What we learned today, Monday 19 January
With that, we will wrap the blog for the evening. We’ll be back first thing tomorrow – take care of yourselves.
Pauline Hanson said she wants to build One Nation into a party capable of forming government after a new poll showed its vote continues to rise at the expense of the Coalition.
Anthony Albanese moved a condolence motion for the victims of the Bondi attack, which the parliament spent most of the day on.
The Albanese government is in conversation with the Coalition to negotiate on its hate speech laws that would (in their current form) give a home affairs minister more grounds to deny or cancel a visa if the person has engaged in hate, vilification or extremist conduct, and create a new “hate groups” listing.
New federal government figures show Australians own more than 4.1m firearms, with Queensland and NSW leading the nation for gun registration.
The independent MP Zali Steggall said there has been frustration in her community over the “politicisation” of the Bondi terror attack.
A national day of mourning for the victims of the Bondi beach terror attack will take place around the country this Thursday, 22 January, with the theme “Light will win, a gathering of unity and remembrance”.
The leaders of Australia and 60 other nations have been invited by Donald Trump to join his “board of peace” initiative aimed at resolving conflicts globally, a plan that diplomats said could harm the work of the UN.
The South Australian premier, Peter Malinauskas, has been served a second concerns notice for defamation by lawyers acting for the Palestinian Australian academic Randa Abdel-Fattah.
A crime scene has been established on the Queensland tourist island of K’gari after a 19-year-old woman was found dead on Monday morning.
The former Labor strategist turned mining executive Tim Picton has died after spending several weeks in hospital after an alleged assault in Perth.
The new Sydney Fish Market was officially opened by the premier, Chris Minns.
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Hanson reveals ambition to turn One Nation into viable party of government after record poll showing
Pauline Hanson says she wants to build One Nation into a party capable of forming government after a new poll showed its vote continues to rise at the expense of the Coalition.
The latest Newspoll published in The Australian put One Nation’s primary vote at a record 22%, overtaking the Coalition on 21%.
Labor’s primary vote was 32%.
Speaking at a press conference in Parliament House alongside colleagues including the former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, Hanson was asked if her ultimate ambition was to grow the rightwing populist party into a viable alternative government.
You bet it is. I’m not just here to prop up the Coalition or the Labor party or anyone else.
One Nation holds just one seat in the lower house – the one held by Joyce after he defected from the Nationals late last year.
Hanson suggested voters were turning to One Nation because they were “fed up” with the leadership of the major parties, including on immigration.
The divisive figure travelled to Canberra for this week’s sittings to respond to the Bondi massacre despite still serving a seven-day suspension from the Senate chamber for her burqa stunt in November.
Hanson opened the press conference with a short message of condolence for the victims of the 14 December massacre before quickly shifting to the Newspoll results.
Responding to the poll on Monday morning, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, described One Nation as a “divisive force” and said he did not want its vote to be higher than the Coalition.
Joyce dismissed Albanese’s criticism.
It (One Nation) is an alternate political view and it has the backing, obviously, of Australian people in how they vote. And it is not radical if it’s the truth.
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Labor’s Thistlethwaite denies omnibus bill ‘too nakedly political’
The assistant foreign minister, Matt Thistlethwaite, spoke on ABC’s Afternoon Briefing a short time ago. He was asked if the government pursuing its changes in an omnibus bill was “too nakedly political”, given criticism it had created a wedge.
Thistlethwaite said it was not, arguing the reforms were all reforms the “Jewish community called for, the opposition community called for, and generally the Australian public called for”.
He said:
We put that all in the legislation because we wanted to get it done in this week of the parliament and respond to those requests from the community. It’s unfortunate that we’ve had to split them, but we’ll do what we can to get that reform through.
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Parliamentarians urged to reject giving government power to list groups as hate organisations
The New South Wales Council for Civil Liberties has urged parliamentarians to reject giving government the power to list groups as hate organisations, saying it “represents an unprecedented extension of executive power”.
The group said in a statement:
By its broad and vague definitions, concentration of power and lack of procedural fairness the bill creates a real risk that the powers could be used to inappropriately target groups who work against the political interests of government, such as protestors or opposing political parties.
The group wrote that concerns raised by legal and constitutional experts have not been sufficiently addressed:
For example, someone who encourages another to join a protest could be caught by the definition of ‘recruit’ and imprisoned for up to 10 years. Another example of concern is the vague notion of who is considered a ‘member’ of a designated group, which includes ‘taken steps’ to become a member. Would this, for example, include someone who has joined a mailing list of the group? Under the Bill, the maximum penalty for the offence of being a member of a prohibited hate group is 7 years imprisonment.
Of particular concern is that the bill does not require the minister to observe any requirements of procedural fairness. This means that any organisation that is designated as a ‘hate group’ would have no legal avenues to challenge that designation.
The group said it was “highly likely that this bill is not constitutionally valid and will be subject to a challenge”.
We again reiterate our calls to all parliamentarians to take pause before irreparably damaging our democratic and legal system.
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Dee Why beach to remain closed after shark attack
Dee Why beach will remain closed while investigations into the shark attack earlier today are carried out, AAP reports.
The beach was closed at the time of the attack on Monday morning due to large swells.
The surfer narrowly escaped being bitten during the attack and was unharmed. The shark bit his board several times, taking a clear chunk out of the mid-section.
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Businessman fined for unwitting Aboriginal relic interference
An influential businessman has been fined $12,000 for unwittingly interfering with Aboriginal relics during land clearing, with a magistrate ruling his conduct was at the lower end of the scale.
However, Graeme Elphinstone was told he ought to have known the area in question, at Little Swanport on Tasmania’s east coast, was an Aboriginal heritage site.
Elphinstone, who heads a company that developed a specialist logging truck trailer, was earlier found guilty of nine counts of interfering with a relic.
Hobart magistrates court was told the maximum penalty for an individual found guilty was $181,000.
The charges were a result of vegetation clearing without a permit in January 2023, done to “clean up a mess” caused by trespassers, the court was told.
Magistrate Reg Marron said Elphinstone did not know the relics were there, and that the offending was at the lower end of the scale and did not involve any damage or defacing.
“(However) in the circumstances … you ought to have known it was an identified Aboriginal site,” Marron said on Monday.
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‘A home left quieter, clothes still hanging in wardrobes’: Dreyfus becomes emotional amid tributes to Bondi terror attack victims
The former attorney general Mark Dreyfus says the government’s response to the Bondi terror attack should not be confined to grief, but “must extend to what we choose to defend and how we defend it”.
Appearing to fight back tears during a condolence motion in federal parliament for victims of the shooting, Dreyfus spoke of the loss felt by those whose loved ones had been killed.
For every person murdered, there are families and friends left behind. A home left quieter, clothes still hanging in wardrobes, photos on walls that will never be updated, children asking when someone is coming home.
