One million drivers who remained offence-free on the road over the past 12 months are being rewarded for their contribution to safety with a demerit point scrubbed from their licence.The results of the second year of the NSW Government’s demerit point return scheme show drivers in car-reliant areas of Western Sydney and regional NSW are the biggest beneficiaries this year.  The scheme provides a rare ‘carrot’ for people to drive safely as a counterbalance to the longstanding ‘stick’ of fines, double demerits and the loss of licence.Almost 1.5 million drivers were eligible to have a demerit point removed when the second year of the trial started on January 17, with just over one million drivers (1,003,610) remaining offence-free.There are now more than 420,000 drivers who have had a demerit point wiped two years running.Topping the list of suburbs was Blacktown where more than 6000 drivers are getting a point wiped.Castle Hill, Merrylands, Auburn, and Maroubra round out the top five suburbs, each with 4500 or more drivers to benefit.Regional drivers were also doing the right thing in great numbers with motorists in Orange, Dubbo, Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour notching up over 16,000 demerit points removed.Motorists will begin to see their licence demerit tally updated from the second quarter of 2025.As the scheme enters its third year, the NSW Government is making an important adjustment to the end date of the 12-month period which will in future run to 31 January starting in 2026.This means that drivers who are close to benefiting with a point will need to drive safely and offence-free throughout the critical month of January which has in the past been marred by holiday crashes and deaths.There are 1,483,926 drivers eligible to benefit if they stay within the rules until 31 January 2026.The NSW Government introduced a range of new road safety measures in 2024 which will continue or expand in 2025. They include:The trial of average speed cameras for light vehicles in 2025Doubling roadside enforcement sites used for mobile speed cameras, with an additional 2,700 new sites where a camera can be deployed. Total enforcement hours will remain the sameSeatbelt enforcement via the state’s existing mobile phone camerasRemoving a loophole to force all motorists driving on a foreign licence to convert to a NSW licence within six monthsImplementing recommendations from the Demerit Point Integrity Taskforce to stamp out rorting of the system by mainly visiting foreign nationalsReleasing more ratings for bicycle helmets as part of the star rating systemSigning the National Road Safety Data Agreement with the CommonwealthThe demerit point reward scheme is open to eligible unrestricted and professional licence holders with active demerit points.Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said, "The number one aim of rewarding drivers for with a demerit point removal is safety.“There is no acceptable road toll and that’s why we are using both the carrot and the stick approach to encouraging safer driving.“Every one of the million drivers who succeeded over the past 12 months should be congratulated because their safe actions helped make NSW roads safer.“January is such a critical time on our roads, with people travelling long distances on holiday and to visit family and friends.“My message is please do so safely. The more drivers who follow the road rules, the more who will qualify to have a point removed and keep our roads that little bit safer for everyone else.”Minister for Roads John Graham said, “I want to thank all those people who did the right thing every day for 12 months because they just may have helped save a life.“We are offering a very personal incentive to drive safely, but the broader effect is that safety on our roads is enhanced overall when people are making the right decisions to remain within the speed limit and within the law.“This is also about jobs. If you drive for a living, then the reward for safe driving could be the difference between ongoing employment and losing your livelihood.“From 2026, the trial period will now end on January 31. This was a very deliberate decision so that we can place even more emphasis on road safety during the critical summer holiday period.”

Power has now been restored to around 300,000 homes, businesses and other properties which were blacked out when severe storms swept across NSW, and energy crews and NSW State Emergency Service volunteers are working hard to connect the remaining 8,600 customers.Violent electrical storms late on Wednesday, 15 January, damaged energy infrastructure and brought down trees and powerlines before gale-force winds hit on Friday, 17 January.Since Wednesday, the SES has received more than 8,700 callouts, with many incidents involving live power lines. Crews will continue responding to incidents over the next few days.At the height of Wednesday’s storms, 226,000 customers lost power, and on Friday, more than 70,000 were disconnected. Some homes and businesses were hit by both weather systems.While power has been restored to the vast majority thanks to the work of SES volunteers and Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy and Essential Energy workers, the severity of the damage has caused some prolonged outages. Some of these jobs have required complete re-builds of parts of the network, which have taken several days to complete. Some are in isolated locations.Ausgrid is advising customers some outages will continue into early this week. Essential Energy workers are now supporting Ausgrid in its clean up and restoration efforts.As of 6am Monday, 20 January, around 8,600 homes and business across NSW were without power.Ausgrid has 8,500 customers without power:1,500 in Newcastle/Hunter, including 350 in Port Stephens1,000 Central Coast6,000 in Sydney More than 200,000 Ausgrid customers have been impacted by the storms.Endeavour Energy has around 100 customers without power in Sydney. This is down from a total of 78,000 Endeavour Energy customers impacted by the storms.Essential Energy has restored all power outages from the storms. A total of 31,500 Essential Energy customers were impacted.The safety of the community and energy crews is the number one priority as crews work to get the power back on.Residents are urged to follow these safety measures:Always assume a fallen wire is live and dangerous, stay at least 8 metres clear of them.Avoid wires that are hanging low, on the ground or tangled in trees and storm debris.   Never drive across fallen powerlines. Report fallen powerlines immediately by calling your electricity distributor: If you’re using a portable generator for power, avoid deadly exhaust fumes entering your home.If you have an emergency, call Triple 0 (000) or the Police Assistance Line on 131 444 for non-urgent matters.The Australian and NSW Governments have confirmed a Natural Disaster Declaration for select local government areas affected by these storms, and more assessments are underway. For information about assistance available visit: www.nsw.gov.au/emergency/recovery/natural-disaster-declarations.The Minns Labor Government is also waiving the waste levy in many affected local government areas to speed up recovery efforts and reduce the financial burden on households and businesses.Affected customers should contact their electricity distributor to see if further support is available. For example, Ausgrid customers may be eligible for up to $250 from Ausgrid to cover food spoilage due to power outages.Minister for Energy, Penny Sharpe said, “It has been a massive task to restore power to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses since these wild storms hit, and we thank the SES volunteers and energy crews who have worked around the clock to make it happen.“This important but difficult work is still going. There are customers who are still without power, and we know that is incredibly difficult. Crews are working as hard as possible to reconnect everyone.”Minister for Emergency Services, Jihad Dib said, “The situation is challenging for communities and emergency responders, but we have also seen the best in people and from our incredible emergency response volunteers and personnel.“The NSW State Emergency Service and other first responders, including Fire and Rescue NSW, the NSW Rural Fire Service and VRA Rescue NSW, have made a mammoth effort to help communities get back on their feet during these difficult times.“The NSW Government is working with councils and communities to provide support where it is needed, with joint federal and state funding already available for some LGAs and assessments well underway for others.”

