A 20-year-old man has been charged after allegedly planning a terrorist attack on multiple political and religious sites in Perth.

Police allege the man was motivated by a white supremacist ideology and planned to use bombs and firearms to carry out a mass casualty event, with his intentions allegedly outlined in a manifesto.

It is believed the man was planning to target Parliament House and police headquarters, as well as Muslim places of worship.

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WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said communications within an encrypted chat group, alongside the manifesto, were "concerning" and disturbing in their content.

"[They contained] white supremacy ideology, anti-Muslim ideology, antisemitism, and quite frankly, abhorrent conversations about minorities and other races in this community," Blanch said at a press conference in Perth this afternoon.

"Most concerningly, there was a notebook that outlined preparations for a terrorist attack at significant locations."

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Authorities, including the counter-terrorism team and the Australian Federal Police, were tipped off to the communications in the chat group, and started an investigation in January, which led to a search of a house in Bindoon, in the Wheatbelt region, yesterday.

Police said they found seven firearms, fake weapons, as well as a ballistics vest, gas masks, and lock-picking equipment at the house, which the man shared with his parents.

They also seized several electronic devices, which are still being investigated.

Police said they believe the man was acting alone and that there is no current threat to the community.

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Blanch said the man was not known to authorities before his arrest, and that the firearms were owned legally.

Premier Roger Cook said the man's alleged intentions were "deeply concerning". He praised the work of police to act quickly and "prevent an alleged act of terror in our city".

"To attack the heart of our democracy, to attack our freedom of religion, to attack those who keep us safe," he said of the man's alleged plans.

"The threats are real in our community, we must not let hate and division win."

He said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had been briefed.

The 20-year-old man was charged with one count of act in preparation for a terrorist act, the first time the charge has been used in the state. He's also charged with use of a carriage service to menace or harass, possess prohibited weapon, failed to store a firearm or related thing in compliant storage, and unlicensed ammunition.

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The man appeared in Perth Magistrates Court this afternoon and was refused bail.

Blanch said he could be facing life imprisonment if found guilty of the charges.

It comes just a month after a man carried out an alleged attempted terrorist attack on an Invasion Day rally in Perth's CBD.

Liam Alexander Hall, 31, allegedly threw a bomb containing volatile chemicals, nails and metal ball bearings into a crowd of people.

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Tens of thousands will flock to the streets across the heart of Sydney tomorrow night to celebrate the 48th annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras

Partygoers from across the nation will rush to the city to watch more than 9000 marchers and 170 floats take to the street in the iconic parade.

With festivities that have been running from February 13 until March 1, this edition of the festival follows the theme "Ecstatica".

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"Ecstatica is about euphoria as resistance, a reminder that our collective queer joy is on a break from the battle," Mardi Gras interim chief executive Jesse Matheson told 9news.com.au at the launch in November last year.

The theme blends the festival's foundations in protest and visibility with unashamed joy.

So what can people expect heading into tomorrow night?

Parade locations, tickets and parties

The main procession will kick off at 7.30pm tomorrow, sweeping down Oxford Street, Flinders Street, and Anzac Parade, passing through the celebrated Taylor Square "Glitter Club" viewing area, with the parade expected to wrap up at 10.30pm.

While the event is free and unticketed for spectators, some tickets can be bought to secure extra benefits such as prime viewing of the parade and a reservation at a party spot for the night.

Celebrations are expected to go well into the night after the parade.

The state government has extended business hours for shops, bars, clubs, restaurants, breweries and live music venues in Sydney, Darlinghurst, Surry Hills, Potts Point, Paddington, Camperdown, Newtown and Erskineville until midnight this weekend.

The Sunday Laneway party is set to wrap up the marathon of festivities, with music acts starting at 2pm and running until 1am, transforming the Beresford and Hill Street into a street celebration to close out the parade.

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What will the weather be like?

Unfortunately, weather conditions this weekend are not looking great, however, that will not deter revellers.

Showers are expected in the early morning, before clearing up by the early afternoon.

Wet weather is expected to return at about 8pm, shortly after the start of the parade, and the damp conditions are expected to persist all night and into the following morning.

Luckily, conditions will clear up at 5pm on Sunday, not long after the start of the street party on Hill Street. 

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Road closures and public transport

Major roads across Sydney's CBD extending to Moore Park will be shut from 4pm on Saturday and will not reopen until 2am on Sunday.

Motorists are being urged to avoid unnecessary travel to the city and instead utilise the metro and train services that are set to run for 24 hours.

This is the first time the iconic festival has had around-the-clock metro and rail services running to get partygoers home safely.

NSW Transport is advising people to take advantage of the rare opportunity.

"Leave the car at home," Transport for NSW Coordinator-General Howard Collins said.