A seat left empty at the table, a laugh no longer heard, the longing for one more word, one moment, one more chance to say what was left unanswered. The pain of that absence does not pass quickly. They were parents, children, neighbours and friends.
Standing orders were suspended in parliament on Monday as the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, moved the condolence motion in memory of the 15 people who were killed when two alleged Islamic State-inspired gunmen targeted a Hanukah event on 14 December at Bondi beach.
The Labor MP Josh Burns told parliament his daughter had been about to go to a similar Hanukkah in the park festival in Melbourne on the day of the shooting, and described the fear that rippled through the Jewish community as news of the violence spread.
Burns said:
You think, what about my own family? What are they going to do? Are they going to be safe?
We must not dehumanise each other because dehumanisation leads to exactly what happened in Bondi. Not every act of hate ends in violence, but every act of violence begins with hate.
More on this story here:
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Hi there, I’ll now be with you until this evening.
Thank you for joining me on the blog today, I’ll leave you now with Jordyn Beazley.
I’ll be back here first thing tomorrow as the government continues negotiating with the Coalition to pass its hate speech laws. The gun laws – which the government has secured a deal with the Greens over – will also be introduced tomorrow.
Steggall says community has found politicisation of Bondi terror attack ‘distasteful’
The independent MP Zali Steggall says there has been frustration in her community over the “politicisation” of the Bondi terror attack.
Speaking to Sky News, the Sydney MP says she supports stronger gun reforms, but says it was disappointing that the government did not expand the anti-vilification measures to more groups including the LGBTQ+ community – which her colleague Allegra Spender had been pushing for.
Steggall says:
The feedback I’ve had has been the politicisation of Bondi has been really distasteful for many in the community across both major parties … rather than this being a unifying event where leaders come together to genuinely reassure Australians that we are going to be safe, that we are going to act in a united way, we haven’t seen that happen.
She says she is also concerned about the immigration changes which would increase grounds for the home affairs minister to cancel or deny a visa, saying the government could take action if it suspects someone might engage in hateful conduct, and describes it as “a very speculative, into the future assessment”.
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Clare reads moving first-person experience from survivor of Bondi shootings
The condolence motions are continuing in Parliament House, and the education minister, Jason Clare, has broken down in tears while reading the first-hand account of Jessica, a survivor of the Bondi massacre.
Jessica and her daughter were at the Hanukkah celebration, says Clare, as he offers his condolences to all the victims, their families and the community. He reads Jessica’s account, struggling to get the words out:
We covered our children with our bodies, our bodies, and as the gunshots came closer and closer as flying bits of flesh and bone sprayed over us, there was no mistaking it. This was a massacre.
I realised I was no longer preparing to survive. I was preparing for how I wanted my daughter and I to die. I leaned into her ear and spoke the only words that came to me. ‘Go inside yourself, my darling. Go to your heart, where all the love is. Stay there, my baby, stay there’.
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Shark attacks 11-year-old surfer at Dee Why beach
Moving away from federal politics for a moment, New South Wales police have confirmed an 11-year-old boy was attacked by a shark at Dee Why beach in Sydney this morning, which left multiple bite marks on his board. The boy was unharmed.
Police said the incident happened at 11.45am, and Surf Life Saving NSW assisted the boy.
Police are still making inquiries.
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New details on national day of mourning: 'Light will win'
The federal government has announced new details of this week’s national day of mourning for the victims of the Bondi Beach terror attack.
Commemorations will take place around the country this Thursday, 22 January, with the theme: “Light will win, a gathering of unity and remembrance”.
The theme was chosen by the Chabad community in Bondi.
National institutions in Canberra, as well as New South Wales, will be illuminated as a symbol of light that evening, with institutions around the country encouraged to participate. A commemorative installation, titled 15 Pillars of Light, will be set up. Each pillar will serve a visible symbol of mourning, remembrance and national solidarity.
Members of the public are invited to observe one minute of silence at 19:01 eastern time, on Thursday night.
Individuals are also encouraged to share meals and time with family and friends and leave a candle on your doorstep or window as a symbol of remembrance, mourning and solidarity with the Jewish community.
There are also 15 suggested Mitzvah, which are acts of kindness, compassion, and moral responsibility. The list of suggested Mitzvah are here.
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Former Labor strategist Tim Picton dies after alleged assault
Former Labor strategist turned mining executive Tim Picton has died after spending several weeks in hospital following an alleged assault in Perth, AAP reports.
Picton was rushed to hospital after suffering a serious head injury outside a licensed premises in the Western Australia capital early on 27 December.
The 36-year-old was found unconscious at the scene after striking his head on the pavement. He was subsequently placed in an induced coma.
Picton’s family said the Mineral Resources executive died on Monday, saying they are “devastated by the loss of our beloved Tim”. In a statement they said:
Tim was a deeply devoted father and loving husband, son, grandson, brother and uncle. His kindness, generosity and humour brought joy to our lives.
We will be forever proud of Tim’s many extraordinary achievements and capacity for love, while knowing that he still had so much to give.
Above all, Tim was an adoring father to four-year-old Charlotte, the love of his life. It breaks our hearts to know that Charlotte will grow up without her father by her side.
Picton played a key role WA Labor’s landslide 2021 election victory, which left the Liberal opposition with just two seats.
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Opposition says Australia should consider Trump ‘board of peace’ invitation as Greens decry ‘profiteering off genocide’
The shadow foreign affairs minister, Michaelia Cash, says the federal government should carefully consider Donald Trump’s proposal for Australia to join a new US-led “board of peace”.
The leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Canada, the European Commission and Middle East powers have been invited to join the new organisation, which Trump expects to be a “more nimble and effective international peace-building body”.
A draft charter shows Trump will serve as chair, with national leaders expected to make up its top tier of members. Countries are expected to serve three-year terms, with those paying US$1bn to the US expected to be given permanent status. Cash said:
The Coalition looks forward to understanding more about the objectives, structure, membership and implications of this proposal before Australia commits to any engagement.
It is important for all nations to work together to rebuild Gaza and ensure that it is no longer under the control of the Hamas terrorists.
But the Greens defence spokesperson, David Shoebridge, was scathing of the plan, writing on social media:
Trump is trying to sell Palestinian sovereignty for $1 billion per seat while Palestinians are still being bombed and starved under the so-called ‘ceasefire’.
This isn’t diplomacy, it’s profiteering off genocide. Australia better not touch this with a 10-foot pole.
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Coalition working ‘in good faith’ with Labor on hate speech laws, Duniam says
Shadow home affairs minister, Jonathon Duniam, has crossed over to the ABC studio, where he’s asked whether he can get even the most outspoken colleagues, like Andrew Hastie, to support a potential deal made with the government on its hate speech bill.
Hastie came out last week before Sussan Ley to say he would not support the bill.
