What we learned today, Thursday 8 January
With that, we will wrap the blog for the evening.
Stay safe and cool, we’ll be back first thing tomorrow. Until then, these were the major developments of the day:
The prime minister announced a royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion, to be chaired by Virginia Bell. Anthony Albanese said the decision was an “appropriate way forward for national unity”. It will be handed down by the end of the year.
In Victoria, there were six emergency warnings in place for out-of-control bushfires at Longwood and 25km west of Walwa, with dozens of regional townships urged to take cover or evacuate. The entire state of Victoria will be under a fire ban tomorrow amid an ongoing heatwave.
A legal challenge was lodged against controversial laws in New South Wales that restrict protest actions for up to three months after terrorist incidents, introduced after the December Bondi attack.
And the Reserve Bank of Australia’s deputy governor, Andrew Hauser, said the current cycle of rate cuts was likely over and the central bank needed to ensure the recent period of high inflation does not repeat.
Updated
Six bushfire emergency warnings in northern Victoria
Still on the bushfires, there are now six emergency warnings to leave immediately or take shelter for the out-of-control bushfires at Longwood and 25km west of Walwa in northern Victoria.
More than two dozen townships have been urged to leave immediately as the Walwa fire travels south-east from Mount Lawson state park, including:
Beetoomba
Berringama
Bungil
Burrowye
Colac Colac
Corryong
Crawford Crossing
Cudgewa & Cudgewa North
Dartmouth
Guys Forest
Hodgson Crossing
Koetong
Lucyvale
McNamara Crossing
Mount Alfred & Mount Alfred Gap
Nariel Creek, Nariel Gap & Nariel Valley
Pine Mountain
Shelley
Staceys Bridge
The Lightwood
Thologolong
Thowgla Valley
Tintaldra
Walwa
Willow Crossing
Updated
Paramedics to be relocated away from Victoria’s high-risk bushfire areas
Paramedics in Victoria will be deployed away from high-risk bushfire areas tomorrow morning, as the state prepares for catastrophic fire conditions.
Ambulance Victoria says it has declared a red escalation – the highest level of response – from 7am tomorrow. It means crews are only deployed into high-risk areas for serious or life-threatening illnesses and when a risk assessment has been done.
In a statement, Ambulance Victoria said:
For their safety, paramedics and first responders are being relocated from branches within declared regions of catastrophic fire danger risk and where those branches have been identified as high-risk due to their proximity to bushland and limited road access.
Ambulance Victoria has not specified which stations paramedics will be relocated from.
Updated
NSW opposition welcomes ‘long-overdue’ federal royal commission
The New South Wales opposition similarly backed the prime minister’s announcement, while calling it a “long-overdue step”.
Its acting leader, Natalie Ward, said the Coalition had “consistently advocated for a national response of this scale”.
This outcome reflects the seriousness of the threat and the clear reality that these issues extend well beyond the borders of any one state. Antisemitism has been allowed to grow unchecked in New South Wales. Successive failures across governments to intervene early and strengthen existing laws have left communities exposed and undermined public confidence.
Ward said the federal royal commission was the “only mechanism capable of examining the full picture … and delivering accountability and reform at a national level”.
The NSW Opposition stands ready to work constructively with the NSW Government to ensure this process delivers real outcomes, restores confidence, and sends an unequivocal message that antisemitism and extremist violence have no place in our state or our country.
Updated
NSW will not proceed with its royal commission, given federal inquiry
The New South Wales government will not proceed with its royal commission into the Bondi attack, given Anthony Albanese’s announcement there will be an inquiry at a federal level.
In a statement, the NSW premier, Chris Minns, said the state government welcomed Labor’s decision to establish a royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion in response to the Bondi terrorist attack.
This was the worst terrorist attack our state has faced, and the community deserves clear answers about how it happened and how it can be prevented in the future.
NSW will fully cooperate with the Royal Commission and provide whatever assistance is required to support its work. Given the establishment of a national Royal Commission, the NSW Royal Commission will not proceed.
We will continue to work closely with the Jewish community on matters arising from the Bondi terrorist attack and remain open to further inquiries that focus on NSW Government responses.
Our priority remains unchanged: supporting victims and their families, keeping the community safe, and ensuring everything possible is done to prevent an attack like this from ever happening again.
Updated
Royal commission must avoid ‘politicising’ antisemitism, Jewish Council of Australia says
The Jewish Council of Australia has released a statement after Anthony Albanese announced a royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion following the Bondi terror attack.
In a statement, it says the Bondi attack deserves “real accountability”:
This Royal Commission must focus on the failures that led to violence, and must steadfastly avoid politicising the issue of antisemitism to target migrants or silence dissent. That kind of politics makes Jewish people, and everyone else, less safe.
A credible inquiry must be independent, restrained and focused on the massacre itself, not turned into a platform to attack protest movements, universities, migrants or human rights institutions.
The council is a progressive Jewish organisation that describes itself as supporting Palestinian freedom.
Updated
Jewish community is feeling ‘relieved’ and ‘listened to’, ECAJ president says
Appearing on ABC News, Aghion says the Jewish community is feeling “relieved” and “listened to”.
I think the prime minister has listened very carefully to the Jewish community. I think he has taken soundings and I think at the end of the day, leadership is about accepting that, all right, we don’t always get the decisions right at the right time, but the decision now has been made.
He also welcomes the terms of reference as they stand, while adding that the expectation is “when you look at prevalence and nature of antisemitism and the circumstances leading up to Bondi … you must look at how we got to where we are”.
On the appointment of Commissioner Bell, which was strongly critiqued by Josh Frydenberg, Aghion says the ECAJ fully endorses her leadership and will cooperate with her throughout the commission.
Commissioner Bell is a retired high court judge with excellent credentials … I think now is a moment of unity, the community now needs to get behind the prime minister’s decision, and we’ve all got to get on with the job of investigating this problem that … has gotten into the marrow of Australian society and how we get it out, how we get back to the unified and welcoming country for all, including and especially Australian Jews, that we all want this country to be.
