Brisbane’s bin collection services have become the latest point of contention at City Hall, with the Opposition accusing Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner’s LNP administration of letting waste management standards slip over the busy summer period.   Labor’s Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Jared Cassidy, said reports of missed bin collections had surged in recent years, claiming Brisbane residents were “paying the price” for poor oversight of the city’s waste contractor, Veolia.   According to figures cited by Cr Cassidy, reports of missed red-bin collections jumped from 1,030 in March 2022 to 1,842 in March 2025 — an almost 80 per cent increase. He attributed the rise to workforce issues, including “unreasonable KPIs, lack of supervisory staff and worsening pay and conditions” for collection workers.   “The LNP Council has made a mess on bins, and residents are paying for it,” Cr Cassidy said. “After 20 years of this LNP Council outsourcing essential services, residents are forced to endure poorer quality services while contractors charge more.”   He also linked the issue to traffic congestion and city planning decisions, arguing that poor road layouts and parked cars often blocked garbage trucks from completing their rounds.   Council maintains collections continue as normal   Brisbane City Council has rejected claims that waste collections are being paused or scaled back over summer. In its official festive-season update, Council stated that red, yellow and green bin services “continue as normal across the holiday period, including public holidays.”   Residents are encouraged to place bins out the night before collection days, as runs may begin earlier during the Christmas and New Year period.   Council also reminded residents that missed bins can be reported online or via phone. Red bins can be reported after 4:30pm on collection day, and yellow or green bins within two working days, with follow-up collections arranged as soon as possible.   Changes to green waste collection   From July 2025, green waste recycling was integrated into the city’s standard kerbside service for eligible properties under the Grow FOGO program, a joint initiative with the State Government. The program aims to divert tens of thousands of tonnes of garden waste from landfill each year.   While the Opposition continues to highlight the rising number of missed-bin complaints, the Schrinner administration maintains that Brisbane’s collection services remain fully operational and that residents should continue to expect normal pick-ups throughout the festive season.

Dharug dancer and choreographer Peta Strachan is bringing a powerful new work centred on First Nations women, language and Country to the Sydney Opera House as part of Sydney Festival 2026.​ Jannawi Dance Clan’s new work Strachan’s all-female company, Jannawi Dance Clan, will premiere the immersive work Garrigarrang Badu – meaning “saltwater, freshwater” in Dharug – at the Opera House on January 9 and 10.​ The Sydney-based ensemble draws dancers from across the country, with a focus on honouring and revitalising First Nations language, story and ceremony through contemporary and cultural dance practice.​ Celebration of Dharug Country Performed entirely in Dharug language, Garrigarrang Badu traces the journey of water from the mountains to the sea, highlighting how each part of Country holds its own stories and responsibilities.​ Strachan describes the work as a “love song” to her Dharug homelands and to the ancestors, especially the matriarchs who have safeguarded stories and culture across generations.​ Space for women, strength and voice Strachan founded Jannawi Dance Clan after becoming a mother, determined to create a safe, supportive space where women could continue their dance practice while navigating parenthood.​ She says the company allows women from different mobs to come together, ground themselves and “lift our voices” through shared performance and cultural connection.​ Creative collaborators and cultural leadership The production has been developed in partnership with FORM Dance Projects and Arts and Cultural Exchange, whose leaders praise the work as a powerful expression of First Nations creativity in western Sydney and an example of strong cultural leadership by First Nations women.​ Dharug Elders and knowledge holders have also guided the creation of the piece, ensuring cultural integrity and community ownership of the stories being brought to the stage.​ Deeper cultural insight for audiences One of the three performances will be followed by a special knowledge holders’ talk, giving audiences the chance to hear directly about the stories, language and cultural knowledge embedded in the work.​ The season at the Sydney Opera House marks a major milestone for Jannawi Dance Clan, positioning Garrigarrang Badu as a must-see work within the 2026 Sydney Festival program.​

