Mandatory child safety training and a national register of carers will be on the agenda when Australia’s education ministers gather for a crucial meeting.

The federal government is set to table $189 million worth of funding over four years to tackle problems in the under-fire sector, describing it as the biggest child safety package early learning has ever seen.

Backing up recently made tweaks to working-with-children checks which made bans nationally applicable, federal minister Jason Clare wants an education register designed to let regulators see who is working in childcare centres and where.

Along with mandatory training, Friday’s meeting is set to tackle a national CCTV assessment, more centre spot checks, a mobile phone ban and harsher penalties for breaches of standards.

It will also consider how parents can be given more information about the condition of childcare centres.

Mr Clare said no parent should have to wonder if their kids are safe in childcare.

“We need a national register to ensure we know who is caring for our children, and their work history,” he said.

“We also need mandatory child safety training … the overwhelming majority of childcare workers are awesome at what they do caring for and educating our children, they are just as angry as everyone else.”

The meeting comes about a month after Melbourne childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown was charged with dozens of sex offences, including allegedly sexually abusing eight children.

Brown is known to have worked at 24 facilities between 2017 and the time of his arrest.

The government has initiated compliance action against 30 early childhood centres under laws passed by federal parliament in July.

Under the changes, funding will be stripped from centres not meeting safety standards.

The working-with-children check changes will mean anyone prevented from holding a check in one state or territory will be automatically banned across the nation.

But a national check is not on the cards, with jurisdictions to continue managing their systems.

Early Childhood Education Minister Jess Walsh said state and federal governments would act “shoulder-to-shoulder” to make the sector safer.

“Our investment of up to $189 million is the biggest child safety package the early learning sector has ever seen,” she said.

Federal opposition education spokesman Jonno Duniam called for state and federal ministers to commit to measures “that will truly shift the dial in improving child safety”.

“The Albanese government must take up a leadership role in pushing the states and territories to implement reforms, and there must be no delay in their uptake,” he said.

“Bureaucratic hurdles are no excuses for parents who expect safer childcare centres immediately, not by the end of the year or after.”

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Police are vowing to arrest or charge pro-Palestine protesters if they unlawfully block traffic on a major city bridge after a magistrate denied legal protection for a proposed march.

Chief Magistrate Janelle Brassington ruled that Sunday’s planned march by up to 10,000 people across Brisbane’s Story Bridge would be declared an unauthorised protest.

“I’m satisfied (Queensland Police Service) has established there is a real and significant risk to persons in this case given the proposed route,” she said on Thursday.

Ms Brassington said the planned protest was not unlawful but participants would not have protection against being criminally charged for actions such as obstructing traffic.

Rally organiser Remah Naji said outside court that participants would still gather at the march’s planned starting point in a nearby park.

“The plan is still to go ahead with a peaceful assembly … we are considering our options at this stage,” she said.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Rhys Wildman said police would act to protect the safety of the community and maintain access for emergency vehicles to the major arterial road crossing the Story Bridge.

“We have to make it quite clear that anyone participating in a protest which is not authorised faces the prospect of enforcement action being taken against them, whether that’s on the day or post-event,” he said.

“There are a range of offences that are open to investigators to utilise, and we will have a significant policing presence this weekend to manage whatever response the protest organisers wish to take.”

Mr Wildman urged Justice for Palestine to stay in contact with the police major events unit.

Justice for Palestine Magan-djin proposed the rally as part of Sunday’s nationwide day of action that has been billed as the largest pro-Palestine demonstration in Australia’s history.

Organisers were still considering a court appeal to authorise the march, Ms Naji said.

The European Union will strive to ensure lower US tariffs apply to its car exports retroactively, EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic says, as the trans-Atlantic partners set out details of their framework trade deal struck in July.

In a joint statement, the two sides spelled out that 15 per cent US tariffs would apply to most EU imports and listed the commitments made, including the EU’s pledge to eliminate tariffs on US industrial goods and to give preferential market access for a wide range of US seafood and agricultural goods.

