What we learned today, Friday 17 January
This is where we’ll leave you for today, thanks for joining us on the blog! Here’s a recap of the main stories:
A Sydney home once owned by Alex Ryvchin – the co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry – was vandalised in an antisemitic attack. The NSW premier, Chris Minns, labelled it a “disgusting and dangerous act of violence” and flagged law changes to combat antisemitism.
Wild weather continued to lash parts of the country, with the NSW SES recording 1,476 incidents today, including damage to homes, cars and streets.
The NSW transport minister, Jo Haylen, said the government would continue with its legal action to end a long-running pay dispute with the unions.
Many have paid tribute to David Lynch, the maverick American director who has died at the age of 78. Lynch was best known for his works Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive.
Take care and enjoy the weekend!
Updated
Government formally rejects Pep-11 offshore gas exploration
The federal government has formally rejected the controversial Pep-11 proposal for petroleum exploration off the coast of NSW.
It follows years of community opposition to the project between Newcastle and Sydney.
The industry and science minister, Ed Husic, said in a statement that the Commonwealth-New South Wales Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority rejected the two applications from the Pep-11 joint venture operator Asset Energy after considering all relevant materials:
The Joint Authority refused the applications for reasons of public interest, concerns about the applicants’ estimate of the cost of works and their ability to raise the necessary capital to fund the proposed works.
Concerned coastal communities and environment groups have spent years campaigning against the project.
The Surfrider Foundation said the decision was a “huge win”. The Northern Beaches branch member Rowan Hanley said:
This win truly belongs to the communities of ocean people who care, and who show up because they want to protect the coastlines that they love.
This is Australia’s most populated and valuable recreational coast as well as a major whale migration super highway.
At a time when Australia should be rapidly transitioning to renewable energy systems at scale and speed, opening NSW’s first offshore fossil fuel mine was never going to fly with Sydney’s beach-loving communities.
Updated
Significant damage and more wild weather forecast for parts of regional NSW
Andrew Edwards says the Hunter region in NSW has also been significantly affected.
There are at least 55,000 still affected by power outages in the area.
The mid north and central coasts of NSW are also heavily affected.
Edwards says they’re expecting more rain from Coffs Harbour to the Central Coast and the SES is monitoring for flash flooding this evening.
The SES is warning people camping near creeks and rivers in that area to look for higher ground, and not to camp under trees or power lines.
Updated
Wild weather causes damage across NSW with SES recording 1,476 incidents today
The NSW SES spokesperson Andrew Edwards has provided an update on the state of the damage across the state.
He says there have been a total of 4,767 incidents in NSW since the wild weather began on Wednesday.
There’s been a significant amount of damage in Sydney alone, with 2,130 callouts, with 600 callouts still to be attended by the SES.
In Sydney, at least 20 trees have fallen on to properties, at least 105 houses have been damaged, and 1,179 trees have fallen on to roads and pathways.
Edwards says there haven’t been any significant ongoing power outages in Sydney.
Updated
Emergency services crews continue to assess the damage around parts of Australia affected by wild weather.
The Bureau of Meteorology says there could be more severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall in the northern parts of NSW tomorrow.
Tomorrow's Thunderstorm FORECAST
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) January 17, 2025
On Saturday storms are once again possible about the #MidNorthCoast and southern parts of the #NorthernRivers.
Heavy rainfall may lead to flash flooding.
Monitor warnings, check forecasts at: https://t.co/uXRhRrFSbm pic.twitter.com/93sALCj2gF
Updated
Australian shares slip, but finish week in the green
The local share market has slipped slightly, but still managed to eke out a small gain for the week, AAP reports.
The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index today finished 16.6 points lower at 8,310.4, while the broader All Ordinaries dropped 11.7 points, or 0.14%, to 8,557.4.
For the week the ASX200 index rose 0.2%, its second week of gains.
The Australian dollar was buying 62.01 US cents, from 62.02 US cents at close of business Thursday.
Updated
Man charged over alleged tobacconist firebombing
A man with organised crime links has been charged after he allegedly assaulted a tobacconist owner before firebombing the store, AAP reports.
Police allege a man went into a Fortitude Valley tobacconist, in Brisbane, about 3.30am on 26 December and assaulted the store owner who was working at the time.
He left before allegedly returning and throwing a device into the store that exploded, sparking an extensive blaze.
The man’s clothes caught on fire but he continued to flee the scene, allegedly in a stolen car.
The car was later found burnt out.
Police carried out a search warrant at a home in Ormeau, between Brisbane and the Gold Coast yesterday, and arrested a 34-year-old man.
He has been charged with a range of offences including arson, stealing, assaults occasioning bodily harm, and possessing explosives (ammunition).
The man will face Brisbane magistrates court on Friday.
Updated
We have some images of police on the scene at Hyde Park in Sydney where a tree fell on pedestrians.
Two women were injured and have been taken to St Vincent’s hospital nearby.
Updated
Australians use AI more than Americans and Europeans, Google research finds
More Australians are using artificial intelligence technology than their American and European counterparts, research from Google has found, and many are deploying it at work, AAP reports.
But Australians are still more concerned than excited about the potential impacts of the technology, even as their optimism about it grows.
Google released the findings today in its second Life with AI study, which asked more than 21,000 people worldwide for their thoughts on the technology.
The data comes as the Tech Council of Australia names AI the defining technology trend of 2025, and the federal government considers mandatory restrictions on its high-risk use in Australia.
The internet giant teamed with market researcher Ipsos to ask 1,000 Australians about their use of generative AI tools and found almost half had used the technology in the past year, up 11% from 2023.
The figure also represented greater use of AI than in the US (29%) and Europe (42%).
Updated
More details on the fallen tree in Sydney
Two women, aged 35 and 66, have minor injuries from the tree that fell in Hyde Park.
Emergency services were called to Elizabeth Street just after 3pm and police say they are working to remove the tree from the roadway, with localised diversions in place.
The two women were treated at the scene by paramedics and have been taken to St Vincent’s hospital.
Updated
Two women injured after tree falls in Sydney’s CBD
Two women have minor injuries after a tree fell in heavy winds at Hyde Park in Sydney’s CBD, police say.
Officers are on the scene and will provide more details shortly.
Updated
Upcoming NSW review on dog ownership could consider pet licences
An upcoming review of the laws around dog ownership could have extensive consequences for owners, who may even need a licence for the family pet.
NSW owners could also face increased penalties if their dog attacks and harms someone, and if they ignore notices about how the dog should be kept.
People who own a dog for security could also be impacted by the proposed removal of legislation exempting owners from liability if their dog attacks a trespasser.
NSW coroners have been conducting a series of inquests into fatal dog attacks.
Delivering her findings on Friday after an inquest into the July 2021 death of a five-week-old baby at a Central Coast home, the deputy state coroner Carmel Forbes said there had been a concerning number of fatal dog attacks in the state since 2009.
Like several others, the attack involved an American staffordshire terrier, which is not currently a restricted breed, although the local council had resolved to request they be listed as such months earlier.
The breed had the highest incidence of attacks in local government data from 2018-21, the inquest heard.
The “tragic and untimely death” demonstrated the need for pet ownership laws to be reviewed and amended, Forbes said.
She made a series of recommendations, which along with other inquests will inform an upcoming review of the state’s pet laws.
The recommendations include consideration of a potential licensing scheme, increased penalties and more responsibility – and liability – for owners.
Updated
Former defence chief chosen for international posting
The former chief of the defence force will become Australia’s man in Belgium, and ambassador to the European Union and Nato, AAP reports.
Gen Angus Campbell served as the chief of the Australian Defence Force between 2018 and 2024.
The foreign minister, Penny Wong, said in a statement this experience “will help deepen Australia’s peace and security co-operation with Nato, both in the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific”.
It comes at a time of uncertainty for the Nato alliance as Donald Trump prepares to be sworn in as US president.
Trump was critical of the transatlantic alliance during his first time in office, wanting allies to increase their defence spending and flagging a potential change in US military posture.
Concerns now remain about what his presidency will mean for military aid in Ukraine as Kyiv continues to fight off Russia’s invasion, largely backed by military contributions by the US and Nato countries.
Australia is one of Ukraine’s largest non-Nato contributors, providing $1.5bn on military aid, including giving tanks and armoured vehicles.
Updated
Aviation authority did not grant approval for Kyle and Jackie O ball drop contest
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (Casa) says it has not granted any approvals for a Kyle and Jackie O ball drop challenge, scheduled for a tennis centre in Melbourne.