Australia’s under-16 social media ban is disrupting how multicultural teens stay connected across borders, but evidence from psychology, public health and history suggests it may ultimately protect their mental health and open richer, more grounded ways of growing up and engaging with community. For multicultural youth, the challenge now is not whether life without social media is possible, but how to rebuild connection, identity and activism using older, proven tools from phone calls and community radio to youth clubs and letter writing, emails while enjoying the long-term benefits of a childhood lived largely offline.​ Multicultural teens after the ban In Sydney’s Ukrainian community, 14-year-old Ilia Kyrychenko deleted Instagram and Snapchat on the night the ban took effect, losing easy contact with friends in Ukraine but also feeling an immediate sense of relief and better sleep.​ Social worker Galiya Faskhutdinova, who supports displaced Ukrainian children, reports that constant exposure to violent war footage on social platforms was “very, very heavy” even for adults and risks deepening trauma in young people.​ The Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network warns that for culturally and linguistically diverse teens, social media has functioned as a “lifeline not a luxury”, and that a sudden ban can feel like severed ties with family and culture abroad.​ This tension between protection from harm and fear of disconnection is the core investigative question for multicultural communities. Evidence: why less social media can help youth The WHO’s European office reports that problematic social media use among adolescents rose from 7 per cent in 2018 to 11 per cent in 2022, and links heavy, hard-to-control use with depression, bullying, anxiety and poor academic performance.​ A US Surgeon General commissioned review describes randomized trials in which limiting social media to 30 minutes a day for several weeks significantly reduced depression symptoms in young adults, especially those already struggling.​ Australian child psychiatrists have compared compulsive social media use in teens to an addiction, connecting it to poor sleep, family conflict, and worsening mental health, and argue that under-16 bans aim to protect still-developing brains from high-speed feedback and permanent digital footprints.​ For multicultural youth who already carry migration stress, racism, or war-related trauma, reducing this extra layer of pressure can be particularly protective. Evidence also shows that social media is not uniformly harmful, but that clear limits tend to benefit those at highest risk.​ Old-school ways to stay connected across borders The ABC story itself shows that when social media accounts disappear, young migrants quickly pivot to older, less public tools. These tools have quietly underpinned global diasporas for generations.​ Ilia now relies on encrypted messaging and calling apps like WhatsApp and Viber to reach family and friends overseas, while Australia’s eSafety Commissioner points to FaceTime and similar services as practical alternatives that do not function as public social networks.​ Long before social media, diasporic communities kept ties alive through: International phone calls and later cheap VoIP services to share family news. Letters, postcards and care packages that carried photos and cultural symbols during conflicts such as the Sri Lankan civil war or the Balkan wars. Ethnic community radio, newspapers and satellite TV that allowed Greek, Italian, Vietnamese, Middle Eastern and many other communities in Australia to follow news from home and hear their own languages on air.​ Today, culturally specific streaming channels, email newsletters, community WhatsApp groups managed by adults, and in-person community centre activities can replicate many of the social functions of social media without the algorithmic amplification of harmful content.​ These methods are slower and more intentional, but they build depth of connection rather than sheer volume of fleeting interactions. Doing life, activism and identity without social media History shows that young people have never needed social media to drive change, build identity or organise across borders.​ Landmark youth-led movements from the US civil rights sit-ins to the anti-apartheid struggle and early environmental campaigns like the first Earth Day were organised using church meetings, student unions, pamphlets, phone trees and door-to-door outreach.​ Research on youth activism notes that technology has always been a tool, not the engine; activists have moved from printing presses to fax machines to email lists and SMS, and there is no reason future youth movements cannot rely more heavily on encrypted messaging, community meetings and independent media rather than corporate social feeds.