What we learned; Sunday 8 October
We are going to wrap up the live blog for Sunday. Here’s what made the news today:
The foreign minister, Penny Wong, “unequivocally” condemned the Hamas attack on Israel.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, labelled the no campaign’s argument that the Indigenous voice to parliament will sow racial division as “the great lie”.
Albanese also said his government would not try to legislate the voice to parliament if it failed at the referendum.
The peak Jewish body has called for the Australian government to condemn the violence in Israel.
Australian law enforcement say they are aware of risks but there is no immediate threat to the Jewish community.
The head of the Australian Palestine Advocacy Network said it was “disappointed” by the government’s stance in light of Israel’s stance on the Gaza strip.
We’ll be back with you tomorrow morning to bring you all the latest developments. Until then, enjoy your evening.
Updated
The Australian Palestine Advocacy Network says it’s “disappointed” in Anthony Albanese’s response this morning to the ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestine.
The prime minister on ABC’s Insiders described the surprise attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas as “abhorrent”, adding Israel had the right to defend against it.
This is an abhorrent attack on Israel. This is indiscriminate. Civilians being targeted, killed and murdered, and as well, many of them being taken as hostages ... Israel has a right to defend itself, which is what it is doing.
But the network’s president Nasser Mashni told ABC on Sunday Albanese failed to acknowledge the thousands of Palestinians affected by Israel’s ongoing occupation of the Gaza strip.
Mashni said:
I’d like our government to speak out about our rights. There are many Australian Palestinians, and many Australians, an overwhelming majority of Australians in fact, according to our polling, on the side of justice for the Palestinians.
Mashni said his group condemned all violence but added “the world is waking up to the fact that Israel is committing a crime of apartheid”.
It’s past time for the world to wake up and help the Palestinians achieve their just rights to self determination to live peacefully and freely on the lands.
Updated
Australian police say no cause for concern for Jews in Australia
Authorities say they are monitoring events overseas and in the community to guard against attacks against places significant to the Jewish community, but report that so far there is no cause for concern.
Internationally, law enforcement agencies have stepped up monitoring or the security presence at significant Jewish sites or monuments out of concern about attacks from a range of groups.
Guardian Australia contacted police in every state and territory, but only received responses from New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania by deadline.
Victorian police said it “was aware of incidents developing in Australia overnight but there have been no reports of incidents or threats in Victoria”.
We are mindful of the potential for escalating tension including at places of worship and local police have been briefed to respond according.
New South Wales said they were continuing to monitor the situation and “work with members of the Jewish community to ensure everyone can live their daily lives without the fear of discrimination or violence.”
South Australian and Tasmanian police said they were not aware of any immediate security threats to residents within their states, and would advise if that changes.
Queensland police were contacted but were not able to respond by deadline.
Police agencies advised that any unusual or suspicious activity should be reported to the National Security Hotline 1800 1234 00 or the Police Assistance Line 131 444. For assistance in a life threatening or time critical emergency call Triple Zero (000).
Updated
New Zealand Māori party points to Kiwi system for indigenous representation
The co-leader of New Zealand’s Māori party Rawiri Waititi says he would vote yes in Australia’s voice referendum, but the campaign shows why indigenous rights should not go to a poll in either country.
Waititi is a self-described unapologetic radical but confessed pragmatic support for the referendum.
The voice is a good starting point but it still doesn’t go far enough.
I would absolutely vote yes and continue to push for greater representation and a greater voice for our brothers and sisters in Australia. I’m here 100% to support them.
The voice referendum and the New Zealand election are both being held on 14 October.
In New Zealand, Waititi’s party are expected to increase their vote from their result in 2020, of 1.17%.
That result is well below the 5% threshold normally required to enter parliament, but the Māori party enjoys representation in Wellington due to a feature of Kiwi democracy: dedicated electorates for Māori.
New Zealanders with Māori ancestry can opt to sit on either the general or Māori electoral roll, which determines whether they vote for one of 65 general or seven Māori electorate MPs.
Waititi said the dedicated electorates were a stronger way to achieve an indigenous voice than Australia’s proposed advisory body.
Australia could do better.
New Zealand is an example of how you can get true representation. (First Nations people) shouldn’t be just there as an advisory body.
They should be part of the economic discussions for the country, the environmental discussions, the health, education, housing, wellbeing (discussions).
Look over the ditch and see, it’s still not ideal in terms of the representation that was promised in the Treaty of Waitangi but it is an example of how there could be a greater voice.”
