Australia news live: ACT closes 71 schools over play sand health scare; NSW police charge 752 people in DV blitz

Schools closed after asbestos detected in samples from commercial sand products. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGovernment funds $200m in weather resilience projectsThe federal government has announced $200m in new funding for projects to help communities in every state and territory become more resilient to severe weather events.NT: $594,000 for an Emergency Coordination Facility that will be developed for the Alice Springs Town Council, enhancing local disaster response capabilities.NSW: $14,174,095 for the Narrandera Urban Stormwater Upgrade to mitigate the impacts of 1 in 100-year flood events.WA: $895,114 for increasing Karajarri Ranger Capacity to mitigate extreme wildfire risks.VIC: $6,454,104 for the Numurkah Flood Mitigation – construction of two ring levees.QLD: $14,620,000 for the Palm Island Cyclone Shelter – an 800-person cyclone shelter and evacuation centre.SA: $1,600,634 for the Building Wakefield’s Flood Resilience – an infrastructure project to protect Townsvale Estate, Balaklava.TAS: $540,000 for the Launceston Flood Mitigation Plan.ACT: $421,240 for the Flash Flood Warning System – using flood data and modelling to provide timely, location specific, relevant warnings to the community. Continue reading...