Washington would take steps to reduce the 27.5 per cent US tariffs on cars and car parts, a huge burden for European car makers, once Brussels introduced the legislation needed to enact promised tariff cuts on US goods, it said.

The statement on Thursday said US tariff relief on autos and auto parts would kick in on the first day of the month in which the EU introduced the legislation.

Sefcovic said it was the European Commission’s “firm intention” to make proposals by the end of the month, meaning the US car tariff reduction would apply from August 1.

A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly, said European car makers could see relief from the current US tariffs within “hopefully weeks”.

“As soon as they’re able to introduce that legislation – and I don’t mean pass it and fully implement it, but really introduce it – then we will be in a position to provide that relief. And I will say that both sides are very interested in moving quickly,” they said.

US President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the deal on July 27 at Trump’s luxury golf course in Scotland after months of negotiations.

The two leaders met again this week as part of negotiations aimed at ending Russia’s war in Ukraine, with both lauding their trade framework deal as an historic accomplishment.

The joint statement said the deal could be expanded over time to cover additional areas and further improve market access.

The joint statement was “a play to hold each other accountable” and ensure that both sides carried out the pledges announced in July, the official said.

It noted that the US agreed to apply only pre-existing Most Favoured Nation tariffs of below 15 per cent from September 1 on EU aircraft and parts, generic pharmaceuticals and ingredients, chemical precursors and unavailable natural resources, including cork.

This exemption did apply to include wine or spirits, a key EU demand, but the two sides agreed to consider other sectors and products for inclusions.

“So these doors are not closed forever,” Sefcovic said, while acknowledging that securing an exemption for alcoholic drinks would not be easy.

The statement reiterated the EU’s intention to procure $US750 billion in US liquefied natural gas, oil and nuclear energy products, plus an additional $US40 billion of US-made artificial intelligence chips.

It also repeated the intention for EU companies to invest an additional $US600 billion across US strategic sectors through 2028.

Both sides committed to address “unjustified digital trade barriers”, the statement said, and the EU agreed not to adopt network usage fees.

A levy for driving on Australian roads and faster home-building approvals could soon be introduced after the government’s economic roundtable, but bigger-ticket reforms might take longer to materialise.

The three-day summit produced 10 clear areas of consensus for reform, which Treasurer Jim Chalmers said would help achieve the “holy grail” for everyone assembled in the parliament house cabinet room: higher productivity and living standards.

Making housing more affordable and attracting business investment were clear themes unions, politicians, business leaders, civil society and economists in attendance could all agree on.

But while Dr Chalmers conceded the tax system was “imperfect”, especially in terms of intergenerational unfairness, no agreements on broader tax reform were reached.

Instead, the government would continue to consult over changes to make the tax system fairer for workers and young Australians, more attractive for businesses to invest and simpler and more sustainable.

“Our opportunities and our risks are finely balanced in our economy, in our society and in the world,” Dr Chalmers told reporters following the conclusion of the roundtable on Thursday.

“We believe that we give ourselves a much better chance of being the best in the world at confronting those challenges in an up-front way, in an honest way and in a decisive way, if we include more people in that task. 

“That’s what the last three days was all about.”

The treasurer identified some quick wins after 29 hours of discussions and 327 different contributions.

There was “more than the usual amount of consensus” around implementing a road user charge, which would ensure electric vehicle drivers contribute to road maintenance and plug a hole in the budget as fuel excise revenue dries up.

The government will work quickly to abolish nuisance tariffs, reduce complexity in the construction code, accelerate a new environmental protection act to speed up project approvals and develop an artificial intelligence plan for the public service.

Other areas, such as modular construction methods to speed up home building and harmonising licensing standards across state and territory lines, would take more time.

Dr Chalmers ruled out another lengthy external tax review and left the door open to tax changes before the next election.

“You can’t apply a blanket rule,” he said, citing work under way on road user charges and the rapidly changing multinational tax environment.