​ For multicultural teens, offline and low-social-media avenues to “do everything they need” include: Joining local youth councils, multicultural advisory groups and school SRCs to influence policy. Participating in community TV and radio where they can tell stories, debate issues and showcase culture without relying on personal social media accounts. Organising cultural festivals, sports events, language classes and arts projects through schools, community centres and parent-managed messaging lists. The ban changes the main stage from commercial social platforms to community institutions but it does not remove young people’s agency or their ability to lead. Long-term benefits for the next generation Emerging research suggests that growing up with very limited social media may deliver long-term advantages that are easy to overlook in the heat of the transition.​ Mental health and focus Reduced exposure to cyberbullying, body-image pressure and algorithmically promoted self-harm or hate content is likely to lower baseline anxiety and depressive symptoms over time, particularly for girls and marginalized youth who are most targeted online.​ Better sleep and less overnight screen use support memory, academic performance and emotional regulation, which are crucial during adolescence.​ Identity, culture and real-world skills Without the constant pressure to perform identity on global platforms, multicultural teens may invest more in local language schools, cultural dance groups, faith-based youth programs and face-to-face friendships that provide thicker, more resilient identity anchors.​ Practising disagreement and debate in person, instead of in comment threads, can strengthen conflict resolution skills and cross-cultural understanding inside Australian communities. Future opportunities and safer footprints A smaller or delayed digital footprint means fewer embarrassing posts or images that can resurface in adulthood, improving employment prospects and reducing reputational risk for today’s teenagers when they later become professionals or public figures.​ Learning to

Australia’s housing market is expected to enter 2026 on a weaker footing as fears of another interest rate hike hit buyer confidence, but a deep shortage of homes is still likely to keep prices and rents edging higher rather than falling.​ Key national trends Cotality’s national Home Value Index rose 0.7 per cent in December, the smallest monthly gain in five months and a clear sign that momentum is fading after a strong 2025.​ The index still finished 2025 up 8.6 per cent, adding about $71,400 to the national median dwelling value and marking the strongest calendar-year gain since the pandemic-era boom of 2021.​ Capital cities versus regions Sydney and Melbourne slipped 0.1 per cent in December, their first month-on-month declines since January 2025, while every other capital city and rest-of-state region still recorded gains, albeit at a slower pace.​ Across 2025, Darwin led the capital-city pack with dwelling values up 18.9 per cent, while Melbourne recorded the softest annual gain at 4.8 per cent; regional markets overall rose 9.7 per cent, outpacing the combined capital cities’ 8.2 per cent.​ Rates, confidence and supply Cotality research director Tim Lawless says high inflation and a “hawkish” Reserve Bank stance have delivered “a substantial dent in confidence”, with markets now pricing in the risk that the next move in rates is a hike rather than a cut.​ Despite softer momentum, analysts warn that rising construction costs, labour shortages and development-feasibility issues mean housing supply will stay “well below what the country requires”, keeping upward pressure on prices even as demand cools.​ Rental market pressures National rents rose 5.2 per cent in 2025, with regional Western Australia posting the biggest jump at 10.1 per cent and Darwin up 8.2 per cent, while Melbourne had the smallest increase at 2.9 per cent.​ Vacancy rates have edged slightly higher, giving renters brief relief, but remain well below levels consistent with a balanced market, meaning further rental increases are likely through 2026.​ Outlook for 2026 Market forecasters expect Australian home-price growth to slow from about 8–9 per cent in 2025 to closer to the mid-single digits in 2026 as affordability constraints, tighter credit conditions and the risk of a rate hike cap buyer demand.​ At the same time, population growth, normalising but still-solid migration, and entrenched supply shortages mean a broad-based price correction remains unlikely, leaving buyers and renters facing another challenging year for affordability rather than a sharp downturn in values.

