What we learned today, Thursday 25 April
With that, we’ll end our live coverage of the day’s news.
Here’s a summary of the main news developments:
Thousands of Australians have gathered at dawn services around the country to commemorate the sacrifices of service men and women past and present on Anzac Day.
Five of the seven teenagers arrested on Wednesday as part of counter-terrorism raids in Sydney have been charged with a range of terrorism offences.
The family of a Cobram woman found dead at her home in northern Victoria have remembered her as “proud aunty” who had the “biggest heart of anyone we know”.
A cluster of 20 drug overdoses in New South Wales has prompted the state’s health department to issue a public warning about the danger of synthetic opioids, which are often substantially more powerful than heroin.
Five women who allege they were forced off a Qatar Airways plane by armed guards and intimately examined at Doha airport are attempting to overturn a legal decision that found they could not sue the airline directly.
Authorities rushed to save more than 150 whales from a mass stranding at a beach in Western Australia’s south-west.
Thanks for following along.
Updated
A man has died after he fell from a collapsing wind tower in the Whitsundays region of Queensland.
Queensland ambulance service responded to a call at a property near Lake Prosperine at about 12:40pm, the Courier Mail reported, with an TACQ helicopter later sent.
An ambulance spokesperson told the Courier Mail the man, who working at the time of the incident, had fallen 20 metres, sustained critical injuries and was treated on the scene but succumbed to his injuries.
Australia unveils $30m in regional support on World Malaria Day
The Albanese government has announced an investment in malaria-prevention efforts in the Pacific and south-east Asia.
On Thursday, to mark World Malaria Day, the foreign minister, Penny Wong, said Australia was investing up to $30m to support governments and communities across the region “deliver new tools and build critical skills to eliminate malaria”.
In a statement, the government said: “Malaria remains a major challenge in our region with over 7m reported cases in 2022, and rising infection rates in some countries.
“Malaria is a burden on families and health systems, slowing development and restricting growth. New tools are urgently needed to address the emerging resistance to current treatments, and the impact of climate change, which threaten to roll back progress achieved against malaria.”
The government said its new package “provides comprehensive support ranging from preventing infections through strengthened mosquito control to developing better testing tools and improved treatments”.
It includes $5m to James Cook University to support Pacific countries to strengthen surveillance and control of mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue and zika.
It also includes a new $8m partnership with non-government health organisation PATH, in a consortium with Australia’s Burnet Institute and Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, to develop new diagnostic tests targeted to our region.
Additionally, the government is providing $17m to the Medicines for Malaria Venture, for the development of new malaria treatments including medicines suitable for use in pregnancy and for children.
Updated
Gardener taken into custody after man found dead and woman injured
More on the homicide investigation in Queensland, after an incident where a man was found dead and a woman suffered serious head injuries at a home north of Brisbane.
Police were called to do a welfare check at a Burpengary East home on Thursday morning where they found two people in their 70s with serious head injuries. The man was declared dead at the scene while the woman was rushed to hospital in a life-threatening condition.
A 26-year-old Boondall man was taken into custody after he waited at the property for police.
Det Insp David Harbison said it was not a domestic violence-related incident and the 26-year-old man was not previously known to the victims. “We believe he just attended today to do some form of gardening duties,” Harbison said. Police are not looking for any other persons of interest.
Harbison described it as a tragic and devastating incident.
“It is so terribly traumatic for anyone to see this, including first responders,” he said. “We hope to get to the bottom of it and learn more and try to understand how this incident occurred.”
– from AAP
Updated
Many thanks for joining me on the blog today. Elias Visontay will be here to guide you through the rest of today’s news. Take care.
Pro-Palestine encampment set up at University of Melbourne
A pro-Palestine protest encampment has begun at the University of Melbourne, just days after a similar one was launched at the University of Sydney.
A statement from UniMelb for Palestine Action Group says the Gaza solidarity encampment began at 10am today on the south lawn.
Protesters will remain at the encampment until the university “divests and cuts ties with all weapons manufacturers”; abides by the boycott, divest and sanction (BDS) list; and provides “transparency” around research being conducted under funds and grants from weapons manufacturers, the statement said.
At the University of Melbourne encampment pic.twitter.com/NycKrBmG4r
— Warren Armstrong (@filmcement) April 25, 2024
Photos from the university campus show that dozens of tents have been set up, along with protest signs. The separate encampment at the University of Sydney is continuing, entering its third day.
A University of Melbourne spokeswoman said the institution “is a diverse, multi-cultural and multi-faith community made up of more than 80,000 students and staff combined, where a wide range of views exist”.