There was less consensus among participants around the vexed issue of tax than areas like de-regulation and skills.

Some changes canvassed included abolishing stamp duty in favour of land tax, raising the GST and taxing labour separately from capital.

Unions argued for a full suite of tax measures including limiting negative gearing to one investment property, reducing the 50 per cent discount on the capital gains tax and lifting tax on family trusts.

Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Sally McManus pushed back against calls to lower the corporate tax rate, which business groups said would make Australia more internationally competitive and boost foreign investment.

“We actually want our health care system, our education system, properly funded. We actually value all of those things,” Ms McManus told reporters on the sidelines.

Australian Council of Social Service chief executive Cassandra Goldie backed the union calls to tax wealth more and reduce concessions for housing, arguing Australia was undertaxed relative to OECD peers.

“We do not have a spending problem as a country,” she said.

Shadow treasurer Ted O’Brien vehemently disagreed.

After two days of mostly goodwill and congeniality, Mr O’Brien ripped into Dr Chalmers during a session on efficient government spending, accusing the government of lacking fiscal restraint.

“I set a test for the treasurer today to stop the spending spree, which starts with the introduction of quantifiable fiscal rules,” the lone opposition representative said during a break.

Mr O’Brien called for the government to put a roof on public spending, set time-bound targets to reduce red tape and conduct a total system cost analysis of the energy system.

A magistrate has ruled a pro-Palestine march should not take place on a major bridge over fears it will pose a “significant risk to public safety”.

Rally organisers have indicated they may defy the court order and go ahead with the protest on Brisbane’s Story Bridge on Sunday.

Police launched legal action to stop thousands of people marching on Queensland’s landmark six-lane bridge as part of a national day of action.

Chief Magistrate Janelle Brassington on Thursday ruled against it taking place, removing legal protections for participants and ensuring police have the power to charge or arrest protesters if they obstruct traffic.

Ms Brassington said rally organisers had good intentions but their proposal to cross the bridge could easily get out of control.

Up to 10,000 people were expected to attend the Brisbane rally as part of the nationwide day of action billed as the largest pro-Palestine demonstration in Australia’s history.

“Because of the features of the venue chosen there is a significant risk to public safety,” Ms Brassington said.

“It will inhibit access to major hospitals in Brisbane and to fire crews.”

Ms Brassington said there was uncontested evidence the march could be held on an alternative route used for other protests but did not involve crossing the Story Bridge.

Justice for Palestine Magan-djin did not consent to the alternative route across Victoria Bridge, so Ms Brassington was unable to make an order for that plan to be an authorised protest.

Rally organiser Remah Naji said the march would still go ahead at its planned starting point in a nearby park but was yet to decide on whether to cross the Story Bridge.

“We are considering our options … we are going to make a decision publicly over the next couple of days,” she said.

Justice for Palestine rally organisers had earlier indicated they would defy any court order and go ahead with the bridge protest to highlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

“Plan B is to go ahead. We plan to march across the Story Bridge on the 24th of August,” Ms Naji told Nine Network’s Today Show.

Queensland Police’s senior lawyer Marshall Bostock made the application to Brisbane Magistrates Court seeking to have the protest declared unauthorised.

“If there were anti-social behaviour on the bridge during the course of the procession, (senior police leadership) would not be able to send police in to adequately respond,” Mr Bostock said.

Queensland Police Assistant Commissioner Rhys Wildman said there was insufficient fencing to stop protesters climbing from the bridge’s road lanes to its footpaths, which were unsafe.

Justice for Palestine Magan-djin’s barrister Angus Scott told Ms Brassington it was not reasonable or necessary for public safety fears to block the march.

“It’s not enough to point to inconvenience, disruption or the fact that a sporting game is in the nearby vicinity,” he said.

Police and Brisbane rally organisers attempted mediation earlier this week without success.

The march aimed to mirror a recent demonstration across Sydney’s Harbour Bridge in which nearly 100,000 people attended in a sea of ponchos amid wet weather.

