Nine days of faith and festivity In Mackay, north Queensland, the local Filipino community has once again turned Christmas into a nine day celebration of faith, food and music through the cherished Simbang Gabi tradition. The series of pre‑dawn and evening Masses, known as “night Mass,” is one of the most enduring Christmas customs in the Philippines and has now become a fixture of the regional city’s multicultural calendar. Simbang Gabi blends Catholic worship with a festival atmosphere, bringing families together for liturgy, carols in Filipino and English, and a generous spread of home‑cooked dishes shared outside the church. Organisers say the combination of prayer, song and food is what makes the celebration feel like “Christmas back home,” even thousands of kilometres from Manila. Home cooking that ‘glues people together’ For long‑time community leader Vivien Hanrahan, the heart of Simbang Gabi is found in the kitchen as much as in the pews. Now president of the Mackay Filipino Australian Community Inc (MaFaCi), she still uses her mother’s recipes for spring rolls, empanadas and glazed ham to feed worshippers after Mass. Hanrahan recalls being enlisted as a child in the Philippines to help prepare from October for the December celebrations, including the task of slowly turning a curing ham leg each week. She jokes that her mother always insisted on serving sticky rice at major occasions because “it keeps people together,” a saying she has carried into her community work in Mackay. Ancient tradition adapted to regional life Simbang Gabi dates back to the 16th century, when farmers in the Philippines attended Mass from around 3am before heading to the fields in the cool of the morning. In its homeland, the novena of nine consecutive services typically runs from December 16 to 24, culminating in Christmas Eve. In Mackay, the format has been adapted to local realities, including a shortage of priests, with this year’s observance condensed into a single evening Mass at St Patrick’s Church. Despite the reduced schedule, the church was filled with parishioners and guests, and the choir led a spirited program of Filipino hymns that turned the liturgy into a celebration of cultural identity. Mackay’s growing Filipino population Mackay is now home to one of Queensland’s largest Filipino communities outside the capital, with more than 2,000 people of Filipino background calling the regional city home. Census data shows Filipinos are the third‑largest migrant group in Mackay, behind residents born in England and New Zealand, underscoring their growing influence in local workplaces, churches and schools. Modern migration has built on a much older connection between Australia and the Philippines, which began in the late 19th century with Filipino “Manilamen” working as pearl divers in northern waters. Later migration was constrained by the White Australia Policy and resumed only after its dismantling in the 1970s, coinciding with political upheaval and economic hardship under Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines. New arrivals finding safety and belonging Among Mackay’s newer arrivals are nurses Vic and Julyn Chunle Cavales, who chose the city for its familiar tropical climate and opportunities in the local health sector. Their pathway was far from straightforward, with visa complications linked to their daughter Cheska’s Down syndrome leaving the family split between three countries for seven years before finally reuniting in Mackay in 2022. The family has since become Australian citizens, a milestone Ms Cavales describes as worth the emotional toll of the lengthy process because it offers her daughter security and stability. Community organisations such as MaFaCi supported the family through the ordeal, demonstrating the strong networks that have formed around Mackay’s Filipino diaspora. Tradition making Mackay feel like home For many long‑term residents, Simbang Gabi has become a touchstone that transforms feelings of homesickness into pride in a shared heritage. Community members say that when they first arrived, they felt isolated and missed the sounds and flavours of the Philippines, but as more Filipinos settled in Mackay, they began re‑establishing key traditions such as Simbang Gabi and Philippine Independence Day. Organisers now see the celebration as a gift they can offer the wider Mackay community, inviting neighbours of all backgrounds to experience Filipino worship, food and hospitality. For participants, singing childhood carols in their own language and sharing a meal after Mass turns a regional Queensland church into a second home each Christmas, reinforcing Mackay’s reputation as a welcoming multicultural city.

