NSW police warn ‘unauthorised gatherings’ this weekend will be met with a ‘significant’ policing response – as it happened | Australia news

Key events

What we learned, Friday 19 December

We’re going to wrap our day’s live news coverage there. Here are the main headlines from today:

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, announced a national buyback scheme for firearms.

There are still 15 patients receiving hospital care in Sydney for injuries sustained in the terror attack on Sunday, according to NSW Health.

Funerals for people killed in the attack on Sunday continued today, including for Boris and Sofia Gurman and Edith Brutman.

Seven men detained in Sydney’s south-west last night in connection with possible planned violence were released from custody today without charge, pending further investigations.

The NSW premier, Chris Minns, has said pro-Palestine demonstrations are “unleashing forces in our community that are not being contained”.

The NSW Greens have objected to the plans for further restrictions on public protest, saying it is “authoritarian overreach” and would be “the most radical limits on peaceful assemblies in Australia’s history.”

NSW Police have warned they will embark on “a significant policing response to any large-scale public gatherings” over the weekend in the state.

The NSW treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, says the Palestinian resistance phrase “globalise the intifada” should be considered hate speech as governments consider tougher laws on what can be said in public.

Thousands of surfers paddled out into the water at Bondi Beach this morning to pay tribute to the victims of Sunday’s terror attack.

Flags on all New South Wales and Australian government buildings will be flown at half-mast on Sunday as a mark of respect for the victims of the terror attack on Sunday.

Thanks so much for your company today. Look after yourselves this weekend and go gently.

Share

Updated at 02.01 EST

NSW Health responds to cybersecurity report

We reported earlier that an auditor general’s report had found NSW local health districts were not meeting the minimum NSW government cybersecurity requirements.

NSW Health has responded to the report, with a spokesperson saying the agency takes cybersecurity very seriously, and has “a comprehensive program in place to prevent, detect and respond to cybersecurity issues” led by eHealth NSW.

The spokesperson said:

We are continuously strengthening these measures to ensure a proactive, resilient approach to emerging risks in this quickly evolving landscape.

We welcome the Audit Office of NSW’s final report on cyber security and accept all six recommendations.

Significant progress has already been made on each recommendation, and we are on track to meet the report’s deadlines. Actions include: reviewing roles and resourcing; educating staff on safeguarding patient data; implementing risk frameworks to enhance oversight and controls.

Earlier this year, eHealth NSW established a cybersecurity taskforce to drive this work, alongside our cybersecurity uplift programme, which is enhancing capacity, compliance and resilience across the health system, now and into the future.

Share

Updated at 01.44 EST

‘I used to call him Aquaman’: partner of Bondi shooting victim Dan Elkayam pays tribute to ‘the love of my life’

The partner of Bondi shooting victim Dan Elkayam has posted a tribute to her partner on social media.

Elkayam was a French national who had been living in Australia for several years. Over two posts on Instagram, Krystal Troyano wrote of the moment she first met Elkayam in 2022, and how she felt like they were destined to meet.

She wrote:

Dan was my water partner.

Whenever we were together, you could always find us in the water. And by water, I mean… under the water. We wanted to stay submerged for as long as possible, hoping to meet fish, sharks, whales, and stingrays.

… We woke up for the sunrise almost every day to spot whales with the drone, watch dolphins, or simply see the sun rise over the ocean. We learned how to surf together (and he even gifted me two surf lessons I was meant to take this week). We learned how to communicate underwater, how to swim among sharks, and how to live alongside them in peace for nearly an hour at a time.

We had our own techniques for finding marine life, and he taught me so much. I remember coming home from work and seeing him on the computer, researching shark species. He was deeply curious, and we were growing into our passion together. And did I mention that he could stay almost two minutes without breathing underwater? His next dream was to complete a freediving course — which we would take together.

Dan never let me down.

He nurtured my love for the ocean, and the ocean became our place.

I used to call him Aquaman.

