A bitter group of troops send the PM a message: you're no John Monash

It is no coincidence Coalition backbenchers have unveiled a pro-coal 'ginger' group, the Monash Forum, just as Malcolm Turnbull braces for the embarrassment of a landmark poll loss.

Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull are at odds over energy policy.

Nor it is coincidence that it comes just as his government eyes the first realistic prospect of a breakthrough in the decade-old climate wars, with Commonwealth and state energy ministers due to meet in April to consider the National Energy Guarantee.

Nor even that they've appropriated Australia's greatest soldier, Sir John Monash, just as the Prime Minister heads for the Western Front later this month.

The symbol for reaching a 30th wedding anniversary is the gleaming white pearl. Turnbull's present for notching up that same number in Newspoll losses - the very milestone he cited as proof that Tony Abbott's standing was irreversible - is an altogether dirtier object.

Hardliners are now presenting the Prime Minister with the same lump of coal they flaunted in Parliament last year.

Read Mark Kenny’s story from The Age - “A bitter group of troops send the PM a message: you're no John Monash.”

Why don’t our cities cope with heavy rain?

It’s officially the first day or summer but you wouldn’t know it in Victoria as the state braces itself for a deluge of rain.  Although this opening of the heavens might be giving your plants a good water, extreme rainfall events can actually cause major flooding, car accidents, property damage and even loss of life. And we know that as our climate changes we’ll see more severe storms and rain events and lengthier droughts.

As heavy rain hits, how do our cities deal with it?

While our research can’t prevent extreme events from happening, it can help protect people from their effects.

“Planning cities to cope with extreme rainfall events is critically important to minimise property loss, reduce danger to lives, and reduce any negative effects on the natural environment, especially waterways,” said Dr Simon Toze from our Adaptive Liveable Cities team.

Our research, based on water and future resilient cities, includes finding environmental-friendly solutions for long-term sustainability and water supply, preventing contaminants, as well as reducing discharge of water and wastewater while protecting human health.

Read the CSIROscope story by Amy Edwards - “Why don’t our cities cope with heavy rain?”

New temperature records expected as NSW, Queensland brace for second spring heatwave

Temperature records set on Saturday may not last long, as eastern Australia braces for another heatwave.

Northern New South Wales and Queensland will bear the brunt of the extreme heat, with Brisbane and Ipswich expected to set new September records on Thursday.

Outback regions will be even hotter.

The Bureau of Meteorology predicts Queensland will hit a new September record on Wednesday, with Birdsville in the far west Channel Country expected to reach 43 degrees.

That would equal the hottest September day ever recorded anywhere in Australia.

Read the ABC News story - “New temperature records expected as NSW, Queensland brace for second spring heatwave.”