NSW Premier Chris Minns on Thursday said he would consider introducing legislation to stop the Harbour Bridge being used for protests.

“I’m not ruling it out,” he said.

The planned Brisbane protest was supported by civil society groups who said the court action was a waste of taxpayer money.

Queensland Police Minister Dan Purdie urged protesters to respect the court order.

“If protesters defy the decision … it will not only put people at risk, it will also take hundreds of police away from responding to crime,” he said.

Journalist Lisa Wilkinson and Network Ten were trying to fabricate a “whodunnit” and boost ratings by not identifying Bruce Lehrmann as an alleged rapist, his lawyer has argued. 

The former federal political staffer – dubbed a “national joke” by his lawyer on Wednesday – is appealing a civil court finding he raped his colleague Brittany Higgins in parliament house in 2019. 

The bruising decision came in April 2024 after Lehrmann sued Ten and Ms Wilkinson for defamation over an interview with Ms Higgins in which she aired the allegations. 

He was not named in the now-infamous interview on The Project. Wilkinson says this demonstrates she and Ten acted reasonably and carefully in broadcasting such a serious allegation.

But Lehrmann’s lawyer contends he wasn’t identified because Ten and Wilkinson had crafted a strategy to boost ratings by provoking a “buzz” of public scrutiny around the identity of Ms Higgins’ alleged assailant.

“(It is) viewed as a crafted strategy to maximise the ratings of a story, to achieve an exciting air of mystery akin to a ‘whodunnit’,” Zali Burrows claimed in written submissions for Lehrmann’s Federal Court appeal.

The “disingenuous” approach arguably highlighted the “sensationalism of a complex plot-driven story involving political scandal cover-up of a rape in parliament,” she wrote.

“Although Mr Lehrmann was not specifically named in the program, a sophisticated journalist would be aware when providing enough indica (sic) as to the identity of Mr Lehrmann, is teasing the viewer and inviting greater public engagement and promotion of the story,” Ms Burrows submitted.

The trial judge, Federal Court Justice Michael Lee, determined Lehrmann had been identified as the perpetrator of the assault by some viewers, but Wilkinson argues their number was small.

Ms Burrows took aim at Wilkinson’s defence that she had relied on advice from Ten’s legal counsel when preparing the broadcast and a subsequent Logies speech.

The journalist was heavily criticised for making the speech in 2022 about Ms Higgins’ allegations, which prompted a decision to delay Lehrmann’s criminal trial by three months. 

The trial was later abandoned with no findings against Lehrmann. 

The speech had been approved by her superiors and given the green light by Ten’s lawyers, the court has been told.

But that argument raised the question of whether it was reasonable “to rely upon legal advice (which) in the face of it is plainly wrong”, Ms Burrows wrote.

“(The defence) raises the proposition, if a lawyer tells you that you can run a red light, would you do it?” she asked. 

“With respect to Ms Wilkinson, a sophisticated highly intelligent and experienced journalist, it appears disingenuous to claim that she would follow the advice of lawyers, notwithstanding it was obviously bad advice.”

Justice Lee found the journalist and Ten had acted unreasonably in broadcasting the allegation, in part because they were entwined with claims of a parliamentary cover-up.

Ms Higgins claimed she had reported the rape to her superiors at parliament house including her boss, then-senator Linda Reynolds, but little action was taken.

But Ms Chrysanthou argued the alleged cover-up should have been considered separately from Ms Higgins’ account of sexual assault, because it was not connected to Lehrmann.

“His Honour was distracted by the so-called cover-up when he should have focused on the rape,” she said.

The broadcast did not allege there had been a “cover-up” but rather referred to “roadblocks to a police investigation”, Ms Chrysanthou told the appeal court.

Wilkinson and Ten are urging the court to uphold Justice Lee’s findings that Lehrmann had likely raped Ms Higgins. 

