What we learned, Wednesday 24 December
And with that, we are going to close the blog. Before we go, let’s recap the big headlines:
The New South Wales Minns Labor government passed controversial changes to gun laws and new powers for police to ban street protests for up to three months, after a marathon debate in the upper house.
Minns also said that controversial protest laws which restrict public assemblies for up to three months after a terrorist attack would start from today.
A national database of individuals charged with offences under hate crimes legislation across all Australian jurisdictions was launched after the Bondi shooting.
The Israeli president, Issac Herzog, will visit Australia early in the new year as a formal state visit.
The NSW lower house will reconvened to approve the final version of the terrorism and other offences amendment bill, which tightens up gun laws and allows police to restrict protests for up to three months after a terrorist incident.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, announced a special end-of-year honours list for those who responded to the Bondi Beach attack.
The Sydney to Hobart’s race briefing began with a minute’s silence for the two sailors who died in last year’s event.
The shadow education minister, Julian Leeser, says the family of Katrina Dawson, who was killed by police crossfire during the 2014 Lindt cafe siege, have called for a royal commission into the Bondi attack.
Thank you for spending part of your day with us. Happy holidays!
Updated
Authorities urge caution around water over festive break
Emergency services are bracing for one of the year’s deadliest periods, with data revealing spikes in drownings, alcohol-related injuries and road crashes during the festive season, AAP reports.
An average of three people a day drowned between Christmas Day 2024 and 1 January, making the upcoming period a high-risk time, particularly for those travelling to unfamiliar or remote locations.
The Royal Life Saving Society has warned that at least 139 lives were lost due to drownings in the previous summer, nearly half of whom were adults aged 55 and older.
Approximately 30% were made up of people born overseas.
The society’s chief executive, Justin Scarr, said:
The festive season is a time for relaxing, social gatherings and celebrations, but we know this is the riskiest time to be around water.
Alcohol is often a factor in summer drownings, Scarr added.
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Leeser says government’s response to antisemitism ‘too little, too late’
Leeser:
For two years, I have been presenting to the parliament a bill for a judicial inquiry into antisemitism, on campus antisemitism, which has gone rife and unaddressed far too often.
They took two and a half years from when the Senate committee said that they should list the [Iranian revolutionary guard corps], and two years from the time that we were calling for the expulsion of the [Iranian] ambassador, to take action. On every single occasion, without exception, this government and this prime minister has delivered measures that are too little, too late.
Instead of taking the measures that are needed to protect Australians proactively, he has always been late to the party and yet again with failing to call a royal commission.
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Leeser:
Now if the prime minister’s not going to listen to the opposition in terms of their calls for a royal commission, if he’s not going to listen to the former chief justice of Australia, the former chief justice of New South Wales, over 170 of Australia’s top lawyers, his own backbenchers Mike Freelander and Ed Husic …
Maybe, just maybe, he will listen to the family of Katrina Dawson.
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Julian Leeser says family of Lindt cafe siege victim wants Bondi royal commission
Leeser says the family of Katrina Dawson, who was killed by police crossfire during the 2014 Lindt cafe siege have called for a royal commission into the Bondi attack:
The Dawson family are a very private family, but the fact that they have taken an unprecedented step of entering the public discussion about having a royal commission speaks volumes.
What their evidence indicates is that when they had an inquiry post the Lindt cafe siege, that federal agencies were evasive in dealing with questions.
As a result of there not being a royal commission, and that the families felt dissatisfied with the fact that those federal agencies wouldn’t answer those questions properly, they believe that a royal commission is the right way to address those issues.
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Julian Leeser repeats call for commonwealth royal commission into antisemitism
The shadow education minister, Julian Leeser, is addressing the media in Sydney. He said:
As Australians sit down to their Christmas meal tomorrow, there’ll be one topic that will be discussed repeatedly – and that is, how can we have allowed antisemitism in this country to get to such a point over the last two or more years that 15 people were murdered in cold blood on Bondi beach?
And how can we have a prime minister of this country who is so intransigent about dealing with antisemitism that he continues to refuse to call a royal commission into antisemitism?
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Sydney to Hobart competitors briefed ahead of Boxing Day race start
The Sydney to Hobart’s race briefing began with a minute’s silence for the two sailors who died in last year’s event, and ended with indications the fatal conditions will not repeat in 2025, AAP reports.
The race record is not expected to be broken this year as upwind conditions and a lighter finish spell a tighter contest for the six 100-foot super maxis chasing line honours.
Wednesday’s mandatory briefing from the Bureau of Meteorology predicted the 129 starters will face strong southerly winds of up to 25 knots after leaving the Sydney Heads on Boxing Day.
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Cancellation of visa for British national for allegedly displaying Nazi symbols
The federal government has cancelled the visa of a British man charged with displaying prohibited Nazi symbols, after police seized swords bearing “swastika symbology” from his Queensland home last month.