Social media is now one of Queenslanders’ first ports of call when a cyclone threatens, carrying both life‑saving alerts and dangerously misleading rumours. Around the world, emergency experts warn that this double‑edged digital ecosystem is reshaping how communities prepare, panic and respond when extreme weather hits. Queensland’s cyclone lesson When Tropical Cyclone Jasper dumped record rainfall on Far North Queensland in 2023, locals stranded on the roof of the Lion’s Den Hotel used posts and satellite calls relayed via social media to alert family and authorities, a chain of communication residents believe helped save 18 lives. The Inspector‑General of Emergency Management (IGEM) later concluded that social media played a vital role in warning communities during Jasper’s floods and landslides. Yet IGEM’s review of this past season found the same platforms fuelled complacency as Tropical Cyclone Alfred hovered off the south‑east Queensland coast in early 2025. Some users dismissed Alfred as “media hype” or assumed the threat had passed when the system stalled offshore, forcing disaster managers to fight not just the weather but a wave of misplaced confidence online.​ TikTok, influencers and official warnings Griffith University communication lecturer Dr Susan Grantham’s study of TikTok videos during cyclones Jasper, Kirrily and Alfred shows how hard it is for official accounts to cut through algorithm‑driven feeds. During Jasper, not a single government account appeared among the 50 most prominent TikTok videos, which were dominated by humour and spectacle rather than practical guidance. By Kirrily in 2024, Queensland government accounts began returning to TikTok after a pause over data‑security concerns, and then‑premier Steven Miles’ posts started appearing in trending content. Under the new LNP government, Premier David Crisafulli went further during Cyclone Alfred, live‑streaming briefings on TikTok to audiences of around 35,000 people per session, an approach Grantham sees as a “fantastic opportunity” to partner with ethical content creators who already command trusted followings. Global examples: when rumours outrun the storm The problem Queensland faces is mirrored globally, from the Atlantic hurricane belt to Asian typhoon zones. During the deadly 2024 US hurricane season, online conspiracy theories claimed Hurricanes Helene and Milton were “engineered” and that recovery funds were being secretly diverted, narratives amplified by high‑follower verified accounts and recycled across platforms. Researchers tracking Helene found that false claims spread fast enough to undermine trust in official forecasts and fuel hostility towards emergency agencies and meteorologists. In response, the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) launched a dedicated online “Rumour Response” page to debunk misleading posts in near real time, illustrating how emergency agencies are now forced to run parallel information operations alongside their on‑the‑ground response.​ What academic leaders say A growing body of disaster‑communication research warns that misinformation during natural hazards is not a side issue but a core risk multiplier. A 2024–25 narrative review of social media and disasters found that misleading posts and rumours typically travel faster than official updates, eroding trust, driving anxiety and complicating evacuation and rescue efforts.

Australia’s multicultural identity is being tested on two very different frontlines: inside our aged care homes and on the walls of our cities. While racist incidents continue to cause harm, new community initiatives are showing how celebration, education and solidarity can push back against hate.​ Racism in care, respect as the remedy In one regional aged care facility, persistent racist abuse and discrimination towards staff from culturally diverse backgrounds forced management to confront what many describe as the “elephant in the room” of the sector. Surveys of aged care workers in Australia have found that a majority have witnessed racism on the job, yet the issue is often minimised or ignored.​ Rather than treating incidents as isolated, the service introduced structured anti-racism education, regular “learning circles” on culture and inclusion, and clear processes for reporting and responding to abuse. At the heart of the change was a simple principle: acknowledging the cultural diversity of both residents and staff, and making it visible and valued in everyday life. Celebrating culture changes behaviour The centre began marking major cultural and religious festivals of both workers and residents from South Asian celebrations to East Asian and Pacific traditions, alongside Christmas and other familiar events. Staff, residents and families formed a cultural committee to co-design events, performances and shared meals that reflected the mix of backgrounds in the home. These changes produced measurable results: reported incidents of residents mistreating staff fell dramatically, and staff turnover also dropped, as workers felt safer and more respected at work. Nurses reported feeling more confident to call out racist behaviour, backed by management and formal policies instead of being left to cope in silence.