Breakthrough First Nations squad An all-First Nations boys’ team, drawn from Police Citizens Youth Clubs (PCYC) across NSW, has been selected to compete in high-level varsity-style tournaments in the US next year, including the prestigious Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) circuit and games against American high schools. The squad features 10 players aged 14 to 16, marking the first time a First Nations-only team from the program has embarked on an international basketball tour of this kind. This tour sits within PCYC NSW’s dedicated First Nations sporting pathway, Indigenous All-Stars, designed to use basketball as a vehicle for opportunity, discipline and cultural pride. From Nations of Origin to the US The team was chosen from more than 400 young athletes who showcased their skills at PCYC’s Nations of Origin tournament, a major Indigenous youth event that blends competition with cultural identity. From that pool, 11 boys were initially selected, with 10 ultimately available to travel to the United States as part of the touring roster. Selection went beyond talent alone, with players required to maintain at least 80 per cent school attendance, show ongoing engagement with local elders and PCYC programs, and have no negative interactions with NSW Police. Coaches describe making the final cut from such a large field as “no easy feat”, underscoring the level of commitment demonstrated by the young men both on and off the court. Young role models chasing big dreams Wiradjuri teenager Hugo Swan, 16, from Wagga Wagga, is one of the standout selections and says the chance to test himself overseas is the realisation of a long-held ambition to play outside Australia. He hopes the experience can be a springboard to a future in the game, whether as a professional player, a coach or a mentor supporting the next generation of Indigenous talent. Fourteen-year-old Wiradjuri guard Jurrah Penrith, the youngest member of the squad, credits his family and siblings, who all play representative basketball, for nurturing his passion from the age of four. He trains daily before and after school, seeing the US tour as an opportunity to learn from older teammates while representing his community on an international stage. Culture, community and expectations Coaches say the program is deliberately structured to reward consistency in school, respect for elders and positive behaviour in the community, not just highlight-reel plays. The US tour will run for around three weeks, including games in states such as California and Utah, giving players exposure to American basketball systems that have produced some of the world’s leading stars. For Swan and his teammates, pulling on a First Nations jersey overseas is as much about cultural visibility as it is about results on the scoreboard, with players expressing pride that Indigenous athletes are “getting some recognition” in mainstream sport. Many in the squad see themselves as ambassadors for their families, communities and culture, determined to prove they belong at this level while inspiring younger kids watching from home. A pathway beyond the court Program leaders believe the tour can have lasting impact, motivating participants to stay engaged in education and community life while building confidence, leadership and life skills that extend well beyond basketball. By setting clear expectations around schooling, behavior and cultural connection, the Indigenous All-Stars pathway aims to create role models who will return from the US better equipped to contribute to their local communities.

Pacific Island workers in Australia’s Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme have told a New South Wales parliamentary inquiry they are facing exploitation, fear and silence despite official safeguards designed to protect them. Legal and human rights experts say the program, central to Australia’s “Pacific family” diplomacy, will need urgent reforms if it is to live up to its promises.​ Modern slavery fears in regional NSW A NSW parliamentary inquiry into modern slavery risks for temporary migrant workers in rural and regional areas has heard detailed evidence from PALM workers about underpayment, unexplained wage deductions and threats tied to their visa status.​ One worker from Papua New Guinea, who travelled to Tasmania under the scheme and now lives in Coffs Harbour, reported having about 1,100 dollars removed from his pay in a single fortnight, leaving him with only a few hundred dollars to live on.​ Coffs Harbour and other regional centres have become hotspots for complaints about labour hire operators supplying PALM workers to farms, particularly in horticulture.​ Legal Aid NSW told the inquiry that weak regulation and complex business structures make it difficult to hold some labour hire companies to account, with examples of firms registered to backpacker hostels and directors based overseas.