Australia news live: James Paterson says it was ‘not the role’ of a Liberal frontbencher to read Josh Burns’s statement on synagogue attack

Liberal MP Paul Fletcher has announced he will not run for re-election at the next federal election.

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In a statement, Fletcher said it had been a “privilege” to serve as the MP for Bradfield, as well as a parliamentary secretary, minister and cabinet minister between 2013 and 2022, and as a senior opposition frontbencher since May 2022.

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n

Last week I marked fifteen years as Member for Bradfield. Renewal is healthy, for people and institutions, and now is the right time to hand over the baton.

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I expect some outstanding people will put themselves forward to be the next Liberal candidate for Bradfield, and to serve the people of Bradfield with energy and commitment. That Liberal candidate, once chosen through our party processes, will have my full support …

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I will continue to serve my constituents in Bradfield for the balance of this parliamentary term.

n

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Fletcher said that “while we will take nothing for granted in the campaign, the local mood is discernibly different from 2022” and he would keep working for the election of a Dutton Liberal government.

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Two years ago political commentators wrote off our chances of coming back any time soon; thanks to Peter Dutton’s focus and leadership, the next election is now extremely contestable.

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Fletcher said he would return to the private sector once his term ends and he has taken some time for travel and rest.

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Liberal senator James Paterson has responded to Josh Burns’ allegations on ABC RN this morning, not exactly denying the Labor MP’s claims about the press conference at the Melbourne synagogue on Friday.

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Burns, who had lost his voice at the time, joined Paterson, several Liberal election candidates, and members of the Jewish community at the Ripponlea synagogue after it was the subject of an arson attack, now being treated as a terror incident. Burns claimed on RN that Paterson had agreed to read a statement on his behalf, because he had no voice, but that opposition leader Peter Dutton had intervened to stop Paterson from doing so.

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We’ve contacted Dutton and Paterson’s offices for comment. In a statement to Guardian Australia, Paterson didn’t deny Burns’ series of events.

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I feel very sorry that Josh Burns and his community have been abandoned by the Labor Party in the wake of this terrorist attack. But it is not the role of a Liberal frontbencher to act as a spokesman for a Labor MP. One of the many senior Albanese government ministers from Victoria should have been there to speak if Josh was not able to.

n

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Paterson had been critical yesterday that no “single senior national security member of [the federal] cabinet has come to Melbourne to visit the synagogue to express their solidarity with the community” – noting neither the prime minister, defence minister, home affairs minister, attorney-general nor the foreign minister had visited.

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Anthony Albanese said he would visit the synagogue this week. Labor sources also noted Bill Shorten, the government services minister, had visited on Friday.

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Labor has decided to back the Queensland government’s “adult crime, adult time” laws, which discriminate against children and violate human rights.

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MPs voted to “bitch and fold” on the legislation at a party room meeting at parliament yesterday afternoon. Party leadership then fled out an alternative exit to avoid appearing on camera.

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The opposition leader, Steven Miles, said:

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The Labor caucus will not stand in the way of increased maximum sentences for youth offenders. Queenslanders did not vote for laws that would put victims on trial. Queenslanders did not vote to end restorative justice, a process that is supported by victims groups.

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The opposition will move amendments to ensure those clauses are appropriately scrutinised and are not rammed through after just two days’ consultation. David Crisafulli promised to listen to the experts, and the experts are calling for more time to properly examine the impacts of these laws.

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The laws dramatically increase maximum sentences and eliminate restorative justice options for children as young as 10 convicted for any of 13 offences. Child murderers must be sentenced to life behind bars.

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The government concedes it discriminates against children by limiting their “protection from cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment” among other problems. The laws will be debated all week before a final vote on Thursday.

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Labor MP Josh Burns has been speaking with ABC RN, where he claimed Peter Dutton intervened in a press conference involving the shadow home affairs minister, James Paterson, instructing him not to read out a statement he had prepared regarding the Melbourne synagogue attack.

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Burns said he had lost his voice before the planned joint press conference with Paterson, claiming:

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n

I felt OK, but I sounded terrible, and I agreed to do a stand up press conference with James Paterson, the senator for the Liberal party, and James agreed to read out a statement from me, because I thought it was really important there be a united front.

n

Unfortunately, right before we got on, Peter Dutton intervened and told James that he wasn’t allowed to read out the statement. Peter Dutton told James that he wasn’t allowed to read out my words.