​ A poster defaced, a question of who is ‘Aussie’ Hundreds of kilometres away, a street artwork in Adelaide part of a long-running series questioning who gets to be called “Aussie” was recently defaced with a white supremacist slogan. The poster featured a historical image of a non-European migrant who lived and worked in Australia around the time of the White Australia policy, paired with the word “Aussie” to challenge narrow ideas of national identity. The graffiti, sprayed across a busy inner-city intersection, turned a piece aimed at inclusion into a hostile message of exclusion. The artist, who has installed similar posters across Australian cities for years, says he now expects racist vandalism and replaces targeted works regularly, often responding by pasting up even more posters in return. Symbols of hate, real-world impact Researchers who track far-right and racist movements in Australia warn that messages like “white power” are not just random acts of vandalism but deliberate attempts to claim public spaces and intimidate communities. For those who are the targets  including migrant, Muslim and Jewish communities the impact is a heightened sense of fear and a reminder that their belonging is still being questioned. The Adelaide vandalism occurred against a backdrop of heightened racial tensions and anxiety following recent violent incidents and global conflicts, which community leaders say are being exploited by extremists seeking to deepen divisions. Yet many also point to the posters themselves highlighting people who resisted exclusionary policies as proof that Australia’s story has never been purely “white”. Multicultural values on the line State multicultural officials have condemned the graffiti as offensive and unrepresentative of South Australia’s broader population, stressing that most residents support a harmonious, inclusive society. They argue that moments like this should be a catalyst for communities to recommit to values of kindness, respect and mutual support, rather than retreat into silence. Experts in multicultural policy and aged care say the same principles apply whether the racism appears on a city wall or in a nursing home corridor: it must be named, challenged and countered with practical action. From structured anti-racism programs in care facilities to public art that celebrates diverse histories, the work of building a fair and welcoming Australia is ongoing and it belongs to everyone.

The Ethnic Communities Council of Western Australia (ECCWA) has welcomed key elements of the 2025 Federal Budget while warning that more ambitious action is needed to fully meet the needs of multicultural Australia. In a detailed response developed with the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA), the organisation says the budget marks a positive step on social cohesion and care, but leaves critical gaps in areas such as anti‑racism, migration and language access. Multiculturalism and social cohesion ECCWA notes that the budget aligns closely with the recent Multicultural Framework Review, reinforcing multiculturalism as a core national value and supporting programs that build inclusion and inter community understanding. The council stresses that bipartisan political commitment is vital to lock in long term policy coherence and ensure multicultural communities remain central to Australia’s future. Targeted investments to protect human rights, particularly for refugees and in culturally safe service delivery, are described as encouraging but incomplete. ECCWA and FECCA are calling for stronger mechanisms to ensure culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities are directly involved in shaping laws and policies that affect their rights, safety and participation. Anti racism and community safety The budget’s $178.4 million social cohesion package, including grants for multicultural organisations and community infrastructure, is welcomed as a significant boost for frontline work in local communities. ECCWA highlights the importance of funding for security upgrades at Jewish and Muslim community sites, acknowledging heightened risks faced by these communities.​ However, the council warns that the absence of a comprehensive national anti‑racism strategy leaves a structural gap in the response to discrimination and hate. It argues that without a coordinated framework, ad‑hoc measures will struggle to address the deeper drivers of racism that affect many multicultural Australians in daily life. Migration, settlement and language support While ongoing support for refugee settlement services is recognised as essential, ECCWA describes the unchanged humanitarian intake as a missed opportunity for leadership amid unprecedented global displacement. The organisation says a more generous and flexible humanitarian program would better reflect Australia’s obligations and the aspirations of its diverse communities. Additional language support in the health system is seen as a practical and welcome measure that will improve access for non‑English speaking patients. Yet ECCWA points out that similar commitments are lacking in aged care, disability and housing, where language barriers continue to limit equitable access to services and information for many CALD Australians.​ Health, Medicare and community programs The budget’s $8.5 billion investment in Medicare, including expanded bulk billing and higher rebates for diagnostics, is strongly endorsed as a direct relief for multicultural families facing cost‑of‑living pressures. Funding to improve public dental services, lower the PBS co‑payment to $25, and trial pharmacy‑based treatment for urinary tract infections and cheaper contraceptive access is also welcomed as targeted support that will be felt in households across Australia.