Weatherzone, By: ABC, 05/07/2013

The Bureau of Meteorology is warning severe weather conditions could cause widespread damage in parts of WA as two fronts approach the state. The bureau is predicting winds similar to a category two cyclone from Perth through to Albany tomorrow.

The storm is expected to bring conditions seen only seen every four or five years in the south-west. A separate system is forecast to hit the state's north-west tonight.

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Weatherzone, By: ABC, 05/07/2013

A Gympie business owner says Australia needs a national levy to cover the cost of disasters. Disasters have cost Australia billions of dollars in the past few years - Gympie has had five major floods in two years.

About 50 business owners were at a forum in the city last night to be briefed by consultants doing a flood mitigation study for council. Kerren Smith's business has lost 5,000 production hours due to flooding this year and he says a scheme similar to the disability insurance levy is needed for disasters.

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Weatherzone, By: Suzannah Baker, 05/07/2013

It's not just those on the land who are feeling the effects of the drought, fisherman in northern parts of the country are too. Gary Ward is the chairman of Gulf of Carpentaria commercial fishers association and has noticed a drastic drop in barramundi numbers.

He says the missing wet season is to blame for an 80 per cent reduction compared to last year. "Fishermen are battling to fill orders that they've been able to fill for many years." "There's a drought on the land, there's a drought in the sea." Mr Ward says they're hoping to get a cold snap in winter which could improve the situation.

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Weatherzone, By: Virginia Tapp, 05/07/2013

Organisers of a beef crisis summit in north Queensland today want to see 100,000 Australian cattle donated to Indonesia. Up to 500 graziers, as well as the state and federal agriculture ministers, are gathering for a meeting in Richmond to address the high Australian dollar, drought, high debt and the reduced cattle export industry.

Organiser Barry Hughes says one resolution is to make good with Indonesia after the live export suspension.

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Weatherzone, By: Press Release, 05/07/2013

Western Australia is bracing for a wild few days of intense wind, rain, thunderstorms and waves with potential for significant damage, according to weatherzone.com.au. From Tuesday night to Friday the wind, rain and storms will be far reaching across the west and south of the state but focused on the southwest, particularly the area from Perth to Albany.

"Wind will be strong enough to damage buildings and bring down trees and power lines. Storms will be intense enough to enhance the wind and rain and lead to flash flooding. And waves will be large enough to erode beaches. There is potential for wind gusts to reach 120km/h, rainfall to amount to 60-to-120mm and wave heights to exceed five metres," Weatherzone meteorologist Brett Dutschke said. There is still time to do some tidying up around the yard and clean the gutters before the peak of the weather hits on Wednesday.

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