Adam Bandt on Middle East: ‘Labor must do more than simply call for a ceasefire’
The leader of the Greens, Adam Bandt, says the “dangerous escalation” in the Middle East requires “people and governments around the world to keep pushing for peace through taking action.”
In a series of posts to X, Bandt said underlying the conflict is “the state of Israel’s continued illegal occupation of Palestine” and “until this ends, there will be no just [and] lasting peace for Palestinians, Israelis and their neighbours.”
He said that Labor “must do more than simply call for a ceasefire” and should pressure the Netanyahu government “with sanctions and an end to military trade”.
This is what can help end the cycle of violence … The Greens continue to call for the release of the hostages, an end to the invasion of Gaza and Lebanon, and an end to the illegal occupation of Palestine.
Key events
More activists sought over violent anti-war protests
The search for anti-war protesters wanted over clashes outside a controversial Melbourne weapons expo has stepped up, AAP reports.
Images of eight people – seven men and one woman – have been released following the unrest triggered by the Land Forces expo on 11 September.
Rocks, projectiles, liquids, horse manure and eggs were hurled at officers, horses and expo attendees, police say. Twenty-seven officers were injured and about 12 horses were exposed to various substances. Victoria Police said in a statement today:
Several police horses and riders were splashed with a liquid irritant including being sprayed under face protectors, going into their mouths and nostrils, and were repeatedly pushed and hit with plastic crates.
Riot officers returned fire on the 1500 demonstrators with rubber bullets, tear gas and flash-bang devices. Activity over the following two days of the expo was less volatile.
Eighty-nine people were charged or issued fines, with police setting up an investigative team to track down more offenders. They have also released an image of a man wearing a blue shirt and keffiyeh after a council bin was set alight on Spencer Street.
Chief commissioner Shane Patton defended his officers’ use of force against the protesters, who he called “a bunch of hypocrites”. He said at the time, “They come here to protest against anti-war, so presumably, anti-violence.”
Adam Bandt on Middle East: ‘Labor must do more than simply call for a ceasefire’
The leader of the Greens, Adam Bandt, says the “dangerous escalation” in the Middle East requires “people and governments around the world to keep pushing for peace through taking action.”
In a series of posts to X, Bandt said underlying the conflict is “the state of Israel’s continued illegal occupation of Palestine” and “until this ends, there will be no just [and] lasting peace for Palestinians, Israelis and their neighbours.”
He said that Labor “must do more than simply call for a ceasefire” and should pressure the Netanyahu government “with sanctions and an end to military trade”.
This is what can help end the cycle of violence … The Greens continue to call for the release of the hostages, an end to the invasion of Gaza and Lebanon, and an end to the illegal occupation of Palestine.
Amy Remeikis
More on the evacuations from Lebanon
More Australians have left Lebanon after the Israeli military strikes, however, the government is continuing to warn people to move quickly.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says staff are continuing to work with allied nations, including the UK and Canada, to help Australians leave Lebanon. A Dfat spokesperson says the time to act is now:
A number of Australians were assisted onto commercial flights on Monday and overnight. Further seats have been secured on additional flights on Thursday and we are working to access more flights over the coming days.
The Australian embassy in Beirut remains open and for the meantime there are still commercial options, although contingency plans are in place. However officials have warned people not to wait any longer if they want to leave.
The Australian government understands this is a distressing time for many who are being impacted by the conflict. We urge Australians in Lebanon to take the first opportunity to leave. Please do not wait for a preferred route.
There is estimated to be about 15,000 Australians in Lebanon although the government does not have exact numbers.
More than 100 airline seats secured for Australians fleeing Lebanon
AAP has reported more than 100 commercial airline seats have been secured for Australians trying to leave Lebanon as dire warnings continue for people to evacuate amid an escalation of conflict in the region.
Flights across Monday and Tuesday carried dozens of Australians out while another scheduled flight for Thursday will add to the tally.
It comes as Australians in Lebanon are urged to take any available option to get out of the country as the security situation deteriorates following an increase in missile strikes across Lebanon and Israel.
The federal government continues to work on contingencies to evacuate citizens, permanent residents and their immediate families from Lebanon should the situation deteriorate further.
But grave warnings have been issued that any effort cannot accommodate the some 15,000 Australians in the country, although exact figures are unknown.
NRMA report says one of biggest barriers to EV adoption in Australia is ‘image problem’
There’s a new report out from NRMA Insurance looking at the road ahead for electric vehicle adoption in Australia.
It says EV sales have grown in Australia, from less than 1% of new car sales in 2020 to 8.5% of light vehicle sales in 2023. Uptake has been strongest among drivers with annual household incomes over $200,000, families with children and those in capital cities.
Currently 5% of Australian drivers own an EV. The two biggest drivers for purchasing one were sustainability reasons, at 77%, and affordability, at 76%.