​ A scheme built on regional diplomacy The PALM scheme allows Australian businesses to recruit workers from nine Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste to fill labour shortages in agriculture, food processing and related regional industries, on visas ranging from short seasonal stints to four-year placements.​ Canberra promotes the program as a “win–win”, arguing it boosts regional employers while providing Pacific workers with skills and income to send home, and forms part of a broader package of development and gender equality initiatives across the Pacific.​ Federal investment in Pacific partnerships now extends to health, women’s leadership and skills training programs alongside labour mobility, reflecting a push to deepen ties with what ministers regularly describe as Australia’s Pacific family.​ As of late 2025, more than 30,000 PALM workers are in Australia at any one time, with thousands more expected as the scheme continues to expand.​ “Right or wrong, just accept it” A major survey by the Migrant Justice Institute of 370 PALM workers found most participants wanted to keep working in Australia but felt they had little real power to challenge poor treatment.​ The report, titled “Right or Wrong, Just Accept It”, concluded that employer‑tied visas foster a culture of fear, where workers worry that speaking up will cost them their job, their visa and any chance to rejoin the scheme.​ According to the survey, nearly two thirds of respondents said they would change employers if that were allowed, and significant numbers cited unsafe workplaces or disrespectful treatment as reasons for wanting to move.​ Many workers believed almost no one in their cohort would report underpayment or unsafe tasks to authorities, and a sizeable minority said they worried employers could block them, their relatives or their wider community from returning to Australia if they complained.​ Rising complaints and calls for reform The office of the NSW Anti‑Slavery Commissioner has reported a sharp increase in calls to its “1800 Freedom” hotline, with nearly half of all contacts now relating to labour hire companies and the PALM scheme.​ Advocates say New South Wales’ lack of a mandatory licensing system for labour hire firms makes the state attractive to operators leaving jurisdictions with tighter rules.​ A national labour hire licensing regime was recommended by the federal Migrant Workers’ Taskforce in 2019, alongside measures to strengthen coordination between employment and immigration law, but key reforms have been slow to materialise.​ One recommendation that has progressed is clarification that all migrant workers, regardless of visa status, are entitled to full protections under the Fair Work Act, closing a long‑criticised loophole in workplace law. Lives in limbo after disengaging The inquiry has also heard about PALM workers who disengage from the scheme after injury or exploitation and then find themselves stranded in Australia, often with no work rights and no income.​ In one case highlighted by SBS News, a woman from the Solomon Islands who was injured in a tractor fall is now living in regional New South Wales without access to regular work or government support, relying on community services and cash‑in‑hand jobs while awaiting her immigration outcome.​ Federal data shows more than 7,000 PALM workers have disengaged from the program since 2019, creating a largely invisible workforce vulnerable to forced labour, debt bondage and other forms of exploitation.​​ Community legal centres and multicultural organisations say they are increasingly filling the gap, helping injured or undocumented workers access medical care, legal advice and basic necessities while policy catches up.​ Government response and next steps Federal agencies point to a suite of safeguards, including employer vetting, workplace monitoring, spot checks, a dedicated helpline and “Community Connections” support services designed to give PALM workers a path to raise concerns.​ Officials also stress that approved employers must meet strict obligations on pay, hours and accommodation, and that the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations can move workers to new placements if serious issues are substantiated.​ Researchers and advocates argue these protections will not be effective without addressing the core power imbalance created by employer‑tied visas and the barriers to independent complaints.​ As the NSW parliamentary inquiry continues, its findings are expected to shape pressure for a national labour hire licensing system and broader overhaul of the PALM scheme to ensure that Australia’s regional workforce strategy does not come at the cost of basic human rights.

