7:21am: A quick recap of the weather for those just joining Morning Express - after a wet start to the day, rain has cleared and it will remain cloudy today. The maximum temperature forecast is 25 degrees. And there is a chance of rain for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Keep the brolly handy.
7:20am: As if we didn't hate them enough already, the big banks have been telling some big porkies. Funding costs for the major banks have fallen, not risen, as they claimed when refusing to pass on Reserve Bank interest rate cuts. And the major big banks have room to cut their home loan rates but are failing to do so because they put their shareholders' interests ahead of customers, according to a former Reserve Bank governor.
7:11am: A man is missing, feared drowned, after falling over a waterfall in the New England region. Police have just put out a statement saying the 37-year-old man was travelling from Armidale to Kempsey with friends just before 6pm yesterday when they stopped for at a lookout at Ebor Falls. Witnesses said the man walked out onto a rock ledge at the top of the falls but then lost his balance and fell head first over the edge.
7:01am: The roads are starting to look a tad messy now.
At Granville there is an accident citybound on the M4 motorway at Church Street.
At West Pennant Hills, an accident is affecting westbound traffic on Castle Hill Road at Edward Bennett Drive.
At Engadine, an accident northbound is affecting the M6 Heathcote Road at Woronora Bridge.
At Dee Why, there is a two-car accident on Pittwater Road at David Avenue.
At Prospect, lights are flashing yellow on the Great Western Highway and Huntingwood Drive.
Handing over her share: Gina Rinehart. Photo: Claire Martin
7:00am: We haven't heard much from the Rinehart family's "dirty laundry" files lately but Adele Ferguson reports in the Herald's business section today that Gina Rinehart has reached a settlement with her estranged daughter Hope, who has split with her husband and fallen on hard times according to some explosive (and pervy) emails.
Ben Barba Photo: Getty Images
6:53am: The Ben Barba train rolls on in the major papers today. The Herald reports that the fallen Bulldogs star is likely to spend much of his time recovering from off-field problems at a northern Sydney health clinic. The Telegraph has some photographic evidence from the scene showing a "relaxed-looking Barba" playing with his two daughters at the drug and rehab clinic dubbed the "Hilton".
6:44am: Turning briefly to sport, Gareth Bale stole the spotlight again as the Tottenham star inspired his side to a crucial 2-1 win over Arsenal on Sunday to pile the misery on their north London rivals.
6:36am: There was a dramatic, Hollywood-worthy end to a two-day siege in Melbourne yesterday. The 43-hour siege turned deadly when the body of 40-year-old convicted rapist Antonio "Mad Dog" Loguancio was found after a fire had been lit in the bungalow where he had been holed up since Friday evening. Here's a picture gallery of the final showdown.
6:30am: Reports that Australian diggers 'accidentally' shot dead two boys in Afghanistan are still unclear this morning. The Telegraph reports that no Australians were involved while the Australian reports that it was a mistake that arose when Australian special forces were under fire and called for an airstrike.
6:27am: In federal politics, the week in the west has officially begun. It was kisses all round for Julia Gillard who addressed the University of Western Sydney last night. Today, she will get on the front foot by telling western Sydney voters that families will lose tax breaks and payments worth up to $2500 a year if Tony Abbott becomes prime minister.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard arrives at the University of Western Sydney in Parramatta in Western Sydney on Sunday 3 March 2013 Photo: Andrew Meares Photo: Andrew Meares
6:23am: Looking at local news overnight, an 18 year-old woman has been abducted and sexually assaulted by a gang of men after leaving a house party in Baulkham Hills in Sydney's northwest.
6:21am: This one is still making me sleep with one eye open. Workers have just started to demolish a Florida home sitting over a massive sinkhole that swallowed up a man over the weekend. Yesterday, rescuers called off the search for the man who was in his bedroom when the six-metre sinkhole opened up.
Firefighters walk near the front of a home where a sinkhole opened up underneath a bedroom late Thursday evening and swallowed a man. Photo: AP
6:17am: Moving to world news from overnight, the Queen has been admitted to hospital suffering from gastroenteritis. All the 86-year-old's engagements for this week, including a visit to Rome, have been called off, according to Buckingham Palace. No prank calls please.
In hospital ... Queen Elizabeth. Photo: AP
6:12am: Despite a very wet start to the morning, the roads are running okay.
At Riverwood and Prestons, heavy traffic is building eastbound on the M5.
Elsewhere in the state, floods have affected roads across the Hunter, Mid North Coast and Northern NSW. The Pacific Highway has re-opened at Kempsey and the Gwydir Highway has also reopened. More details here.
6:11am: Public transport is running relatively smoothly so far this morning, touch wood. Trains and buses are running without incident. Low tides mean buses are replacing ferries between Parramatta and Rydalmere.
6:10am: On the front pages of the major newspapers this morning:
The Australian Financial Review reports that a defiant Julia Gillard has used her own life story to identify with the residents of western Sydney and vowed to make their job security her top priority, saying “foreigners’’ should go to the back of the queue.
The Age in Melbourne reveals that the Black Saturday bushfires Royal Commission got the cause of the deadliest blaze in Kilmore East wrong, according to explosive new evidence.
The Daily Telegraph reports that Julia Gillard will attempt to win over western Sydney by pledging billions of dollars for the West-Connex motorway network on three strict conditions.
The Australian says Australia faces structural budget deficits "as far as the eye can see", according to new economic modelling that will reinforce calls for a systemic review of government spending.
SMH front page, March 4
6:04am: After 182 years as a broadsheet newspaper, The Sydney Morning Herald moved to compact-size today. Happy days for commuters.
They might not be so happy with the front page story, however, as Jacob Saulwick details the "catastrophic" fire threat to those travelling to Sydney's most overcrowded CBD trains stations.
Passengers who are vulnerable to accidents or terrorist attacks because governments have baulked at the cost of crucial safety improvements, the report says.
6:00am: Good morning all and welcome to the first day of Morning Express. You'll find me here every morning from 6am to 9am. Rain will clear up early on Monday morning and it'll be a cloudy day with just a chance of showers. Maximum temperature forecast is 25 degrees.
And there's a chance of showers and hot, sticky weather for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Keep the brolly on standby.
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