reported. Mexican drug cartels are importing methamphetamine into Australia like never before, with nearly 70 per cent of the Australian market now consisting of products supplied from North America. In 2023 the Australian Federal Police and foreign law enforcement partners seized 23.6 tonnes of North American meth headed for Australia. AFP intelligence indicates that Mexican cartels have surpassed Southeast Asian suppliers as Australia’s largest meth source, with the drug purchased for as low as $1,000 in Mexico as opposed to about $3,000 in countries like Myanmar.
Cost of living
Skyrocketing food prices causing Australians a lot of pain in their hip pocket
Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume says prices at the supermarket are causing Australians “a lot of pain in their hip pocket” as prices have risen by “around 10 per cent” in the last two years, Sky News reports. An independent review into supermarket giants—led by former Labor competition minister Craig Emerson—suggests supermarkets with annual revenues of more than $5 billion need to follow a mandatory code. “We do know prices at the supermarket are causing people a lot of pain in their hip pocket,” Ms Hume said. “The price of bread has gone up by 17.5 per cent… The price of milk has gone up by around 16.5 per cent. So, we know that Australian consumers are feeling it in their hip pocket.”
Defence
Aukus expansion talks to draw in Japan as a deterrent against China
The US, UK, and Australia aim to bring new members into their Aukus security pact as Washington pushes for Japan to be involved as a deterrent against China, the Financial Times reports. Aukus, unveiled by the three countries in 2021, is part of their efforts to push back against China’s growing power in the Indo-Pacific region. US President Joe Biden has sought to step up partnerships with American allies in Asia, including Japan and the Philippines, amid China’s historic military build-up and its growing territorial assertiveness. Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will likely discuss expanding Aukus to include Japan when the president hosts the prime minister in Washington on Wednesday.
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