Category: Australian News

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: I think we all regret the circumstances of this meeting of the National Cabinet. The antisemitic terrorism incident in Bondi, I think, has shaken the whole nation, not just people in Sydney and New South Wales, in particular, members of the Jewish community have been devastated by what is an unprecedented scale of attack on the Australian way of life. I thank the police and emergency services, the people, particularly in New South Wales, but our national security agencies, including the AFP as well, for the work that has been conducted over the last 20 hours or so. Today, I met with the Premier of New South Wales, and we made a declaration after being briefed by the New South Wales Police Commissioner who has joined us here today. And we also had a visit down to Bondi. There is quite horrific scenes there, and people are really hurting. What they’re looking for is confidence going forward. And today’s meeting is about making sure that we have states and territories aligned here, making sure we send a message as well to Jewish Australians that we stand together against antisemitism, giving a message to all Australians that we stand against terrorism and that we will do whatever it is that we can, if laws need to be adjusted, to make changes. One of the suggestions that will be on the agenda today is to have an examination of our gun laws to make sure that if there is any tightening or changes which are required, that we put in place mechanisms. Through this National Cabinet we, of course, have established the National Firearms Register. That is a significant step forward, and I know that work is progressing on that, but we need to, I think, accelerate the work in that area. But I thank all of you for joining us, and we will have, no doubt, a constructive discussion. And I thank as well the AFP Commissioner, the New South Wales Police Commissioner, and other authorities who’ve joined us, in particular at this difficult time.

We are horrified and shaken in the wake of the mass shooting at a Chanukah event in Bondi this evening, which has left at least ten people dead and injured many more.  This is the first night of Chanukah when we gather with loved ones and friends to light the Chanukiah. Many within our community have just received the worst news of their lives. Others are caring for injured loved ones, and some are still waiting to hear that their families are safe.

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Bart Shteinman, Executive Member We should all be able to gather with our communities, practice our culture, and worship in safety. Our hearts are with our friends, family, fellow community members and everyone impacted by this terrifying event.  Sarah Schwartz, Executive Officer To be confronted with this horrific act of antisemitic violence during the Jewish festival of light and hope is shattering. In moments like this, we hold each other close.

Today, the Final Report of the Inquiry into the Quality of Governance at Australian Higher Education Providers has been released. Following five public hearings, hundreds of submissions, and countless hours of work from brave staff, students, unionists, and activists, this Report and the work of the Committee shines a light on the governance rot that is hollowing out our public universities.

The Report makes clear the crisis we are facing, but disappointingly, the recommendations fall short of the overhaul that is required. The Australian Greens have provided Additional Comments and recommendations that address these gaps.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Deputy Leader of the Greens and spokesperson for Higher Education:

“The final report exposes the depth and breadth of failed leadership, corporate rot and consultant capture decaying our public universities. Arrogant executives indulge in obscene pay packets and big consultancies feast on public money, while the people who teach, research, support students and hold the university together are overworked, underpaid and exploited.

“While the report is a scathing indictment on the corporatisation of universities and the severity of the crisis at hand, it falls short of providing remedies that match the systemic overhaul needed to end the era of managerial bloat and unaccountable opaque governance.

“The corporate university has utterly failed its communities. It is high time we return to higher education as a public good, not a market for profit-seeking firms and austerity-obsessed executives. Our universities must be institutions grounded in equity, democracy, accountability, and transparency, empowered to pursue research and education in the public interest.

“The failures of governance in universities go hand in hand with decades of underfunding by governments, most viciously exemplified by the fee hikes and funding cuts of the JRG scheme, which have been widely condemned and yet still not been reversed by the Labor government.

“The government must commit to substantially increasing funding to universities to catch up with the OECD average, starting by dumping the disastrous JRG scheme’s fee hikes and funding cuts.

“I want to thank the staff, students and their unions who have spoken up and called time on a rotten system, despite the risk of retribution from university management. It is because of their courage that we can hope to finally see some change.

“It is imperative that the Government listen to the damning evidence provided to this inquiry, take seriously the recommendations being made by staff and students, and act with urgency to turn things around.”

Australian Greens Recommendations

Recommendation 1: That the Australian Tertiary Education Commission’s foundational legislation should clearly articulate the public mission and the educational, social, and civic functions of a public university sector.

