Australia news live: Albanese confirms investigation into allegations some antisemitic attacks may be perpetrated by ‘paid actors’

Some antisemitic attacks appear not to be ‘motivated by ideology but paid actors’ – PM
Rafqa Touma
Just circling back to Anthony Albanese’s press conference in Parramatta earlier this morning, which we covered throughout the blog:
The prime minister said it appeared some perpetrators of antisemitic attacks in Australia were not motivated by an ideology but were paid by foreign actors.
He was asked a litany of questions about the Australian federal police’s investigation into whether overseas actors were paying local criminals to carry out antisemitic attacks. He said:
It is important that people understand where some of these attacks are coming from, and it would appear, as the AFP commissioner said yesterday, that some of these are being perpetrated by people who don’t have a particular issue, aren’t motivated by an ideology, but are paid actors. It’s unclear who or where the payments are coming from.

Asked again where foreign interference may be coming from, Albanese did not reveal any new detail:
I will leave the work of the AFP to be done by the AFP. They’ll continue to provide appropriate briefings, but with respect, I understand the desire for more information.
Key events
Wong addresses media from Washington DC
The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, is speaking to reporters from Washington DC.
She said she had been involved in a number of “productive meetings” on the first full day of the new Trump administration, just returning from a meeting with the secretary of state, Marco Rubio.
It was a very warm and constructive … first official bilateral engagement. Obviously we had the Quad meeting ahead of that, and we spoke about our shared interest and ambition, the strength of our alliance, the importance of our economic partnership, the work we’re doing together with the United Kingdom through Aukus, and of course critical minerals, which has been an issue that he and the president have spoken about.
Wong said she also met counterparts from Japan and India, and with the US national security advisor, Mike Waltz.
I think across the span of the alliance, there’s a great deal of optimism and confidence about the opportunities ahead, and I am really privileged to have had this level of engagement so early in the new administration.

Benita Kolovos
Allan on whether ‘fair fuel’ plan would lead to less competition in the market
Asked about her government’s plan – announced on Monday – to force 1,500 petrol stations to report fuel prices a day in advance and freeze the prices for 24 hours, and whether it would lead to less competition in the market, Jacinta Allan said:
My focus on the fair fuel plan that we announced on Monday is helping motorists save hundreds of dollars a year. And we know from work that’s been done by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission that where motorists fill up at the lowest price available, they can save hundreds of dollars a year.

Benita Kolovos
Allan says ‘huge amount of work’ by federal and state governments to combat antisemitism
Jacinta Allan was also asked whether national cabinet should have been convened by the federal government earlier.
She said there had already been a “huge amount of work” going on both by the federal and state governments to combat the wave of alleged hate crimes targeting Jewish communities.
In terms of that horrific terrorist attack on the synagogue [Adass Israel] in Melbourne, there’s a joint investigation going on between Victoria police and the Australian federal police, and they are throwing a huge amount of resources and work at this investigation.
So there has already been work under way, and when there is an opportunity to look at how we can strengthen that … I will always grab that opportunity to work with state and territory colleagues and the prime minister on how we can take a national approach, the strongest approach, to condemn and act on this evil of antisemitism.

Benita Kolovos
Allan weighs in on future of weekly pro-Palestine protests
Asked whether she thought it was time for the pro-Palestine protests in Melbourne’s CBD to stop – they have been happening every Sunday for more than a year, and the premier has previously described them as peaceful – Jacinta Allan said:
I’m firmly of the view that if the guns can go silent in Gaza as a result of the ceasefire that occurred over the weekend, then it’s time to bring peace, not division, to our streets – whether it’s in Melbourne or Sydney or in any part of the country …
We need to heal, particularly those communities who are directly impacted. They have families, they have loved ones, who are directly impacted. My focus all the way through this has been supporting them.

Benita Kolovos
Victorian premier ‘horrified’ by attack on Sydney childcare centre
Jacinta Allan was on ABC Radio Melbourne’s Breakfast program earlier this morning to talk about yesterday’s national cabinet meeting on antisemitism, which was called following an attack on a Sydney childcare centre.
The Victorian premier said she was “absolutely horrified” about the attack. She said yesterday’s meeting was an opportunity for state and territory leaders to discuss actions being taken across jurisdictions – and how this work can be strengthened, “particularly the work between our policing agencies”.
Around how we can track this crime, track this evil, track these incidents, and then look at how we can better coordinate responses, because it’s devastating to see that antisemitism knows no border. It can happen on any street, in any town in Australia, around the world, and we’ve got to do everything we can to look at every tool in our toolkit to stamp out this evil.
Bushfire south of Perth threatening properties as emergency warning issued
An emergency alert was issued for communities south of Perth this morning amid a bushfire that is threatening properties.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services said the “leave now” warning was for Byford and Karrakup in the shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale.
It is for those bounded by Nettleton Road to the north, Barge Drive to the east, Cooperage Street to the west and Kiln Road to the south.
Dfes said the alert level for the fire had been upgraded because properties were under threat. It said:
You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. There is a threat to lives and homes.
A heatwave is impacting the broader region and is forecast to continue for at least another three days.
$3bn WA oil and gas project put off
Santos has stalled plans for a $3.4bn oil and gas project in Western Australia which is estimated to emit 168.6m tonnes of emissions in its lifetime.
Carnarvon Energy said Santos, the operator of the joint venture, had dropped plans to purchase an oil production vessel for the Dorado project and wouldn’t be starting engineering and design work. This defers the target for a final investment decision, it said.
A statement from Carnarvon said the joint venture was currently reviewing the timeline for the project and would “update the market in due time”. It said it was planning towards drilling further exploration wells in 2026.
The AFR reports that Santos is working to increase shareholder returns ahead of growth, and that Carnarvon’s shares fell as much as 27% amid the deferral.

