Residents at Collie in Western Australia will begin to mop up this morning after a record downpours damaged more than 40 homes. The town, south of Perth was drenched by 126 milimeters of rain in just 12 hours. Authorities are also trying to restore power to about thousand homes across the state's southwest.

 

A new health coaliation is warning alcohol will put 12,000 people in hospital this summer in New South Wales alone. New South Wales ACT alcohol policy alliance says the culture of summer binge drinking will also lead to 300 drinking related deaths. It's callling on the New South Wales government to address what it calls an approaching alcohol storm.

 

A woman has died after she and another woman was swept off rocks at Avoca Beach on the New South Wales central coast. Lifeguards rescued the two women after a passing kayaker raised the alarm. The 27-year-old Bankstown woman died at the scene. A 25-year-old woman is in stable condition.

 

Opposition leader Tony Abbott has a made surprise visit to Afghanistan. While enroute to London, Mr.Abbotts spend time with soldiers at the Australian base in Tarin Kot. He had lunch and delivered footballs and cricket gear to troops for Christmas.