“All perspectives are welcome but these must be expressed in a respectful way, so that everyone can fully participate in University life,” the spokeswoman said.
Updated
Mental health chief resigns over government ‘inaction’
The head of Australia’s peak mental health body, Matt Berriman, has resigned over what he labelled the Albanese government’s inaction following decades of underfunding and inattention.
A former professional cricketer and businessman, Berriman was appointed to Mental Health Australia’s top role in December 2021 but has quit in protest because he said not enough was being done. He told the ABC:
I don’t think over the last 20 years mental health has been addressed in this country and the Labor government promised that was going to happen and it hasn’t.
Berriman took aim at the government’s approach to mental health, saying it was inadequately funded and was not given the attention it deserved.
The health minister, Mark Butler, said the government would continue to work closely with the sector and reform would not happen overnight.
Mental Health Australia said it was with “sadness” it announced Berriman’s resignation, which was effective immediately. Berriman said:
I remain driven by a desire to ensure that one day equitable and easy access to good mental health support and services will be considered an unquestionable basic human right, and an integral part of how our society functions.
– from AAP
Updated
Deputy opposition leader backs eSafety commissioner ‘one hundred percent’
Deputy opposition leader Sussan Ley said she backs the eSafety commissioner “one hundred percent” and is “really disappointed” by the approach X boss Elon Musk is taking with the platform.
To get yourself up to speed on the Musk v Australian online safety regulator saga, you can read this explainer from Josh Taylor:
Speaking to Sky News earlier today, Ley said:
I’m for X obeying the law and I’m not for the actions and the statements of our eSafety commissioner being ignored. We back her 100%.
Ley largely spoke from a place of concern over the content young people could potentially access online. She continued:
I’m really disappointed with the approach of Elon Musk and the way he’s taken over this company. It’s just a free for all and it’s not fair and it’s not right.
Asked about criticism that Australia shouldn’t be able to tell X what it can and can’t do in other countries, Ley said this is “patently ridiculous” because "that’s why we have an eSafety commissioner”.
Her LNP colleague, Nationals senator Matt Canavan, has a different opinion. Earlier today he shared a video message from bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel – who said he was okay with videos of his alleged attack remaining online – and said:
I pray that our leaders and regulators will listen to your humble request for the video of the [alleged] attack on you to remain online.
26 whales stranded on WA beach have died
The Parks and Wildlife Service WA said four pods of up to 160 pilot whales in total had spread across roughly 500m, at Toby’s Inlet near Dunsborough.
But sadly 26 whales have died, they confirmed:
There are 20 whales in a pod about 1.5km offshore. Another pod of about 110 animals are together closer offshore.
Parks and Wildlife said an experienced team including wildlife officers, marine scientists and veterinarians are on-site or on their way.
Thank you to everyone in the community who has shown their concern and been working with our staff on the beach and in the water …
Our team is assessing the conditions of the whales that have stranded on the beach. Our teams on the water are trying to keep the animals together and away from the beach.
Parks and Wildlife said based on previous strandings, including the one near Albany last year, whales often have to be “euthanised as the most humane outcome”.
People are encouraged to stay away from the site.
Updated
Albanese joins Katter and Lambie for game of two-up
Back from his trip to Papua New Guinea, the prime minister has landed in Townsville and marked Anzac Day with a game of two-up at the local RSL.
Sharing photos of the game on X, Anthony Albanese was joined by MP Bob Katter, independent senator Jacqui Lambie and Labor senator Nita Green.
Got in a game of Two-up at the Townsville RSL with Bob Katter, Jacqui Lambie and Nita Green for Anzac Day. pic.twitter.com/s711Q97DMD
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) April 25, 2024
For those who don’t know, two-up is an Australian gambling game that can only be played on Anzac Day. As history professor Bruce Moore explained last year, two coins are placed on a small piece of wood called the “kip” and tossed into the air, and bets are placed on whether both coins will fall with heads or tails facing up.
Moore said two-up was always illegal because it is an unregulated form of gambling, but from the 1980s it became legal in most states on Anzac Day alone.
From the very early period of the first world war, two-up assumed great importance among the Australian troops. Soldiers reported that two-up was played on the battlefield during the Gallipoli campaign, even when under shellfire. As the war dragged on, numerous stories were told about Australian soldiers’ obsession with playing it.
Warning issued for shark activity around Toby’s Inlet
People are being urged to remain on alert around Toby’s Inlet near Dunsborough, as potential dead whales may attract sharks.
In a statement, SharkSmart WA said dead and injured whales could “act as an attractant that could lead to sharks coming close [to the] shore”.
While it’s not uncommon for sharks to be present off the Western Australian coast throughout the year, people should exercise additional caution.