Recommendation 2: That the establishing acts of universities be amended to clarify that their central purpose is public research and education, not commercial or corporate performance.

Recommendation 3: That the Australian Government immediately reverse the Job-ready Graduates Package fee hikes and funding cuts.

Recommendation 4: That the meetings of all university councils and governing bodies be held in public and be livestreamed online.

Recommendation 5: That all higher education provider governing bodies reflect the community’s diversity including First Nations peoples, Culturally and Racially Marginalised people, LGBTIQA+ people and people with disabilities.

Recommendation 6: That the majority of members on university governing bodies have public administration and higher education expertise.

Recommendation 7: That a minimum membership requirement of at least 50 per cent democratically elected staff and student representatives (including undergraduate and postgraduate students) be set for governing bodies.

Recommendation 8: That, in addition to council minutes, reports produced for council and annual self-performance reviews be published on university websites.

Recommendation 9: That complaints processes be examined and enhanced by working with students, staff and student bodies.

Recommendation 10: That the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency’s Higher Education Standards Framework be amended to include a consultation framework for how universities meaningfully involve, consult and work with students and staff as partners in major change proposals and governance, prior to decisions being made.

Recommendation 11: That to limit the use of consultants and outsourcing at universities, an appropriate Federal government agency develops principles for this purpose that prioritise in-house expertise.

Recommendation 12: That Federal government funding to public universities be increased in order to fully fund universities and make them free, starting by increasing funding to at least the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average.

Recommendation 13: That universities implement protections for whistleblowers and student activists, including the establishment of a Whistleblower Protection Authority, and protect the right of students and staff to protest on university campuses.

Recommendation 14: Require all public universities to adopt transparent ethical investment and procurement policies, with binding commitments to divest from weapons manufacturers, fossil fuel corporations, and gambling industries.

Recommendation 15: Establish a publicly accessible register of all university partnerships, sponsorships, and funding arrangements with corporations and external entities, including the nature and value of the partnership.

Recommendation 16: Increase PhD stipends to above the minimum wage.

The Greens have slammed the Albanese government for handing out new ocean acreage to their donor mates in the fossil fuel industry to exploit in a time of climate emergency. 

Labor’s disgraceful decision has nothing to do with everyday Australians and everything to do with the state capture of our government by fossil fuel corporations.

Australia is the second biggest exporter of fossil fuels in the world, after Russia. Yet Labor has no plan to deal with our exports, and is content with 56% of all Australia’s gas being exported without paying any royalties or resource rent tax. That’s $170 billion dollars worth of free gas over the next five years for big gas companies. 

There’s no plausible excuse for Labor to risk destroying marine ecosystems with seismic blasting only to lock Australia into more fossil fuel pollution and accelerate climate-driven disasters for the sake of a few profit-driven interests – but that’s exactly what this shameful government continues to do, over and over again. 

Greens spokesperson for healthy oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson: 

“Labor’s two-faced climate act is wearing thin. How on earth is ripping open new gas fields for fossil fuel companies to plunder, pollute and profit from in a time of climate emergency consistent with transitioning to a clean energy future?

“Australia has decades of gas left in our proven reserves system. There is no need to put marine wildlife and livelihoods that depend on healthy oceans at risk by using destructive methods to search for new gas fields. 

“Australia is the second biggest exporter of fossil fuels in the world. Clearly, we don’t have a gas supply problem, we have a political problem. 

“Oil and gas corporations come to our shores and take billions in government handouts, pay less tax than a nurse or a teacher, and then leave us to foot the bill of cleaning up their polluting rigs when they’re done. It’s a complete rort. 

“Labor is taking Australians for fools, but coastal communities aren’t so easily conned. Last year one of the largest seismic blasting proposals in Australian history was withdrawn by its proponent following immense community pressure. It was a siren call to all the fossil fuel companies eyeing off our oceans that their time is up. But clearly Labor is either too arrogant or too greedy to care.”

Greens Resources Spokesperson, Senator Steph Hodgins-May:

“Labor’s new ocean acreage handout is an environmental betrayal and an early Christmas gift to the fossil fuel companies driving the climate crisis.

“We have an export crisis, not a supply crisis. Labor is pre-empting the Gas Market Review by opening up new supply instead of fixing the existing broken system that allows big gas companies to export $170 billion dollars of free gas over the next five years.