But one of the biggest barriers is an “image problem”, the report states, with “petrol and hybrid vehicles are seen by many purchasers as being superior vehicles to EVs.” Some of barriers to buying an EV among non-considerers were vehicle attributes (82%), infrastructure (64%), cost (63%) and safety (51%).
44% also listed the risk of battery fires as a concern, even though research shows road registered EVs do not present a greater risk of fire than internal combustion vehicles.
NRMA CEO Julie Batch says the report highlights the work needed to bust the myths about range anxiety, safety and cost. The report is based on research involving 2,079 interviews conducted in February.
Adeshola Ore
Victorian minister says protesters should ‘think twice’ about holding rallies on 7 October
Victoria’s assistant treasurer and minister for transport, Danny Pearson, says pro-Palestine protesters should “think twice” about holding rallies on the anniversary of the 7 October Hamas attacks on Israel.
Speaking to reporters, Pearson said 7 October will be an “incredibly challenging and difficult day for many members of our community.”
I would really encourage people to really think twice about whether that’s a day where these sorts of activities should be occurring.
This is a day of immense trauma and grief for many in our community … I don’t think a protest is an appropriate way to mark a day of grief and trauma.
In Melbourne, a pro-Palestine rally is planned for Sunday, the day before the anniversary.
For more on this topic, our reporter Tory Shepherd has put together an explainer on what Australian law says about the display of hate symbols, and if we need any new legislation – as Peter Dutton has been calling for.
Mostafa Rachwani
More information on arrest of woman in Sydney
NSW Police have made their first arrest as part of their investigations into people allegedly holding Hezbollah imagery at the pro-Palestine protest last Sunday.
At around 10am this morning, a 19-year-old woman presented herself to Kogarah Police Station following a public appeal for her to come forward.
Police said in a statement she was arrested and is currently assisting police with inquiries.
The Guardian understands she has been arrested for the alleged display of Hezbollah imagery, which the police have described as “prohibited symbols”.
She was arrested as part of Operation Shelter’s investigation into the protest, with the taskforce established to “ensure community safety in response to protest activity.”
Investigations continue.
Victoria police say they have no powers to halt pro-Palestine rally
Adeshola Ore
Victoria police say they have no powers to halt a pro-Palestine rally in Melbourne this weekend, ahead of the anniversary of the 7 October attacks in Israel.
A spokesperson says the police will have a presence at the Melbourne rally on Sunday, a day before the anniversary. The spokesperson says the focus will be on ensuring the safety of those attending and the broader community:
Victoria Police respects the right for peaceful protest, however any unlawful behaviour will not be tolerated.
Victoria Police does not have the power to deny a protest from occurring, so long as it is lawful. There is no permit system for protests in Victoria.
Woman arrested in Sydney amid investigations into alleged display of prohibited symbols at protest
A woman has been arrested as part of an investigation into a public order incident at a protest last Sunday.
About 10am today, the 19-year-old woman presented to Kogarah police station following a public appeal for information.
Earlier, NSW police released images of a woman and said she might be able to assist with inquiries into the alleged display of prohibited symbols at the protest.
She has been arrested and is currently assisting police with inquiries.
Karen Middleton
Shorten pleads with Australians to ‘live and let live’
Retiring federal minister Bill Shorten has urged Australians deeply distressed about events in the Middle East to “live and let live” and not to prosecute their arguments in ways that break Australian law.
At a news conference alongside prime minister Anthony Albanese in Shorten’s Melbourne seat of Maribyrnong, the minister echoed Albanese’s concerns about public demonstrations planned for this weekend to mark a year since the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel.
I respect that people from Gaza, from the West Bank, from Lebanon, from Israel, feel really strongly and they’re going through pain, which the rest of us who don’t have family there can’t even begin to understand. But people shouldn’t bring their arguments to this country and disrespect our laws.
He and Albanese both acknowledged that the October 7 attacks represented the single largest loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust.
Albanese, who earlier indicated he will attend a vigil for Israeli victims of the attacks in Melbourne, urged people to rethink plans to stage public protests (see earlier in the blog).
Shorten endorsed Albanese’s comments and asked:
Can’t we just live and let live here and try the best we can to maintain harmony?
Catie McLeod
New study aims to improve health outcomes for NSW prisoners
Researchers will examine how to improve the “health literacy” and provide better care for New South Wales prisoners, particularly those who are Aboriginal, in what the state government says is a world-first study.
The Minns Labor government has announced a $500,000 grant for Justice Health NSW (JHNSW), the agency responsible for providing healthcare to people in the criminal justice system.
The purpose of the study is to work out how to provide prisoners with better and more equitable access to health information and services, including to manage chronic conditions such as diabetes.
The government hopes to improve health outcomes for prisoners and in turn reduce the need for more expensive acute care. The study will be led by JHNSW’s Dr Julia Bowman and Swinburne University’s Professor Richard Osborne.
It follows previous research that found people incarcerated in NSW prisons, particularly Aboriginal people, have poorer health outcomes and lower health literacy than those in the wider community.