Updated
Jewish peak body welcomes royal commission announcement
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the peak body for the Australian Jewish community, has welcomed the announcement of a commonwealth royal commission, saying it is the “only way” Australia’s standards of decency and fairness can be upheld.
The ECAJ president, Daniel Aghion, said the government had made the right decision in calling a commonwealth inquiry.
We are especially grateful to the eminent artists, lawyers, business leaders, sporting legends, political figures, women’s organisations and other groups who added their powerful voices to this call.
We welcome the Prime Minister’s announcement and expect that the terms of reference of the Royal Commission will allow an honest examination of government policies and the conduct and policies of key institutions and figures in major sectors of our society in contributing or failing to adequately respond to the unprecedented levels of antisemitism in Australia over the past two years or more.
Aghion said the ECAJ would cooperate fully with the commission to “ensure that the full force of the community’s views and experiences of antisemitism in various sectors of society are brought to the forefront of the inquiry”.
Updated
‘The nation needs to come together,’ PM says
Finally, Albanese is asked if he has “any regrets” about the way Labor “pushed back” against initial calls for a royal commission.
He once again says the government has engaged respectfully with people and made sure the process was done in a way which “has got it right”.
We listen to people. I think that’s what people want … The nation needs to come together. When there has been a national crisis in the past, whether it be the Bali bombings … whether it be the attack that occurred on the Lindt cafe in Sydney, whether it be Port Arthur, there was no partisanship, no partisanship whatsoever. The country came together. They offered their unity in moving forward. That is what I have tried to do. I’d ask others to conduct themselves in a similar manner …
Social cohesion is about respect for all of us. That is what Australians want to see … the Australian covenant is that when people arrive in Australia they leave any hatreds or prejudices that they have in the customs hall. That’s what I want to see. That’s how we build a more united Australia. Thank you very much.
Updated
Government has been preparing royal commission ‘for weeks’, PM says
Albanese says the federal government has been working on the logistics of a royal commission “for weeks” and there is a working draft of the legislation ready for community members to look over.
We have worked very hard. This hasn’t been done up this morning.
He’s “hopeful” parliament will be able to begin debating the legislation prior to 26 January.
You can read the terms of reference here.
Updated
Albanese: ‘I can be accused of many things. Raising the temperature is not one of them’
Albanese continues on what led to his decision for a royal commission.
He says he has remained “absolutely determined that anything we did had to build social cohesion, not bring it apart”.
I don’t want a royal commission into whether we provide a solution on Gaza or on the Middle East. That’s not the role of a royal commission … Australians want two things when it comes to the Middle East. They want it to stop. They want peace, for Israelis and Palestinians. But the other thing that they want is for conflict to not be brought here.
As to whether taking four weeks to make the decision didn’t help to “lower the temperature”, he says:
In that 25 days we’ve established the Richardson review and got it up and running. We have drafted legislation that we’re sitting down with community members on today. We have increased funding for security agencies. We have had daily briefings of the National Security Committee. We have been undertaking those briefings and getting the reports of what has occurred, some of which has been reported publicly, some of which has not been, trying to get to the heart of what has occurred here.
I can be accused of many things. Raising the temperature is not one of them.
Updated
Albanese says he listened to a ‘range of voices’ and views
Albanese is asked what the trigger was for him to change his mind on a royal commission, and what he would say to critics who suggest it’s been done for “political reasons”.
He says he’s “engaged constructively regardless of some of the things that have been said”.
I haven’t engaged in politics. I have been focused on outcomes. That’s the first point. The second is I’ve listened and in a democracy that’s a good thing, to listen to what people are saying and what people are saying is, yes, we’re concerned about the events and the Richardson review will give consideration to those national security issues, whether there are any gaps or anything else. But we want an opportunity to tell our story … what we are doing here is making sure that we get it right.
Pointed to “some members of the community”, including Josh Frydenberg, who expressed concerns over Justice Bell because of her previous decisions on protest laws, he says he listened to a “range of voices” and views.
Mr Frydenberg I leave to one side but we certainly consulted widely … one of the most common themes that I get from members of the Jewish community is that if you’ve got four people, you will have five opinions … there is no one of the stature of Virginia Bell, a former high court judge … someone with a background in the criminal law, someone who is widely respected right across the board.
Updated
‘Appropriate way forward for national unity’: PM on royal commission
The prime minister is asked why he has changed his previous position that a royal commission would take too long and risk traumatising the Jewish Australian community.
He reiterates what the federal government has arrived at is an “appropriate way forward for national unity”.
We have listened. We want to give the opportunity for people to come forward and to do so in a way that promotes social cohesion by rolling in the Richardson review and the work that Dennis Richardson will do into the royal commission.
That is one way in which the time frame has been curtailed. I think if we had adopted the 73 point proposal that was put forward by the opposition, we would have been many years down the track before we received any practical outcomes.
Updated
Royal commission to be conducted in ‘way that promotes social cohesion’, Tony Burke says
The minister for home affairs, Tony Burke, says today’s announcement demonstrates that the federal government is “clearly listening, in particular to the pleas that have come from family members and relatives”.
But he says they are doing so in a way that “does not slow down our response and doing so in a way that also maximises the capacity for social cohesion”.
The urgent information that we need for national security to make sure that our national security settings are fit for purpose, will still come to us in the same timely way that the prime minister and I had said was so essential when we first announced that review from Dennis Richardson.
The second thing is in terms of social cohesion, it is very important that the royal commission be crafted in a way that does not go on forever, and that gives the commissioner very specific powers to make sure it is conducted in a way that promotes social cohesion.
Updated
PM’s decision ‘right one and an important one’, Jillian Segal says
The special envoy for antisemitism, Jillian Segal, is up next.
