Memorial event concludes
The conclusion of the event turned into a musical party, with community leaders singing a number of popular Jewish songs including Oseh Shalom, which translates to peace.
The crowd of more than 1,000 people sang along and, in the front row, a number of politicians began to hold hands and dance. Among them was the former prime minister John Howard, the governor general, Sam Mostyn, the opposition leader, Sussan Ley and, for a brief moment, the New South Wales premier, Chris Minns.
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A number of community leaders, members of parliament and the Israeli ambassador have been invited on stage to witness the start of the new Torah.
Ulman said it would be year-long effort to write the new Torah, which would be inscribed on parchment with a feather quill.
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Ulman announced that the global community would be coming together to write a new Torah in order to transform “pain in presence, and loss into legacy”.
For thousands of years, the Torah has been our guiding light. Teaching us to sanctify life, respect all beings, and see the divine in every person. In the Torah, every letter has its place. Its role, its meaning. Every letter says you are not forgotten. We are still here. Join us in bringing a new Torah into the world.
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Rabbi Mendy Ulman has just led a Jewish prayer. He asked the crowd to rise, and put their right hand over their eyes.
Ulman said after the prayer was given:
The prayer is a timeless declaration of unity, affirming the oneness of God. And the oneness of responsibility we share as human beings. In the world that feels increasingly fractured, the unity is exactly the healing that we need.
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Sharri Markson, who is hosting the event, has called for “all sides of politics” to “put the bickering aside”.
She said:
I have to say, watching Canberra this week has been disheartening. I implore all sides of politics, put the bickering aside.
Work together to crack down on the threat of terror, to act against antisemitism, and to make sure we can all, all of us, walk the streets without worrying about our safety.
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Ulman said:
Standing here tonight, recognising the strength of this country and the resilience of my people, I say with full conviction I have never been a prouder Jew and I have never been a prouder Australian.
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Ulman thanked the prime minister for his apology.
He said:
I want to take this opportunity also to thank our prime minister, who, as a leader of this country, has taken responsibility and apologised for the tragedy that has occurred.
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‘Hate has no home here’: Rabbi Yehoram Ulman addresses memorial
Rabbi Yehoram Ulman said “we have felt an emptiness so heavy it could crush us.”
Ulman, who is now giving a speech, said in that emptiness “something else appeared, something miraculous”.
He said:
These 30 days have witnessed an awakening in a country like I have never seen before. I have seen an Australia that did not just watch the news, but stood up to change the story.
We saw a bipartisanship that is rare in this fractured world. We saw the prime minister and opposition leader, our state premier and local MPs, leaders, who don’t often agree, but on this, they have agreed, that hate has no home here and that the Jewish community is family.
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Fourteen-year-old shooting victim who shielded other children invited on stage
Fourteen-year-old Chaya Dadon, who risked her life to shield two younger children from the Bondi shooters, has been invited on stage without notice after she received a standing ovation from the crowd.
Sharri Markson, who is hosting the event, had paid homage to Chaya’s heroic actions after she came out of her safe hiding spot to protect others.
Chaya said after she came on to the stage:
I feel like me having the platform to talk about this is such an important lesson for every single one of you to take. Just like God gave me that prophecy in that moment, it is like every single one of you can find that in yourself. It is just about tapping into that level of spirituality and I feel like you all have the potential. God has brought us down here for a reason and even if it is hard to find it, I promise, I promise, I promise it is always there.
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‘We take back the Opera House’: Ley
Sussan Ley made a reference to the controversial 2023 pro-Palestine protest at the Opera House. She said:
Friends, in October 2023 the worst of Australia tried to co-opt an iconic building as a backdrop for hate, as a prop for inciting violence and glorifying terrorism. Tonight, how good it is in January 2026 that we take back the Opera House.
And not just for Jewish Australians but for all Australians.
This is my pledge to Jewish Australians – that I will fight every single day for an Australia where you are respected, valued, loved and safe.
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Sussan Ley addresses memorial
The opposition leader, Sussan Ley, is now speaking.
She said:
39 days on from the attack at Bondi, we remember the 15 lives that were taken, 15 lights that must never go out. Each life was precious, each was deeply loved and each leaves behind family, friends and a community forever changed by that night.
Many never imagined such a thing could happen here in Australia. In this, the luckiest of lucky countries, and yet it did. In the midst of that darkness, we also witnessed extraordinary humanity. Strangers protected strangers, ordinary Australians acted with courage and selflessness.
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A video with the family of Matilda Bee Britvan is now being played to the audience.
Matilda, who was 10 years old, was the youngest victim in the Bondi terror attack.
Her sister said in the video that Matilda loved capybaras. Footage was shown of them riding scooters and bikes together.
Her father said:
They love to sing. They love to dance.
She was very, very peaceful and very kind.
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Rabbi Eli Schlanger is being remembered as a person who “made sure to take notice of every single person and what they needed.”
Members of his family have recalled their favourite parts of his character in a video shows to the audience. One family member said:
Whenever he walked into my house, which was super often, I felt very cosy and hugged.
Another said:
If it wasn’t about his kids and his family, it was about his community. I think that is why he had so much joy because he was a giver.
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A video was also shown for Tibor Weitzen, with this wife and daughter recalling their favourite memories about him.
His daughter said:
We talked about everything and anyone. Books, politics, music.
He didn’t want anybody to be harmed. He didn’t want anybody to suffer. And I think these days, when we are going through … I think he would say ‘stop it’.
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A video dedicated to Boris and Sofia Gurman, who were killed in the attack, is now being shown.
Their son described Boris as the calming presence in the family, and Sofia as the “go-to person for expertise”.
He said:
Every good characteristic I embody now, I owe entirely to them. If given the choice a million times over, I would choose the same upbringing, the same parents, the same value set. Nothing would change. Because candidly I think I have hit the jackpot.
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Minns ended his speech by saying “just as you reclaim Bondi beach, tonight, you have taken back the Opera House as well”.
He continued:
That’s what exactly the Opera House is for – not a place of hate with loudspeakers and racism, flares and hateful symbols – but a location of peace and unity. Tonight, we gather in our most important building to bring out the best in Australia. Thank you.
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Minns thanked the opposition leader, Kellie Sloane, and the people and emergency services who rushed to the scene to help the night of the attack.
I hope tonight sends a very clear message to you from everyone else in Australia, you are not alone as you mourn. I hope you have seen that in the actions of young police officers like Scott Dyson and Jack Hibbert, who would not have missed tonight and we’re very happy they’re here. In the surf life savers, in the paramedics who rushed to the scene.
I want to include the leader of the opposition in New South Wales, Kellie Sloane, who did exactly the same thing.
In the people that lined up in blood banks, and the thousands of who paddled out in Bondi, these people represent the real Australia.
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Standing ovation for Ahmed al-Ahmed
Minns has paid homage to Ahmed al-Ahmed, who disarmed one of the alleged shooters.
Al-Ahmed stood up when after his name was mentioned and received his own standing ovation and large cheers from the crowd. He waved out to them, still recovering with his arm in a black sling.
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Minns said we “must also accept that words lead to actions”.
He said:
It’s intolerable for anyone to suggest that another Australian doesn’t deserve a safe space. Cultural or any other kind. Everyone deserves safety, it’s the minimum obligation of a civilised society.
And lastly, we unabashedly take pride in the parts of Australian life that are intrinsically part of our character and our country – democracy, freedom, respect and equality – and should someone refuse these basic and non-negotiable aspects of our country, we have to have the confidence to say that Australia is just not the country for you.
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Minns has said “we must take action and indeed, we must change”.
He continued:
I think we start with fighting hate wherever we see it. Antisemitism, it’s corrosive to our community and it’s everyone’s responsibility to stand up against it.
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NSW premier addresses memorial
Chris Minns said:
Today’s date for this national day of mourning was chosen after speaking with the Chabad community. Who in a poignant gesture, asked that this evening coincide with the shosham, the one-month mark following the death and burial of a loved one. Many rabbis have told us while the pain remains and the grief continues, the one month mark is a transition, where we begin to search for meaning, to find purpose, to take action, and even to ask questions. Sometimes difficult questions.
