The New South Wales State Emergency Service (SES) has issued flood watch warnings for large parts of Newcastle and the lower Hunter region, following overnight evacuations in Gunnedah in the New England region. The warnings come as Sydney grapples with the aftermath of mass protests that saw thousands march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday.
The federal government has announced $20m in aid for organisations delivering food and medical supplies into Gaza. The announcement followed protests in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, with demonstrators including state and federal Labor MPs. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is seeking a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but former foreign minister Bob Carr said Albanese would be “wasting his breath” if he raised a two-state solution, as Netanyahu opposes it.
NSW Premier Chris Minns faced backlash from his caucus over his stance on the Sydney Harbour Bridge protest, which he described as “risible”. Minns said he does not regret voicing opposition to the protest but respects Australians’ right to protest. Meanwhile, federal MP Susan Ley expressed concern about Sydney being thrown “into chaos for hours” and the impact on emergency services access.
In other news, Anthony Albanese appointed Krissy Barrett as the first female commissioner of the Australian Federal Police. A Chinese national has been charged with alleged foreign interference for covertly collecting information about a Canberra Buddhist association. Additionally, Brisbane Airport experienced a technical fault with a metal detector, requiring all passengers to be re-screened, causing flight delays.
