'Inappropriate spending': Northern Beaches locals fume as council hikes rates by 25 per cent as meeting dominated by Gaza debate
On Tuesday night, the council held a meeting and voted 11-4 in favour of the rate rise which will inject $50 million into the budget over the next two years.
The rate increase alone equated to an expected $168 extra ratepayers will have to fork out in the next financial year based on the recommended 12.1 per cent increase.
An additional $13 waste charge increase was also recommended, with no increase to the storm water charge, bringing the total rate increase to $181 to be shouldered by the ratepayer.
Dozens of angry locals protested outside the Dee Why council chambers in a last stand demonstration to sway councillors.
However, the Northern Beaches People Voice's months-long dissent against the council was unsuccessful.
Before the vote, Northern Beaches People Voice founder Stuart Gold demanded the council to 'eliminate costly non-essential services', to manage funds 'more efficiently' and to minimise 'inappropriate spending'.
'Why can't council find more ways to reduce costs? I think I can think of a few… executive salaries, 111 positions costing $25.8 million,' he said.
'Cut executive positions by one third and you save $8.5 million, throw in some executive cars and you save over $11 million straight off the bat.'
The vote came six months after the Northern Beaches Council sought permission to jack up rates by close to 40 per cent.
The council voted 8-7 in favour of the rate hike which would increase its budgets incrementally over the next three years by $57 million if the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) gives the green light.
The IPART rejected the NBC's initial effort to increase rates by 39.7 per cent, instead allowing the council to vote on a 25 per cent increase over the next two years.
The council said it needed extra income from the 'special rate variation' – which allows NSW councils to increase their general revenue above the standard rate peg – in order to sustainably pay for infrastructure and maintenance.
The council also wanted to put funds towards its natural disasters fund, boost its storm water renewal program, as well as other infrastructure projects such as refurbishing the Warringah Aquatic Centre.
If the rate increases did not pass, the council heard the community would face 'critical failures' of its infrastructure and further deterioration.
The meeting included a public forum which was dominated by the conflict in Gaza and Israel.
During the public forum, a proud Israeli made a contribution during which he strived to 'debunk everything' the critics of Israel had said during the hours-long meeting.
On social media, locals blasted the council for entertaining debate about foreign conflicts with some arguing the focus should be on saving ratepayers' money.
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'Children starving': Israel condemned over aid denial
Australians are distressed by the images of children starving as a "humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza worsens, Foreign Minister Penny Wong says. The comments followed a strongly-worded statement from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who said the situation in Gaza, where vision of emaciated children has become the norm as Israel denies aid to civilians, had "gone beyond the world's worst fears". The escalation in rhetoric has added intrigue as to whether Australia will follow France's lead in recognising Palestine. Asked about Australia's intentions for a UN General Assembly in September, Senator Wong would not rule out support for statehood. "We all are distressed by the ongoing violence, the deaths of so many innocent civilians, the images of children starving, the humanitarian catastrophe that is worsening before our eyes, and we all want it to stop," she told reporters in Sydney on Friday. The prime minister earlier urged Israel to comply with its obligations under international law. "Israel's denial of aid and the killing of civilians, including children, seeking access to water and food cannot be defended or ignored," he said. "Every innocent life matters. Every Israeli. Every Palestinian." Mr Albanese stopped short of saying Australia would immediately join France in recognising Palestinian statehood after the European nation became the largest Western power to signal it would make the announcement. Mr Albanese instead said recognising the "legitimate aspirations of Palestinian people for a state of their own" was a bipartisan position. "Australia is committed to a future where both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples can live in peace and safety, within internationally recognised borders," he said. "Until that day, every effort must be made here and now to safeguard innocent life and end the suffering and starvation of the people of Gaza." Ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, a designated terrorist organisation, have collapsed after Israel and the US withdrew from talks. With aid being throttled at the border and all entry points to Gaza controlled by Israel, former USAID official Jeremy Konyndyk said Australia and the other nations must do more as the situation in Gaza was "purely a political famine". "Nothing about this is natural or organic - it's 100 per cent man-made," the Refugees International president told ABC Radio. "We are at - if not past - a tipping point." The Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which began operations in May, has been accused of obstructing operations by the United Nations and other aid groups, and putting starving Palestinians in danger. According to Mr Konyndyk, its aid packages were small and insufficient and the foundation's facilities were located far from population centres. "The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is a farce," he said. Israel, which began letting in only a trickle of supplies to Gaza in recent months, has previously blamed Hamas for disrupting food distribution and accused it of using stolen aid to fund its war effort. While the coalition said it had "strong