Two major grant programs are now open to help North and Far North Queensland repair flood-damaged coastlines and heritage landmarks under a $73 million Environmental Recovery Package. The jointly funded Albanese and Crisafulli Government initiatives focus on nature-based coastal recovery and protecting historic places from future disasters.​ New recovery grants Two targeted funding streams are available under Phase 2 of the Environmental Recovery Package, delivered through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements. They respond to damage from the North and Far North Tropical Low, which brought record-breaking floods earlier this year.​ Environmental Recovery Package: Coastline Rehabilitation Program for impacted coastal councils.​ Environmental Recovery Package: Heritage Disaster Recovery Grants for damaged heritage-listed places. Coastline rehabilitation support Eligible local governments in affected coastal areas can apply for grants to repair beaches and nearby environments. On-ground works will prioritise nature-based solutions that stabilise dunes, support marine habitats and improve long-term coastal resilience.​ Projects are expected to focus on restoring beaches and coastal ecosystems that act as natural buffers against severe storms. This work will complement earlier environmental cleanup programs already supporting flood-hit regions. Heritage places recovery Heritage Disaster Recovery Grants are open to state and local heritage-listed sites impacted by the floods. Grants of up to $50,000 will help fund repairs that protect heritage values while lifting disaster resilience. These places are described as significant to regional history, often subject to strict conditions when works are carried out. Funding is designed to help custodians meet those standards while restoring buildings and landmarks safely.​ Ministers’ statements Federal Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain said the grants will help communities “restore what was damaged and get back on their feet” after the tropical low. She emphasised that local councils and heritage custodians know their regions best, and the funding enables them to start recovery work without delay.​ Queensland Environment and Tourism Minister Andrew Powell said supported projects will focus on unique natural environments and heritage hotspots from “the coast to the cities.” He highlighted that healthy coastlines are vital storm defences and key habitats for nesting turtles and seabirds.​ How to apply Both programs are jointly funded by the Albanese and Crisafulli Governments through the $73 million Environmental Recovery Package (Phase 2) under DRFA. Applications for both the coastline and heritage programs close at 4pm on 6 February 2026.​ More details, eligibility information and application guidelines are available via the Queensland Government’s Environmental Recovery and Stewardship portal.

Woodford Folk Festival is set to return to Woodfordia from 27 December 2025 to 1 January 2026, transforming the 500-acre site north of Brisbane into Queensland’s biggest summer celebration of arts, music and culture. Colourful summer at Woodfordia Held about an hour’s drive from Brisbane in Jinibara Country, the 2025/26 Woodford Folk Festival will once again draw thousands of visitors to its purpose-built cultural parkland at Woodfordia. Over six days and nights, the former dairy farm turned regenerated festival village becomes a temporary town dedicated to performance, creativity and community.​ Largest gathering of performers Billed as Australia’s largest gathering of performers, the festival will host more than 450 acts across multiple stages, spanning folk, rock, blues, classical, roots and contemporary sounds. Alongside the music, audiences can expect a packed program of dance, cabaret, comedy, street theatre and visual arts that keeps the site alive from morning until late.​ Beyond music: ideas and learning Woodford’s program extends well beyond entertainment, with forums, talks, workshops and film sessions inviting audiences to engage with social, cultural and environmental issues. These spaces for ideas and reflection sit alongside wellbeing, movement and creative workshops, offering opportunities for festival-goers to learn new skills and connect with diverse perspectives. Family-friendly festival experience A major focus in 2025/26 is the festival’s family-friendly offering, including a dedicated Children’s Festival precinct with performances, hands-on activities and creative workshops designed for younger audiences. Parents and carers are able to enjoy the wider program while knowing there are curated, safe spaces where children can play, learn and participate in the festival in their own way. New Year fire and camping culture One of Woodford’s most iconic moments is the New Year fire and renewal ceremony, a dramatic fusion of fire, music and storytelling that symbolically ushers in the year ahead and draws crowds from around the world. Camping on site remains central to the Woodford experience, with extensive tent and camper facilities helping foster a close-knit festival community and giving visitors the chance to wake up in the heart of the action each day.​