It’s understood the shadow cabinet met last night, and agreed to work with Labor. Ordinarily, if a deal is done between the two major parties, the leader would take that deal to the shadow party room for approval. Duniam tells the ABC that the Coalition is working with the government “in good faith”:
One thing that most colleagues would accept including Andrew is that there is a need for us to get this right. There are concerns identified in the legislation, and I won’t speak on behalf of colleague they will have the opportunity to have their say to our internal processes, dealing with risks and concerns in the laws is something we’re working through now and if we can do that to an extent that colleagues are comfortable, we will proceed.
Pushed on his comments to Sky News earlier about whether the government could bring back the anti-vilification provisions at a later time, Duniam won’t say whether he thinks the government should do that.
I’m not sure the provisions they tabled that have been entitled ‘racial vilification provisions’ are necessary. Others say they were. We need to work together, which didn’t happen ... If [Labor] want to revisit those laws and tell us these will work and how we can protect freedom of speech, let’s have a conversation.
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Randa Abdel-Fattah serves second defamation legal notice to SA premier
The South Australia premier, Peter Malinauskas, has been served a second concerns notice for defamation by lawyers acting for the Palestinian Australian academic whose cancellation from this year’s Adelaide writers’ festival lineup caused the 2026 event to fold and its director to resign.
Randa Abdel-Fattah said she had been left with no other choice after the premier “doubled down” on his previous comments during a 14 January radio interview on Adelaide’s FIVEAA.
That interview took place the same day Michael Bradley from legal firm Marque served an initial concerns notice on Malinauskas, after he had asked journalists at a press conference the previous day to imagine if a “far-right Zionist walked into a Sydney mosque and murdered 15 people”. Here’s what he said:
Can you imagine that as premier of this state I would actively support a far-right Zionist going to writers’ week and speaking hateful rhetoric towards Islamic people?
Of course I wouldn’t, but the reverse has happened in this instance.
Bradley is alleging the premier’s remarks are defamatory by implication, linking her political commentary to the actions of the two Bondi mass murderers.
“Rather than reflect on the harm he has caused me, he has doubled down leaving me no choice but to see this through until justice is served,” Abdel-Fattah posted on Instagram.
A fundraiser set up by Readers and Writers Against the Genocide last week to pay for Abdel-Fattah’s legal costs has so far raised almost $87,000.
The Guardian has sought comment from Malinauskas.
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Coalition says ‘hope’ of progress on hate speech laws
The government is in conversation with the Coalition to negotiate on its hate speech laws that would (in their current form) give a home affairs minister more grounds to deny or cancel a visa if the person has engaged in hate, vilification or extremist conduct, and create a new “hate groups” listing.
Speaking on Sky News, the shadow home affairs minister, Jonathon Duniam, hints that those conversations might be getting somewhere (after Sussan Ley last week called the laws “pretty unsalvageable”).
Duniam says it’s good that the government abandoned racial vilification provisions in the legislation. Kieran Gilbert asks: will we see progress? Duniam:
Well, that’s the hope. I mean, the process has been shambolic from day one. What we’re doing now should have happened right at the beginning. This is a national response requiring unity, requiring everyone to be on the same page in order to in a uniform, united way …
It is excellent that the racial vilification provisions were kicked out … We are working through, and the government and opposition are working together to try and get the best outcome possible.
Gilbert pushes Duniam on why the Coalition pushed back against the anti-vilification provisions when it was something the antisemitism envoy called for in her report. Duniam says:
The government brought it in, they should consider bringing it back and indeed go through a proper process. These are something that can’t be dealt within a week and amended on the fly within a seven-day period.
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Crime scene set up after Canadian woman found dead on K’gari in Queensland
A crime scene has been established on a popular tourist island off the Queensland coast after a 19-year-old woman was found dead Monday morning.
The national broadcaster reports that the young woman found dead on the beach north of the Maheno shipwreck on K’gari (Fraser Island) was a Canadian citizen.
A Queensland Police Service spokesperson said officers were called to the beach at about 6.35am but that “initial information indicate that the woman may have gone for a swim around 5am”.
A crime scene has been established, with investigations ongoing into the circumstance.
Police are appealing for witnesses.
K’gari, the largest sand island on Earth, is a World Heritage Area whose name means “paradise” in the Butchulla language of its traditional owners, and is an important refuge for dingoes (wongari).
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Spender supports anti-vilification laws and says social cohesion must be protected
Allegra Spender says the government should move ahead with anti-vilification laws – that she has been supporting for more than 18 months – as Labor moves closer towards passing its hate speech and gun control bills.
The independent MP had moved an anti-vilification amendment in late 2024 when the government passed its previous hate crimes legislation, but it wasn’t supported by Labor or the opposition.
Spender wants to see anti-vilification laws protect the Jewish community, but also other protected groups including the LGBTQI+ community. Speaking to Sky News a little earlier, Spender said the parliament must do more to protect Jewish Australians. She also said Australia’s social cohesion must be protected:
That has to be our north star, that the Jewish community are not behind bars. They are not behind security fences. It is going to be hard to do that, but we absolutely need to have that as our north star, because then we know that we’re protecting the Jewish community and to protect the Jewish community, then we are protecting the whole Australian community.
We need to call out the violent Islamic extremism that led to Bondi, and we need to call out violent extremism of neo-Nazis and others that we have seen in this country, but we must also make sure that we protect the broader social cohesion.
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Parents of youngest Bondi shooting victim say they would like footbridge painted yellow in her honour
The parents of 10-year-old Matilda, the youngest person killed in the Bondi massacre, have said they would like the footbridge used by the alleged gunmen to be saved and painted yellow in honour of the sundress their daughter wore on her final day.
In a sit-down interview with the ABC, their first since the terror attack, Matilda’s parents, Valentyna Poltavchenko and Michael Britvan, have warned against rushing new legislation through parliament in response to the attack, and thanked the woman who saved their younger daughter.
The future of the heritage-listed pedestrian footbridge has been placed on hold after a Waverley council meeting heard it was “really upsetting” that the matter had ignited such fierce public debate. The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, has called for it to be torn down to prevent it from becoming a “ghoulish reminder” of the attack.
Matilda’s parents have suggested painting the bridge yellow and installing a plaque to commemorate the 15 victims of the attack, the ABC reported. Matilda’s mother said she did not want to see the bridge demolished.
Read the full story here:
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Chalmers thanks Bondi survivors who came to Canberra to share their stories
The condolence motions are continuing in the House and the Senate today. In the House, the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, spoke a little earlier.
He said Australian Jews are part of the Australian story and thanked the survivors of Bondi who have come to parliament today for sharing their stories with him.
The victims at Bondi came from all walks of life: rabbis, devoted volunteers, sports lovers and IT analysts, a retired police detective, a Holocaust survivor, all bound by the simple act of enjoying life and observing faith under a summer sky and their lives were cut short.
