Bridging the big issues
Talk of Ben Ean Moselle (C8) reminded me of a time in the 1970s when I went to a drive-through bottle shop to get some wine on the way to a friend's BBQ,' writes Tim Ingall of Scottsdale, Arizona, USA. 'When it appeared the best they had on offer was sparkling porphyry pearl, I asked the young lady serving me, for a bottle of Ben Ean. She looked at me and said, 'we don't serve benzene here'. Defeated, I left with a six-pack of beer.'
When Jenny Lyle of Collaroy's nephew was born in 1993, she gave the baby a gift: 'A bottle of Ben Ean Moselle. His name? Benjamin Ian, of course.'
'I quickly graduated from Ben Ean to Casal Garcia and its very stable mate, Mateus, for me and my 'guest' to wash down three tins of smoked oysters,' recalls Garrett Naumann of Cammeray. 'My place became known as Doyles by the Fence.'
Llewellyn Dickeson of Culburra Beach is sure 'Bill Yonge will be pleased to learn that this year we saw Mateus still being produced and sold in Portugal for €3.07 ($5.45) a bottle. Not much more than he would've paid back in the '60s!'
'We spend a lot of time observing and criticising, women's clothes,' notes Greg Baker of Fitzroy Falls. 'But have Column 8-ers noticed that the breast pocket in men's suits seems to be disappearing?'
It seems Jeff Stanton and Robyn Hansen's claim about the filler-cap (C8) being on the opposite side to the exhaust pipe has been widely challenged by readers. The reason? Twin exhausts! As Graham Carter of Eglinton put it, 'perhaps it has to be in the middle of the vehicle?'
This was certainly the case for Colin Taylor Evans of Lane Cove when he owned a Ford Model-T, which had the fuel filler 'right in front of the windscreen, centrally located and easily filled from either side. It didn't have a fuel gauge, but you could tap on the tank located behind the dash to get an idea of how much fuel remained. Fortunately, there was no cigarette lighter either.'
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The Advertiser
6 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Protesters seize momentum after huge Gaza bridge march
Australia-wide protests are in the works against Israel's war on Gaza as organisers seize momentum from a massive demonstration on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. More than 100,000 people braved heavy rain for a pro-Palestine protest at the landmark bridge on Sunday and similar rallies in Melbourne and Adelaide. Dubbed the March for Humanity, it aimed to highlight what the United Nations has described as the "worst-case scenario of famine" and the 22-month-long Israeli offensive on the blockaded enclave. But the organising Palestine Action Group said it had bigger plans in store with a national march slated for August 24. Groups in Melbourne, Perth, Canberra and Adelaide will join the mass demonstration, and spokesperson Josh Lees forecast many more protests in regional towns. "We want to build on this massive momentum that we have now coming out of the massive March for Humanity," he said. "There are pro-Palestine movements going on, protests against genocide taking place in every town and city in Australia." NSW Premier Chris Minns was adamant he did not misread community sentiment in trying to stop the mass demonstration from going ahead. Organisers estimate about 300,000 people attended Sunday's march, while police put the figure around 90,000. "We can't just knock out the bridge every weekend. There can be a demonstration every weekend ... no one should assume it's open season on the bridge," the premier said. There were no plans to march over the Harbour Bridge again any time soon, Mr Lees said. Mr Minns said the government would closely study the Supreme Court ruling that allowed the mass rally to go ahead the following day, to see if it set a precedent. He thought police "were on firm ground" rejecting the protesters' application but did not rule out any measures to set limits for how the bridge could be used in future. Mr Lees said it was "astonishing" the government could view Sunday's "inspiring display of humanity" and think it should be prevented from happening again. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was not surprised by the monumental turnout in Sydney. "(Australians) want to show their concern at people being deprived of food and water and essential services," he said. Gaza's population of 2.1 million people is projected to face high levels of acute food insecurity, including one million people who face emergency levels, according to the United Nations. Several Minns government MPs and Sydney's lord mayor took part in the march and Mr Minns struck a conciliatory tone, praising demonstrators for the peaceful nature of the rally. Federal Labor MP Ed Husic said voters had sent a strong message to politicians "There was a lot of middle Australia there and that's something that can't be ignored," he told ABC Radio. NSW Police praised the behaviour of the protesters but forced them to turn around mid-march, citing the large number of people taking part. Police did not make any arrests, and organisers and participants have questioned their characterisation of the protest as unsafe or chaotic. Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley questioned "the shutting down of a major city" for an overseas conflict but conceded the huge community concern around events in Gaza. "Ultimately Australians do want to see Gazans fed, they want to see the Israeli hostages released (and) they want to see the war end," she said. Israel's military campaign began after militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking about 250 hostages. The ensuing retaliatory bombardment and blockade of Gaza have killed more than 60,000 people, according to local health authorities. The federal government on Monday announced an additional $20 million to support aid organisations in delivering food, medical supplies and other lifesaving support in Gaza. Australia-wide protests are in the works against Israel's war on Gaza as organisers seize momentum from a massive demonstration on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. More than 100,000 people braved heavy rain for a pro-Palestine protest at the landmark bridge on Sunday and similar rallies in Melbourne and Adelaide. Dubbed the March for Humanity, it aimed to highlight what the United Nations has described as the "worst-case scenario of famine" and the 22-month-long Israeli offensive on the blockaded enclave. But the organising Palestine Action Group said it had bigger plans in store with a national march slated for August 24. Groups in Melbourne, Perth, Canberra and Adelaide will join the mass demonstration, and spokesperson Josh Lees forecast many more protests in regional towns. "We want to build on this massive momentum that we have now coming out of the massive March for Humanity," he said. "There are pro-Palestine movements going on, protests against genocide taking place in every town and city in Australia." NSW Premier Chris Minns was adamant he did not misread community sentiment in trying to stop the mass demonstration from going ahead. Organisers estimate about 300,000 people attended Sunday's march, while police put the figure around 90,000. "We can't just knock out the bridge every weekend. There can be a demonstration every weekend ... no one should assume it's open season on the bridge," the premier said. There were no plans to march over the Harbour Bridge again any time soon, Mr Lees said. Mr Minns said the government would closely study the Supreme Court ruling that allowed the mass rally to go ahead the following day, to see if it set a precedent. He thought police "were on firm ground" rejecting the protesters' application but did not rule out any measures to set limits for how the bridge could be used in future. Mr Lees said it was "astonishing" the government could view Sunday's "inspiring display of humanity" and think it should be prevented from happening again. