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Albanese expected to announce a federal royal commission into Bondi terror attack
Krishani Dhanji
The prime minister is expected to unveil a federal royal commission into antisemitism and the Bondi terror attack, as soon as 4:30pm this afternoon.
After weeks of pressure from the Jewish community, victims of the Bondi terror attack, the public and members of his caucus, Anthony Albanese will announce the backflip on his previous opposition to a federal commission.
Albanese began softening his stance on a potential royal commission earlier this week, after previously saying it would be divisive and favouring its review into national security agencies.
Former high court justice Virginia Bell is expected to be named one of the commissioners, despite some criticism and reservation from the Jewish community.
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Huge crocodile caught near NT tourist spot prompts warnings
A crocodile nearly five metres long has been caught near a popular waterfall and picnic area, prompting warnings as the reptiles get about more in the wet season.
The 4.9-metre saltie was pulled from a trap on a creek that feeds into Wangi Falls, in Litchfield national park in the Top End, on Monday.
Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife rangers are capturing a crocodile a day so far in 2026, after catching 241 in 2025, 30 fewer than 2024, with the reptiles sent to crocodile farms or destroyed.
Many national park sites are closed for swimming during the wet season, including Wangi Falls, with signs in place warning people to be “crocwise”.
The NT parks and wildlife minister, Marie-Clare Boothby, said exceptional wet season rainfall had driven increased crocodile movement across the Top End.
My message to all people who are looking to swim in natural waterways over the wet season is: if there is water, there could be crocodiles.
The first crocodile of the year to be caught by NT rangers was a 2.7-metre one on New Year’s Day in a creek in the Darwin rural area where children were swimming the day before.
-AAP
Storm clouds spread across parts of Victoria as heatwave conditions linger
In north-east Victoria, powerful storm clouds can be seen as a fire burns in the Strathbogie Ranges.
This is from a home in Samaria, south of Benalla.
Maximum temperatures in Victoria aren’t expected to peak until Friday, with low to mid 40s expected through all but the far south-west of the state, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM).
In Shepparton, the closest regional city to the Longwood fire, the temperature is currently sitting at 42.4C.
In its latest update, issued this afternoon, the BoM said severe to extreme heatwave conditions would ease from the south-west with a cooler change during Friday and Saturday morning, but it would struggle to clear the north-east until later on Saturday.
Locations likely to be impacted include Melbourne Metropolitan Area, Albury-Wodonga, Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Horsham, Mildura, Melton, Shepparton and Wangaratta.
Five emergency warnings in place for out-of-control fires in Victoria
In Victoria, there are five emergency warnings in place for out-of-control bushfires at Longwood and 25km west of Walwa.
The warnings to leave immediately or take shelter now are active for the following communities:
Avenel, Locksley, Longwood, Longwood East, Old Longwood, Tarcombe, Upton Hill.
Caveat, Creightons Creek, Dropmore, Euroa, Gobur, Gooram, Highlands, Kanumbra, Merton, Ruffy, Terip Terip.
Beetoomba, Berringama, Colac Colac, Crawford Crossing, Cudgewa, Guys Forest, Koetong, Lucyvale, McNamara Crossing, Nariel Creek, Nariel Gap, Nariel Valley, Shelley, Staceys Bridge, Thowgla Valley, Willow Crossing.
Bungil, Burrowye, Mount Alfred, Mount Alfred Gap, Thologolong.
Cathkin, Ghin Ghin, Killingworth, Trawool, Whiteheads Creek, Yarck.
Nick Visser
NSW police urge public to stay safe on the water amid heatwave
NSW police issued an urgent appeal to the community to stay safe on and in the water over the coming days amid a major heatwave settling over Sydney.
Officials said they would be deploying all available resources to patrol waterways across the state, warning police would issue fines and lay charges for not wearing lifejackets, dangerous driving of boats or jetskis, or any other offences.
Acting superintendent Phillip Malligan said in a statement:
Wear a lifejacket, check your gear and know your limits. These are simple steps that save lives every summer. Jet skis aren’t toys. Keep your distance from swimmers and other vessels.
If you plan on swimming, please do so at patrolled locations and between the flags. If you are not a strong swimmer, take the appropriate precautions and listen to the advice of the surf lifesavers and lifeguards.
Nick Visser
That’s all from me. Caitlin Cassidy will be your guide for the rest of the arvo. Take care.
Victoria’s V/Line train and coach services through catastrophic fire districts cancelled on Friday
Victoria’s Department of Transport and Planning has cancelled all train and coach services scheduled to operate through the North Central, Northern Country, South West and Wimmera districts on Friday due to catastrophic fire danger ratings in those areas.
