What we learned today, Friday 3 October
This is where we’ll leave the blog. I hope you have a great weekend. If you’d like to catch up, here were today’s top stories:
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat) said its officials at the Australian embassy in Tel Aviv were travelling to Ketziot prison to provide consular assistance to “any Australian who requests it” after the Global Sumud flotilla was intercepted – reportedly with at least five Australians among those detained.
The Palestine Action Group has vowed to fight in court the police’s decision to oppose a march to the Sydney Opera House on 12 October to mark the second anniversary since 7 October and to call for an end to genocide in Gaza.
The former police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon formally pleaded not guilty to the murders of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies and interrupted the court to launch a tirade at investigators. Lamarre-Condon claimed he agreed to admit to manslaughter but prosecutors and police denied his offer.
The former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak told the ABC he supported the Trump administration’s peace plan for Gaza, which he said was the best chance now for a ceasefire.
South Australia police scaled back the search for Gus, a four-year-old who went missing last Saturday at a regional property about 40km south of the township of Yunta.
The underworld figure Tony Mokbel had two convictions set aside by the Victorian court of appeal in the most significant case yet involving the gangland lawyer and police informer Nicola Gobbo.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and opposition leader, Sussan Ley, both offered their condolences to the people of Manchester and the families of victims after a man killed two people and injured four others in an attack on a synagogue on the holy day of Yom Kippur.
The Australian Electoral Commission launched federal court proceedings against a man who allegedly distributed unauthorised electoral pamphlets during the 2025 federal election in the seat of Wentworth, opposing the independent member, Allegra Spender.
The New South Wales Industrial Relations Commission awarded the state’s psychiatrists a temporary pay rise of 20% for a 12-month period, after about 200 psychiatrists threatened to resign in January, saying they were providing substandard care to their patients when one in three permanent psychiatrist positions were vacant.
Updated
Dfat officials in Tel Aviv liaising with Israel after interception of Gaza-bound aid flotilla
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat) says its officials at the Australian embassy in Tel Aviv are travelling to Ketziot to provide consular assistance to “any Australian who requests it”.
Members of the Global Sumud flotilla – which was intercepted by Israel on its way to deliver aid to Gaza – will be handed over to the police before being transferred to Ketziot prison, a large facility in the Negev desert.
It’s been reported that at least five Australians who were on board are among those detained.
This afternoon, Dfat said in a statement that its officials in Tel Aviv were liasing with Israeli authorities and had formally requested confirmation of the detention of any Australians.
The department added:
Australia calls on all parties to respect international law, to ensure the safety and humane treatment of those involved.
We understand that people want to help deliver aid to those suffering in Gaza – we also want to see critical aid delivered.
For some time, we have warned against attempts to breach the naval blockade and strongly advised Australians not to do so because of the risks to their safety.
We repeat our call on Israel to enable the sustained, unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
You can read more here:
Dfat says Australians in need of emergency consular assistance should contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on 1300 555 135, or +61 2 6261 3305 (if calling from overseas).
Updated