The Herald Sun reports that Elsternwick Park Tennis Centre will host 100 people for the ball drop, a competition run by KIIS FM in which a helicopter will drop 200 tennis balls on the court, with participants expected to run and grab two of them.
The balls will be labelled with a winning amount valued up to $100,000, it reported, with the competition expected to take place next Friday.
But the government peak body said it had not granted any approvals for helicopter operations to support the event.
In a statement, Casa said there were “strict regulations around dropping things from aircraft, particularly in populous areas or over public gatherings”.
This type of event would require Casa approval by the helicopter operator. Casa has not granted any approvals for helicopter operations to support this event.
Updated
Following from the last post:
Asked if the government would take the matter to the federal court if it does not win at the commission, Haylen said the government would pursue “all legal avenues available to us to protect passengers”.
Haylen said the government’s offer to the unions of a 15% pay rise over four years was “very fair and reasonable”.
However, this is well below the union’s demand of 8% a year over four years, totalling 32%.
So far unions have refused to budge from the 8% pay rise a year over four years, saying it is needed to offset the wage stagnation caused by the Coalition’s decade-long wages cap which was later lifted by the Minns government.
Updated
NSW government to continue legal action against railway union
The NSW transport minister has said the government will continue with its application to the Fair Work Commission to end a long-running pay dispute with the unions despite the railway union saying it was willing to give up industrial action if the government resumes negotiations.
The union has sent the government a counteroffer and said it was willing to end industrial action if the government returns to negotiations, saying it had been 45 days since they last met.
It comes after the government applied to the Fair Work Commission – which will be heard next Wednesday – to cancel approval for the union to undertake industrial action approval and move to an arbitrated decision after the dispute caused chaos for commuters this week.
The commission has, until a judgment is delivered, suspended protected industrial action for procedural reasons.
The transport minister, Jo Haylen – who said she had not yet seen the counteroffer, nor has the union yet made it public – told reporters a little earlier that the government would “of course consider” the union’s offer but the government would continue its push for a legal intervention from the Fair Work Commission.
“That is the mechanism that has provided the relief that passengers want and that passengers need,” she said, referring to the chaos that was caused for commuters this week due to industrial action.
Updated
Following from our last post:
Alex Ryvchin says he is concerned these attacks could become normalised, and how Australians respond to these issues will determine the future of the country.
He says:
If we allow these things to keep happening, they slowly define our national character and they change who we are as a people.
He thanks the police and counter-terrorism officers, saying he has “absolute confidence” in their determination to keep the community safe.
Updated
Alex Ryvchin concerned attacks against Jewish community could become normalised
The co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Alex Ryvchin, is calling on all Australians to condemn the recent attacks on Jewish communities.
A house in Dover Heights in Sydney’s east, which was previously owned by Ryvchin, was vandalised overnight, with nearby cars torched.
Ryvchin told reporters he will continue to speak out publicly.
Don’t allow the cowards who did this to win …
To my fellow Australians, don’t be silent, find your voice, speak up, we’re not a nation of bystanders … we’re upstanders, not bystanders.
Ryvchin says the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, called him “as soon as he was aware”.
Updated
Many thanks for joining me on the blog today, I’ll hand over to Krishani Dhanji to take you through the rest of this afternoon’s news. Take care, and enjoy your weekend.
Corpse flower at Sydney’s Botanic Garden expected to begin blooming soon
It’s been a busy day on the blog today, especially for a Friday, but there is some very important news I have neglected to mention.
The corpse flower at Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden is expected to start blooming soon!
The plant – the bunga bangkai, titan arum or Amorphophallus titanum – has the largest, smelliest flower-spike in the world and flowers for just 24 hours, once every few years.
Once this one blooms, it will be the fifth to do so at the Sydney Botanic Garden, for the first time in nearly 20 years.
It’s predicted to begin blooming sometime between tomorrow and Monday. Visitors can take get a glance at the plant from today, from 8am to midnight. Or, you can take a look at the live stream below:
Updated
Hollonds says there is lack of focus on children’s wellbeing at federal level
Continuing from our last post: Anne Hollonds argued that Australia is not prioritising the wellbeing of children as a country.
She told ABC TV that at a national level, “you won’t find children listed anywhere on the priorities for national cabinet” despite an increased focus on domestic and family violence.
This is something we should be working on together as a federation. Also we don’t have a minister for children in cabinet, and yet we’ve had a minister for women for decades, for example.
Hollonds said that around election time there is “pressure on politicians to sound tougher [and] bring in more harsh and punitive measures” – but “they’re not looking at, will that actually work?”
And the evidence that we’ve put before the Australian parliament … last year showed that actually it doesn’t work. The younger a child becomes involved in the criminal justice system, the more likely they will go on to commit more and more crimes. We need to transform our approach.
Updated
Children’s commissioner says Human Rights Watch report ‘embarrassing for us as a whole country’
The national children’s commissioner, Anne Hollonds, has spoken with ABC TV about Human Rights Watch’s latest world report, which lashed Australia’s “appalling” youth crime laws.
She said the report was “embarrassing for us as a whole country”, and that a lot of questions were being asked internationally on why Australia has “incarcerated so many children, criminalising them from the age of 10 when they have disability, poverty, mental health issues – a range of traumas”.
This report, by the way, was done before the recent Queensland act that was passed just before Christmas, which even goes even further now, making sentences for children the same as for adults, and removed a provision of detention as a last resort.
We’re the only country in the world, I’m advised, who has ever done that. Removed detention as a last resort for children. They’ve left it for adults, but they’ve taken it away for children.
Updated
Railway unions make a counteroffer to NSW government
The NSW rail unions who are locked in a long-running pay dispute with the Minns government have confirmed they have sent the government a counteroffer.
It comes after the government applied for a legal intervention from the Fair Work Commission yesterday after two days of industrial actions that caused chaos for Sydney commuters.
The government’s deadline on an offer of a 13% pay rise over four years plus 1% efficiency rise and 1% super rise also passed yesterday. The offer was well below the union’s demand of 8% a year over four years, totalling 32%.
The unions had so far refused to budge on this, saying 32% over four years is needed to offset the wage stagnation that was caused by the Coalition’s decade-long wages cap which was later lifted by the Minns government.
The Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) have not yet said what the counteroffer is, but said in a statement that it has been 45 days since the government last sat down to negotiate with the union.
They’ve chosen to play political games and shift blame, all while leaving workers and commuters in limbo. Rail workers are willing to give up their industrial action if the government resumed negotiations to end this dispute once and for all.
Earlier today, the premier, Chris Minns, told reporters it was “very late in the day to receive a counteroffer” and the state government would pursue its 424 application with the Fair Work Commission regardless.
The commission will hear the application next Wednesday, which includes a call for it to cancel the union’s approval to undertake industrial action and move to an arbitrated decision.
The commission has suspended protected industrial action for procedural reasons until the judgment is delivered, seeing train services almost return to normal scheduling on Friday morning.
Updated
Greens senator urges suspension of mutual obligations amid weeks of IT issues
The Greens senator Penny Allman-Payne says she has written to the minister urging the immediate suspension of mutual obligations, amid weeks of IT issues.
In a post to X, Allman-Payne wrote that participants have been plunged into “a state of constant fear of payments being cancelled”.
Ad hoc pausing of obligations shows a blatant disregard for participants’ time and personal lives. In 2025 let’s finally see the end of the punitive, ineffective mutual obligations scheme. It’s time we build a social security system that uplifts everyone.
In a media release yesterday, the Antipoverty Centre said that since last Monday, IT issues had plagued the government systems that welfare recipients use to receive their Centrelink payments on time.
Because of this, it said people have “done pointless, harmful and costly activities when they didn’t have to because they have not been kept informed”.
Those unable to report income through the Centrelink website are subject to payment delays that can have devastating flow-on consequences. People with “mutual” obligations requirements have been flooded with conflicting information and delayed messages, causing confusion and distress.
Updated
Gaza ceasefire-Israeli hostage release deal reached
In some international news: Israeli media is reporting that Israeli and Hamas negotiating teams have signed a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Qatar.
You can follow all the latest on our separate Middle East live blog:
Updated
Fire chief urges people to charge lithium-ion batteries away from emergency exits after unit blaze
People are being urged not to charge lithium-ion powered devices – such as ebikes – near emergency exits, after a second-story unit fire in Sydney yesterday.