Among his four grounds of appeal, Lehrmann is challenging the definition of rape employed by Justice Lee, contending it was inconsistent with the meaning an ordinary person would understand. 

He maintains he did not sexually assault Ms Higgins.  

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Benjamin Netanyahu has doubled down on criticism of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, despite calls from Jewish leaders to ease up on the verbal attacks.

The Israeli prime minister said Mr Albanese’s record had been ruined over the response to the conflict in Gaza, which included recognition of a Palestinian state.

“I’m sure he has a reputable record as a public servant, but I think his record is forever tarnished that he showed in the face of these Hamas terrorist monsters,” he told Sky News.

The comments followed criticism from Mr Netanyahu on social media where he labelled Mr Albanese a “weak politician” and claimed he abandoned the nation’s Jewish community.

The fracas followed the federal government denying a visa to a far-right Israeli politician set to undertake a speaking tour of Australia at the invitation of a fringe Jewish group.

Israel retaliated by cancelling the visas of three Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority and ordering embassy staff to apply extra scrutiny to Australian applications to enter Israel.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion wrote to both leaders to warn the deterioration in diplomatic relations brought pain and anguish, suggesting both men should have opted for silence.

“The Australian Jewish community will not be left to deal with the fallout of a spat between two leaders who are playing to their respective domestic audiences,” he said.

Health Minister Mark Butler said the Israeli leader’s comments were “frankly ridiculous”.

“We’re not going to focus on those (comments). We’re going to focus on prosecuting a position that we think reflects Australia’s national interest,” he told Sky News.

“We’ve been very, very determined to make sure as far as possible that the division and the conflict that is happening over in the Middle East is not brought to our own country, that we focus on maintaining social cohesion.”

A spokesman for Palestine’s foreign ministry to Australia condemned Mr Netanyahu’s comments towards Mr Albanese, as well as similar criticism of French President Emmanuel Macron.

“Conflating recognition of the State of Palestine with anti-Semitism and interfering in the internal affairs of France and Australia is unjustifiable, hostile to peace, and contrary to the international consensus on the principle of the two-state solution,” the spokesman said.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley urged the prime minister to repair diplomatic ties with Israel.

“Anthony Albanese has a mismanaged relationship, and that mismanagement clearly has consequences,” she told reporters in Brisbane.

“What matters today is that we work hard together to get the relationship back on an even keel.”

The tit-for-tat between Australia and Israel marked an all-time low in diplomatic relations but the impact remained to be seen, Australian National University politics and international relations senior lecturer Charles Miller said.

“Australia’s championing of the rules-based global order looks hypocritical … to the extent it is combined with close relations with Israel,” he told AAP.

“By distancing itself from Israel, Australia gains credibility in many parts of the world, especially the Islamic world.”

Israel has been accused of committing war crimes in its military action in Gaza, with the International Criminal Court issuing an arrest warrant for Mr Netanyahu.

The warrant, which includes allegations of using starvation as a method of warfare and directing attacks against civilians, are not findings of guilt and Israel denies the claims.

Australia could feel ramifications of the diplomatic low through a lack of intelligence communication with Israel, along with flow-on effects to its relationship with America, Dr Miller said.

But the US factor should not be exaggerated because it ought not be assumed America “will always remain as pro-Israel”.

A state has vowed to go it alone on trialling CCTV in childcare centres if the federal government cannot quickly wrangle national consensus.

Education ministers from across the nation are due to meet in Sydney on Friday after a state childcare sector review exposed poor information sharing, legal constraints and chronic underfunding in the sector.

The Victorian review made 22 recommendations, including a national trial of CCTV in early childhood education and care settings.

Premier Jacinta Allan turned the screws on Federal Education Minister Jason Clare to get all states and territories on board, warning Victoria will “go it alone” if it’s not agreed to.

“It’s a national system – ideally these things would be done at a national level,” she told reporters on Thursday.

“However, if there’s not agreement on this matter, the state is looking at how we can proceed with a CCTV trial.”