We say to everyone affected by this horror, and to every Jewish Australian, you have the right to walk the beach, the promenade, in the park in safety, to be proud of your origins and your heritage, to celebrate your faith in public.
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Where are the government’s hate speech laws at?
Over the weekend, the prime minister announced he would split the omnibus hate speech bill, and abandon anti-vilification measures within it – because it did not have the support of the Coalition or the Greens.
Since that point, the Greens have said that they would support one of the bills that deals with gun laws. That bill will set up a new gun buyback scheme, and tighten the importation of a range of firearms including guns with belt-fed ammunition and magazines of more than 30 rounds, and it ends the use of open-ended import permits.
It will also increase background checks for current and prospective gun owners, and will allow for more information sharing between states, territories, the commonwealth and security agencies.
So what about the other bill?
The government is now negotiating with the Coalition to try to pass the other legislation, which will deal with visa restrictions and a new hate group listing.
That one will increase the grounds that the home affairs minister can use to cancel or reject a visa if they believe an individual has engaged in hate, vilification or extremist conduct. These grounds would sit within the already existing character test.
The new “hate group” listing would criminalise an individual for being a member, recruiting, training or providing any support to the hate group.
You can listen to my excellent colleagues Tom McIlroy and Reged Ahmad talking about how the negotiations are taking place here:
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Rowland says parliament must emulate display of solidarity
The attorney general, Michelle Rowland, says the country must respond to the Bondi attacks “with strength, not partisanship.”
Speaking to today’s condolence motion in parliament, Rowland says the “collective unity” shown of people “from all walks of life” in the days since the attacks was “nothing short of extraordinary”.
Rowland, who is MP for Greenway in Sydney’s west, said:
It was particularly heartening to see the display of solidarity and outpouring of support from so many different religious and cultural leaders in north-west Sydney and, I’m sure, right around Australia. It’s this demonstration of the strength and solidarity that we must also emulate across this parliament.
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Tony Burke says alleged terrorists ‘don’t speak for us’
Back to Canberra, where Tony Burke, Minister for Home Affairs, opened his condolence motion with an anecdote about Ahmed al-Ahmed, who he says was at Bondi’s Hanukkah celebration because he had been looking for a coffee and was invited into the event by a rabbi.
Burke said:
Nobody is going to tell me that Ahmed Al-Ahmed is of the same religion as the gunman.
He continued:
When I visited him in hospital his explanation of what he did was very much about the hand of God, a story you could have heard from somebody of any faith. And I just think it’s important as we work through the horror, and the hatred and the evil, the unspeakable evil of those gunmen, we need to not lose what’s best about Australia and we don’t assign it on the way through to the wrong people.
Burke said he wishes the government was “going harder” on hate speech than they are in the legislation being put forward tomorrow.
In this moment Australia has a chance to respond more loudly than the evil of the [alleged] terrorists and to simply say they don’t speak for us. Our voice is: you are welcome here forever, we will make it safe.
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Pipe bomb suspect appears in court
A man accused of stealing items to make explosive pipe bombs that were found in Canberra will remain behind bars after police raided his home.
Damien Paul O’Brien was arrested and charged with four offences on Sunday after police discovered almost a dozen small, silver pipe bombs on a one-kilometre stretch of footpath in suburban Belconnen last week, reports AAP.
The 41-year-old entered the ACT magistrates court on crutches for the first mention of his matter on Monday, with no application for bail made.
Eleven detonated pipe bombs were found around Lake Ginninderra between Joynton Smith Drive and Ginninderra Drive in Belconnen last week.
Police will allege O’Brien stole $127 worth of galvanised pipes and bought 22 cap ends from Bunnings in Belconnen to create the explosives.
Read more here:
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Queensland premier says likely that more than 100,000 livestock lost to floods
More than 100,000 livestock have been lost to floods in north Queensland, according to premier, David Crisafulli.
The premier and the state’s agriculture minister, Tony Perrett, visited Julia Creek yesterday.
“I can update you today that we’ve now received 230 disaster impact surveys, and that has revealed 68,700 stock losses. There will be more to come,” Crisafulli said. He added there will not be a final estimate until people could return to their properties once the water resides:
I believe the figure is going to go well north of 100,000 and we’re going to see that continue to rise, and with that will come a massive impact. It’s not just the impact on the primary producer, both mentally and economically.
It’s also the town. Many of these smaller communities are underpinned by the primary production.
Bureau of Meteorology warnings are still active across north Queensland, including as far west as the Diamantina River. As of Sunday, power had been returned to all but 1,000 of 11,000 homes that had lost it, Crisafulli said.
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Advocates call for gun control legislation to pass
On the lawns of Parliament House, gun control advocates are calling for the government’s reforms to be passed.
Stephen Bendle, an adviser at the Alannah and Madeleine Foundation, says there should be bipartisan support of greater gun control.
We understand that there’s nothing in the bill … that restrict[s] the legal use of firearms for sporting shooters, other shooters, and anyone - primary producers, for example.
There’s a lot of pushback going on at the moment, but all of the legal firearm owners who we have always said in the vast majority are good, legal people, can still pursue their hobby or their job.
This legislation will set the foundations for a gun buyback [for] prohibited and unwanted weapons. It will help strengthen background checks. It will help share intelligence amongst jurisdictions and federal bodies such as Asio.
The Greens have agreed to pass the government’s gun reforms, which have now been split from the rest of the hate speech bill. Labor is still negotiating with the Coalition to pass the second bill.
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Burns: ‘Dehumanisation leads to exactly what happened in Bondi’
Josh Burns, a Labor MP who is also Jewish, also stands up, and talks about the night of 14 December as the shooting began.
He said his daughter was about to go to the same Hanukkah in the park festival in Melbourne.
As he speaks, his baby daughter, who was just born at the end of December, coos. She’s with Burns’ partner and Victorian MP Georgie Purcell.
Burns says he is proud of his Jewish community.
We must not dehumanise each other because dehumanisation leads to exactly what happened in Bondi. Not every act of hate ends in violence, but every act of violence begins with hate …
To every single Australian who has lit a candle, who has checked in on a Jewish community member, a friend, a colleague. I say thank you because how a country responds matters. To all of the victims and to my community, this is our home. This is our country.
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We have some more pictures out of the chamber, where MPs are speaking on the condolence motion after the Bondi terror attack.
Leeser claims antisemitism ‘festering’ in the ‘cultural left’
Julian Leeser, a Jewish MP and the shadow minister for education, says Bondi represents “a moment of choice” for Australia to tackle antisemitism. He blames violent neo-Nazi groups, “radical Islamists”, and the “cultural left” – where he claims antisemitism is festering.
He says:
Today is not about day-to-day politics. It’s about the type of country we want and the type of people we are. The sad reality is that if we do not change - then Bondi will not have changed anything.