The Albanese and Minns Governments are supporting communities in the Maitland, Port Stephens, and Snowy Valleys Local Government Areas (LGAs) following severe thunderstorms and intense rainfall that impacted the regions between January 15 and January 17.   Assistance measures that may be provided to communities through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) include:  Support for eligible residents to help meet immediate needs like emergency accommodation. Grants for low-income, uninsured residents to replace lost essential household items to maintain a basic standard of living. Grants for low-income, uninsured residents to undertake essential structural repairs to restore their homes to a safe and habitable condition. Support for affected local councils and other agencies to help with the costs of cleaning up, keeping the community safe and restoring damaged essential public assets. Concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers, and non-profit organisations and grants to sporting and recreation clubs to repair or replace damaged or destroyed property. Freight subsidies for primary producers to help transport livestock and fodder.  More LGAs may submit assessment forms outlining damage from this event in the coming days and weeks ahead, with the opportunity to expand the proposed Natural Disaster Declaration for this event.  Federal Minister for Emergency Management Jenny McAllister said the severe weather system had impacted multiple states and thousands of homes.   “The assistance activated today will ensure communities can access essential supplies and accommodation and ensure councils can start clean up and repairs,” Minister McAllister said. “It is still a dynamic situation, and I urge people in affected areas to stay up to date with the latest emergency warnings and follow the advice of emergency services.” “I would like to acknowledge the efforts of first responders and the local councils who are doing a fantastic job in difficult circumstances.” “The Australian and NSW governments are working hard to activate support as quickly as possible. The assistance activated today will ensure communities can access essential supplies, help restore what’s been lost, and repair what’s been damaged.” NSW Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said disaster declarations like these are crucial in unlocking assistance for communities so they can begin cleaning up as quickly as possible.  “The NSW Government is committed to helping people and businesses clean up debris and remain safe after the severe thunderstorms and intense rainfall,” Minister Dib said.  “There have been a high number of calls to the NSW SES, and I would like to thank our incredible volunteers and emergency responders who have responded to these incidents and provided vital support for the community.”  “They have been busy throughout the night and will respond when needed as this wet weather continues. Please continue to watch the weather conditions and follow the advice of emergency services.”  Further information on disaster assistance can be found on the Australian Government’s Disaster Assist website at www.disasterassist.gov.au. 

