As it happened

That’s where we’ll leave you.

Here are some of the top stories from today:
The captain of theIranian women’s football squadhas become the fifth member towithdraw her claim for asylumand leave Australia.

Now only two of the seven members who sought asylum remain in Australia.

Matt Canavan, the new Nationals leader,announced changes to the party’s frontbench lineup, with former leaderDavid Littleproudsurviving on the frontbench.

An area of low pressure currently building in the Coral Sea off Queenslandhas a high chance of becoming a cyclone later this weekas it heads for the state’s far north coast, according to theBureau of Meteorology.

The federal infrastructure minister,Catherine King, said on Radio National thatAustralia will not send ships to the strait of Hormuz.

A Virgin Australia flight from Brisbane to Melbourne was met by firefightersafter smoke was seen coming from a vape on board.

One of the two remaining Iranian soccer players in Australia posts Instagram story
One of the two remaining Iranian soccer players in Australia,Fatemeh Pasandideh, has uploaded an Instagram story.

It shows Pasandideh smiling alongside Fifa’s head of football,Jill Ellis, with the caption: “everything will be fine” – followed by smiley and peace sign emojis.

We reported earlier that the captain of the Iranian women’s football squad hadleft Australiaafter withdrawing her claim of asylum.

She was the fifth member of the football cohort to change her mind after initially taking up an offer to stay in the country after the Asian Cup.

Businesses affected by one of world’s longest Covid lockdowns to receive $125m from Victorian government
Businesses affected by one of the world’s longest Covid-19 lockdowns will receive $125m from taxpayers after a state government agreed to settle the matter.

A class action was brought in the supreme court on behalf of businesses affected financially by Victoria’s 2020 lockdowns.

Retail businesses, including lead plaintiff 5 Boroughs NY Pty Ltd, argued the state government should pay them for economic loss resulting from the lockdown as customers were prevented from attending their physical businesses, due to restrictions between July and October.

Queensland’s Labor opposition has hit out at the government’s decision to hold a “sham” vote on the name of a new theatre, saying the facility has been “tainted”.

The Guardian revealed on Sunday that arts ministerJohn-Paul Langbroeksigned off on the decision to name the building “Glasshouse” months before holding a vote on the name.

He ignored a recommendation it be named for famous poet Oodgeroo Noonuccal.

PremierDavid Crisafullisaid yesterday that the government had picked Glasshouse because it was more “marketable”.

“Unfortunately, with all of the goodwill that’s gone into building this fantastic facility, it has now been tainted by this process,” shadow minister for the artsLeeanne Enochsaid.

double quotation markIt’s an insult to the legacy of Oodgeroo Noonuccal and to her family.

It’s an insult to the many Queenslanders who, in good faith, participated in a process that they now found out is an absolute sham.

John-Paul Langbroek didn’t take questions on Sunday or Monday but attorney generalDeb Frecklingtonsaid the government didn’t want to announce its preferred name until allowing the public a vote.

“It is made of glass and I can’t be any more transparent than that,” she said.

An area of low pressure currently building in the Coral Sea off Queensland has a high chance of becoming a cyclone later this week as it heads for the state’s far north coast, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

While meteorologists have been watching the area for a week or more, until yesterday computer models were delivering inconsistent results.

Senior meteorologistMiriam Bradburysaid that changed over the weekend and the bureau is now saying the tropical low – currently known as 34U – will move west from its current position south of Solomon Islands, with a high chance of becoming a tropical cyclone by Thursday.

She said:
double quotation markThe most likely track is west across the Cape York peninsular with a crossing north of Cooktown and then moving out over the Gulf of Carpentaria at tropical cyclone intensity.

The watch area is communities through far north Queensland.

The bureau’s current forecast suggests the system will cross the coast some time between Thursday afternoon and Friday morning.

If a cyclone does form, it will be calledNarelle.

Kiis FM banned from airing strong sexual content on Kyle and Jackie O shows for five years
Any Kiis FM radio program hosted by Kyle Sandilands and or Jackie “O” Henderson must not air strong sexual content for the next five years or ARN Media could face penalties as serious as the cancellation of the radio station’s licence.

However, the penalty from broadcasting authorities has come two weeks after theKyle & Jackie O Show was taken off the airand Henderson’s contract with ARN was terminated.

Intensifying storm in northern Australia looms for flood-soaked communities
Northern Australia is staring down the barrel of a possible tropical cyclone that looks set to wreak havoc by twice making landfall across a flood-ravaged region,AAP reports.

The volatile storm in the Coral Sea is intensifying as it inches toward Queensland’s far north just as the area recovers from major flooding.

The system, currently a tropical low, is expected to cross north of Cooktown in the coming days then possibly re-form over the Gulf of Carpentaria and make landfall again in the Northern Territory.

Bureau of Meteorology forecasterAngus Hinestold AAP:
double quotation markWe certainly are seeing an increased chance that this will both strengthen as a weather system and also move on to the far north of Queensland.