“By incentivising decades worth of new gas, this government is ignoring science, setting us up to miss critical climate targets, and accelerating environmental disasters here and across the globe.

“The way to fix this crisis is to implement a 25% Gas Export Tax, which will deliver real cost-of-living relief instead of more of the same climate-wrecking gas projects.”

The Greens have urged Labor to commit to winding back tax handouts for rich property investors at the upcoming minibudget, saying fixing the CGT handout would help bring soaring housing prices under control, and be a massive Christmas gift for renters and first homebuyers. 

Experts say the capital gains tax discount pushes up house prices, as it encourages speculation by wealthy property investors, enabling them to bid further against would-be first homebuyers.

The government has previously modelled changes to the CGT discount, and momentum for change is growing. 

The Greens have established two Senate Inquiries which will put the unfair tax handout in the firing line – one on intergenerational housing inequality in Australia; and one focused solely on the CGT discount itself, which reports in March.  

With the Treasurer flagging that this MYEFO may be one forcing hard choices, the Greens say there is no excuse for winding back supports for everyday people while leaving wealthy investors untouched. 

Sen. Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Leader & Climate spokesperson said:

“The best gift for any renter this Christmas is a fix to the utterly cooked housing market. Millions of people have given up on the prospect of ever owning their own home.

“Wealthy property investors get a leg-up from the government at auction, which supercharges house prices and locks first renters and homebuyers out.

“Labor must use next week’s mini budget to announce that the free ride for wealthy property investors is over.”

Sen. Nick McKim, Greens Treasury spokesperson said:

“The CGT discount is turbo-charging wealth inequality and intergenerational inequity. 50% of the benefit goes to the top 1% of income earners, and 71% of the benefit goes to people over 50.”

“It means that people who work to earn a living are paying twice the tax than someone making the same money flipping investment properties.”

“Labor can’t continue to hand over billions in tax breaks for wealthy property investors that are locking first home buyers out of the market, then claim at MYEFO that there’s no money to help renters.

“There’s no better time to commit to change. Ending the era of property hoarding would help renters, first homebuyers and the national budget, and be the talk of every Christmas lunch.

“It shouldn’t take the Ghost of Christmas Future for Labor to see that this unfair measure has got to end.”

Sen. Barbara Pocock, Greens housing spokesperson said:

“Every year, wealthy property investors wake up to billions of dollars worth of gifts under the Christmas tree, while renters and first homebuyers get lumps of coal. That needs to end next week.

“Labor’s unfair tax breaks for wealthy property investors are fuelling the housing crisis by turbocharging speculative investment while locking renters and young people out of home ownership.

“With house prices forecast to increase by 9 percent next year after soaring 6 percent% this year, there’s no time to waste.”

The Greens have condemned Beetaloo Energy Australia’s Final Investment Decision (FID), arguing the decision is a direct consequence of the Northern Territory and Federal government’s financial and regulatory greenlight for another climate bomb.

Empire Energy’s (now Beetaloo Energy) own ASX statement from May this year reports the company received $43 million in government funding across tax incentives and drilling grants. This is on top of millions of dollars provided by the Commonwealth and NT governments to support gas companies’ operations in the Beetaloo basin. 

The project expects to start selling gas as soon as next year.

Senator Steph Hodgins-May, Greens Spokesperson for Resources:

“The Labor government hasn’t just approved Beetaloo, it’s spent millions of taxpayer dollars to push it over the line. This project is an environmental disaster that should never have been allowed to go ahead.

“We have a gas export problem, not a supply problem. The Labor government must respond to the gas market review by taxing exporters and prioritising existing LNG for the domestic market to bring down bills.

“Labor needs to stop letting gas corporations write the rules and claim millions in tax offsets that belong in our schools and hospitals, and actually deliver for families. 

Kat McNamara, NT Greens MLA for Nightcliff:

“This is an environmental crime against the Territory. The Beetaloo FID ignores the overwhelming opposition from Traditional Owners and poisons the water source that our communities depend on.

“The Federal Government has betrayed Territorians. Our land is being sacrificed for profits, not for our energy security or our future.

“The CLP Government continually makes decisions for the benefit of their mates in the gas industry rather than for the Territorians they are supposed to serve. The Federal Labor Government’s continued support and investment in the Beetaloo demonstrates that they are no better.”

