The corporate regulator has revealed it warned the Albanese government it was investigating Regional Express before the Commonwealth spent $80 million bailing out the airline.
The daughter of swimming legend Dawn Fraser has revealed just how close the Olympic great came to death after a recent fall.
Australia is set to vote at the United Nations General Assembly in New York overnight on resolutions that include a motion calling for an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” in Gaza.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended his response to antisemitism, following the terror attack on the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne on Friday, and the vandalism in Sydney this morning.
Labor has unveiled its $1.3 billion childcare fix which includes a promise that parents will no longer have to work or study to get subsidised childcare.

We’ll be back first thing tomorrow!

5.20pm on Dec 11, 2024

Australia to vote on Gaza ceasefire resolution

By Matthew Knott

The Albanese government is again set to anger Israel as it prepares to vote on two United Nations General Assembly resolutions in New York overnight on Wednesday.

The first motion calls for an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” in Gaza while the second resolution affirms international support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the main provider of humanitarian aid in Gaza.

The second motion also decries recent legislation passed by the Israeli parliament to prevent UNRWA from operating in the Palestinian territories.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has strongly criticised the Albanese government over what Israel says is its lack of support.AP, Alex Ellinghausen

The government last week changed a two-decades-long voting record by voting in favour of a resolution calling on Israel to withdraw from the West Bank and Gaza as soon as possible, drawing fierce criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Asked about the government’s UN voting record during a visit to the Jewish Museum in Sydney on Wednesday afternoon, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he had been a long-time supporter of Israel.

“But I also support Palestine having their legitimate aspirations fulfilled,” he added.

“It has to be done in a way that provides security for everyone in the region. That’s my position, that’s the position of countries in the UN.”

4.47pm on Dec 11, 2024

Albanese backs Israel’s right to exist, two-state solution excluding Hamas

By James Massola

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says there will be no change to Australia’s position on supporting Israel’s right to exist and on a two-state solution.

“Australia’s position is we support a two-state solution. I said that last night, the right of Israel to exist in secure borders. I also have been a long-term supporter of a Palestinian state, and I think, though, very clearly, that cannot involve Hamas,” he says, adding that all the hostages taken by Hamas on October 7 last year need to be released.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addressed the media alongside Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek.Nine News

“There’s no role for Hamas in any future Palestinian state.

“I am on the record for a long time [as being] a supporter of the state of Israel, but I also support Palestinians having a right to have their legitimate aspirations fulfilled … [but it] has to be done in a way that provides security for everyone in the region.”

The prime minister was then asked again about how his government has responded to the rise of antisemitism.

If he had his time again, a reporter asked, would his initial response to the Adass Israel synagogue have been different?

Albanese then reeled off a long list of the steps he took immediately after the firebombing took place, including a briefing from the AFP, speaking to antisemitism envoy Jillian Segal, calling in to do local media interviews, visiting a synagogue in Perth on Shabbat, proving additional funding for extra security and convening the National Security Committee of cabinet.

4.27pm on Dec 11, 2024

Albanese calls for unity, defends government’s response to attacks

By James Massola

Taking questions from reporters, Anthony Albanese said the events of recent weeks such as the attack on the Adass Israel synagogue were “horrific”.

“The damage to the Torah [Jewish holy book that contains the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy] that has been done [at the synagogue] is something that is just not what you would expect in a country like Australia,” he said.

“We’re a country that’s enriched by our multiculturalism, and the Jewish community have been such strong advocates of that, whether it be defending the Racial Discrimination Act, the work done on Indigenous rights in this country, if you look at human rights, the Jewish community in Australia have not just stood up for themselves, they stood up for others.”

Albanese at the Jewish Museum in Sydney on Wednesday.Kate Geraghty

Albanese listed some of the steps his government had taken to combat antisemitism, including additional funding for safety and security for the Jewish community schools, the appointment of antisemitism envoy, banning the Nazi salute and establishing the AFP-led Operation Avalite.