People are asked to report shark sightings to Water Police on 9442 8600.
Wildlife group urges public to stay away from site of mass whale stranding
The Dunsborough & Busselton Wildlife Care Inc is urging people to stay away from the site of a mass whale stranding at Toby’s Inlet.
The group said they are currently attending the beach with DBCA officers, rangers and “everyone who needs to be [here].”
The public are now hindering procedures and lots [of] dogs and kids [are] causing more problems… We will ask for help as and when needed.
Dunsborough & Busselton Wildlife Care Inc
— Shark Safety WA (@SharkSafetyWA) April 25, 2024
We are in attendance along with dbca, rangers and everyone who needs to be the public are now hindering procedures and lots dogs and kids causing more problems please stay away and do not call us we are here pic.twitter.com/pCX4hFw7pZ
Wildlife groups respond to mass whale stranding in Western Australia
We’re keeping an eye on the mass whale stranding near Dunsborough in Western Australia for any developments, as a coordinated rescue effort is being formed between DBCA staff and Perth Zoo vets.
As we reported earlier, up to 100 pilot whales are stranded on the shore of Toby’s Inlet. Six whales are believed to have died.
The Perth Wildlife Rescue Network said on Facebook that people should stay away from the area, or keep their distance, if they are not physically assisting with the rescue.
Please do NOT take your dog down to the beach off lead to run around… Please listen to DBCA officers [and] don’t try to be a hero, you may get hurt or cause injury to the whales.
Wildlife rehabilitation organisation F.A.W.N.A Inc. urged people to register their interest to help with the rescue, rather than just showing up, because “there are too many people crowding already.”
Busselton council said city rangers are in attendance and the beach has been closed.
And Casey Woodward with WA Landcare said although the situation is “incredibly distressing” it’s important for people to follow the instruction of government departments:
The last thing they need is a circus when they are trying to coordinate a very intense situation on a falling tide.
Queensland police investigate death of man and serious injury of woman
At 9:20am today, police responded to an address in Bramston Court, north of Brisbane, to conduct a welfare check. Police said:
Upon arrival, police located the man and the woman, both aged in their seventies and with serious head injuries.
The man was declared deceased at the scene. The woman was transported to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s hospital.
Police have taken a 26-year-old Boondall man into custody.
Updated
Six whales have died amid mass stranding, Surf Life Saving says
Surf Life Saving says six whales have died amid a mass stranding event on a Western Australian beach.
According to a tweet, officers from the department of biodiversity, conservation and attractions sighted six whale carcasses at 9.10am, local time, about 1m offshore.
DBCA officers report 6 x whale carcasses sighted at 9:10hrs 25/04, BSN315 Quindalup BEN Sign, east of Dunsborough. 1m offshore. A mass stranding of between 50 and 100 pilot whales.. Reported at 09:50hrs 25/04.
— Surf Life Saving WA (@SLSWA) April 25, 2024
As we reported earlier, a mass stranding of between 50 and 100 pilot whales is occurring at Toby’s Inlet near Dunsborough. DBCA staff and vets from Perth Zoo are reportedly attending the scene to coordinate a rescue effort.
Latest mass whale stranding comes less than a year after stranding near Albany
We’ll bring you the latest on the mass whale stranding at Dunsborough, Western Australia throughout the day as more information filters through (see earlier post).
It comes less than a year after dozens of pilot whales died near Albany amid a mass stranding. This occurred at Cheynes Beach, more than 400km from Toby’s Inlet where the current stranding is occurring.
Reporter Narelle Towie was at Cheynes Beach last year and found herself joining volunteers and marine officials trying to save the stranded pod. You can read about her experience below:
Meanwhile, Tom Mustill has explored why mass whale stranding’s occur in the first place:
Muslim organisation calls for more considered language to prevent hate
The Australian Muslim Advocacy Network said the use of “religiously motivated violent extremism” (RMVE) in relation to yesterday’s raids had “unleashed online hatred and, based on past experience, will result in increased hate incidents against the Muslim community”.
Terrorism is politically motivated. Politically motivated is accurate language.
The network said RMVE is not a neutral term but “designed to link community panic and fear about terrorism to a whole religion” rather than alleged political motives.
White supremacist or Incel-inspired terrorism is “ideologically motivated”, yet where the offender is Muslim, a whole religion and community are demonised … RMVE language is nothing short of reckless and irresponsible and must end now.
The network said Asio boss Mike Burgess used the term “religiously motivated” during his National Press Club speech yesterday, despite warning politicians about inflammatory language.
Not only does this show immense disrespect, but it misleads the public as the cause of terrorism, putting our whole community at risk and marginalising us.
