Greens senator, journalists, activists and former Socceroo among Sydney march speakers
There are eight official speakers for the pro-Palestine march in Sydney today, speaking from the Lang Park gathering point.
Indigenous Australian actor Meyne Wyatt is one of the speakers at today’s march on behalf of Palestinians in Gaza.
Photograph: Carly Earl/The Guardian
Here’s the rundown, as announced by organisers Palestine Action Group.
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Meyne Wyatt, Indigenous actor
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Randa Abdel-Fattah, Palestinian writer and academic
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Craig Foster, former Australian of the Year and former Socceroo
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Mehreen Faruqi, Greens senator
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Antony Loewenstein, journalist
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Paul Keating, Maritime Union of Australia
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Tania Safi, activist
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Mohamed Duar, Amnesty International
Updated at 21.54 EDT
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What we know so far about the Pro-Palestine marches
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The Sydney Harbour Bridge was closed at 11.30pm as Pro-Palestine supporters gathered around Lang Park for the start of the march, which is expected to take three hours.
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March scheduled to start at 1.30pm from the corner of York and Grosvenor streets, then heading north west onto the Harbour Bridge. Marchers turn left onto Alfred St and then go south to Bradfield Park.
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The Sydney march organiser is Palestine Action Group Sydney. There will be eight speakers, including Greens senator Mehreen Faruqim, indigenous actor Meyne Wyatt and former Socceroo and Australian of the Year Craig Foster.
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Transport for NSW has asked people to avoid non-essential travel around the CBD and northern Sydney, warning there will be long delays. Bus services will be affected and travellers were asked to check for updates.
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Pro-Palestinian protestors are also gathering in Melbourne ready to block the King Street bridge this afternoon.
Share‘Time to move on’ say Victorian Liberals as pro-Palestine protesters gather
In a media statement headlined “Time to move on” the Victorian state opposition has attacked the pro-Palestine protest in Melbourne, blaming Premier Jacinta Allan for failing to stop the blockade.
The demonstration would be “the 92nd pro-Palestine rally since 7 October 2023”, the statement said, and the protests had become a “relentless campaign.”
Opposition leader Brad Battin said:
Every Victorian has the right to protest peacefully, but no one has the right to block bridges, shut down cities or stop our emergency services from attending emergencies.
Premier Allan has let this go on for too long. Victorians are sick of the chaos. It’s time to stop talking and start acting.
The statement said Victoria had abolished ‘move on’ powers and was without a protest permit system. Shadow police minister David Southwick said:
Victorians have had a gutful of serial protesters hijacking our city with no consequences. Labor is once again failing to protect our community, our economy, and our emergency services.
Updated at 23.04 EDT
Streets start to fill as Sydney pro-Palestine protesters gather
The streets around Lang Park in Sydney are really starting to fill before the official 1pm start time of a pro-Palestine rally that will cross the now-closed Sydney Harbour Bridge later today.
Labor Friends of Palestine, including Federal MP Ed Husic (right), join the Palestine Action Group’s Sydney march on behalf of Palestinians in Gaza. Photograph: Farid Farid/AAPPeople gather for the Palestine Action Group’s ‘March for Humanity’ event in Sydney. Photograph: Dean Lewins/EPAProtesters have not been deterred by the cold, wet weather lashing Sydney. Photograph: Dean Lewins/EPAShare
Updated at 23.02 EDT
Protesters gather for a ‘Free Palestine’ march in Melbourne
Pro-Palestine protesters in Melbourne are also beginning to gather for a march and blockade of the King Street bridge in the city, this afternoon.
People gather outside the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne before a ‘Free Palestine’ rally. Photograph: Con Chronis/EPAThe Australian Aboriginal flag and the Torres Strait Islander Flag are on display at the Melbourne protest on behalf of Palestinians in Gaza. Photograph: Con Chronis/AAPPeople are gathering in Melbourne’s CBD to protest on behalf of Palestinians in Gaza. Photograph: Con Chronis/AAPShare
Updated at 22.55 EDT
Search for woman swept away as emergency staff respond to more than 1,400 calls
My colleague Ben Smee has filed this story on the latest in the search for a 26-year-old woman who was swept away after a car she was travelling in got stuck in flood waters near Cessnock in the Hunter region.
Updated at 22.30 EDT
Sydney Harbour Bridge is now a wet and empty scene
The Sydney Harbour Bridge was officially closed at 11.30am before this afternoon’s march in support of Palestinians.
The bridge would usually be thrumming with traffic, but the Sydney Webcam shows a very wet, traffic-free zone.
Sydney Harbour Bridge is eerily quiet after road closures and before the pro-Palestine march. Photograph: Webcam SydneyShare
Updated at 22.14 EDT
Krishani Dhanji
Green light for undersea power link between Tasmania and Victoria
The Australian government has given the environmental green light to Marinus Link, the undersea electricity cable project between Tasmania and Victoria.
