Our Team

Liam is a journalist with the NSW bureau of The Australian. He started his journalism career as a photographer before freelancing for the NZ Herald, news.com.au and the Daily Telegraph. Liam was News Corp Australia’s Young Journalist of the Year in 2022 and was awarded a Kennedy Award for coverage of the NSW floods. He has also previously worked as a producer for Channel Seven’s investigative journalism program 7News Spotlight. He can be contacted at MendesL@theaustralian.com.au or Liam.Mendes@protonmail.com.

@liammendes

Latest

NSW FLOODSNation

Ron Stace on the flooded family farm on the outskirts of Forbes. He has lost major crops in the flood.Properties on the outskirts of Forbes have been effected by rousing flood waters.Major flooding is expected at Forbes in the southern areas of the town, from Wednesday. An evacuation order has been authorised and is now in place for low lying areas of Forbes. Picture: Gary Ramage

‘Slow waiting game’ as floodwaters rise

It is small comfort to farmers that vast areas of unharvested crops have significantly slowed the floodwaters threatening Forbes, probably helping to save parts of the town.

Liam Mendes

WeatherNation

Forbes local Malcolm Anderson is preparing for the rising waters and has a home made water level indicator.Major flooding is expected at Forbes from late Tuesday with the peak expected during Wednesday. An evacuation order has been authorised and is now in place for low lying areas of Forbes. Residents in the affected areas must evacuate by 9.30pm. SES personnel are going door to door advising and checking on people in the affected area of Forbes.Picture: Gary Ramage

Locals ignore evacuation orders

Residents of the flood-threatened central west NSW town of Forbes are refusing to evacuate their homes, despite warnings.

Liam Mendes

WeatherNation

Duncan Williams is a sheep and wheat farmer who is prepared for the worst scenario.He believes he could loose his entire crop if the flood hits.For the past 27 years Duncan has managed Ã¢â¬ÅBogabigalÃ¢â¬Â a 1600 hectare property on the outskirts of Forbes, in Western NSW.He moved his sheep to higher ground so they do not get cut off when the river rises.Heavy rain has been dumped on NSW as a low-pressure system moved across the state. Picture: Gary Ramage

Farmers fear $100m loss as floods sweep away crops

Many farmers are due to harvest their crops next week, but believe at least 80 per cent will be lost by the floods due to hit central west NSW.

Liam Mendes

back in nswNation

COOLANGATTA, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos NOVEMBER 11, 2021: Alleged drug smuggler Mostafa Baluch seen boarding a NSW Police plane at Coolangatta Airport as he's extradited to NSW from Queensland after being arrested on the NSW/QLD border following a frantic two week manhunt. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

‘Drug kingpin’ shackled and extradited

Police involved in the capture of Mostafa Baluch have turned their attention to a truckie suspected of being involved in a plot to smuggle him out of the country.

Liam Mendes

Border truck stingNation

How police nabbed fugitive Baluch

Mostafa Baluch thought he had made it to Queensland after hearing a knock on the container in which he was hiding.

Liam Mendes

exclusivePolitics

Cheng Fan, 33, of Blacktown, was charged in July after he allegedly sent out harassing emails about Labor candidate Kristy McBain just weeks out from the fiercely contested political battle. Police allege the emails aimed to discredit Ms McBain and falsely stated she would be dropping out of the race due to being infected with COVID-19. Jane Dempster/The Australian

‘Abusive email pest’ faces new poll charges

A Sydney businessman has been charged with electoral fraud and harassment after allegedly sending abusive and racist emails about Dave Sharma and Kerryn Phelps.

Liam Mendes

ExclusiveNation

Mohammed Syed, 46, allegedly engaged in a years-long pillaging of lobbying firm Crosby Textor’s funds, with the company’s money ending up in his personal bank accounts and which was then used to acquire property and pay for his wife’s extravagant holidays abroad.

Legal aid grant for accused fraudster

A former senior employee at Crosby Textor will fight charges he stole $3m from the company over nine years – and his court battle is being funded through a Legal Aid grant.

Liam Mendes

techTechnology

Face-scan firm told to cease and desist

A controversial US facial recognition software trialled by the nation’s law enforcement agencies has been ordered to stop collecting images of Australians.

Liam Mendes

inquestNation

2/11/2021 Inquest into the death of Ursula Barwick. Pictured is UrsulaÃs sister Kate Barwick (L), with Detective Sergeant Amy Scott, one of two officers who investigated UrsulaÃs disappearance, and UrsulaÃs stepmother Elizabeth Barwick (R). Picture: Liam Mendes / The Australian

‘Systemic’ cop failings in missing persons cases: coroner

NSW Police failed to properly identify four missing persons and did not take basic steps to try to solve the mystery of their disappearances, a coronial inquest has found.

Liam Mendes

travelAviation

Family members celebrate upon being reunited on arrival at Sydney's International Airport on November 1, 2021, as Australia's international border reopened almost 600 days after a pandemic closure began. (Photo by Saeed Khan / AFP)

Tears, hugs and kisses on day of pure joy

Sydney International Airport’s arrivals hall transformed from a lifeless empty space to one heaving with humanity after borders opened to fully vaccinated returning Aussies on Monday.

Robyn Ironside and Liam Mendes

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/liam-mendes/page/61