​ ECCWA highlights the Health in My Language program, which receives an extra $5.4 million, taking total investment to $24.3 million, as a proven model for delivering trusted, culturally safe health information to migrant and refugee women in their own languages. Continued funding for multicultural peer navigation and HIV prevention pilots is praised for improving early detection, treatment access and health literacy in communities where stigma and lack of awareness remain major obstacles. Aged care, women and equity On care, the $2.6 billion commitment to wage rises for 60,000 aged care nurses is described as a critical step in stabilising a workforce that includes a high proportion of migrant workers. ECCWA notes that better pay, alongside culturally appropriate assessments and services under the new Aged Care Act, is essential to deliver dignity in ageing for people from CALD backgrounds and their families.​ The budget’s $573.3 million women’s health package, including support for endometriosis care, menopause services and broader reproductive health, is welcomed as a long‑overdue recognition of women’s diverse health needs. New Medicare items for perimenopause and menopause assessments, funding for 33 Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Clinics, and investments in awareness campaigns and clinician training are all expected to improve standards of care for multicultural women nationwide. Safety measures, including $21.4 million to strengthen the justice system’s response to sexual violence and expand trauma‑informed and culturally appropriate services, are described as vital but not sufficient on their own. ECCWA stresses that specialist CALD services remain under‑resourced and require sustained, long‑term funding if women and children from diverse backgrounds are to be properly protected and supported. Social cohesion investments and multicultural media ECCWA particularly welcomes the $178.4 million over five years dedicated to strengthening social cohesion, including $10 million for independent multicultural media and $44.8 million in community project grants. The council says this investment recognises the central role of multicultural media in informing communities, countering misinformation and amplifying diverse voices in the national conversation. Additional support for African Australian organisations, refugee settlement initiatives and upgrades to cultural institutions is viewed as timely recognition of the cultural, social and economic contributions of migrant and refugee communities. ECCWA underlines that these measures, if implemented in partnership with community leaders and organisations, can help build a more inclusive, confident and connected Australia for all.

Brisbane, Friday 26 December 2025  As worshippers gather today for the first Friday prayers after Christmas, leaders across Brisbane’s Muslim and Jewish communities are balancing grief, fear and determination in the wake of two jarring hate incidents: the swastika‑laden vandalism of Bald Hills Mosque and the antisemitic terror attack at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach. At Bald Hills Mosque in Brisbane’s north, early morning worshippers on 18 December were met with a confronting scene a large Nazi swastika and phrases including “No Muslims = peace” and “F**k Allah” sprayed across an exterior wall. Security footage captured a masked figure approaching the building under cover of darkness and fleeing after defacing the mosque, prompting a hate crime investigation by Queensland Police. Officers believe the vandal struck between 8pm Wednesday and 3am Thursday, with the graffiti discovered by congregants arriving for dawn prayers. The incident falls under Queensland laws that made it illegal last year to publicly display Nazi hate symbols, and the state Attorney General has signalled that the government is now considering expanding the ban to other extremist symbols.​ “Everyone deserves to feel safe” Sandgate MP Bisma Asif, Queensland’s first Muslim woman elected to state parliament, condemned the attack in a strongly worded social media statement that has since been widely shared. She said the vandalism came “on the back of 15 innocent people losing their lives at the hands of extremists in an antisemitic attack on Sunday” at Bondi Beach, and called out a pattern of “constant antisemitic, Islamophobic and racist incidents” across the community. “Everyone in our community deserves to feel secure in their homes, places of worship, and workplaces,” Asif said, urging Queenslanders to “stand together” against those trying to divide them. Australian Test cricketer Usman Khawaja reshared her message on Instagram, adding his own plea: “Don’t let the haters divide us,” amplifying the call for unity far beyond Brisbane’s northside.​ Brisbane’s Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner echoed that sentiment in a video message, describing the vandalism at Bald Hills Mosque as “wrong” and out of step with the city’s values. He stressed that Brisbane is a multicultural city where freedom of religion must be protected, a theme that has featured prominently as community leaders prepare to address worshippers at today’s Friday prayer gatherings.