Updated
Mass stranding of pilot whales on Western Australian beach
A mass stranding of between 50 and 100 pilot whales is occurring on a Western Australian beach, with a coordinated rescue effort underway.
According to the WA Parks and Wildlife Service, the mass stranding is occurring at Toby’s Inlet near Dunsborough. An image shows dozens of whales along the shoreline.
Staff from the department of biodiversity, conservation and attractions, plus vets from Perth Zoo, are now being sent to the area.
Parks and Wildlife is urging the community not to attempt to rescue the animals without the direction of department staff, as this “may cause further injury and distress to the animals and hinder a coordinated rescue effort”.
Those who wish to help can contact Parks and Wildife’s Busselton office on 9752 5555.
The highest priority at mass whale stranding events is always human safety followed by animal welfare. We want all staff and volunteers to go home safe.
We ask that people please follow instructions of DBCA staff to ensure the highest human safety and animal welfare outcomes are achieved.
Updated
First RBA interest rate cut may not happen until after the federal election
Investors can be a twitchy mob, as we saw yesterday when Australia’s March quarter inflation figures surprised on the upside.
Prior to the release of the ABS data, markets had been tipping the first Reserve Bank interest rate cut would be a certainty by next February. After the numbers dropped, investors reviewed their bets and now only fully price in that first cut by next July, at least according to the ASX.
Markets now not fully pricing in an RBA rate cut until July 2025, according to ASX's rates tracker. Prior to yesterday's unexpected strong March quarter CPI figures, that first cut was fully priced in for February. pic.twitter.com/uo9XYUooA9
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) April 25, 2024
The Australian dollar also bounced higher against the US counterpart, reaching about 65.3 US cents within about an hour. As it happens, other things are going on in the world, and the Aussie dollar has given up most of yesterday’s advance to hover around the 65 US cents mark.
Those pundits who clutched for the pearls yesterday might also want to reassess. Yes, inflation won’t keep falling at the rate it has - and might even go up some months. But a year ago, CPI was running at a 6.3% clip and in March 2024 it had dropped to 3.5%.
Economists, we should note, hadn’t had a great track record of late in picking the inflation rate. For five months in a row, they overestimated the outcome and last month was finally one that surprised the other way.
Or, as we note here, punters shouldn’t panic:
Updated
Thousands attend Anzac Day marches in Sydney and Melbourne
AAP has more details about the Anzac Day marches in Sydney and Melbourne today:
Thousands have lined the streets of Sydney’s CBD to watch and honour current serving Australian Defence Force members and veterans.
To the beat of drums and bagpipes, marchers – including veterans who served in World War II, Korea, Malaya, Borneo, Vietnam, the Gulf War, East Timor and Afghanistan – walked down the city’s main thoroughfare.
Meanwhile, thousands of Victorians filled Melbourne city’s streets to commemorate Australia’s war efforts at the Anzac Day parade.
A stacked roster of active army, air force and navy personnel, government officials and veterans who fought in historic conflicts marched towards the Shrine of Remembrance.
Among the parade’s more than 10,000 participants were veterans from Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, East Timor and the Solomon Islands.
This is the first year veterans of peacekeeping operations have led Melbourne’s Anzac Day march. The parade’s route stretches from Princes Bridge on the edge of Melbourne’s CBD to the Shrine.
Updated
Photos are continuing to roll in from the Anzac Day parade in Sydney
Bishop would be ‘concerned’ if video of his alleged attack used to ‘control free speech’
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel says he would be of “great concern” if the video of his alleged attack in a Wakeley church was used by people to “serve their own political interests to control free speech”.
In a video statement posted by Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, the bishop commented on the eSafety commissioner’s request for footage of the alleged attack to be removed from social media, including X.
X boss Elon Musk has been fighting efforts to have the video taken down. Josh Taylor delved into the topic on today’s episode of Full Story:
In a video message, the bishop said:
I do acknowledge the Australian government’s desire to have the videos removed because of their graphic nature. I do not condone any acts of [alleged] terrorism or violence. However, noting our God-given right to freedom of speech and freedom of religion, I’m not opposed to the videos remaining on social media.
I would be of great concern if people use the [alleged] attack on me to serve their own political interests to control free speech.
Melbourne’s Anzac Day parade begins
The Anzac Day parade in Melbourne has begun, with 10,000 expected to participate. This year, peacekeeping operations will lead the march for the first time.
Here are some photos from the parade so far:
Anzac Day trading hours
Each state and territory sets its own restrictions around trading hours for Anzac Day.
In New South Wales, retail trading is restricted until 1pm, with some exceptions. The same applies in Victoria, with trading to resume from 1pm on Anzac Day.