- AAP
Updated
Uniform power of attorney laws to protect the elderly
Plans to harmonise Australia’s laws on enduring powers of attorney are being considered in a bid to crack down on the financial abuse of the elderly.
A consultation paper was released earlier in October on how state and territory laws could be changed to improve power of attorney laws and make them consistent across the country.
Enduring power of attorneys are legal measures that allow for someone to appoint another person to manage financial and legal decisions on their behalf.
While power of attorneys are made for the benefit of the elderly, they can also pave the way for financial abuse in unscrupulous hands if someone’s money is used or legal documents signed without their knowledge or consent.
“While enduring powers of attorney are intended to provide a protective benefit to principals, if misused or misapplied, they may facilitate abuse by the very person appointed by the older person to protect them,” the consultation paper said.
Advice stemming from the consultation paper will be provided to attorneys-general in 2024 for consideration.
The consultation paper is open for submissions until 29 November.
- AAP
Updated
Israeli embassy in Australia issues statement
The embassy today warned Israel “will not shy” from a broader operation in Gaza as the conflict between Palestinian militant group Hamas and the Israeli military forces worsens.
A spokesperson for the embassy said “Israel will act in any way necessary to protect its citizens, and will not shy from a broad operation in Gaza, in order to end the aggression”.
It comes as Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, urged Palestinian civilians in Gaza to “leave now” because its military will “turn all Hamas hiding places into rubble”.
It’s believed more than 500 have already died in the latest conflict, sparked by a surprise attack on Sunday in southern Israel orchestrated by Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Of that tally, nearly half are believed to be Palestinians, who have been killed by retaliatory air strikes on buildings from Israel.
The embassy spokesperson said:
The residents of the Gaza Strip are not enemies of Israel, but the terrorist organisations that operate knowingly and deliberately from within densely populated areas and adjacent to humanitarian buildings and institutions make cynical use of them.
Israel does and will continue to do everything in its capacity to prevent harm to civilians, that are being constantly used by the Hamas as human shields.
Updated
Family grieves for plane crash victims
The family of an experienced pilot and his grandchildren who were killed in a light plane crash near Canberra have asked for privacy as they grieve their loss.
Peter Nally and the three school-aged children died when the five-seater Cirrus they were travelling in crashed then caught alight in a paddock at Gundaroo, north of Queanbeyan, on Friday afternoon.
Local media reports said Nally was a veteran pilot and his grandchildren were aged 11, nine and six.
Their family said on Sunday there were “no words” to describe their grief.
As we are still coming to terms with our loss, we ask that the media respect our privacy while we grieve and process this tragedy,” they said in a statement shared by NSW Police.
We are appreciative of the overwhelming support we continue to receive from our extended family and friends as well as the local community.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is investigating the cause of the crash.
- AAP
‘Fires everywhere’: the Australian firefighters on the frontline of the new global Flame Age
Ash Morrow spied flames and smoke higher and wider than the eye could see. It was June 2023. The 25-year-old Australian with the volunteer Rural Fire Service (RFS) in New South Wales was putting out wildfires in the northern Canadian province of Alberta, not too far from the Arctic Circle.
It was a baptism of fire, literally.
Morrow is sitting in a room at the RFS headquarters in the Sydney suburb of Homebush. Stubble covers his cheeks. The knockabout police officer from a farm near Orange is wearing a hi-vis yellow RFS uniform; the arrow on the fire chart behind him is pointed to the dark red segment marked CATASTROPHE.
Morrow was one of 627 firefighters from Australia who flew overseas to help the Canadians tame the biggest wildfires in their recorded history. By September, 6,396 infernos had burned through 17.5m hectares (43.43m acres) of woodland. Morrow was on his second Canadian deployment.
Canada was basically a massive tinderbox. Usually, one province at a time will get smashed. This time, the whole country was stretched thin. There were fires everywhere.
For more on this story, read the full feature from Lech Blaine.
Updated
New shingles vaccine for vulnerable
Over-65s will soon be able to get free protection against shingles as part of a multimillion-dollar vaccination program, AAP reports.
More than five million people will be eligible for a vaccination against the virus from 1 November as part of the National Immunisation Program.
The federal government will spend more than $826m to provide the protection for those most at risk from severe diseases.
The free vaccines will be offered to those aged over 65 and Indigenous Australians over 50, along with immunocompromised people 18 and older.
