No antisemitism taskforce planned says Albanese
Jewish leaders call for a national taskforce to tackle antisemitism;
Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu hold ceasefire talks at the White House;
And in sport, Alex de Minaur goes down to Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon quarter final. Australia's Jewish community is calling for more action from the federal government to combat antisemitism, following a string of attacks targeting the community over the weekend. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry is urging the government to adopt a 15-point action plan including the establishment of a national task force focused on antisemitism. The council's president Daniel Aghion also asked Victorian authorities to ban weekly pro-Palestine protests in their current form, and bring in protest zones instead. Police have arrested 34-year-old man Angelo Loras for arson over the alleged firebombing of the East Melbourne synagogue on Saturday night. The same evening, a group of protesters disrupted diners and damaged property at Israeli restaurant Miznon. The protest group says they had nothing to with the attack on the synagogue. Economists are tipping the Reserve Bank will deliver its third interest rate cut of the year when it meets this afternoon. Money markets have priced in a 75 per cent chance official interest rates will fall to 3.6 per cent. Analysts say this is because both headline and underlying inflation are firmly within the Reserve Bank's 2 to 3 per cent target band. Rabobank Senior Strategist Benjamin Picton says that is a result of lower demand. "Business are telling us there is not enough demand out there to soak up higher prices, so they no longer have pricing power, they no longer have the ability to pass on cost increases, so as a result we are starting to see discounting popping up in certain sectors of the economy, most notably home construction costs, we're starting to see discounting there." United States President Donald Trump has held a dinner for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. The pair are meeting with top security aides to discuss the latest U-S backed Gaza ceasefire proposal. The US-backed plan includes a 60-day ceasefire during which Hamas would hand over more hostages, Israeli forces would withdraw to a buffer zone, and more aid would be allowed into Gaza. In answer to questions about the possibility of a two-state solution, Mr Netanyahu said, he believed peace could be achieved in the region. "I think that Palestinians should have power to govern, but not the power to threaten us. And that means that certain powers like our security will always remain in our hands. Now, that is a fact. And no-one in Israel will allow or agree to anything else, because we don't commit suicide. We want life. We cherish life. For ourselves, for our neighbours and I think that we can work out a peace between us and the entire Middle East with President Trump's leadership." Mr Netanyahu also announced he has nominated Mr Trump for a Nobel Peace Price, saying the President has forged peace in one country after another. The United Nations General Assembly has voted to adopt a resolution highlighting the plight of women and girls and decline of human rights under the Taliban in Afghanistan. 116 countries voted for the resolution, introduced by Germany, and 12 abstained. The United States and Israel voted against it. Naseer Ahmad Faiq is the Chargé d'Affaires of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to the United Nations. His government was in power from 2004 before it was toppled by the Taliban in 2021. 'Mr. President, Afghanistan is at a crossroads. Since August 2021, the country has experienced alarming regression across all sectors—social, political, economic, and human rights. Nearly four years under Taliban rule have driven Afghanistan into one of the world's gravest humanitarian and human rights crises, as extensively documented by the Secretary-General and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan.' Last week, Russia became the first country to formally recognise the Taliban's government in Afghanistan. Novak Djokovic reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals, defeating Australian Alex de Minaur. After losing the first set in just 31 minutes, the Serb won the next three sets 6-4 each. After the match, de Minaur admitted he needed to lift his game, in order to match the top-ranked players.
Djokovic has now won 43 of his last 45 matches at Wimbledon and not since 2017 has he failed to reach the final.