In the midst of our grief, many people in our country have asked, can this nation truly live up to its promise that we would accept anyone, anywhere, and have them live side by side in peace and safety, free to live your life, raise your family, and practise your religion? It’s a bitter reality to realise this was a dark and evil crime committed here in Australia.
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The NSW premier, Chris Minns, has now stepped up to speak.
He received a 15 second standing ovation as he walked on to the stage.
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A video tribute to Reuven Morrison is now being shown, with members of his family sharing memories of him.
His daughter said:
We managed to do so much together in our 43 years together. It was not a boring life. We managed to live three lives together, not one life. His love was not something you just felt, it’s something you saw in every inch of him, in a smile, the way his eyes crinkled, the way his shoulders shook when he laughed. He loved his friends and family so loyally and so fiercely. That was something never taken for granted.
His wife said:
The number of people who called me and told me and came to see me, they said, thank you. Because of his courage, because of his loyalty, because of his care for his community that they are alive today. It gives me strength and that is and was my husband.
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A video is now being played to give tribute to Peter Meagher, a photographer who was killed in the attack.
His wife said her first memory of Peter was their first date.
She said:
We went to a rugby match, because we both loved rugby. I remember thinking he was very protective, possibly because he was an active policeman at the time. There was a presence about him that was comforting. Gently comforting. Peter was quiet. He was gentle.
I wear his wedding ring around my neck. I wear it close to my heart. Because, he will always be there. My little piece of Peter for ever. Thank you for picking me. I’m grateful. And honoured. Thank you for being you.
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When the song concluded, the crowd again gave him a standing ovation and began chanting his name.
American rabbi shot at Bondi performs at memorial hours after being discharged from hospital
Leibel Lazaroff has appeared to perform just hours after being discharged from hospital.
Lazaroff, a 20-year-old from Texas, was in Australia to study and volunteer at Chabad when he was shot at Bondi. He also helped save the life of police officer, Scott Dyson, who was injured in the attack.
Markson, while introducing Lazaroff, said:
He is also a talented pianist. In between surgeries he played in hospital. Before the attack, he was filmed playing a beautiful melody at Chabad of Bondi, together with Rabbi Ulman’s son-in-law. After the attack, Leibel was filmed again in hospital, playing the same melody with friends.
When Lazaroff ascended the stage, the crowd erupted into cheers and gave him a prolonged standing ovation. The loud cheers continued as he began to sing.
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The crowd applauded after Sharri Markson returned to the stage and thanked the prime minister for his apology.
Markson said:
Prime minister, your acknowledgment just now that the community was let down is a crucial step, and your apology tonight was important to hear and it goes a long way.
We thank you for that, and you are right to say that our hearts were shattered that terrible evening and over the past two years.
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Albanese has ended his speech by saying:
Australians are committed to driving antisemitism from our shores because it stands in opposition to all we are as a country. The nation we have built together, with care and compassion, over generations. A week after the massacre, when Rabbi Ulman spoke of the 15 souls we mourn tonight, he described the light that each had brought into the world. May their memories be a blessing and in their name, we will work to open all eyes to that light because that is the light that will win. Thank you.
Albanese said:
The Jewish community is at the very heart of the Australian story.
In every field of human endeavour, Jewish Australians helped build this nation, generation after generation, with energy, with creativity with generosity.
A vital thread that runs through the fabric of this nation and just as Jewish Australians have been a crucial part of our history to the even greater future in our reach.
You are not just accepted – you are valued. You are cherished. You have the right to pray, to learn and to live as proud Jews without looking over your shoulder.
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Albanese said “you have taught a grieving nation that the only way to defeat darkness is to add the light.”
He said:
In the weeks since the world was upended, you have not retreated. You have not hidden away in fear. Instead you have shown profound strength. You inspired a movement that has swept right across the country.
As Rabbi Ulman and others reminded me in recent days – mitzvah doesn’t just mean a good deed. It also means a connection. In just two syllables, that one powerful Hebrew word tells us how good deeds can bind a society together. You showed us that resilience is so much more than survival. It is about defying hate, with unstoppable goodness.
You have taught a grieving nation that the only way to defeat darkness is to add the light.
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‘Grief is love, wrapped around an absence’
Albanese said an attack on “Jewish Australians is an attack on all Australians”.
He continued:
Jewish Australians were targeted because they were Jewish. Let me say this clearly, and unequivocally, an attack on Jewish Australians is an attack on all Australians.
It was an atrocity, perpetrated in the heart of this city, in a place that dwells in the very heart of our identity.
Tonight in this building, that has seen so many displays of carefully composed passion play out across its stages, we are joined in a grief that is all too real. A grief with no ending, only a beginning. Grief is love, wrapped around an absence.
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Albanese: ‘I am deeply and profoundly sorry that we could not protect your loved ones’
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is now giving his speech.
My fellow Australians, tonight should have been nothing more than a regular Thursday night.
Our beautiful city, brightened by the light of another 15 lives. 15 lives illuminated by possibility, opportunity and dreams. Tragically, we are gathered here tonight because, on 14 December, everything changed.
And for that, I am sorry.
We cherish the promise that this country is a safe harbour. But sadly that promise was broken.
You came to celebrate a festival of light and freedom and you were met with the violence of hatred.
I am deeply and profoundly sorry that we could not protect your loved ones from this evil.
The crowd erupted in applause after he apologised for the tragedy.
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The fourth video is for Marika Pogany, with a tribute from her son.
Her son said:
I’d say the most common memory I have of my mum is protector, defender, whenever you fall, whenever you’re hungry, whenever you want a toy, she was there at the drop of a hat, that would be my mum.
The third video is dedicated to Dan Elkayam, with tributes from his friends.
One friend said:
I feel privileged to have known [Dan]. Privileged to spend his last day together.
When all this happenend, my wife and I talked and we just said ‘we have to live life to the fullest. That’s what we have to do. That’s what Dan did’.
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A video has also been shown for Yaakov Levitan.
His wife, who appeared in the video along with their children, said:
The most important things I’ve learned from him is there is nothing you can’t do. Sit down, try it out. You don’t have to accept what you’ve been for so long, there’s always 100 new things you can learn. It’s pretty incredible what he was able to do. And hopefully we will do also.
Videos are are now being shown with family tributes to loved ones who were killed in the attack.
Boris Tetleroyd’s son Yaakov, who was also injured in the attack, said:
Everybody loved him. I don’t think there was a single person who didn’t like my father. He was able to put people at ease. I was always just amazed how he was able to fix everybody, what was going on, you know, in my life, he was able to find a solution for it.
Families light 15 candles for 15 victims
Fifteen candles were laid out on stage for the 15 people who were killed in the attack.
The families of each of the victims were invited onstage to light to candle representing their loved one.
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Four sons whose fathers were killed during the terror attack are on stage sharing a prayer in unison in Hebrew.
The four sons included Nossen Schlanger, the son of Rabbi Eli Schlanger; Yaakov Tetleroyd, the son of Boris Tetleroyd; Shlomo Levitan, the son of Reb Yaakov Levitan; and Tzvi Kleytman, the son of Alex Kleytman.
Rabbi Nochum Shapirohas gave the Tehillim prayer a short time ago.
Shua Solomon, president of the Rabbinical Council of NSW, also read a prayer. He said:
Had it not been for the Lord who was with us when men rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us raw when their anger was kindled against us. Then the waters would have washed us away, illness would have passed over our soul and the wicked waters would have passed over our soul.
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Governor general Sam Mostyn is now speaking. She is reading Psalm 23 on behalf of King Charles, who she said chose the reading for the event:
My cup is filled to overflowing. May goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life. And may I live in the house of the Lord forevermore. Amen.
Rabbi Pinchus Feldman is now giving the opening prayer.
He also gave the acknowledgement of country.
Bless all Australians, may we recognise the dignity in every human being who was created.
Protect our first responders, medical professionals and defense personnel who secure our welbeing.
In deep mourning, yet with a steadfast spirit, we pray for the triumph of light over darkness.
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Markson:
Our children deserve better. Matilda deserved better. They all did.
We ask tonight, as we return to the Opera House, that we live up to the promise this country has made to each generation, the promise of a life of freedom and safety for all Australians.
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A minute’s silence has now ended.
Sky News host Sharri Markson, who is hosting the event tonight, has continued her introduction to the event.
