Welcome, readers, to Afternoon Update.
The parliament has opened with Anthony Albanese standing on a motion condemning the 7 October attack. His words prompted fierce debate, with the opposition accusing Labor of “walking both sides” of the conflict.
The motion, which “reiterates its unequivocal condemnation” of Hamas’s terror attacks on Israel on 7 October, caused division on account of language that recognised the Palestinian perspective, including “the death of all innocent civilians, recognising the number of Palestinian civilians killed in Gaza” and calling for a ceasefire and de-escalation.
The Coalition said the motion should only recognise what Jewish and Israeli people have experienced, given it is a commemoration of the 7 October attacks.
Despite the Coalition’s rejection, and protest from the Greens who called for sanctions on Israel, the motion passed 85 to 54.
- ar-right extremist found guilty of performing Nazi salute | Jacob Hersant, 25, is the first Victorian to be charged, and found guilty, of performing the Nazi salute. He made the salute on 27 October last year, about six days after Victorian laws banning the gesture came into effect.
- NSW premier claims pro-Palestinian protests too expensive | Chris Minns, said policing pro-Palestine protests has cost the state $5m this year and the force should be able to shut them down because of the “huge drain on the public purse”. Minns has ordered a review of police resources used at the protests.
- Oasis confirm Australian reunion tour dates | Oasis have expanded their phenomenally successful reunion tour to Australia with at least two gigs in Melbourne and Sydney – and they have spared fans from the dynamic pricing model that saw the cost of tickets to the band’s UK shows skyrocket.
- Emergency chief warns of ‘dangerous’ Trump falsehoods | Misinformation spread by Donald Trump about Hurricane Helene, including comments from Marjorie Taylor Greene that Democrats somehow directed the hurricane itself, have allegedly hampered the response to one of the deadliest hurricanes to ever hit the US.
- Hypersonic missile targets major Ukrainian airbase | The latest strike on Starokostiantyniv came a day after the Dutch defence minister said the Netherlands would supply Ukraine with more F-16 jets in the coming months. There were no civilian casualties.
- Salmon swim in Klamath River for first time in more than 100 years | Researchers determined that Chinook salmon began migrating on 3 October into previously inaccessible habitat above the site of the recently demolished Iron Gate dam near the California-Oregon border, marking a major victory for local tribes.
- Beer can artwork accidentally thrown in bin by staff | A Dutch museum has recovered an artwork that looks like two empty beer cans after a staff member thought it was trash. A closer look showed it was in fact meticulously hand-painted with acrylics, according to the museum.
- Vet reprimanded for home care of ‘happy’ cat she was told to euthanise | Janine Parody, who had an “exceptional” reputation, told a disciplinary tribunal she had put down three or four animals that morning and could not face euthanising another.
- Germans decry influence of English as ‘idiot’s apostrophe’ approval | Unlike English, German does not traditionally use apostrophes to indicate the genitive case or possession. However, the body regulating the use of German clarified the Deppenapostroph (“idiot’s apostrophe”) has become so widespread that it is permissible.