She says the prime minister’s decision was “the right one and an important one”.
I think it’s important that the government has listened to all those who’ve advocated for such a commission. It does reflect the seriousness of the growth in antisemitism and its impact on our country and our democracy … The Jewish community and the broader Australian community have been calling for a process of this sort of authority. And it’s very important that that those calls have been heard.
Segal backs the prime minister’s comments that the commission doesn’t “pause or replace” ongoing work to combat antisemitism.
The focus will remain on prevention, education, institutional accountability and community and I think Australians expect truth about what happened at Bondi and the root causes. They expect sustained action to address the conditions that allowed such hatred to take root, and both must proceed together. So I will work very closely where appropriate with the commissioner, and outcomes matter and we will do our best to make sure that the process delivers them.
Updated
Royal commission won’t be ‘drawn out process’, Albanese says
Albanese says the royal commission won’t be a “drawn out process” and Commissioner Bell will be asked to report back before the 14 December 2026.
Importantly, we’ll be asking Commissioner Bell to ensure this inquiry does not prejudice any future criminal proceeding. This is vital and we’re confident that Commissioner Bell has the deep experience and expertise to conduct her inquiry in such a way that meaningfully examines the impact of antisemitism on the daily life of Jewish Australians and works to promote social cohesion and to do this without providing a platform for others’ hatred.
This royal commission is the right format, the right duration and the right terms of reference to deliver the right outcome for our national unity and our national security.
Albanese adds that a royal commission is not the end of what the nation must do to eradicate antisemitism which will be an “ongoing national effort”. He concludes:
Here in Australia, light will always triumph over darkness.
Updated
Royal commission to cover four areas
The prime minister says the royal commission will cover four key areas:
They include tackling antisemitism by investigating its nature, prevalence and key drivers, including “religious and motivated extremism and radicalisation”.
Making any recommendations to enforcement, border immigration and security agencies to tackle antisemitism; examining the circumstances surrounding the alleged Bondi terrorist attack; and making any other recommendations to strengthen social cohesion and counter the spread of “ideological and religiously motivated extremism in Australia”.
Updated
Albanese announces royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion
Albanese will recommend to the governor general in an executive council meeting to be held tomorrow that a royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion should be established.
This was endorsed by a meeting of the federal cabinet. Today. I have asked that former high court justice the honourable Virginia Bell AC serve as the commissioner, as agreed with Commissioner Bell. Dennis Richardson’s work will become part of the commission and he will support its work with delivery of an interim report by the commission in April.
Updated
‘As prime minister, I respect people’s views and I listen to them,’ Albanese says
Albanese: “Each and every day since that terrible Sunday night, our government has been focused on supporting people grieving their loved ones”.
He continues:
Standing with the Australian Jewish community in this time of devastating pain and working around the clock with security agencies, police, state and territory governments and the Jewish community to take immediate action.
He points to new action addressing the recommendations from the envoy to combat antisemitism, bringing together national cabinet to fast-track gun laws and the Richardson review.
While we’ve been focused on these immediate actions, we’ve also been listening to the calls for a commonwealth royal commission. One of the reasons our nation is one of the oldest and strongest modern democracies in the world is because every Australian has the right to express their view. And as prime minister, I respect people’s views and I listen to them.
I take the time to choose the right path, the course of action that will make a positive difference to our country. I’ve said my focus is on urgent action rather than immediately calling a commonwealth royal commission … I’ve taken the time reflect, to meet with leaders in the Jewish community and most importantly, I’ve met with many of the families of victims and survivors of that horrific attack in family, in homes, in synagogues, at the governor general’s, in community events …
Updated
Prime minister addressing media at Parliament House in Canberra
Anthony Albanese is joined by the attorney general, minister for home affairs and special envoy on antisemitism. He begins:
Just 25 days ago, two gunmen armed with high-powered weapons went to Bondi beach on the first night of Hanukah and they murdered 15 innocent people.
They wounded of dozens men, women and children. This was an antisemitic terrorist attack aimed at Jewish Australians, inspired by ISIS, the deadliest that has ever occurred on Australian soil.
It was met by the courage and quick action of police, first responders and the extraordinary bravery of everyday Australians who saved lives.
Updated
Victoria’s fire danger on Friday predicted to be ‘worst since black summer’
Vic Emergency has issued a statement warning the community that tomorrow’s fire danger will be the worst across Victoria since black summer and “extremely dangerous” for people living, working or holidaying near Longwood and Mount Lawson.
Friday’s fire danger will be the worst across Victoria since black summer in 2019-20. Catastrophic and extreme fire conditions have been forecast across the state.
Emergency services are concerned about conditions forecast for Friday 9 January 2026 and the potential for the fires to spread significantly. People under the warning areas of the Longwood and at Mount Lawson fires should leave the area immediately immediately in line with the warnings issued on VicEmergency.
It said the Longwood fire was “incredibly dynamic” and spreading in multiple directions.
Communities that could be impacted by fire front or embers in the next 24 hours include: Creightons Creek, Strathbogie, Merton, Yarck, Molesworth, Alexandra and surrounds.
Updated
Albanese expected to announce federal royal commission into Bondi terror attack
The prime minister is expected to unveil a federal royal commission into antisemitism and the Bondi terror attack, as soon as 4:30pm this afternoon.
After weeks of pressure from the Jewish community, victims of the Bondi terror attack, the public and members of his caucus, Anthony Albanese will announce the backflip on his previous opposition to a federal commission.
Albanese began softening his stance on a potential royal commission earlier this week, after previously saying it would be divisive and favouring its review into national security agencies.
Former high court justice Virginia Bell is expected to be named one of the commissioners, despite some criticism and reservation from the Jewish community.
Updated
Huge crocodile caught near NT tourist spot prompts warnings
A crocodile nearly five metres long has been caught near a popular waterfall and picnic area, prompting warnings as the reptiles get about more in the wet season.