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.0 per cent in December, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).Bjorn Jarvis, ABS head of labour statistics said: “With employment rising by 56,000 people and the number of unemployed increasing by 10,000 people, the unemployment rate rose to 4.0 per cent.“The number of employed people grew by 0.4 per cent in December 2024, slightly higher than the average monthly rise of 0.3 per cent during 2024. It was also higher than the average monthly population growth of 0.2 per cent over the year.“The employment-to-population ratio rose 0.1 percentage point to a new record of 64.5 per cent. This was 0.5 percentage points higher than a year ago and 2.3 percentage points higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic.“The rise in both the number of people employed and unemployed also saw a further rise in the participation rate, that is the percentage of the population who are employed or unemployed.“The participation rate rose 0.2 percentage points to a record high of 67.1 per cent in December. This was 0.5 percentage points higher than a year ago, and 1.6 percentage points higher than March 2020.”Hours workedSeasonally adjusted monthly hours worked increased by 0.5 per cent in December 2024, which was higher than the average monthly increase of 0.3 per cent in 2024. In annual terms, the growth in hours worked and the number of people employed were broadly similar (3.2 per cent and 3.1 per cent respectively).Underemployment and underutilisationThe underemployment rate fell 0.1 percentage point to 6.0 per cent in December 2024. This was 0.6 percentage points lower than December 2023, and 2.7 percentage points lower than March 2020.The youth underemployment rate (for 15-24 year olds) of 14.1 per cent in December remained higher than that of the overall population, but was well below March 2020, when it was 19.1 per cent (5.0 percentage points lower).The youth underemployment rate for men was 12.1 per cent, around 5.6 percentage points below March 2020, and 16.2 per cent for young women in December 2024 (4.3 percentage points lower than March 2020). However, recent changes in youth underemployment have been more pronounced for men than women.“While there hasn’t been much change recently in the underemployment rate for young women, the rate for young men had been rising from mid-2022 to late 2023, when there was strong growth in employment and the number of job vacancies began to ease. However, this has since generally reversed throughout 2024, and their underemployment rate is now back to around where it was in late 2022,” Mr Jarvis said.The underutilisation rate, which combines the unemployment and underemployment rates, remained at 10.0 per cent in December 2024. This was 3.9 percentage points lower than March 2020. The last time it was around 10 per cent, before the pandemic, was just before the Global Financial Crisis in 2008.Given the youth unemployment and underemployment rates in December were both particularly low, the youth underutilisation rate was around 7.6 percentage points lower than March 2020, and also around its 2008 level.Underlying trend dataIn December, the trend unemployment rate remained at 4.0 per cent. It has been within a relatively narrow range of 3.9 and 4.1 per cent for the past 12 months.In trend terms, employment grew by around 31,000 people (0.2 per cent), which was at the same rate as the 20-year pre-pandemic average (0.2 per cent).Hours worked continued to grow at the same pace as employment, rising by 0.2 per cent.The employment-to-population ratio and participation rate remained at the historical highs of 64.4 per cent and 67.1 per cent in December.The underemployment rate fell 0.1 percentage point to 6.0 per cent, which led to the underutilisation rate falling by 0.1 percentage point to 10.0 per cent.“While the unemployment rate has barely changed since last December, rising by around 0.1 per cent, other key measures returned to highs and lows during 2024,” Mr Jarvis said.“Since December 2023, the employment-to-population ratio and participation rate have both increased back to record highs, up by 0.3 and 0.4 percentage points respectively.“The underemployment rate, which had generally been rising through 2023-24, has fallen over late 2024 to 6.0 per cent in December, around the recent low seen during the second half of 2022.”More information, including regional labour market data, will be available in the upcoming December 2024 issue of Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, on Thursday 23 January 2025.The ABS would like to thank Australians for their continued support in responding to our surveys.

The Australian Government today welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire and hostage agreement in Gaza after 15 months of conflict and a devastating loss of civilian life. In a statement, it said:Australia has consistently been part of the international call for a ceasefire and release of hostages.   We urge all parties to respect its terms and safeguard a lasting peace, including ensuring the immediate release of all hostages and unimpeded and sustained increases in humanitarian assistance to all parts of Gaza. Our thoughts are with all the civilians killed, displaced and taken hostage in this conflict, and the many humanitarian workers who lost their lives in the service of others. This agreement is a constructive step towards peace and stability in the region. It must mark the beginning of a new chapter for the Israeli and Palestinian people. Australia will continue working with the international community towards a two-state solution - a Palestinian state and the State of Israel, living side by side in peace and security within internationally recognised borders. We hope it will allow the Palestinian people the opportunity to rebuild, reform their governance, and pursue self-determination. Australia remains unequivocal in our condemnation of Hamas’ atrocities on 7 October, and its ongoing acts of terror. There must be no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza. Any future Palestinian state must not be in a position to threaten Israel’s security. We will continue to act in partnership with the international community to support the urgent humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza. We thank the mediators—the United States, Qatar and Egypt—for their tireless efforts to bring parties to an agreement to end this war.

A new report from Geoscience Australia, in collaboration with the Geological Survey of New South Wales, has found elevated levels of natural hydrogen and helium in locations throughout New South Wales.  This research is an example of the benefits from the Australian Government’s $3.4 billion investment over 35 years into the Resourcing Australia’s Prosperity initiative, under its Future Made in Australia plan.   The report provides Australian explorers with geological information and a comprehensive methodology for testing soil gas samples for natural hydrogen, bringing scientific rigour to this emerging field.   Australia is considered one of the most prospective locations for natural hydrogen because of our ancient geology.   Since the discovery of a 98 per cent pure natural hydrogen gas field in Mali in 2018, explorers around the world are looking for accumulations of natural hydrogen. This is because natural hydrogen holds the potential to be a new, emission-free energy source, especially if it can be recovered at low cost from the earth directly for use.   In Australia, hydrogen gas is primarily used for industrial processes, including ammonia and fertiliser production, while helium is used in medical equipment, manufacturing, research, and the space sector.  Hydrogen can also be used to reduce carbon emissions from hard-to-abate industries, like remote power applications, heavy vehicle transportation, and industries like iron and steelmaking.   Minister for Resources, the Hon. Madeleine King MP said, “The economics of our geology is undeniable and presents us with an enormous opportunity.  “The Albanese Government is committed to unlocking our minerals potential and discovering opportunities for alternative energy and storage.   “This report is just one example of how our government is working with our state and territory colleagues to help build a Future Made in Australia.”  Acting NSW Minister for Natural Resources, the Hon. John Graham MLC said, “This new data grows the wealth of knowledge about NSW’s geological potential, as well as our understanding of natural hydrogen and helium.   “Natural hydrogen has potential as a new energy source and can support the economy’s shift to a net-zero future.   “The Minns Labor Government is committed to exploring new ways to innovate and create a clean energy future using NSW’s natural resources.” 