"Check signs carefully because your vehicle will be towed."

Light rail services will also run for 24 hours on the L1 Dulwich Hill, L2 Randwick and L3 Kingsford lines.

Light rails will arrive every 15 to 20 minutes until normal services resume on Sunday morning.

On Sunday, bus routes 370 and 343 will also run around-the-clock with added hourly services.

About 300 extra bus services are also set to run to the city from Inner West, Eastern Suburbs and North Shore suburbs throughout the afternoon, along with NightRide bus services.

Standard ticketing still applies, however, with commuters being reminded to tap on and off when using public transport this weekend.

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An Australian tourist has died in a Thailand resort town after allegedly being assaulted by another foreigner.

The 58-year-old man, was seen on CCTV engaging in an argument with a 29-year-old man near Phuket on Wednesday night.

The younger man is alleged to have assaulted the victim on Prachanukroh Road in Patong, with the Australian sustained serious head injuries.

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It is unclear what led to the assault.

According to local media reports, he was taken to Patong Hospital later that night, but he died of his injuries.

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The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) confirmed they were providing consular assistance to the family.

We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time," a DFAT spokesperson told Nine.com.au.

"They have requested privacy at this time."

Thai authorities have arrested a suspect and charged with assault causing death, according to reports in the Bangkok Post.

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Firefighters have spent nearly five hours battling to control a blaze inside one of Victoria's largest power stations.

Fire Rescue Victoria crews were called to the Yallourn Power Station, in the Latrobe Valley, just before midday after a Triple Zero caller reported burning embers in a coal bunker as a result of a lightning strike.

Firefighters arrived to find the fire about 40 metres by 20 metres high.

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About 70 firefighters, 10 firetrucks and two waterbombing aircrafts spent hours trying to contain the blaze, which was deemed under control just before 5pm.

Peter Marshall, from the United Firefighters Union, said earlier he was unsure how firefighters would control the fire.

"What we have here is a critical crisis in the fire service, where firefighters' morale is so depleted, because the government have deserted them," he said on 3AW.

Ambulance Victoria was called as a precaution.

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In a statement, EnergyAustralia confirmed a "severe storm" sparked lightning that hit the Yallourn power station and mine.

"The area was investigated immediately after and embers and hot spot smoulders were identified in the Raw Coal Bunker building," an EnergyAustralia spokesperson said.

"No significant damage has been detected however as per emergency protocols Fire Rescue Victoria and our on-site emergency response team responded.

"No-one has been injured and WorkSafe was also immediately notified following the incident.  

"There has been no impact to generation at Yallourn."

Firefighters will remain on scene to ensure the safety of the area.

The coal-fired power station supplies 22 per cent of Victoria's power.

The site, which has been running for more than 100 years, is due to close in 2028 as part of a $5 billion transformation into a "low-carbon emissions hub" by owners EnergyAustralia.

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A sinkhole has opened up on a busy street in Sydney CBD, forcing a nearby school to close and leaving businesses without water.

A burst water pipe created the hole at the intersection of College Street and Prince Albert Road near St Mary's Cathedral today. 

Students at St Mary's Cathedral College, which adjoins the church, were sent home for the day.

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Sydney Water has been forced to cut off water supply to up to 10 nearby businesses as it works to fix the pipe.

"Sydney Water crews are on site excavating and have isolated the main with a rezone in place so that repairs can commence," a spokesperson said.

"Prince Albert Road is currently closed with diversions in place in order for this critical work to be carried out safely.

"Sydney Water thanks the community for its patience and apologises for the inconvenience."

A Coles truck became stuck in the hole earlier this morning and had to be towed out.

The tyres were damaged, but the driver was able to safely leave once he was helped out of the truck. 

Shark warnings

Heavy rain has prompted a shark warning to beachgoers and swimmers today due to the increased potential for shark attacks in the wake of the heavy rain.

"Heavy rain can change beach and waterway conditions quickly," NSW SharkSmart said in a post on Instagram.

"Freshwater and nutrient-rich run‑off can reduce visibility, affecting water quality and attract baitfish – sometimes increasing shark activity."

https://www.instagram.com/p/DVM5kBvEunZ/?img_index=2

People are urged to avoid swimming in murky or dirty waters, take extra care within 1km of river mouths and harbours, and be cautious around baitfish, diving birds, and dolphins.

There was a rash of shark attacks after a recent series of storms along the NSW coast, one of which resulted in a young boy's death after he was mauled at Vaucluse.

Experts at the time warned storm activity provided cover for bull sharks and lured them closer to shore and even upriver.​ ​

Sydney recovers from flash flooding

It came as heavy rain that totalled 100mm in some parts and flash flooding hit the Sydney region overnight.