In a statement, the state minister for Aboriginal affairs, David Harris, said:
While there are many strengths in the current service provision for people in prison, there is an opportunity to better address the specific needs of Aboriginal people.
This grant will fund an extensive co-design process to build on existing strengths and further enhance the overall health of people in NSW prisons.
Peter Hannam
China’s green tech investment tsunami could lap Australian shores, report says
There’s no doubt China has grabbed market leadership in many of the technologies we need to decarbonise our economies, from solar panels and wind turbines to electric vehicles and the batteries that power them.
Australia stands to benefit from those advances and potentially from soaring outbound investment in low-emissions technology, according to a new report by Climate Energy Finance, out today.
Since 2023, US$100bn (A$145bn) of Chinese investment has poured out of China into at least 100 deals, a flow of funds that Australia has partly benefitted from, with more to come, the report finds. A 1.4 gigawatt windfarm with a big battery is one such project.
However, barriers to Chinese money – including foreign investment approvals – have meant “Chinese private investment in Australia is weak relative to the rest of the world”, the report by Tim Buckley and other authors says.
It makes geopolitical and economic sense for Australia to find a strategic way to work with our biggest trading partner and the region’s major power, while navigating the challenges and risks Chinese technology and manufacturing expansion and its global critical minerals supply chain dominance pose.
Others, though, say Australia may have to choose between teaming up with the dominant clean energy supply or joining the US, the European Union and other regions (eg India) in trying to push back against that dominance.
That dilemma will play out in Albanese government plans for a $1bn solar panel plant in NSW’s Hunter Valley.
The most likely route of success would be to lure one of China’s huge solar firms but that would then run counter to efforts to reduce reliance on a nation that supplies as much as 90% of the global market.
One thing for sure, though, the world needs to accelerate decarbonisation, one way or another.
Fourth-hottest Australian September on record
Peter Hannam has shared a few graphics on September’s national weather.
As is pretty much a given, the month was warmer than the 1961-90 benchmark, and by mean temperatures (that average out maximums and minimums) it was the fourth hottest on record.
And here’s those maximums – with September 1.9C on average warmer than the 1961-90 gauge:
Minimums were notably above average across much of the country, and at record warm levels in the north-west:
Those overnight temperatures were warm because there was a lot of cloud around, producing a record wet September for a large chunk of that north-west region.
And the relatively warm September followed a “gobsmackingly” hot August, which shattered records for that month.
Albanese on Dutton: ‘not strong to not understand there’s a separation of powers in this country’
Anthony Albanese was asked whether he agrees with comments from the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, accusing Peter Dutton of seeking to “throw more kerosene on the fire” on public debate around the Middle East conflict.
The PM told reporters:
Peter Dutton has never seen an issue in which he does not seek to promote division. And that is the characteristic that Peter Dutton has had his entire political career. It’s not strong to not understand that there’s a separation of powers in this country.
As Dutton flagged earlier, Albanese confirmed he spoke with Dutton on Saturday to provide a briefing on the situation in the Middle East and on domestic security concerns.
The prime minister also commented on the alleged display of Hezbollah flags at a rally last weekend, and said:
The Hezbollah flag is quite clearly a hate symbol and should not be displayed here in Australia.
Prime minister says 7 October ‘not the time for demonstrations to occur’
Anthony Albanese says he believes 7 October is not a time for demonstrations to occur.
Speaking about the protests planned for 6 and 7 October, he told reporters:
What I would encourage at all times is for there to be appropriate moderation. These are difficult times. I understand that, for many Australians with family – be it in Israel, the occupied Palestinian territories, or in Lebanon, this is a very difficult time.
It’s not a time to raise temperature. It’s a time to try to make sure that social cohesion in Australia is valued.
So October 7, I think, is not a time for demonstrations to occur. Because it will be perceived as – whether that’s the intention or not – as being something that is less than an appropriate commemoration of the atrocities that occurred on October 7, and it will do nothing to advance the cause.
Albanese is asked if Australia supports Israel’s efforts to ‘take out Hezbollah’
Asked if Israel must disable Hezbollah to defend itself, and if the Australian government supports Israel’s efforts to “take out Hezbollah”, Anthony Albanese responds:
We regard Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation, as we regard Hamas as a terrorist organisation. We have been working with like-minded countries and issuing appropriate statements, such as the one that I referred to.
This is the statement he was referring to:
Prime minister addresses media from Melbourne
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is speaking to the media from Melbourne.
He reiterated the call for a de-escalation to the conflict in the Middle East and said:
We’re very concerned about Iran’s actions, which is why we condemn them. It is a good thing that it would appear that the defence of Israel, supported by the United States, has ensured that there is no loss of civilian life, it would appear, at this stage. There’s been too much loss of life in that region …
Israel, of course, has a right to defend itself. What we have called for consistently is for a de-escalation in the region, along with our friends in the United States and others.