Responding to Coalition criticism of the government’s response, Albanese said: “I think we need to look for unity on this. This is not a time for looking for distinction and for difference”.

The prime minister said the attack in Woollahra overnight was “cowardly” and an attack on Australian values designed to create fear in the community.

4.11pm on Dec 11, 2024

Albanese visits Sydney Jewish Museum, lashes “evil” antisemitism

By James Massola

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called for an end to the “evil” of antisemitism in Australia, calling for a “whole of society” effort to stamp it out.

Joined at the Sydney Jewish Museum by cabinet colleague Tanya Plibersek, Labor senator Deb O’Neill and independent MP Allegra Spender, Albanese announced $8.5 million to redevelop the museum.

Turning to the topic of antisemitism, Albanese said it “diminishes us as a nation when we have events such as we saw here again overnight”.

“To awake to this latest attack, just a matter of a couple of kilometres from here in Woollahra, and to see since then as well, there’s been graffiti in Sydney as well,” he said.

“[It] is completely abhorrent to who we are as Australians. Holocaust survivors came to Australia because we are a tolerant country.

“We’re one in which our whole Australian society is enriched by people living side by side, of different faiths, different ethnicities, different backgrounds, and we need a whole of government, a whole of society [effort] as well to make sure this is stamped out.”

The visit to the museum, in Plibersek’s seat of Sydney, comes after an attack in the neighbouring seat of Wentworth, held by Spender, which is home to synagogues and Jewish institutions, was targeted by vandals for the second time in a matter of weeks.

Police are investigating the vandalism of houses and footpaths with antisemitic graffiti. A car set alight during the attack was the vehicle in which the alleged offenders arrived.

The prime minister said he had been briefed by AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw and had spoken to the NSW Premier Chris Minns, who spoke earlier today.

3.35pm on Dec 11, 2024

Bondi Rescue star guilty of domestic violence offence

By Riley Walter

Lifeguard and Bondi Rescue star Andrew Reid has escaped conviction after being found guilty of a domestic violence offence.

Reid, known as “Reidy” on the popular reality television show, had pleaded not guilty to one count of common assault (DV) and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm (DV).

In Hornsby Local Court on Tuesday, Reid, 45, was found guilty of one count common assault (DV), while the other two charges were dismissed.

All allegations related to the same woman, who has taken out an apprehended domestic violence order against Reid that will remain in place for two years.

Reid, who has featured on Bondi Rescue since 2006, made headlines in April when he rushed to help injured people following the Bondi Junction attack in which six people died.

Magistrate Daniel Reiss handed Reid a 12-month conditional release order, which started on Tuesday.

If you or anyone you know needs support, you can contact the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service on 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732), Lifeline 131 114, or Beyond Blue 1300 224 636.

3.28pm on Dec 11, 2024

PM speaks at Sydney Jewish Museum

By Alex Crowe

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was joined by Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek, Labor senator Deb O’Neill and Member for Wentworth Allegra Spender.

2.58pm on Dec 11, 2024

Police raid South Korean president’s offices

Seoul: Police are searching the offices of South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol, the country’s Yonhap News Agency is reporting.

The search comes just hours after the country’s two highest-ranking police officers were detained to be investigated for their roles in enforcing Yoon’s short-lived martial law decree last week, police said on Wednesday.

The main liberal opposition Democratic Party will later on Wednesday submit a new motion to impeach Yoon as the country’s main law enforcement institutions expand their investigation into whether the president’s declaration amounted to rebellion.

The first impeachment attempt failed on Saturday when the ruling party boycotted the vote. The Democratic Party said it aims to put the new motion to a vote this Saturday.

Yoon’s ill-conceived power grab has paralysed South Korean politics, frozen its foreign policy and rattled financial markets, greatly reducing his chances of completing his five-year term and casting a turbulent shadow over one of Asia’s most robust democracies.