The 4.9-metre saltie was pulled from a trap on a creek that feeds into Wangi Falls, in Litchfield national park in the Top End, on Monday.
Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife rangers are capturing a crocodile a day so far in 2026, after catching 241 in 2025, 30 fewer than 2024, with the reptiles sent to crocodile farms or destroyed.
Many national park sites are closed for swimming during the wet season, including Wangi Falls, with signs in place warning people to be “crocwise”.
The NT parks and wildlife minister, Marie-Clare Boothby, said exceptional wet season rainfall had driven increased crocodile movement across the Top End.
My message to all people who are looking to swim in natural waterways over the wet season is: if there is water, there could be crocodiles.
The first crocodile of the year to be caught by NT rangers was a 2.7-metre one on New Year’s Day in a creek in the Darwin rural area where children were swimming the day before.
-AAP
Updated
Storm clouds spread across parts of Victoria as heatwave conditions linger
In north-east Victoria, powerful storm clouds can be seen as a fire burns in the Strathbogie Ranges.
This is from a home in Samaria, south of Benalla.
Maximum temperatures in Victoria aren’t expected to peak until Friday, with low to mid 40s expected through all but the far south-west of the state, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM).
In Shepparton, the closest regional city to the Longwood fire, the temperature is currently sitting at 42.4C.
In its latest update, issued this afternoon, the BoM said severe to extreme heatwave conditions would ease from the south-west with a cooler change during Friday and Saturday morning, but it would struggle to clear the north-east until later on Saturday.
Locations likely to be impacted include Melbourne Metropolitan Area, Albury-Wodonga, Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Horsham, Mildura, Melton, Shepparton and Wangaratta.
Updated
Five emergency warnings in place for out-of-control fires in Victoria
In Victoria, there are five emergency warnings in place for out-of-control bushfires at Longwood and 25km west of Walwa.
The warnings to leave immediately or take shelter now are active for the following communities:
Avenel, Locksley, Longwood, Longwood East, Old Longwood, Tarcombe, Upton Hill.
Caveat, Creightons Creek, Dropmore, Euroa, Gobur, Gooram, Highlands, Kanumbra, Merton, Ruffy, Terip Terip.
Beetoomba, Berringama, Colac Colac, Crawford Crossing, Cudgewa, Guys Forest, Koetong, Lucyvale, McNamara Crossing, Nariel Creek, Nariel Gap, Nariel Valley, Shelley, Staceys Bridge, Thowgla Valley, Willow Crossing.
Bungil, Burrowye, Mount Alfred, Mount Alfred Gap, Thologolong.
Cathkin, Ghin Ghin, Killingworth, Trawool, Whiteheads Creek, Yarck.
Updated
NSW police urge public to stay safe on the water amid heatwave
NSW police issued an urgent appeal to the community to stay safe on and in the water over the coming days amid a major heatwave settling over Sydney.
Officials said they would be deploying all available resources to patrol waterways across the state, warning police would issue fines and lay charges for not wearing lifejackets, dangerous driving of boats or jetskis, or any other offences.
Acting superintendent Phillip Malligan said in a statement:
Wear a lifejacket, check your gear and know your limits. These are simple steps that save lives every summer. Jet skis aren’t toys. Keep your distance from swimmers and other vessels.
If you plan on swimming, please do so at patrolled locations and between the flags. If you are not a strong swimmer, take the appropriate precautions and listen to the advice of the surf lifesavers and lifeguards.
That’s all from me. Caitlin Cassidy will be your guide for the rest of the arvo. Take care.
Victoria’s V/Line train and coach services through catastrophic fire districts cancelled on Friday
Victoria’s Department of Transport and Planning has cancelled all train and coach services scheduled to operate through the North Central, Northern Country, South West and Wimmera districts on Friday due to catastrophic fire danger ratings in those areas.
All train services scheduled for the Albury, Ararat, Bendigo, Echuca, Maryborough, Seymour, Shepparton, Swan Hill and Warrnambool train lines will be cancelled, with no coach replacement services. And all coach journeys that pass through the districts above, even if part of the routes are not in the affected areas, will be cancelled.
If a catastrophic fire danger rating is declared in other regions, those services will be cancelled as well.
Passengers are advised to check the V/Line website for the latest travel information. The latest details are here.
Updated
RBA deputy governor signals rate cut cycle has ended
The Reserve Bank of Australia’s deputy governor, Andrew Hauser, says the current cycle of rate cuts is likely over and that the central bank needs to ensure the recent period of high inflation doesn’t repeat.
In an interview with the ABC, Hauser said the likelihood of further rate cuts was low.
He said:
I know that won’t be the message that everyone watching this will want to hear.
I think we all remember the pain and the difficulty, many of us are still working that through, of that persistent high period of inflation over the last few years. It’s our job to ensure that doesn’t happen again.
The RBA cut rates three times in 2025 to take the official cash rate to 3.6%.
The next decision will occur on 3 February. Financial markets are pricing in a one-third chance the rate will increase, while a rate hold remains the dominant view.
Mortgage holder fears of a February rate rise were tempered yesterday after monthly inflation figures eased further than expected, although they remain above the RBA’s target range.
Hauser played down the significance of the monthly figure, saying there “wasn’t a lot of news in the data yesterday for us”.
More authoritative quarterly inflation data is due out in late January.
Updated
Police lay more murder charges in stabbing deaths of two Melbourne boys
Victoria police have laid more murder charges following the deaths of two children in the Melbourne suburb of Cobblebank last year.
Police said they initially charged five people – a man and four teenage boys – with the murder of 15-year-old Dau Akueng on 6 September, and three people – two men and a teenage boy – with the murder of 12-year-old Chol Achiek.
All eight people have now been charged with both murders. They all remain in custody and will appear in court at a later date.
Read more here:
Updated
Lake Macquarie issues red algae alert as blooms discolour waterways
The Lake Macquarie city council issued an algae alert to beachgoers today, warning some waterways near Blacksmiths Beach and surrounding areas had turned red due to a naturally occurring bloom of algae.