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I wanted to stand out with James and present a united front on this, and Peter Dutton decided that it was more important to play partisan games and to allow my words that I physically couldn’t speak to be read out. And I compare that with the leadership of the synagogue who have been working with people right across the political aisle, and have been heroic and stoic in the face of the most unimaginable pain …

n

I’m not interested in the partisan games or personal attacks. I’m interested in trying to help the community. I’m interested in supporting my community, supporting those who are affected by this, and also tackling antisemitism. That’s what I’ll continue to do.

n

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Guardian Australia has contacted Paterson and Dutton for comment.

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The Reserve Bank board wraps up its latest meeting today and is universally expected to leave the cash rate unchanged at 4.35%. That’s where it has sat since November last year, even as many of its overseas counterparts have been cutting their borrowing rates.

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RBA governor Michele Bullock will follow the 2.30pm (AEDT) rates verdict with her standard media conference an hour later. The focus may well be on whether the central bank is tilting towards an early interest rate cut.

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The last two board meetings have only considered leaving the cash rate unchanged, and so perhaps this month’s gathering will also include an assessment of whether there should be an interest rate cut. If there is such a consideration, expect a bit of hype around the possibility of the RBA kicking off 2025 with a rate cut when its board next meets.

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Supporting such a weighing of alternatives was the unexpectedly weak September quarter GDP figures, out last week. These showed the economy growing at an annual pace of just 0.8%, or the lowest since the 1990s recession if you exclude the Covid lockdown-era contortions.

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governor Michele Bullock.”,”caption”:”RBA governor Michele Bullock.”,”credit”:”Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP”}},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

The RBA’s own forecast has GDP quickening to an annual pace of 1.5% by the end of 2024, a figure now unlikely to be reached unless December ends with a growth spurt.

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More likely, the RBA will finally drop its impression that it might still be open to hiking the cash rate one more time to ensure inflation “sustainably” returns to its 2% to 3% target range. “Not ruling anything in or out” –Bullock’s mantra for the past year may finally be ruled out.

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Bullock may also be keen to see how the Albanese government’s mid-year economic and fiscal outlook shapes up. Will there be some big pre-election spending promises when Myefo lands (likely on 18 December)?

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The quarterly inflation figures, for the December quarter, won’t be released by the ABS until 29 January – one of many reasons the RBA will be taking a wait-and-see approach.

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Emily Wind here, signing on for blogging duties. Thanks to Martin for kicking things off for us!

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I’ll be taking you through our rolling coverage for most of today. As always, you can get in touch with any tips via email: emily.wind@theguardian.com.

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Let’s get started.

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Australian Olympic swimmer Dawn Fraser is reportedly “stable” in hospital after a fall.

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The 87-year-old sporting great was hospitalised last Wednesday and spent time in intensive care with broken ribs and a broken wrist, Seven News reported.

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The ABC quoted a family friend saying Fraser had suffered a fall while at her daughter’s home on the Sunshine Coast, and had broken her hip and four ribs. She had surgery for a hip replacement and was already back up walking again after emergency surgery last Thursday, the friend said.

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The CEO of Swimming Australia, Rob Woodhouse, said on Monday the body had heard back from Fraser’s family and understood she was stable. He said:

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n

Dawn is an Australian living treasure – an icon of our sport – and we wish her a speedy, healthy and [full] recovery.

n

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The family confirmed the injuries to media in a statement on Monday, saying her recovery was progressing.

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The Australian Olympic Committee chair, Ian Chesterman, said Fraser was “an icon of Olympic sport and like so many Australians we are pleased to hear she is making good progress”.

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The opposition leader has confirmed that if he is elected next year he will only display the Australian flag at press conferences, arguing that to fly the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander flags would be “dividing our country unnecessarily” and sending a “confusing message”.

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Speaking to Peta Credlin on Sky last night, Peter Dutton said he strongly believed Australia was a country “united under one flag”:

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n

If we’re asking people to identify with different flags … we are dividing our country unnecessarily … I think the fact is that we should stand up for who we are, for our values as a country which is what we should do in Australia.

n

We should value and respect our heritage, and we should also speak a lot more about our migrant story, the incredible story of people who came here, particularly in the post-second world war period, with nothing, and have worked hard as trainees, as farmers, and they’ve educated their children. The next generation has done incredibly well … that’s the view I’ve taken.

n

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According to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Australian flags include the Aboriginal flag, the Torres Strait Islander flag and many ensigns used in defence and civilian organisations. The Aboriginal flag was first recognised as a national emblem by the former Labor leader Paul Keating in the 1990s and this has been upheld by subsequent governments.