Bondi represents a moment of choice. Will we stay in the political cul-de-sac that we have been in for over 800 days, or will we tackle the sources and causes of antisemitism in this country?
Leeser says it would be “naive” to think antisemitism could be tackled over two sitting days of parliament, and implores the chamber to deal with antisemitism “every day this parliament sits until we get the job done.”
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Greens leader Larissa Waters: ‘We cannot ignore that fear and hate have been allowed to fester in our communities’
A condolence motion marking the Bondi massacre is also being debated in the Senate this morning.
In her speech, the Greens leader, Larissa Waters, said the “reprehensible act of antisemitic violence” committed on 14 December was “not who we are”.
Waters said:
Australia is a multicultural nation that is stronger because of our diversity not in spite of it. No one in Australia should fear practicing their religion or culture.
Every Australian should have the right to live, work, worship, learn in peace and in safety.
We cannot ignore that fear and hate have been allowed to fester in our communities and to spill over into tragedy.
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Dreyfus: response to Bondi ‘must extend to what we choose to defend and how we defend it’
After Littleproud is Mark Dreyfus, a Jewish MP and the former attorney general,, who speaks the name of the 15 killed.
Dreyfus says the country and government’s response should not be confined to grief, but it “must extend to what we choose to defend and how we defend it.” He becomes emotional as he talks about those who are left behind after the tragedy.
For every person murdered their families and friends left behind. A home left quieter, clothes still hanging in wardrobes, photos on walls that will never be updated, children asking when someone is coming home. A seat left empty at the table, a last no longer heard, belonging to one more word, one moment, one more chance to say what was left unanswered, the pain of that absence does not pass quickly. They were parents, children, neighbours and friends.
Dreyfus ends with a Hebrew prayer.
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Littleproud pays tributes to victims, survivors and heroes
Both the house and Senate will be speaking on the condolence motion for most of the sitting day today. There will be no question time.
In the house, the Nationals leader, David Littleproud, speaks next to pay his respect to the victims, their families and the survivors and heroes of Bondi. He also pays tribute to Ahmed al-Ahmed, the hero who disarmed one of the gunmen.
Our Jewish community has been traumatised and our country reshaped. There are really no words of comfort that I or any other can provide to the families of these victims that will ease the pain. But they should know that this country is with you and that your life not be in vain.
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Marles: ‘The legacy of Bondi has to be that we return to the Jewish community the Australia that they once knew’
The deputy prime minister, Richard Marles, opens his condolences by describing the “grainy, dashcam footage” that captured Boris and Sofia Gurman, attempting to disarm the gunmen as they were getting out of the car; and the footage that emerged of Ahmed al-Ahmed successfully doing so.
Marles says the members of the Jewish community who have spoken to him have said that despite antisemitism being an old prejudice, Australia had for a long time been “a safe harbour” for them.
It’s really against that backdrop of relative historic normality that the Jewish community today is so shocked, that kids going to Jewish schools have to do so behind high walls or 24/7 guarded protection and when leaving schools they have to get out of that uniform on campus so that they cannot be readily identifiable on the streets where the logos are taken off the school busses for the same reason, and the same operating applies to Jewish aged care facilities, to Jewish community centers, to synagogues. And it’s become difficult, if not impossible for the community to celebrate with joy, culture and religion without fear.
So rightly, the Jewish community asks today in Australia how is that OK? In the land of the fair go, how is that fair? And if there is to be any meaning coming out of this tragic event, it must be the resolution of this question. The legacy of Bondi has to be that we return to the Jewish community the Australia that they once knew. And in the process, as we aspire to eliminate all forms of prejudice from our country, we seek to provide to each and every citizen the full promise of Australia.
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Allegra Spender says Australia ‘will never be the same, nor should it’
Allegra Spender, the member for Wentworth who represents the area of Bondi, speaks next.
She says 14 December is one of the darkest days of modern Australia, and that our country, “will never be the same, nor should it be”.
Spender names the 15 killed in the terror attack and says “people are not gone if we continue to say their names and remember them”. She calls on everyone, including MPs in the house, to focus on unity and social cohesion.
People are angry now and rightly so but in [Rabbi Yehoram Ulman’s] words Australia must become a nation where kindness is louder than hate, where decency is stronger than fair.
This was the most violent attack of hatred in modern Australia. And I do believe that we as a country can emerge more united, was steadfastly committed to our common values and our shared humanity than ever before. The stories from Bondi show us the way. The courage and the care of those Australians show us the way.
This is what we owe those we have lost. This is how we honour their pleasant memories, and as Rabbi Ulman reminds us, this work is urgent. Let us not wait for tomorrow, let us start today.
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Ley says parliament must 'face uncomfortable truths'
Ley says antisemitism has “festered” in Australia since the 7 October attack in Israel.
Antisemitic hate fuelled the [alleged] terrorists on 14 December but it came out of the shadows in October 2023. It walked our streets. It marched over our bridges. It took over our landmarks. It camped in universities, it painted graffiti on our buildings. It firebombed our places of worship. It sent children to school behind locked gates and armed guards. Like a slow creeping disease, it festered in plain sight.
Jewish Australians do not feel safe and if Jewish Australians do not feel safe, then no Australian feels safe. You warned of this menacing storm and you said you felt unheard. The Coalition heard you. We must unite as a parliament to confront and defeat this evil. To do so, we must face uncomfortable truths.
She ends on a similar note to the prime minister, saying Australia must strive to ensure the memories of those killed become a “blessing”.
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Sussan Ley: ‘How did this happen, and how can we make sure it never happens again?’
Anthony Albanese ends, calling on Australians to respect each other, look after each other and bring light into each others’ lives.
That is how all of us can help repair and strengthen the fabric of our nation. How we heal and move forward in a spirit of national unity, where light triumphs over darkness. It is how we honour the heroes of Bondi and how we ensure that the 15 people we remember and honour today are never forgotten. May their memories be a blessing.
The opposition leader, Sussan Ley stands up next, acknowledging the victim survivors and their families sitting in the gallery of the House today. She names the 15 who were killed on 14 December.
This deadly and deliberate attack on Jews on Australian soil was on the first night of Hanukkah, the festival of lights, a night that should have been filled with joy and hope, not darkness and hate. Many never imagined such a horror could take place on our shores but it did. People who were there told me their stories, covering their children with their bodies, running to safety, screaming and searching for loved ones. While part of them felt no surprise, just the cold weight of expectation realised.
We honour those we lost by answering this question - how did this happen and how can we make sure it never happens again?
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Albanese tells Jewish Australians: ‘You are not alone’
The families of those killed at Bondi are in the public gallery for the condolence motion.
Albanese acknowledges them and all those watching from home. He tells the Jewish community, “you are not alone”.
We say to all of you who have travelled here today and to those watching at home, on your long road to healing, Australia will be by your side. Just as our nation came together one week after Bondi to light candles against the darkness, we must continue to raise our voices against the silence.