We have the full story here:
Australian shares trading lower leading in to Christmas break
Australia’s share market is trading lower in a shortened session for Christmas Eve, with only raw materials and energy stocks making gains so far, AAP has reported.
The S&P/ASX200 fell 46.9 points by midday, down 0.53%, to 8,748.8, as the broader All Ordinaries lost 42.2 points, or 0.46%, to 9,054.
The pullback followed a strong session on Tuesday, and shrugged off a positive Wall Street session overnight after delayed US GDP data came in higher than expected, but didn’t affect the outlook for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts.
The exchange will close from 2.10pm AEDT on Wednesday until Monday 29 December, due to Christmas and Boxing Day.
The Australian dollar is buying 67.02 US cents, up from 66.66 US cents on Tuesday at 5pm, as expectations for US interest rate cuts remained largely intact despite higher-than-expected economic growth.
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The federal Greens are calling for stronger gun control legislation across the country after the NSW parliament passed gun control laws.
The Greens’ justice spokesperson and senator for NSW, David Shoebridge, said:
The Greens welcome the passage of tougher firearm laws in NSW to stop hoarding of high-powered weapons in our suburbs and acknowledge the hard work of gun safety advocates for decades that has helped achieve this.
The Greens unanimous amendment strengthens the laws by making it clear no one investigated for terrorism, or living with or linked to proscribed people, should be granted a firearms permit. Guns are a privilege, never a right in our society.
What we now need is concerted national action so that all states and territories meet, or better, NSW gun safety changes and the Federal government to show leadership with a generous gun buyback and an urgent national firearms register.
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Minns says ‘we cannot allow terror, hatred or fear to define who we are’ in Christmas message
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, has sent out his end-of-year message, wishing everyone Merry Christmas and a safe and happy new year.
He says:
This time of the year is about spending time with loved ones and enjoying everything that summer in our state has to offer. But I know that for countless families and communities, this season has been overshadowed by the horrific terror attack at Bondi Beach. It was an act of violence that shocked our city, rocked our state, and left a deep mark on all of us.
December the 14th should have been a normal summer day at one of the world’s most iconic places, but it became something none of us will ever forget. We grieve for the innocent lives lost, we hold their families tight and we continue to support those who were injured or traumatised. The pain of that day is real, and it will not be forgotten.
He also acknowledged the “extraordinary courage and bravery shown in the face of unimaginable violence, mentioning the police, members of the public, life savers, paramedics, and medical staff who all helped out.
Their actions saved lives and reminded us of the very best of our community.
At the same time, we cannot allow terror, hatred or fear to define who we are as a city or a state. Our state is strong and united. Our beaches, our parks, our streets and our neighbourhoods belong to everyone. We will continue to enjoy our summer, support one another, and look out for each other.
He finished by thanking essential workers who will be working over the Christmas period.
I wish you and your loved ones a safe and joyful Christmas and New Years.
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Perth man charged with racial harassment and weapons offences after investigation into antisemitic online posts
Western Australia police charged a man overnight following an investigation into alleged online antisemitic comments made via a social media platform.
In a statement, WA police said:
On Tuesday, 23 December 2025, officers from Operation Dalewood arrested the man at his Yangebup home and executed a search warrant. Police will further allege: the man was a licensed firearms holder and possessed several registered firearms as well as a quantity of ammunition, all of which were seized. The man’s eligibility to hold a firearms licence will be subject to review.
A 39-year-old man from Yangebup has been charged with the following offences:
• 1 x Conduct intended to racially harass
• 1 x Carried or possessed a prohibited weapon
• 1 x Failed to store a firearm or related thing in compliant storage
The man’s bail was refused, and he will appear before the Fremantle magistrates court on Wednesday.
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That’s all from me today. I will leave you in the expert hands of Cait Kelly. For those who celebrate it, Happy Christmas!
What do NSW gun control reforms mean for those with more than four firearms?
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, announced earlier that some gun control reforms will come into effect from this afternoon, once they have the governor’s assent.
This includes a limit on firearms of four for recreational licence holders, and 10 for those using them for professional reasons, such as farming, pest control, and sport and target shooting.
That will make it illegal to buy more than that number from today. For those who already have more than that number, there will be a grace period while the state government works with the federal government to set up and fund the buyback registry.
Minns said earlier he was aiming to set up the scheme “as soon as possible” but said: “It’s going to take a bit of time.”
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NSW opposition leader calls for further action on antisemitism
The NSW opposition leader, Kellie Sloane, has put out a statement after the passage of the Minns government’s terrorism and other legislation amendments bill, which had the support of the Liberal party.
During debate on the bill, which was opposed by the Nationals, creating a split within the Coalition, the Liberals proposed several amendments, all of which were rejected by the government.