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Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories for Australia before my colleague Emily Wind will take over.

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Peter Dutton has confirmed in an interview on Sky News that if he is elected next year he will only display the Australian flag at press conferences, arguing that to fly the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander flags would be “dividing our country unnecessarily” and sending a “confusing message”. We have more details coming up.

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The Reserve Bank is widely expected to leave interest rates on hold after its monetary policy meeting today, marking more than a year of rates at 4.35% in a period that has heaped pain on households with high borrowing costs. It comes as a study released today finds that young families are bearing the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis. More coming up.

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The Olympic swimming great Dawn Fraser has been taken to hospital after suffering a fall, according to media reports. The triple Olympic 100m freestyle champion broke several bones in the fall, the reports said, and was stable in hospital after surgery. More coming up.

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Liberal MP Paul Fletcher announces he will not run for re-election

Liberal MP Paul Fletcher has announced he will not run for re-election at the next federal election.

In a statement, Fletcher said it had been a “privilege” to serve as the MP for Bradfield, as well as a parliamentary secretary, minister and cabinet minister between 2013 and 2022, and as a senior opposition frontbencher since May 2022.

Last week I marked fifteen years as Member for Bradfield. Renewal is healthy, for people and institutions, and now is the right time to hand over the baton.

I expect some outstanding people will put themselves forward to be the next Liberal candidate for Bradfield, and to serve the people of Bradfield with energy and commitment. That Liberal candidate, once chosen through our party processes, will have my full support …

I will continue to serve my constituents in Bradfield for the balance of this parliamentary term.

Fletcher said that “while we will take nothing for granted in the campaign, the local mood is discernibly different from 2022” and he would keep working for the election of a Dutton Liberal government.

Two years ago political commentators wrote off our chances of coming back any time soon; thanks to Peter Dutton’s focus and leadership, the next election is now extremely contestable.

Fletcher said he would return to the private sector once his term ends and he has taken some time for travel and rest.

Joe Hinchliffe

Bridge booze plan OK with Brisbane council

Brisbane city council has approved changes to the lease of the Story Bridge Adventure Climb that would allow the company to seek a permit from alcohol regulators to serve booze.

In a special council meeting – called only to discuss the matter – lord mayor Adrian Schrinner hit back at the “ludicrous debate and discussion” around the alcohol proposal which he characterised as “wowser stuff”.

I’ve heard some commentators talking about people barfing off the bridge. Well, I don’t know whether they can handle their alcohol or not, but after a single drink I don’t imagine people are barfing of the bridge.

Artemus Group, which runs the climb and also a brewery at the bottom of the bridge, has said their plan would keep climbers below the legal driving limit by serving a single beer or champagne for a toast to customers who scale the peaks of its steel trusses that rise 80 metres above sea level. The mayor said:

We’re not talking about opening a bar on top of the bridge. We’re not talking about having bar flies sitting up there leering into people’s windows.

Labor, Greens and an independent councillor raised concerns with how the issue was being managed and that the bridge itself was deteriorating but, in the end, the motion passed 16 votes in favour with six abstentions.

Flowers left at Adass Israel synagogue as Israel’s ambassador to Australia visits site

Members of the public have been leaving flowers and well-wishes at the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne, the site of a terror arson attack on Friday. Israel’s ambassador to Australia, Amir Maimon, visited with religious leaders at the site this morning.

Here are some photos that were taken just earlier:

Heatwave warnings current for NSW, Queensland and WA

Heatwave warnings are currently in place across parts of New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, maximum temperatures in the high 30s to low 40s are forecast across parts of Queensland. Severe heatwave conditions peaked early this week over central parts of the state, and are expected to contract to northern parts of the state later in the week.

In Western Australia, severe heatwave conditions are expected to gradually move southward over the coming days, then extend to the east midweek.

And in NSW, severe heatwave conditions have peaked and are expected to ease from today.