In Tasmania, trade can resume at 12.30pm.
In Queensland most large stores, including supermarkets and department stores, will remain closed all day. Most stores in Western Australia will also remain closed today.
In South Australia, only stores within the Adelaide CBD can open from noon to 5pm.
Only the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory has no restrictions on trade today, which will operate as normal.
Anzac Day parade kicks off in Sydney
The Anzac Day parade has kicked off in Sydney, where more than 10,000 are preparing to march from Martin Place to the Anzac Memorial in Hyde Park.
Some photos from the parade have begun to roll in:
NSW Health warns of severe opioid overdoses in Penrith
NSW Health is investigating around 20 severe opioid overdoses in the Penrith area from the past month, and have issued a warning.
In a statement NSW Health said nitazenes – synthetic opioids which can be stronger than fentanyl and hundreds of times more potent than heroin – have been found in drug samples related to a cluster of around 20 overdoses.
These were reported in the Nepean Blue Mountains local health district and investigations into the cases are ongoing.
Nitazenes are more likely to decrease or stop breathing than other opioids, a statement said. NSW Health’s chief addiction medicine specialist, Dr Hester Wilson, said drugs containing strong opioids can cause severe overdose or death:
Nitazenes are extremely potent. It is important that people recognise the signs of an opioid overdose early and know how to respond.
Opioids such as heroin can cause pin-point pupils, drowsiness, loss of consciousness, slowed breathing/snoring and skin turning blue/grey and can be life-threatening.
One of the dangers of illicit drug supply is the strength and contents of the substance you are getting is unknown and can be inconsistent. In light of this detection, people who use drugs such as heroin should carry naloxone.
NSW Health said take-home naloxone is a life-saving measure that can temporarily reverse an opioid overdose, including with nitazenes.
Anyone who uses naloxone should called triple-zero for an ambulance “immediately” for follow up care, NSW Health said, as higher and repeated doses are often required.
Updated
Beachside dawn service held at Currumbin in Queensland
Queenslanders have gathered in their thousands across the state to pause and reflect on the contributions of defence personnel and their sacrifice to Australia, AAP reports.
Near the state border with NSW, surf boats performed a burial at sea as a large crowd paid their respects at the Currumbin dawn service.
Atop Elephant Rock, flags were at half mast to recognise the contributions of nearly 1.5 million Australians who have served and fought for the country.
Hundreds gathered as early as 3.30am in Brisbane city before governor Jeanette Young laid a wreath commemorating the 16,000 Australian and New Zealand soldiers who at dawn 109 years ago, landed on the shores of Gallipoli.
By the time the service had concluded, between 12,000 and 15,000 people had attended Anzac Square in the city’s CBD.
Former and current ADF personnel are set to march through the city between 9.45am and 12.30pm in the annual Anzac Day parade.
Five charged following joint counter-terrorism operation across Sydney
NSW police have confirmed five teenagers have been charged as the joint counter-terrorism team continues to investigate “associates” of the alleged offender involved in the Wakeley church stabbing.
About 11.15am yesterday investigators executed 13 search warrants across Sydney, in suburbs including: Bankstown, Prestons, Casula, Lurnea, Rydalmere, Greenacre, Strathfield, Chester Hill, and Punchbowl. A premises in Goulburn was also searched.
The operation involved more than 400 police from NSW and the AFP.
As we reported yesterday seven juvenile males were arrested and a further five people – including two men and three juvenile males – assisted police with inquiries.
Police said a number of items were seized yesterday including “a significant amount of electronic material.”
Five juveniles have been charged with the following:
Two males, aged 17 and 14, were charged with possessing or controlling violent extremist material obtained or accessed using a carriage service.
Two males, both aged 16, were charged with conspiring to engage in any act in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act.
A male, aged 17, was charged with conspiring to engage in an act in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act and custody of a knife in a public place.
All five were refused bail to appear before a children’s court today.
Prime minister shares photos from Kokoda Track, dawn service at Isurava memorial
Anthony Albanese has spent the past two days walking the Kokoda Track with PNG’s prime minister, James Marape, culminating in a dawn service at the Isurava memorial this morning (see earlier posts).
The PM has now shared some photos from the dawn service:
Courage. Endurance. Mateship. Sacrifice.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) April 24, 2024
Words that adorn the Memorial at Isurava on the Kokoda Track where I was honoured to commemorate Anzac Day at a moving ceremony, together with PNG Prime Minister James Marape. pic.twitter.com/ZNBPxVCv61
It is heartening to see so many Australians who have made the journey to be here.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) April 24, 2024
We paused to remember the sacrifices of those who fought to defend this land. pic.twitter.com/K7rW3c2MGD
Anzac Day asks us to stand against the erosion of time, and to hold on to their names. To hold on to their deeds.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) April 24, 2024
We will remember them.