The Albanese Government is investing more than $300 million to transform air mission training, ensuring our Defence personnel are ready for the challenges of tomorrow.

The Future Air Mission Training System (F-AMTS) will increase Defence’s aircrew training capacity by up to 70 per cent, using cutting-edge simulation, modern courseware, and real-world training to prepare crews for advanced platforms such as the MC-55A Peregrine and MQ-4C Triton. 

This investment will upgrade training systems that support initial training for personnel operating the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) advanced air and ground-based capabilities and includes a new facility for the Air Mission Training School.

It will create up to 140 local jobs in acquisition and 50 ongoing jobs in sustainment, delivered in partnership with CAE Australia.

Featuring an integrated learning environment, the system will combine classroom instruction, advanced simulation technologies, and airborne training to deliver an immersive, world-class training experience.

Capability delivery will commence at RAAF Base East Sale in Gippsland, Victoria from 2026, strengthening Australia’s sovereign training capability while driving innovation and building critical skills for the future.  

Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy:

“The Albanese Government is revolutionising air mission training so that more Defence personnel are trained and ready for the challenges of tomorrow.

“This investment underscores our commitment to building sovereign capability, backing Australia’s defence industry and delivering jobs for Australian workers.

“By partnering with CAE, we are delivering cutting-edge training systems for our Defence force personnel and creating up to 190 jobs for Australian workers.”

The Greens have slammed the Albanese government for handing out new ocean acreage to their donor mates in the fossil fuel industry to exploit in a time of climate emergency. 

Labor’s disgraceful decision has nothing to do with everyday Australians and everything to do with the state capture of our government by fossil fuel corporations.

Australia is the second biggest exporter of fossil fuels in the world, after Russia. Yet Labor has no plan to deal with our exports, and is content with 56% of all Australia’s gas being exported without paying any royalties or resource rent tax. That’s $170 billion dollars worth of free gas over the next five years for big gas companies. 

There’s no plausible excuse for Labor to risk destroying marine ecosystems with seismic blasting only to lock Australia into more fossil fuel pollution and accelerate climate-driven disasters for the sake of a few profit-driven interests – but that’s exactly what this shameful government continues to do, over and over again. 

Greens spokesperson for healthy oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson: 

“Labor’s two-faced climate act is wearing thin. How on earth is ripping open new gas fields for fossil fuel companies to plunder, pollute and profit from in a time of climate emergency consistent with transitioning to a clean energy future?

“Australia has decades of gas left in our proven reserves system. There is no need to put marine wildlife and livelihoods that depend on healthy oceans at risk by using destructive methods to search for new gas fields. 

“Australia is the second biggest exporter of fossil fuels in the world. Clearly, we don’t have a gas supply problem, we have a political problem. 

“Oil and gas corporations come to our shores and take billions in government handouts, pay less tax than a nurse or a teacher, and then leave us to foot the bill of cleaning up their polluting rigs when they’re done. It’s a complete rort. 

“Labor is taking Australians for fools, but coastal communities aren’t so easily conned. Last year one of the largest seismic blasting proposals in Australian history was withdrawn by its proponent following immense community pressure. It was a siren call to all the fossil fuel companies eyeing off our oceans that their time is up. But clearly Labor is either too arrogant or too greedy to care.”

Greens Resources Spokesperson, Senator Steph Hodgins-May:

“Labor’s new ocean acreage handout is an environmental betrayal and an early Christmas gift to the fossil fuel companies driving the climate crisis.

“We have an export crisis, not a supply crisis. Labor is pre-empting the Gas Market Review by opening up new supply instead of fixing the existing broken system that allows big gas companies to export $170 billion dollars of free gas over the next five years.

“By incentivising decades worth of new gas, this government is ignoring science, setting us up to miss critical climate targets, and accelerating environmental disasters here and across the globe.

“The way to fix this crisis is to implement a 25% Gas Export Tax, which will deliver real cost-of-living relief instead of more of the same climate-wrecking gas projects.”

The Minns Labor Government is delivering 341 new police recruits to help make NSW safer with the largest class in 13 years attesting at the Goulburn Police Academy today. 