But above all, I used to call him the love of my life.

Share

Updated at 01.41 EST

Here’s the video of Ahmed al-Ahmed in hospital, receiving the novelty cheque representing the $2.5m raised for him by supporters.

Share

Nationals Senate leader accuses PM of giving ‘tacit approval’ to antisemitism in the community

Nationals Senate leader Bridget McKenzie has accused the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, of giving “tacit approval” for an “explosion” of antisemitism in the community, and claimed he is trying to “deflect from those failures” with gun law reform.

Speaking to ABC News 24 this afternoon, McKenzie said Albanese was trying to “demonise law-abiding firearm owners … because of his failures and his government’s failures” on antisemitism.

McKenzie continued:

I think [this] is abhorrent and offensive. You know, and then to try and appropriate John Howard’s Port Arthur moment … The equivalence between Port Arthur and what happened last Sunday could not be starker. You should not be drawing the equivalence. One was a mass shooting by a madman. The other was a planned, premeditated Islamic terrorist attack …

[T]o then say to the 1 million law abiding firearm owners in this country, it’s your fault and we’re coming after you, is absolutely the wrong response … This man is weak. He’s refused to act and now he’s blaming a million of us who are law abiding firearm owners as if we’re somehow the problem.

McKenzie called for the government to recall parliament “so we can have these debates about legislation”.

Share

Updated at 01.01 EST

NSW Greens: proposed protest laws are ‘authoritarian overreach’

The NSW Greens have lauded the Minns government’s proposed actions on gun law reform but said its plans for further restrictions on public protest are “authoritarian overreach” and would be “the most radical limits on peaceful assemblies in Australia’s history.”

NSW Greens MP and justice spokesperson Sue Higginson said this afternoon that while she welcomed “with relief” the government’s announcement “nation-leading limits” on gun ownership and closure of legal loopholes around them, she was “utterly dismayed” by premier Chris Minns choosing to also “pursue unprecedented attacks on our democracy at this moment”.

Higginson said:

The new regime is unlike anything ever seen … Conflating the right to peaceful public assembly with the horrors of the antisemitic killings that we are all reeling from in Bondi is dangerous and divisive.

To do this in this moment, when we should be proceeding in unity and calm, is not leadership. Restricting the civil liberties of all Australians due to the actions of two depraved terrorists with guns is not conducive to social cohesion.

It was alarming to hear premier Chris Minns suggest that the March for Humanity over the Sydney Harbour Bridge had anything to do with the horrendous mass shooting at Bondi. The March for Humanity was some 300,000 good Australians coming together in the pouring rain to tell the world they would not sit by and watch the Israeli government continue to kill and starve innocent men, women and children in Gaza – we must not forget that. The premier cannot rewrite history.

I sincerely hope the government and MPs across the parliament will realise that once again the Minns cabinet is engaging in authoritarian overreach, and again they are likely breaching the constitutional freedom of political communication. If the government is hell-bent on passing these draconian measures, the parliament should make them a temporary measure, which will mean if these ill-conceived anti-protest laws are rushed through, they can be immediately reassessed.

Share

Updated at 00.48 EST

NSW Police issue warning about ‘unauthorised gatherings’ in NSW

Police have warned they will embark on “a significant policing response to any large-scale public gatherings” over the weekend in New South Wales.

A statement issued this afternoon from NSW police said:

While the NSW Police Force recognises people may want to protest due to recent events both here and overseas, we are asking the community to choose other ways to come together peacefully.

Police are also aware of a number of planned unauthorised gatherings around the state this weekend which have been promoted on social media. These have not gone through the formal process under the Summary Offences Act (1988).

We strongly encourage those planning or attending these events to reconsider. There will be a significant policing response to any large-scale public gatherings, and this is not a time for large gatherings that may heighten tension or create further risk to the safety of the community.

Anyone considering violence, retribution or vigilante behaviour, should know that police will respond swiftly and decisively.