Lest we forget. pic.twitter.com/D3zSexvffY
Updated
Shadow assistant defence minister honours veterans who have ‘succumbed to their war within’
The shadow assistant defence minister, Phillip Thompson, has shared some photos from a dawn service this morning and taken the chance to remember veterans who have “succumbed to their war within back here in Australia”.
In a post to X, he wrote:
On Anzac Day I remember my mates and the many Australians who have paid the ultimate sacrifice on operations in service to this nation, as well as those who have succumbed to their war within back here in Australia.
On ANZAC Day I remember my mates and the many Australians who have paid the ultimate sacrifice on operations in service to this nation, as well as those who have succumbed to their war within back here in Australia.
— Phillip Thompson OAM MP (@P_Thompson88) April 24, 2024
LEST WE FORGET pic.twitter.com/q681Y76PFB
Updated
Supporting veterans in transition from defence force to community key to tackling suicide rates, RSL head says
RSL Victoria’s acting head of veteran services, Ben Webb, says supporting veterans in their transition from the defence force back into everyday life in the community is vital to addressing suicide.
He spoke with ABC News Breakfast earlier this morning from Melbourne and was asked how veterans are being looked after. He said “certainly things are always improving.”
We have a royal commission happening at the moment as well and that will bring its own improvements in time.
One of the most pleasing things to see is [that] the amount of collaboration in this space is dramatically increasing over the years, and that is what I see with Anzac Day. It is not just coming together, commemorating those who have lost their lives [but also] those who are still with us but struggle with their own traumas and have that almost live-in sacrifice, particularly their family members. The collaboration around those individuals, those families, year-on-year is getting better.
Asked what needs to be done to address veteran suicide, Webb said the answer is “connection”.
Come together as a community to support these men, women, these families, because that transition … from defence force into the community is such a crucial piece in your life, and if you have got those traumas from service and that transition does not happen very well, that is one of those big points of risk of where things can go horribly wrong.
Support for veterans and their families is available 24 hours a day from Open Arms on 1800 011 046 and Safe Zone Support on 1800 142 072. Hayat Line is a free and confidential crisis support line for Muslims on 1300 993 398.
Paul Daley: On Anzac Day you’ll hear stories of courage and mateship but it’s a way to rationalise war
It’s worth pointing to columnist Paul Daley’s piece again. He notes that while we’re likely to hear familiar numbers today about how many troops lost their lives in service, we too often accept these figures without challenging the reasons for going to war.
Daley wrote:
Some of those numbers are recited at times of national commemoration such as today. It is hard to equate each single one – 1 – with a likely horrible, squalid individual violent death (which is what war always delivers). There are just too many 1s to recount the experiences of, to emotionally account for, to understand the killings and deaths of.
That is why nations weave grander, often more poetic, narratives around all of those 1s, to storify the end of their lives more collectively in war into some sort of relatable – and justifiable – context. For it is only through bigger stories of battlefield courage and endurance, spirit and mateship and loss (rarely “death’’), and of the sacrifice of the fallen (rarely the “dead’’) that we can rationalise what happened in the context of war – and authorise our politicians to do it again…
Here is a number you probably won’t hear referenced today: one serving or former Australian Defence Force member has a suicide-related contact with emergency services every four hours in Australia.
You can continue reading his piece below:
Updated
More than 30,000 attend dawn service at Australian War Memorial in Canberra
In Canberra, a single didgeridoo pierced the silence at the Australian War Memorial where some 32,000 people were present for a dawn service.
Letters from Anzacs in World War I were read out and the names of fallen soldiers were illuminated on the building in Canberra, as the service began at 5.30am and ended with a minute’s silence and the Last Post.
The governor general, David Hurley, and New Zealand’s high commissioner to Australia, Andrew Needs, laid wreaths at the Stone of Remembrance. The vice-chief of the ADF, David Johnston, asked all Australians to also remember the families who mourned on Anzac Day.
- from AAP
Updated
Hundreds gather in Sydney for Anzac Day dawn service
AAP has the details on Sydney’s dawn service where hundreds of people – including veterans – gathered under a full moon and clear skies for a solemn service in the CBD.
The NSW governor, Margaret Beazley, the premier, Chris Minns, and the police commissioner, Karen Webb, were among those to lay wreaths before the sun rose at the near 100-year-old Cenotaph in Martin Place.