The health minister, Mark Butler, said the shots would provide 10 years of protections from shingles.
Without vaccination, almost one in three Australians will get shingles in their lifetime.
Older Australians will now have free access to the best protection against shingles through one of the most comprehensive and widely available vaccination programs in the world.
The Shingrix vaccine, which normally costs $560 per immunisation, will replace Zostavax vaccine on the immunisation program, following advice from the leading advisory body on vaccines.
Shingles is caused by a reactivation of the same virus which causes chickenpox.
It’s estimated one in five people with shingles develop nerve pain from the virus that can last for months or as long as several years.
Updated
Fee-free Tafe places on offer for in-demand jobs
The federal government has launched an advertising blitz today to entice more Australians to take up fee-free Tafe places.
Nursing, trades jobs, and software engineers are among the Top 20 in-demand jobs with fee-free study pathways available.
More than 215,000 Australians enrolled to study within the first six-months of the program with the government agreeing to fund an extra 300,000 spots from January next year.
The skills and training minister, Brendan O’Connor, said the places will match workers up with in-demand jobs.
The fee-free spots would also target groups who have historically been locked out of the labour market, such as First Nations, people with disability and unpaid careers.
Acknowledging the gender imbalance in workplaces, behavioural barriers and improving workforce diversity in certain occupations will also reduce the likelihood of skills shortages and open up the potential for improved wages and working conditions.
Updated
Fish farmer accused of declaring war against environmentalists
A Tasmanian environmental group has accused the owner of a commercial salmon farming operation of “an open declaration of war against community and environmental groups”.
Glenn Cooke, CEO of Cooke Aquaculture which owns Tasmania’s largest industrial salmon producer, Tassal, reportedly told a conference of wild fisheries in Canada that environment groups were the industry’s “common enemy”.
The sooner we can coalesce into a major, stronger force to take them on, the better in my mind.
The comments have resonated in Tasmania where community campaigns against an expansion of salmon farming over environmental concerns are ongoing.
Peter George from Neighbours of Fish Farming described the comments as “unhinged” and “hypocrisy”.
This is an extraordinary accusation to make in the face of authoritative Australian science that clearly proves the salmon industry is primarily responsible for the damage to Macquarie Harbour and its marine life.
Mr Cooke needs to look closer to home to realise why the industry is under attack globally for is destructive practices.
Updated
Australian auction activity rises
Auction activity has risen slightly this weekend with 2,436 auctions held over Saturday and Sunday.
This is more than twice the 1,198 auctions held last week and above the 1,815 auctions that occurred at the same time last year.
Based on results collected so far, CoreLogic’s summary found that the preliminary clearance rate was 71% across the country, which is higher than the 64.4% preliminary rate recorded last week and the 64.4% actual rate on final numbers.
Across the capital cities:
Sydney: 918 auctions with a clearance rate of 69.7%
Melbourne: 1,138 auctions with a clearance rate of 72.7%
Brisbane: 134 auctions with a clearance rate of 72.3%
Adelaide: 78 auctions with a clearance rate of 80.8%
Canberra: 69 auctions with a clearance rate of 56.5%
Tasmania: Three auctions held
Perth: Six of 12 auctions
Updated
Businesses under review by NAB
Australian businesses have so far managed to keep the wheels turning even as the economy sours.
A survey of the business sector by National Australia Bank will illustrate how well firms have been faring in the face of higher interest rates and cost pressures, AAP reports.
The monthly reports also include price movements across materials, labour and other inputs needed to run a business, as well as the amount firms are charging for their goods and services.
The September edition of the monthly survey is due for release on Tuesday.
Taming inflation remains the core challenge for the Australian economy, with price growth falling from its peak but still well above the Reserve Bank’s 2% to 3% range.
A senior official from the central bank, Christopher Kent – assistant governor, financial markets – is due to speak about the various ways changes in monetary policy settings affect the economy.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics is scheduled to release a couple of important data sources, including the monthly business turnover indicator for August on Wednesday and overseas arrivals and departures on Friday.
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Food delivery company fined for inadequate training
Food delivery firms have been put on notice and one has been hit with a five-figure fine after failing to properly train its riders, AAP reports.
The NSW work health and safety minister, Sophie Cotsis, says Canadian company Fantuan was fined $13,600 and issued with multiple improvement notices related to inadequate or incomplete induction training and record-keeping failures.