She says the two police officers who were wounded, Jack Hibbert and Scott Dyson, would be making their first public appearance this evening.
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Guests at Sydney Opera House memorial service observe a minute’s silence
Sky News host Sharri Markson is hosting the event tonight. She has started speaking:
As we remember those whose lives were taken too soon, just one month ago, murdered in a monstrous act, tonight you will hear from the family members of the victims. From the grieving parents of beautiful Matilda, to the son of Boris and Sofia Gurman – heroes who ran towards the danger.
The crowd is now on their feet for a minute’s silence.
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Time nears for a minute’s silence
The Sydney Opera House is almost full now as people take their seats to be ready for a minute’s silence at 7.01pm.
There are many politicians in the crowd tonight, including the former prime minister, John Howard, who is wearing a kippah; the member for Wentworth, which includes Bondi, Allegra Spender; and the member for Bradfield, independent Nicolette Boele.
The opposition leader of New South Wales, Kelly Sloane, has also been mingling in the crowd alongside federal opposition leader, Sussan Ley, who will be speaking this evening.
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John Howard and Allegra Spender among guests at Bondi attack memorial service at Sydney Opera House
Guests are beginning to filter into the Sydney Opera House ahead of the national memorial in honour of the 15 victims of the Bondi terror attack.
Around 1,500 people are expected to pack into the Opera House for the service, including politicians and government representatives, Jewish community leaders and members, families of the victims and first responders.
Among those to have taken a seat inside are former attorney general Philip Ruddock, mayor of Waverley council, Will Nemesh, Wentworth independent MP Allegra Spender, Liberal frontbencher David Sharma and former prime minister John Howard.
Outside the Opera House, orthodox Jews are circling with tefillin – small black leather cubes with biblical parchment scrolls that are wrapped on the arm and head of men during prayers – offering mourners the chance to don them.
Upon entering the building, people are being handed shabbat candles and a program with a cover reading “Light will win”.
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Some more photos from across the country:
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Four shark attacks in New South Wales in 48 hours reinforces importance of donating blood
Sharky Baxter, founder of Marine Life Rangers, assisted lifeguards at the scene of a shark attack in Manly on Monday afternoon, where a 27-year-old surfer was left in a critical condition.
He said:
I got emotional towards the end of the rescue, when the helicopter landed and the paramedics gave him lots of blood. Another Lifeblood box was sprinted down the beach by police officers to support CPR efforts.
Baxter said he donates blood every two weeks and “to see how it literally saved someone’s life before my eyes was incredible.”
A spokesperson for Lifeblood Australia said it can take up to 100 blood donations to save the life of someone in a trauma or emergency situation, “including shark attacks.”
Blood has a “short shelf life” of five days after testing, “so it is important we receive regular donations,” they said.
The surge in incidents comes amid increased shark activity in New South Wales harbours and estuaries.
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National day of mourning – in pictures
Australians performed good deeds, said prayers, and held each other close on Thursday, as they remembered the 15 victims of the mass shooting at the Hanukah event in Bondi on 14 December.
We have some pics from across the country here:
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Surf lifesavers arrive at memorial
The Surf Lifesaving NSW CEO, Steven Pearce, has just arrived at the Sydney Opera house in iconic yellow and red gear alongside about 10 of his colleagues, also in their lifeguard uniforms.
Bondi lifeguards were among the first responders during the Bondi terror attack, helping to assist the wounded, provide shelter and ferry children out of danger.
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Attenders start to arrive at Opera House
Members of the Jewish community are beginning to filter into the Sydney Opera House forecourt ahead of tonight’s national memorial service.
Dozens are lining up outside the entrance to the venue, hugging friends and family as they wait to enter.
The forecourt has been closed off to the public and police officers are lined at all entrances and exits to the site, many carrying large weapons. On top of the Sydney Opera House, police snipers stand with long-arm guns, showing how tight security is for the event.
In a strange juxtaposition, from Circular Quay station to the Opera House steps, workers continue to set up for Australia Day events on Monday, with the occasional sound testing going ahead.
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‘We don’t fight darkness by shouting’, senior rabbi says
Rabbi Yehoram Ulman:
Our hearts are broken, but our spirit is unbroken.
The Jewish response to violence and to tragedy is not to pull away from society, but to contribute more to it, to heal it. And that is why we’re here today to launch a national call to action. Fifteen mitzvahs for 15 souls.
We’re asking every Australian to take one tangible deed of goodness and make it a regular part of your day, of your week …
We don’t fight darkness by shouting. We fight darkness by turning on the lights. And judging from the incredible support from across this nation, one thing is clear to me: that light will win.
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Rabbi Yehoram Ulman speaks outside Sydney Opera House
Senior rabbi Yehoram Ulman is speaking outside the Sydney Opera House. He referred to the controversial 2023 pro-Palestine protest at the Opera House:
He said:
In this very place hatred was spewed, violence celebrated. The Jewish community was told to stay away. We were told that this place is not safe for us. It was indeed a moment of darkness for Australia. But today we have returned. We are back not in fear, not in hatred, but with our heads high and with a clear message.
We are reclaiming this Australian icon that again it should become a place of peace, unity and moral clarity for all peoples.
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Strong police presence at Sydney Opera House ahead of Bondi memorial service
There is a strong police presence at the Sydney Opera House and the forecourt has been largely blocked off to the public ahead of tonight’s memorial service to honour the victims of the Bondi terror attack.
The national memorial service, organised by Chabad of Bondi, will begin at 7pm under the theme “Light Will Win – A Gathering of Unity and Remembrance”.
In a few minutes’ time, family representatives of the victims killed in the alleged antisemitic terrorist attack will address the media, alongside senior rabbi Yehoram Ulman.
The prime minister, opposition leader, NSW premier and governor general will speak at the official event.
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Australian dollar reaches 15-month high
Australia’s share market has snapped a three-session losing streak thanks to an uptick in global risk sentiment, but hotter-than-expected jobs figures have increased the likelihood of an interest rate hike.
The S&P/ASX200 rose 65.8 points on Thursday, up 0.75%, to 8,848.7, as the broader All Ordinaries gained 63.9 points, or 0.7%, to 9,172.5.
The top-200 initially surged almost 1% as investors celebrated a cooling of US-Europe relations, before easing slightly when surprise December employment jump narrowed odds the Reserve Bank will lift the cash rate in February.
In a reversal of recent trends, goldminers sold off sharply as safe-haven buyers became profit takers, and the recently red-hot raw materials sector turned negative after supporting the broader market for most of the week.
The Australian dollar spiked to 15-month highs on the back of the jobs report and is buying 68.05 US cents, up from 67.36 US cents on Wednesday at 5pm.
– AAP
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Rockhampton residents breathe sigh of relief after flood peak falls short of predictions
Residents of Rockhampton have “got off very lightly” after a threatened flood peak did not eventuate, but a big cleanup of low-lying sports and recreation grounds lies ahead.
The Bureau of Meteorology revised a flood warning forecast for the Fitzroy River at Rockhampton from moderate to minor on Thursday morning.
The Rockhampton mayor, Tony Williams, said a predicted 7.3-metre peak, down from previous forecasts of 8 metres then 7.5 metres, was expected to remain at that level for some days into early next week.
Rockhampton had escaped major damage, but riverside sports club grounds and facilities were flooded and some high-blocked Queenslander houses may have water under them, Williams said.
Longtime Rockhampton resident Gary Whight, 73, said the city had “got off very lightly” following a “pretty small flood” compared to others he had witnessed since moving to the city in 1979.
– AAP
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Australian tourist describes escape from NZ landslide
Australian tourist Sonny Worrall has described his escape from the New Zealand landslide.
Speaking to NZ news outlet Stuff, Worrall, from Newcastle, said he was swimming in the pool at the Mount Maunganui beachside holiday park:
As I’m swimming, I heard this huge landslide behind me, trees cracking, and there was a caravan that almost hit me. I was just fearing for my life. It was the scariest thing I’ve ever felt in my life.
Several people are still missing, but officials have told reporters it was “possible we will find someone alive”.
Read more:
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Leave Now warning issued for bushfire on WA south coast
In WA, a Leave Now emergency warning has been issued for Bremer Bay, Fitzgerald River national park, Gairdner and Jerramungup in the Shire of Jerramungup.