concerns" about the worsening humanitarian situation, opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash said it was disappointing Mr Albanese's statement did not place any blame on Hamas. "Any moral outrage about the situation in Gaza should be directed at Hamas," she said. Israel has enforced a complete embargo on humanitarian aid and medical supplies for almost three months after a ceasefire deal broke down earlier in 2025. In recent months, more than 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid, many of them shot by the Israeli military, UN sources have found. Israel's military offensive has killed more than 58,000 Palestinians, according to health authorities in Gaza. Its military campaign was launched after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages. Mr Albanese also condemned the "terror and brutality" of Hamas and repeated calls for the release of the remaining hostages. Australians are distressed by the images of children starving as a "humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza worsens, Foreign Minister Penny Wong says. The comments followed a strongly-worded statement from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who said the situation in Gaza, where vision of emaciated children has become the norm as Israel denies aid to civilians, had "gone beyond the world's worst fears". The escalation in rhetoric has added intrigue as to whether Australia will follow France's lead in recognising Palestine. Asked about Australia's intentions for a UN General Assembly in September, Senator Wong would not rule out support for statehood. "We all are distressed by the ongoing violence, the deaths of so many innocent civilians, the images of children starving, the humanitarian catastrophe that is worsening before our eyes, and we all want it to stop," she told reporters in Sydney on Friday. The prime minister earlier urged Israel to comply with its obligations under international law. "Israel's denial of aid and the killing of civilians, including children, seeking access to water and food cannot be defended or ignored," he said. "Every innocent life matters. Every Israeli. Every Palestinian." Mr Albanese stopped short of saying Australia would immediately join France in recognising Palestinian statehood after the European nation became the largest Western power to signal it would make the announcement. Mr Albanese instead said recognising the "legitimate aspirations of Palestinian people for a state of their own" was a bipartisan position. "Australia is committed to a future where both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples can live in peace and safety, within internationally recognised borders," he said. "Until that day, every effort must be made here and now to safeguard innocent life and end the suffering and starvation of the people of Gaza." Ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, a designated terrorist organisation, have collapsed after Israel and the US withdrew from talks. With aid being throttled at the border and all entry points to Gaza controlled by Israel, former USAID official Jeremy Konyndyk said Australia and the other nations must do more as the situation in Gaza was "purely a political famine". "Nothing about this is natural or organic - it's 100 per cent man-made," the Refugees International president told ABC Radio. "We are at - if not past - a tipping point." The Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which began operations in May, has been accused of obstructing operations by the United Nations and other aid groups, and putting starving Palestinians in danger. According to Mr Konyndyk, its aid packages were small and insufficient and the foundation's facilities were located far from population centres. "The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is a farce," he said. Israel, which began letting in only a trickle of supplies to Gaza in recent months, has previously blamed Hamas for disrupting food distribution and accused it of using stolen aid to fund its war effort. While the coalition said it had "strong concerns" about the worsening humanitarian situation, opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash said it was disappointing Mr Albanese's statement did not place any blame on Hamas. "Any moral outrage about the situation in Gaza should be directed at Hamas," she said. Israel has enforced a complete embargo on humanitarian aid and medical supplies for almost three months after a ceasefire deal broke down earlier in 2025. In recent months, more than 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid, many of them shot by the Israeli military, UN sources have found. Israel's military offensive has killed more than 58,000 Palestinians, according to health authorities in Gaza. Its military campaign was launched after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages. Mr Albanese also condemned the "terror and brutality" of Hamas and repeated calls for the release of the remaining hostages. Australians are distressed by the images of children starving as a "humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza worsens, Foreign Minister Penny Wong says. The comments followed a strongly-worded statement from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who said the situation in Gaza, where vision of emaciated children has become the norm as Israel denies aid to civilians, had "gone beyond the world's worst fears". The escalation in rhetoric has added intrigue as to whether Australia will follow France's lead in recognising Palestine. Asked about Australia's intentions for a UN General Assembly in September, Senator Wong would not rule out support for statehood. "We all are distressed by the ongoing violence, the deaths of so many innocent civilians, the images of children starving, the humanitarian catastrophe that is worsening before our eyes, and we all want it to stop," she told reporters in Sydney on Friday. The prime minister earlier urged Israel to comply with its obligations under international law. "Israel's denial of aid and the killing of civilians, including children, seeking access to water and food cannot be defended or ignored," he said. "Every innocent life matters. Every Israeli. Every Palestinian." Mr Albanese stopped short of saying Australia would immediately join France in recognising Palestinian statehood after the European nation became the largest Western power to signal it would make the announcement. Mr Albanese instead said recognising the "legitimate aspirations of Palestinian people for a state of their own" was a bipartisan position. "Australia is committed to a future where both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples can live in peace and safety, within internationally recognised borders," he said. "Until that day, every effort must be made here and now to safeguard innocent life and end the suffering and starvation of the people of Gaza." Ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, a designated terrorist organisation, have collapsed after Israel and the US withdrew from talks. With aid being throttled at the border and all entry points to Gaza controlled by Israel, former USAID official Jeremy Konyndyk said Australia and the other nations must do more as the situation in Gaza was "purely a political famine". "Nothing about this is natural or organic - it's 100 per cent man-made," the Refugees International president told ABC Radio. "We are at - if not past - a tipping point." The Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which began operations in May, has been accused of obstructing operations by the United Nations and other aid groups, and putting starving Palestinians in danger. According to Mr Konyndyk, its aid packages were small and insufficient and the foundation's facilities were located far from population centres. "The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is a farce," he said. Israel, which began letting in only a trickle of supplies to Gaza in recent months, has previously blamed Hamas for disrupting food distribution and accused it of using stolen aid to fund its war effort. While the coalition said it had "strong concerns" about the worsening humanitarian situation, opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash said it was disappointing Mr Albanese's statement did not place any blame on Hamas. "Any moral outrage about the situation in Gaza should be directed at Hamas," she said. Israel has enforced a complete embargo on humanitarian aid and medical supplies for almost three months after a ceasefire deal broke down earlier in 2025. In recent months, more than 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid, many of them shot by the Israeli military, UN sources have found. Israel's military offensive has killed more than 58,000 Palestinians, according to health authorities in Gaza. Its military campaign was launched after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages. Mr Albanese also condemned the "terror and brutality" of Hamas and repeated calls for the release of the remaining hostages. Australians are distressed by the images of children starving as a "humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza worsens, Foreign Minister Penny Wong says. The comments followed a strongly-worded statement from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who said the situation in Gaza, where vision of emaciated children has become the norm as Israel denies aid to civilians, had "gone beyond the world's worst fears". The escalation in rhetoric has added intrigue as to whether Australia will follow France's lead in recognising Palestine. Asked about Australia's intentions for a UN General Assembly in September, Senator Wong would not rule out support for statehood. "We all are distressed by the ongoing violence, the deaths of so many innocent civilians, the images of children starving, the humanitarian catastrophe that is worsening before our eyes, and we all want it to stop," she told reporters in Sydney on Friday. The prime minister earlier urged Israel to comply with its obligations under international law. "Israel's denial of aid and the killing of civilians, including children, seeking access to water and food cannot be defended or ignored," he said. "Every innocent life matters. Every Israeli. Every Palestinian." Mr Albanese stopped short of saying Australia would immediately join France in recognising Palestinian statehood after the European nation became the largest Western power to signal it would make the announcement. Mr Albanese instead said recognising the "legitimate aspirations of Palestinian people for a state of their own" was a bipartisan position. "Australia is committed to a future where both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples can live in peace and safety, within internationally recognised borders," he said. "Until that day, every effort must be made here and now to safeguard innocent life and end the suffering and starvation of the people of Gaza." Ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, a designated terrorist organisation, have collapsed after Israel and the US withdrew from talks. With aid being throttled at the border and all entry points to Gaza controlled by Israel, former USAID official Jeremy Konyndyk said Australia and the other nations must do more as the situation in Gaza was "purely a political famine". "Nothing about this is natural or organic - it's 100 per cent man-made," the Refugees International president told ABC Radio. "We are at - if not past - a tipping point." 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Israel has enforced a complete embargo on humanitarian aid and medical supplies for almost three months after a ceasefire deal broke down earlier in 2025. In recent months, more than 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid, many of them shot by the Israeli military, UN sources have found. Israel's military offensive has killed more than 58,000 Palestinians, according to health authorities in Gaza. Its military campaign was launched after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages. Mr Albanese also condemned the "terror and brutality" of Hamas and repeated calls for the release of the remaining hostages.