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SBS Australia
18 minutes ago
- SBS Australia
'Political tension': Anthony Albanese, the US and China, explained
As Prime Minister Anthony Albanese prepares to meet with his Chinese counterpart Xi Xinjping, questions have been raised over how the US will view the visit and whether there could be consequences for Australia. The visit comes after US President Donald Trump announced new tariff rates of 25 per cent on some trading partners, including Japan and South Korea. US tariffs on Australian products remain at 10 per cent, but with relations between the two allies strained, could the US respond negatively to Australia potentially strengthening ties with China? Here's what you need to know. Australia's relationship with China Albanese is set to visit China from Saturday, his second trip to the country since he became prime minister in 2022. China is Australia's largest two-way trading partner, and buys almost a third of Australia's exports. Trade between the two countries was worth almost $312 billion in 2024, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The relationship appears to be strengthening after a period of volatility, which included China placing restrictions on some Australian exports between 2020 and 2024. China's ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, has called for greater collaboration in fields such as AI, healthcare and green energy under a revised free-trade deal between the two nations. In an opinion piece published in the Australian Financial Review, Xiao wrote that it was "time to advance bilateral relations with steady progress". He wrote that China was willing to review the two countries' trade agreement with "a more open attitude and higher standard", including further consolidating traditional areas and actively pursuing new growth areas. Christoph Nedopil, director of the Griffith University Asia Institute, said while there is a "mutual interest" in strengthening the relationship between Australia and China, this has been years in the making. He does not believe China is seeking to take advantage of rocky relationships between the US and its allies, including Australia. "China has been trying to make bilateral and multilateral alliances even before Trump was in office, it's not that the stabilisation of the Australia-China relationship only came when Trump was in office," Nedopil said. "And a number of the topics that are on the agenda are not new topics." In a press conference on Tuesday, Treasurer Jim Chalmers was asked whether the Australian government was considering freer trade with China, Korea and Japan in response to Trump's tariffs. Trump announced on Tuesday he would impose tariffs of at least 25 per cent on South Korea and Japan from August unless the countries can strike deals with the US. The US imposed tariffs on China of 145 per cent earlier this year and average US tariffs on Chinese exports now stand at around 50 per cent, according to the US-based Peterson Institute for International Economics. While Chalmers did not directly address the issue of the US tariffs, he said stabilising Australia's relationship with China was positive for the economy, workers, employers and industries. "A good, stable, reliable trading relationship with China is key to making sure that our economy continues to grow the right way," he said. "We want good, reliable, diverse trading relationships right around the world. We've got wonderful exports, we've got huge opportunities." Chalmers said the government was "optimistic about the future when it comes to Australia's place in the global economy". 'Political tension' between Australia and the US While Australia's ties with China could be building, the relationship with the US is somewhat strained, according to David Andrews, senior policy advisor at the Australian National University's National Security College. "It's a relationship we've had for decades and decades now, and we have consistently viewed that as our most important strategic partner and one of our closest international friends and alliances," he said. "At the same time, it's clear that we're going through a period of political tension and relational tension." Andrews believes much of the tension has come as a result of Trump's tariffs, which he announced in April, along with "heavy-handedness" of the US government. But he said while the relationship is "challenging" at the moment, diplomacy and international relations are constantly evolving. "There is an ongoing, persistent rebalancing of that relationship to understand what is being asked of us and therefore how much we are willing to accept as well," he said. "I think that the prime minister has been very clear that [in] putting a very public sense of boundary or limit on what we will do and how far we'll go and the implications for the relationship." Could the US change tariffs on Australia? At the time of writing, Australia has not received a tariff increase, meaning most of its exports to the US remain subject to the baseline 10 per cent, while there is a 50 per cent tariff on steel and aluminium exports. The government would continue to try to negotiate a total exemption from US tariffs, Albanese said, even though no country in the world had done so. Andrews said the "status quo" of the 10 per cent tariff is likely Australia's "best case scenario", and pointed out that no other trading partners had been unable to negotiate an exemption. "Obviously, it would be great if we could get some sort of exemption on the steel and aluminium tariff, for example, but I don't see any evidence that's likely to change," he said. "It's a dispositional change in the way the United States views the international economic order, and we can't convince them otherwise. "It would be wildly optimistic to think that we could make any, I think, improvement on our situation." While a tariff reduction or exemption may be unlikely, some have questioned whether the US government could raise tariffs on Australia in retaliation to Albanese's meeting with Xi. Nedopil said it's difficult to predict the actions of the Trump administration. "In a way, the US policymaking at this time seems to be very news-driven and so very short-term sentiment-driven," he said. "So what President Trump might consider as disrespect can lead to a short-term decision announcement that might be more negative." The relationship between China and the US is complex, with the two considered economic and strategic competitors. Nedopil said he believes the rivalry has become "much more intense" on a number of fronts, which he says is "undermining US dominance", which Trump may take into consideration. "And I think the other shift that has taken place ... is that actually a lot of Asian countries and emerging economies are not viewing China as negatively as they used to. "I think there are dynamics that make the US seem not as strong and potentially [not] feel as strong and therefore also trying to hold onto power with a number of different means." Additional reporting by the Australian Associated Press