The NSW Government has launched a new program of low-cost technology trials on highways throughout regional NSW to prompt safer driver behaviour on roads in 2025.  The $5 million Smarter Highways program will harness emerging and existing technologies in innovative ways to address driver behavioural issues that can lead to crashes. The aim is to improve journey management, especially when a major disruption occurs. Each trial will feature technology that detects an issue on the network, causing systems to be activated to warn drivers about hazards and, if possible, provide alternative options.Most of the trial technologies are wireless solar-powered systems that can be installed relatively cheaply and are also tailored to suit individual sites, taking into account the environment and conditions of the road. Smarter Highways is part of a suite of measures to improve road safety but also aims to use technology to help create a safer work environment for road crews, traffic managers and emergency workers by reducing the amount of time they are exposed to live traffic.Transport for NSW will trial the technologies on state-managed highways but also consider how they could be adapted for use on local roads in partnership with councils. Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said, “The Minns Labor Government is committed to making our road network safer, more reliable and more resilient to better connect our communities. We are always looking at harnessing innovations in technology as they become available.“What's so important about Smarter Highways is that the technology's focus is to effect behavioural change and reduce risky driving actions, such as not driving to the conditions, that we know contribute to deaths and injuries on our roads.“I’m glad that the Smarter Highway technologies will be trialled in the regions because outside of the cities, driving is often the only available form of transport and sometimes there are no alternative routes, so we need to make those journeys safer. “Key to these innovations is improving safety for road crews by reducing the risks of carrying out works near traffic. The aim is to minimise the amount of time work crews have to spend in live traffic environments by increasing the use remotely controlled traffic operations, which creates a safer work environment." THE SMARTER HIGHWAYS TRIALSSmarter Highway Activated Vehicle and Environmental Systems (SHAVES)Self-adaptive electronic signage with machine learning capability which is able to predict events and provide motorists with advance warning of hazards such as black ice, smoke or wildlife.Designed to replace the current processes whereby maintenance crews need to source and locate portable Variable Message Signs (VMS) to high-risk areas.Includes three components to warn motorists - prism signs with vertical slats that slide across to reveal different warnings, VMS screens and flashing lights Solar powered with high-capacity batteries, localised radio communications between signs, and full Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity for real-time remote access and status reporting.Trial locations under investigationPermanent traffic counters - Road Pod Vehicle Magnetometer (VM)A new form of permanent traffic counter device installed on the road which can detect and provide information on vehicle volumes, classifications, speeds, headways, road temperatures and system health in real time.A very low-cost 4G technology system that is powered by solar-panels and offers significant cost and time savings compared to ad-hoc traffic surveys. It is also easy to install and takes less than an hour to set up.Allows live monitoring of traffic in various scenarios but will be especially beneficial particularly during the start and end of holidays, during harvest sessions, and situations where monitoring seasonal variations and natural disaster periods is critical.Importantly, data collected will be provided via NSW Traffic Viewer.Can be deployed relatively quickly when a part of the network is likely to face disruption to help monitor and address impacts. For example, key routes that connect ports to renewable energy zones. Trial locations – Great Western Highway, Kelso and Newell Highway, Dubbo.Rural Intersection Activated Warning System (RIAWS)When a vehicle on a side road approaches a high-speed main road, sensors trigger Variable Speed Limit Signs (VSLS), which instruct drivers on the main road to slow down.Designed to provide safer gaps in the traffic and provide more time for better driver reactions. This is particularly important for larger vehicles (such as trucks and buses) looking to turn from a side road onto a main road with a higher speed limit.Less severe crashes due to the reduced speed limit when traffic is merging from the side roads.Reduces the need for permanent speed reductions on main roads.This technology is currently being used in Victoria.Trial location under investigationImproving local area traffic management during major disruptionsUsing technology to provide safe reliable access in times of unplanned and planned events that cause disruption on the roads.One trial will be conducted at Jenolan Caves ahead of its planned opening to the public in late 2025, the other will be Cowra, where roads are often flooded.The type of technology to be used is still to be determined.Permanent Congestion ManagementUsing existing technology, such as radars and traffic signals, and combining them in a way that will enable dynamic management of traffic congestion at a notorious breakdown location in the Blue Mountains.Designed to resolve issues caused by vehicles breaking down while queuing on the steep climb up Victoria Pass during peak periods such as holiday periods and around key events such as the Bathurst 1000.The system will detect eastbound queues forming at the top of Victoria Pass and that data would then be fed into the operation of traffic lights at the bottom of the hill. The vehicles will then be released up the hill in a managed way that is safe and reduces the number of vehicles breaking down on the incline.If the trial is successful, this system will be a more permanent replacement for the current system whereby crews have to stay onsite during congested periods and use temporary signals to control the flow of traffic.Trial location – Victoria Pass – Great Western Highway near Mount Victoria.