Australia’s political leaders and international diplomats based here have used their 2025 Christmas messages to speak directly to a country still grieving after the Bondi terror attack, while reaching out to multicultural communities whose hearts straddle Australia and homelands in conflict. In his national address, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said this Christmas was a moment to “mourn those whose lives were taken  and those whose lives were forever altered” by the December 14 attack in Bondi, describing the season as a time to honour the bravery that “shone so brightly through the darkness”. He urged Australians to come together in kindness and generosity, wishing “a Christmas of peace, safety and love a Christmas where we stand together, united.” Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley struck a similarly sombre tone, calling 2025 “a time of deep sorrow and reflection” and insisting that hatred and extremism, including antisemitism, have no place in Australia. She said the test for the nation was whether it would hold fast to values of decency, courage and standing together “especially when it is hard”. Across Australia’s capitals, premiers and state opposition leaders echoed those themes in their own Christmas videos and social media posts, combining family photos with calls for peace, respect and gratitude for emergency services, health staff and others working through the holiday period. Church leaders also spoke of “light” overcoming “darkness”, with major denominations emphasising comfort for the grieving and hope for communities affected by fires, floods and conflict in 2025. At the same time, diplomats and foreign leaders have reached out to diaspora communities from their posts in Canberra, Sydney and beyond. Greece’s ambassador to Australia, Stavros Venizelos, issued warm wishes to the Greek community, praising Greek Australians as a vital “connecting link” that promotes national identity abroad and thanking them for preserving language, faith and traditions in their adopted home. Cyprus’s High Commissioner, Antonis Sammoutis, spoke of renewing the ancient Christmas prayer for “peace on earth”, expressing hope that 2026 will be more peaceful for Cypriots and for the wider world. Portuguese Australians received a dedicated Christmas message from the Consul General of Portugal in Sydney, who extended best wishes to families across the country and reflected on a busy year of consular support and community events. In Rome and Kyiv, Pope Leo and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used their Christmas Eve messages to call for a just peace in Ukraine and to salute the resilience of people who continue to celebrate traditions despite years of war, words that also resonate with Ukrainian families in Australia.​ For multicultural communities from Greece to Portugal, Ukraine and beyond, these greetings acknowledge that Christmas in Australia is often lived-in two-time zones at once celebrating here while worrying about loved ones overseas. Together, the voices from Canberra, state capitals and foreign missions sketch a Christmas 2025 defined not only by grief and global uncertainty, but by a renewed commitment to unity, compassion and the everyday courage of communities determined to stand together.

A Canberra teenager has been charged with multiple offences after allegedly performing Nazi salutes in public and distributing extremist propaganda at shopping centres and a university campus in the nation’s capital. Alleged incidents Police allege the 18-year-old Weston man made two separate Nazi salutes directed at members of the public at suburban shopping centres in recent months.Investigators also accuse the teenager of repeatedly trespassing at the Australian National University (ANU) in August and September, where he allegedly placed propaganda-style stickers on buildings and other Commonwealth property. In one October incident, a member of the public reportedly confronted the teenager as he was allegedly putting up stickers at a shopping centre, with police alleging he responded by giving a Nazi salute before leaving the premises.A second alleged Nazi salute was reported on 12 December at a different Canberra shopping centre. Police operation and seized items An Australian Federal Police (AFP) National Security Investigations team, supported by ACT Policing, executed a search warrant at a Weston property on Wednesday 24 December.Officers seized mobile phones, a computer, stickers, storage devices, a video camera and items of clothing as part of the ongoing investigation. The teenager is due to appear in the ACT Magistrates Court, where he will face a range of criminal charges linked to the alleged behaviour. Charges and potential penalties The man has been charged with two counts of publicly displaying prohibited Nazi symbols or giving a Nazi salute under the Criminal Code Act 1995.These offences carry a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment and are subject to mandatory minimum sentencing provisions. He also faces two counts of damaging Commonwealth property, which carry a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment, and two counts of offensive or disorderly behaviour on Commonwealth premises.All charges relate to alleged conduct at Commonwealth properties and public spaces in Canberra. AFP warning on antisemitism and radicalisation AFP Assistant Commissioner Counter Terrorism and Special Investigations Stephen Nutt said antisemitism would not be tolerated in Australia and condemned the alleged Nazi salutes as criminal conduct that harms the Jewish community and broader social cohesion.He said the AFP’s National Security Investigations team, established in September, is focused on individuals and groups causing serious harm to Australia’s social fabric, including