Sloane said her party had supported the bill “because community safety must always come first, and the parliament has a responsibility to act in the wake of such a serious and confronting terrorist attack”.
However, we should be clear-eyed about the core issue at stake. Antisemitism was the reason for this attack, and the people of NSW rightly expect strong and decisive action to confront and eliminate it.
This bill was rushed through the parliament with limited consultation and insufficient engagement with stakeholders. That is not best-practice law-making, particularly in an area as sensitive and consequential as counter-terrorism and social cohesion.
Sloane said the opposition would have “more to say over the coming weeks and months” about further reforms to respond to hate speech and antisemitism.
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NSW police minister says firearms registry ‘a shambles’ between 2020 and 2023
The NSW police minister, Yasmin Catley, was asked at the premier’s press conference if police had been able to determine why an application by alleged gunman Sajid Akram for a category A/B firearms licence was approved in 2023, three years after it was applied for in 2020.
She said:
I have been advised that at that period from 2020 to 2023, there was a very large backlog. The [registry] was not working at its capacity. In fact, it was a shambles. It appears that it was quite normal for a licence to be issued between two to three years [later]. That’s unacceptable. However, their systems were upgraded significantly in 2023 and since then that hasn’t been my experience as minister that we’ve had those delays.
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Premier says ‘incredible Australians’ responded to Bondi attack
Minns says his government will look closely at nominations for the special honours list announced by the prime minister this morning.
There’s been some exceptional examples of bravery from regular members of the public and police officers and surf lifesavers. You know, in all of this terror and all of this sadness and evil, there’s been some incredible Australians that are still prepared to put their lives on the line and protect a complete stranger.
In response to a final question on the protest laws, he says the rhetoric of the opponents to the legislative changes, and protest laws in particular, is “overblown”. “We’ve had very few terrorism designations over the last few years,” he says.
He ends with a Christmas message to reporters:
Can I just say merry Christmas to all of you? I know it’s been a very difficult week. I hope you can spend time with your family and your friends. Thank you for reporting these very difficult circumstances. And I know it’s taken a toll on you as much as it has on members of the public, and we genuinely appreciate it. And thank you for the collaborative way we’ve been able to engage over the last 10 days. It’s been really challenging but the professionalism shown by the gallery has been extraordinary.
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Minns warns of heightened police presence on streets over holiday period
The premier says people in Sydney can expect to see more armed police officers on the streets over the Christmas and new year period.
That might be not what you’d commonly see with police officers in the street, but they’ll respond to the challenges that they have and they’ll respond to the assessment that they make. And we’re not going to make any apologies for that. I’ve told the NSW police and also the police minister, we will give them whatever resources they need in this heightened period. And I think the people of this state would expect us to do that.
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Minns has been asked about his decision to wrap together different legislation in response to the Bondi beach attack into a single bill, which saw it opposed by the Nationals on gun control, and condemned by the Greens for the changes to protest laws.
He says:
All of you have commented about how late we’re sitting, we were up against a deadline of Christmas even in the context of one bill. It was difficult to get it through the parliament if it had been cut up into its component parts, we would have been here way past Christmas, in my view, and maybe people who oppose elements of those changes would have loved that because it would have been or would have meant that the passage of the bills would have been stalled. And I’m glad we’re not waiting.
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Premier says protest laws would not apply to all public assemblies
The premier, who has previously said he is confident that protest laws would not be vulnerable to constitutional challenge, reiterates the idea that a declaration would not apply to all public assemblies.
It’s just … marches through the city through a form 1, which I understand hasn’t traditionally been part of that protest. In any event, if it were the case that the police commissioner made that designation, [people] will obviously have to abide by the laws of the land. Now we’ve got a few steps to go through before then. So I want to make it clear that that decisions for the police commissioner.
But we want to make sure we’re in a position to keep the people of NSW safe. And I don’t resile from the fact at all that in these circumstances of heightened tensions, words can lead to actions. And I think the vast majority of Australians that live in NSW support us in relation to these changes. I also note that there’s similar legislation being drafted in Victoria.
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Minns supports protest restriction today but says ‘not my decision’
Asked if a “public assembly restriction declaration” or “Pard” will be made today to restrict protests following the Bondi Beach attack, Minns says:
It’s not my decision. It’s the police commissioner’s decision. But I believe in the circumstances that that should happen. But I’m going to leave it up to him to make that call today.
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Protest and some gun laws will take effect in NSW today: Chris Minns
Minns says that controversial protest laws which restrict public assemblies for up to three months after a terrorist attack, and limits on the number of firearms, will come into effect from today:
So the number of firearms that provision will be in place as of this afternoon, as will the extinguishment of the appeals through the administrative decisions tribunal. So the police commissioner will have the final word. They’ll be in place immediately, as will the protest law reforms. They’ll be in place almost immediately now the legislation’s passed. There are other elements of the gun bill that will take a bit of time, but we have to set up and fund the buyback registry and I’m aiming to do it as soon as possible. But it’s going to take a bit of time.
