OPINION: The Government parties jostle for leadership at Waitangi.

New research shows that when an asteroid slammed into the moon billions of years ago, it carved out a pair of grand canyons on the lunar far side.

That's good news for scientists and NASA, which is looking to land astronauts at the south pole on the near, Earth-facing side untouched by that impact and containing older rocks in original condition.

US and British scientists used photos and data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to map the area and calculate the path of debris that produced these canyons about 3.8 billion years ago.

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They reported their findings on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST) in the journal Nature Communications.

The incoming space rock passed over the lunar south pole before hitting, creating a huge basin and sending streams of boulders hurtling at a speed of nearly one kilometre a second.

The debris landed like missiles, digging out two canyons comparable in size to Arizona's Grand Canyon in barely 10 minutes.

The latter, by comparison, took millions of years to form.

“This was a very violent, a very dramatic geologic process,” said lead author David Kring of the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston.

Kring and his team estimate the asteroid was 25 kilometres across and that the energy needed to create these two canyons would have been more than 130 times that in the world’s current inventory of nuclear weapons.

Most of the ejected debris was thrown in a direction away from the south pole, Kring said.

That means NASA’s targeted exploration zone around the pole mostly on the moon's near side won’t be buried under debris, keeping older rocks from four billion plus years ago exposed for collection by moonwalkers.

These older rocks can help shed light not only on the moon’s origins, but also Earth’s.

Kring said it’s unclear whether these two canyons are permanently shadowed like some of the craters at the moon’s south pole.

“That is something that we’re clearly going to be reexamining,” he said.

Permanently shadowed areas at the bottom of the moon are thought to hold considerable ice, which could be turned into rocket fuel and drinking water by future moonwalkers.

NASA’s Artemis program, the successor to Apollo, aims to return astronauts to the moon this decade.

The plan is to send astronauts around the moon next year, followed a year or so later by the first lunar touchdown by astronauts since Apollo.

Anyone who sees a sea snake should not try to move it back to the water.

James Moa, 21, was arrested at Sydney Airport with 20kg of cocaine hidden in his suitcase.

Two men have been charged after antisemitic graffiti was found on walls, bus stops and signs across Perth over the weekend.

Between 6.30pm on February 1 and 7.30am on February 2, police allege the accused men spraypainted antisemitic symbols on property in the Perth suburbs of Nedlands, Dianella and Dalkeith.

Police arrested and charged two men, both aged 27, today after searching homes in Dianella and Beechboro.

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Both men were charged with multiple counts of criminal damage in circumstances of racial aggravation.

The men were expected to front Perth Magistrates Court today.

A WA Police spokesperson said the force would not tolerate "vile acts of hatred and racism to go unchecked".

"We have zero tolerance for hate in our community and we will use every measure at the agency's disposal to protect our community and bring perpetrators to justice," the spokesperson said.

WA Police Minister Paul Papalia also condemned the acts and said the state will not tolerate anti-Jewish attacks following a string of similar antisemitic incidents on the east coast in Sydney and Melbourne.

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READ MORE: Trump announces US will 'take over' Gaza Strip and level it

"In Western Australia, we said it would not be tolerated if you considered any behavior of that nature," Papalia told the media today.

"If you participated, be it walking through the streets in mobs inciting violence against fellow Western Australians, or scurrying around in the dark like rats, you would be hunted down, and you would be brought to justice, and that is what has happened here."

WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said a taskforce quickly made arrests within hours of the graffiti appearing in Perth.

He said members of the community came forward with information and footage which led to the arrests.

"The most important part of this investigation for us was that our community stood up with everyone, stood up with the entire community, and stood up with those victims of this hate," he said.

"They helped us solve the crime. Our community helped us solve the crime. They came forward with their CCTV observations throughout the night in WA, we are very fortunate to have the capabilities."

The investigation into the graffiti remains ongoing.

Dedicated patrols have been targeting areas frequented by members of Perth's Jewish community since December.

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Donald Trump's plan to "take over" the Gaza Strip and force its residents to move elsewhere has been condemned by Middle East leaders.

Trump suggested displaced Palestinians be permanently resettled outside Gaza and proposed the US take "ownership" in redeveloping the area. He made the remarks in a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

A statement from Saudi Arabia Foreign Ministry said Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman was unequivocal in his position, despite Trump's announcement.

"The international community has a duty today to alleviate the severe humanitarian suffering endured by the Palestinian people, who will remain steadfast on their land and will not move from it," the statement read.

READ MORE: Trump announces US will 'take over' Gaza Strip and level it

"The duty of the international community today is to work to alleviate the severe human suffering endured by the Palestinian people, who will remain committed to their land and will not budge from it.