Minns continued the dawn service tradition with a reading from Australian writer and World War I veteran Elliott Napier’s moving poem “Salute”. He told the silent crowd:
You who have loved will remember the glow of their glad young years, as you stand today to salute them in silence, with pride and with tears.
The best thing about the ceremony this morning is to see the number of people that come early in the morning.
Times like today the community can come together and remember those who gave their lives for our country and it’s so nice to see it remain a solemn occasion.
Later today, more than 10,000 current serving Australian Defence Force members and veterans, including World War II veterans, will march from Martin Place to the Anzac Memorial in Hyde Park.
Updated
Thousands gather in Melbourne for dawn service at Shrine of Remembrance
Let’s take a look at the dawn services held across Australia today, starting with Victoria, where tens of thousands gathered in chilly temperatures at the Shrine of Remembrance.
More than 40,000 people filled the area around the war memorial, which was lit up in red before dawn. The premier, Jacinta Allan, Victoria’s police chief commissioner, Shane Patton, the opposition leader, John Pesutto, and the Victorian governor, Margaret Gardner, were amongst the official party.
The master of ceremonies, Justin Smith, paid particular tribute to Australian peacekeepers, who had “little recognition”.
Many times, against their training, our peacekeepers could not fight back and this brought its own trauma, as they witnessed human beings at their worst. Their enemies weren’t always clear, and their allies weren’t always reliable.
This is the first year veterans of peacekeeping operations will lead Melbourne’s Anzac Day march. More than 10,000 are expected to take part, similar to last year.
As mentioned just a moment ago, the PM is walking the Kokoda Track for Anzac Day and so was represented at the ceremony in Melbourne by Senator Raff Ciccone. Liberal Senator Jane Hume represented the opposition leader, Peter Dutton.
- from AAP
Updated
PM speaks of gruelling conditions Australians faced during war
The prime minister made a promise to the people of Papua New Guinea during his speech at the Isurava memorial: “We will never forget”.
For the Papua New Guineans this was not a … backdrop or a battlefield, it was home. And ultimately that’s what Australians were fighting for, too. How far away home must have seemed.
They served through days of camaraderie, through days of grinding exhaustion … days that brought [the] inferno of gunfire or the ghostly finality of a sniper’s bullet. The cruelty of random chance, the silence of sudden death, the terrible suffering of a lingering end…
This was the experience of Australians from across our continent.
Prime minister delivers speech at Isurava memorial along Kokoda Track
The prime minister Anthony Albanese has spent the past two days walking the Kokoda Track to mark Anzac Day, culminating with a dawn service this morning at the Isurava memorial.
Albanese has been walking the track with Papua New Guinea prime minister James Marape.
Addressing the crowd, Albanese said they were on “ground made hallowed by Australian sacrifice” where “we now have the privilege of joining together in peace and liberty”.
He remembered and honoured the 625 Australians killed on the Kokoda track, including the 99 who fell in the battle of Isurava. Albanese continued:
Every Anzac Day across Australia, and in battlefields like this one, we honour all who served and all who continue to serve today. It is a collective act of remembrance, reflection and gratitude carried out by multiple generations…
We are gathered in a place that has known the most pitiless ferocity of battle, fought with bullets, bayonet, mortar and the desperation of bare hands. It is also a place that has seen the unadorned strength of the Australian spirit.
Prime minister and opposition leader mark Anzac Day
Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton have both marked Anzac Day and paid tribute to service men and women across the country.
In a post to X, the prime minister said:
We gather before the dawn for the generations of Australians since Gallipoli who have served in our name. Every Anzac Day we honour all who have served, and all who continue to serve today. It is our collective act of remembrance, reflection and gratitude. Lest we forget.
The PM is commemorating Anzac Day with a walk through the Kokoda Track with Papua New Guinea’s prime minister, James Marape. We’ll bring you more on this shortly.
We gather before the dawn for the generations of Australians since Gallipoli who have served in our name.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) April 24, 2024
Every Anzac Day we honour all who have served, and all who continue to serve today.
It is our collective act of remembrance, reflection and gratitude.
Lest we forget. pic.twitter.com/s1oAubXEWg
Meanwhile, the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, shared a video to X and said:
On Anzac Day, we acknowledge the deeds of all Australians who have served in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations throughout our history. We honour the memories of the more than 103,000 Australians who made the ultimate sacrifice. The Anzac spirit has helped us to prevail in war and prosper in peace. In these difficult times, let us know ourselves again. Lest we forget.
On Anzac Day, we acknowledge the deeds of all Australians who have served in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations throughout our history.
— Peter Dutton (@PeterDutton_MP) April 24, 2024
We honour the memories of the more than 103,000 Australians who made the ultimate sacrifice.