Fire and Rescue NSW rescued three people and a dog from a burning building in Merrylands West just after 11.15am.
Firefighters used ladders and an aerial appliance to rescue a woman from the unit, where an ebike had caught fire, blocking the front door and preventing her initial escape.
Unable to reach the exit, the woman returned to her bedroom where she was spotted by firefighters, and rescued alongside her dog. A man and woman were also rescued from a nearby balcony.
The Fire and Rescue commissioner, Jeremy Fewtrell, said that “time after time, we see situations where occupants find themselves trapped by fire, caused by faulty lithium-ion [batteries]”.
These types of blazes are often more intense than regular fires due to the energy stored in the batteries and they burn faster … Don’t charge them while you’re sleeping or away from home, and ensure you have a working smoke alarm. That’s what’s saved the day in this case.
Updated
Significant tribunal decision in NDIS eligibility appeal case
A tribunal has questioned whether it is lawful for the National Disability Insurance Agency to require that participants provide renewed evidence of their eligibility before revoking their access to the NDIS, describing the approach as “troubling”.
Veronica Stephan-Miller was told last year, like so many, that she may no longer be eligible for the NDIS and needed to supply new proof, and then cut off from the scheme. She appealed against the decision, but sought to retain access to the NDIS while the many months-long appeal process happened.
The tribunal granted that request, and in a sharply worded decision, noted that loss of services to a vulnerable person was far more serious than the cost of continuing to provide them while evidence was being gathered.
Significantly, though, they called into question the legal basis for the agency reversing the onus of proof on to the recipient when it was considering revoking benefits, noting there were cases suggesting the burden of proof should be the other way around. The tribunal said:
It is entirely possible, as a matter of law, that it is therefore the NDIA’s responsibility to obtain evidence before revoking an access decision, rather than the Applicant being required to provide it.
This is a very important decision for people on the NDIS whose eligibility is being questioned. The advocates Guardian Australia spoke to all said this was the first case they were aware of in which a stay was granted on a participant’s revocation of access while the appeal progressed.
It comes after representatives for the NDIA told Senate estimates in November that the agency was reassessing the eligibility of approximately 1,200 NDIS participants every week, and revoking access for nearly half of them.
Updated
NSW government preparing case on ‘economic and community harm’ to take to Fair Work Commission next week
Jo Haylen said there was now a maintenance backlog through different parts of the network, so “there will be a lag in returning full reliability”.
But I am pleased this morning that because of the government’s action and the intervention of the Fair Work Commission, we had reliable services for our passengers today.
We welcome the reprieve provided by the commission, but this is not a day of celebration for the government. We are preparing our case on the basis of economic and community harm to be considered by the commission next week.
Updated
Jo Haylen addressing media in Sydney
The NSW transport minister, Jo Haylen, is addressing the media in Sydney after the disruptions to rail services this week.
She described the delays and cancellations as “absolutely intolerable” and welcomed the Fair Work Commission’s decision to impose an interim order, preventing further industrial action until the matter is heard by the full bench of the commission on Wednesday and Thursday next week.
We have seen a better day of performance on our train network today, particularly our suburban network, and that is a pleasing result. This morning, over 93% of trains ran on time on our suburban network …
She said it was a more difficult day for intercity services, with just 35% running on time – due to works at the Gosford yard.
Thankfully those works have now been completed because of the industrial bans not being in place, and that service is now able to recover. It will take some time to return full reliability to our system.
Updated
Antisemitic attacks ‘affront to who we are as Australians’, Wong says
The foreign minister, Penny Wong, has issued a statement to X regarding the antisemitic attack at Dover Heights overnight:
The further antisemitic attacks overnight are an affront to who we are as Australians. These attacks bring fear not just to their targets but to the broader Australian community. There is no place for antisemitism here. We must all stand against this hate.
Updated
Greens want PhD stipends raised to national minimum wage
The Greens will make raising PhD stipends to the national minimum wage part of their higher education policy when it officially launches in February.
The announcement, revealed today, follows the release of a report which found the number of Australian students enrolling in PhDs has declined by almost 10% in less than a decade, a new report shows, with skyrocketing living costs and a lack of government support acting as major deterrents for potential candidates.
As part of the broader higher education policy package, the election pledge will increase the full-time annual stipend to the national minimum wage of $47,626 and expand paid parental leave to PhD students, regardless of their employment status.
Senator Mehreen Faruqi, deputy leader of the Greens and spokesperson for higher education, said PhD students deserved better than being “abandoned to the poverty line”, adding the “gendered impact” of stipends couldn’t be ignored.
Having started my PhD in my 30s with two young kids, I could not have completed it without the support of my husband. Not only are PhD students being put at risk by these poor conditions, but also the research, workforce and innovation future of Australia. Investment in PhD students is an investment in all of society.
Updated
'Bright shining star': victim of Melbourne house fire identified
Tributes are pouring in for a “bright shining star” performer who was killed in an apparent case of mistaken identity when arsonists allegedly torched a property she was house-sitting, AAP reports.
Katie Tangey, 27, died after becoming trapped inside a three-storey townhouse in Truganina in Melbourne’s west yesterday morning. The Hoppers Crossing woman, who was today identified as a popular burlesque performer, called emergency services for help but did not survive the blaze.
The burlesque community has remembered Tangey, who performed under the name Vivien May-Royale, in tributes on social media. The Apprentease Victoria wrote on Facebook:
Our hearts are breaking and a very big hole will be felt in our industry.
Tangey’s death is being treated as a homicide after two people were seen getting out of a car and pouring accelerant inside the house before it was engulfed in flames, Det Insp Chris Murray told reporters yesterday.
This individual is completely innocent and should not have died. We have no history on this individual, nor the family.
Updated
Sydney antisemitic attack: footage shows cars torched in Sydney's east
Footage has been released of the antisemitic attack in Dover Heights overnight.
Captured by a nearby onlooker, the footage shows a large fire stemming from one of the vehicles that was set alight, before large plumes of grey smoke grow across the area:
Michael Manthorpe appointed interim head of Defence and Veterans’ Service Commission
The federal government has appointed Michael Manthorpe as interim head of the Defence and Veterans’ Service Commission.
A statement from the defence minister, Richard Marles, said Manthorpe would head the interim organisation and work across government to establish a legislated oversight body by September this year.
The statement said his appointment was a “significant milestone” in implementing recommendation 122 of the royal commission into defence and veteran suicide’s final report.
Manthorpe has served in the public service for 37 years, including as commonwealth ombudsman from 2017 to 2021.
Updated
New CEO appointed at Australian Research Council
A biochemist and pro vice-chancellor at the Australian National University has been appointed as the new CEO of the Australian Research Council (ARC).
Prof Ute Roessner was appointed by the board on Friday, to serve a five-year term starting at the end of March. It is the first time an independent ARC board has appointed a chief executive after a swathe of reforms were made to the council in 2023 to crack down on political interference.
The education minister, Jason Clare, said Roessner would lead the ARC, under the direction of the board, to “help shape Australian research for the nation’s economic, social, environmental and cultural benefit”.
Professor Roessner was appointed by the board following a competitive, merit-based recruitment process. The Albanese government last year acted to strengthen the independence of the ARC, including the ARC board responsible for appointing the CEO as the accountable authority. I congratulate Professor Roessner on her appointment.
Roessner is pro vice-chancellor of research initiatives and infrastructure at ANU, and holds a number of advisory board positions at the university.
Updated
Minns says he has not seen counter-offer from rail unions
On negotiations with the rail unions, Chris Minns said he hadn’t received details of an offer from the union and “I don’t know what it is.”
He said it was “very late in the day to receive a counter offer” and the state government would pursue its 424 application with the Fair Work Commission regardless.
We’ve been down this road before with constant negotiations, but want to make it clear that if the 424 application from the government is upheld by the Fair Work Commission, then we do enter a period of negotiations with the union.
The key difference would be those negotiations would take place without a noose around the public, and it can take place without everybody’s trains and trips and transport being heavily delayed or cancelled as a result.
Updated
Minns outlines contingency plan as hundreds of psychiatrists set to resign
As Natasha May reports, the NSW government is considering moving public psychiatry patients into private hospitals in preparation for the mass resignation of the state’s psychiatrists next week.
Chris Minns was asked about this at the press conference just now, and said a triage plan has been put in place in the event of a higher number of resignations.