The red algae alert comes with warnings for swimmers to avoid areas where the blooms are visible, as some people may experience skin and eye irritation after contact.
The council said:
It is recommended to avoid swimming, surfing or other water activities until the areas of discolouration have subsided. The red algae is not harmful to marine life.
Updated
Adelaide festival board cancels appearance of pro-Palestine academic
The Adelaide festival just announced it has cancelled the appearance of pro-Palestine academic Randa Abdel-Fattah at Adelaide’s Writers’ Week amid a review across its planned operations and the role of the event to promote “community cohesion” after the Bondi terror attacks.
The board wrote in a lengthy statement that while it did not suggest “in any way” that Abdel-Fattah’s comments or writing had “any connection with the tragedy at Bondi, given her past statements we have formed the view that it would not be culturally sensitive to continue to program her at this unprecedented time so soon after Bondi”.
The academic has faced criticism in the past from some Jewish bodies and media outlets for her comments on Israel.
The festival board said its decision was made “with the genuine view that they provide the best opportunity for the success and support of the Adelaide festival, for Adelaide Writers’ Week and the communities we seek to serve and engage”.
We understand these board decisions will likely be disappointing to many in our community. We also recognise our request to Dr Abdel-Fattah will be labelled and will cause discomfort and pressure to other participants. These decisions have not been taken lightly.
Updated
Lidia Thorpe responds to Israeli accusations of antisemitism
Independent senator Lidia Thorpe has joined NSW legislative council MP Anthony D’Adam in expressing her concern about a dossier prepared by the Israeli ministry for the diaspora which has been reported in Australia media.
The report accuses five Australian politicians, including Thorpe, of being influencers or generators of antisemitic content in Australia.
D’Adam has asked the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, to examine whether it infringes Australia’s foreign influence laws by attempting to intimidate elected MPs.
Thorpe said:
I fully reject claims of antisemitism. I stand with the Jewish community but I do call out the actions of the state of Israel which are in contravention of international law and I will certainly not apologise for that.
This dossier is just further evidence that Israel is prepared to go to any length to intimidate in an effort to suppress and undermine legitimate criticism of its genocidal actions in Palestine.
I am not surprised to be targeted and I will continue to call out the genocide in Palestine.
I support an investigation into whether the Israeli government has violated foreign influence laws with this doxing and would seek that it go further by investigating Israel’s longstanding targeted attempts to influence lawmakers.
Thorpe said it was “deeply revealing” that there are no white supremacists or neo-Nazis on this list and that those targeted in the dossier were staunch antiwar, anti-genocide advocates and organisations.
It is important that we stand up against genocide and crimes against humanity whenever and wherever they occur.
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More on the man shot dead by NSW police after a six-hour siege
A 49-year-old man has been shot and killed by police on the New South Wales Central Coast after a welfare check turned into a protracted standoff on Wednesday evening.
Officers attended a home in Springfield just after 3.30pm on Wednesday afternoon, accompanied by a mental health clinician, and attempted to speak to a man after concerns were raised about his welfare.
However, the man armed himself with a screwdriver and other sharp objects, the assistant commissioner, David Waddell, said on Thursday.
Read more here:
Fire danger sign cut down during Victoria heatwave
Victoria police have said investigators are “dumbfounded” after an automated fire danger sign was cut down in the town of Koonoomoo yesterday.
Officials said they believe unknown offenders cut down the sign – valued at around $60,000 – sometime between 8am and 1pm on Wednesday and allegedly stole the solar battery from it before leaving the rest behind. The sign alerts the community to the current fire safety danger ratings.
The rating was set to high in Koonoomoo and the surrounding areas, with total fire bans in other areas. Leah Booth, a detective acting sergeant, said in a statement:
To damage a sign that alerts the community to the fire danger rating is completely reckless and dangerous.
These signs are in place to make sure people who are in the area are aware of the fire danger safety rating to abide by the restrictions and act if needed.
You are not only cutting down and damaging a sign, but you are also potentially putting the wider community at risk.
Updated
Extreme temperatures send thousands to hospital each year, study finds
Extreme hot and cold temperatures are sending thousands of Australians to emergency departments annually, new research finds.
An analysis of more than 1.4m emergency department presentations in the Australian Capital Territory between 2000 and 2021 has found that one in 40 visits – almost 36,000 presentations – were heat-related.
The study, published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, projects that heat-related visits will rise between 2040 and 2061 due to extreme heat linked to global heating.
The findings “highlight the urgent need for region-specific climate change adaptation strategies to mitigate the growing health impacts of temperature extremes”, the researchers write.
The Australian National University’s Dr Michael Tong, the study’s lead author, said:
Our research showed that young people under 20 are significantly more likely to end up in hospital emergency department on hot days, usually on the day itself. Likewise, adults aged 20 to 60 were at increased risk on both extreme and moderate heat days.
About 4% of ED presentations in the ACT were related to cold weather, the research found.
Updated
Residents told ‘too late to leave’ as fire in Victoria’s Longwood continues to burn
Communities near Longwood have been told it is too late to leave and to take shelter now as an out-of-control bushfire continues to burn.
The Country Fire Authority issued the additional warning at 12.20pm for residents at Avenel, Dropmore, Highlands, Ruffy, Tarcombe and Upton Hill.
There is a bushfire at Longwood that is not yet under control. The bushfire is travelling from Longwood in a south-westerly direction towards Highlands Road.
This fire is threatening homes and lives. It is too late to leave the area safely so you must take shelter now. You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive.
A relief centre is open at the Seymour Sports and Aquatic Centre, Pollard Street Seymour. A number of roads in the area remain closed, including the Hume Freeway between Violet Town and Avenel.
Three additional emergency warnings to leave immediately remain active near Longwood and Walwa.