G8 Education and Affinity Education have committed to installing CCTV in hundreds of their for-profit centres after Joshua Dale Brown was charged over the alleged sexual abuse of eight children at a G8-run site at Point Cook in Melbourne.

The NSW government also committed to trialling CCTV in childcare centres when the regulator had safety concerns following a review by former state deputy ombudsman Chris Wheeler.

But service leaders, staff, unions and parent groups raised “strong concerns” about rolling out CCTV during the Victorian review, led by former South Australian premier Jay Weatherill and veteran public servant Pamela White.

Their gripes centred on the security of footage, capturing children inappropriately in nappy changing areas and toilets, the cost coming at the expense of spending on staff and predators working in “blind spots”.

The review recommended the national CCTV trial start within the next 12 months.

Mr Clare spoke with Ms Allan on Wednesday, with the CCTV trial among 14 of the recommendations directed at the Commonwealth and national reforms.

Legislation will be introduced to Victorian parliament next week to allow working with children checks to be immediately suspended while reassessments are finalised.

MPs will sit until they pass the urgent bill, which also enacts an agreement from state and territories for people banned from holding a clearance in one jurisdiction to be banned in all.

Victorian Attorney-General Kilkenny said recent cases in Queensland had highlighted the issue of “opportunistic” predators moving between states.

“It goes to the very heart of this issue. No state can do this alone,” she said.

Further legislation will be needed in coming months to stop workers who have their clearances refused, revoked or suspended from appealing the decision at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, Ms Allan said.

The second package of reforms will move the state’s permit system and reportable conduct scheme under the control of the social services regulator.

Unannounced compliance visits will be doubled under the watch of an incoming standalone childcare sector regulator and harsher penalties meted out for breaches.

Child protection organisations have welcomed the state government’s pledge to push on with the reforms but said warning signs had been ignored for too long. 

“Systems have failed to communicate and predators have slipped through the cracks,” Bravehearts chief executive Alison Geale said.

The leading child protection organisation said the changes won’t just plug gaps but fundamentally shift the culture from being reactive to proactive.

The Front Project backed the review’s call for a national commission to reset the sector, while the Australian Education Union endorsed the recommended re-think of the current funding model and reliance on the for-profit market.

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Safety fears have been raised in a bid to block a pro-Palestine protest on a major bridge, with police warning a magistrate it could be dangerous.

Queensland Police launched legal action on Thursday in a bid to stop thousands marching on Brisbane’s Story Bridge on Sunday as part of a national day of action.

Chief Magistrate Janelle Brassington reserved her decision until Thursday afternoon.

But Justice for Palestine rally organisers have indicated they could defy any court order and go ahead with the protest that will highlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Up to 10,000 people were expected to attend the Brisbane rally as part of the nationwide day of action that has been billed as the largest pro-Palestine demonstration in Australia’s history.

Queensland Police’s senior lawyer Marshall Bostock made the application to Brisbane Magistrates Court seeking to have the protest declared unauthorised.

“If there were anti-social behaviour on the bridge during the course of the procession, (senior police leadership) would not be able to send police in to adequately respond,” Mr Bostock said.

Queensland Police Assistant Commissioner Rhys Wildman said there was insufficient fencing to stop protesters from climbing from the bridge’s road lanes to its footpaths, which were in an unsafe state of disrepair.

Justice for Palestine Magan-djin’s barrister Angus Scott told Ms Brassington it was not reasonable or necessary for public safety fears to block the march.

“It’s not enough to point to inconvenience, disruption or the fact that a sporting game is in the nearby vicinity,” he said.

Police and Brisbane rally organisers had attempted mediations earlier this week but had failed to come to a decision.

Protest organiser Remah Naji said they were set to march regardless of the magistrate’s decision.

“Plan B is to go ahead, we plan to march across the Story Bridge on the 24th of August,” she told Nine Network’s Today Show on Thursday.