Homes were evacuated as the rain inundated streets in Fairfield East and more than 490 calls were made to the SES.

Out of those, 42 led to swiftwater rescues.

Cars were also flooded in shopping centre carparks while roads were cut throughout the metropolitan area.

The rain has eased throughout this morning, with the Bureau of Meteorology cancelling a severe warning for Greater Sydney.

But flood warnings remain in place for much of outback NSW, Queensland, South Australia, and the Northern Territory.

A near-stationary tropical low system hanging over Central Australia continues to pour rain into all four states, with the heavy downpour slowly moving south.

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Adelaide is next in line for a soaking, with more than 100mm forecast to fall on the city in the coming hours.

Some events in the city have already been cancelled, with flash flooding expected across the metropolitan area.

Rain also continues to bucket down in dust-dry outback Queensland, with the tiny town of Birdsville, 10km from the South Australian border, copping an extremely rare drenching.

Weatherzone reported that in the 24 hours to 9am yesterday, the town received 93.2mm, more than half of its annual average of 161.4mm.

It was also Queensland's second-highest 24-hour rainfall total behind Fall Creek in the decidedly more tropical Cape York Peninsula.

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Jim Chalmers has effectively confirmed Treasury has looked into the impact of limiting one of Australia's most contentious tax breaks for property investors, as speculation continues to build about a significant overhaul of the tax system in this year's federal budget.

Speaking to reporters today, the treasurer was asked whether reports published this morning of his department conducting modelling about how much revenue could be raised by limiting negative gearing to two investment properties were accurate.

"We haven't changed our tax policies," he replied.

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"Our tax policies are all about delivering another income tax cut in July this year and another one in July next year…

"It's not unusual this far out from the budget that the Treasury would be considering other options and other next steps.

"But, as always, any further steps along those lines would be a matter for cabinet."

The language is notably similar to that used by Chalmers and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese before the federal government embarked on a promise-breaking but ultimately popular decision in 2024 to revise the stage 3 tax cuts to redirect more of the benefit to lower-income earners.

Negative gearing allows property investors to write off the costs associated with their loss-making rentals as a tax deduction.

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Alongside the capital gains tax (CGT) discount – which the government also hasn't ruled out taking a razor blade to in the May 12 federal budget – the two policies have become a lightning rod amid a growing debate around the generous incentives offered to property investors while young Australians find it increasingly difficult to buy their first homes.

A host of economists, politicians and unions have argued for removing or reducing the tax breaks, saying such a move would make property more affordable and could fund much-needed income tax cuts.

However, others have argued that would do little to address the housing crisis, and instead lead to less supply in the sector.

According to the Property Council, almost 1.3 million Australians use negative gearing. 

A previous analysis of ATO statistics estimated just under 30 per cent of those negatively geared taxpayers had two or more investment properties.

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Figures from the Parliamentary Budget office have shown negative gearing costs the federal government almost $7 billion a year, and the CGT discount for residential properties $5.4 billion, at the same time the budget has fallen into a structural deficit.

Last year's papers forecast the national accounts would be a combined $180 billion in the red between 2025 and 2029.

While Albanese has previously ruled out making changes to negative gearing – the proposal has widely been blamed on Labor's shock 2019 federal election losses – Chalmers has frequently spoken about wanting to address the inequality facing young Australians.

That was a point he reiterated today.

"We are alive, obviously, to the intergenerational issues in the housing market and in the tax system," he said.

The federal opposition has signalled it would fight any effort to roll back the CGT discount or negative gearing, although the government would likely be able to get any proposal through parliament with the support of the Greens.

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Police say the woman entered the Galway St store carrying a metal pole.

Police say one vehicle was impounded and 14 infringement notices issued.

Helen Robinson warns move-on orders could block access to HomeGround services.

A sharp rise in Australians choosing to work-from-home on Fridays is having a ripple effect on businesses in some of Australia's once-booming CBDs.

Pubs, cafes, restaurants and bars in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane's city centres are grappling with a steady decline of customers as the weekend looms, owed in part to workers choosing to work remotely.

One shopfront in North Sydney, a major commercial hub, told patrons it would be shutting its doors on Friday because of a lack of foot traffic.

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Restauranteur and cafe owner Joe, who runs multiple businesses in Brisbane's CBD, told nine.com.au that Friday night staff drinks had become a distant memory.

"Once upon a time, Friday afternoon drinks was a real iconic outing, that's now shifted to Thursday, but not in the same volume," Joe said.

"Hospitality operators in and around the CBD, they're severely feeling the pinch.

"I still think there'll be a few more venues that either completely close altogether or start to review Fridays as a standard close at 4pm or 5pm."

Joe's coffee shops are also lagging in sales on the last day of the working week.

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