People from around the world can now access digital records of more than one million plants with the launch of the first searchable image archive from the National Herbarium of New South Wales. The Herbarium is located at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan and holds specimens from across the Pacific region for critical biodiversity, ecological, and evolutionary research studies. Over the past five years, scientists from the Botanic Gardens of Sydney have archived and digitised the entire collection, including more than 800 specimens collected by botanists Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander on Captain Cook’s first voyage to the Pacific in 1770. The new platform is the most comprehensive searchable image archive in Australia, and the first and largest mass digitisation of a natural history collection undertaken in the southern hemisphere. Around 4,000 images were taken daily to transform the plant specimens into a high-resolution image.  (Andre Badiou - Leader Digital Curation National Herbarium of New South Wales. Photo: supplied)The digitisation process has already revealed new discoveries of Australia’s botanical science history, including specimens collected by celebrated Indigenous painter Albert Namatjira and illustrations by renowned botanical illustrator Margaret Flockton.  The collection of high-resolution images has been uploaded to Amazon Web Services (AWS), who are providing free storage as part of the AWS Open Data Sponsorship Program. The program covers the cost of storage for publicly available datasets, supporting community access to the records for the first time.  People can visit the Botanic Gardens of Sydney Herbarium search portal and search for plants using scientific name, collection date, collector and other criteria. The search result will reveal the images of the plants and collection data associated with the specimen. Acting Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Anoulack Chanthivong said, “The National Herbarium of New South Wales located in Western Sydney is one of the most significant botanical resources in the southern hemisphere.“For the first time, scientists and plant enthusiasts can now access hundreds of years of botanical history to learn about Australia’s unique biodiversity.”Chief Executive Botanic Gardens of Sydney Simon Duffy said, “To see the transformation from an 18th-century specimen library to a cutting-edge digital collection for public use is quite extraordinary.“Technological advancements such as this also help foster better collaboration with educators and students, decision-makers, private landholders and managers, and community groups to help save plants from extinction in this rapidly changing world.”Chief Technologist Public Sector, Amazon Web Services, Simon Elisha, said, "AWS is proud to enable the digitisation of over one million priceless plant specimens by the Botanic Gardens of Sydney.”“Leveraging our scalable cloud and AWS Open Data Sponsorship Program, the Botanic Gardens of Sydney has created a globally accessible digital treasure trove that can revolutionise botanical research and conservation.”

A second Sydney synagogue has been vandalised with swastikas in as many days in an attack the Jewish community said was intended to erode social cohesion.The Newtown Synagogue in Sydney's inner-west was the latest site targeted, with red swastikas spray painted across its front wall.Police are investigating the incident and attended the scene on Saturday morning. The vandalism came hours after similar graffiti was spray painted on a house on Henry St, Queens Park, in Sydney's east.NSW Premier Chris Minns described the vandalism as "monstrous and appalling". (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)"The NSW Police Force takes hate crimes seriously," a statement said."It is important that the community and police continue to work together to make NSW a safer place for everyone."NSW Premier Chris Minns denounced the anti-Semitic attacks and urged any witnesses to come forward. He also announced the extension of a one-off grant of $340,000 towards enhanced temporary security measures for the NSW Jewish community."These people are determined to divide our community in two. We will always call out these acts for what they are - monstrous and appalling," he said in a statement.NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip says his community will not be intimidated. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)President of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies David Ossip said the vandalism should sicken all Australians."No one should think that these are just acts of vandalism. This is a concerted campaign to intimidate, harass and menace the Jewish community," he said. "These hate-filled cretins need to know that they will not succeed. "The Jewish community is resilient and will not be intimidated and the broader Australian community despises these concerted attempts to erode our social cohesion and harmony."Police are also investigating a separate incident which involved offensive comments written on a poster in Marrickville.Swastikas were scrawled across the Southern Sydney Synagogue in Allawah in an attack on Friday morning. The place of worship is in the Kogarah electorate of the NSW premier, who said the act was committed by "bastards ... with hate in their hearts".Police are investigating the offensive graffiti in Allawah.A car was found sprayed with anti-Semitic graffiti in Queens Park, in Sydney's east, on Monday. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)The latest incidents follow anti-Semitic attacks across Sydney in recent months, including Monday's vandalism of a car with the words "F*** THE JEWS" in Queens Park.In December, the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne was firebombed in a devastating attack condemned by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other leaders. Those responsible are still at large.About 100,000 Jewish people live in Australia, with large congregations in Melbourne and Sydney's eastern suburbs.