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Minns heralds ‘extraordinary measures’, acknowledges opposition
Minns begins by heralding the “extraordinary measures” contained in this week’s bill, which he says create the “toughest gun restrictions of any jurisdiction in the country”.
He also acknowledges opposition to the bill, including controversial protest laws:
I know that not all Australians that live in NSW support these changes but we have decided it’s the best way of ensuring we do everything possible to keep the people of NSW safe. I want to thank the leader of the opposition for her support in the passage of this legislation.
In the end, I think the Greens abstained. So the passage of this bill required cooperation from the Coalition and we got that. And I know that that happened in a short space of time … but we appreciate the goodwill in which we were able to get much-needed reform in NSW through the parliament.
Updated
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, is addressing media following the passing of an omnibus bill on gun reform, hate speech and protest laws.
Rain forecast for most capital cities on Christmas Day
Forecast rain is dampening the risk of bushfires on Christmas Day for most capital cities but parts of the nation will be on heatwave alert.
Canberra (27C) and Adelaide (25C) were the only capitals expecting a fine and relatively mild Christmas Day, while Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Hobart could expect showers, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. Darwin could get a 50mm tropical downpour.
Sydney can expect a shower or two and a top of 23C, Melbourne’s forecast is for a chilly and windy 17C day and Brisbane is predicted to be a balmy 34C.
Perth will have a scorcher, with 41C forecast before a milder 27C on Boxing Day.
Read the full report:
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Katy Gallagher declares Jewish Community Foundation a community charity
The other announcement in today’s press conference, made by the finance minister, Katy Gallagher, was the declaration of the Jewish Community Foundation as a community charity.
The foundation, which is associated with the 50-year-old Jewish Community Appeal in NSW, will be given deductible gift recipient status, to support its fundraising efforts for the victims of the Bondi Beach attack.
Returning to the Bondi special honours list, the prime minister was asked how many names and who he expects to be on the list. He said:
It will be run at arm’s length from the government by the awards secretariat that run these systems. I think that there will be a range of people nominated.
I had a brief discussion with Premier Minns this morning. Obviously NSW, I would hope, would be in a position as well of nominating, particularly those people who were NSW police officers, for example, who raced to the scene and risked their own safety to help the safety of strangers, but also those people – I’ve met people in the medical facilities, for example, who had rushed in some as far as the Central Coast.
I met police officer at Bondi who had just got in his car and driven down from Newcastle. I met another police officer on Monday morning who had clearly worked all night.
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Prime minister pays tribute to late federal MP Katie Allen
The prime minister closes his press conference acknowledging the “difficult time since 14 December” and thanking reporters in the federal press gallery. He also pays tribute to the late Liberal MP Katie Allen, who has died aged 59. He says:
Dr Katie Allen is someone who I had enormous respect for. She has passed far too soon. And I think for her colleagues in the Liberal party, but right across the board, including with the candidates against her, she always conducted herself in a respectful way, both in this parliament and on the campaign trail, and my thoughts go to Dr Allen’s family, to her friends, to her former colleagues and to the community that she represented.
She was passionate about making a difference, not just for that local community but for our nation.
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PM says entitlements system ‘established in the wake of Sussan Ley’s sacking as a minister’
The prime minister is asked whether Labor ministers who have been claiming excessive travel entitlements are out of step with the community, after his decision to wind back the entitlements for the families of parliamentarians.
Albanese has written to the remuneration tribunal to review proposed changes but the Coalition have called for an independent inquiry. He says:
Let’s be very clear. I’ve seen some comments from the Coalition who don’t seem to recognise two things. One is that the system that has been operating is the system that was established in the wake of Sussan Ley’s sacking as a minister, and [we] have not made changes to those entitlements before now. They are entitlements that were established under the former government and they’re entitlements that were on the basis of a decision, the same system operated on the basis of the remuneration tribunal.
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PM says ‘clearly’ not all gun use is the same
Albanese is asked whether he will seek to work with the Nationals and visit rural constituencies to make the case for gun control, as former prime minister John Howard did after the Port Arthur massacre.
He says:
I’ll seek to work with everyone across the system but it clearly is not one size fits all either. There’s a recognition that someone who is a farmer on a property might have very different needs from a bloke in Bonnyrigg who got access in the current laws to six high-powered rifles and we’re about stamping [out] inappropriate use. We don’t want to say that, you know, all gun use is the same. Quite clearly it’s not. And people who have legitimate use of guns need to be able to do so, particularly people in our farming communities.
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Albanese has not spoken to Benjamin Netanyahu since the Bondi attack
The prime minister has also referenced the visit by Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, who will travel Australia early in the new year as a formal state visit.
