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Rain has eased over much of NSW but dozens of rivers are flooding and evacuation orders are in place as authorities forecast another rain system to arrive midweek.
People across the state were forced to flee their homes on the weekend amid rising floodwaters and thousands of others are poised to leave if ordered as dams spill and river peaks move downstream.
Seven rivers are experiencing or may experience major flooding in the coming days, the Bureau of Meteorology's Dean Narramore says.
Major flooding is occurring along the Murrumbidgee River with people in Gundagai, Gunnedah, Wee Waa, Warren and Forbes on high alert.
"Events can quickly change. In some areas we're anticipating anywhere between 30 to 75 millimetres of rain," Fire and Rescue NSW senior official Ken Murphy told ABC on Monday, referring to the Forbes area.
He also warned dams throughout the state could overflow throughout the week.
There are more than 100 flood warnings in place and 16 emergency warnings across NSW.
NSW State Emergency Service received more than 1000 calls for help on the weekend and responded to 44 flood rescues including 12 vehicles stuck in flood waters.
Premier Dominic Perrottet says the areas of most concern are in the state's west and the Hawkesbury-Nepean area and has urged everyone to heed warnings.
"The dams are full. The rivers are full. There is water right across the state," he told reporters.
The BOM says no heavy falls are expected in the next couple of days but areas east of the Great Dividing Range will receive patches of rain.
The reprieve will be short-lived, with another system expected to bring rain from Wednesday to Friday.
SES Commissioner Carlene York warned people not to become complacent because the rain had stopped.
"We're seeing flash flooding and serious riverine flooding rising," she told Sydney radio 2GB on Monday.
"Just because it's not raining, it doesn't mean those rivers aren't rising - water is still flowing into our catchment areas."
The SES issued new evacuation orders overnight for low-lying areas along the Hawkesbury River and an evacuation centre has been established at North Richmond while flooding continues further west and south.
Moderate to heavy rainfall since Saturday caused significant river level rises across the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley, triggering moderate flooding at North Richmond and Windsor and minor flooding at Penrith and Sackville.
Along the Macquarie River, moderate flooding is occurring at Dubbo and Narromine, with major flooding at Warren.
The Macquarie River at Warren Town could reach around 9.60 metres late on Monday and into Tuesday, bringing major flooding.
Agriculture Minister and Dubbo MP Dugald Saunders says there are many road closures in the district as vast swathes of water envelope the landscape.
"The deluge of rain that happened turned what are normally just little creeks of less than a metre into rampaging rivers of 30 and 40m wide through paddocks," he told 2GB.
"There's a lot of crops that will be lost.
"We're just bracing for another weather event ... from Wednesday to Friday."
Mr Saunders urged landholders to report any flood damage to their properties, including land, infrastructure and animals.
"Since the heavy rain began last week, we have already assisted three farmers in western NSW with emergency fodder drops because their livestock was stranded," he said in a statement.
"We expect this number to increase in the coming days."
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Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has defended the Albanese government's position on the stage three tax cuts, saying it hasn't gone back on its promise.
Mr Marles said while the government was openly discussing the pressures placed on the budget by areas of growth including defence spending and the NDIS, it would not scrap the tax cuts due in July 2024.
"What we've consistently said is that our position on tax has not changed," he told the ABC.
"I don't think we could have been clearer than that.
"We've been making the point that the budget is under pressure and it's certainly under pressure looking into the medium and long term."
Mr Marles, who is also the defence minister, said the government was looking to make defence spending sustainable and as "excellent" as it could be.
"The focus of what we are trying to say today is that the waste that we've seen in defence over the last 10 years must come to a stop," he said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese doubled down, saying his government was not planning on amending the tax cuts.
But the opposition is calling on the prime minister to expressly rule out any future changes.
"Our position hasn't changed - I've said that repeatedly," Mr Albanese told reporters on Sunday.
"These (tax cuts) are due to come in in 2024. We are producing a budget in October 2022."
He said the government would continue to work alongside the Reserve Bank's policy to curb inflation and produce a sensible budget that wouldn't add to inflationary pressure, as central banks around the world hike interest rates at unprecedented speed.
