Australia news live: total fire bans in parts of Victoria, NSW and SA amid autumn heat blast

<gu-island name="KeyEventsCarousel" deferuntil="visible" props="{"keyEvents":[{"id":"6414e8df8f089504f3596e3a","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":" Early voting centres have opened this morning across NSW ahead of the state election’s official polling day next Saturday. ","elementId":"23dbfb3a-0756-4d69-bff3-97da39f2c947"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TweetBlockElement","html":" Early voting is open for the 2023 NSW State election. To view the eligibility criteria, and early voting centre locations and opening times visit: https://t.co/oaFDmOvgb2 pic.twitter.com/u4JiQTKlqK &mdash; NSW Electoral Commission (@NSWElectoralCom) March 17, 2023 ","url":"https://twitter.com/NSWElectoralCom/status/1636849897096765442?s=20","id":"1636849897096765442","hasMedia":false,"role":"inline","isThirdPartyTracking":false,"source":"Twitter","elementId":"e55ec751-6f7d-4691-b644-4f8a7abf1b4e"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":" AAP reports that NSW electoral commissioner John Schmidt expects the early voting centres will see strong demand in the run-up to the day of reckoning on 25 March. ","elementId":"f7cafb73-4c34-432f-83fc-0f79489e7254"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":" The state…

Social media campaign linked to Chinese government spreading disinformation about Australian politics, thinktank says

A coordinated foreign influence campaign linked to the Chinese government is using social media to undermine confidence in Australia’s democratic system, according to researchers at a Canberra-based defence thinktank. The researchers believe the network is operating from within China and is either spreading disinformation about Australian politics or amplifying concerns about political scandals. They reference rape allegations made by the former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins and against the former attorney general Christian Porter, which he strongly denies. The network is believed to have about 30 active accounts so far, which…