Class 367 is the third record-breaking class to attest in 2025, proof that the Minns Labor Government’s reforms to police pay and recruitment are making inroads to rebuild the NSWPF after 12 years of neglect by the former Liberal-National Government. 

Class 367 will be deployed to 57 Police Area Commands and Police Districts, serving as General Duties officers and strengthening the NSWPF’s capability to fight crime and keep the community safe. 

On Monday, the Probationary Constables will begin 12 months of on-the-job training across NSW including:

• Central Metropolitan Region – 77
• Northern Region – 65
• North West Metropolitan Region – 74
• South West Metropolitan Region – 65
• Southern Region – 30
• Western Region – 30 

Class 367 is made up of 248 men and 93 women, aged between 19 and 54. The cohort also includes 14 First Nations officers and officers who were born in 19 different countries.

Class 367 not only includes recruits that applied directly after finishing their HSC, but also from a wide range of vocations including hospitality, plumbing and mechanics. 

Policing works best when it reflects the community it serves, and today’s class shows exactly that.  Diverse in age, culture and life experience.

Today’s class also includes 50 officers from regional communities who have elected to serve in or near their hometown after attesting, taking advantage of the Minns Labor Government’s Be A Cop In Your Hometown program and bolstering regional policing resources. 

The former Liberal-National Government had no plan for police recruitment, no plan for police retention and sent wages backwards for more than a decade with its unfair wages cap. Thousands of experienced officers left the force as a result.  

Since the Minns Labor Government delivered a once-in-a-generation pay rise for police in November 2024, we have seen an additional 1,255 new recruits join the force. That is more than double the recruits from the previous 12-month period. 

We are continuing to work hard to rebuild the NSWPF and create safer communities through:  

• Establishing an historic scheme to pay recruits to train, resulting in a 70% increase in applications to join the NSWPF.
• Establishing the Be a Cop In Your Hometown program to give regional recruits the opportunity to serve in or near their hometown after attesting.
• Establishing the Professional Mobility Program to incentivise experienced officers from interstate and New Zealand to join.
• Launching the new Cadet Traineeship Program to give young, aspiring officers a pathway into the NSWPF.
• Establishing the Health Safety and Wellbeing Command to support existing officers to have long, healthy and rewarding careers with the NSWPF.  

While we’ve made progress, there is more to do and we’ll continue working hard to rebuild the NSW Police Force and deliver a safer NSW for all. 

Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said: 

“Congratulations Class 367 – today marks the end of your training at the Goulburn Police Academy but the beginning of your responsibility to NSW.

“Policing is an incredibly rewarding yet challenging career and each one of today’s 341 recruits is stepping up with integrity, professionalism and dedication. 

“Class 367 is proof that the Minns Labor Government’s reforms to rebuild the NSWPF are working. 

“We are paying recruits to train, offering pathways to serve in or near their regional hometown after attesting and backing them every step of the way – there’s never been a better time to join the NSW Police Force.”

NSW Police Force Commissioner Mal Lanyon said: 

“Reaching the milestone of 1000 students attesting this year is an achievement that reflects our ongoing commitment to building a strong and capable police force for the future.” 

“The newest class of probationary officers represents the next generation of policing in NSW, and I have every confidence in their ability to serve our communities with professionalism and integrity.

“Recruitment at this scale means we can meet the needs of a growing state, boost our frontline services, and uphold the trust and safety of communities across NSW.”

Raptor Squad North are appealing for information after a barber shop was set alight in the state’s Hunter region earlier this year.
About 1am on Saturday 14 September 2025, emergency services were called to a shopping precinct on Garnett Road, East Maitland, following reports of a suspicious fire.

Officers established a crime scene and commenced inquiries before the matter was referred to the State Crime Command’s Raptor Squad North under Strike Force Samton.

Following extensive enquiries, detectives believe that about 10.20pm on Friday 13 September 2025, two unknown men – one wearing a dark hooded jumper with a yellow logo – were seen walking from Alfred Close into the shopping precinct.
Detectives have released CCTV as they believe these men could assist with their inquiries.
About 11pm, the hooded man returned to the barber shop with another unknown male who was wearing grey tracksuit pants, a dark jumper and a moon boot.

The men left the precinct then returned in a silver Commodore and white van.

As inquiries continue, detectives are appealing for anyone with information about the identity of the men and movement of the vehicles at the time of the incident.