While the massacre at Bondi Beach was cruel and senseless, it was not random. Jewish Australians were the target. As we offer our love, sympathy and solidarity to everyone bearing the weight of trauma and loss, we make it clear to every Jewish Australian, you are not alone.
Albanese also pays tribute to the first responders and heroes who helped at Bondi beach on 14 December. The prime minister says he has asked the governor general to create a special honours list so Australians can nominate those heroes for formal recognition.
Their bravery is inspiring and it was instinctive. They didn’t need to know the names of the people they faced gun fire to help. They did not stop to think about faith or nationality. Their bond was more profound than that. Their bravery was an act of shared humanity and that is the spirit in which Australians have responded every day since.
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PM moves condolence motion in parliament
Anthony Albanese is moving a condolence motion for the victims of the Bondi attack, which the parliament will spend most of the day on.
Albanese will speak first, followed by Sussan Ley, Richard Marles, David Littleproud, Mark Dreyfus and Julian Leeser. Dreyfus and Leeser are both Jewish MPs.
The motion gives the parliament’s heartfelt condolences, condemns the atrocity, condemns the evil of antisemitism and vows action to eradicate it, honours the courage of first responders, acknowledges the long-lasting trauma, expresses admiration for the heroes of Bondi, affirms the right of Jewish Australians to live in peace and safety and stands together in the spirit of national unity.
The house has a minute of silence before the PM begins:
Fifteen innocent people for whom today should be just another Monday morning. Another day in this beautiful country they loved, in the embrace of the family and friends they adored. Another day in busy lives, reaching passion and purpose, defined by hard work and by humour. Another day devoted to others serving their community, nourishing their faith. Another day of school holidays. Instead, our parliament comes together in sorrow to offer our nation’s condolences to the people who knew and loved them best.
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It’s tomorrow or nothing says PM on hate speech laws
Speaking to ABC radio Melbourne, the PM again says it’s up to the Coalition to explain why they have “walked away” from anti vilification laws which he says were recommended by the antisemitism envoy, Jillian Segal.
Asked point blank by Raff Epstein whether the laws – if not passed tomorrow – will be abandoned forever, Albanese says “correct”.
Albanese then criticises the Coalition for saying the whole process has been “rushed” when they themselves were calling for parliament to be recalled late last year.
It’s up to the Coalition in particular to explain why it is that they said they wanted the report implemented in full. And when they’ve had the opportunity [they’ve] walked away from it, just like it’s up to them to explain why it is they call for Parliament to be resumed and pass all these laws before December.
We’re not a government that puts things up over and over again to see them defeated.
Albanese says the government after this will be focused on other issues like the cost of living, health and childcare.
Updated
Earlier my colleague, Tom McIlroy, brought you new stats from the government on gun ownership.
You can have a closer look at the number of firearms in Australia and the number of owners here:
Anthony Albanese says One Nation popularity a ‘worry’
The PM has also been riding the media train this morning, and spoke to KIIS FM’s Kyle and Jackie O earlier.
Asked about the latest Newspoll results showing One Nation’s primary vote rising above the Coalition’s – Anthony Albanese said it’s a “worry”.
It’s a worry because they can appeal to grievance, but they’re a pretty divisive lot … I’m a believer in mainstream politics and that the parties of government, it’s important. Served this country pretty well. I look at overseas where you have a real fragmentation and, you know, you might have five or six parties in government and it’s unstable. Italy, of course, was famous for a while there, changing governments every year. And so, I mean, it’s a reality that the Coalition in particular have to deal with.
The results showed One Nation’s primary vote increased to 22%, just ahead of the Coalition’s primary vote of 21%. Meanwhile the government had seen a slight tick down to a primary vote of 32%.
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Government hasn’t yet considered ‘board of peace’ invitation, Albanese says
Albanese is asked whether the government will join Donald Trump’s board of peace initiative, that would be used to progress the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
The PM confirmed the invitation – which has been sent to other leaders including Canada and Turkey – arrived last night.
But he won’t say whether Australia will join the board.
I haven’t looked in detail yet … Something has come in, my understanding is overnight. And I’ll have a look at that when I’m in the office this morning. But I’m not going to respond to something that I haven’t had the opportunity to give proper consideration to.
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PM calls on opposition to support ‘hate group’ listings
The bill that would create a new “hate group listing” still hangs in the balance, but the government’s anti-vilification measures have been dumped – with no support from either party.
Speaking to ABC radio Sydney, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, says the measures were part of the antisemitism envoy’s recommendations – which the Coalition has pushed for the government to implement in full:
The opposition said that they supported the antisemitism envoy’s report, wanted it implemented in full, but when it came to us presenting the laws, they walked away from them. That’s up to them to explain why they did that.
On the hate group listing, the government has already signalled two groups – the National Socialist Network (which has already said it will disband) and Hizb ut-Tahrir – will likely be listed.
The PM calls on the opposition to support it:
This organisation [Hizb ut-Tahrir] that essentially has a very dangerous ideological position, promotes extremism at the moment has been allowed to continue to exist for a number of years. We want to have the power to be able to list it and to outlaw it. And I think that is a common-sense position.
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Boy bitten by shark in Sydney harbour in for the ‘fight of his life’ today
The 12-year-old boy bitten by a large shark at a popular Sydney harbour beach yesterday is in for the “fight of his life today” after suffering critical injuries to both of his legs, NSW police officials said.
Superintendent Joe Mcnulty, the commander of NSW police marine area command, said emergency officials responded within minutes after receiving a triple zero call, saying the boy had been attacked by a shark at Nielsen Park around 4.21pm. He praised the quick work of the boy’s friends, all around the same age, including one who pulled him from the water.
The actions of his mates who’ve gone into the water and pulled him out have been nothing but brave.
Mcnulty added the conditions of the water in Sydney harbour, swollen with freshwater from days of heavy rain, had made it the “perfect storm environment” for a shark incident as much of the harbour is now brackish with bad visibility.
The boy is now “fighting for his life”, Mcnulty added.
The actions between police [and emergency officials] were extraordinary. It was a textbook recovery to give this boy a fighting chance for his survival. He’s in for the fight of his life today.
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What are the sticking points for the Coalition on hate speech bill?
As we know, the government and opposition are in talks on one of the hate speech bills that would deal with hate crimes and increasing the grounds to revoke or refuse visas for people with extremist views seeking to come to Australia. Anti vilification provisions within the legislation have been abandoned entirely.
So what is the opposition negotiating on? Well, we don’t yet know.
Earlier on RN Breakfast, Andrew Wallace wouldn’t give us any details:
I’m not going to go into details with you about what sticking points there may or may not be, but there are certain processes which I’m sure that you would respect that the party has to go through.
When pressed on why the Coalition was now negotiating when it had just days ago called the bill “pretty unsalvageable”, Wallace hit back saying that the government had said the bill was “unsplittable” - i.e things change and politics is a moving feast.