News.com.au
36 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Childcare to join $50m housing project linked to James Packer
A $50m affordable housing development linked to Australian billionaire businessman James Packer has put a call out for childcare operators to join a Geelong project. The planned childcare centre in the northern Geelong suburb of Corio is expected to attract significant interest from childcare operators looking to get a foothold in one of Australia's fastest growing regional cities. The centre is positioned in the heart of the Edenville residential estate being developed by Sivasli Group and will be located at 26-34 Sharland Rd which is at the entrance to the estate. Corio is expected to see a significant ramp-up in residential development. Global second-hand fashion fave eyes big entry to Geelong Melbourne developer Deniz Sivasli's Edenville group is behind the project, backed by a consortium that includes former casino mogul James Packer and investment guru Joe Gersh. Sivasli Group is also planning a 282-home residential estate on the former Flinders Peak Secondary College site in Hendy St, while Cedar Woods Properties has a 400-lot estate on the drawing board after a $35m purchase in January of an 18.6ha Plantation Rd property. The childcare development is designed by Architecton and will accommodate 124 childcare places and feature a bespoke fit-out for the incoming early learning provider across 1771sq m of building area. CBRE's Australian Healthcare and Social Infrastructure team of Sandro Peluso, Jimmy Tat and Marcello Caspani-Muto are managing the expressions of interest leasing campaign. Mr Tat said childcare centres located within residential estates tend to have outstanding occupancy rates because of increased visibility and accessibility for families. 'What truly sets Corio apart is the absence of other childcare development applications within the catchment area, making it a unique and highly attractive option for operators,' Mr Tat said. 'With over 1100 children expected to be born and move into the area over the next five years, we anticipate the demand-to-supply ratio will reach 4.3:1 – a level that is widely considered very favourable for operators.' Mr Peluso said opportunities to develop childcare centres within residential estates were rare. 'Given the highly favourable demographics and strong demand in Corio, the vendor has decided to pursue a childcare development,' Mr Peluso said. 'We expect significant interest from established local childcare providers as well as new entrants looking to break into the suburb, given the robust demand and limited competition in the area.' The Edenville estate, which will deliver 107 new homes on the site of the former Rosewall Primary School, had a difficult journey to approval at Victoria's planning umpire with Geelong's council labelling it a 'significant overdevelopment'. The expressions of interest lease campaign will close late July.
News.com.au
36 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Brickie's slick Herne Hill renovation doubles home's value in four years
A premium renovation that almost doubled the value of an original Herne Hill home has scored the suburb's most expensive sale of the year. Buyers from Newtown paid $1.4m for the transformed four-bedroom house at 5 Knight Ave. The quality of its contemporary rear extension and refit added $662,0000 to the value of the 714sq m property in four years. Geelong Real Estate Co. listing agent Ricky Forte said the front bedroom was the only thing he recognised from when he last sold the retro solid brick home for $738,000 in 2021. An open-plan living zone featuring high raked ceilings, timber floors and a sleek kitchen is the centrepiece of the redesign. 'They had done a really comprehensive, beautiful renovation,' Mr Forte said 'All the people that went through it were from Newtown, Geelong West, Manifold Heights … predominantly, as always, it was the Geelong people that were happy to fight and stretch.' He said three of the four parties that made offers on the house were considering renovating their existing homes but had been put off by construction costs that could amount to $800,000 for something similar. The buyers paid $50,000 above the top asking price to secure the property. 'I felt like nobody wanted to renovate and if you can get one that everything's been done then you just sign on the dotted line as opposed to 18 months of hell,' Mr Forte said. The vendors called on their family's construction experience to pull off the renovation – one is a bricklayer while the other's father is a builder. Recycled brickwork features in a new covered entertainment area overlooking the home's landscaped back garden. The renovation also replaced the dated 1970s brown kitchen, added a fourth bedroom and a stylish ensuite bathroom. The sale is the third million-dollar result in the street, just one block away from the Newtown border. Mr Forte said the same house in the 3220 postcode would set you back to close to $2m, which made the sister suburb an attractive value proposition. 'I think it has given a lot of people confidence that you could do a big renovation in Herne Hill and get your money back,' he said. He said another buyer who recently paid $705,000 for an older house at 18 Ashbourne St, Herne Hill, was among those who inspected the Knight Ave property for inspiration. 'He's pulling his apart and is going to build it to the Knight Ave level and now that's given him the confidence that renovating at that level that the money is there,' he said.