He says he will meet with Herzog when he visits: “I’ve met him personally a number of times before, and I will certainly be welcoming him here and meeting with him when he is here.”
Asked if he has spoken since 14 December with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who criticised him after the attack, Albanese says he has not. He does not commit to inviting Netanyahu to Australia.
I don’t respond to those issues and I don’t think this is a time for any partisan politics. We’ve invited President Herzog, which is entirely appropriate for the head of state to visit.
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PM says list would honour ‘the best of the Australian character’
Albanese says the list, which would be similar to those made after the Bali bombings and the downing of flight MH17, would honour “the best of the Australian character”.
We saw that on that day. We saw it with those who lost their lives tackling the [alleged gunmen] as they embarked from the car. We saw it with those in police and emergency services rushing to assist people. We saw it with the medical staff and professionals stopping having dinner and rushing to St Vincent’s hospital or Prince Alfred hospital or other places to provide assistance. And we saw it in days after as well, with people making extraordinary personal sacrifices in order to help their fellow Australians.
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Prime minister Anthony Albanese announces special honours list for Bondi first responders
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has announced a special end-of-year honours list for those who responded to the Bondi Beach attack.
Today I’ve written to the governor general requesting the creation of a special honours list in response to this horrific terrorist attack, for awards to be put in place as part of the Australian honours and awards system. This would recognise those individuals nominated and recommended for a bravery or a meritorious award in response to the Bondi terrorist attack. The attack did show us the worst of humanity, hatred, violence. It also showed us the best of humanity, extraordinary acts of bravery and courage, acts of kindness for fellow Australians.
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The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is addressing media. We will bring you live updates.
High court challenge to Northern Territory bail laws
The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) has filed a constitutional challenge to the Northern Territory’s recent bail laws in the high court.
In a statement today, the NAAJA said they challenging the laws on the basis they “constitute a punishment before a person has had a fair trial or been found guilty or not guilty”.
The NT’s Bail and Youth Justice Legislation Amendment Act, which began in May, requires a judge to have a “high degree of confidence” that a person applying for bail will not commit a serious offence or endanger the community.
The NAAJA chairperson, Theresa Roe, said the laws mean “mean more and more Aboriginal people in the NT are being locked up when they haven’t been convicted of any crime”.
NAAJA sees many people who have been sent to prison because of these laws who have later had their charges withdrawn, essentially serving time for crimes they have not committed.
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NSW Greens move successful late-night amendment to gun control laws
The NSW lower house will reconvene today to approve the final version of the terrorism and other offences amendment bill, which tightens up gun laws and allows police to restrict protests for up to three months after a terrorist incident.
The Greens successfully moved an amendment overnight in the upper house which goes directly to what we know about the alleged gunmen, namely that one had been on an Asio watch list and lived with his father at a house in Bonnyrigg.
The amendment says the police commissioner must be satisfied before he grants a gun licence that the applicant “has never been investigated by a Commonwealth or state law enforcement or intelligence agency for terrorism-related offences or for association with members of a proscribed terrorist organisation”.
The commissioner must also be satisfied an applicant “is not an associate or does not reside at the same residential dwelling as someone who has been investigated by a Commonwealth or state law enforcement or intelligence agency for terrorism-related offences, or for associating with members of a prescribed terrorist organisation”.
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Police say 18 people charged with antisocial offences since Bondi attack
Police say 18 people have been charged in NSW with offences under antisemitism and antisocial behaviour taskforce Operation Shelter since the Bondi terror attack.
In a statement today, NSW police said Operation Shelter, which was established in October 2023 and received an increase in support and resources after the attack, had conducted more than 2,600 patrols across 3,200 police shifts since 14 December.
The 18 people charged with 34 offences associated with Operation Shelter include a 26-year-old woman charged on Monday after allegedly making an offensive phone call to an eastern suburbs business operator. She has been granted bail to appear in local court in January.
A 20-year-old man has been charged in relation to a social media post which allegedly called for protesters to attend a beach in Sydney’s south later this week with the purpose of inciting violence. He was refused bail to appear at local court earlier this week.
A 55-year-old man has been charged after he was arrested for allegedly yelling offensive phrases on Campbell Parade in Bondi on Sunday. He was refused bail to appeal before local court this week.
A 39-year-old man has been charged after he approached a participant holding a flag at a pro-Palestine protest at Sydney’s Town Hall on Monday and allegedly intimidated the man. He was granted bail to appear before local court in January.
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Tributes flow for former Liberal MP Katie Allen
As we reported earlier, the former federal Liberal MP Katie Allen has died aged 59.
Tributes to the popular MP poured in from across the political spectrum, led by the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and the opposition leader, Sussan Ley, and former colleagues Peter Dutton, Josh Frydenberg and Scott Morrison.