those seeking to vilify marginalised communities. Assistant Commissioner Nutt described antisemitism as a “cancer that requires swift and direct action” and emphasised the importance of working with partner agencies to prevent hate, division and violence.The AFP has urged families and communities to remain alert to signs of possible radicalisation among young people, such as social withdrawal, increased use of extremist rhetoric, fixation on conspiracy theories and intensive engagement with fringe online forums. Community impact and social cohesion The case has renewed concern about the visibility of extremist symbols in public spaces and their impact on Jewish and other multicultural communities in Canberra and across Australia. Authorities say strong enforcement of laws banning Nazi symbols, combined with early intervention around radicalisation, is essential to protecting vulnerable communities and maintaining social cohesion. The matter remains before the courts, and the accused is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

From the Vatican to Berlin and Ottawa, global political and religious leaders are turning Christmas 2025 into a plea for ceasefires, compassion and solidarity, urging people to lay down weapons and rebuild trust after a year scarred by war, economic strain and terror attacks from Ukraine to Bondi Beach.​ In Rome, Pope Leo XIV has used his first Christmas as pope to issue one of the strongest global appeals of the season, calling for “at least 24 hours of peace” in all the world’s wars on Christmas Day. Expressing “great sadness” that Russia appears to have rejected the idea of a brief truce in Ukraine, he asked “all people of good will” to pressure for a pause in fighting, declaring that even a single day of silence from the guns would honour the child born in Bethlehem. The pontiff has also linked his Christmas message to deeper criticism of a “distorted economy” that treats human beings as commodities and fuels conflict, urging Christians to become a “prophetic sign” of peace in a fragmented culture. Speaking particularly to young people, he has challenged them to “make peace with someone this Christmas”, reminding them that harmony begins not in parliaments but in ordinary gestures at home, in parishes, schools and sports clubs. Across the Atlantic, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has told Canadians that the country is “strongest when we’re united, when we look out for each other, when we take care of each other,” sending Christmas and holiday wishes “from my family to yours” and urging people to support neighbours under pressure. In Germany, Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier have both used their Christmas messages to ask citizens to pause, draw strength from gatherings with family and friends, and recommit to peace, security and prosperity after a year marked by political tension and economic challenges. Christian leaders have woven those geopolitical themes into pastoral messages of comfort and hope. The president of the Uniting Church in Australia has reminded communities that “Christ, the prince of peace, is born among us… he offers comfort to the grieving, healing to the wounded, hope to the despairing,” blessing people “this Christmas and in the year of grace 2026”. Australian bishops and other church leaders have said that, despite fires, floods, conflict and the shock of the Bondi terror attack, the Christmas story insists that “light will always conquer darkness”. Interfaith solidarity has also become part of this year’s Christmas narrative. Letters from Catholic leaders overseas to Australia have promised “prayers and solidarity” after the Bondi Hanukkah shooting that left 16 people dead, praising the Muslim man who helped disarm a gunman as a sign that compassion can still break through hatred. In joint statements, Pope Leo and the Archbishop of Sydney have condemned antisemitic violence, with the Pope declaring “enough with these forms of antisemitic violence” and Archbishop Anthony Fisher saying an attack on Jews is “an attack on all of us” as Christians prepare to celebrate the birth of a Jewish Messiah. For multicultural audiences in Australia and around the world, these Christmas 2025 messages converge on one idea: peace is not just a slogan for cards and carols, but a test of whether governments, faith communities and ordinary people are willing to change. From calls for a 24-hour ceasefire in war zones to appeals for everyday reconciliation in families, the world’s leaders are inviting people to make this Christmas a turning point – even if it begins with a single day without violence and a single step towards a more humane future.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has used a Christmas Day visit to the Reverend Bill Crews Foundation in Sydney to highlight both Australia’s compassion for vulnerable people and the nation’s resolve in the wake of the recent antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi Beach. PM’s Christmas message of hope Speaking alongside Reverend Bill Crews in Ashfield, the Prime Minister praised the Foundation’s “world’s best practice” model of caring for people doing it tough, from free meals to healthcare and welfare support. He said the Christmas gathering embodied “kindness, generosity, compassion, and togetherness,” stressing that every Australian no matter “how low they are in the pecking order of life” deserves to know they matter.