Key events
NSW multiculturalism minister condemns ‘unconscionable’ targeting of childcare centre
The NSW minister for multiculturalism, Steve Kamper, has described the antisemitic targetting of a childcare centre in Maroubra overnight as “unconscionable” and “heartbreaking”.
He said the centre is located less than 200m from a synagogue, saying in a statement:
This despicable act has no place in our society. Antisemitism must be unequivocally condemned.
The cowardly thugs who perpetrated these acts deserve to be met with the full force of the law, they are a blight on our multicultural society.
We will be meeting with the NSW Faith Affairs Council prior to the next parliament sitting to review stronger legislation.
Albanese condemns alleged ‘evil hate crime’ in Maroubra overnight
Josh Butler
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has commented on the damage and antisemitic graffiti caused to a childcare centre in Sydney’s east overnight.
I utterly condemn this evil hate crime. My government will support NSW police to hunt down the offenders and ensure they face the full force of the law through Operation Avalite.
It comes a day after Peter Dutton and the Coalition promised tougher penalties and mandatory minimum jail sentences for antisemitic attacks.
Wong says Albanese would have opportunity at appropriate time to meet Trump
The foreign minister, Penny Wong, has been making the rounds on breakfast TV after Donald Trump’s inauguration early this morning, also appearing on ABC News Breakfast.
Asked if Anthony Albanese would meet with Trump before the federal election, or if Trump may visit Australia during his second term, Wong said:
This is all interesting discussion, but the president has only just been inaugurated … In terms of future meetings, I’m sure that the prime minister will have the opportunity at the appropriate time to meet the president.
Wong confident on Aukus and Kevin Rudd’s future
On the Aukus deal, Penny Wong said commentary from the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, during his confirmation hearings were “very positive”.
He talked about this being an example of how you can make sure alliances and partnerships expand our collective strength in support of peace and deterrence.
She also defended Kevin Rudd’s role as ambassador to the US, following comments he had made in the past about Donald Trump, and said Rudd was “central to the invitation” for the Australian government.
He’s been central to the opportunity I have to meet with the national security adviser and the secretary of state, and he’s been central to the bipartisan support for Aukus that we have seen. Kevin has been doing an excellent job, and he’s certainly developed very strong relationships across the aisle with both Republicans and Democrats to the benefit of our country.
When will Australia get clarity on tariffs?
Penny Wong said the new US administration had just been sworn in and “I’m sure they will work through their agenda”.
Other governments, and certainly the Australian government, will continue to engage, to put our view and to work through any announcements that are made in relevant areas in the days to come.
US-China relationship a matter for them, Wong says
Asked how Australia can “tread carefully” when it comes to the US-China relationship, Penny Wong said those two nations’ relationship was a matter for them.
The foreign minister said her focus was on “making this relationship between China and Australia more stable”.
We’re pleased that the trade impediments have been removed, and that’s obviously been of benefit to Australian jobs. I’ve also been clear, as has the prime minister, that there are things on which we are simply going to disagree on and those things are not going to change.
Wong highlights ‘two-to-one’ benefit to US of Australia trade relationship in tariff talks
The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, says it was a “privilege and honour” to be the first Australian foreign minister to “be invited and to attend an inauguration on behalf of our country”.
She spoke with the Today show from Washington DC, where she attended Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Wong said Trump made it clear during his speech he was “going to do things differently”. She said she would meet tomorrow with the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, and the national security adviser “in the near future”.
On the long list of executive orders Trump will sign in the coming hours, and how worried she is about the prospect of tariffs on Australia, Wong said:
My message here in Washington to those I meet is to point out the reality of the economic relationship between Australia and the United States, that there is a surplus in America’s favour. There has been for decades. In fact, it’s about two to one. And of those exports from Australia that come here, about half of them go into the US production.
McKenzie says ‘Australia not the target’ of Trump’s tariff agenda
Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie also spoke with the Today show about Donald Trump after his inauguration, and argued “Australia is not the target” when it comes to his tariff agenda.
As we know, the Wall Street Journal is obviously reporting, now [Trump is] going to review the trade situation and then look at what sort of tariff changes need to be made.
We need to make sure that our foreign affairs ministry, our trade minister and our ambassador are deeply engaged in that review process to make sure our national interest is upheld.
Rishworth says Australia will work ‘incredibly closely’ with Donald Trump
The social services minister, Amanda Rishworth, says the Australian government will be working “incredibly closely” with US president Donald Trump – after his inauguration early this morning.
Speaking with the Today show, Rishworth said:
I have to say from Australia’s perspective, we want to make sure that we’re working very closely with him. This, of course, is the most closest global partner we have in America, and the most important strategic ally. So we as a country will be working incredibly closely with him.
Asked how worried she is about the establishment of tariffs, the minister said “we think that we can have a very constructive relationship when it comes to this”.
Importantly, the Australian-US trade relationship is one that is mutually beneficial. So in fact, the US has a trade surplus with Australia.