Updated
Safari park reopens in South Australia after extreme heat
On the ramifications of the south-eastern heatwave - South Australia’s Monarto Safari Park (the “largest safari experience outside of Africa”) is open today after closing yesterday because of extreme weather. The park said:
It’s still warm, so the animals are enjoying warm-weather enrichment, including icy treats for the giraffes.
During hot conditions, keepers adjust daily routines and provide additional cooling options such as ice blocks, cooling mats, fans and misters, while closely monitoring animal behaviour.
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Residents west of Walwa in north-east Victoria urged to leave immediately
Communities west of Walwa in north-east Victoria have been urged to leave immediately, with an emergency warning issued for an out-of-control bushfire.
The warning covers Bungil, Burrowye, Guys Forest, Koetong, Mount Alfred, Mount Alfred Gap and Thologolong.
Vic Emergency said the bushfire, 25km west of Walwa, was travelling from Mt Lawson national park.
It is spotting ahead of the fire into the private land around the Burrowye area. Properties within the warning area could be impacted.
An emergency warning to leave immediately also remains active for Longwood East, Upton Hill, Avenel, Locksley, Longwood, Ruffy, Tarcombe, Dropmore, Caveat, Highlands and Terip Terip.
Five fires are at a watch and act level around Walwa and Seymour.
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Groups launch court challenge to NSW laws restricting protests after terror attacks
A constitutional challenge has been launched against controversial laws in New South Wales that restrict protest actions for up to three months after terrorist incidents, introduced following the December Bondi attack.
The groups the Blak Caucus, Palestine Action Group (PAG) and Jews Against the Occupation ‘48 filed the challenge in the NSW supreme court on Wednesday, arguing in the court summons that the laws are invalid because they “impermissibly burden the implied constitutional freedom of communication on government and political matters”.
The co-applicants announced their intention to challenge the laws, which prevent protests being authorised by police after a public assembly restriction declaration (Pard). The laws were rushed through parliament last month after the Bondi massacre.
In December, PAG organiser Josh Lees accused the government of stripping away the right to peaceful protest with “no evidence at all” that it would make anyone safer.
Read more here:
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Multiple schools and education facilities closed across Victoria
450 public and private schools and early childhood centres will be closed tomorrow, many of which have ongoing school holiday programs. Those schools and centres are in the Wimmera, Northern Country and North Central districts.
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‘It is not safe to be in bushland areas’: campers told to leave many popular areas in Victoria
Chris Hardman, the chief fire officer of Fire Forest Management Victoria, said it is unsafe to be in bushland areas anywhere in Victoria over the coming days, saying public lands in many popular areas are now closed and it will be illegal to remain there. He said:
My advice is that it is not safe to be in bushland areas. Irrespective of the fire rating. We never know where a bushfire is going to start.
Campers in the Wimmera, Northern Country and North Central districts on public lands will be required to leave campgrounds by 7am Friday. That includes popular sites on the Goulburn River, the Murray River and in the Grampians National Park.
Private caravan parts and local government lands are under their own emergency management plans.
Hardman said of public land closures:
It is just too dangerous, it is not survivable if you are caught in a fire. … We’re formally closing all public land [in those districts]. It is illegal to be in public land in those areas.
A full list of areas affected by closures will be published on the Parks Victoria website later today.
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Victoria braces for extremely dangerous fire conditions
Victoria will experience its worst fire day since November 2019, when fires blazed through the state.
The deputy premier, Ben Carroll, has just been speaking to media – he has told people to get fire-prepared and leave immediately if they are in an evacuation zona.
Conditions in parts of the state are expected to get so bad there will be dry lightning and temperatures could hit upper 40s in the northern parts of the state.
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Fire near Longwood not expected to be contained today
The Longwood fire in Victoria will not be contained today.
Heffernan said tough conditions means a fire near Longwood will not be contained today. Multiple towns near the bushfire are under leave immediately warnings, and a long stretch of the Hume Highway is currently closed in both directions from Violet Town to Seymour.
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Statewide fire ban for Victoria on Friday amid 'very, very dire bushfire day'
The entire state of Victoria will be under a fire ban tomorrow, 9 January, amid an ongoing heatwave.
The emergency services minister, Vicki Ward, said during a press conference:
We are one of the most fire-prone areas in the world, this is why the warnings much be adhered to.
You do not want emergency services to work harder than they already have. Please look at the app, watch the notifications, leave when you are asked to. Do not stay behind, it is not safe.
Jason Heffernan, the chief officer of the Country Fire Authority, said conditions will be “dire” tomorrow, including potential wind gusts of 80km/h to 100km/h:
We’re going to see a return of the 40 degree, in fact we’re going to be in the mid to upper end of the 40 degree spectrum particularly in the northern part of the state.
Tomorrow is a very, very dire bushfire day in the state of Victoria.
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Heat hits Adelaide’s flying foxes
Adelaide is a touch on the cooler side today – 39C as opposed to the 42.6C it hit on Wednesday afternoon.
Sadly, that high heat hit Adelaide’s population of flying foxes. Bat Rescue South Australia reported that a few hundred juveniles were lost to the heat.
“But on a brighter note our team spent hours out in the heat spraying babies to keep them hydrated and cool to be reunited with their mums,” the organisation said, adding while they only had a couple in care they expected more over the coming days.
More than a hundred flying foxes were hospitalised in Queensland last November after they were smashed by giant hail, too.
If you’re around a bat colony and see a distressed bat, do not go near them. In SA call Bat Rescue SA on 0475 132 093.
Read more about Adelaide’s megabat colony here:
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11 charged after New Year’s Day brawl in NSW
11 people have been charged after a New Year’s Day brawl at a hotel in the NSW town of Coonabarabran, NSW police said this morning.
Officers arrived to the hotel around 1.50am on the morning of 1 January, where they found 80 people gathered, many of whom were allegedly involved in the brawl.