Some of that involves using the private hospital network, some of it involves a central agency that’s going to look very closely at where public health is at a critical level across our local health districts in NSW. I’ve been briefed on that …
It’s regrettable that we have to stand up those massive changes. But clearly we can’t have a situation where half the public psychiatrists in NSW resign en masse, we need to have contingencies in place. Some of those contingencies will involve the use of the private sector.
Updated
Minns would be ‘open’ to national cabinet convening to address antisemitism
Asked if national cabinet should be convened to address antisemitism, Chris Minns said he would be “open to that”.
The NSW premier said Anthony Albanese had met with state and territory leaders a week ago, which was “important”, and “we are in constant dialogue at the political level, the legal level”.
My responsibility is to ensure that we are communicating with the commonwealth to share intelligence and share information. My second is to make sure that the public messaging from the NSW government is unambiguous and that antisemitic attacks will not be tolerated in [the state].
Updated
Minns says NSW government has pursued changes to protest laws despite resistance from Labor MPs
Chris Minns has been speaking about the weekly pro-Palestine protests in Sydney.
He said protest is lawful in Australia, but that “doesn’t mean over the last year the NSW government [and police] has not actively … prosecuted people who have waved terrorist flags.”
The most specific and recent example I can give you is the protection of religious institutions … The reason we changed that law is that there’s an implied freedom to express your religion as well and go to the local synagogue, or the local church, free from vilification or fear or protest.
Now, all of those changes that we’ve pursued, changes to hate speech laws, changes to protests out the front of religious institutions, targeting of individuals that have been spraying around terrorist flags have been met with opposition – sometimes from within my own party – but we have been resolute about the need to protect the community and in particularly community cohesion.
Updated
Minns says Australia ‘can’t rely on’ Gaza ceasefire to quell local tensions
Chris Minns was asked about hopes yesterday that the ceasefire deal would quell tensions in Australia.
He said “we can’t rely on that” and argued “a result of these hate crimes is people distorting whatever happens overseas.”
Many people came to the city and country specifically to avoid this kind of confrontation, this kind of hatred … it’s one of the reasons why we have far stricter and tougher hate speech laws in Australia than they do in the US, and I don’t make any apologies for that.
The reason we do is because we want to protect what can be a very fragile community that we’ve built in Australia, the multicultural community of 2025, and that’s not up for debate and it’s not up for a change.
Updated
NSW premier flags law changes to combat antisemitism when parliament resumes
Taking questions, Chris Minns said he could not promise an end to antisemitic crimes in NSW – but could promise a “full and comprehensive police response”.
He said that when parliament resumes in February the government would be pursuing changes to the law around protecting religious places of working, “in particular the great synagogue in the middle of Sydney CBD”.
The government will also pursue changes to hate law and speech in the state, he said.
The reason for those changes in hate law and hate speech is because I don’t think a firebombing in Sydney is where this begins. I think it begins with individuals in our community promoting, tolerating and highlighting hatred of Jewish [people] in their communities.
Updated
‘The Jewish community is resilient’, David Ossip says
David Ossip from the Jewish Board of Deputies was next to front the media, saying what occurred last night “should never be seen here in Sydney or Australia.”
No Australian should go to bed with apprehension about hate crimes being perpetrated overnight. No Australian should be concerned with the wellbeing of their property or vehicles overnight.
To the alleged perpetrators, Ossip said:
[To those] who want to intimidate and menace the Jewish community, who want us to be silent … you will not succeed. The Jewish community is resilient.
Updated
Assistant commissioner says it is ‘unacceptable’ the Jewish community feels ‘under siege’
Assistant commissioner Peter McKenna also addressed the media, saying the Jewish community feels “under siege” and this is “not acceptable”.
Our job in NSW police is not only to keep people safe, but to make them feel safe. We’ll pivot and serve whatever resources we need to make that happen …
We cannot have people who don’t feel safe in Sydney, Australia … [Addressing] this is our top priority as we speak right now, when you have a community that feels under siege. It not acceptable.
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NSW police commissioner warns Dover Heights vandals to ‘look over your shoulder’
The NSW police commissioner, Karen Webb, said at Dover Heights overnight, a home and four vehicles were “maliciously damaged”, with two vehicles set on fire.
She said this was “criminal behaviour conducted by criminals and [they] can expect to be tracked down”.
We will continue to investigate this until they are found and put before the courts …
The message is you will get caught. It’s a matter of time. You can expect police to knock on your door. Look over your shoulder. If you are responsible or you know someone, then you need to call the police and let us know. We will come looking, no matter how long it takes us.
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‘Huge amount of resources’ diverted to investigating spate of antisemitic attacks, Minns says
Chris Minns said NSW police had diverted “a huge amount of resources” to investigating this incident, and to Strike Force Pearl, which has 20 detectives working on antisemitic violent attacks in the community full-time.
They are making headway in their inquiries.
The premier said the state government would “increase the law” and “put resources into fighting this crime.”
The truth of the matter is that incidents of antisemitism, violent behaviour, are increasing in our community, and collectively, as a community, as a society, we have to stand together to condemn it unambiguously and send a clear message to these animals that these actions will not be tolerated. They’ll be arrested for their activities, for their hate crimes, and this community won’t stand for it.
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Minns has spoken to Ryvchin after his former residence targeted
As we flagged earlier, Chris Minns said the property was a former residence of Alex Ryvchin, co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry.
He said police at this stage can’t categorically link the two, but “clearly it would be a massive coincidence if they were not linked”.
It’s very important to say at this early stage of the inquiry that this is an active line of police investigation, that this was, in fact, a targeted attack.
Minns said he spoke to Ryvchin this morning and he was “obviously concerned”, but “I was struck by how resilient and strong and absolutely fortified in his commitment to the cause that he’s been associated with” he was.
I found it truly remarkable and a true insight into his character, that he is not taking a backward step under any circumstances, and he will not be cowed. It was a fantastic example of resilience, and everybody’s thinking about Alex and his family at the moment.
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Minns addressing media on antisemitic attack in Dover Heights
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, is speaking to reporters after the antisemitic attack in Dover Heights overnight, which he has labelled as “truly disgusting”. He said:
These are horrifying antisemitic attacks. They’re violent. I think they’ve shocked the people of NSW and Australia, and honestly, I never thought I would see this kind of naked racism and antisemitism repeating itself on the streets of Sydney in such an organised, horrifying manner.
It is truly disgusting and against all of the ethos, all of the community sentiment about what living in Australia is all about. And I know that this shameful, violent, appalling behaviour is condemned by the vast, vast majority of people that live in this state and live in this country.
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Alleged Melbourne double homicide occurred at family birthday party, police say
Victoria police have been providing an update about an alleged double homicide in Melbourne.
They said an argument and brawl broke out last night at a private birthday party, among people known to each other, which spilled out on to the street.
At some stage during that brawl two men have been stabbed and they’ve both died at the scene. Medical assistance did arrive, but unfortunately and tragically for [those] family members, they [both] died at the scene …
It was a private birthday party that should have been a celebration, and unfortunately it’s had this tragic result.
The two men were aged 23 and 54, from the same family.
She said about 20 people were involved in the brawl, and several people left before police arrived – police say they are now working on getting in contact with them.
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Naomi Watts says ‘heart is broken’ in tribute to David Lynch
Naomi Watts has penned a tribute to David Lynch, the maverick American director who has died at the age of 78. She credits him for launching her career through her breakout role in Mulholland Drive, which he directed.
In a post to Instagram, Watts said her “heart is broken” and the world would “not be the same without him”.
His creative mentorship was truly powerful. He put me on the map. The world I’d been trying to break into for ten plus years, flunking auditions left and right. Finally, I sat in front of a curious man, beaming with light, speaking words from another era, making me laugh and feel at ease. How did he even “see me” when I was so well hidden, and I’d even lost sight of myself?!
It wasn’t just his art that impacted me – his wisdom, humor, and love gave me a special sense of belief in myself I’d never accessed before.
Watts said that Lynch “seemed to live in an altered world” and he “invited all to glimpse into that world through his exquisite storytelling, which elevated cinema and inspired generations of filmmakers across the globe.”
I just cannot believe that he’s gone. I’m in pieces but forever grateful for our friendship.
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Burke ‘watching closely’ as to whether there could be delays in Gaza ceasefire deal
Tony Burke also welcomed news of the ceasefire deal, and said he was “watching closely” as to whether there could be delays.