⚠️🌡️ Severe Heatwave Warning for #Gascoyne, #CentralWest, #LowerWest, #GreatSouthern & #CentralWheatBelt districts.

Areas of severe heatwave conditions will gradually move southward, then extend to the east mid-week.

Details: https://t.co/IHMcXDPrFU pic.twitter.com/BFDVlVjsId

— Bureau of Meteorology, Western Australia (@BOM_WA) December 9, 2024

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Guardian Australia readers share stories of Australia’s housing affordability crisis

Guardian Australia readers have shared how the housing crisis has affected their work, relationships, household, health and wellbeing – with almost every one of the 160 respondents describing their despair and desperation as, at best, they tread water and, at worst, live in their cars.

Daisy Dumas has the full story below, looking at how deeply the housing crisis is reshaping the way people live:

Australia travel warning for Jews across the world

Earlier, we flagged that the Simon Wiesenthal Center had issued a travel advisory telling Jews not to travel to Australia.

AAP has more details on this: Jews or Israelis considering travelling to Australia are being told to “exercise extreme caution” after the arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue was declared a likely terrorist attack.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish human rights organisation, issued the warning this morning, Australian time. The travel advisory is “a result of the failure of Australian authorities to stand up against persistent demonisation, harassment and violence against Jews and Jewish institutions in Australia”.

The centre sent a letter to Australia’s US ambassador, Kevin Rudd, to tell him of its decision.

Israel itself has a level 2 threat on Australia advising travellers to increased precautionary measures since the fire at the Adass Israel Synagogue at Ripponlea.

Australia, meanwhile, has told its citizens to reconsider their need to travel to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories due to the ongoing war in Gaza.

What makes an e-bike non-compliant?

Just circling back to our earlier post, about the parent fined after their children were found riding e-bikes following a prior warning.

Queensland police said that ‘Operation Zappo Stoppie’ targets the illegal use of electric motorcycles and non-compliant electric bikes in the Noosa area.

For an electric bike to be legally used on the road without needing to be registered, it has to have an electric (not petrol) motor which can assist the rider, but must be predominantly powered by the pedals.

As Queensland Transport explains:

If your bike’s electric motor can help up to speeds in excess of 25km/h without cutting off, it is non-compliant. If your bike has non-functioning pedals that do not propel the bike, it is non-compliant. If you can twist a throttle and ride your bike using the bike’s motor power only, without using the pedals, it is non-compliant.

Amanda Meade

Mark Levy to replace Ray Hadley in 2GB morning slot

Nine Radio’s Sydney station 2GB has announced veteran broadcaster Mark Levy will replace Ray Hadley in the mornings slot in 2025.

Hadley is walking away two years earlier than he planned after a 43-year broadcasting career and a record run of 20 years without losing a ratings survey.

Levy has worked at 2GB for 17 years and currently hosts Wide World of Sports. He said:

As a young kid I grew up listening to the talkback kings and to be taking over a time slot that’s been owned by a mentor and a friend for the last 20 years is something I am excited about and extremely honoured to do.

I’m looking forward to the challenge ahead and I can’t wait to speak to our loyal listeners every morning about the issues affecting them in what’s shaping up as an important election year.

Amanda Meade

ABC staff pen angry letter to board regarding presenter changes

ABC radio management has shown no understanding of the vital role of public broadcasting and recent presenter changes have trampled on audience trust, staff have said in an angry letter to the ABC board.

In a letter seen by Guardian Australia, journalists say the decision to remove Sydney presenters Sarah Macdonald and Simon Marnie was made without consultation or explanation. The strategy to improve ratings has not been communicated, apart from that it needs a refresh, and staff are bewildered and concerned.

You can read more from the exclusive story below:

Australia lags Europe, US on car pollution

Research from the National Transport Commission shows Australians drive some of the dirtiest vehicles in the world – but new vehicles were producing less pollution than older models, even though they were often bigger than the cars they replaced.

As AAP reports, the commission found vehicle pollution dropped by 5% in Australia during 2023, fuelled by the adoption of more electric and hybrid vehicles. The fall came after five years of modest emission reductions, commission chief executive Michael Hopkins said, during which it appeared progress had stalled.

From 2017 to 2021, Australia’s emissions intensity dropped by less than a per cent each year. But … the emissions intensity of new vehicles sold in 2023 was down by five per cent compared to 2022, marking the largest percentage drop since our reporting began.