We have put the onus on food delivery platforms to ensure the riders they engage are trained properly and have systems in place that ensure riders are trained and this is recorded,
Safework inspectors in NSW are meeting with other food delivery platforms and more fines and penalties will be coming for platforms who can’t demonstrate that they’ve met these requirements.
This is a message to other food delivery companies who don’t follow the rules, you are on notice.”
The training concerned hazard and fatigue management, road safety, the use of PPE and work health and safety duties and obligations.
The service, which targets the Asian food sector, began operating in Sydney and Melbourne in March 2022 and has since expanded to Adelaide and Brisbane.
SafeWork NSW became involved when inspectors assessed Fantuan’s compliance with the state’s work health and safety regulations, which mandate hi-vis clothing and training for food delivery riders.
Updated
NSW government to reclaim $40m in unpaid quarantine fees
The New South Wales government has reportedly garnished the accounts of 5,000 people in an effort to reclaim $40m in hotel quarantine debts incurred during the start of the pandemic.
Nine Papers have reported Revenue NSW is seeking to reclaim unpaid fees from 17,758 people, out of 265,000, who owe $39.3m in unpaid fees after staying in Sydney’s quarantine hotels.
In the opening months of the pandemic, it was free to stay in a NSW quarantine facility but a $3,000 fee was introduced in July 2020.
Updated
Chris Minns holds ‘great concerns’ for hostages in Israel
The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, says he holds “great concerns” for civilians who have been kidnapped during the attack by Hamas on Israel.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference on Sunday, Minns was asked for his response to events in the Middle East.
Look, we’re really concerned about the horrific attack by Hamas on Israel in the last 24 hours. We hold great concerns for those that have been kidnapped and we are thinking of the Jewish communities in Sydney that may have family members in Israel. We want to ensure that any work that we can do with the community in Sydney and New South Wales, that’s exactly what we’ll do. And we’re monitoring the situation very closely to see if there’s any New South Wales citizens that are living in or are on holidays or on pilgrimage in the Middle East.
Updated
ATO to name and shame businesses over unpaid tax debts
More than 22,000 businesses risk losing money after the tax office threatened to name and shame those who fail to engage and pay debts to recoup the more than $5bn they owe, AAP reports.
The Australian Tax Office is shifting back to its business-as-usual debt collection after an era of stimulus payments and tax assistance during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The agency has issued more than 22,000 businesses with notices warning they face being disclosed to credit reporting agencies for tax debts of at least $100,000 that are overdue by more than 90 days.
A disclosed debt can impact a business’s ability to receive finance and cause it to lose suppliers.
More than 9000 businesses are expected to have their debts disclosed this month, according to the ATO.
Affected businesses wanting to avoid their debts being listed in credit rating checks must pay or engage with the tax office within 28 days of the intent to disclose notice being issued, ATO assistant commissioner Jillian Kitto said.
We give businesses ample opportunity to re-engage with us however, those who show continued and ongoing disregard for their tax and super obligations will have their debts disclosed.
While we do not take disclosures lightly, consequences will apply to businesses who refuse to pay or engage with us.
Updated
Housing summit to address national housing crisis
Australian households are finding it increasingly hard to keep a roof over their heads as rents continue their march upward, AAP reports.
The troubling state of Australia’s housing market and possible solutions will be thrashed out at a summit attended by affordable housing advocates, academics, unions, thinktanks and politicians.
Greens housing spokesperson Max Chandler-Mather; Construction, Forestry, Mining, Maritime and Energy Union national secretary Zach Smith; and the Australia Institute’s Lilia Anderson are due to appear at Sunday’s event.
The National Housing Justice Summit comes as new CoreLogic rental data shows national dwelling values ballooning by more than 30% since July 2020.
The average renter now has to find nearly $140 extra a week compared with mid-2020.
Stretched tenants also appear to have reached an affordability ceiling, with the pace of rental price growth stalling during the past three months even as the number of available properties on the market shrinks to record lows.
Australia also has an undersupply of social and affordable housing for the growing number of renters struggling in the private market.
The nation needs about 640,000 social homes to cover the shortfall, according to national housing campaign Everybody’s Home, with 25,000 new dwellings needed to be built each year to keep up with demand.
Governments have all been making moves to ease pressure on the housing market.
At the federal level, the $10bn housing future fund has been legislated, which will help fund the development of new social and affordable housing.
There’s also the national housing accord, which brings together all levels of government, investors and the construction sector to map out a plan to build one million well-located homes over five years from 2024.
