Flood waters continued to cause havoc along the east coast and the Central West on Saturday, with swollen rivers threatening communities in three states.
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Thousands of people in Forbes waited in limbo after the Lachlan reached major flood level on Friday.
Some 2200 Forbes residents had been affected in the flooding this week, according to the State Emergency Service.
Almost 1000 emergency warnings were in place in Victoria. Kialla West and Mooroopna among those ordered to evacuate.
A man was found dead in floodwaters in Victoria's north. The 71-year-old was found in the backyard of his Rochester home.
Emergency services closely monitoring flooded rivers and tributaries in Tasmania, warning they may rise and fall as water flows out to sea.
Residents in parts of the state faced an anxious wait on Saturday, the flood threat still in place despite easing rain.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged the disaster at the NSW Labor state conference in Sydney.
Mr Albanese said all those in attendance were thinking of their friends and fellow Australians facing rising flood waters.
"To everyone in western NSW, in Victoria, in northern Tasmania, you are in our thoughts and our government stands ready to do whatever we can to help, wherever it is needed," he said.
Mr Albanese used the conference to announce paid parental leave reform, providing Australian families an extra six weeks.
"We will expand paid parental leave to 26 weeks," he said.
"By 2026, every family with a new baby will access a total of six months' paid leave shared between the two parents."
Elsewhere, Robbie Coltrane, the actor best known for his role in Harry Potter, has died at the age of 72.
Long-time agent Belinda Wright thanked medical staff at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Scotland for their care.
"I shall remember him as an abidingly loyal client as well as being a wonderful actor, he was forensically intelligent, brilliantly witty and after 40 years of being proud to be to called his agent, I shall miss him," she said.
Iranian-born actress Mona Afshar shared her heartbreak over her home country following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.
While media mogul Rupert Murdoch started a process that could reunite News Corp and Fox Corp.
Stay safe.
THE NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- Iranian-born actress shares heartbreak over home country
- Man found dead in Victoria floodwaters
- Anthony Albanese promises supersized paid parental leave plan
- How abusive partners target women in their workplace
- Harry Potter actor Robbie Coltrane dies
- Manson follower Krenwinkel's parole denied
- Murdoch could reunite Fox, News Corp
- Major data breach at Woolworths offshoot
Alex Crowe
Alex covers science and environment issues, with a focus on local Canberra stories. alex.crowe@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Alex covers science and environment issues, with a focus on local Canberra stories. alex.crowe@austcommunitymedia.com.au