We want to see a situation where the conflict is brought to an end and every hostage is released. We want all of those things to happen …
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Burke says government has already ‘significantly’ increased punishments
Back at Tony Burke’s press conference in Melbourne: Asked if tougher punishments are needed to combat antisemitism, he said the government had already “significantly” increased punishments.
The minister also said he had “no hesitation” cancelling visas where people hold “values that have no place in Australia”.
I have no hesitation in cancelling visas where people are making clear they have values that have no place in Australia. And I have refused visas and cancelled visas where people have been showing these forms of bigotry.
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Burke launches new counter-terrorism and violent extremism strategy
The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, has unveiled a new counter-terrorism and violent extremism strategy, focusing on “whole of society efforts” to prevent politically motivated violence.
He has issued a statement providing more details on this, which says the Albanese government will invest a record $106.2m over four years in initiatives to counter violent extremism.
The centrepiece of this is a national support and intervention program, in collaboration with the states and territories, “to disengage people from radicalising to violent extremism and reintegrate them successfully into the community”.
The government will also deliver a national “step together” program using a national website and referral service, so “those concerned about someone they know radicalising to violence can receive confidential online and phone support from qualified staff in real time”.
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Burke says instances of antisemitism in the news ‘not only problem being faced by Jewish community in Australia’
Taking questions, Tony Burke said he doesn’t want Australians to think “the crimes that hit the news are the only problem being faced by the Jewish community in Australia”.
It is also the case that beneath the surface of what might be the most ugly and high-profile of these forms of bigotry, like all forms of bigotry, it doesn’t stop there.
It continues when students are abused in the street for their school uniform. It continues where somebody questions whether they are going to have trouble getting a rental property based on their name.
These forms of bigotry happen in a way that don’t necessarily make the news. They are brutal. They are unacceptable. They have no place in Australia.
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Burke says radicalisation threat ‘evolving’ and response must change
Tony Burke noted that in December, all states and territories endorsed a new counter-terrorism strategy to tackle extremism. He also noted that the threat alert for Australia moved from “possible” to “probable” last year, and said:
[This] was because the barriers to entry, the nature of radicalisation itself, has changed.
The historic threats we have always considered with respect to violent extremism and terrorism remain, but as the director general of Asio, Mike Burgess, has made clear, increasingly we are also finding people who are younger [and] people who are radicalised faster and radicalised online.
We are increasingly finding people where it is no longer a set ideology – be it what would be viewed as an extremist ideology purporting to be based on faith, or what would be described as a rightwing, racist ideology – it is now as well mixed ideologies as part of these rapid forms of radicalisation.
Burke said as the threat level has evolved, the government’s response needs to, as well. He has been outlining measures the government is taking, including a support intervention program.
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Burke condemns antisemitic attack in Dover Heights 'in the strongest possible terms'
The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, is speaking to reporters in Melbourne, speaking about the antisemitic attack in Dover Heights overnight. He said this was a further example of “a form of hatred and bigotry that has no place in Australia”.
Obviously as you would expect, I unequivocally condemn the crimes that have been committed overnight, and as we saw yesterday with the first charges being brought forward under Operation Avalite, the people who are engaging in these hate crimes need to understand that … this is not graffiti, this is a hate crime with serious criminal penalties. And we have our best agencies working to make sure these people are hunted down so we are in a situation to throw the book at them.
Burke said that “nobody should think that anything that is happening anywhere around the world gives them the right to conduct a hate crime in Australia”.
It is condemned in the strongest possible terms.
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Anti-Defamation Commission chair calls for national cabinet to be convened to address antisemitism
Dvir Abramovich, chair of the Anti-Defamation Commission, has condemned the antisemitic attack in Dover Heights as “an abhorrent message of intimidation meant to strike fear into the hearts of Jewish families across this country”.
Guardian Australia has confirmed the home targeted was a former residence of Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin.
Abramovich said in a statement that this was “not random” but “a deliberate and chilling attempt to threaten a prominent figure of our Jewish community”.
[This is] an abhorrent message of intimidation meant to strike fear into the hearts of Jewish families across this country … What we are seeing is the normalisation of anti-Jewish bigotry and every spray-painted slogan and every act of destruction is a grim reminder that the poison of this age-old prejudice is alive and thriving in our streets.
He said the “time for words has passed” and Anthony Albanese must convene national cabinet “immediately to address this escalating crisis with the urgency it deserves”.
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SES receives thousands of calls for assistance amid lingering storm activity
The NSW State Emergency Service says nearly 2,000 incidents have been reported to it in the past 24 hours, urging people to monitor the Hazards Near Me app.
Nearly 2000 incidents reported to NSW SES in 24hrs ☔🍃 Severe weather warnings are in place in various areas today. Monitor the NSW SES website or Hazards Near Me app. Prepare now! #NSWSES #SevereWeather pic.twitter.com/Af1jlSkyHy
— NSW SES (@NSWSES) January 16, 2025
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Spender joins calls for national cabinet to meet and address antisemitism
Independent MP for Wentworth, Allegra Spender, has joined the opposition in calling for national cabinet to meet and address a “surge in antisemitism.” Responding to the attack in Dover Heights overnight, Spender wrote on X:
I can’t believe we’ve woken up today to see another disgusting antisemitic attack in our community. These dangerous criminal attacks must be stopped and the thugs responsible brought to justice.
She said a “stronger message” needs to be sent that “these attacks are unacceptable”, calling for national cabinet to be convened:
It is time to convene National Cabinet [and] treat the surge in antisemitism like the crisis it is. We need a national approach to policing, sentencing, law reform and education – as Jillian Segal has called for.
The PM was right to appoint an Antisemitism Envoy. Now we need to listen to her advice. I have spoken to the Home Affairs Minister this morning and will continue to be in close contact with the police and NSW authorities.
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Thousands still without power across NSW after severe thunderstorms
Let’s check in with the power outages across New South Wales, as a result of the severe thunderstorms earlier in the week.
Essential Energy says it continued to work through the night to restore power to customers – with about 2,270 homes and businesses without electricity.
We thank our communities for their continued patience as our crews work to restore power to our customers as soon as it is safe and possible to do so.
Wagga Wagga still has 770 without power, Nambucca Heads 340 and Mudgee 260.
Ausgrid says it has 197 unplanned outages, with 33,852 sites affected.
And Endeavour Energy says it has 239 active outages, affecting 4,158 customers.
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Hard times turn voters off Labor in election lead-up, new poll shows
The latest polling by YouGov shows the Coalition leading Labor 51% to 49% on a two-party preferred basis, AAP reports.
In its January survey, the YouGov figures showed the Coalition increasing its lead over the government by 0.5 percentage points compared with November.
In the run-up to a federal election that must be held by 17 May, Labor’s primary vote has increased from 30% in November to 32%. The opposition’s primary share has also risen slightly from 38% to 39% in the same period.
Support for the Greens has gone backward from 13% to 12% while backing for One Nation has fallen from 9% to 7%. Voters backing other candidates such as independents remained steady at 10%.
YouGov’s director of polling, Amir Daftari, said while primary support had remained stable for the government, its drop in support on a two-party level had been months in the making:
While the results are too close to make a definitive call, Labor’s two-party preferred vote has been on a downward trend since July last year. This decline is driven by a rising Coalition primary vote and lower preferences from minor party voters to Labor across the board.
Labor was in front of the Coalition 52% to 48% at the start of 2024, but its margin has been chipped away by voter concern over cost-of-living and inflation pressures.
The polling has shown bright spots for the prime minister, with Anthony Albanese leading Peter Dutton 44% to 40% as preferred leader. Dutton’s rating has risen in the past 12 months – it was 35% in January 2024.
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Sussan Ley’s office investigating whether she failed to declare 2011 trip to West Bank
The deputy opposition leader, Sussan Ley, is looking into whether she failed to declare a trip to the West Bank in 2011, funded by the Palestinian Authority.
Her office confirmed it was investigating the matter, related to a declaration 14 years ago:
If correct, this would have been an administrative oversight. Sussan has never hid from the fact that she was on the trip, she has spoken about it publicly on a number of occasions.
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Charges laid after Victoria police locate factory allegedly filled with more than 150 stolen goods
Victoria police have arrested and charged nine people after allegedly discovering a factory filled with stolen goods.