Multiple police stations were called to assist before a move-on direction was given. Paramedics treated multiple people at the scene.
Those charged with affray and other charges included men and women between the ages of 20 and 42. All have been granted conditional bail and are due to appear in court later this month.
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Fire bans across SA, Victoria and NSW today
Just a reminder that total fire bans are in effect across many regions in southern Australia today.
In South Australia, the Mid North region is under a total fire ban.
In Victoria, the entirety of the northern part of the state, including Mailee, the Northern Country district, the North East district and the North Central district are all under total fire bans.
And in NSW the Southern Riverina, which borders Victoria, is under a total fire ban.
The bans broadly prohibit any open flames or hot works, as well as outdoor cooking and barbecuing with solid fuels, among other activities.
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Frydenberg concerned with potential head of Bondi royal commission
Josh Frydenberg said he is concerned with the potential name floated to lead a federal royal commission into the Bondi terror attacks: former high court justice Virginia Bell.
The former politician wrote on X last night that the Jewish community had expressed “serious concerns” with Bell, saying it was “unthinkable” that Anthony Albanese “would choose a commissioner that did not have the total confidence of the Jewish community.
He wrote:
This is a time for unity and national healing.
This is a time to turn back the tide of hate and antisemitism that has destroyed so many lives.
Prime Minister, I appeal to you, this is the time to do the right thing and call a Commonwealth Royal Commission with the appointment of the right Commissioner whose leadership will provide the answers and solutions our country so urgently needs.
Tonight the Prime Minister has floated the name of Virginia Bell to lead a Commonwealth Royal Commisson into antisemitism and the events leading up to the Bondi massacre.
— Josh Frydenberg (@JoshFrydenberg) January 7, 2026
The Prime Minister has been told directly by leaders of the Jewish community that they have serious concerns…
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Police appealing for information after number of suspicious fires in southern NSW
NSW police are appealing for dashcam footage after a number of suspicious fires in the state’s south over the past fortnight.
Officials said a spate of grass fires between 28 December and 6 January have occurred about 24km from the town of Mulwala, along the Victorian border.
The incidents include a small grass fire on Monday that burnt a small area around 11.45am, with no property damaged. Another fire was reported at 6.40pm on Wednesday, which burnt about 1 hectare of grassland. No property was damaged.
Police have asked anyone with dashcam footage or information of suspicious behaviour to come forward.
“We are concerned with hot conditions over the next few days, that there may be more incidents, so we are urging anyone who has dashcam footage or videos to come forward and provide them to police or submit them through the QR on our Murray River PD Facebook page,” Paul Smith, the Murray River police district commander superintendent, said in a statement.
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Highly transmissible flu strain infects more than 2,500 Australians
More than 2,500 Australians rang in the new year with a highly transmissible new strain of influenza, and health authorities are on alert for what could be Australia’s worst year since tracking began 35 years ago.
Last year’s record, when more than half a million Australians contracted a laboratory-certified form of flu and 1,508 people died, was a 44% increase on the 2024 mortality rate.
The unseasonably high rate of infection for just the first week of January has been driven by a mutation of Influenza A H3N2 known as subclade K – now colloquially referred to as Super-K – first identified in September by scientists at Melbourne’s Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity.
Read more here:
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Heat is Australia’s ‘silent killer’. Here are the symptoms to watch out for
Experts warn that the heat people actually experience could far exceed what is forecast – because the Bureau of Meteorology measures air temperature in the shade.
“Depending on what surface you’re standing on and the radiant heat, it could be up to 10C hotter,” says Dr Kim Loo, the NSW and ACT deputy chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.
Heatwaves have been described as a “silent killer” because they do not leave the same large-scale visible scars as bushfires and floods – but extreme heat is the most common cause of weather-related hospitalisations and deaths in Australia.
What effect does extreme heat have on the body? Here are the warning signs of heat stress to look out for, and what to do to minimise health risks.
Read more here:
Stretch of Hume Highway in Victoria closed because of bushfire
A 74km stretch of the Hume Highway is closed this morning between the Victorian towns of Seymour and Violet Town due a bushfire in the Longwood area.
An emergency warning urging residents to leave immediately is in effect for Locksley, Longwood, Longwood East, Ruffy, Tarcombe and Upton Hill as the bushfire is not yet under control.
VicEmergency says leaving immediately is the “safest option before conditions become too dangerous”.
The major artery between Sydney and Melbourne will be busy with holiday travellers, but alternate routes around the closure are accessible.
Bushfire - Emergency Warning for Longwood. You should Leave Now. For more info: https://t.co/Fyg2DHeVHJ pic.twitter.com/tzThhqzNx5
— VicEmergency (@vicemergency) January 7, 2026
Updated
What’s the forecast for the nation’s capitals today?
Adelaide – a high of 39C
Canberra – a high of 38C
Sydney – a high of 33C
Darwin – a high of 32C
Melbourne – a high of 31C
Brisbane – a high of 29C
Perth – a high of 28C
Hobart – a high of 25C
Short-term contracts lengthened to minimum five years for NSW's DV support and homelessness services
The NSW government says it has reduced funding uncertainty for domestic and sexual violence support, homelessness services and family programs, through an end to short-term contracts for the community services sector.
The state government has entered into a new community services funding framework with the sector, which employs more than 240,000 workers in the state who provide frontline services to over one million vulnerable people.
Among the changes, short-term contracts for more than 7,800 providers, typically less than two years, will now be five years by default. The government says short-term contracts “created significant administrative burden and led to job insecurity”.
The NSW minister for families and communities, Kate Washington, says “when there’s a revolving door of workers, outcomes are worse for everyone.”
We’re giving more security to local community organisations so they can focus on what they do best – supporting the children, families and communities who need them the most.
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Man fatally shot by police during welfare check in NSW
NSW police have declared a critical incident after a man was fatally shot by officers in the state’s Central Coast on Wednesday afternoon.