A bushfire is burning in the Fitzgerald River national park in the south of the state. There are also multiple level watch, and Act blazes in nearby areas.
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Christie Johnson said it was important to be prepared and keep up to date with warnings.
We also see the heat making it difficult to sleep and to stay cool, and that can take a real toll on the body, so please take precautions. We also expect to see stress on power and infrastructure from both the heat and also the risk of fire over the coming days.
With so much heat and fire danger, it’s going to be really important to stay up to date with the latest forecasts and warnings on the Bureau’s website and the BoM Weather app, listen to all your local emergency services as they will be issuing warnings and total fire bans and please stay safe.
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Extreme fire danger across SA, Victoria, NSW and ACT this weekend
Johnson said next week could bring record heat across many parts of the country for January. She said the conditions will be dangerous for vulnerable people, those who are old, people with pre-existing medical conditions and those who are pregnant.
It will also create high fire danger:
It’s really on Saturday that we’re going to see that fire danger really ramp up, particularly over South Australia. Most of the state is expecting high to extreme fire danger …
We do also see that extreme fire danger extending into parts of western Victoria on Saturday. On Sunday … there’s also some extreme fire danger over southern New South Wales, including for the ACT.
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The BoM has just released its severe weather update for the next few days.
Meteorologist Christie Johnson said:
On Saturday, the trough will continue to move eastwards, dragged by a cold front over the Southern Ocean, and that’s going to give a lot of heat over South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, atop of 40C for Melbourne, 42C for Adelaide.
It’s a little bit of a reprieve for the south coast on Sunday, but the heat isn’t going anywhere. It’s going to linger over inland parts and also start to redevelop over southern parts of Western Australia.
As we go into the new week, that heat will build again over South Australia, New South Wales, and particularly north-western parts of Victoria, looking at the top of 43C for Adelaide on Monday into Tuesday.
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Victoria unlikely to replicate ‘hot hairdryer’ conditions seen on 9 January
Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Kevin Parkyn says the forecast on Saturday won’t be as extreme as that on 9 January:
In terms of the wind, if you think back to 9 January, it was like someone continuously, all day, held a hot hairdryer up to your face when you were outside. We’re not expecting those conditions. It’ll certainly be hot and it’ll be dry, but the wind strengths won’t quite be there, and we’re talking maybe 30, 40km/h winds over parts of south west and the Wimmera, that does include the Grampians … The northerly wind often funnels through a place called Kilmore Gap into the northern suburbs of Melbourne, so some stronger winds through there, but by the afternoon through Melbourne, we actually expect the wind to drop off a bit just when we reach maximum temperature. So the alignment of those hot conditions [means] that the wind won’t quite be there like we saw on 9 January.
He says in some “good news” there is also no forecast thunderstorm activity on Saturday for most of the state – with a marginal risk of storms in the far east around Cann River, near the NSW border.
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Alistair Drayton from the State Emergency Service has also provided an update on the flash flooding in Wye River last week, saying there was a “successful” three-hour operation today to retrieve 12 vehicles from the ocean using helicopters.
He says it’s the first time helicopters have been used for this sort of retrieval work:
The challenges of the environment we needed to be mindful of the environment and this was determined as being the best way to actually do that removal, by using helicopters and thereby not requiring heavy machinery on beaches or closing the Great Ocean Road any longer than we actually needed to.
Drayton says authorities were unable to retrieve a caravan from the water:
The caravan is not in a good way. In fact, it’s broken up … When I last had a report that we’re still looking to recover [it], they have been covering bits and pieces, and we’ll continue to do as much as we can.
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Authorities expecting ‘volatile’ fire behaviour despite winds not as strong as previous heatwave
Heffernan says while the weather will be very hot over the next few days, the winds will not reach the speeds the state saw on 9 January:
Whilst we’re not currently forecasting or predicting catastrophic conditions, we are well and truly into extreme conditions across multiple days across this heatwave event, starting on the Saturday in the west and south-west and possibly even Melbourne and surrounds. We will be declaring total fire bans throughout the course of this heatwave event, and we are asking community to stay up to date.
He stressed this further:
Even though the winds might not be as strong as what we saw two weeks ago, by the sheer heat and the topography of the landscape which some of these fires are burning currently … will spread rather rapidly and even under extreme conditions we can see quite volatile fire behaviour.
Updated
That’s all from me. Cait Kelly will take things from here. Take care.
Still seven major active fires across Victoria
Wiebusch says there continues to be seven major active fires across Victoria, including three that are not yet under control:
Walwa on the NSW border that has burned through 110,000 hectares
Wonnangatta Complex (Dargo), 52,000 hectares in really steep and difficult and challenging terrain
Mallacoota
Referring to the Mallacoota fire, Forest Fire Management’s chief fire officer, Chris Hardman, says:
We all know that the Mallacoota community went through a lot in 2020 they have been living with this fire for a number of days, and that fire continues to be active. It’s not threatening community members or anything at the moment, but certainly got good numbers of firefighters in there doing everything they can to contain that fire and hold it over the next few days. But again, circumstances can change with this hot weather coming ahead for firefighters in that part of the world.
CFA chief officer, Jason Heffernan, says last night, the Longwood fire – the biggest blaze to begin earlier this month covering 144,00 hectares – was contained. Of the 434 homes destroyed in blazes across the state, 320 are located in this region.
He says:
Containment lines have been well established, and fire crews are now actively patrolling and monitoring to ensure that the fire stays within the planned containment line … It does not mean the fire is out, so within the next couple of days of heatwave conditions, particularly those very hot days, we are expecting to see internal fire and pockets of maybe unburned fuel reignite or flare up. Firefighters and fire authorities will be on hand to deal with those as they occur. So again, we are asking communities in and around the Longwood fire to maintain vigilance over the next couple of days by having the Vic Emergency app … having a battery powered radio tuned to your emergency broadcaster to ensure that if anything does occur over the next couple of days, that you’re up to date with the latest information.
Updated
Parts of Victoria to approach ‘all-time maximum record’ temperatures on Tuesday, BoM says
Victoria’s emergency management commissioner, Tim Wiebusch, is holding a press conference in Melbourne ahead of forecast hot and gusty conditions.
He says this weekend will see a return of fire danger and a severe to extreme heatwave across many parts of the state:
We’re obviously heading into a long weekend. We know that many people will be wanting to enjoy the great outdoors and we absolutely want people to enjoy the great parts of Victoria, but you need to be aware of the risks.
Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Kevin Parkyn says a “dome of heat is expected to sit over Victoria” and will persist “well into next week”. He says:
It all really starts on Saturday, when hot, dry, continental northwesterly winds result in increasing fire danger across the state. Looks like we’ll be seeing severe, extreme fire danger in the south-west, in the Wimmera and potentially even in central parts of the state as well. We’re forecasting 43C for Mildura, 41C for Hamilton, 40C in both Port Fairy and Melbourne, places like Bendigo are expected to get to 38C, a much more moderate 29C down on the coast, near Lakes Entrance.
Parkyn says winds will start to increase about the eastern ranges on Sunday, which “might exacerbate some of the fire behaviour where we currently have fires in the landscape”. Monday is also forecast to be hot but with lighter winds before picking up again on Tuesday:
Many centres are probably going to approach their all time maximum records. This is quite a significant day. On Tuesday, at this stage, we’re looking at 41C in Melbourne, many of the outer suburbs will reach 43 to 44C.
While Melbourne will see a cool change on Wednesday, he says the 40C-plus temperatures will continue in the north with little rainfall forecast for two weeks.
Updated
‘Stones of remembrance’ laid outside Bondi Pavilion
A handful of people have gathered for the day of mourning outside the Bondi Pavilion, where a few fresh wreaths of flowers have been laid.
There is a basket filled with “stones of remembrance”, and a sign that invites people to take a stone and add a drawing or message to “honour those we remember”. It follows the Jewish tradition of laying a stone at a grave.
Beneath the wreaths of flowers are piles of these stones with messages written in colourful messages, like “love”, “sorry”, and “rest in peace beautiful souls”.
A chaplain watching on said people had been coming and going all day from the memorial, some to lay stones, others to simply watch on and pay their respects.