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Dire situation in Gaza prompts stronger Australian tone
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has ramped up calls for a ceasefire "needed desperately" as starvation ravages Gazan children. Australia has strengthened its language against Israel for blocking aid and breaching international law since the war started on October 7, 2023, after designated terror group Hamas launched an attack against Israel. AID * December 13, 2023: "Safe and unimpeded humanitarian access must be increased and sustained". * July 26, 2024: "Sustained increase in the flow of assistance throughout Gaza is needed to address the humanitarian situation". * July 25, 2025: "Israel's denial of aid and the killing of civilians, including children, seeking access to water and food cannot be defended or ignored". CIVILIANS * October 26, 2023: "We are concerned at the humanitarian situation in Gaza and call on all actors to ensure the provision of humanitarian supplies to populations in need". * December 13, 2023: "Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected ... the price of defeating Hamas cannot be the continuous suffering of all Palestinian civilians". * February 15, 2024: "With the humanitarian situation in Gaza already dire, the impacts on Palestinian civilians from an expanded military operation would be devastating. We urge Israel not to go down this path". * July 26, 2024: "The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue". * July 25, 2025: "Every innocent life matters. Every Israeli. Every Palestinian". CEASEFIRE * October 26, 2023: "We call for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages". * December 13, 2023: "Support urgent international efforts towards a sustainable ceasefire ... Hamas must release all hostages, stop using Palestinian civilians as human shields and lay down its arms". *January 16, 2025: "Australia welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire and hostage agreement in Gaza ... We urge all parties to respect its terms and safeguard a lasting peace". * July 25, 2024: "An immediate ceasefire is needed desperately". ISRAEL * October 26, 2023: "Our countries will support Israel as it defends itself and its people against such atrocities. We affirm Israel's inherent right to defend itself". * July 25, 2025: "We call on Israel to comply immediately with its obligations under international law". PALESTINE * October 26, 2023: "We continue to support Palestinian aspirations for a state of their own and consider a two-state solution". * January 16, 2025: "We hope (a ceasefire) will allow the Palestinian people the opportunity to rebuild, reform their governance and pursue self-determination". * July 25, 2025: "The reason a two state solution remains the goal of the international community is because a just and lasting peace depends upon it".