Police said they responded to a home in the suburb of Springfield around 3.30pm to check on the welfare of the occupant. The man, 49, allegedly armed himself with a screwdriver and other “sharp objects” and refused to cooperate.
Later that night, just before 9.30pm, the man allegedly attempted to burn an officer by lighting an aerosol can. Officers later gained entry to the premises before they said the man armed himself with a sharp object and stabbed at an officer multiple times.
Multiple police officers discharged their firearms and the man was fatally shot. He was treated by paramedics but died at the scene. An officer received minor injuries.
A critical incident team will lead an investigation into the incident, which will be reviewed by professional standards command.
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Victorian fire conditions predicted to worsen over coming days
Jason Heffernan, the chief officer of Victoria’s Country Fire Authority, said it was a “challenging night” for firefighters amid hot, dry and windy conditions overnight.
A bushfire at Longwood in central Victoria has seen early reports of property losses, with firefighters battling the blaze amid strong winds that Heffernan described as a “dynamic and volatile situation”. He told ABC News this morning the forecast is troubling:
I think such is the word of the rating in itself, catastrophic. This is the worst conditions that fire can burn in. Australian homes aren’t designed to withstand fire conditions such has been predicted in some parts of the state.
Any fire, let alone these two fires we have burning at the moment, any fire in the landscape, when those conditions kick in on Friday – tomorrow – will be very much concerning and we are seeing the return of those very hot temperatures. The winds on Friday will be the peak concern for us. …
There is not an area that won’t be effected by either extreme or some catastrophic fire dangers tomorrow which is why we are asking the community to make the preparations today, heed the advice of authorities and for tomorrow, do not be anywhere near bushland areas.
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Heatwave continues for much of the country
Large parts of the country are set to swelter through another hot day on Thursday, with conditions remaining in the high 20s and 30s for every capital city except Hobart.
Melbourne reached in 41C late Wednesday afternoon and was expected to rapidly climb to 31C on Thursday morning before a cool change in the evening.
Adelaide is expected to endure another scorching day, reaching a top of 39C in the afternoon and not dropping below 23C overnight.
Sydney is forecast to climb to a maximum of 33C, with temperatures also not expected to reach below 21C overnight and remain hot until a 42C Saturday.
The entirety of Victoria will likely see extreme fire behaviour conditions on Friday amid the ongoing heatwave, officials said, warning that any fires that do break out will likely be uncontrollable amid hot, dry, windy conditions.
Read our full story on how the heatwave cranked up yesterday:
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Good morning
Nick Visser here to take things over. Let’s dive in.
Updated
Pro-Palestine groups plan Melbourne rally against Herzog visit
Pro-Palestine groups planning a rally in Melbourne on Sunday to protest the state visit by Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, are holding a press conference at 10am this morning at the State Library of Victoria.
Among the groups involved in planning the rally are Students for Palestine Australia, who are urging supporters to distribute flyers promoting the midday rally at the State Library.
They claim Herzog is complicit in the Israeli military bombardment of Gaza launched after the Hamas attack on Israel more than two years ago.
A group of rank-and-file Labor party members has urged the Albanese government to rescind its invitation for the Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, to visit Australia, voicing outrage over his country’s military bombardment of Gaza. Herzog planned the visit to show support for victims of the Bondi terror attack.
Read our full story about the controversy around Herzog’s visit here:
Police warn elderly shoppers of thefts and fraud in shopping centre carparks
NSW police are investigating a spate of reports of elderly drivers being allegedly stolen from and scammed at shopping centre carparks across the state.
They have been told of 18 recent incidents, from Newcastle to Wagga Wagga and including several suburbs across Sydney, police said in a statement on Thursday.
On Wednesday two men, aged 37 and 57, were arrested at a service station in Glenthorne and charged with 72 offences each, relating to alleged fraud, theft, and enter vehicle without consent. Both men were refused bail to appear before court today.
Police allege that one of the men approached elderly female victims claiming that there was an issue with their vehicle before asking them to raise the bonnet to inspect.
While the bonnet was up, another man allegedly stole items such as wallets, purses, cash and cards from inside the vehicle.
Police have also released vision of two other men they wish to speak with in relation to the investigation.
BlueScope dismisses Stokes' $13.2bn offer as 'drastically undervalued'
Kerry Stokes and his US partners will have to come up with more cash after BlueScope Steel rejected his $13.2bn takeover bid as too low and an attempt to buy the company “on the cheap”, Australian Associated Press reports.
US-based industrial metals group Steel Dynamics had teamed with the Stokes-controlled SGH Limited in a bid to acquire the company’s North American operations.
They had offered $30 a share – a 27% premium to the trading price of BlueScope shares when the offer was made on 12 December. Steel Dynamics had made three unsuccessful previous approaches to take control of BlueScope.
Shares in the Port Kembla Steelworks operator soared yesterday by 20.6% to a 17-year high of $29.48 after the takeover offer was first made public on Monday night.
BlueScope’s chair, Jane McAloon, said in a statement to the ASX late yesterday that the board had unanimously rejected the offer.
Let me be clear – this proposal was an attempt to take BlueScope from its shareholders on the cheap. It drastically undervalued our world-class assets, our growth momentum, and our future – and the board will not let that happen.
This is the fourth time we’ve said no, and the answer remained the same – BlueScope is worth considerably more than what was on the table.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then Nick Visser is due to bring you the main action.
Pro-Palestine groups planning a rally in Melbourne on Sunday to protest the state visit by Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, are holding a press conference this morning at the State Library of Victoria. It comes after a Labor party group urged the Albanese government to rescind its formal invitation to Herzog. We have more coming up.
Kerry Stokes and his US partners will have to come up with more cash after BlueScope Steel rejected his $13.2bn takeover bid as too low and an attempt to buy the company “on the cheap”. More details coming up.
And police have issued a warning about elderly drivers allegedly being stolen from and scammed in NSW shopping centre carparks.