Vibeke and Jan, who are from Denmark and are on holiday in Sydney, came to the memorial to lay a stone while touring through Bondi.
“The whole world knows about what happened,” Jan said.
Vibeke wrote “love” on her stone, and Jan wrote “hope”.
Updated
Markets say 60% chance of rate hike in February
The Reserve Bank will pull the trigger and hike rates at its next meeting on 3 February, UBS economists say, after this morning’s bumper job figures revealed a surprise drop in the unemployment rate to 4.1% in December.
Financial markets have also lifted their predicted likelihood of a February rate hike, to a 60% chance, from 30% before the latest jobs report.
George Tharenou, the investment bank’s top economist, said it would now take an unexpectedly weak inflation number next Wednesday to stay the central bank board’s hand at its first meeting of the year.
“For the RBA, the labour market still likely needs to ease, to reduce pressure on inflation, to have confidence to achieve its CPI target,” Tharenou said.
At the moment, it’s going the wrong way.
UBS had previously predicted a hike in May or June.
Elsewhere, experts were recalibrating the likelihood of rate hikes, but stuck to their forecasts.
RBC Capital Markets’ interest rate strategist, Robert Thompson, was gobsmacked by the strength of the December employment figures.
“We retain our base case call that the RBA will not hike rates this year, but freely admit to feeling increasingly nervous about this call,” Thompson said.
Today’s data adds further risk that the RBA will be forced into a fresh hiking cycle.
Updated
Chalmers says Canadian PM’s ‘stunning’ denunciation of Trump is being widely discussed in Australian government
Jim Chalmers has described the Canadian prime minister’s passionate denunciation of Donald Trump’s assault on the global rules-based order as a “stunning speech” that was being “widely shared and discussed” inside the government.
At this week’s annual gathering at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Mark Carney said “we are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition”.
“I thought it was very impactful, very thoughtful; certainly widely shared and discussed in our government,” Chalmers told ABC radio, adding:
So for Australia, and no doubt for Canada, the point that Prime Minister Carney was making is that our interests are best served by cooperation and by managing our differences within international law and international institutions.
Read more here:
Cars washed out to sea on Great Ocean Road during flash flooding recovered by helicopter
Victoria’s State Emergency Service worked with specialist crews on Thursday morning during a vehicle recovery operation along the Great Ocean Road after last week’s flash flooding. Black Hawk helicopters were used to safely remove 14 cars and caravans from flood-impacted coastal areas.
Take a look:
Chalmers says Coalition ‘a smoking ruin’, and that’s the ‘kindest thing you can say’
Treasurer Jim Chalmers is speaking again after the release of the latest jobs numbers. He was asked about the ongoing turmoil in the Coalition, building on his criticisms of the opposition earlier this morning.
Chalmers said:
I think the kindest thing you can say about the Coalition is that it is a smoking ruin.
I think they are paying a price for putting internal politics before public safety this week in the parliament in what I think is … a shameful preference for internal politics. That’s over doing the right thing by public safety and national security. That’s what we have seen.
That is why the Coalition is disintegrating.
Updated
‘What a disgrace’: Victoria premier lambastes vandalism of Melbourne monuments
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, released a short statement on the vandalism of the First Pioneer and Separation monuments in Flagstaff Gardens this morning. She said:
What a disgrace. Even on a day about love and unity, these people can’t help but introduce hate and destruction.
Victoria Police will investigate and I’m asking anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.
The groups who continue to commit these crimes must face the full force of the law.
Read more here:
Nationals senator says ‘a little bit of alone time’ always good, but optimistic about Coalition reunion
Nationals senator Susan McDonald, a frontbencher who resigned from the shadow cabinet on Wednesday, plunging the Coalition into crisis, just spoke to ABC News about the hubbub.
McDonald maintained that the Nationals were concerned about the brisk pace of the hate speech legislation, saying the party wasn’t provided “comfort” around the bill’s provisions before it was time to vote on the measure.
She said:
There was no need to have it passed so quickly. Recalling parliament is not a free pass to pass bad legislation, which is what this is.
McDonald said there was an option yesterday for Sussan Ley to not accept the resignations of her and her colleagues, but she chose not to do so.
The National party had already made it clear that it was one in, all in. If our resignations were taken up, that the entire National party frontbench would go. And that’s exactly what happened.
She added that a “little bit of alone time” is “always a good thing”.
We will both be considering who we are, why we came to parliament, who we represent. What is in the national interest for all Australians. And I am very optimistic that we will reform the Coalition as soon as possible, because I agree, we are stronger together.
Updated
Young girl among the missing in New Zealand after landslide hits campsite
Emergency services in New Zealand are searching for several people, including a child, believed missing after a landslide hit a campsite during storms that have caused widespread damage across the North Island.
The country’s emergency minister, Mark Mitchell, told RNZ that parts of the east coast looked like “a war zone”. Helicopters have been deployed to rescue families sheltering on rooftops from flooding and local states of emergency declared in five regions across Northland and the East Cape due to days of record-breaking torrential rain.
The landslide struck on Thursday morning at a campground in the tourist hotspot of Mount Maunganui on the east coast. Mitchell confirmed that a young girl was among those unaccounted for.
“It’s a fluid and sensitive issue at the moment,” he said. “Everyone is working as hard as they can to get the best possible resolution possible, but in no doubt at all it is a very difficult and challenging situation.”
Read more here:
Updated
Kids cook meals for charity in Sydney amid mitzvahs in memory of Bondi victims
Mitzvahs large and small are being carried out in memory of those who died in Bondi on 14 December as the national day of mourning gets under way.
Under the banner of One Mitzvah for Bondi, all Australians are being urged to do a good deed – or mitzvah – today.
In Paddington in Sydney’s east, children have come together to cook meals for the needy. On the menu at Kids Giving Back this morning is Thai red curry with pasta and a salad with parmesan and pepitas. The 350 meals will be distributed to vulnerable communities in Macquarie Park.
Carole Schlessinger, the co-founder and CEO of Kids Giving Back, started the non-denominational charity 13 years ago, basing it on the Hebrew concept of tikkun olam – repairing the world.
“It’s giving people hope and agency when everything feels so dark,” she said, reflecting on the poignancy of the day. “It’s this basic kindness people need to overcome the evil that’s in the world. It’s a place to focus on positivity.”
Rachel Filler, a mother-of-three from Vaucluse, carried her 10-month-old, Marlee, as she chopped carrots with her daughters Lilah, 6, and Emme, 8.
“I’ve told the children we’re doing a mitzvah to give back in a world that can sometimes be not kind. It’s never a bad lesson to learn,” she said. She continued:
I know a lot of people who are afraid to go outside after everything that happened. But it’s nice to be able to show kids that the world is still good, there are still good people and this is proof of it.
Updated
NSW premier gets popularity boost after Bondi attack response, poll suggests
After his response to the Bondi attack, the NSW premier, Chris Minns, is experiencing his highest popularity levels since 2023, polling has suggested.
Resolve Political Monitor polling published today by the Sydney Morning Herald says the premier’s “likability score” has risen to plus 25, its highest level since May 2023 and an increase of 11 points since November, when he dropped to his lowest rating as premier.
Among the 1,145 respondents, 40% had Minns as their preferred premier, up nine points from November, compared with 18% for the NSW opposition leader, Kellie Sloane, who was elected unopposed to the Liberal leadership in November, and would require a remarkable turnaround to unseat Minns as premier in the March 2027 state election.
Additional Resolve polling released yesterday suggests the Minns government’s Bondi response is more popular with Coalition than Labor voters, with 63% of the former saying the response, including gun control, hate speech and protest laws rushed through parliament last month, was “strong”, compared with 49% of Labor voters. A majority – or 68% – of all respondents said they supported the restriction of protests after the attack.
Approval for Minns is in sharp contrast with Resolve’s latest federal polling, which had the likability for the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, dropping to minus 15 from plus 9 before the attack, and suggested Labor’s primary vote share had dropped 5% since early December.
Updated
Candles lit at Bondi state vigil in Melbourne
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has lit a candle at the state vigil to remember the victims of the Bondi attack.
Allan said:
In our grief, in our hurt and our loss, in shared solace and with the peace that we can give, with our lights, we remember them.
The state governor general, Margaret Gardner, and other religious leaders are also lighting candles.
