Protesters have targeted Albo's Sydney electorate office after Israeli forces board Greta Thunberg's ship
Protesters have gathered outside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's Sydney electorate office after Israeli forces intercepted a boat of activists – including Greta Thunberg – that was attempting to challenge the blockade of Gaza.
Thunberg was among a group of activists on board the ship aid supplies when the boat was intercepted by Israeli forces on Monday Sydney time.
Several prerecorded videos were posted to X by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition following the interception, including one where Thunberg urged people to put pressure on the Swedish government to release her and the other protesters as soon as possible.
'If you see this video we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by Israeli occupational forces, or forces that support Israel,' Thunberg said in the video.
The Israel Foreign Ministry have dubbed the boat a 'selfie yacht' of 'celebrities' in a post to X, writing the boat was 'safely making its way to the shores of Israel'.
'The passengers are expected to return to their home countries,' the Israel Foreign Ministry wrote to X about 10.54am AEST.
Pro-Palestine protesters called a snap protest at Mr Albanese's office in Marrickville on Monday afternoon, wielding signs reading 'Good guys don't block aid' and Palestinian flags.
Other signs read 'Hey Albo it's time. Sanction Israel now!'
Students for Palestine (SFP) Australia called for the nationwide rallies in response to the interception of the Madleen ship.
An SFP co-convener called on Mr Albanese and Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong to expel the Israeli ambassador, cut military and economic ties with Israel, and pressure Israel to release the activists.
'The Madleen crew represent the hopes of all those who stand for humanity against the starvation and bombardment of Gazans, and they must be immediately released,' the SFP co-convener said in a statement on Instagram.
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News.com.au
32 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Israel diverts Gaza-bound aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg
Israeli forces intercepted a Gaza-bound aid boat on Monday, preventing the activists on board -- including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg -- from reaching the blockaded Palestinian territory. The Madleen set sail from Italy on June 1 to raise awareness of food shortages in Gaza, which the United Nations has called the "hungriest place on Earth". After 21 months of war, the UN warns the entire population is at risk of famine. At around 4:02 am (0102 GMT), Israeli forces "forcibly intercepted" the vessel in international waters as it was approaching Gaza, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition said. "If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters," Thunberg said in a pre-recorded video shared by the coalition. Footage from the group shows the activists with their hands up as Israeli forces boarded the vessel, with one of them saying nobody was injured prior to the interception. Israel's foreign ministry wrote on social media, "all the passengers of the 'selfie yacht' are safe and unharmed," adding that it expected the activists to return to their home countries. Turkey condemned the interception of the Madleen as a "heinous attack" in international waters. Iran also denounced it as "a form of piracy", citing the same grounds. In May, another Freedom Flotilla ship, the Conscience, reported it was struck by drones in an attack the group blamed on Israel. In 2010, a commando raid on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, which was part of a similar attempt to breach Israel's naval blockade, left 10 civilians dead. On Sunday, Defence Minister Israel Katz said the blockade, in place since years before the Israel-Hamas war, was needed to prevent Palestinian militants from importing weapons. - 'Risked their lives' for food - The boat was intercepted about 185 kilometres (115 miles) west of the coast of Gaza, according to coordinates provided by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. Israel is facing mounting international pressure to allow more aid into Gaza to alleviate widespread shortages of food and basic supplies. It recently allowed some humanitarian deliveries to resume after barring them for more than two months and began working with the newly formed, US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. But humanitarian agencies have criticised the GHF and the United Nations refuses to work with it, citing concerns over its practices and neutrality. Dozens of people have been killed near GHF distribution points since late May, according to Gaza's civil defence agency. It said Israeli attacks killed at least 10 people on Sunday, including five civilians hit by gunfire near an aid distribution centre. Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal and witnesses said the civilians had been heading to a GHF-run site west of Rafah, in southern Gaza. Abdallah Nour al-Din, a witness, said "the Israeli army opened fire" on people who had started gathering at the site in the early morning. The Israeli military said it fired on people who "continued advancing in a way that endangered the soldiers" despite warnings. - Sinwar - The GHF said there had been no incidents "at any of our three sites" on Sunday. Outside Nasser Hospital, where the emergency workers brought the casualties, AFPTV footage showed mourners crying over blood-stained body bags. "I can't see you like this," said Lin al-Daghma by her father's body. She spoke of the struggle to access food aid after the two-months Israeli blockade, despite the recent easing. At a charity kitchen in Gaza City, displaced Palestinian Umm Ghassan told AFP she had been unable to collect aid from a GHF site "because there were so many people, and there was a lot of shooting. I was afraid to go in, but there were people who risked their lives for their children and families". Also on Sunday, the Israeli military said it had located and identified the body of Mohammed Sinwar, presumed Hamas leader in Gaza, in an "underground tunnel route beneath the European Hospital in Khan Yunis", in southern Gaza. The military, which until Sunday had not confirmed his death, said Israeli forces killed Sinwar on May 13. Sinwar was the younger brother of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, accused by Israel of masterminding the 2023 attack that triggered the war. The Hamas attack resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says at least 54,880 people, the majority civilians, have been killed in the territory since the start of the war. The UN considers these figures reliable. After the deaths of several Hamas leaders, Mohammed Sinwar was thought to be at the heart of decisions on indirect negotiations with Israel. The military said that alongside Sinwar's body, forces had found "additional intelligence" at the Khan Yunis site "underneath the hospital, right under the emergency room".
Sky News AU
42 minutes ago
- Sky News AU
Greta Thunberg's Gaza expedition has ‘spectacularly failed'
Sky News Digital Presenter Gabriella Power says Greta Thunberg's Gaza expedition has 'spectacularly failed'. The Greta Thunberg-led Freedom Flotilla says the Israeli army has boarded its vessel. The video from the activist's social media account shows the last moment on board before the connection was lost.
Herald Sun
2 hours ago
- Herald Sun
How life will change for millions of Aussie from July 1
Don't miss out on the headlines from Economy. Followed categories will be added to My News. From minimum wage increases to a crackdown on tobacco, a number of changes will come to effect for millions of Australians from July 1. State and federal governments typically use the new financial year as a starting point for a range of regulatory and legislative changes. Among this year's changes are an increase to the minimum wage and changes to skilled migration. The NSW and Victorian governments will also crack down on tobacco with new licensing schemes. The Albanese government will institute a number of changes from July 1. Picture: NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw See the full list of changes here: National – The minimum wage will increase by 3.5 per cent from July 1. The Fair Work Commission has approved the increase in the national minimum award to $948 per week or $24.95 per hour, which will apply from the first full pay period starting on or after July 1. The minimum award wages will increase by the same percentage. – A number of changes to nsuperannuation will come into effect from July 1. On that day, the superannuation guarantee rate will increase to 12 per cent. The new percentage will be applied to all salary and wages paid to eligible workers on or after July 1, and will mean employers will have to pay a minimum of 12 per cent to an employee's superannuation fund. The maximum super contribution base will meanwhile decrease from $65,070 to $62,500. – From July 1, Services Australia will lift the number of Parental Leave Pay days from 110 to 120 for children born from that day. Parents, including of adoptive children, will be able to claim up to three months before the date they expect the child to 'enter their care'. – Skilled visa income thresholds will be increased by 4.6 per cent from July 1, when the annual indexation takes affect. The Core Skills Income Threshold and Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold will increase from $73,150 to $76,515 while the Specialist Skills Income Threshold will increase to $141,210. – The sorts of products smokers can purchase is set to change from July 1. In the new financial year, a raft of changes to tobacco sales will come into full affect, including the banning of flavoured or menthol cigarettes, the removal of names such as 'smooth' and 'gold', packets will be standardised at 20 cigarettes, as well as the rolling out of consistent shapes and sizes, and new health information. Many of the changes have already been implemented. NSW Premier Chris Minns has faced criticism ahead of the state's tobacco crackdown. Photo: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard NSW – From July 1, NSW will finally have a tobacco licensing scheme. Retail businesses selling tobacco and non-tobacco smoking products will be required to notify NSW Health, with stiff penalties for any breaches. – A new Community Services Industry portable long service leave