"This firm position is not subject to negotiation or outbidding."

The statement was issued several hours after Trump's press conference with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Hamas, unsurprisingly, also condemned Trump's plan.

"Instead of holding the Zionist occupation accountable for the crime of genocide and displacement, it is being rewarded, not punished," Hamas said in a statement. 

"We reject Trump's statements in which he said that the residents of the Gaza Strip have no choice but to leave, and we consider them a recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region."

Trump did not go into great detail as to the fate of Palestinians forced out of Gaza.

Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and the Arab League, as well as the Palestinian Authority, have already rejected the idea of relocating Gazans in other countries.

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Such a relocation is unfeasible, Monash University lecturer Ran Porat told 9News.com.au.

"It's the worst nightmare of the Egyptians. It's the worst, worst nightmares of the Jordanians," he said.

"The Palestinians are the rejected children of the Arab world. Nobody wants them."

But whether Trump follows through on his plan is a big question.

"It's not clear to me that President Trump has much of a detailed plan for actually taking over Gaza, let alone sending Gazans to other parts of the Middle East," Director of Research at the United States Studies Centre Jared Mondschein told 9News.com.au.

"More than anything else this appears to be the opening gambit of a negotiation."

Mondschien said this "maximalist first step" might force Gaza's neighbours to take more of an interest in resolving the situation themselves.

"Ultimately, few experts believe that actually relocating hundreds of thousands Gazans to Egypt and Jordan is likely to resolve anything," he said.

"But it certainly makes increased financial and/or political support by Egypt and Jordan seem like less of a burden."

About two million people live in the Gaza Strip, one of the most densely populated places on Earth.

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School lunches too hot to handle: the latest complaint in a nightmare week.

Persistent showers are continuing to lash down on flood-affected areas of north and far-north Queensland as the federal government approves more financial aid for impacted residents. 

The federal government has announced a further round of support for Queenslanders under the Disaster Recovery Allowance starting from 2pm today.

Those in the Burdekin, Cassowary Coast, Hitchinbrook, Townsville and Palm Island LGAs who have lost income or the ability to work may be eligible to receive payments worth up to 13 weeks of income.

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"Communities across far north and north Queensland have been impacted by heavy rainfall and severe flooding, damaging roads, isolating communities and making it difficult for people to get to work," Federal Emergency Management Minister Jenny McAllister said.

"We're moving quickly to activate financial assistance for impacted individuals and families, ensuring they are supported through these challenging times."

The federal government will also fly in 300 additional emergency personnel from interstate and work with supermarkets to get groceries into flood-affected regions.

Since daily rainfall totals exceeding 1000mm sparked flooding across the north last week, two people have died and 28 state schools are currently closed.

In the inundated town of Ingham, police are today searching the floodwaters near Cooper Street for a man last seen being swept away about 5.15pm yesterday.

He remains unaccounted for despite water and aerial searches this morning.

He is described as Caucasian, about 188cm tall, with dark hair. He was wearing black shorts, a black singlet, a black backpack and arrived on a blue bicycle.

READ MORE: Trump announces US will 'take over' Gaza Strip and level it

Ingham had been cut off from power and had scarce food and water for the past few days due to the flooding.

This morning, residents were told there was a water supply failure and the water was not safe to drink. 

Speaking to the media from Ingham this afternoon, Premier David Crisafulli said the water supply has since been re-established.

"We were able to airlift some generators into here and that was able to get the system up and running again. There were some communication issues, that's been sorted but this community didn't have running water for a period," he said. 

A similar emergency warning has been issued for Charter Towers over a disruption to the water supply.

Residents are urged to immediately conserve their water use for emergencies only, including drinking and toilets.

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Crisafulli said helicopters are continuing to bring in generators to essential assets in Ingham today and crews are working to restore power to Lower Herbert by tomorrow.

He added that restoring power to the flooded substation will remain a major issue.

"We have choppered in workers, and there are others coming right now on foot, to go to that substation and first begin the assessment of how badly impacted it was and secondly work out what needs to be done to get it repaired," he said.

"That substation is a really, really vital piece of the puzzle. We've also brought in an engineer from Townsville." 

Telstra crews are also airlifting into the region to restore service to pockets currently without.

In a message to Queenslanders, Crisafulli said authorities will be there for flood-affected towns until the disaster is over.

"Wherever you are… we are going to be there with you for the long haul and we are going to get you back on your feet," he said.

"What has been thrown at Queenslanders has truly been a one in 100, maybe even more, but people in this part of the world are one in 100 and they're pretty tough."