Updated
Joyce: joining One Nation and leaving the Nationals ‘like going through a divorce’
Back to Joyce quickly, where he has been asked if he is having conversations with other National members to join One Nation.
I don’t encourage them to do it. I say it’s very traumatic. It’s like going through a divorce. I never encourage anybody to get out of a marriage and I’m it’s very - be really careful before you leave your party. You got your members, you got - you got to consult with them, consult with a lot of people. Really think about it.
But for me, my position with David was totally untenable. And I explained that to people and I think you’re all getting a bit of a look at that as well now.
Updated
Unemployment drops to 4.1% as pressure builds to raise interest rates
The unemployment rate unexpectedly dropped to 4.1% in December, from 4.3%, after a bumper month of jobs growth that may add to pressure on the Reserve Bank to hike rates.
The number of employed Australians jumped by 65,200, while the underemployment rate - those with jobs but who are chasing more hours - plunged from 6.2% to 5.7%.
Full-time employment rose 54,800, while part-time jobs increased by 10,400, according to the new figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The latest jobs report comes ahead of next Wednesday’s inflation figures, which economists say will go a long way to determining whether the RBA will hike rates on 3 February.
Before the release of the jobs data, financial markets were pricing in a nearly 30% chance of a hike at the next central bank meeting.
Further evidence of a resilient labour market would suggest that the economy is still running above its capacity to grow without pushing inflation higher.
Updated
One Nation’s Joyce calls Nationals process ‘totally and utterly chaotic’
He said the process is “utterly chaotic”:
[The] process by Mr Littleproud is totally and utterly chaotic. And besmirches the proper [processes] to happen in a parliament, where the government puts forward legislation and the opposition forensically goes through it.
Updated
Joyce says hate law legislation ‘should have gone to an inquiry’ due to rushed process
Barnaby Joyce is speaking now. He said there was no time to read the bill properly. He said:
You know that legislation, I got it on my table when the parliament was already sitting. It was about 10:00. The guillotine, which is when they - when you have to vote, was at 1[pm].
So I got between 10 and 1 to deal with some of the most fundamental laws about the freedom of the press the public discussion, the public square in Australia. You know how you deal when people play that trick with you? You vote it out. No way. It should have gone to an inquiry.
Updated
The Anglican archbishop of Melbourne, Dr Ric Thorpe, is addressing the state vigil in Melbourne. He says political and community leader have come together to mourn the lives of the 15 people “cut tragically short on Bondi Beach”.
The Anglican Dean of Melbourne, Dr Andreas Loewe, says:
We stand side by side with members of the Jewish community here in and Melbourne and throughout Australia, and with countless people the world over who, like us, condemn anti-Semtiism, hate crime persecution and violence.
Jewish group handing out free candles in Bondi today ahead of moment of silence
The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies is distributing free candles at Bondi Beach, Bondi Junction and in Martin Place in the Sydney CBD today for people to display in their windows this evening.
The body said the country was standing in solidarity with the victims’ families, their loved ones and all Australians “affected by this act of terror”, writing in a statement:
This day provides an opportunity for communities across our nation to come together, to pause, and to reflect. These candles may be used by individuals and families as a quiet symbol of solidarity and remembrance.
We encourage members of the community to light candles in line with the minute of silence at 7:01 pm. …
Their memory must compel all of us to ensure that Jewish Australians can live openly, safely, and without fear.
The Victorian governor, Margaret Gardner, and the premier, Jacinta Allan, have arrived at the state vigil.
The official service is due to begin at 11.15am.
Arrivals begin ahead of state vigil for Bondi victims in Melbourne
Members of the public have begun arriving at Melbourne’s St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral for the state vigil to remember the 15 people killed in the Bondi terror attack.
The premier, Jacinta Allan, is expected to join multifaith leaders at the service, which begins at 11.15am, to mark the national day of mourning.
The vigil is open to the public and will be live-streamed online.
Across Victoria, flags are being flown at half mast at all government buildings and landmark buildings will be lit up in white as a symbol of light tonight.
Colonial monuments vandalised in Melbourne’s Flagstaff gardens
Two monuments to colonial Australia have been vandalised in Melbourne’s Flagstaff gardens in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Police said they believed machinery was used to pull down the Pioneer monument, a sandstone obelisk erected in 1871 to commemorate the first European burial ground on the site.
The monument was smashed into pieces beside the plinth and daubed with the words “land back” and “death to Australia” red paint.
Another nearby monument, the Separation Memorial, was also vandalised with red paint, police said.
The Separation Memorial was erected in 1950 to mark the centenary of the formal separation of the Port Phillip colony, now known as Victoria, from New South Wales.
A crime scene has been established and the investigation is ongoing, police said in a statement on Thursday.
The paint had been largely washed off the monuments and workmen were removing the smashed masonry from the site just after 10am this morning, though the words “land back” were still faintly visible on a broken part of the Pioneer memorial.
Updated
Turnbull praises Carney speech at Davos: ‘We’ve got to deal with the world as it is’
Turnbull also praised Canadian prime minister Mark Carney after the latter’s speech at Davos, where he warned the world was undergoing a geopolitical “rupture”.
The former Australia prime minister said he believed the speech was “one of the most important” made in the current time:
Certainly the most important speech since Trump became president for the second time.
Turnbull said the world needed to recognised that things had changed in America, advising Anthony Albanese to pay close attention to Carney’s remarks. He said:
We’re dealing with a very different America. And I think a lot of people in government, perhaps all of us, have a sort of a cognitive dissonance problem here. On the one half of our brain is recognising the reality. The other half is saying, no, no, things are going to go back to normal, everything’s okay. …
Well, I’m afraid. It isn’t. And even if it does go back, hopefully it does, but we cannot rely on that. And again, quoting Carney, you know, ‘nostalgia is not a strategy, hope is not a strategy.’ We’ve got to deal with the world as it is.
I’ve given the biggest, biggest plug for a Canadian prime minister’s speech ever given on Australian radio, and I think everyone should read it, particularly Albo. He should watch it twice.
Updated
Malcolm Turnbull says Coalition remnants look like a ‘smouldering wreckage’
The former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said the turmoil in the Coalition was “just making them more unelectable than they were before”.
He spoke to ABC Radio Melbourne this morning, questioning how Sussan Ley and the opposition could expect to lead the country “if you’re divided internally”:
The bottom line is this: the Liberal party, to form government, needs to have the National party because it needs to have those regional seats.
It also needs to win back seats in the city, which had been thought to be their biggest problem, but now they’ve lost the National party.
Turnbull was asked who as at fault for the split, but he said “it takes two to tango”:
I think there’s mismanagement on both sides, but the better way to handle it would have been for the two leaders to sit down and say, okay, our party rooms have got different perspectives. We want to be able to maintain faith with our own bases. …
But I think when they survey the scene, it looks like just a smouldering wreckage, doesn’t it?
Updated
Prue Leith to leave Great British Bake Off
In a moment of lightness/sadness that transcends international boundaries, there’s big news from The Great British Bake Off: judge Prue Leith is leaving.
She wrote on social media about her decision:
Bake Off has been a fabulous part of my life for the last nine years, I have genuinely loved it and I’m sure I’ll miss working with my fellow judge Paul, Alison and Noel…
But now feels like the right time to step back (I’m 86 for goodness sake!), there’s so much I’d like to do – not least spend summers enjoying my garden. Whoever joins the team, I’m sure they’ll love it as much as I have. I feel very lucky to have been part of it.
Read more about her decision and legacy on the popular program here:
Jewish group says country should ‘contemplate how we got here’
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry said today is a chance for the country to “come together in support of 15 devastated families and thousands more dealing with physical and mental trauma that won’t soon heal”.
Alex Ryvchin, the co-chief executive of the body, said the national day of mourning should be a moment to reflect and attempt to try “contributing more, giving more and loving more”:
It is also incumbent on us to contemplate how we got here. How we as a nation allowed a poison to flourish in our beautiful country. How hateful mobs and sinister clerics used our landmarks and our streets to summon others to do violence. How our institutions became inhospitable to Jewish Australians. How synagogues and businesses burned. And how 15 of our fellow Australians died for the crime of being Jewish.