"At that time fiscal policy should work in concert with (monetary policy) not against it," Mr Albanese said.
"That's the context in which we are framing a budget."
Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor welcomed assurances the tax cuts would remain but wanted Labor to be more explicit.
"We need to see Anthony Albanese ruling out dropping the tax cuts," he told Sky News.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said the prime minister had left the door open to considering changes in the future.
"It seems he is still contemplating it between now and the next election," he told the ABC's Insiders program.
Government ministers have consistently run the line that there have been no changes to the policy, but haven't ruled out discussions about changing the cuts.
"That would be an unforgivable and a ridiculous mistake," Mr Dutton said.
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Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles is digging in after a confusing week of debate about income tax cuts.
Mr Marles said while the government was openly discussing the pressures on Australia's finances, it would not scrap the cuts due in 2024.
"What we've consistently said is that our position on tax has not changed," he told the ABC on Monday.
"I don't think we could have been clearer than that.
"We've been making the point that the budget is under pressure and it's certainly under pressure looking into the medium and long term."
The government has been accused of moving to break a central election promise after flying kites over the future of the stage three tax cuts.
But the Greens are worried the government will need to rein in spending on critical services to afford the cuts.
"The Greens will not back budget austerity measures to help Labor fund their stage three tax cuts for politicians and billionaires," Greens leader Adam Bandt said.
"Labor's flat tax nightmare is tearing down social democracy, ripping money from public services to pay for $9000 tax cuts for politicians and billionaires."
The government has been upfront about pressures on the budget and says it will target wasteful spending to help improve its bottom line.
Mr Marles, who is also defence minister, said the government was looking to streamline military spending.
"The focus of what we are trying to say today is that the waste that we've seen in defence over the last 10 years must come to a stop," he said.
Anthony Albanese has also doubled down on the tax cuts, saying his government was not planning any changes.
But the opposition is calling on the prime minister to expressly rule out any amendments.
"Our position hasn't changed - I've said that repeatedly," Mr Albanese told reporters.
Nationals leader David Littleproud urged the government to stick to its election promise and keep the stage three tax cuts.
"We just simply cannot trust Labor with tax cuts," he said.
"These aren't tax cuts for the big end of town - this is for middle-income earners making between $45,000 and $200,000."
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Senior ministers are sticking to the script on income tax cuts despite a confusing week of debate about the legislated changes.
The Albanese government has been accused of moving to break a central election promise after flying kites over the future of the stage three tax cuts.
But its leaders have repeatedly asserted they will not be dumping the controversial policy Labor promised to keep in the lead up to the federal election.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said there had been "no change" in the government's policy to keep the stage three tax cuts.
"We haven't changed our position on that, so our position stands, so there's been no change here," he told ABC radio.
But the Greens are worried the government will need to rein in spending on critical services to afford the cuts.
"Labor's flat tax nightmare is tearing down social democracy, ripping money from public services to pay for $9000 tax cuts for politicians and billionaires," Greens leader Adam Bandt said.
The Public Health Association of Australia is also campaigning against the tax cuts and is calling on higher-income individuals to sign its petition to drop the legislated changes.
"We want to make sure that the Australian government knows that the people who stand to benefit from the tax cuts are happy to relinquish that benefit in favour of the public good," chief executive officer Terry Slevin said.
The head of the peak public health body said the money would be better spent on preventative health programs and higher welfare payments.
The government has been upfront about pressures on the budget and says it will target wasteful spending to help improve its bottom line.
Streamlining military spending is top of the agenda after identifying billions of dollars in budget blowouts and major delays in military projects.
"The focus of what we are trying to say today is that the waste that we've seen in defence over the last 10 years must come to a stop," Defence Minister Richard Marles said.
Despite the government doubling down on its tax cut position, the opposition is not convinced.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said it was clear the government was not committed to the tax cuts.
"Labor has reluctantly come out over the course of the weekend to say 'well, look, we're still considering it, but we aren't going to make any changes or amendments to it now'," he told reporters.
"And that's the sort of uncertainty that kills confidence, and Labor will always make the wrong decisions when it comes to the budget and to the management of the Australian economy."
© AAP 2022
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