Shadow treasurer, Ted O’Brien also wouldn’t say much when on the Today show earlier this morning:
We’ll be discussing with the government today, and I obviously won’t be pre-empting those negotiations on morning TV, other than to say that we are very genuine in wanting to ensure that we deliver something in the national interest. We’re not here to try to make sure we fix Albanese’s problem, because he’s created it with this mess of a process. If there is something with which we can agree, we’ll be there in a heartbeat. We do have concerns and we’ve already expressed some of those concerns and there’ll be further discussions with the government today.
In pictures: here’s a look at who’s been walking down the corridors of parliament this morning
The blokes of parliament have been out in full force this morning.
Coalition defends push to recall parliament last year
The government has been throwing up the argument that the Coalition called on the prime minister to recall parliament in December, to immediately deal with Bondi, but is claiming that Labor’s legislation is now being “rushed”.
So what does the Coalition have to say about the timing?
The shadow attorney general, Andrew Wallace, tells RN Breakfast that had parliament been recalled last year, like they did in NSW, the parliament could have more properly considered the hate speech bill(s).
Sussan Ley called for the parliament to resume in the same way that Chris Minns resumed parliament before Christmas, an emergency sitting so that we could thrash these things out as early as possible. If we had done that, if we had come back, as Susan suggested, before Christmas, we could have been well and truly down the track of a proper consideration of this bill or now two bills. What we saw instead was an absolute shambles in the process.
Just a note here: the NSW government recalled parliament last year to immediately limit the number of guns a person can own, crack down on protests and the display of prohibited symbols. The Coalition hasn’t yet said whether it will support the federal government’s gun reforms.
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Major parties accuse each other of politicising Bondi attack
Staying on RN Breakfast, Murray Watt has accused the Coalition of “rampant politicisation” of the terror attack, and says:
I think unfortunately, what we saw within about 24 hours of the Bondi incident was people like Sussan Ley and a range of her other party members out there attacking the prime minister, attacking the government, demanding the parliament be recalled, demanding that changes be made that they’re now not prepared to support.
Host, Sally Sara, puts that to the shadow attorney general, Andrew Wallace, who gets in the hot seat after Watt and says he “refutes” the suggestion that the Coalition has been politicking.
When the Labor party is in trouble, when they pull out the unity card, and the prime minister’s conduct, and quite frankly, the leaders within the Labor party, has been absolutely appalling … The prime minister expected that this would be a political problem that he could ride out: that people such as yourselves, the media, and Australians would just forget about it over Christmas. Well, Australians didn’t … the prime minister totally misread the room on this.
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Watt concerned conservative states moving away from national cabinet guns agreement
The difficulty the federal government faces on gun control, is that most measures have to be done through the states – where the likes of Tasmania, the Northern Territory and Queensland have already rejected the commonwealth’s to split costs for a national buyback 50/50.
Jumping back to Murray Watt speaking to RN Breakfast, the Queensland senator says he is concerned that states like his are moving away from an agreement reached by national cabinet last year to limit gun ownership.
While the Greens have promised to support the government’s gun control legislation that would establish the buyback, Watt also pushes the Coalition to support it too.
It’s important to recognise that the commonwealth government’s powers in relation to guns only go so far. There’s a remainder, a range of other issues to do with guns around, for example, limits on the number of guns that people can own that would need to be dealt with by state governments … It’s worrying to see some of the conservative states, including Queensland, moving away from that [national cabinet] agreement.
There’s a question for the Coalition this week – are they seriously going to oppose the kind of gun buyback that John Howard put in place after Port Arthur?
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New figures show Australians own more than 4.1m firearms
New federal government figures show Australians own more than 4.1m firearms, with Queensland and NSW leading the nation for gun registration.
The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, released the numbers ahead of parliament considering tough new rules and the creation of a buyback scheme in response to the Bondi Beach shootings. Labor has secured support from the Greens to pass legislation through parliament establishing the buyback program.
About 260,000 licence holders in NSW own 1.15m guns, just ahead of Queensland’s 231,000 licence holders, who own a combined 1.14m. Victoria has 243,000 registered owners, and about 975,000 weapons.
Burke said nationally consistent laws were needed:
The deadly antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi Beach is a national tragedy which can never be allowed to happen again. Our number one priority is keeping all Australians safe. That’s why we’re finishing the work of the Howard government and getting dangerous guns off our streets.
Updated
Labor cabinet ministers are hitting the airwaves hard this morning, piling pressure on the Coalition to pass their reforms, and attacking “internal divisions” in the opposition.
Environment minister Murray Watt is speaking to the ABC’s Radio National Breakfast program, and like the prime minister last week, says now is the time for “national unity”.
We’re obviously still in negotiations with the coalition when it comes to the remainder of those laws regarding hate crimes. We are, again, very hopeful that they will support those laws ...
\We know that the Coalition has very significant internal divisions, but it’s really important this week that they can demonstrate they can put national unity ahead of their internal divisions and support those changes to the law.
Marles ‘confident about the future of Nato’ despite Trump pressure
Continuing his media rounds, the deputy PM, Richard Marles, is pressed on the government’s response to Donald Trump’s tariffs on some European nations, in a bid to take over Greenland.
Speaking on the Today show a little earlier, Marles still won’t provide commentary on the pressure to take over Greenland, but again says that Labor does not support tariffs.
Asked whether the move spells the end of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato), Marles says:
Nato has played a very important role and continues to be very strong. I’ve been to the last two Nato meetings representing Australia, and there is a definite sense of unity when you’re at Nato meetings. So I feel confident about the future of Nato.
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Caviar, crab sticks and … artisanal cheese? Sydney’s new fish market finally opens
Leaving politics for a moment, the new Sydney Fish Market has been officially opened by the premier of New South Wales in an early morning ribbon cutting ceremony that wasn’t dampened by the rain.
At 7am, the market flung open its doors, with hundreds of people filing in to explore more than 40 shiny shopfronts in the new building offering everything from seafood to flowers, juices and artisan cheese.
Chris Minns said it was a “huge moment for Sydney” and the broader seafood community.
This is a long time coming … And while foodies will travel far and wide I think it’s really important that … whether you’re coming here for caviar or crab sticks … this place will have something for everybody.
The chief executive of the Sydney Fish Market, Daniel Jarosch, said it was a “historic day”.
Seafood is an essential part of our Australian life … central to our celebrations, our summers … seafood is woven into the Australian story.
Jarosch said the market “belongs to the community” and would be the best, and largest, seafood market in the world.
“Welcome to the new Sydney Fish Market,” he told a crowd to cheers.
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Pathway from extreme racist bigotry to violence a ‘very short path’: Burke
While the government has had to abandon anti-vilification reforms, Burke says a large number of people were calling for those reforms to be applied to a wider number of people, like the LGBTQI or disability communities.