All train services scheduled for the Albury, Ararat, Bendigo, Echuca, Maryborough, Seymour, Shepparton, Swan Hill and Warrnambool train lines will be cancelled, with no coach replacement services. And all coach journeys that pass through the districts above, even if part of the routes are not in the affected areas, will be cancelled.
If a catastrophic fire danger rating is declared in other regions, those services will be cancelled as well.
Passengers are advised to check the V/Line website for the latest travel information. The latest details are here.
RBA deputy governor signals rate cut cycle has ended
Jonathan Barrett
The Reserve Bank of Australia’s deputy governor, Andrew Hauser, says the current cycle of rate cuts is likely over and that the central bank needs to ensure the recent period of high inflation doesn’t repeat.
In an interview with the ABC, Hauser said the likelihood of further rate cuts was low.
He said:
I know that won’t be the message that everyone watching this will want to hear.
I think we all remember the pain and the difficulty, many of us are still working that through, of that persistent high period of inflation over the last few years. It’s our job to ensure that doesn’t happen again.
The RBA cut rates three times in 2025 to take the official cash rate to 3.6%.
The next decision will occur on 3 February. Financial markets are pricing in a one-third chance the rate will increase, while a rate hold remains the dominant view.
Mortgage holder fears of a February rate rise were tempered yesterday after monthly inflation figures eased further than expected, although they remain above the RBA’s target range.
Hauser played down the significance of the monthly figure, saying there “wasn’t a lot of news in the data yesterday for us”.
More authoritative quarterly inflation data is due out in late January.
Police lay more murder charges in stabbing deaths of two Melbourne boys
Victoria police have laid more murder charges following the deaths of two children in the Melbourne suburb of Cobblebank last year.
Police said they initially charged five people – a man and four teenage boys – with the murder of 15-year-old Dau Akueng on 6 September, and three people – two men and a teenage boy – with the murder of 12-year-old Chol Achiek.
All eight people have now been charged with both murders. They all remain in custody and will appear in court at a later date.
Read more here:
Lake Macquarie issues red algae alert as blooms discolour waterways
The Lake Macquarie city council issued an algae alert to beachgoers today, warning some waterways near Blacksmiths Beach and surrounding areas had turned red due to a naturally occurring bloom of algae.
The red algae alert comes with warnings for swimmers to avoid areas where the blooms are visible, as some people may experience skin and eye irritation after contact.
The council said:
It is recommended to avoid swimming, surfing or other water activities until the areas of discolouration have subsided. The red algae is not harmful to marine life.
Adelaide festival board cancels appearance of pro-Palestine academic
The Adelaide festival just announced it has cancelled the appearance of pro-Palestine academic Randa Abdel-Fattah at Adelaide’s Writers’ Week amid a review across its planned operations and the role of the event to promote “community cohesion” after the Bondi terror attacks.
The board wrote in a lengthy statement that while it did not suggest “in any way” that Abdel-Fattah’s comments or writing had “any connection with the tragedy at Bondi, given her past statements we have formed the view that it would not be culturally sensitive to continue to program her at this unprecedented time so soon after Bondi”.
The academic has faced criticism in the past from some Jewish bodies and media outlets for her comments on Israel.
The festival board said its decision was made “with the genuine view that they provide the best opportunity for the success and support of the Adelaide festival, for Adelaide Writers’ Week and the communities we seek to serve and engage”.
We understand these board decisions will likely be disappointing to many in our community. We also recognise our request to Dr Abdel-Fattah will be labelled and will cause discomfort and pressure to other participants. These decisions have not been taken lightly.
Anne Davies
Lidia Thorpe responds to Israeli accusations of antisemitism
Independent senator Lidia Thorpe has joined NSW legislative council MP Anthony D’Adam in expressing her concern about a dossier prepared by the Israeli ministry for the diaspora which has been reported in Australia media.
The report accuses five Australian politicians, including Thorpe, of being influencers or generators of antisemitic content in Australia.
D’Adam has asked the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, to examine whether it infringes Australia’s foreign influence laws by attempting to intimidate elected MPs.
Thorpe said:
I fully reject claims of antisemitism. I stand with the Jewish community but I do call out the actions of the state of Israel which are in contravention of international law and I will certainly not apologise for that.
This dossier is just further evidence that Israel is prepared to go to any length to intimidate in an effort to suppress and undermine legitimate criticism of its genocidal actions in Palestine.
I am not surprised to be targeted and I will continue to call out the genocide in Palestine.
I support an investigation into whether the Israeli government has violated foreign influence laws with this doxing and would seek that it go further by investigating Israel’s longstanding targeted attempts to influence lawmakers.
Thorpe said it was “deeply revealing” that there are no white supremacists or neo-Nazis on this list and that those targeted in the dossier were staunch antiwar, anti-genocide advocates and organisations.
It is important that we stand up against genocide and crimes against humanity whenever and wherever they occur.