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Death toll rises to two 

Crisafulli reminded residents that they were still in a state of emergency after the death toll rose to two yesterday.

An 82-year-old woman was discovered dead when floodwaters receded at a cane paddock on Fulton Drive in Bemerside, near Ingham, yesterday morning.

She had been last seen in a two-storey house about 6pm the previous day. 

On Sunday, a 63-year-old woman died in Ingham when an SES boat carrying volunteers and residents hit a tree and flipped into the water.

Her body was found near Rutledge Street.

"The community has lost two of its own and we don't want one more loss of life so stay safe and that goes across Queensland," Crisafulli said.

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Persistent wet weather sparks flood warnings

The Bureau of Meteorology has today forecast showers and storms to continue throughout the region this week thanks to an active monsoon trough. 

Coastal and inland areas are likely to be impacted, with severe storms possible for the region, including the regional city of Townsville.

"Flood watches have been issued for much of northern and inland Queensland, including parts of the Burdekin, Gulf, and Thomson river catchments," the bureau said.

"Severe thunderstorms will continue to bring more localised heavy falls, with fast-moving flash flooding a risk."

Flood warnings have been issued across the state with the Herbert River seeing major flooding as waters exceed 12 metres.

"It just shows that this system continues to have some might in it, and we have to make sure we continue to heed those warnings," Crisafulli said.

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Crisafulli said the weather system was widespread, adding that residents were forced to evacuate 600km west of the coast in Georgetown last night.

Emergency alerts have now been cancelled or downgraded, and residents are returning to see the damage that has been left behind in the regional city of Townsville, home to 200,00 people.

Many properties in the city's "black zone", the six suburbs most at risk of flooding, appear to have dodged major flooding damage.

Authorities say it is safe for residents to return to their homes, but they should take care.

Further north of Townsville, Ingham remains partially submerged and residents who evacuated are still unable to return.

The Bureau of Meteorology says the worst of the deluge is over but thunderstorms are forecast for coming days.

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Legendary news figure Liz Hayes has announced she will be leaving Nine after an incredible 44-year career with the network.

Hayes will remain part of the Nine family and be part of special stories and events, as well as pursuing other opportunities.

After joining 9News as a reporter in 1981, Hayes went on to present the morning bulletin. In 1986 she became co-host of Today with Steve Liebmann, a role she held for 10 years.

She joined 60 Minutes in 1996 and has covered everything from US presidential elections to the heart-wrenching Syrian refugee crisis, as well as natural disasters across the globe.

Hayes's contribution to journalism has been recognised with a Logie Award for producing and presenting acclaimed documentary The Greatest Gift and the 2024 Media Diversity Australia Award for Under Investigation with Liz Hayes.

The award celebrates journalists making an outstanding contribution through their reporting on diverse people or issues in Australia, and was the first time any commercial television network has been recognised in this category.

"When I arrived at Nine I had little more than a notebook and a typewriter, but like my new and far more experienced colleagues, I carried with me an enormous passion for telling stories," Hayes said.

"I was blessed. I had found my tribe. Even Nine's owner at the time, Kerry Packer, seemed to carry the same passionate story telling gene.

"Of course since then much has changed. The media world has evolved as have I. What hasn't changed is the need for good stories to be told, and I will continue to tell them.

"I leave Nine grateful for the decades of experience, the wonderful friendships that have endured and deeply appreciative to the many people who trusted me to tell their stories."

The family of a woman killed in a suspected murder-suicide in Melbourne's inner-north has been identified as a mother-of-one.

Rachel McKenna, 35, was found dead inside a home in Ascot Vale about 4pm on Friday.

Police found a man with critical injuries about two hours later on the Princes Freeway in Little River.

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He has not been identified, but police confirmed he was known to McKenna.

Loved ones have since taken to social media to pay tribute to the mother, with her sister, Meg Trotter, expressing that the family was "absolutely devastated".

"Our family is broken with grief," she said.

"Rachel was a deeply loved daughter, a doting aunty, a dear friend to many, and a completely devoted mother to her seven-year-old.

"She was generous, vibrant, loyal, and looked forward to many adventures with her precious son."

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Trotter urged the government to do something about violence against women.

"Our darling girl is already so missed, forever leaving a hole in our hearts and lives. Her death was an unnecessary tragedy, one we never dreamed would impact our family," she said.

"Something must be done to stop violence against women in this country."

A GoFundMe has since been set up to help cover the costs of her memorial service.

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).

If you or someone you know is in need of support contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue. In the event of an emergency dial Triple Zero (000).

Help is available from the Men's Referral Service on 1300 766 491.