​ Albanese acknowledged that this Christmas feels different following the Bondi attack, describing it as a moment where Australians had seen “the worst of evil and the worst of humanity,” but also “the best of humanity” in those who rushed toward danger to help others. Support for Rev Bill Crews Foundation and food relief The visit also highlighted a major funding boost for front-line community services that support Australians facing hardship over Christmas and beyond. The Federal Government has delivered a $10 million commitment to secure and expand the work of the Reverend Bill Crews Foundation, helping provide more free meals, domestic violence support, literacy programs, and GP and dental appointments for people in need.​ Minister for Social Services Tanya Plibersek announced an additional $2 million for national food relief organisations including OzHarvest, SecondBite, Foodbank and Good360, noting that “this has been a very tough Christmas for some people” and that millions rely on these services each year. She described the work at Ashfield as “compassion on steroids,” saying Reverend Crews is there “every single time” a community is in need.​ Honouring Bondi heroes and backing Jewish community Albanese confirmed that the Commonwealth has written to the Governor-General to establish a special national honours process to recognise the bravery and service of those who confronted the antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi. The new awards will sit within the Australian honours system and acknowledge both civilians and first responders who showed extraordinary courage. The Prime Minister said this period must also be one of solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community, just 11 days after what he called “Australia’s most serious terrorist attack” motivated by antisemitism and ISIS-inspired extremism. He condemned reports of further antisemitic incidents, calling them “beyond comprehension,” and urged Australians to “wrap our arms around” Jewish communities and “root out any evil that is antisemitism across the board.”​ NSW Premier backs volunteers and tightens protest controls NSW Premier Chris Minns joined the visit, paying tribute to the Foundation’s volunteers and to emergency service workers, police, paramedics and hospital staff who work through Christmas. He said the organisation offers both meals and “an antidote to loneliness” for people who might otherwise spend the day alone. Minns also backed the NSW Police Commissioner’s decision to use new legislation to temporarily ban authorised protests in three parts of metropolitan Sydney for 14 days, with the option of renewal up to three months. He described the powers as “extraordinary” but “absolutely essential” to maintain public order after promised “peaceful” demonstrations included chants such as “Globalise the Intifada,” which he characterised as hate speech that risks tearing at social cohesion. “Hope over fear” at Christmas Amid the sombre national mood, Albanese said Christmas must remain a time where “hope over fear” and “kindness over violence” define the Australian story. He pointed to the overwhelming numbers of people volunteering at the Bill Crews Foundation so many that some are turned away as proof that the country is still driven by compassion and a desire to look after one another. For the hundreds of people sharing a Christmas meal at Ashfield, the presence of the Prime Minister, the NSW Premier and senior ministers added symbolic weight to the message that no one should feel forgotten at this time of year. As Reverend Bill Crews told the gathering, “in the place where you least expect it, when you least expect it, and who you least expect it from, new hope comes.”

Life Saving Victoria has launched a targeted water safety pilot with the backing of Knox City Council, aiming to protect culturally diverse residents, older Victorians and people living with disability from the growing risk of drowning. New pilot to save lives Through a Knox City Council Community Development Fund grant, Life Saving Victoria is delivering water safety education sessions at local pools, beaches and in classroom settings for around 500 community members identified as being at higher risk.The pilot focuses on people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, residents aged 65 and over, and people with disability, offering practical skills and critical safety knowledge before they get into the water. Drowning data driving action Recent national data shows one third of drowning deaths in Australia this year involved people aged 65 and over, while another third were people from CALD backgrounds.In Victoria alone, people born overseas accounted for 21 of 54 drowning deaths in the 2024–25 period, representing 39% of all drownings in the state. Barriers for new arrivals Older Victorians at higher risk The program also targets Victorians aged 65-plus, with an ageing population visiting waterways more frequently and sometimes overestimating their abilities while underestimating changing conditions. Health issues, reduced mobility and the risk of unexpected falls into water further increase danger for older people in and around aquatic environments. Ongoing community collaboration Life Saving Victoria plans to continue working with Knox City Council and other local partners to maintain and grow water safety education after the pilot concludes. The program is designed as a long-term investment in community resilience, building culturally responsive safety education that reflects the diversity of Victoria’s population.