The federal election looms as a cost-of-living showdown but both major parties are yet to splash wads of cash in a bid to woo voters.With Australians due to cast their votes before May 17, Anthony Albanese has kicked off the year by courting voters in marginal electorates across multiple states.Their decision may boil down to the question of whether they feel better off than when Labor came to power in May 2022.Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor has claimed the average Australian is $8000 worse off than 18 months ago.But the prime minister pointed out the opposition did not support its $300 energy bill rebate for households and was yet to unveil a cost-of-living measure."Not one," he told reporters at the Midland urgent care clinic in Perth, his 27th visit to Western Australia as prime minister.After journeying through Queensland and the Northern Territory, Mr Albanese on Thursday announced $200 million for housing and community infrastructure for WA and three extra ports to import and export goods in regional parts of the state.WA was crucial to Labor's 2022 election win and the party will attempt to maintain its grasp and grow support in a handful of knife-edge electorates.Politicians have usually returned to work after the January 26 public holiday, so the prime minister's whirlwind tour marks an unusually early start to the political calendar.The opposition leader has been fairly quiet since the start of 2025, but Nine papers suggest Peter Dutton will kick off his unofficial campaign on Sunday.Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is expected to start his own pre-election campaign within days. (Russell Freeman/AAP PHOTOS)The prime minister was remaining tight-lipped on when he would call the election."I can confirm that I am not announcing the election date here today," he said.The rising cost of living remains a chief concern for many Australians and, while the government will do what it can, Treasurer Jim Chalmers says it must be responsible."People shouldn't expect this election to be a big free-for-all of public money or a huge cash splash," he said on Thursday."We've got to continue to manage the budget responsibly but if we can do a little bit more to help people with these cost-of-living pressures, of course we'll consider that."Australians are increasingly directing their discontent at the major parties, with polling predicting neither Labor nor the coalition can form a majority government. Anthony Albanese announced $200 million for housing and community infrastructure for WA. (Aaron Bunch/AAP PHOTOS)This could offer an opportunity for minor parties and independents to exert their influence during the next term."This election is so vital for the future of Australia and the role that we play in the world," Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young told the ABC."Whether it's Anthony Albanese or Peter Dutton, we will hold them to account and give insurance to the Australian people that dangerous policies won't pass."Mr Albanese has already spruiked millions in spending for local community facilities and infrastructure in north Queensland, where Labor is eyeing the seat of Leichhardt held by retiring Liberal MP Warren Entsch.Mr Albanese also used a visit an NT cattle station on Wednesday to highlight the economic benefits of China ending its suspension of Australian beef exports.By Kat Wong and Callum Godde in Canberra

Australian retail turnover rose 0.8 per cent in November 2024, according to seasonally adjusted figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).This comes after growth of 0.5 per cent in October 2024 and 0.4 per cent in September 2024.    Robert Ewing, ABS head of business statistics, said: “Black Friday sales events proved once again to be a big hit, with widespread discounting and higher spending across all retail industries.“The popularity of Black Friday sales continues to grow with promotional activity now stretching across the entire month of November, not just solely focused on the Black Friday weekend.” There were rises in all retail industries in November. Of the non-food related industries, department stores rose 1.8 per cent, followed by clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (+1.6 per cent), household goods retailing (+0.6 per cent), and other retailing (+0.3 per cent). “Consumers have taken advantage of Black Friday sales once again, with discounting seen across clothing items, furniture, electrical goods and cosmetics,” Mr Ewing said.“Discounts were also seen in essential goods, with businesses in food retailing boosted by higher spending due to Black Friday price cuts and points incentives through rewards programs.” Both food-related industries rose. Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (+1.5 per cent) had its fourth straight monthly rise, while food retailing rose 0.5 per cent.Retail turnover rose in all states and territories with the impact of Black Friday felt across the country.“The Northern Territory bounced back from two straight monthly falls following the end of the peak tourism season and adverse weather to see the largest rise of all states and territories,” Mr Ewing said.

Food shortages and grocery price spikes could result if common sense on climate targets is ignored, farmers say ahead of the federal election.NSW Farmers' Conservation & Resource Management Committee Chair Bronwyn Petrie said it was vital Australia’s efforts to reduce emissions did not reduce food security. Mrs Petrie said farmers wanted the federal government to seriously reconsider plans to slather rolls of green tape across food production, with several sustainability reforms looming ahead of the federal election.“We need realistic, viable emissions reduction strategies, not aspirational ones that expect farmers to use electric tractors that don’t exist and report on emissions we can’t track,” Mrs Petrie said. “The tools we need to comply with some of these proposed emissions targets just aren’t available, but soon we could be expected to not only meet these unrealistic goals, but somehow feed a growing population at the same time.“Governments and interest groups cannot continue to demand these immediate emissions changes from agriculture when they simply can’t be done, especially since they won’t move the global climate equation by any significant measure.”Mrs Petrie said that engaging properly with the agricultural industry to create realistic sustainability targets was essential to ensuring conservation outcomes could be achieved without a cost to productivity. “Farmers are showing us firsthand the impacts that renewable energy installations are having on their ability to grow fresh, healthy food and fibre, and we simply can’t let agriculture bear more unnecessary pain,” Mrs Petrie said. “Agricultural land already plays a vital role in absorbing carbon dioxide – every plant we grow literally removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere – and farmers are already making significant contributions to carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation on-farm.“If the government doesn’t listen to our farmers on the ground about what is and isn’t possible, then the reality is food production will be restricted – and then food shortages and grocery price spikes could become not an exception, but the rule.”

A hiker missing in the Kosciuszko National Park for nearly two weeks has been found.Police have been told the 23-year-old man, was last seen by friends about 2.30pm on Thursday, 26 December 2024, descending the Hannels Spur Trail, Geehi, between Khancoban and Thredbo, in the Kosciuszko National Park.The three men were expected to meet up at the Geehi campground; however, when he failed to arrive, the two friends, aged 23 and 24, began to search for him.Officers attached to the Riverina Police District were alerted about 8.45pm, and commenced patrols by vehicle and on foot, assisted by the SES.On Friday 27 December 2024, a command post was established, and a multi-agency search commenced involving Goulburn Police Rescue, officers attached to Riverina Police District, assisted by National Parks and Wildlife Service, SES, RFS, NSW Ambulance, VRA and PolAir.Late on Tuesday, 31 December 2024, rubbish and hiking poles believed to belong to the man were found near the Kosciuszko River, which remains the focus area of the search.On Sunday, 5 December, a campfire, lighter, camera and camera bag were located near the Geehi River.Following a 13-day multi-agency search involving more than 300 people, about 3.15pm today the 23-year-old man was located by hikers off the circuit walk near Blue Lake.He was winched from the location to the command post, where he is being assessed by paramedics.NSW Police would like to thank emergency services and the media for their assistance during the search efforts.Riverina Police District Inspector Josh Broadfoot has thanked emergency services for their contributions over the past fortnight.“This is an incredible outcome, after 13 long days he has been located. We want to thank our emergency services partner agencies, volunteers and members of the public for their assistance. We never gave up hope of finding him, and we are elated we can return him safely to his family,” Inspector Broadfoot said.

The monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) indicator rose 2.3 per cent in the 12 months to November 2024, up from a 2.1 per cent rise in the 12 months to October, according to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).The largest contributors to the annual movement were Food and non-alcoholic beverages (+2.9 per cent), Alcohol and tobacco (+6.7 per cent), and Recreation and culture (+3.2 per cent). Partly offsetting the rise in the CPI were annual falls for Electricity (-21.5 per cent) and Automotive fuel (-10.2 per cent).Michelle Marquardt, ABS head of prices statistics, said: “Annual CPI inflation has risen since last month, in part due to the timing of electricity rebates. In some states and territories, households received two rebate payments in October in lieu of not receiving a payment in July. From November most households received one payment. As a result, electricity prices fell 21.5 per cent in the 12 months to November, compared to a fall of 35.6 per cent to October.” When prices for some items change significantly, measures of underlying inflation (like the annual trimmed mean and CPI excluding volatile items and holiday travel) can give more insights into how inflation is trending.“Annual trimmed mean inflation was 3.2 per cent in November, down from 3.5 per cent in October,” Ms Marquardt said.”Annual trimmed mean inflation remains higher than CPI inflation as it removed large price falls for electricity and automotive fuel.” The CPI excluding volatile items and holiday travel rose 2.8 per cent in the 12 months to November, compared to a 2.4 per cent rise in the 12 months to October. The increase in the annual movement is primarily due to changes in electricity prices. All groups monthly CPI indicator, Australia, annual movement (%)The Housing group rose 1.2 per cent in the 12 months to November, up from a 0.2 per cent annual rise to October. Most of this change in the Housing group was caused by the timing of payments of electricity rebates.“Electricity rebates lower the price of electricity for households. The impact of the rebates was lower in November than October due to the timing of payments. Most quarterly electricity bills received in November included only one instalment of the Commonwealth Energy Bill Relief Fund, whereas many bills received in October included two instalments. As a result, electricity prices rose 22.4 per cent in the month of November,” Ms Marquardt said. Compared to 12 months ago, electricity prices were 21.5 per cent lower in November, compared to a 35.6 per cent annual fall to October. Excluding all Commonwealth and State government rebates, Electricity would have fallen 1.7 per cent in the 12 months to November.Electricity, Australia, monthly and annual movement (%)Rents rose 6.6 per cent in the 12 months to November, following a similar annual rise of 6.7 per cent to October, reflecting continued tight rental markets across the country.New dwelling price rises slowed to 2.8 per cent in the 12 months to November, following a 4.2 per cent rise in the 12 months to October. Annual new dwellings inflation is now the lowest since July 2021, mainly due to builders offering discounts and promotional offers to entice business.Automotive fuel prices fell 10.2 per cent in the 12 months to November, following an annual fall of 11.5 per cent to October. Fuel prices have fallen over the past year as lower global demand has pushed down the price of oil. In monthly terms, fuel prices rose 0.9 per cent in November, which was the first increase in prices since June 2024.Food and non-alcoholic beverages prices rose 2.9 per cent in the 12 months to November, softer than the 3.3 per cent annual rise to October. The November annual movement for Food and non-alcoholic beverages is the lowest since January 2022.Fruit and vegetable prices rose 6.0 per cent in the 12 months to November, compared to a rise of 8.5 per cent in the 12 months to October. While prices remain higher compared to 12 months ago, in recent months prices have fallen for tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, mangoes and strawberries due to favourable growing conditions.Grocery products, Australia, annual movement (%)

Expressions of Interest (EOI) are now open for the new Housing Delivery Authority (HDA), set to speed up the delivery of well-located homes to NSW.The newly established HDA will help deliver the homes that young people, families and key local workers need – a major reform that will streamline the development of major housing projects.The HDA will lead a new State Significant Development (SSD) pathway and State Significant Development with a concurrent rezoning process for major residential developments.The EOI process will remain open, with proposals submitted to be reviewed monthly, giving industry ongoing opportunities to have their proposals considered.Established on the 19th of December, only a month after it was announced, the HDA includes Simon Draper, Secretary of the Premier’s Department; Kiersten Fishburn, Secretary of the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure; and Tom Gellibrand, CEO of Infrastructure NSW.  Before a proposal is recommended to be declared a State Significant Development project, the Department will assess it against criteria that meet the objectives of this EOI process, which are: ·       Identify high-yield housing proposals by focusing on known high-yield types of residential accommodation. ·       Identify housing projects that can be assessed and constructed quickly by focusing on more compliant, major housing proposals that can commence construction quickly.·       Drive quality and affordable housing by focusing on housing development proposals that are well-located, have enabling infrastructure and contribute to affordable housing supply.·       Complement the State Significant Rezoning Policy by providing a potential pathway for major housing proposals that are seeking concurrent rezoning.This new assessment pathway will reduce the number of large complex Development Applications (DA) councils are required to assess each year, freeing up resources for councils to assess less complex DAs faster.Delivering well-located homes close to transport, jobs, and community amenities has been a priority for the Minns Government, and this pathway will streamline the assessment of these projects.This is part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to build a better NSW with more homes and services so young people, families, and key local workers have somewhere to live and in the communities they choose.For more information, visit Housing Delivery Authority | PlanningActing Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Anoulack Chanthivong said, “The Minns Labor Government is pulling every lever to tackle the housing crisis and encourage developers to build and boost housing supply and overall affordability.“The NSW Government will do everything possible to build a better future for NSW so young people, families and key local workers have somewhere to live and in the communities they choose.”