We know that the overwhelming majority of Australians are good, kind, fair-minded and loving people. Many thousands have conveyed their sorrow and solidarity and it meant so much to us. Now let this be the day we turn our pain and grief into a revolution of goodness, of mitzvot (good deeds big and small) that unites our country and drives out the evil. They want it darker but we’ll bring the light.
Perth house prices pass $1m, Domain data shows
Perth house prices have surpassed $1m for the first time and Melbourne’s have hit a new record for the first time in four years, Domain’s median measure shows.
House prices across the capitals picked up 3.9% over the last three months of December, new analysis today found, with Perth surging 9.9% to become the sixth city in the $1m club. Perth also became the sixth city with median unit prices over $600,000.
Melbourne’s median house price reached a record $1.11m as all cities but Canberra rose to new records.
Canberra’s house prices are still more expensive than Melbourne’s, near a median $1.14m, but the capital’s unit prices went backwards in the December quarter, from nearly $620,000 to less than $612,000.
Housing demand surged amid 2025’s interest rate cuts and lower-priced homes had an extra boost from the government’s 5% deposit first-home scheme. Lower-priced cities and markets are seeing an especially strong boost, according to Domain’s chief of research and economics, Dr Nicola Powell.
“We’re seeing buyers gravitate towards units in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in search of relative value, while smaller capitals like Perth and Adelaide are leading the charge on house price growth,” she said.
Updated
Ley says focus of today must be on Jewish Australians
Sussan Ley released her own statement on the day of mourning. She said:
Today the focus must be on Jewish Australians, indeed all Australians, as we mourn the victims of the Bondi terrorist attack.
This is a national day of mourning and my responsibility as leader of the opposition and leader of the Liberal party is to Australians in mourning.
I have grieved with the Bondi Chabad community and stood with them in their synagogues, their homes and at many funerals. I will again stand with them tonight at the Opera House, as we make clear that ‘Light Will Win’.
Updated
Minute of silence to come at 7.01pm
Albanese said a minute of silence tonight at 7.01pm is “an opportunity to just take that minute to really think about what’s happened and to pay respects and I invite all Australians to participate in observing that minute of silence”.
He is also asking for people to show an act of remembrance and have a candle on a window sill or a doorstep.
Updated
Albanese addresses nation on national day of mourning
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is speaking in Canberra about today’s national day of mourning.
He said of the Bondi attack:
It was a tragic attack not just on Jewish Australians, but on the Australian way of life. … for this to happen on the first night of Hanukkah, a celebration of the victory of light over darkness …
For darkness to descend on that is, indeed, something that is a stain on our nation.
Albanese said today is about remembering the victims of the attack.
It’s an opportunity for us as a nation to wrap our arms around the Jewish community because people were targeted because they were Jewish-Australians. Every Jewish-Australian felt that very deeply that evening, and ever since as well. Today, we share their grief. A grief with no ending, only a beginning.
Updated
ASX to open higher after Trump calls off tariffs
The Australian share market is set to lift this morning after Donald Trump dropped a tariff threat against European allies amid his pressure campaign to gain control of Greenland.
Futures pricing indicates the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 will rise above 8830 points, or 0.6%, when markets open later this morning, erasing most of the recent losses caused by the tariff threat.
ANZ said in a market note this morning that Trump’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos was received positively by markets.
“While the more conciliatory tone of the speech helped to assuage market concerns regarding tail risk scenarios, it’s likely geopolitical developments will remain front and centre for markets and volatility will remain elevated over the coming days,” ANZ said.
Tail risk refers to the chance of the market experiencing an extreme move.
The Australian dollar is trading strongly against its US counterpart, buying US67.6 cents, representing levels last seen in 2024. It has benefitted from investors selling out of the greenback over concerns about US political and economic policies.
Updated
Littleproud: too late to reinstate Nationals shadow frontbenchers
Littleproud says he spoke to Ley this morning and made it very clear, adding he gave her a chance yesterday to avoid this outcome.
I rang her about 30 minutes ago and told her that the party room’s decision was final. That unless those three were reinstated immediately, then she forced the Coalition into an untenable position. …
It’s too late now. These three will not be reinstated. So, the reality is that we will move on.
Updated
Littleproud: 'We cannot be part of a shadow ministry under Sussan Ley'
Littleproud said:
There’s no other position. Our party room has made it clear that we cannot be part of a shadow ministry under Sussan Ley.
When asked what that means, he said “we sit by ourselves”:
We will sit and we will undertake what we have done and I think we’ve got a pretty good record.
And we made it very clear that there would be a consequence, that if Sussan accepted those resignations, then that consequence [would be that] the Coalition would be untenable.
Updated
Littleproud says Nationals acted in good faith and Ley was ‘aware of the consequences’
Littleproud said the Nationals continually acted in good faith with the Coalition, but said Sussan Ley had disrespected the party and was “aware of the consequences”.
We acted in good faith to get to this position. But we could not be forced into voting for a position. The National party is our own sovereign party. Sussan Ley cannot force us to vote one way or another.
And when we have not breached any process, any procedure in the Coalition, we’ve been respectful, for then to get to a position where three of our senators who were in shadow cabinet spots are being asked to resign. …
I cannot stand by and have three courageous senators who put their jobs on the line for no reason that has any veracity whatsoever, to be disrespected. …
This process wasn’t all Sussan Ley’s fault. Anthony Albanese put her in this process. But it has been mismanaged by Sussan Ley … She was aware of the consequences if she did that, the National party were being forced into an untenable position, and she still made that decision. This is not what we wanted.
Updated
Littleproud speaks up about Coalition chaos
Nationals leader David Littleproud is speaking now in Brisbane.
He said the Nationals had worked in good faith to try and see hate speech laws passed in parliament, but said the party had “serious reservations” about some elements of the legislation.
He said:
This was a rushed process. We are talking about national security matters with complex legislation, complex legislation that should be scrutinised and understood before we’re forced to vote on it. …
On Sunday I made that clear to Coalition partners that my party room had made a determination on Sunday that we could only support the migration elements of this bill. …
We made every effort to ensure that we could get both bills through. And we weren’t far off. But we just didn’t have that comfort and we ran out of time.
Updated
One Nation's Joyce says he is not ‘hawking for members’ amid Nationals chaos
Barnaby Joyce is also speaking about the Nationals drama this morning, saying the latest break between the party and the Coalition is further evidence of its “chaotic” nature.
Joyce was asked on RN if he had heard from anyone in the Nationals about joining One Nation, as he had, but he demurred before adding:
Am I hawking for members? No, I’m not. …
My relationship with Mr Littleproud became quite dysfunctional. And also, as you’ve seen in the last couple of days, it is chaotic.
The circumstances of this chaos do take people to a position of asking questions.
Joyce said he believes One Nation is currently a “safer set of hands” at the moment, saying the party had clarity, purpose and strength.
Updated
Jim Chalmers says Sussan Ley ‘on borrowed time’
Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the ongoing turmoil in the Coalition shows the opposition is “collapsing”, adding he believes Sussan Ley is on “borrowed time” after mass resignations from the Nationals.
Chalmers said on RN Breakfast this morning:
The Coalition’s collapsing. I think whatever the Nationals decide shortly, it’s become very clear, the Coalition is a smoking ruin. They put internal politics before public safety this week in what I think was a shameful way, and they’re paying a price for that.
So they’re divided, they’re divisive, they’re dysfunctional, they can’t stand each other, they can’t work together. I think Sussan Ley’s obviously on borrowed time, but to be fair to her, all of the alternatives to Sussan Ley in the Coalition are worse. …
I think any Australian watching the developments in the coalition this week would conclude the Coalition is a three-ring circus.
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OECD says Australia ‘on track’ on emissions reduction targets, but more effort needed
It also said Australia was “broadly on track” to meet its 2030 emissions reduction ambitions, but that “further efforts will be needed to reduce transport emissions, manage a higher share of renewables in transport and tackle agricultural emissions”.
“Australia was for many years an international laggard on climate action and still has among the highest per capita carbon emissions of any country in the world and among the lowest implicit prices of carbon,” the report said.
The report advocated for a “gradual” lift in petrol taxes, which it said were “well below European levels”, which was “contributing to the low take-up of low emission vehicles”.