Officers were first on the scene at the Wantirna South factory on 10 January, after receiving reports of suspicious activity. Police allege a stolen Renault van was driven through a boundary fence, before being located abandoned in Ringwood East. Seven people inside the factory were then arrested.
Detectives allegedly found more than 150 stolen items, including a Holden Commodore sedan, a Ford Falcon utility, multiple power tools, drugs, a handgun and multiple laptops, tablets and mobile phones. An eighth person was arrested after turning up to the factory while officers were on site, police said.
A 35-year-old Craigieburn man, 31-year-old Wallan man, 27-year-old Oakleigh South man, 34-year-old man of no fixed address, 23-year-old Deniliquin man, 28-year-old Badger Creek man, 23-year-old Mooroolbark woman and a 20-year-old Rowville woman were interviewed and released from custody pending further inquiries.
The driver of the van was arrested on Tuesday.
A 23-year-old Clayton man was charged with reckless exposure of a police officer to risk by driving, three counts of theft of a motor vehicle, criminal damage and driving while disqualified. He was remanded in custody to appear at Ringwood magistrates court on Tuesday.
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US national charged with allegedly importing cocaine into Queensland in hair care bottles
A US national is due to appear in the Brisbane magistrates court today, charged with allegedly importing cocaine in shampoo and conditioner bottles
The 33-year-old man had travelled to Brisbane from the United States, and was selected for a search at Brisbane airport. Border force officers allegedly noticed two 946ml bottles of shampoo and conditioner, and performed a presumptive drug test on each.
Preliminary results allegedly returned a positive result for cocaine. The combined weight of the cocaine was 2.2kg with a total estimated street value of $880,000.
The man was charged with one count of importing a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug, with a maximum penalty of 25 years’ imprisonment.
Lawyers for the Australian federal police opposed bail at a hearing in the Brisbane magistrates court on 27 December, and the man was remanded in custody to reappear today.
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More details on status of train networks across New South Wales
Transport for NSW has provided further information about the return of frequent rail services across the state today – “after one of the most significant disruptions to services in recent years”.
It said flow-on effects would be felt across the network today and over the coming days, despite more than 350 industrial bans being paused. In particular:
Safety critical infrastructure remains on manual handling at Gosford
More than 50 temporary speed restrictions remain on the Sydney network
There is a sharp increase in network defects and maintenance backlog that would take some time to recover
Some regional services remain impacted as a result of the severe thunderstorms
Transport for NSW continued to urge customers to allow plenty of travel time.
Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink thank commuters for their ongoing understanding and we look forward to rebuilding confidence in the reliability of services over coming days.
Manhunt under way after two men fatally stabbed in Melbourne
A manhunt is under way after two men died with stab wounds, AAP reports.
Emergency services were called to a home in Clyde North, in Melbourne’s outer south-east, just after 9.30pm last night.
When they arrived they found two men with stab wounds, and despite medical assistance both died at the scene.
Homicide detectives say they are searching for a third man who they believe fled the scene before emergency crews arrived. They are also speaking to other people who were at the home at the time.
A crime scene has been established while detectives try to determine what happened. Police are yet to formally identify the men but believe they were known to each other.
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Frequent train services operating once again in NSW
Frequent train services appear to be back up and running in New South Wales today.
It was announced last night that trains would return to normal scheduling for now, after the Fair Work Commission placed an interim pause on its approval for rail unions to undertake industrial action, amid a long-running pay dispute with the state government.
A look at the T2 Leppington & Inner West line – which experienced major delays this week – shows all the trains running on time this morning.
In a post to X this morning, Sydney Trains told a commuter that “frequent services are currently running this morning”.
There may still be some changes to services throughout the day following earlier industrial action. You can use your apps to check out any delays/cancellations closer to your travel time.
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Australia’s record on asylum seekers ‘stain on international reputation’: Asylum Seekers Centre
As Sarah Basford Canales reports, Human Rights Watch’s latest report has lashed Australia’s “diabolical” treatment of asylum seekers, condemning the treatment of those transferred to detention facilities on Nauru and noting Australia “continues to evade its international obligations”.
The Asylum Seekers Centre CEO, Frances Rush, has responded to the report, saying it “lays bare Australia’s shameful record and attitude towards people seeking asylum.”
Setting a global example for inhumane and dehumanising policy and rhetoric is a stain on our international reputation and how we see ourselves as a nation.
Labor went into the last election promising a ‘compassionate’ and ‘humane’ approach to refugees and people seeking asylum. They go into this election year having codified cruelty through a trio of brutal immigration bills and a cynical shift to harsh and degrading rhetoric.
We must heed the warning and follow the guidance of Human Rights Watch before we do even more damage to the lives of the most vulnerable people in our society.
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Antisemitic attack a case of mistaken identity, Dover Heights residents believe
AAP has more details on the antisemitic attack in Dover Heights overnight.
Residents told the newswire they believe the attack to be a case of mistaken identity, as Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin used to live there.
President of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, David Ossip, said he was “profoundly disturbed and sickened to wake up to news of yet another antisemitic attack”.
Criminal acts like these, perpetrated by masked cowards and thugs in the dead of night, are intended to menace and intimidate the Jewish community and further fragment our social cohesion.
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Paterson says ‘campaign of terror’ targeting Australia’s Jewish community amid latest antisemitic attack
The shadow home affairs minister, James Paterson, has responded to the antisemitic attack in Dover Heights overnight. He wrote in a post to X:
It is clear we have a campaign of terror targeting Australia’s Jewish community. Every law enforcement and intelligence resource must be deployed to combat it. This will continue until the terrorists responsible are arrested, convicted and jailed.
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Chalmers says Australia achieving ‘trifecta’ of inflation down, wages up and unemployment low
Moving to the economy: Jim Chalmers was asked about the prospect of a rate cut ahead of the election, and said “I try not to give free advice to the independent Reserve Bank or predict or pre-empt the discussions they’ll be having towards the middle of February”.
They’ll take the job numbers into account, take the quarterly inflation numbers that we’ll get in a couple of weeks into account as well … But what we have seen … is we have been able to keep unemployment low at the same time as we have got inflation down in a very substantial and a very sustained way.
Chalmers said other countries had “paid for progress on inflation with recessions or with negative quarters of growth or with much higher unemployment.”
In Australia, we have been achieving the trifecta … inflation coming down very substantially and in a sustained way, wages up, and unemployment low. We have shown that combination is possible.
So the Reserve Bank when they meet, they will consider all of those things and come to a decision independently about interest rates.
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Chalmers says Dutton should stop trying to ‘politicise these disgraceful acts of antisemitism’
On the antisemitic attack in Dover Heights overnight, Jim Chalmers was asked if there is more the government should be doing to prevent these attacks from happening, amid criticism from Peter Dutton over a lack of leadership.
Chalmers said Dutton should “stop trying to politicise these disgraceful acts of antisemitism.”
It is completely and utterly unacceptable, these antisemitic acts that we’re seeing. There has been a troubling rise in antisemitism and it is the responsibility of leaders to try to bring people together, not to try and exacerbate the divisions that exist in our society or politicise them.
He credited the prime minister for “appointing the envoy to advise us on these issues, extra funding for safety, particularly at Jewish sites, [and] funding the Holocaust Museum to inform the people about the history here.”
There’s been a disgraceful unacceptable rise in antisemitism. We have seen a bit more of that in Sydney overnight. We need to stamp it out wherever it exists and the government is playing a role in that.
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Treasurer says ceasefire agreement needs to stick, all sides ‘need to adhere to terms’
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, spoke with ABC News Breakfast earlier this morning, where he said Australia, “like the rest of the world”, was monitoring the Gaza ceasefire situation “very closely [and] very carefully.”
This is a very important development. It’s got a lot of possibility, but we need the agreement to stick and that means that all sides need to adhere to the terms of the agreement.
Too many innocent lives have already been lost, too much blood has already been shed and so we need this agreement to stick. It will be a nervous couple of days as we monitor the situation very closely.
We want peace in the Middle East to be enduring, not fleeting. We don’t want the announcements of the day before yesterday to be a sort of a glimmer of hope which is quickly dashed.
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Photos from scene of antisemitic attack in Dover Heights
AAP has filed some photos from the scene of the alleged antisemitic attack in Dover Heights overnight:
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NSW multiculturalism minister says antisemitic attack in Dover Heights ‘cowardly, despicable acts’
The NSW minister for multiculturalism, Steve Kamper, says the alleged antisemitic attack in Dover Heights overnight “were cowardly, despicable acts that have no place in our society.”