In a message on social media, Albanese said Allen had “dedicated her life, her talents and her courage to making our nation a better place”.
Ley described her as a “trailblazer”, paying tribute to her “exceptional intellect, courage and warmth”.
Morrison, who was prime minister during Allen’s term in parliament, praised her “extraordinary talents, passion and love”.
“Her focus was always on the people she was trying to help and support, whom she kept firmly in her gaze. Thank you for all your dedicated service Katie. She will be greatly missed,” he said on social media.
You can read more tributes here:
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The Sydney Harbour Bridge will be lit up with the word ‘Peace’ on New Year’s Eve, Australian Associated Press has reported.
Shortly before 9pm, the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons will shine white with the image of a dove and the single word “Peace”.
At 11pm the bridge will be illuminated white as a minute’s silence is held, again with the word ‘Peace’ again lit up.
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said this year’s event would demonstrate to the world that the city stood together as one community that “will not let this hateful act of terror divide us”.
“At 11pm I invite everyone to pause and shine a torch light, to show the Jewish community that we stand with them, and that we reject violence, fear and antisemitism,” she said in a statement.
The bridge will also be illuminated blue at 10pm in recognition of the event’s official charity partner, mental health agency Beyond Blue.
Update on 12 victims of Bondi terror attack still in hospital
NSW Health has provided another update on the 12 victims of the Bondi mass shooting who remain in hospitals in Sydney.
Earlier we reported that there had been a worsening in the condition of one patient, with five people, up from four, in a critical but stable condition, and seven in a stable condition, as of 8pm last night.
In an update at 7.30am this morning, NSW Health have said that four people are now in a critical but stable condition, one at St George hospital and three at St Vincent’s hospital. Eight people are in a stable condition across Prince of Wales, St George, St Vincent’s, Royal Prince Alfred and Royal North Shore hospitals.
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Poll shows Australians looking for reassurance, not point-scoring
A leading pollster says Australians are looking for reassurance from political leaders after the Bondi Beach attack and not partisan point-scoring, Australian Associated Press is reporting.
Hopes of a bipartisan response to the alleged killing of 15 people by two gunmen at a Jewish festival in Sydney have evaporated with the federal opposition taking aim at the government for failing to stamp out antisemitism.
Having also been roundly criticised by the Jewish community, Anthony Albanese’s net performance rating dropped 15 points to negative nine after the massacre, according to a Resolve poll published in Nine newspapers.
His net likeability fell 14 points to negative five.
Sussan Ley’s performance rating dropped seven points to negative four, while her likeability dropped from eight to one after her politically charged statements against Labor and Albanese.
“Australians don’t want a partisan political debate on this, they want a response that’s unified, that reassures them they’re going to be safe,” pollster Kos Samaras said.
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Australia experiences deadliest year on roads in more than a decade
Annual road safety data from the National Road Safety Hub shows 1,332 people have died on Australian roads in the 12 months to November, a 3% increase on last year, Australian Associated Press has reported.
The figure exceeds the 1,300 people killed on the roads for all of 2024 and is the worst since 2010 when 1,353 deaths were recorded.
Australia’s road toll peaked in 1970 with 3,798 fatalities, which prompted a national rethink on road safety and the introduction of mandatory seatbelts and child restraints.
NSW had the most deaths to the end of November with 361, an increase of 10.7%, while fatalities also increased in Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania.
Victoria, South Australia, the Northern Territory and the ACT all managed to cut the number of deaths.
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Liberal senator pays tribute to former colleague’s ‘joy of life’
Federal Liberal senator James McGrath has also paid tribute to former Liberal MP Katie Allen, who has died aged 59.
He tells ABC Radio National that “to know Katie was to love Katie and to love life.”
She was one of those people who just brought in a spirit of deep thought and a spirit of just the joy of life.
But to underestimate Katie, you did so at your own risk. She had a very strong – she had an iron fist hidden by a velvet glove, and Australia is poorer with her loss, and parliament was poorer when, sadly, she lost her seat in 2022 and didn’t win earlier this year.
She’ll be missed, and we all loved her.
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Burke defends handling of travel entitlement controversies
Burke is also asked to respond to Coalition criticism after the news the prime minister has written to the remuneration tribunal to review changes to wind back travel entitlements for the families of parliamentarians.
The Coalition has said changes to rules do not remove the need for a full investigation into whether Labor ministers who claimed of thousands of dollars in taxpayer-funded travel entitlements breached the ministerial code.
Burke says:
I do not want a world where politicians make their own decision about what budgets they’re given and what so-called entitlements they have. These decisions must be made independently, and that’s the exact process that’s been followed.
Burke is followed by Liberal senator James McGrath. Challenged on Coalition travel spending, McGrath reiterates calls for an independent inquiry.