The Paris-based organisation, sometimes referred to as the “club of rich nations”, is a bastion of economic orthodoxy and is led by Australia’s former finance minister, former Liberal senator Mathias Cormann.
It advocated in the report for replacing state-based property stamp duties with a land tax, raising the target for social housing and increasing public funding.
December’s mid-year budget update confirmed that the nation’s finances remain mired in deficits over the coming decade.
In its report, the OECD urged the Albanese government to do more to put the budget on a more sustainable footing, calling for “expenditure restraint and revenue enhancing tax reforms”.
Among those tax reform measures were a longstanding recommendation to broaden the GST and to consider lifting the rate above 10%, with the proceeds used to reduce Australia’s overreliance on personal income tax.
The OECD estimated that this tax reform would add 1.6% to the size of the economy in a decade’s time.
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OECD calls on Australia to raise GST and increase affordable housing amid budget deficit
The OECD has called on the government to broaden the GST, do more to reduce greenhouse emissions and adopt ambitious social housing targets as part of its annual economic survey of Australia. Ahead of Jim Chalmers’ fifth federal budget in May, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development said Australia’s economy was “now normalising”, after struggling through a lengthy period of weak growth following the pandemic.
Interest rate cuts and a rebound in households’ real disposable incomes would drive average economic growth up to “a little more than 2% over the coming years”, it said in the report:
But longstanding challenges of slower productivity growth, high housing costs and high carbon emissions need to be addressed.
The OECD called out the damage from Australia’s increasingly unaffordable housing market and backed federal and state-level efforts to boost home supply by easing land restrictions and increasing density.
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Bridget McKenzie hopes Coalition not broken, but it’s ‘up to’ Sussan Ley now
Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie said she hopes the Coalition is not broken, but said that is “up to Sussan Ley” now.
McKenzie spoke to ABC News this morning, just before party leader David Littleproud is set to speak amid the fallout. She said:
Obviously, Sussan Ley has chosen to accept our resignations and the consequence of that is the National party broader shadow ministry has also tended their resignation to the opposition leader. And now, obviously, that’s a matter for her and David to discuss the fallout. …
We took this as a very serious and principled decision as a party room. … But ultimately, we did not have the comfort we needed around the hate laws … and our room, with a heavy heart, made the decision.
McKenzie said it’s “disappointing” that the Coalition had gotten to this place.
As my dad used to say, for every action, there’s an equal and opposite reaction. And I would call for calmer heads to prevail, because we are Coalitionists.
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NSW premier glad hate speech and gun laws have passed
Minns said he’s glad the hate speech and gun control laws have passed, calling them “incredibly important” for the country.
He said:
We need to do everything we can to confront hate preachers and those that spread vile antisemitism and racism in our community and this law helps us do that. So I’m glad it’s in place, I think it’s important that it was supported.
Minns added that it is “unfortunate that in some ways there hasn’t been that kind of bipartisan support at the federal level to get major changes through”.
He said he wished the state itself had tougher gun laws before the attack, but said “they’re in place now”.
They’re really important in terms of keeping the public safe. We think we’ll get thousands and thousands of guns off the street, and I’m very grateful that most gun owners have said that they can participate in the buy back program, give their guns back and make Sydney safer.
Chris Minns says day of mourning will help ensure event like Bondi attack never happens again
New South Wales premier Chris Minns said today’s national day of mourning will help memorialise those who died in the Bondi terror attack, but also help people reflect so an incident like it never happens again on Australian soil.
The premier spoke to the ABC this morning, saying:
One of my fears is that six months, 12 months, two years after this horrible event we go back to normal and don’t learn the lessons from this horrible crime and don’t make the changes that are necessary to keep us safe …
This is an opportunity to not just remember the way these people died, but also what they contributed to Australia before they left and they were wonderful Australians that did incredible things.
Minns said he was inspired by the state’s Jewish community in the wake of the attack, urging others in NSW to take strength from the day and do a mitzvah in honour of the victims. He said:
The Jewish community in New South Wales have been an inspiration for the rest of the country because they have been so resilient, strong and focused on the future as well as supporting the families who have lost husbands and children and wives. I think in some ways, their response to this tragedy has helped the rest of us, or lifted us up during a horrible period.
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Littleproud to speak this morning
David Littleproud, the leader of the Nationals, will speak later this morning after he and other frontbench colleagues agreed to resign their positions.
We’ll bring you live updates from that presser as it happens.
For now, read more here:
All beaches in Sydney’s northern beaches closed again today
All beaches in Sydney’s northern beaches council will be closed today due to ongoing water clarity issues, following a severe shark attack on a surfer at Manly earlier this week.
The council said the beaches would be closed for “at least” another 24 hours, or the whole of Thursday, adding officials would continue to review conditions on an ongoing bases. The decision was made in consultation with the state’s department of primary industries and Surf Lifesaving NSW.
“We will keep the community updated as we continue to review the water conditions,” the council said.
The surfer injured by a shark at Manly suffered critical injuries to his leg. The incident was one of four shark attacks in 48 hours across the Sydney region.
Australians to perform acts of kindness on national day of mourning for Bondi terror attack victims
Thousands of Australians are expected to perform acts of kindness on Thursday to commemorate the victims of last month’s Bondi terror attack, as the Jewish tradition of mitzvah spreads across faiths and backgrounds.
A mitzvah, which is a core value in Judaism, has come to mean any charitable act and is being requested of Australians to mark the national day of mourning.
Mourners will also gather inside the Sydney Opera House on Thursday evening for the official national memorial service, organised by the Chabad of Bondi, with support from the federal government, community partners and faith leaders under the theme: “Light Will Win, a Gathering of Unity and Remembrance.”
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, the opposition leader, Sussan Ley and the premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns, will be among those to speak at the invitation-only event.
Among those on the guest list are survivors of the terror attack, families, first responders, community leaders, and other government representatives.
Read more here:
Good morning, and happy Thursday. Nick Visser here to take you through the morning’s news. Let’s get to it.
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Purple tomatoes approved for sale
The novelty fruit, approved by regulators on Wednesday, gets its colour from added anthocyanin pigments – the same compounds found in blueberries and blackberries.
Daniel Tan, professor of agronomy at the University of Sydney, visited the laboratory at the John Innes Centre in 2010 and said the anthocyanins were inserted into the tomato from snapdragon genes.
“High levels of anthocyanins are associated with potential health benefits, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects,” he said.
Joseph Pegler, a senior lecturer at the University of Newcastle and honorary treasurer of the Australian Society of Plant Scientists, said anthocyanins were shown to provide protective effects against a range of chronic diseases.
“The purple tomato is enriched in anthocyanins, thereby possessing the colour and beneficial compounds of popular fruits such as plums and blackberries,” Pegler said.
– AAP
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Temperatures to climb to 40C in Melbourne and Adelaide
Melbourne and Adelaide are set to exceed 40C over the 26 January long weekend, after enduring a punishing heatwave earlier in January.
Adelaide will reach a top of 42C on Saturday and drop to 34C on Sunday before again climbing to 40C on the Monday public holiday, the Bureau of Meteorology is projecting.
Melbourne is also set to swelter through a scorching Saturday, reaching a top of 40C and remaining in the high 20s and early 30s for the long weekend, according to the BoM.
Meanwhile, Sydney is in for a warm and sunny long weekend, with temperatures hovering in the late 20s and early 30s through to Tuesday, while Brisbane will face possible showers on Friday and a top of 32C before reaching 35C on Monday.
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Welcome
Good morning and welcome to Guardian Australia’s live news coverage.
The Coalition has been plunged into chaos after the Nationals quit Sussan Ley’s shadow cabinet en masse following a split over Labor’s hate speech laws. In a bombshell move that threatens the future of the Coalition, the Nationals leader, David Littleproud, and other frontbench colleagues agreed to resign their positions at crisis talks on Wednesday night.
The mass exodus followed Ley’s decision to accept the resignation of Nationals senators Ross Cadell, Bridget McKenzie and Susan McDonald after the trio crossed the floor to oppose hate speech laws drafted in the wake of the Bondi massacre.
In other news: Melbourne and Adelaide are in for a sweltering 26 January long weekend, as wet weather in much of the country makes way for hot summer weather.
Stay with us.
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