Hospitality and retail workers could find themselves in higher demand when interest rates finally start to come down and encourage consumers to open their wallets.SEEK senior economist Blair Chapman expects stronger hiring in consumer-facing sectors in 2025 as the widely expected rate cuts from the Reserve Bank of Australia eases employer concerns about sluggish spending."If we do see those cost of living pressures continue to ease and interest rate cuts come, then you can expect retail and hospitality demand to pick up in 2025," he told AAP.Consumers are expected to open their wallets when interest rates finally start to come down. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)Outlining his expectations for the year ahead, Mr Chapman said the jobs market was still stabilising following the post-COVID-19 pandemic hiring boom. Advertising on the jobs marketplace was weaker towards the end of 2024 compared to earlier in the year, he said, reflecting normalising labour demand easing from a very high base.But hiring in the care economy, including jobs in health care and child care, was unlikely to slow down."That ongoing demand for care workers isn't going away and that's really continuing to drive employment - and that's going to continue well into 2025," Mr Chapman said.With businesses keen to make the most of generative AI and other technologies, he expected demand for programmers and data scientists to grow. Hiring in the care economy, including health care and child care, is unlikely to slow down in 2025. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)A survey of Australian business leaders released by KPMG on Monday revealed digital transformation, cybersecurity and AI as pressing challenges for the private sector in 2025.Looking further into the future, skills gaps in areas such as technology and data science were identified as a top concern for CEOs.LinkedIn career expert Cayla Dengate said "soft skills" would become increasingly important as generative AI continued to reshape the workforce."As business leaders look for core competencies that AI cannot easily replace, there's now more value than ever in skills such as communication, building relationships, creativity and complex decision-making," she said.English teachers, fundraising managers and employee relations specialists all earned spots on the career platform's list of jobs on the rise, underscoring demand for soft skills.English teachers topped the ranking, followed by food and beverage servers and travel specialists.By Poppy Johnston in Canberra

Labor will renew its attack on the coalition's nuclear energy plan as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese kicks on with his blitz of key election battlegrounds.Mr Albanese is travelling to electorates in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia ahead of the official start of the federal election campaign. He will begin Tuesday in Rockhampton, on Queensland's central coast, before heading north to Cairns and west to Mount Isa.Anthony Albanese is visiting key seats in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. (Russell Freeman/AAP PHOTOS)Labor hopes to win the north Queensland seat of Leichhardt, held by retiring Liberal MP Warren Entsch, at the federal election due by late May.The government has attacked Opposition Leader Peter Dutton's $330 billion bid to set up seven nuclear reactors.New analysis released by Labor during Mr Albanese's offensive shows the coalition's plan assumes the cost to Queensland will be more than $872 billion in lost output by 2050.Treasurer Jim Chalmers said Mr Dutton's "economic madness" would leave the state's households worse off."As a Queenslander, I won't sit back and watch Peter Dutton push energy prices up and growth down right across the state," he said."Peter Dutton is the biggest risk to household budgets and Australia's economy because he wants to push up power prices, slow growth and come after wages and Medicare."Interest-rate pain has impacted support for the Labor government ahead of a federal election. (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)Cost-of-living pressures will be a key issue during the election, as pain felt by households whittles down the government's approval ratings.Fresh polling released by Roy Morgan shows if an election was held now, the coalition would win with a two-party preferred vote of 53 per cent to Labor's 47 per cent.Primary support for the coalition has dropped slightly to 40.5 per cent, while Labor's primary vote increased to 31 per cent.Mr Albanese visited Gympie on Monday to announce $7.2 billion in funding to upgrade the 1600km-long Bruce Highway.The highway, notorious for fatalities and serious crashes, recorded more than 40 deaths in 2024, and another two since the start of the new year on Wednesday.Mr Albanese said there was nothing "last minute" about the cash splash as polls suggested Labor would have to fight to keep a majority government."I've never been about allocating infrastructure investment on the basis of what way people vote," he told 4BC Brisbane on Monday afternoon."It's about the national interest in doing the right thing."Federal coalition members said the pledge showed Mr Albanese only cared about Queensland's regional infrastructure when an election was looming.Mr Albanese said he wanted Australians to ask themselves who would ensure they were better off in the future.The visits will coincide with the release of the latest monthly inflation figures on Wednesday, which the Reserve Bank will monitor as it considers an interest rate cut in February.By Tess Ikonomou in Canberra