After last week’s impeachment motion fell through, the leader of Yoon’s conservative party pledged to arrange his stable exit from power, saying the party will co-ordinate with cabinet members over state affairs and that Yoon will be sidelined from duties during a transition to an early election.

Read the full story here.

2.43pm on Dec 11, 2024

PM spruiks childcare promise in Brisbane

By William Davis

As we mentioned earlier, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was in Brisbane earlier promoting his government’s childcare reforms.

Albanese joined jubilant Labor Party faithful and childcare workers at the Morningside Panthers AFL club, in the electorate of prominent Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather, to formally announce the $1 billion plan.

Under the plan, up to three days of childcare each week would be guaranteed to all families earning under $530,000 per year.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Brisbane.William Davis

Grants would be given to existing education providers to operate in under resourced areas and 160 state-backed facilities would be built or expanded.

“We know early education is an opportunity every child deserves,” the prime minister said.

“For the whole of the 20th century it’s been understood that every child has the right to go to school – and government has a responsibility to make that possible.

“In the 21st century every child has the right to go to early education, to help get them ready for school – and our Labor government is going to make this possible.”

It made for a warm Brisbane welcome for the prime minister, who yesterday encountered an at-times prickly reception at the Melbourne synagogue targeted by arsonists.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt, Early Childhood Education Minister Anne Aly, dozens of early childhood educators and scores of young children were among those in attendance.

The prime minister carried a baby out of the Brisbane venue and did not take questions

2.09pm on Dec 11, 2024

Dawn Fraser’s daughter opens up about swimming legend’s brush with death

By Tom Decent

The daughter of swimming legend Dawn Fraser has revealed just how close the Olympic great came to death after a fall on an unfinished driveway that resulted in emergency surgery and four broken ribs.

Moments before Fraser was taken in for emergency hip surgery last week, her close family were told there was a good chance she might not survive the fall at her daughter’s house on the Sunshine Coast.

Fraser turned to her daughter, Dawn-Lorraine, and looked her in the eye.

Dawn Fraser at the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Gala Dinner last month.Getty Images

“The last thing Mum said to me was, ‘I’m going to fight’,” Dawn-Lorraine Fraser told this masthead.

“I said, ‘You make sure you fight.’ Then when she came out of intensive care, she looked at us and said, ‘See, I told you I’d fight.’

“The scariest moment was when the anaesthetist just said to me, ‘She probably won’t survive this.’ They don’t know my mother and they don’t know how much of a fighter she is.

“You don’t want to know what I said back. I basically said, ‘Whatever happens, you will resuscitate her. You will keep her alive.’”

Fraser, 87, is still recovering in hospital on the Sunshine Coast and has been watching Australia’s swimmers compete on television at the world short course championships in Budapest.

“She’s getting there. We haven’t been in this morning. She’s doing OK,” her daughter said.

Dawn was alone when she fell but was able to get help after a desperate call to a neighbour.

“She never carries her phone, but she had it in her pocket and rung our neighbour to say, ‘Could you come over, please. I’ve had a fall,’” her daughter said.

“[Well-wishes] have just been amazing. I’ve cried and I’ve laughed. I’ve just been amazed at how many people have tried to make contact.”

Australia news as it happened: PM condemns antisemitic attack in Sydney; Labor promises cheaper childcare for families

Key Posts

What we covered today

Australia to vote on Gaza ceasefire resolution

Albanese backs Israel’s right to exist, two-state solution excluding Hamas

Albanese calls for unity, defends government’s response to attacks

Albanese visits Sydney Jewish Museum, lashes “evil” antisemitism

Bondi Rescue star guilty of domestic violence offence

PM speaks at Sydney Jewish Museum

Police raid South Korean president’s offices

PM spruiks childcare promise in Brisbane

Dawn Fraser’s daughter opens up about swimming legend’s brush with death

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