Rafqa Touma
Albanese fields more questions on foreign interference in antisemitic attacks in Australia
Continuing from our previous post: Anthony Albanese was also asked why potential foreign actors were being investigated for antisemitic attacks across Australia now.
He said they were “being investigated and have been”.
The point is, when you have an investigation, sometimes it’s a really good idea to not tell the people who you are investigating exactly all of that detail, and that is what’s going on here …
This action is ongoing. The decision made by the police authorities themselves to be more transparent is to make it clear the action which is taking place on the ground, given suggestions by some, in order to secure some … political advantage, that that wasn’t occurring.
Asked whether the government boosted resources before or after they were made aware of the potential of foreign actors, and how long they have been aware, the PM said:
I announced Operation Avalite some time ago.
Albanese announced that the AFP established “special Operation Avalite” to combat antisemitism on 9 December last year.
Some antisemitic attacks appear not to be ‘motivated by ideology but paid actors’ – PM

Rafqa Touma
Just circling back to Anthony Albanese’s press conference in Parramatta earlier this morning, which we covered throughout the blog:
The prime minister said it appeared some perpetrators of antisemitic attacks in Australia were not motivated by an ideology but were paid by foreign actors.
He was asked a litany of questions about the Australian federal police’s investigation into whether overseas actors were paying local criminals to carry out antisemitic attacks. He said:
It is important that people understand where some of these attacks are coming from, and it would appear, as the AFP commissioner said yesterday, that some of these are being perpetrated by people who don’t have a particular issue, aren’t motivated by an ideology, but are paid actors. It’s unclear who or where the payments are coming from.
Asked again where foreign interference may be coming from, Albanese did not reveal any new detail:
I will leave the work of the AFP to be done by the AFP. They’ll continue to provide appropriate briefings, but with respect, I understand the desire for more information.
Disrespectful fan behaviour could deter girls from trying sport – minister
The minister for sport, Anika Wells, was also up on ABC News Breakfast this morning to discuss a funding boost to help more girls and women get into tennis.
As the Australian Open continues, she was asked about the interaction between tennis stars and Australian fans, and some of the controversies that have happened throughout the tournament so far.
Wells described it as “lively viewing” and said the Australian Open was “famed for its passionate fans”. But should people be more respectful? She responded:
I think Australians love their sport. I, as sport minister, always want to make sure that we look after our athletes and that we’re athlete-led around policy, setting policy around treating our athletes with respect.
One of the side-effects is that girls look at that treatment and decide that they don’t want to stay in sport or give it a go, because they don’t want to have that experience themselves. I think, from a policy sense, we have to look more broadly about what impact that might be having – not just on the players who are having that experience, but the kids, for example.
Asked if the PM was planning to attend a match, or if he was avoiding the crowds, Wells said he woke up with “about 8,007 commitments he has to do” each day.
‘Nothing off the table’ in investigation into Maroubra childcare centre attack
Asked if those involved may have been influenced by foreign actors, Yasmin Catley said “every line of questioning is being investigated”.
Nothing is off the table. And if that is the case, then the AFP and the NSW police, as I say, will work hand in glove to bring these criminals to a court of law.
Catley was asked what information she received on these foreign actors at yesterday’s national cabinet meeting, but said this was intelligence information and she didn’t want to interrupt that.
But I can tell your listeners now – rest assured, every line of inquiry is being investigated thoroughly and forensically.
Asked if the recent spate of antisemitic attacks were being characterised as “an emerging wave of terrorism”, Catley described them as “certainly very aggressive” and a “criminal activity”.
A very, very serious crime is being committed here.
Sydney antisemitic attack perpetrators ‘can expect a knock on the door’ – police minister
The NSW police minister, Yasmin Catley, has provided an update on the investigation into the targeting of the Maroubra childcare centre.
Speaking to ABC News Breakfast, she said police had increased the number of officers involved in Operation Pearl – set up to investigate alleged hate crimes with an antisemitic focus across Sydney’s eastern suburbs – to 40 detectives.
These are 40 detectives from the state crime unit – highly specialised detectives that are going to be investigating these crimes. And let me tell you – they may not catch them this week, maybe not next week, but they can expect a knock on the door, and they will face the full charge of the law.
Clare defends government response to antisemitism
The education minister, Jason Clare, spoke with ABC News Breakfast earlier this morning, where he also defended the federal government’s response to antisemitism amid criticism from Israel’s deputy foreign minister.
He said he disagreed with those comments, and listed a number of measures the government had taken (as he did in an earlier interview).
The bottom line here is that we can’t let what’s happening on the other side of the world tear us apart here in Australia. There’s been too much bloodshed overseas and there’s too much hate here in Australia.
Asked what practical steps could be taken to unite Australians right now, Clare pointed to a program by Rabbi Zelman Cowen, who visits schools and helps “break down the barriers between different groups”.