The cable will send electricity in both directions between the two states, which the government says will help accelerate the transition to net zero.
The approval comes just days after the Tasmanian government signed up to the $5bn project.
Environment minister Murray Watt says the project will power homes and businesses, with the first stage of the Marinus Link to power 750,000 homes. Watt said:
It will also strengthen energy security for Tasmania and Victoria by providing National Electricity Market customers with greater access to a diverse and abundant supply of renewable energy and storage capacity.
Project negotiations between the federal and state governments have taken several years, as cost estimates have increased. In 2021, it was estimated to cost $3bn.
Updated at 22.06 EDT
Liberal net zero policy review could take a year, says shadow energy minister
The Coalition’s position on climate change and net zero is a very live issue on that side of politics, with policy reviews being run by the Nationals and the Liberals, and Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce throwing a bomb into the debate with a private member’s bill calling for any policies that aim to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions to be repealed.
Shadow energy minister Dan Tehan says it could take a year for the Coalition to decide what its positions on nuclear, gas and coal will be. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP
The shadow energy minister, Dan Tehan, told Sky this morning his party’s review of their climate and energy policy could take nine to 12 months to complete. He says:
As part of that policy, we’ve got to work out what will our nuclear policy be. What will our gas policy be? What will we do with state governments that continue to provide subsidies to keep coal fired power stations going?
What will your policy be when it comes to coal? These are all very complex matters, and we’ve already met as part of our working group, and we’ve said the first focus is going to be on gas.
Tehan says the Liberals will also look at the party’s policy on gas and carbon capture and storage.
They continue to go up year upon year upon year. That’s a fact, more fossil fuel was burned in 2024 than we’ve ever burnt in human history.
Tehan was pressed on whether the Liberals would support the building of new coal-fired power stations, as proposed by some in the Coalition including Nationals senator Matt Canavan.
Tehan didn’t give a straight answer, but he says the world needs “energy abundance” and state governments in NSW and Victoria are doing deals to extend the life of coal plants.
Updated at 21.51 EDT
Greens senator, journalists, activists and former Socceroo among Sydney march speakers
There are eight official speakers for the pro-Palestine march in Sydney today, speaking from the Lang Park gathering point.
Indigenous Australian actor Meyne Wyatt is one of the speakers at today’s march on behalf of Palestinians in Gaza.
Photograph: Carly Earl/The Guardian
Here’s the rundown, as announced by organisers Palestine Action Group.
-
Meyne Wyatt, Indigenous actor
-
Randa Abdel-Fattah, Palestinian writer and academic
-
Craig Foster, former Australian of the Year and former Socceroo
-
Mehreen Faruqi, Greens senator
-
Antony Loewenstein, journalist
-
Paul Keating, Maritime Union of Australia
-
Tania Safi, activist
-
Mohamed Duar, Amnesty International
Updated at 21.54 EDT
Krishani Dhanji
Reform negative gearing and capital gains tax, says ACTU
ACTU secretary Sally McManus says negative gearing and capital gains tax should be changed, and she will bring a proposal to do that at a productivity roundtable, this month.
The ACTU will argue that the tax breaks for investors should be limited to one investment property.
Changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax were once on the table for Labor, back in 2019 under Bill Shorten’s leadership. Since then, the Albanese government has continually ruled out reforms (despite a big push from the Greens in the last parliament).
McManus tells ABC’s Insiders the tax settings should be “grandfathered” over five years.
You can have as many investment properties as you want, but in terms of the tax benefit, limit that to one.
Unless we change it, working people can’t live where they work. They can’t live where they grew up … A study in New South Wales said that there will be no grandchildren in Sydney because people between the ages of 30 and 40 can’t afford to live there.
Updated at 21.32 EDT
Benita Kolovos
Protesters to blockade King Street Bridge in Melbourne
Protesters in Melbourne are planning to blockade the King Street bridge from midday today in solidarity with NSW demonstrators.
The Free Palestine rally at the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne today. Photograph: Con Chronis/AAP
Event organisers Free Palestine Coalition Naarm urged supporters to “block the city for Gaza” and to bring pots and pans to “highlight the manufactured starvation that is causing mass casualties in Gaza.” In asocial media post, the group said:
These shut downs are in preparation for international mass strikes, sanctions and blockades to end Israeli impunity.
Victoria police on Friday said they had made “repeated requests” for protesters to change their plans, as blocking the bridge – which provides a major thoroughfare into the city – could delay emergency services.
They said there would be a visible police presence in the city today “to keep the peace and ensure the safety of the community”.
The premier, Jacinta Allan, on Saturday said she supported police efforts. From the state Labor conference, where several Palestine motions passed, she said:
Anyone intending to disrupt emergency services or everyday Victorians going about their Sunday safely, anyone who then intends to disrupt that, will be dealt with swiftly.
Organisers have said they would let emergency services vehicles through.
Updated at 21.57 EDT