The temperatures - of 53.9 degrees in Mitribah, Kuwait, on July 21, 2016, and 53.7 degrees in Turbat, Pakistan, on May 28, 2017 - are among the four hottest ever recorded.

Among outlays for the 2019-20 year, the government will spend $70 million on environmental programs, including protecting threatened species such as koalas.

Researchers in the study say the findings show the need for further investigations into the potential relationship between wind turbine noise and sleep disturbance.

Since keen birdwatchers are active along coastlines around the world, they can supply information that would otherwise be costly and difficult to gather, researchers say.

A Nationals minister has admitted personally phoning a government agency that was investigating potentially illegal land clearing on her property, according to documents released to Parliament.