We’re not born racist. It’s something that’s learnt. Programs like that in our schools are very, very important.
And asked about criticism from Peter Dutton on the government’s response, Clare said he “just wants to say something negative about everything at the moment”.
PM says he has worked ‘my whole life’ against racism ‘in all its forms’
Anthony Albanese pointed to his student politics days to defend his track record on responding to racism, saying he had established Students Against Racism at Sydney University. He continued:
When my local council was controlled by the Greens and adopted a BDS – a boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign – against Israel and against products, and called for a ban based upon where things came from, I worked with Peter Wertheim and others, two decades ago, on these issues.
I have, my whole life, worked against racism in all of its forms – in all of its forms – without exception. I continue to call it out, and I’ll continue to call it out.
The PM repeated his call for unity, saying the country needed to come together and “not look for difference, not look for division, not look for political advantage”.
We need to bring the country together, because we are overwhelmingly a harmonious society. We can be a microcosm for the world that can show that, in this community here you, have people of Jewish, Muslim, Catholic, Hindu, Buddhist, living side by side in harmony.
That’s what people want to see. That’s what I’m working towards.
PM denounces ‘people who seek political advantage from traumatic circumstance’
Anthony Albanese denied that his government had been slow to act on antisemitism and said it had “acted from day one”.
The PM said what was of concern to him was “people who seek political advantage from what is a traumatic circumstance”.
I’ve worked with all of the communities. Peter Dutton, for someone who is responsible for some national security issues … should know better.
We have acted. We have established the first envoy on antisemitism that could have been done by the former government. We’ve outlawed Nazi and hate symbols that could have been done by the former government. We’ve outlawed doxing that could have been done by the former government. We’ve provided increased security funding for synagogues, places of worship, schools etc that could have been done by the former government as well. What we have done is act.
Albanese said he was concerned that “an attempt to politicise this has another result, which is it denies agency of the actual perpetrators”.
It is an attempt to turn away from those people engaged in these hate crimes, towards it being a political issue. And I tell you what should happen: Australia should come together, not look for difference – look for unity of purpose.
That is absolutely what we need at a time where those perpetrators of these actions do so in order to divide our country, that is what they are trying to do. We should not succumb to that. We should unite, look for common purpose, look for a joint and – across the board – a whole-of-society response.
Anthony Albanese is fielding questions on what information the AFP is able to release regarding its investigation, and said:
The point is that when you have an investigation, sometimes it’s a really good idea to not tell the people who you are investigating …
I’ll leave that to the AFP. I am not going to compromise the investigations. We want to hunt down these perpetrators. We want to see them face the full force of the law.
PM says it is unclear where possible attack payments are coming from
Anthony Albanese is speaking to reporters in Parramatta. Taking questions, the prime minister was asked about news the AFP is investigating potential foreign interference in antisemitic attacks in Australia, and said it was important the AFP was allowed to do its job:
Those investigations are ongoing. I’m reluctant to say anything that compromises those investigations, but it is important that people understand where some of these attacks are coming from, and it would appear as the AFP commissioner said yesterday that some of these are being perpetrated by people who don’t have a particular issue, aren’t motivated by an ideology, but are paid actors. Now it’s unclear who or where the payments are coming from.
Burke says AFP has ‘very deliberate reasons’ for what it does and doesn’t disclose publicly
Tony Burke was also asked if he had been personally briefed after the AFP said it was investigating whether the spate of antisemitic attacks had been funded by “overseas actors” using cryptocurrency.
Burke declined to go into what he is and isn’t briefed on. But he responded to an earlier interview by James Paterson on ABC RN (see earlier blog posts) and said the AFP had “very deliberate reasons” for what they do and don’t reveal to the public.
They operate independently, as they should, but my only interest in what they put out is that they make decisions that are designed to advance investigations.
And you know, I’m not able to add to anything that that’s been put out there, but I certainly would not join in what I thought was a surprising and potentially naive call from Mr Patterson, just randomly saying, ‘oh, we need more information on this.’ They should put out the information that they think helps with the investigation. That’s how the Australian Federal Police should operate, and how they do.
Burke says government focused on ‘action rather than meetings’
Circling back to Tony Burke’s interview on ABC RN:
Asked why it took so long for the federal government to convene national cabinet on antisemitism, Burke repeated earlier remarks from the PM that the government’s priority was on “taking actions rather than having meetings”.
The principal challenges that we’ve seen have been in NSW and Victoria, you would have seen there have been joint statements that have been made with those jurisdictions. There’s a whole lot of cooperation and work that’s happening across jurisdictions. It’s the action that was the priority.