So we’ll be working in our national interest. We think that we can have a very constructive relationship when it comes to this. And the prime minister no doubt will be putting forward just how mutually beneficial that this trade relationship is, which I think is important to recognise.
Childcare centre targeted with antisemitic graffiti in Sydney
NSW police have confirmed a childcare centre in Sydney’s south-east was targeted with antisemitic graffiti and set alight overnight.
Just before 1am emergency services were called to the centre in Maroubra where firefighters extinguished the blaze, but the building was “significantly damaged”, police said.
The building was unoccupied at the time and there were no reports of injuries. Offensive graffiti has been located on an external wall.
Officers have established a crime scene and an investigation was commenced. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
Good morning
Emily Wind
Emily Wind here, signing on for blogging duties. I’ll be taking you through our live coverage for most of today.
As always, feel free to reach out with any story tips, feedback or questions via email: [email protected]. Let’s go.
Funding injection for Aukus defence industry
Krishani Dhanji
The government has announced $262m in another round of funding for local defence industry, to develop Australia’s Aukus submarine supply chain capacity.
Labor says the funding will support about 125 businesses across the country, to build industry capacity, and help get domestic products into US and UK supply chains.
The Aukus agreement, signed in August last year, officially came into force over the weekend, which will see US Virginia-class submarines transferred to Australia from the 2030s.
The defence minister, Richard Marles, said in a statement:
We are continuing to build and invest in an Australian submarine industrial base capable of supporting our future nuclear-powered submarine fleet and underpinning a strong local economy over the coming decades … This is a further demonstration that Aukus is happening now.
Natasha May
Mysterious grey debris which closed Sydney beaches similar to that found last year
The Northern Beaches council says early test results show mysterious grey ball-shaped debris which closed nine beaches are similar to those which washed up on eastern suburbs beaches last year.
The council is waiting on the full analysis of the testing it commissioned but the preliminary results show traces of hydrocarbons and other materials which appear to be consistent with some of the chemicals found in debris at other eastern suburbs beaches last year.
Those balls were revealed by testing coordinated with the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to be consistent with human-generated waste.
The EPA has also commissioned its own analysis of the balls on the northern beaches. Read more about what experts think is to blame here:
Albanese says Trump promised ‘perfect’ relationship
Natasha May
Australia has not received any explicit assurance from president-elect Donald Trump that Australia will not suffer any adverse tariff actions ahead of the inauguration, but Anthony Albanese told the ABC he is “confident” the two countries can work through economic issues.
I had a very constructive discussion with the incoming president when I wished him well on his election. I made the point to President Trump that the United States has enjoyed a trade surplus with Australia since the Truman presidency.
It’s been there for a long time, and the United States is, of course, a major investor here in Australia, and the relationship between our two economies is so important. So I’m very confident that we will work these issues through, because they’re in the interests of both Australia and the United States.
Laura Tingle:
But no explicit assurance at this stage, by the sounds of things?
Albanese:
Well, to be fair, he hasn’t been through the inauguration yet, but very clearly it was a positive discussion that we had. He said that we will have a perfect relationship, and I expect that the relationship between Australia and the United States will remain strong.
Natasha May
Albanese welcomes hostage release
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has welcomed the release of Israeli hostages, and wants to see more aid into Gaza “as quickly as possible”.
Speaking to ABC’s 7.30 program Monday evening, Albanese said “this is a fragile situation, but it is a step forward.”
The government continues to be concerned about the escalation of antisemitism here in Australia, he said, especially serious attacks such as the fire that was deliberately lit at the Adass synagogue in Melbourne and the attempted fire at the synagogue in Newtown.
Asked about the calls for a national cabinet meeting about the rise in antisemitism, Albanese said:
The important discussions that are taking place, the ones between the security and police agencies every day, and we’re also speaking with the premiers and chief ministers right around the country. We had a coordinated report through with the New South Wales acting premier and the Victorian premier, along with the AFP commissioner, because that is where the events, these incidents of violence and of criminal activity, have been concentrated.
Asked about Peter Dutton’s proposal for tougher anti-terror laws in response, including mandatory jail time of six years for anyone who attacks a place of worship, Albanese said it had the potential to be counterproductive.
Welcome
Martin Farrer
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it’ll be Emily Wind with the main action.
Rupert Murdoch was among the parade of tech billionaires and influential business figures in Washington DC to mark the inauguration of Donald Trump. The media tycoon was spotted at a church service on the morning of the event – as well as the Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Apple’s Tim Cook, Google’s Sundar Pichai and Fifa’s Gianni Infantino – and in the select audience at the inauguration itself.
Hours before Trump was sworn in, Anthony Albanese told 7.30 that he had not received any explicit assurance from his camp that Australia would not suffer any adverse tariff actions. But Albanese said he was “confident” the two countries can work through economic issues. More coming up.
Australians are feeling more optimistic in 2025 about the fortunes of the economy and their families, our latest Essential poll shows, delivering Anthony Albanese a welcome boost. The prime minister’s approval was strongest among young voters, with 54% of those aged 18-34 giving the prime minister a positive rating, compared to only 36% of those over 55.