In a statement issued this morning, he said “these antisemitic attacks are appalling, and must be unequivocally condemned.”
They seek only to create division and disharmony in our community.
These acts of cowardice only strengthen our resolve to protect our multicultural society and support the communities they aim to intimidate. These acts do not reflect the values of our community or the spirit of our multicultural state.
If you have any information please pass it on to authorities to ensure these perpetrators face the full force of the law. We will continue to take the necessary steps to ensure our community is protected.
Shorten takes final crack at Dutton on last of their Friday morning show appearances
Peter Dutton spoke alongside the outgoing NDIS minister, Bill Shorten, on the Today show – the last of their regular Friday morning appearances, before Shorten resigns from politics (although we already had to watch them hug it out on the program last year).
Asked about Dutton’s calls for local councils to be forced to hold citizenship ceremonies on 26 January, Shorten took one final crack at the opposition leader:
One of the things I’m going to miss about you is how you predictably lose your mind just before Australia Day every year.
Last year you were doing the one-man comedy-show boycott of Woolies. This year, now you’ve gone to war with the sandal-wearing inner-city mayors. I don’t know, next year, are you going to make it a law that the Big Issue salespeople have got to wear an ‘I love Australia’ badge?
Shorten said “the only fight we should be having is the fight against cost of living”, criticising the Coalition’s nuclear plan:
The culture wars don’t help reduce the price of goods or help people get into housing … And just last bit of free advice, Pete … is this gold plated, nuclear taxpayer-funded fantasy yours? I’ve been doing the maths in my head last night. There are children not yet born … who are going to have to pay taxes for the next 50 years to pay for [this].
Dutton hit back: “how many goodbyes to Bill do we have to have?”
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Dutton says there is ‘understandable frustration’ in Australia’s Jewish community
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has weighed in on the alleged antisemitic attack in Dover Heights overnight.
Speaking on the Today show, he argued that “every suggestion” made by special envoy Jillian Segal so far “has been ignored by the prime minister.”
So I think there is an incredible frustration and anger within the Jewish community, and I think it’s completely understandable.
He echoed earlier arguments that the PM is walking “both sides of the street” on this matter and that “there just hasn’t been strong enough leadership that’s required”.
And I think as a result, we’re seeing these sort of incidents again and again and again, and it continues to escalate.
In a speech last weekend, Dutton made the claim that “every incident of antisemitism can be traced back to the prime minister’s dereliction of leadership in response to the sort of events on the steps of the Sydney Opera House [after 7 October 2023]”.
Anthony Albanese responded to this, saying it was an example of Dutton being “just plain nasty” and that he is “horrified by antisemitism” and “we call it out each and every time.” You can read more of his response in Monday’s blog here.
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Wayne Swan predicts rate cut ‘will happen reasonably soon’
ALP national president, Wayne Swan, was on the Today show earlier, where he discussed the prospect of a rate cut – which he thinks will happen “reasonably soon”.
Swan said the markets were factoring a 66% chance of a cut, and that inflation had come down “dramatically over a two or three-year period.”
It used to have an eight and then a six, and now it’s got a two in front of it. We’ve seen spectacular jobs growth over the last couple of years, and particularly the past year. And at the same time we’ve seen pretty solid wages growth. So that’s a pretty good outcome.
Swan said he wasn’t “going to give [the RBA] too much direct advice this early in the morning,” but added:
The numbers really do indicate that that a rate cut will happen reasonably soon.
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Clare says alleged antisemitic attack in Dover Heights ‘sickening’
The education minister, Jason Clare, has described the alleged antisemitic attack in Dover Heights overnight as “sickening”.
Speaking to Sunrise earlier, he said there was “no place for antisemitism in this country [and] no place for any sort of violence or any sort of hate”.
This is the absolute opposite of what Australia is all about. I condemn it, absolutely. You know, the most important thing here is that the police arrest the criminals that are responsible for this. That’s what the AFP taskforce that’s been stood up is all about.
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Birmingham says ‘how ceasefire achieved really does matter’
The shadow foreign minister, Simon Birmingham, has also been speaking with ABC RN this morning amid the potential ceasefire deal. He told the program:
How that ceasefire is achieved and what it achieves really does matter, and on this occasion, we hope to see it hold, because we hope to see not just the initial batch of hostages released, but all hostages.
Asked if a Coalition government would reverse the position at the UN that Australia took last year in relation to resolutions on the Palestinian territories’ future and on Israel’s occupation, he responded:
A Coalition government would be seeking to return Australia’s policy to what had previously been long-standing by parties and policy in relation to a two-state solution … [not] to simply call for a rushed, premature recognition that doesn’t resolve the difficult issues which do need to be resolved.
Here is some more context on the vote Australia took last year:
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Dreyfus says he has raised Frankcom investigation while in Israel
As a final question, Mark Dreyfus was asked whether he had been advocating for answers for the family of aid worker Zomi Frankcom, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike.
The attorney general responded:
We’ve already had an investigation carried out by former air vice-marshal Binskin … [and] the ongoing investigation of that matter, in Israel, is something that I have raised in discussions with ministers.
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‘I am not going to speculate on those ICC arrest warrants at any level’ – Dreyfus
Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, the country’s former defence minister Yoav Gallant and the Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif were issued arrest warrants from the international criminal court (ICC) last November for alleged war crimes relating to the Gaza war.
Asked if the ceasefire would change anything, or if the ICC was within its rights to continue to pursue these, Mark Dreyfus said:
Australia is a state party to the treaty of Rome. We respect the role of the ICC. We’re not a party to this proceeding involving Israeli ministers, and I’m not going to speculate – particularly as attorney general – I am not going to speculate on those arrest warrants at any level.
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Israeli ministers have ‘raised some issues’ on relationship with Australia – Dreyfus
Asked if he sensed any tension between Israel and Australia during his meetings, Mark Dreyfus said he has been “warmly welcomed” in each meeting.
There’s been a very strong friendship between our countries since Israel was founded by the United Nations, and what I’ve felt in all of the meetings is that we should be strengthening that already strong relationship between Australia and Israel. Israeli ministers have, of course, raised some issues, but in a very constructive way.
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‘Overwhelming support’ in Israel for truce – Dreyfus
Mark Dreyfus said there was “overwhelming support” for a ceasefire in Israel. Speaking to ABC RN, he said:
Across Israel, there’s overwhelming support for a ceasefire, and that’s been reflected in the meetings that I’ve had with Israeli government ministers.
It’s something that has been raised in every single meeting – not just the meetings I’ve had with ministers, but with agency heads, with whom I’ve also been meeting. Everywhere you go, everything you see, there’s expectation and support for a ceasefire after the 15 months of conflict.
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Dreyfus updates from Israel amid diplomatic visit
The attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, is speaking with ABC RN from Tel Aviv amid his diplomatic visit to Israel.
Asked if he understood the reason for the delay on a ceasefire deal, Dreyfus said he had met with numerous people – including the president, deputy prime minister and foreign minister – and “I think that there is real optimism that this ceasefire deal will … come into effect”.
Once it does, they will open the way for the return of the hostages and for increased humanitarian assistance. It’s not done until it’s done. The Israeli cabinet is due to meet in quite possibly the next few hours and have yet to sign off. But there is an expectation, there’s an optimism, that this is going to happen.
Just earlier, Dreyfus shared an image to X with Isaac Herzog and said:
We reflected on our longstanding personal friendship which echoes the bonds of friendship between so many Israelis and Australians and our two great nations.
It was a great honour to meet the President of the State of Israel, Isaac Herzog, in Jerusalem today. We reflected on our longstanding personal friendship which echoes the bonds of friendship between so many Israelis and Australians and our two great nations. pic.twitter.com/mWh72lhSdE
— Mark Dreyfus (@MarkDreyfusKCMP) January 16, 2025
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NSW police minister says alleged antisemitic attack ‘will not be tolerated’
Yasmin Catley has also responded to reports of an alleged antisemitic attack in Dover Heights overnight, with the NSW police minister saying in a statement:
Vehicles were set alight, defaced with antisemitic graffiti and a house splashed with paint. This disgusting act of hatred will not be tolerated.
Police are doing everything they can to identify and arrest those responsible.
There is no place for hatred or antisemitism in our society. Every person has the right to feel safe in their own city, their homes and their places of worship.