The Anzac spirit has helped us to… pic.twitter.com/QSdICMBtCe
Updated
No immediate threat to Anzac Day events, police say
Australians commemorating Anzac Day should not be alarmed as police anticipate more arrests of members of a violent extremist group linked to a teenager who allegedly stabbed an Orthodox Christian bishop, AAP reports.
Counter-terrorism police arrested seven alleged members of a religiously motivated violent extremist group yesterday, following a teen’s alleged terror-inspired stabbing of a bishop in Wakeley in Sydney’s west.
The teenagers aged 15 to 17 had been closely monitored by counter-terrorism police after a 16-year-old boy launched the stabbing attack on Assyrian bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel and priest Isaac Royel during a live-streamed church service on 15 April.
Another five people were assisting police with their inquiries.
More than 400 police officers executed 13 search warrants across Sydney yesterday after authorities deemed the loosely connected group posed an “unacceptable risk and threat to the people of NSW”, the police deputy commissioner, David Hudson, said.
The execution of those warrants is continuing. I can assure the community there is no ongoing threat to the community and the action we have taken [on Wednesday] has mitigated any risk of future or further harm.
The federal police deputy commissioner, Krissy Barrett, stressed the arrests yesterday and any further arrests are “not linked to Anzac Day commemorations or any religious holiday”.
There is no immediate danger to the community.
No specific targets had been nominated but the ongoing threat and loose nature of the group – including some splinter groups – alarmed authorities, NSW police said.
Updated
Report reveals bullying is rife in ABF ranks
Yesterday our political correspondent Paul Karp reported on a secret report that exposed sexism in the marine unit of the Australian Border Force.
That report was carried out in secret by the Australian Human Rights Commission and found that 100% of women who responded to a survey “witnessed sex discrimination, sexual … and/or sex-based harassment” and 78% had personally experienced that behaviour.
Today, a broader report by the AHRC’s s Respect@Work team details “examples of potentially unlawful conduct or inappropriate behaviour raised by ABF officers”.
These included alleged sexual discrimination, such as:
Comments from a team leader about wanting to “get rid of all his part-time workers” who were all women;
misogynistic and belittling comments by a male supervisor to a female officer to the effect that she belonged in the kitchen;
a female officer constantly told to smile while working on sensitive issues
Paul’s full report can be read below:
Good morning
And welcome back to another day on the Australia news live blog – thanks to Martin for kicking things off. I’m Emily Wind, and I’ll bring you our rolling coverage today.
See something that needs attention, or have a story tip? You can get in touch via X, @emilywindwrites, or send me an email: emily.wind@theguardian.com.
Let’s get started.
Defence and veterans' suicide commissioner speaks up
We’ve already mentioned Karen Middleton’s interview with defence and veterans’ suicide commissioner Nick Kaldas, and you can read the full story here:
Our columnist Paul Daley picks up the same theme, writing that we’re likely to hear some familiar numbers today about how many troops lost their lives serving the nation. But he argues that we too often accept these figures without challenging the reasons for going to war as continue to do.
What we don’t hear about so often is that one serving or former defence force member has a suicide-related contact with emergency services every four hours – and that, he says, is the tragic, forgotten story of today.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our rolling news coverage for Anzac Day. We’ll have all the news from across the country as the nation remembers the sacrifice of the armed forces, but before then I’m Martin Farrer, bringing you the main overnight news.
As dawn services mark Anzac Day across the country, we have an exclusive interview with the commissioner into defence and veterans’ suicide in which he urges the military to consider a way of formally honouring the serving and former personnel whose service caused wounds or costs their lives away from the battlefield.
There are factors in military service “that cause suicidality to occur that are not related to battle”, the commissioner for defence and veterans’ suicide, Nick Kaldas, tells us today, as he reflects on a startling revelation ahead of his report due in September. He urges defence chiefs to take more responsibility for the problem, saying it has been missing. More coming up.
Police chiefs have reassured Australians that there is “no immediate danger” to Anzac Day events despite seven teenagers with alleged “violent extremist ideology” being arrested in Sydney counter-terror raids yesterday. The arrests come amid the ongoing investigation into the alleged stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanual at the Assyrian Christ the Good Shepherd church in Wakeley last week. A 16-year-old has been charged with a terrorist offence over the alleged attack.
Bullying and harassment “are normalised” in some sections of the Australian Border Force according to a damning report, which suggests cultural issues identified in a secret report revealed by Guardian Australia yesterday are not confined to its marine unit. A broader Respect@Work report on the ABF, a summary of which has been seen by Guardian Australia, also details “examples of potentially unlawful conduct or inappropriate behaviour raised by ABF officers”. More coming up.