I think there is a difference between, say, Anika Wells going to a birthday party in Adelaide on taxpayer dime, compared to any issues that may be raised against Coalition members. But what we have consistently said from the beginning: let’s sit down, do this in a bipartisan manner. Let’s make sure that the taxpayers can see that their money is being spent with respect. We haven’t seen that from the government.
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Burke defends decision not to launch federal royal commission on Bondi attack
Burke has also discussed the government’s plans to accelerate the rollout of the National Firearms Register, which the Albanese government committed to establishing in 2023. He says drafting instructions for some gun laws have been issued to states and territories today.
Burke is also played a clip from the former home affairs department secretary Mike Pezzullo, who has called for a federal royal commission into the Bondi attack, saying it could be done at speed.
Burke, defending the prime minister’s decision to appoint former Asio boss Dennis Richardson to lead a review of the intelligence agencies instead, says:
I’m not sure if there’s been a royal commission in history that has gone at the pace that he’s [Pezzullo] just described. The experience that we’ve had with every royal commission is they take years, they always ask for extensions of time, and the best way to act with absolute urgency is not to have something chaired by a retired judge – is to have something chaired by a national security expert. Now, Dennis Richardson has the complete respect across the national security community in Australia.
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Tony Burke says government ‘moving as quickly as we can’ on hate crimes
The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, is speaking to ABC Radio National about the National Hate Crimes and Incidents Database, which has been launched today after the Bondi shooting.
The national database will collate information on charges for offences under hate crimes legislation across all Australian jurisdictions.
Asked if this information is not already shared, Burke says:
Not in this sort of way. So this came as a recommendation out of national cabinet. And some states and jurisdictions had a formal process of making information available. But to be able to go to one place and to be able to start to see what’s happening across the country, that’s something that is only possible because of this new work that’s been done.
Asked if the government should have been quicker to implemented the database, which state and territory leaders committed to in January, Burke says:
Everything that we are doing in this area, I wish it had been in place 20 years ago. Everything. And so we are moving as quickly as we can. With anything where there’s an IT build, there are some movable parts where there are limits on how fast you can go.
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Sabra Lane signs off as host of AM after eight years
The ABC journalist Sabra Lane has signed off as the host of flagship radio current affairs program AM after more than eight years in the role.
In her final broadcast as host a few moments ago on ABC Radio National, Lane said it was “time to turn off the early morning alarm”.
“Today’s program is my last hosting AM. I’m taking a long break over summer and I’ll be back next year in a different role.”
Lane took over as the host of AM in January 2017 and leaves a year shy of the program’s 60th anniversary.
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Former federal MP Katie Allen dies aged 59
Former federal Liberal MP Katie Allen has died aged 59, her family has announced.
Allen served as the member for the former seat of Higgins in Victoria from 2019 to 2022.
Allen, who worked as a paediatric allergist and gastroenterologist at the Royal Melbourne hospital before her career in politics, revealed she had a rare form of cancer known as cholangiocarcinoma earlier this year.
In a statement posted to Allen’s Facebook account yesterday, her family announced the passing of “our beloved Katie (Mum)“
She spent her life caring for others as a mother, doctor, professor, MP and friend. She is deeply loved.
She passed in peace surrounded by family and lived a full, beautiful life, all the way to the end.
We love you so much.
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Israel's president to make state visit to Australia in the new year
The Israeli president, Issac Herzog, will visit Australia early in the new year as a formal state visit.
In a post on X last night, the office of the Australian prime minister said Anthony Albanese had called Herzog earlier that day and “expressed his profound shock and dismay over the terror attack against the Australian Jewish community in Sydney last week, and conveyed his deep sorrow to the families of the victims”.
Prime Minister Albanese advised President Herzog that, upon the recommendation of the Australian government, the Governor-General of Australia will issue an invitation in accordance with protocol to President Herzog to visit Australia as soon as possible. President Herzog said that he would accept the invitation and mentioned that the President of the Zionist Federation of Australia also sent him an official invitation expressing their wish for him to visit, and he intends to do so.
The Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA) welcomed the news, which its president, Jeremy Leibler, said was an important moment of solidarity and healing:
In the days after Bondi, our community reached out directly to President Herzog because this was not only an attack on individuals – it struck at the deepest sense of safety Jewish Australians have carried for generations.
We are grateful that the Australian government has now taken up that call and, in accordance with protocol, will extend the formal invitation for a state visit. That matters – because it shows, at the highest national level, that Australia stands with its Jewish citizens, and Australia stands with Israel, against terrorism and hatred.
President Herzog’s presence will bring comfort to those who are grieving and reassurance to a community living with fear. It will also honour the victims and the courage shown on the day – including Gefen Bitton, who remains critically ill – and reaffirm the shared resolve of two democracies to confront antisemitism, hate and violence with clarity and strength.