Updated
Parliament House opens doors to public
In slightly more uplifting news, Parliament House is hosting an open day on Sunday to mark 35 years since its doors were first opened.
The halls of power will be filled with family friendly activities for the day, including arts and crafts and live music.
Canberra favourite DJ Sue will be spinning the decks while flag buffs can head to Parliament’s roof to witness the changing of the giant Australian flag. The flag weighs a whopping 22kg and is 12.8 metres long and 6.4 metres high.
Members of the public will also be allowed to walk the floors of the House of Representatives and Senate chambers, which are usually restricted.
The Royal Australian air force Roulettes will also run an aerial aerobatic show at 3.40pm above Parliament House.
Updated
Peak Jewish body calls for government to condemn ‘flagrant crimes’ by Hamas in Israel
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the peak national representative body of the Australian Jewish community, has issued a statement condemning “the premeditated, unprovoked attack from the air and on the ground on sovereign Israeli territory” by Hamas.
Co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said in a statement:
In addition to a massive rocket barrage targeting Israel’s metropolitan areas, Hamas forces have infiltrated into Israel with the clear aim of murdering civilians and taking hostages. At present, there are at least 200 confirmed fatalities and dozens seriously wounded amid reports of atrocities including shootings of civilians and abductions.
These acts constitute egregious war crimes in their targeting of civilians and are an armed attack against a sovereign state. We expect the state of Israel to take all necessary measures to defend itself and to defeat the terror forces of Hamas and restore peace for Israel’s citizens.
The executive council also called on the Australian government “to condemn without equivocation these flagrant crimes”.
Updated
Millions voting early in referendum
Over two million Australians have already voted in the 2023 referendum heading into the final week.
According to the AEC, 2,212,581 people have cast a ballot in the referendum, which is more than the two million who had voted at the same stage of the 2022 federal election.
This includes 1,945,823 people who have applied for a postal vote and 92,162 people have voted by an AEC mobile polling team, including 19,194 people in remote communities.
The Australian electoral commissioner, Tom Rogers, said that early voting centres will remain open until Friday for people who cannot make it to a polling place on Saturday 14 October.
If you’re busy on Saturday or aren’t certain of your circumstances then you need to plan where and when you’ll be able to cast your vote.
Voting in a referendum is compulsory.
Updated
Albanese is also asked about reports that Donald Trump was less than discrete with information regarding the country’s nuclear submarine programs.
The prime minister says he will not discuss US security issues and whoever the US elects as its president is a matter for its people.
I will respect, as we do, democratic outcomes where they are.
And that’s a wrap.
Updated
‘Our support is totally unwavering’: PM on Ukraine
Albanese says that despite questions about whether support for Ukraine may be wavering under US Republications, Australia remains committed to supporting the country as it defends itself from a Russian invasion.
This is a struggle to defend the rights of a sovereign state to exist, to defend the rights of a democracy to exist.
Our support is totally unwavering.
Updated
All Australians safe in Israel conflict: PM
Albanese is now asked about the attack on Israel by Hamas.
He says Australia supports Israel’s right to defend itself and has spoken to the Israeli ambassador this morning who was “very shaken”. He says the Australian government is urging restraint and is concerned about escalation in the region but condemns violence against civilians.
This is indiscriminate. Civilians being targeted, killed and murdered, as well as many of them being taken hostage. This is dreadful.
The prime minister says that based on the advice he has at the time is that all “Australians are safe”. He says there are ADF personnel in the region, but there is no risk to their safety.
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PM says no vote will end voice campaign
Albanese says his government will respect the outcome of the referendum, but at heart the Australians are being asked to decide whether it is possible to legislate away the Indigenous voice to parliament.
Time and time again, they do the work of setting up representative organisations only for a government to come in and abolish it.
The PM says his government will continue to listen to Indigenous Australians, but a no-vote will spell the end of the campaign to establish the Indigenous voice to parliament.
Speers: If it’s a no vote, you walk away from the voice altogether?
PM: Correct. We will continue to do what we can to listen to Indigenous Australians. We try that now. But Indigenous Australians are saying that they want it to be enshrined.
Updated
Australia ‘last in the queue’ to acknowledge Indigenous: PM
The PM says Australia is “last in the queue” when it comes to acknowledging the place and role of Indigenous Australians in its history, saying as yes vote will show the country has “come to terms” with its history.