Light vehicles sold in 2023 produced significantly fewer emissions than the average of Australia’s vehicle fleet, the study found, cutting 28.5 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre.

But Australia’s lower vehicle emissions did not compare well to the rest of the world, with its average of 150 grams per kilometre for passenger cars and SUVs falling well behind European countries that registered an average of 107 grams. Norway scored top spot for emissions intensity, while Australia ranked behind Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland.

But while car emissions decreased, the size of the average vehicle in Australia increased. The study found the average Australian vehicle had grown from a footprint of 8.3 metres square in 2003 to 8.8 in 2023, and the footprint of utes had grown even further, from 8.7 to 10.2 metres square.

Parent fined after children found riding e-bikes after prior warning

A parent in Queensland has been fined for allegedly letting his children ride e-bikes, after being given a prior warning.

Noosa police fined the 58-year-old Sunshine Beach man with two counts of permitting use of an unregistered motor vehicle, for allowing his 15 and 17-year-old boys to ride e-bikes after being previously warned.

Queensland police said that ‘Operation Zappo Stoppie’ targets the illegal use of electric motorcycles and non-compliant electric bikes in the Noosa area. From 1 July to 4 November, police have done 27 street checks identifying and warning 31 juveniles, issuing eight infringements and impounding three bikes.

Police have charged 24 people with 83 offences, and are continuing to investigate a further 18 incidents involving an additional 30 offences. Noosa Heads senior constable Danny Baker said Operation Zappo Stoppie does not include targeting electric scooters:

We frequently receive complaints from concerned community members about children riding electric motorcycles in ways that are not only dangerous to the rider, but also other road users and pedestrians and it seems unfortunately evident that it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or killed.

In some instances we’re also seeing young people who have been caught offending on e-bikes move to the use of even more powerful road registerable sports style motorcycles …

It’s shocking to see children as young as 12 riding bikes powerful enough to be considered a motorbike or vehicle that must be registered, insured and driven by a licence holder.

Baker said in the lead up to Christmas, he is asking parents to “think twice before buying an e-bike for a child that is not able or old enough to ride it legally”.

Community reels after methanol victims farewelled

The heartbroken families and friends of Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones are preparing for life without them after the 19-year-olds were farewelled in separate services.

As AAP reports, almost 1,000 mourners congregated in colour at Beaumaris secondary college in Melbourne’s Bayside yesterday afternoon to pay tribute to Bowles. For many it was their second funeral in four days after saying goodbye to Jones at nearby Mentone girls’ grammar on Friday.

The pair died from methanol poisoning after falling ill while holidaying in Laos after consuming drinks in the tourist town of Vang Vieng last month. Bowles died in a Bangkok hospital on 22 November, a day after Jones died in another hospital in the Thai capital.

Family and friends formed a guard of honour after the funeral as the teenager’s coffin was slowly driven away from her old school. Beaumaris secondary college’s acting principal, Peter Bartlett, thanked people across Australia and overseas for their “love, support and compassion in the wake of the tragedy”.

“Your kindness has been a source of strength and comfort for our family,” Bartlett said in a statement on behalf of Bowles’ parents Shaun and Samantha, and brother James, before the service.

Jones was farewelled in similarly emotional service attended by more than 1,000 community members at her old school on Friday. The school grounds were also filled with guests in colourful summer clothes, the way Jones’s family said she lived her life and how she would wish to be remembered.

Weather forecast across Australia

Here’s a look at the forecast across Australia’s capital cities today, from the Bureau of Meteorology:

Here's today's forecast around Australia.

For the latest forecasts and warnings, visit our website https://t.co/jlOoTZL1iF or the BOM Weather app. pic.twitter.com/i5lOYrVmmu

— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) December 9, 2024

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Google reveals Australian search trends for 2024

As AAP reports, tech giant Google released its snapshot of the Australian zeitgeist today, detailing the most popular terms and questions asked of its search engine during 2024.

Politics and sport dominated online queries for Australians, Google found, with the US election the top search topic of the year, followed by the Paris Olympics medal tally and results from the UEFA European Football Championship.