This system could affect multiple states over multiple days, but starting with Queensland late this week.

Danish minister for climate change speaks at royal afternoon tea in Canberra
Lars Aagaard, the Danish minister for climate change, was travelling with the group and gave remarks on behalf of the delegation.

He described Australia and Denmark as friends in a world that was rapidly changing.

“Our values are deeply rooted in a strong belief in democracy, freedom of speech, respect for our institutions, respect for science,” he said.

double quotation markWe know now that in this difficult world we’re living in, we need to seek even deeper friendship among countries that share our values and interest.

In times of uncertainty, trust is everything, not only within our society, but also between the nations.

And Denmark and Australia indeed, have relations based on trust, friendship and common interest.”
Queen Mary and King Frederik enjoy afternoon tea with parliamentary friends of Denmark
MaryandFrederikwere the guests at an afternoon tea hosted by the parliamentary friends of Denmark, in the courtyard of House of Representatives speakerMilton Dick.

Around 16 federal parliamentarians joined the event, including Labor MPsJulian Hill,Andrew Leigh,Alicia PayneandCarina Garland; Coalition MPsTim Wilson,Susan McDonaldandJono Duniam; and independentRebekah Sharkie.

Guests were served scones with cream, chocolate crackles, spiced pistachio teacake, and gazpacho in cucumber cups, among other treats
Liberal MPAngie Belland Labor MPAlison Byrnes, the co chairs of the friends of Denmark group, gave speeches to the event.

Bell, who said she spent time in Denmark in her youth on a Rotary exchange, spoke half her speech in Danish - an effort which delighted the royal couple and the travelling Danish contingent.

That’s all from me.Ima Caldwellwill take things from here.

Enjoy the rest of your Monday.

Queen Maryof Denmark was met with cheers as she greeted a packed crowd outside the War Memorial in Canberra on Monday, on the Australian-born royal’s first state visit with husbandKing Fredrick X.The king and queen laid a wreath and floral tribute at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and paused at the Roll of Honour for flying officer Henry James Brock, a Tasmanian-born officer killed in action on 27 February 1944 and buried in Denmark.

The couple also placed a poppy at the memorial for flying officer Geoffrey Herbert Brandon Slinn who was killed in action over Denmark on 27 November 1944.

The royal couple were welcomed by Governor-GeneralSam Mostynand partnerSimeon BeckettSC, and were joined on the state visit by members of the royal court, as well as a delegate of political leaders, including Danish climate ministerLars Aagaard.

The group will travel to Hobart on Thursday.

Hundreds of onlookers, including Danes living in Australia, schoolchildren, and locals, gathered outside the war memorial on Monday morning, many waving flowers or Australian and Danish flags.

A large Danish flag was unfurled over the security fencing.

Outside the memorial, the couple made their way around the crowd, shaking hands, speaking with children, and at one point kneeling down to pat a dog.

Author Craig Silvey faces additional charges for alleged production and possession of child exploitation material
Western Australia police have laid additional charges against prominent authorCraig Silvey, who was charged with possession and distribution of child exploitation material in January.

Silvey, the author of the books Jasper Jones and Runt, was first charged after officers executed a search warrant at his Fremantle home on 12 January.

Detectives allegedly found him “actively engaging with other child exploitation offenders online”.

He was charged with two counts at the time: one for distribution of child exploitation material and one for possession of child exploitation material.

On Monday, detectives charged Silvey with two additional offences: one count of producing child exploitation material and another count of possessing child exploitation material.

He was set to appear in Fremantle magistrates court today.

Police said as part of their investigation they had also identified a woman, 68, who allegedly produced and distributed child exploitation material online.

She was arrested on 18 February and has since been charged with two counts of producing child exploitation material, one count of distribution of child exploitation material and three counts of failure to comply with reporting obligations.

She remains in custody and will appear before court on 2 April.

Daly River in NT to remain at major flood heights for ‘at least a week’
Communities around Daly River in the NT could have to wait several days for water levels to fall enough for them to return to their properties, theBureau of Meteorologysays, as attention turns to the next flood event in southern parts of the NT and northern South Australia.

Senior meteorologistMiriam Bradburysaid the Daly River may have peaked but levels will remain at major flood heights “for at least a week”, which will mean it could be “some time yet before those people can return home”.

The Daly River peaked on Sunday morning at 16.42 metres but remained high at 16.33 metres as of lunchtime today.

The Katherine River has also started to drop.

In Queensland’s east, river levels are also on a downward track, including in the town of Longreach and Thomson River.

The peak has likely been hit there at levels similar to the 2019 flood, but below the level of the town’s new bridge.

A stream of tropical moisture was now moving through central parts of the country that was feeding rain and storms, with a severe weather warning for heavy rainfall currently in place in southwest NT and northern South Australia.

double quotation markThe focus for the next few days is moving to the central band of the country.

Over the next few days we could have 100mm or more and in local areas it could be much much higher.

Everything is already saturated and the chance we will see riverine flooding again is quite high.