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Listen to 4BC Breakfast with Peter Fegan weekdays from 5.30am-9am.

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Queensland Premier David Crisafulli joined Peter Fegan on 4BC Breakfast to provide the latest update on Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

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Although not in the direct path of Tropical Cyclone Alfred, Ipswich residents are in for very similar restrictions to residents in Brisbane.

Schools are closed, council services and transport has been suspended as everyone braces for torrential rain and high winds.

Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding told Peter Fegan on 4BC Breakfast, "Ipswich residents still have a few hours here to make their final preparations for Tropical Cyclone Alfred, but that window will close today."

"It's not too late to have a look around your property, secure any loose items and debris in your yard, have a look at your emergency kit, make sure you've got that tinned food and the water there that may have to last you a couple of days."

"Sandbagging is available until 11 o'clock today or until supplies are exhausted," Mayor Harding said.

"So, afterwards we're asking people to shelter in place."

"The safest place to be during a cyclone is to shelter in place," she continued.

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Public transport has been cancelled in light of Tropical Cyclone Alfred and there are also a number of road closures.

The message from police is to stay at home and that people should only travel if absolutely necessary. 

Chief Superintendent Garath Channells told Peter Fegan on 4BC Breakfast, "It's not illegal to be on the road in your car, but the reality is that we're going to have a tropical cyclone across the coast."

"The weather conditions will be extremely variable," he said.

"I would suggest, like all the messaging that we've been hearing over the last few days, the best place for you to be is in your home or in a safe place."

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South-East Queenslanders can expect dangerous winds, torrential rain and potential flooding when TC Alfred makes landfall early on Friday.

The situation is drawing some comparisons to the devastating 2022 South-East Queensland floods, raising concerns about the impact on communities.

Meteorologist Helen Reid from the Bureau of Meteorology told Peter Fegan on 4BC Breakfast, "So whether it's slow-moving or not, it's going to be very wet and if it is slow moving, it does just mean extra wet for those people and then that sense of still getting energy out of the water as well."

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Listen to 4BC Breakfast with Peter Fegan weekdays from 5.30am-9am.

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Most experts are predicting Anthony Albanese to call the federal election for April 12, but they might be delayed with Tropical Cyclone Alfred bearing down on South-East Queensland.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton told Peter Fegan on 4BC Breakfast, "To go to an election at that stage [after TC Alfred], I think the Prime Minister would have a tin ear to do that."

"It's not due until the 17th of May, so he's got plenty of time to sort out when it is."

He may well have been intending to go this weekend, but I think it is difficult in the circumstances and I think people probably want from their Prime Minister Governing not campaigning at a time like this," Mr. Dutton said.

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As Cyclone Alfred inches closer to the South East Queensland coast communities are bracing for impact.

There’s so much advice out there on how best to prepare, from taping windows to boarding them up to keeping doors open to filling up the bath and what essentials you should have.

Chief Engineer at the Cyclone Testing Station at James Cook University Dr David Henderson told Peter Fegan on 4BC Breakfast, "Don't shelter in rooms that have windows and glass in them."

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Schools will most likely be closed on Thursday, businesses could be shutting their doors and the majority of people are being told to work from home if possible, but what about the essential workers?

Will South-East Queensland's hospitals stay open and if so is it safe?

Australian Medical Association Queensland President Dr Nick Yim joined Peter Fegan on 4BC Breakfast to discuss.

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South-East Queensland should be expecting power outages during and after Tropical Cyclone Alfred hits which raises the question, what should we do with our perishables?

The Food Safety Information Council has issued vital advice for consumers on how to keep food safe when the power goes out. 

Food Safety Information Council CEO Lydia Buchtmann told Peter Fegan on 4BC Breakfast, "The first thing to do when the power goes out is do write down when it goes out."

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