Perhaps helped by her Eras tour, Taylor Swift claimed the fifth-most popular search query in Australia and was also named the top global figure in Google Australia searches, besting US president-elect Donald Trump in second place and US vice-president Kamala Harris in fourth.

Among Australian public figures, Raygun, also known as academic and breakdancer Rachael Gunn, earned third spot on the list following her headline-grabbing performance and kangaroo-like moves at the Paris Olympic Games.

Freed journalist Julian Assange scored second place, with business entrepreneur John Singleton named as the most-searched Australian figure after suffering a personal tragedy during the Bondi Junction stabbing attack.

The crime, which claimed seven lives, ranked among the most searched news events of the year, in addition to the disappearance of Victorian woman Samantha Murphy, the Crowdstrike outage that disrupted computers and stores, and Cyclone Kirrily that hit Queensland early in the year.

Other search trends revealed Australians’ curiosity about words such as demure, made popular in a TikTok video, interest in do-it-yourself car maintenance and Halloween costumes and how to make Crumbl cookies and “oatzempic”.

Edgy entertainment choices such as the movie Saltburn and the TV series Baby Reindeer ranked highly in Google’s search trends, although Brisbane production Boy Swallows Universe, based on Trent Dalton’s bestselling novel, ranked in fourth spot.

Paterson responds to Burns’ claim regarding press conference

Josh Butler

Liberal senator James Paterson has responded to Josh Burns’ allegations on ABC RN this morning, not exactly denying the Labor MP’s claims about the press conference at the Melbourne synagogue on Friday.

Burns, who had lost his voice at the time, joined Paterson, several Liberal election candidates, and members of the Jewish community at the Ripponlea synagogue after it was the subject of an arson attack, now being treated as a terror incident. Burns claimed on RN that Paterson had agreed to read a statement on his behalf, because he had no voice, but that opposition leader Peter Dutton had intervened to stop Paterson from doing so.

We’ve contacted Dutton and Paterson’s offices for comment. In a statement to Guardian Australia, Paterson didn’t deny Burns’ series of events.

I feel very sorry that Josh Burns and his community have been abandoned by the Labor Party in the wake of this terrorist attack. But it is not the role of a Liberal frontbencher to act as a spokesman for a Labor MP. One of the many senior Albanese government ministers from Victoria should have been there to speak if Josh was not able to.

Paterson had been critical yesterday that no “single senior national security member of [the federal] cabinet has come to Melbourne to visit the synagogue to express their solidarity with the community” – noting neither the prime minister, defence minister, home affairs minister, attorney-general nor the foreign minister had visited.

Anthony Albanese said he would visit the synagogue this week. Labor sources also noted Bill Shorten, the government services minister, had visited on Friday.

Choice survey finds Coles and Woolworths have equal cheapest leg of ham

Consumer advocacy organisation Choice has released the findings of its latest supermarket survey, looking at the cost of a leg of lamb with the bone in ahead of the festive season.

Choice visited 104 supermarkets across the country in September, recording the prices of 14 items – plus the leg of ham. It found Coles and Woolworths came equal first for the best price of the latter. Choice CEO Ashley de Silva said:

Coles and Woolworths came equal first nationwide when we looked at the best price for a leg of lamb with specials. Coles and Woolworths both sold a leg of lamb at an average of $12.89 per kilo, while Aldi came in third place at $13.99 per kilo.

Even when taking specials out of the picture for the leg of lamb, Aldi still didn’t have the cheapest product. Without specials, Woolworths was still the cheapest, followed by Aldi, then Coles.

But for the 14 other grocery items, Aldi was cheapest.

Including specials, Aldi’s basket cost on average $50.63. Coles came in next at $66.18, followed by Woolworths at $69.17. IGA was the most expensive option with their basket costing $73.80.

Burns responds to travel advisory from Simon Wiesenthal Center telling Jews not to travel to Australia

Labor MP Josh Burns also spoke with ABC News Breakfast earlier, where he was asked about the Simon Wiesenthal Center issuing a travel advisory telling Jews not to travel to Australia. Burns told the program:

This has been a historic week for the wrong reasons and the declaration of a likely terror incident has real consequences, so that’s obviously had an impact in the centre’s advice.

My hope is that we’re able to get on top of this. All problems have solutions. All problems can be fixed. We have overcome antisemitism before and Australia has been a wonderful place for the Jewish community and I hope we get back to that as soon as possible.