The NSW Police Force will continue to take strong action against anyone who engages in criminal activity that is motivated by hate. We are committed to responding to all hate crimes. And we encourage anyone who is the victim of a hate crime or witnesses a hate crime to report the matter to police.

Share

Updated at 00.26 EST

All seven men detained in Sydney last night released from custody

Seven men detained in Sydney’s south-west last night in connection with possible planned violence have been released from custody today without charge.

NSW police confirmed this afternoon that the men were released pending further investigations.

Police had intercepted the men, aged between 19 and 24, on Thursday night after receiving information that a violent act was possibly being planned. The men were believed to adhere to a similar ideology as the Bondi gunmen and may have been trying to visit Bondi, police alleged.

In a statement today, police said:

Police acted quickly to prevent the advancement of any plan.

There is no immediate safety risk to the community.

Investigations will continue to review all available evidence and an investigation into the matter remains ongoing.

You can read more here:

Share

Updated at 00.15 EST

Victorian court dismisses class action that would have prevented demolition of public housing towers

A Victorian court has dismissed a case brought by residents of Melbourne’s public housing towers to prevent the buildings from being demolished, meaning they once again face the threat of eviction.

A class action against the Victorian government’s plan to demolish and rebuild all 44 of Melbourne’s public housing towers by 2051 was thrown out by the Supreme Court in April, and on Friday the court of appeal found Supreme Court Justice Melinda Richards had not erred in her ruling that Homes Victoria did not legally have to consult with residents on the plan.

The plan, unveiled by former premier Daniel Andrews in September 2023, will lead to the relocation of more than 10,000 residents. Evictions were halted due to legal proceedings, but 91% of families have already been moved.

Homes Victoria staff door-knocked every tower resident after the announcement but residents also found out through a televised press conference and flyers under their doors.

While the court found residents weren’t owed procedural fairness, the three-justice bench was critical of the government agency’s approach.

Chief Justice Richard Niall said:

The decision to implement the housing policy without consultation caused significant grief to residents within the housing estates.

The court dismissed Homes Victoria’s request to recoup $10,000 in legal costs, with Justice Niall noting the case was of public interest and sufficiently cogent to warrant an appeal.

The appeal was led by Inner Melbourne Community Legal on behalf of Jason Mallard, a disability pensioner who has lived in a public housing tower on 120 Racecourse Road in Flemington for 27 years.

Inner Melbourne Community Legal managing lawyer Louisa Bassini said her clients would now “be facing the prospect of eviction leading up to the Christmas period”.

– AAP

Share

Updated at 00.01 EST

Farmers seek clarity on proposed gun reforms

The peak body for farmers in New South Wales has said it is seeking further detail on the proposed changes to gun laws and what the material consequences will be for “law-abiding farmers and those in agriculture”.

In a statement this afternoon, a spokesperson for NSW Farmers said:

NSW Farmers notes the exemptions for primary producers in the state government’s proposed firearms reforms. However, we have urgently asked for more detail on what this practically means for the law-abiding farmers and those in agriculture who will be affected.
NSW Farmers chose to engage directly with politicians this week to avoid causing further harm or distress to those impacted by the atrocity at Bondi on Sunday and will not be making further statements until more information is available.

Share

Queensland government extends puberty blocker ban

The pause on puberty blockers and hormone treatment for new adolescent patients with gender dysphoria in Queensland’s public system will continue until at least 2031, Queensland’s health minister Tim Nicholls announced on Friday.

The decision comes despite a review by Victoria’s former chief psychiatrist, Prof Ruth Vine, finding that treatment decisions “must be informed by each individual’s presentation and circumstances”.

With proper and cautious oversight, standards and appropriate reporting, “there can be benefit for a young person in being able to access puberty blockers,” the review, now made public, found.

Medical experts, health bodies and LGBTQ+ organisations have questioned the government’s interpretation of the Vine review.