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PM ‘confident’ Rudd and Wong can represent Australia at Trump inauguration
The PM was also asked about comments made by Peter Dutton earlier in the week expressing doubts over Penny Wong and Kevin Rudd representing Australia at Donald Trump’s inauguration, given comments they have made in the past.
Anthony Albanese said he was “confident”, and that Wong was “one of the few representatives of foreign governments who will attend the inauguration, along with other foreign ministers from Quad countries”.
I think that’s a very good thing. In addition to that, Kevin Rudd has been very active developing links with the new administration, and I’m very confident that Australia is showing the importance we place in the United States relationship by having a former prime minister as our ambassador.
Has Rudd had any direct contact with Donald Trump yet? The PM said “there has been direct contact” in “recent times”, and “that has been very positive”.
Kevin Rudd has worked very hard to develop relationships with the incoming administration.
The PM wouldn’t say, when asked, whether these talks occurred at Mar-a-Lago. The inauguration will occur early Tuesday morning, Australian time.
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PM on Dreyfus’ diplomatic visit to Israel
Has attorney general Mark Dreyfus made progress “smoothing out” relations with Israel during his visit this week? Anthony Albanese said he has had “constructive discussions” and that Israel “doesn’t have a homogenous political system”.
It’s a democracy, and there are differences, of course, within Israel that have been expressed very clearly, both within the Netanyahu administration and within Israeli society.
Mark Dreyfus … is meeting constructively with people [including] families of the people who have hostages, have been incarcerated by this terrorist organisation, Hamas, for such a long period of time.
So Mark drove this. This was a visit that was due to happen in October. It couldn’t happen because of the conflict there, so it was delayed. And he goes with the government’s goodwill …
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Albanese says antisemitic attacks ‘causing harm for unity of the community’
Circling back to Anthony Albanese’s interview on ABC RN just a moment ago: Asked about comments from antisemitism envoy that the courts are letting people off too easy when it comes to these matters, the PM said “the laws need to be enforced”.
These are largely state laws, and what we want to see is crime recognised just as that … This isn’t just a game. It’s not a matter of graffiti, for example, some other slogan on a wall, or something that causes just physical damage.
This is causing harm for unity of the community. It’s causing fear, which is what it is aimed at, and it needs to be stamped out. And in my view, very strong view, there needs to be the strongest possible action. And if courts have the opportunity to do that, they should be taking that opportunity to send that message that this is completely unacceptable and that crimes will result in appropriate penalties.
Alleged attack in Dover Heights ‘disgusting and dangerous’, NSW premier says
The NSW premier Chris Minns has labelled the alleged attack at Dover Heights overnight as a “disgusting and dangerous act of violence”. In a statement issued this morning, he said:
This is a disgusting and dangerous act of violence that is the latest example of a rising level of antisemitic attacks in our community.
Civil society stands united in condemning this flagrant racism. I’ll be getting an update from police this morning.
He said “we’ll be doing everything we can” to catch the alleged perpetrators.
Police investigating after cars allegedly set alight, house splashed with paint
NSW police have confirmed officers are investigating after cars and a home were damaged overnight in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
Just before 4am, after a number of vehicles were found sprayed with graffiti, two vehicles were allegedly set alight and a house splashed with paint in Dover Heights, police said.
Officers are investigating the incident, and police have not received any reports of injury.
Police said it “takes hate crimes seriously” and encouraged anything with information to contact Crime Stoppers.
It is important that the community and police continue to work together to make NSW a safer place for everyone.
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PM says reports of latest antisemitic attack ‘an outrage’
Anthony Albanese is speaking with ABC RN amid reports of an antisemitic attack in Dover Heights overnight.
Sunrise reported that two cars were allegedly torched in the area just before 4am, with red paint thrown across a nearby house. We’ll bring you further details on this as we learn more. The prime minister said:
This is an outrage, another attack that is against everything that we stand for.
Albanese also welcomed reports the AFP has charged a man with allegedly making death threats to members of a Jewish organisation, as we flagged earlier in the blog. The PM said:
This is the first charges that have arisen from Special Operation Avalite that I established last month. That continues to work to identify prolific antisemites causing high harm in the community. That is why we set it up. And it is good that these charges have been laid.
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Deputy PM in dash to Kiribati as diplomatic ban lifts
Richard Marles will become the first minister to visit Kiribati in almost two years, AAP reports.
The deputy prime minister and defence minister is travelling to Kiribati for high-level talks with the nation’s re-elected government, which closed its country’s borders in 2024 while national elections were held.
Marles will meet with vice-president Teuea Toatu to discuss economic and strategic priorities between the two countries, including maritime security. The minister for foreign affairs, Penny Wong, was the last Australian minister to visit Kiribati in February 2023.
Marles will also open the new Australian high commission chancery in the capital, Tarawa, and attend the commissioning of the Guardian-class patrol boat RKS Tobwaan Mainiku.
The new boat was delivered in 2024 and is the second to enter service with Kiribati, bolstering the island nation’s ability to protect and patrol its vast, exclusive economic zone.
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Good morning
And happy Friday. Emily Wind here, signing on for blogging duties this Friday – thanks to Martin for kicking things off. I’ll be with you most of today as we go through our rolling coverage.
As always, you can reach out with any tips or feedback via email: emily.wind@theguardian.com. Let’s go.
Two men die in Melbourne after reports of fight
Victoria police homicide squad detectives are investigating the deaths of two men in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs last night.
Emergency services were called to a property in Clyde North shortly after 9.30pm following reports of a fight, police said in a statement.
Two men were found with wounds consistent with a stabbing, and both died at the scene. Both men are yet to be formally identified.
Police said a third male had left the address before they arrived and they were searching for him and speaking to other people present at the property at the time.
It was believed the people involved were known to each other.
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Latest on Sydney train disruptions
As we wait to find out if all is normal today after two days of train chaos, here is our latest news story from Jordyn Beazley.
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Palestinians in Australia await the ceasefire
Mostafa Rachwani has been talking to Palestinians from Gaza who have travelled to Australia seeking refuge from the war.
Despite the changes a ceasefire could bring to Gaza after more than a year of bombardment, Karam Alakklouk is still concerned:
We have very mixed feelings about the deal, because we have so many bad experiences from previous ceasefire deals, where the violence increases before they come into effect.
Until it formally begins, these couple of days will be very heavy on our souls – each moment will be counted as a year. We just want to sleep through these couple of days and wake up and there is officially a ceasefire.
Read Mostafa’s full story here:
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Man charged with threat to kill members of Jewish organisation
A Sydney man faces a potential jail term over allegations he made death threats towards members of a Jewish organisation.
On Thursday Australian federal police charged the 44-year-old with one count of using a carriage service to make a threat to kill, and one count of using a carriage service to menace, harass, or cause offence.
If convicted, the offences carry maximum penalties of 10 and five years’ prison respectively. The man has been bailed and is scheduled to appear before Downing Centre local court on 26 February.
The AFP’s Special Operation Avalite executed a search warrant at the man’s Blacktown home on Thursday, seizing electronic devices and documents.
Prosecutors will allege the man posted death threats to a Jewish association’s social media page.
AFP counter-terrorism and special investigations command assistant commissioner Stephen Nutt said the charges were the first laid by Special Operation Avalite since it was established in December:
Special Operation Avalite was established to target high-harm, recidivist antisemites. A number of individuals are under investigation and the community should expect further charges.
It is abhorrent that individuals are being targeted and threatened because of their race or religion.
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Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it’ll be Emily Wind to take you through the day.
Sydney commuters should have an easier journey this morning after the Fair Work Commission delivered an interim order suspending the 300-plus work bans imposed by rail workers that have crippled the network.
Australia’s “diabolical” treatment of asylum seekers and youth crime has worsened, a global human rights advocacy body has warned, urging voters to push back on leaders politicising the issue for gain. Human Rights Watch’s latest world report, published overnight, has lashed Australia for going backwards on children in the criminal justice system in 2024, referencing the Northern Territory’s decision to reintroduce spit hoods for youth detainees and the continued use of watch houses to detain children in Queensland.
Although the Israel-Hamas peace deal is still not ratified by Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, it is hoped the agreement will eventually be settled. Palestinians from Gaza exiled in Australia say the prospect of a ceasefire has given them hope of returning to see loved ones but also “to begin to grieve an unimaginable pain”. And a man has been charged in Sydney over allegations he made death threats towards members of a Jewish organisation. More on that coming up.
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