scheme will be introduced on July 1. It will give workers in the community services industry, who often work with multiple employers, access to long service leave after seven years of service to the industry with one or more employers. – Improved protections for renters will come into effect from July 1, including making it easier for accessibility infrastructure to be installed, providing evidence that an animal is an assistance animal, and obtaining approval for minor renovations. – A raft of changes to strata in NSW will come into effect from July 1. They include new strata committee duties, protection for owners in strata from unfair terms, increased penalties for developers, and other improvements to strata laws. – Community land law changes will also take effect from July 1, including ensuring that sustainability is discussed during annual general meetings, that requests to change association property for accessibility infrastructure only needs a majority vote at an association meeting, and that by-laws don't ban sustainability infrastructure based on appearance – except if it is a heritage property. Tobacconists in NSW and Victoria will require a licence from July 1. Picture: Newswire/ Gaye Gerard Victoria – New rules requiring motorists to slow down to 40km when passing workers on the roadside, or stationary or slow-moving vehicles (travelling at 10km/h or less) displaying flashing lights, will be introduced from July 1. Previously applicable to emergency and law enforcement vehicles, motorists will now also have to slow down for other vehicles, including accident towing trucks, roadside assistance, and incident response vehicles. – From July 1, tobacco retailers and wholesalers will be required to apply for a licence to sell tobacco products. Tough penalties will apply for those found contravening the new regulations, inducing a fine of $829,878 for anyone operating without a licence or caught possessing or selling illicit tobacco. For an individual, it is $165,975 (or five years prison. – A planning permit will not automatically be required for a venue with a liquor licence in Victoria beginning July 1. – The payroll tax free threshold will increase from July 1 to will be lifted from $900,000 to $1,000,000 for annual returns, and from $75,000 to $83,333 for monthly returns. – The Victorian Default Offer, a set electricity price, will be set at $1675 from July 1. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has spearheaded a number of changes. Picture: NewsWire / Aaron Francis Queensland – Annual rent and eligibility checks for all social housing tenants will be reintroduced from July 1. The checks will confirm if tenants still meet income thresholds. – People convicted of a crime will pay more from July 1, when the Queensland government indexes the rate of a penalty unit. From that date, a single penalty unit will rise from $161.3 to $166.9 for most offences covered under state legislation, as well local law penalties. Western Australia – Reforms to WA's public sector will begin to take effect from July 1. They include the transition of the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation to the Department of Energy and Economic Diversification and a new Office of Defence Industries. A new Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration will administer and drive the future development of the resources industry. – Rebates will be made available for residential solar batteries of up to $1300 for Synergy customers and up to $3,800 for Horizon Power customers from July 1. The reforms are aimed at allowing more households access to batteries and rebates. South Australia – The SA government will implement cost of living measures from July 1, including capping the price of a 28-day student pass on the MetroCard to $10 – down from $28.60. The change means a trip for a student on public transport will cost about 25c. Victorian motorists will finally have to slow to 40km for roadworks. Picture: NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui Tasmania – RBF Life Pensions, Interim Invalidity Pensions, and Parliamentary Pensions will be indexed in-line with reflation and a Consumer Price Index of 1.150 per cent on July 1. – TasWater, Tasmania's water and sewage utility, will increase its prices by 3.5 per cent from July 1. The average residential customer will see an increase of about 12.04 cents per day. – From July 1, the electoral reforms will establish a new scheme for disclosing political donations and electoral expenditure in parliamentary elections, and administering public funding in relation to House of Assembly elections in Tasmania. Northern Territory – The payroll tax-free threshold will increase to $2.5m on July 1, with maximum annual deductions also increased to $2.5 million maximum annual deduction to $2.5 million ACT – On July 1, the ACT government will raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14. – A short-term rental accommodation levy will be introduced in the ACT on July 1. It will apply to books of no more than 28 days. – The ACT Public Service will berestructured from July 1, including directorate mergers, function transfers and the creation of the new Digital Canberra directorate. Originally published as How life will change for millions of Aussie from July 1