​ Interfaith solidarity on the mosque steps In the days after the attack, clergy and staff from the Anglican Church Southern Queensland visited Bald Hills Mosque, standing alongside imams and local Muslim families in a public gesture of friendship. The faith leaders shared prayers and conversations on the mosque grounds, with Anglican representatives describing the visit as a tangible way to “show up” for Muslim neighbours after the masjid was targeted. That interfaith response has been mirrored on the airwaves and online, where community figures have framed the attack not just as an assault on Muslims, but as a strike against Brisbane’s broader multicultural identity. A widely shared TV segment showed northside leaders condemning the anti Islam graffiti and vowing that the mosque – also known as Masjid Taqwa would remain a place of peace, learning and community support. Queensland Police have stepped up patrols around the mosque and deployed a mobile police unit during at least one gathering, a visible reassurance that is expected to continue around Friday prayers while the investigation remains open. Officers are urging anyone with information about the masked offender to contact police, as they work through CCTV and witness reports. Jewish community in a “heightened state of security” For Queensland’s Jewish community, the Bald Hills incident lands just days after the antisemitic mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach, where 15 people were killed and dozens injured. The attack, which authorities have classified as a terrorist act aimed at Jewish attendees, sent shockwaves through Jewish communities nationwide and prompted an urgent review of security arrangements. The Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies (QJBD) confirmed that, in consultation with police, all public Hanukkah events across the state were cancelled on the Monday following the attack. QJBD president Jason Steinberg said the community is in a “heightened state of awareness and security,” welcoming additional police presence at synagogues and calling on the wider public to be “thoughtful” around Jewish places of worship.​ In Brisbane, bridges and civic landmarks were dimmed, then lit up, in tribute to the Bondi victims, with the Lord Mayor declaring that the city “chooses light over darkness.” The symbolism has carried through to private and communal gatherings this week, as Jewish leaders emphasise resilience and solidarity while grappling with very real safety concerns.​ One story of hate, two communities at risk The defacing of Bald Hills Mosque with Nazi imagery has sharpened a painful reality: symbols of antisemitic hatred are now being deployed in public attacks on Muslims as well. Analysts and community advocates say the same extremist ideologies that fuel violence against Jews are also driving Islamophobic abuse, and that failing to confront one form of hatred ultimately feeds the other. Human rights organisations have warned that both antisemitism and Islamophobia are rising in Australia, urging governments to treat the protection of religious minorities as a core democratic obligation. The Australian Human Rights Commission noted this month that rhetoric and conspiracy theories circulating online are creating a permissive environment for real‑world violence, calling for stronger leadership and community education.​ For many Brisbane residents, the events of December have reinforced an uncomfortable truth: while multiculturalism remains a defining strength, it cannot be taken for granted. It must be actively defended in parliaments, at police command posts, and on the steps of mosques and synagogues.​ Watching today’s prayers and what comes after As Muslims arrive for Jumu’ah prayers at Bald Hills Mosque today, they will do so under the watchful eye of police and the quiet support of neighbours from other faiths. Community leaders are expected to use sermons and post‑prayer gatherings to re‑affirm messages of calm, dignity and unity, even as families remain shaken by the imagery that briefly turned their sacred space into

Police have declared an emergency and evacuated parts of Southport after a storm-triggered crane failure left a tower crane partially collapsed over the Gold Coast Highway on Christmas afternoon, but miraculously caused no reported injuries. Christmas Day incident A violent Christmas Day storm swept across Southport about 3:15pm, battering a construction crane and bringing down multiple powerlines along the Gold Coast Highway near Loders Creek and the Broadwater. Emergency services rushed to the scene and quickly confirmed that, despite the dramatic damage, no workers or members of the public were believed to have been injured. Emergency declaration and exclusion zone Queensland Police enacted an emergency declaration under the Public Safety Preservation Act before 4pm, locking down a large section of Southport amid fears the damaged crane or live powerlines could pose an ongoing threat. An exclusion zone was established covering the Gold Coast Highway, North Street, Loders Creek and the Broadwater, with people inside the zone told to remain indoors and others urged to avoid the area altogether. Residents describe ‘intense and scary’ storm Local resident Liz Freeman, who lives on the 12th floor of a nearby Labrador apartment building, described the cell that hit the precinct as “intense and scary” but short-lived. She said her windows shook as violently as they had during ex-tropical Cyclone Alfred, while heavy balcony furniture was tossed around “like paper” and a solid outdoor table was almost lifted over the railing by the wind. Power outages across south-east Queensland Energy provider Energex reported that a series of “small but intense” storm cells on Christmas Day knocked out electricity to thousands of homes and businesses across Brisbane, Somerset and the Gold Coast. By 6:30pm, about 7,000 customers were without power, with at least 15 powerlines reported down in the Southport area alone and crews waiting for conditions to stabilise before starting restoration work. Severe weather warnings The Bureau of Meteorology recorded wind gusts of around 45 knots more than 80 kilometres per hour at the Gold Coast Seaway as the storm swept through. A severe thunderstorm warning issued at 4:30pm for parts of south-east Queensland flagged the risk of damaging winds, large hail and heavy rainfall, with further warnings at 6pm as the system pushed north toward Gympie and the central coast with the possibility of intense rainfall.