The report also highlights the risks of denying care to young people in the public system, including forcing them to seek treatment outside multidisciplinary teams in public hospitals, creating inequities based on socioeconomic status or location, and found withholding care will not contribute to strengthening the evidence base.

Equality Australia CEO Anna Brown said:

Nothing in the Vine report concludes that gender-affirming care is inherently unsafe, ineffective or harmful and the analysis appears to favour the two options that would enable service to resume.

For the government to use this report to justify extending the ban is extraordinary and profoundly cynical. The minister’s selective interpretation misrepresents the findings and distorts the evidence.

Read more:

Share

Updated at 23.53 EST

NSW local health districts not meeting minimum cybersecurity requirements, report finds

Local health districts are not meeting the minimum NSW government cybersecurity requirements, an auditor-general’s report has found.

It comes after Guardian Australia revealed doctors had been left outraged after NSW Health “recklessly” leaked their personal and professional data online in September.

The confidential documents belonging to almost 600 medical staff, including 67 senior doctors in Sydney, were mistakenly made accessible on the South Eastern Sydney and Illawarra Shoalhaven local health districts’ websites, which use a shared system, “via search”.

The NSW auditor-general’s report, released today, found:

NSW Health is not effectively managing cyber security risks to clinical systems that support healthcare delivery in Local Health Districts. In addition, Local Health Districts have not met the minimum NSW Government cyber security requirements that have been outlined in NSW Cyber Security Policy since 2019.

Key requirements of that policy include identification of “crown jewel systems” (the most valuable and operationally vital systems or information in an organisation), cybersecurity considerations in business continuity and disaster recovery planning, and implementation of the Essential Eight cyber control, such as implementing multi-factor authentication.

Share

Updated at 23.47 EST

Ahmed al-Ahmed receives novelty cheque for money raised to support him

Earlier this morning we brought you the news that Ahmed al-Ahmed had been presented with an oversized novelty cheque for $2.5m, representing the funds raised for him among the $5m that had been donated for different fundraisers supporting people in the aftermath of the terror attack.

Here’s a picture of that moment with Ahmed that’s been shared on Instagram.

Share

Updated at 23.32 EST

Fifteen shooting victims still in hospital

There are still 15 patients receiving hospital care in Sydney for injuries sustained in the terror attack on Sunday, according to NSW Health.

One patient’s condition has stabilised at Royal Prince Alfred hospital since this morning, while another’s has unfortunately become critical, albeit stable, at St Vincent’s.

As of 1:30pm, Friday 19 December:

One patient is in a stable condition at Prince of Wales hospital.

One patient is in a critical but stable condition and one patient is in a stable condition at St George hospital.

Three patients are in a critical but stable condition and one patient is stable at St Vincent’s Hospital.

Five patients are stable at Royal Prince Alfred hospital.

Three patients are in a stable condition at Royal North Shore hospital.

Share

Updated at 23.41 EST

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies welcomes ‘measured changes’ to protest laws

The peak representative body for the Jewish community in NSW has welcomed the state government’s plan to limit protests for up to three months after terrorist incidents.

The NSW premier, Chris Minns, has announced legislation which would give the police the power to ban applications for protests in designated areas following a terrorist incident, including Sunday’s Bondi beach attack, for up to three months.

In a statement, the president of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, David Ossip, said the “measured changes” would do “the obvious and decent thing, protect grieving community members from at best ignorant activists and at worst bad actors seeking to provoke conflict in the wake of a terror attack”:

The right to protest is an Australian value but so is letting us come together without harassment and intimidation to mourn and support each other.

A free, respectful and cohesive society is at the heart of the promise of Australia but Sunday’s violent murders are tragic proof that it is also a fragile and much damaged ideal.

But Ossip called for further changes, saying the laws “will only apply in the wake of a terror attack”.

Share

Updated at 23.12 EST

And with that, I am going to hand over to Stephanie Convery, who will take you through to the evening.

Share

Updated at 23.11 EST