Asked whether demonstrators were willing to break the law to protest, Ms Naji said: “We’re willing to march across the Story Bridge and raise awareness and pressure our government to act in times of genocide”.

“We have an obligation and all we want our government to act in accordance with international law.”

The march is set to mirror a recent demonstration across Sydney’s Harbour Bridge in which nearly 100,000 people attended in a sea of ponchos amid wet weather.

NSW Premier Chris Minns on Thursday said he would consider introducing legislation to stop the Harbour Bridge being used for protests.

“I’m not ruling it out,” he said.

“The government has to balance the public’s right to protest against the public’s right to enjoy a big city like Sydney.”

The planned Brisbane protest was supported by civil society groups who said the court action was a waste of taxpayer money.

“This unprecedented move undermines the right to peaceful assembly and sets a dangerous precedent for democracy in Queensland and across Australia,” Australian Democracy Network campaigner Anastasia Radievska said.

“Taking community organisers to court every time there’s a protest police dislike is an unacceptable waste of taxpayer money.”

A father and son whose car crashed into a river have been found dead, as an abnormally wet August threatens rain records.

Police divers found their car about 11.20am on Thursday after it crashed into a tree and went into the Macdonald River at St Albans, northwest of Sydney, late on Wednesday.

The pair, whose bodies were later found in the water, are yet to be formally identified but are believed to be aged in their 20s and 50s.

A 24-year-old man survived after escaping the car and reaching the riverbank.

“We believe that they’re sons and a father,” NSW Police Inspector Claudette Gebrael told reporters shortly before the vehicle was recovered on Thursday.

The rain continues as Sydney approaches its wettest August since records began in 1858.

Sydney’s Observatory Hill station measured 82mm in the 24 hours to 9am – exceeding the August average in a day – while totals above 50mm were widespread along nearby coastal areas.

SES deputy commissioner Debbie Platz said the agency has conducted five flood rescues and urged people to avoid floodwaters.

“We don’t know what’s under this water … how deep it is, how fast it’s flowing, so it’s incredibly important that everyone stays out,” she said.

A man was rescued at Douglas Park, southwest of Sydney, while the agency has received more than 1100 calls for assistance.

It’s the state’s latest bout with severe weather in recent months.

“Storms and flooding have been constant this year and we know that people are tired,” Ms Platz said.

“Some people are becoming complacent – we urge you not to do that.”

The SES was grateful for its 11,000 volunteers involved in repeated responses, she said.

“Of course, they do get tired,” Ms Platz said.

Rolling emergencies had also driven more people to volunteer, with more than 300 applying to the agency after floods at Taree and surrounding areas in May, Ms Platz said.

The weather bureau said rainfall had been lower than expected over the state but flood threats remained.

“Saturated soils and the rivers already being full are showing that even with moderate rainfall, these rivers are responding,” Bureau of Meteorology’s hazard preparedness and response manager Steven Bernasconi said.

“It’s not taking a lot to move those rivers.”

Flood watches were active around the mid-north coast, northwest slopes and Hunter region in NSW, with major flooding possible on the Namoi River at Gunnedah.

Residents north of the river have been advised to prepare to be isolated.

A high-pressure system was lingering in the Tasman Sea while surface troughs onshore were deepening.

“Together, they are combining to create a severe and widespread wet weather event,” Mr Bernasconi said.  

Higher falls are expected closer to the coast and conditions should stabilise in coming days.

Port Macquarie on the NSW mid-north coast recorded 195mm of rain in the 24 hours to 2pm on Thursday.

Rainfall totals above 50mm were widespread in coastal parts of Sydney, the Central Coast and Wollongong.

More than 356mm of rain has fallen in three weeks in Sydney’s CBD, closing in on the city’s all-time August record of 482mm, set in 1998.

In southeast Queensland, Yandina Creek on the Sunshine Coast received 71mm of rain in five hours from 9am on Thursday, with 54mm in the same period at Burleigh Waters on the Gold Coast.