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Albanese says Israel's denial of aid, killing of civilians 'cannot be defended or ignored'
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called on Israel to "comply immediately with its obligations under international law", saying its denial of aid and the killing of civilians seeking water and food "cannot be defended or ignored". The statement on the "situation in Gaza", delivered on Friday, is Albanese's strongest language so far on the suffering in the Palestinian enclave, which he called a "humanitarian catastrophe". "The situation in Gaza has gone beyond the world's worst fears," Albanese said. "The position of the Australian government is clear: every innocent life matters. Every Israeli. Every Palestinian." "This conflict has stolen far too many innocent lives. Tens of thousands of civilians are dead, children are starving," Albanese said. He said Gaza is "in the grip of a humanitarian catastrophe". "Israel's denial of aid and the killing of civilians, including children, seeking access to water and food cannot be defended or ignored," the statement said. Amir Maimon, Israel's ambassador to Australia, criticised the statement, saying: "To condemn Israel for defending itself is wrong." "It deflects attention from the real perpetrators of this horror: Hamas," said Maimon, who added "the international community must stop equivocating and start acting". Albanese said Australia condemned "the terror and brutality" of Hamas and reiterated calls for the immediate release of the remaining hostages it took in the October 7 attack, and continued support of all international efforts for a ceasefire. Humanitarian crisis in Gaza On Wednesday, it was reported 15 people, including a six-week-old baby, starved to death in 24 hours in Gaza, according to doctors, linking this to a wave of hunger that persisted for months. Since Hamas — the political and military group that rules Gaza — attacked southern Israel on 7 October 2023, sparking the nearly two-year-long war , at least 101 people, including 80 children, have died from hunger, with most fatalities occurring in the last few weeks, according to Palestinian officials. Speaking after the appeal by 111 aid and human rights groups for governments to take action, World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: "I don't know what you would call it other than mass starvation, and it's man-made, and that's very clear." "This is because of the blockade," he said. The contentious US-based Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF) has been delivering aid to Gaza since May. It bypasses traditional aid channels, including the UN, which says the GHF is neither impartial nor neutral. Earlier this month, Israel's military acknowledged Palestinians were harmed at aid distribution centres, saying new instructions had been issued following what it called "lessons learned". Albanese called on Israel to "comply immediately with its obligations under international law". "This includes allowing the United Nations and NGOs to carry out their lifesaving work safely and without hindrance," he said. "Any proposals for the permanent forced displacement of the Palestinian population must be abandoned." In their joint statement, the humanitarian and aid organisations also criticised the GHF and said that "tons" of aid were in warehouses just outside Gaza, but Israel's government was restricting its entry. The Israeli government has rejected such claims and accused the UN and its partners of not collecting the large quantities of food and other essentials that were cleared and waiting on the Gaza side of the border. It says aid is flowing into Gaza. PM reaffirms commitment to two-state solution Albanese's statement on Friday did not reference Macron's announcement that France will recognise Palestinian statehood. However, it reaffirmed the government's position for an Israel-Palestinian two-state solution. "Recognising the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a state of their own has long been a bipartisan position in Australia," he said. "The reason a two-state solution remains the goal of the international community is because a just and lasting peace depends upon it," Albanese said. "Australia is committed to a future where both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples can live in peace and safety, within secure and internationally recognised borders." The prime minister's statement comes in the same week Foreign Minister Penny Wong joined more than 20 of her global counterparts in a joint statement that called for an immediate end to Israel's violence in Gaza and condemned the denial of humanitarian assistance to starving Palestinians. That coincided with the first sitting day of parliament following the May federal election, which was marked by pro-Palestinian protests on the lawns outside who called on the government to take more action against Israel, including imposing sanctions. Some politicians, including Mehreen Faruqi, demanded that too. In a silent protest in the upper house, the Greens senator held a sign that read "Gaza is starving. Words won't feed them. Sanction Israel" during Governor-General Sam Mostyn's address. Albanese 'fails to place any blame on Hamas' Opposition foreign affairs spokesperson Michaelia Cash said while the Coalition has "strong concerns" about the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, it was "disappointing" that Albanese's statement "once again fails to place any blame on Hamas, a listed terrorist organisation, for the delays in aid reaching the people of Gaza". "The Coalition acknowledges that the delay in aid entering Gaza is unacceptable and that the Israeli government needs to urgently work with international bodies to allow aid to flow freely to those that need it," Cash said. "However, the right system must be in place so that it can be distributed without Hamas intervening in the process." In her statement, Cash did not detail how Hamas was delaying aid reaching Gaza nor how it was intervening. Overnight, Israel and the United States recalled their delegations from the latest ceasefire talks for consultations, with US envoy Steve Witkoff accusing Hamas of failing to act in good faith. Hamas said it was surprised by Witkoff's remarks, adding the group's position had been welcomed by mediators and had opened the door to reaching a comprehensive agreement.