A Jewish family’s Hanukkah themed car has been destroyed in a suspected antisemitic arson attack in Melbourne, intensifying alarm in Australia’s Jewish community already shaken by the recent Bondi Beach massacre.​ Early-morning car fire in St Kilda East Emergency services were called to Balaclava Road in St Kilda East about 2:30–2:50am on Christmas morning after reports that a parked vehicle was on fire outside a home.​The car, which carried a rooftop Hanukkah display and signage including “Happy Chanukah!” and other Jewish symbols, was engulfed in flames, forcing the evacuation of residents from a nearby house as a precaution.​ Firefighters extinguished the blaze and no injuries were reported, but the vehicle was left gutted and the incident is being investigated as a suspicious fire.​ Heart of Melbourne’s Jewish community The attack occurred on Balaclava Road, a main thoroughfare through one of Melbourne’s most prominent Jewish neighbourhoods, close to Jewish schools and community institutions in the so‑called “Bagel Belt.”​ Local Jewish residents say the car, owned by a young rabbinical family, was well known in the area for driving around to share Hanukkah greetings and promote community celebrations.​ Police investigation and person of interest Victoria Police arson and explosives detectives are leading the investigation and have identified a person of interest they are seeking to locate and interview.​Officers have appealed for dashcam, CCTV or phone footage from around Balaclava Road in the early hours of Christmas morning, stressing they are treating the fire as deliberate and taking the potential hate crime dimension seriously.Authorities have also increased patrols and engagement with local Jewish organisations in the wake of the incident. Leaders condemn suspected hate attack Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan described the attack as “not what any family, street or community deserves to wake up to on Christmas Day in Australia” and acknowledged fears it may be an antisemitic crime. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it was “beyond comprehension” that someone would torch a Jewish family’s car in the current climate, linking the act to “evil ideology” and referencing the father‑and‑son terrorist atrocity at Sydney’s Bondi Beach Hanukkah event earlier this month.​ Community warns of ‘normalized’ antisemitism Jewish community leaders say the firebombing forms part of a disturbing pattern of escalating hostility and intimidation directed at Jews in Australia.​Colin Rubenstein, executive director of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council, called it a “heinous antisemitic attack” that left a young family too frightened to sleep in their home after losing their car simply for “sharing the joy of Chanukah with the community.”​ Elyse Schachna, president of Zionism Victoria, said that even if investigators are still examining motive, the targeting of the only vehicle bearing a Jewish symbol “cannot be ignored,” warning that violence thrives where extremist rhetoric is allowed to spread unchecked.​ Fears for Jewish safety and identity Community advocates argue that the Melbourne arson, coming just about 10 days after the Bondi Beach Hanukkah mass shooting that killed 15 and wounded dozens, underlines the urgent need for federal and state governments to clamp down on hate speech, incitement and extremist networks.​ They say it would be a “terrible day” for Australian Jewry if people became afraid to display Jewish identity in public, and are calling for stronger protections so families can celebrate their traditions in safety.​