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Sussan Ley says this Christmas a time of ‘deep sorrow and reflection’
Christmas comes at a moment of “deep sorrow and reflection”, says the opposition leader, Sussan Ley, as the Jewish and Australian community mourns the death of those killed in the Bondi terror attack.
In her Christmas message to the nation, the opposition leader says it is moments like this that “test us”.
“They ask who we are as a people and what we choose to stand for. Hatred and extremism have no place in Australia. Antisemitism has no place in Australia. Our strength as a nation lies in our decency, our courage and our willingness to stand together, especially when it is hard.”
Ley says it has already been a difficult time for many families struggling with the cost of living.
She also thanks all those who will be working through the holiday period – nurses, doctors, paramedics, police, firefighters, defence personnel, aged care and disability workers.
The cost of living has placed real strain on families and, for some, this Christmas will feel heavier than it should. If you are doing it tough, please know that you are not alone. Your community matters, and you deserve leadership that listens and acts.
This Christmas, we remember those we have lost. We stand with those who are hurting. And we hold fast to the values that bind us together as Australians.
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Good morning
Good morning everyone, I’m Penry Buckley and I will be here with you for our live coverage this morning.
Albanese says Australia grieves Bondi terror attack victims in Christmas message
Anthony Albanese says Christmas “will feel different this year” after the Bondi terror shooting, paying tribute to victims and heroes of the antisemitic attack in a holiday message to Australians.
The prime minister said:
After the terror inflicted on Jewish Australians celebrating Chanukah at Bondi Beach, we feel the weight of sorrow in our hearts. As Christmas brings its message of love and compassion, we grieve those whose lives were stolen – and those whose lives were changed forever.
Together, we give thanks for the extraordinary courage that shone so brightly through the darkness. A powerful reminder that, in the worst of times, we see the very best of the Australian character. It is in that spirit that Christmas brings Australians together to celebrate all that we have and all that we share.
Albanese said also paid tribute to “everyone who gives up their Christmas for the sake of others”.
We give thanks to our emergency personnel, our medical workers, our hospitality and charity workers – and so many more. Likewise the volunteers who spend the season of giving devoting their time and energy to serving those in need, exemplifying the Australian spirit of kindness, generosity and compassion.
We also thank our Defence Force personnel, who forgo the comforts of home and family to defend our nation. To each and every Australian, I wish you a Christmas of peace, safety and love. A Christmas where we stand together, united. A Christmas of healing and one of hope.
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Twelve victims of Bondi terror attack still in hospital
Twelve victims of the Bondi mass shooting remained in hospitals in Sydney as of 8pm last night.
Seven are in a stable condition, across the Prince of Wales, St George, Royal Prince Alfred and Royal North Shore hospitals. Five are in a critical but stable condition, in St George and St Vincent’s hospitals.
That’s a worsening in the condition of one patient, from the 8am update yesterday when there were only four people listed as being in a critical but stable condition and eight in a stable condition.
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Database launched to log everyone charged with hate crimes
A national database of individuals charged with offences under hate crimes legislation across all Australian jurisdictions has been launched today after the Bondi shooting.
The National Hate Crimes and Incidents Database will register the hate crime offences across the country that target race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status, disability, nationality, ethnic origin, or political opinion.
The initiative was first agreed upon at a national cabinet in January 2025 and will be available on the Australian Institute of Criminology’s website. The federal government said it was an important step toward strengthening its ability to monitor, analyse and respond to hate crimes.
Marking its launch on Christmas Eve, the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, said:
The appalling attack on the Jewish community at Bondi Beach must never be allowed to happen again.
Every Australian has the right to be safe and feel safe, no matter your heritage, what you believe or who you love.
I urge every Australian: if you witness or experience a hate crime, report it. Accurate reporting is essential to ensure these crimes are investigated and captured in the database, to enable evidence-based action.
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NSW parliament passes new gun and protest laws
The New South Wales Minns Labor government has passed controversial changes to gun laws and new powers for police to ban street protests for up to three months, after a marathon debate in the upper house.
The laws, which were drafted in response to the 14 December massacre at Sydney’s Bondi beach in which two gunmen fired on a Hanukah event, killing 15 people, were voted through at 2.51am on Wednesday.
The omnibus bill passed with 18 votes in favour and eight against. The Liberals joined the Labor government members in voting for the bill, while the Nationals and Shooters voted against. The Greens members abstained.
Read our full story here:
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it will be Penry Buckley with the main action.
After a marathon debate, the upper house of the New South Wales parliament voted at 2.51am to pass the controversial omnibus bill bringing in tougher laws to limit gun ownership and to restrict the right to protest after terror attacks. The reforms, drafted in response to the Bondi terror attacks, passed by 18 votes to eight. More coming up.
A national database of individuals charged with offences under hate crimes legislation across all Australian jurisdictions has been launched today after the Bondi shooting.