A vote for yes is a vote to show respect to Indigenous Australians. It’s an opportunity for non-Indigenous Australians to lift that burden up. But it’s something that will also been seen by much of the world.
Albanese says the body will help tailor programs and better help tailor them to help Indigenous communities.
Updated
PM labels racial division argument against voice ‘the great lie’
Albanese says there has been a failure of leadership by Peter Dutton who has staked out a position in opposition to the Indigenous voice to parliament after the Aston byelection and at times endorsed a second referendum.
[No voters] been told that it’s complex, what I would say to people to your listeners who haven’t made up their mind and what I’ll continue to say over the next six days, is to have a look at what your question is because it’s very clear.
The prime minister also described as “absurd” arguments about whether the Indigenous voice to parliament will advise on interest rates, and described the suggestions that change will divide Australians by race as “the great lie”.
It is not true. It is not true to say this is divisive. This is an opportunity to bring the country together.
For what it’s worth, Dutton was also invited on to the program but he declined.
Updated
‘We need to do things better and that starts with listening’: PM
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, says Australians should be proud to share this continent with the oldest, continuous culture on earth and those voting in favour of the Indigenous voice to parliament will be recognising this history.
The prime minister is striking a positive note ahead of the referendum vote, saying he has been touring Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide where the atmosphere has been “extremely positive”:
We need to do things better and that starts with listening.
Updated
Amanda Stoker to contest ‘safe seat’ for Queensland LNP
The former federal assistant minister and senator turned television host Amanda Stoker will attempt a political comeback at the next Queensland election after being preselected to contest the seat of Oodgeroo for the LNP, AAP reports.
Stoker’s preselection comes after the sitting LNP member for Oodgeroo, Dr Mark Robinson, announced earlier this year he would retire at the next election.
Dr Robinson has held the seat – which takes in the northern bayside parts of Redlands Council east of Brisbane – since 2009, retaining it on a margin of 4.5% at the last election.
As someone who talks with a lot of Queenslanders, it is clear the Palaszczuk Labor Government has lost its way.
We need a government that will stem the chaos at the Redlands hospital, take youth crime seriously, improve housing supply and reduce cost pressures for local families.
Stoker, a former barrister turned Sky News host, is the 10th candidate and eighth woman the Queensland LNP has preselected for next year’s state election.
She said she was looking forward to working with the state opposition leader, David Crisafulli, to deliver “real solutions and the change Queensland so desperately needs”.
Updated
Wong condemns Hamas attacks against Israel
The foreign minister, Penny Wong, has “unequivocally” condemned attacks by Hamas against Israel and says Australia recognises the country’s right to defend itself, AAP reports.
Palestinian militant group Hamas, which operates from the Gaza Strip and has been classified as a terrorist organisation by Australia since 2001, launched a multi-front attack on Israel on Saturday that included missile strikes and fighter incursions.
Israeli media reported at least 200 Israelis were killed while Gazan health officials said more than 230 Palestinians were killed in Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes on Gaza City.
Senator Wong added that “Australia urges the exercise of restraint & protection of civilian lives”:
Australia unequivocally condemns the attacks on Israel by Hamas including indiscriminate rocket fire on cities & civilians.
We call for these attacks to stop, and recognise Israel’s right to defend itself.
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, said the Coalition “utterly condemns the unprovoked and abhorrent attack by militant Hamas on Israel.
It is yet another example of a deliberate act of violence intended to inflict maximum harm on innocent civilians.
The attack is a provocation. Israel has every right to defend itself in response and to deter future attacks and other acts of aggression, coercion and interference.
Updated
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, will speak to ABC Insiders host David Speers this morning.
We will bring you all the latest as it happens.
Updated
Good morning
And welcome to another Sunday Guardian live blog.
The foreign minister, Penny Wong, has “unequivocally” condemned attacks by Hamas against Israel, saying that Australia recognises the country’s right to defend itself. Hamas, which has been classified as a terrorist organisation by Australia since 2021, launched a multi-front attack on Israel on Saturday.
Australia will hold “unprecedented” ministerial talks over energy supply with Japan in Melbourne on Sunday. The talks will include the trade minister Don Farrell, the climate and energy minister Chris Bowen, the resources minister Madeleine King and the Japanese minister of economy, trade and industry, Yasutoshi Nishimura.
I’m Royce Kurmelovs and I’ll be taking the blog through the day.
With that, let’s get started …
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