I know some people just take the freedom of speech side of the argument, but I’ve got to say, I am yet to believe that freedom of speech is about racist bigotry. Racist bigotry can be completely debilitating, and the pathway from extreme racist bigotry to violence is a very short path.
On the gun reforms, which the Greens have promised to support, Burke says the government is negotiating with the states and territories over implementing buybacks.
The commonwealth has said it would split costs 50/50 with the states and territories, which has been so far rejected by the Northern Territory and Tasmania. Burke told ABC AM:
There’s always a negotiation with the states. I don’t doubt that the vast majority of states will have a very high level of goodwill on this, and there’ll be conversations about the breadth and the structure of the buyback. The most important thing with the gun reforms is when I’m asked the question: if these had already been in place, would the two gunmen at Bondi had been able to have the firearms that they had? The answer is no.
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Burke: 'bizarre' if Coalition opposes split hate speech laws
The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, says the hate speech laws – which the government has been forced to split – don’t do everything the government had initially intended. In splitting the bill, the government has dropped anti-vilification provisions that had no support from the Greens or the Coalition.
Burke is also pushing for the Coalition to pass hate speech laws through, which he says the opposition had previously supported. He also points out that the Coalition had been pushing the government to recall parliament late last year.
Certainly there’s parts of it that they had called for that they’re now not supporting. And I would find it bizarre if their original call to split the bill was so that they could oppose it twice. Like that would just be an extraordinary situation if that’s where all this goes. Everything they’ve been calling for says they should now be turning up and voting for it ...
They [the bills] don’t deliver everything that we wanted them to. That’s the simple fact. That’s what happens when part of the legislation is withdrawn.
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Marles welcomes Trump invitation to Australia but no decision on joining
Staying on Marles, the deputy PM says he “welcomes” the invitation from Donald Trump for Australia to join the ‘board of peace’.
But over whether Australia will join that board, Marles remains a little more coy.
We welcome the invitation as we do all the efforts of the Trump administration to bring about peace in the Middle East. We need to see an end to the conflict there for humanitarian assistance to flow and for that part part of the world to be rebuilt. In terms of the specific request, we will talk that through with America to understand what this means and what is involved.
Marles also won’t wade into commenting on the Trump administration’s attempt to buy Greenland following its moves to tariff European nations to exert pressure. He says the future of Greenland is a “matter for Denmark and Greenland”, but that the government does not support tariffs – a similar comment his colleague and cabinet minister, Katy Gallagher, made yesterday. Marles says:
They are the sovereign powers. That is who Australia recognises. That is the fundamental issue here. In terms of tariffs, we don’t support tariffs and we have been consistent in our position with the United States about opposing tariffs. We won’t get into a running commentary about the relationship between the United States and Europe.
You can read more about those tariffs here:
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Coalition ‘gone missing’ over anti-vilification laws, Richard Marles says
The deputy prime minister and defence minister, Richard Marles, says the Coalition has “gone missing” as the government tries to get the opposition to support its contentious hate bill (that it was forced to split over the weekend).
Marles is doing the media rounds for Labor this morning and starts on ABC News Breakfast, imploring the Coalition to come to the table.
What we wanted to do was to put in place the entirety of the report combating antisemitism that was done by Jillian Segal. We wanted anti-vilification laws put through the parliament. The Liberal party at that point said they supported it. The Jewish community want us to do it but when we get to the crunch, the Liberal party have gone missing.
This is not politicking between Labor and Liberal, this is politicking within the Liberal party. They have to get over their division and bring bipartisanship to our nation.
Asked about the Labor’s dip in the polls after the Bondi terror attack, Marles says the government isn’t focused on the polls, and that prime minister Anthony Albanese has “done an incredible job since 14 December”.
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Poll shift: Barnaby Joyce ‘humbled’ by growing support for One Nation
Barnaby Joyce says One Nation has given Australians a “licence for an alternative” after a Newspoll, published by the Australian newspaper, showed support for the minor conservative party has risen to 22%, ahead of the Coalition’s primary vote of 21%.
Labor’s primary vote has also dipped to 32%, down four points since last year.
Speaking on Sunrise, Joyce – who defected to the party near the end of last year – said he was “humbled” by the support, and said it wasn’t an attack on Sussan Ley’s leadership of the Coalition.
It’s never been an attack on Sussan’s leadership. I think that what One Nation has done has given people licence for an alternative … And when you’ve got to make a choice between political correctness or looking after Australians, we’ll look after Australians first.
Joyce was joined by cabinet minister, Murray Watt, who said the results show “why you’re seeing so much division within the Coalition … it’s what’s drifting them further and further to the right”.
Updated
Good morning, Krishani Dhanji here with you for the first sitting day of the year, and it is going to be a big one.
There will be a condolence motion for the victims, families and first responders of the Bondi terror tragedy, while the government tries to pressure the Coalition to support its split-up hate speech laws (as the Greens have promised to pass gun reforms).
The Coalition will also be on alert this morning after the first Newspoll of the year paints them a bleak picture, and shows surging support for One Nation. The poll also shows a drop in popularity for the government.
Stick with us!
Australia invited to join Trump's 'board for peace'
Governments have reacted cautiously to Donald Trump’s invitation to join his ‘board of peace’ initiative aimed at resolving conflicts globally, a plan that diplomats said could harm the work of the UN.
Only Hungary, whose leader is a close Trump ally, gave an unequivocal acceptance in response to the invitations, which have been addressed to some 60 nations and began arriving in European capitals on Saturday, according to diplomats.
The leaders of Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Canada, the European Commission and key Middle East powers were among those invited, according to officials.
As Lorenzo Tondo reports this morning, far-right ministers in Israel have attacked the White House’s picks for the panel – which includes representatives of Turkey and Qatar, both of which have been critical of Israel’s war in the strip:
The board would be chaired for life by Trump and would start by addressing the Gaza conflict and then be expanded to deal with other conflicts, according to a copy of the letter and draft charter seen by Reuters.
Member states would be limited to three-year terms unless they pay US$1bn each to fund the board’s activities and earn permanent membership, the letter states.
A mandate for a Board of Peace was authorised by the UN security council in November, but only through 2027 and solely focused on the Gaza conflict. Russia and China, two veto wielding powers, abstained, complaining that the resolution did not give the UN a clear role in the future of Gaza.
Welcome
Good morning. Krishani Dhanji will be here shortly to take you through the day’s news as federal parliament is recalled for an urgent sitting in the wake of the Bondi terror attack.
After Anthony Albanese agreed to split draft laws, new gun control measures are set to pass with the support of the Greens.
But as Tom McIlroy reported yesterday, Jewish leaders are urging a last-minute compromise to secure tough new hate speech laws – the most controversial elements on vilification and intimidation were on pause because of strong opposition from the left and right of politics.
Let’s get started.
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