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was not surprised by the monumental turnout in Sydney. "(Australians) want to show their concern at people being deprived of food and water and essential services," he said. Gaza's population of 2.1 million people is projected to face high levels of acute food insecurity, including one million people who face emergency levels, according to the United Nations. Several Minns government MPs and Sydney's lord mayor took part in the march and Mr Minns struck a conciliatory tone, praising demonstrators for the peaceful nature of the rally. Federal Labor MP Ed Husic said voters had sent a strong message to politicians "There was a lot of middle Australia there and that's something that can't be ignored," he told ABC Radio. NSW Police praised the behaviour of the protesters but forced them to turn around mid-march, citing the large number of people taking part. Police did not make any arrests, and organisers and participants have questioned their characterisation of the protest as unsafe or chaotic. Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley questioned "the shutting down of a major city" for an overseas conflict but conceded the huge community concern around events in Gaza. "Ultimately Australians do want to see Gazans fed, they want to see the Israeli hostages released (and) they want to see the war end," she said. Israel's military campaign began after militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking about 250 hostages. The ensuing retaliatory bombardment and blockade of Gaza have killed more than 60,000 people, according to local health authorities. The federal government on Monday announced an additional $20 million to support aid organisations in delivering food, medical supplies and other lifesaving support in Gaza. Australia-wide protests are in the works against Israel's war on Gaza as organisers seize momentum from a massive demonstration on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. More than 100,000 people braved heavy rain for a pro-Palestine protest at the landmark bridge on Sunday and similar rallies in Melbourne and Adelaide. Dubbed the March for Humanity, it aimed to highlight what the United Nations has described as the "worst-case scenario of famine" and the 22-month-long Israeli offensive on the blockaded enclave. But the organising Palestine Action Group said it had bigger plans in store with a national march slated for August 24. Groups in Melbourne, Perth, Canberra and Adelaide will join the mass demonstration, and spokesperson Josh Lees forecast many more protests in regional towns. "We want to build on this massive momentum that we have now coming out of the massive March for Humanity," he said. "There are pro-Palestine movements going on, protests against genocide taking place in every town and city in Australia." NSW Premier Chris Minns was adamant he did not misread community sentiment in trying to stop the mass demonstration from going ahead. Organisers estimate about 300,000 people attended Sunday's march, while police put the figure around 90,000. "We can't just knock out the bridge every weekend. There can be a demonstration every weekend ... no one should assume it's open season on the bridge," the premier said. There were no plans to march over the Harbour Bridge again any time soon, Mr Lees said. Mr Minns said the government would closely study the Supreme Court ruling that allowed the mass rally to go ahead the following day, to see if it set a precedent. He thought police "were on firm ground" rejecting the protesters' application but did not rule out any measures to set limits for how the bridge could be used in future. Mr Lees said it was "astonishing" the government could view Sunday's "inspiring display of humanity" and think it should be prevented from happening again. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was not surprised by the monumental turnout in Sydney. "(Australians) want to show their concern at people being deprived of food and water and essential services," he said. Gaza's population of 2.1 million people is projected to face high levels of acute food insecurity, including one million people who face emergency levels, according to the United Nations. Several Minns government MPs and Sydney's lord mayor took part in the march and Mr Minns struck a conciliatory tone, praising demonstrators for the peaceful nature of the rally. Federal Labor MP Ed Husic said voters had sent a strong message to politicians "There was a lot of middle Australia there and that's something that can't be ignored," he told ABC Radio. NSW Police praised the behaviour of the protesters but forced them to turn around mid-march, citing the large number of people taking part. Police did not make any arrests, and organisers and participants have questioned their characterisation of the protest as unsafe or chaotic. Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley questioned "the shutting down of a major city" for an overseas conflict but conceded the huge community concern around events in Gaza. "Ultimately Australians do want to see Gazans fed, they want to see the Israeli hostages released (and) they want to see the war end," she said. Israel's military campaign began after militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking about 250 hostages. The ensuing retaliatory bombardment and blockade of Gaza have killed more than 60,000 people, according to local health authorities. The federal government on Monday announced an additional $20 million to support aid organisations in delivering food, medical supplies and other lifesaving support in Gaza. Australia-wide protests are in the works against Israel's war on Gaza as organisers seize momentum from a massive demonstration on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. More than 100,000 people braved heavy rain for a pro-Palestine protest at the landmark bridge on Sunday and similar rallies in Melbourne and Adelaide. Dubbed the March for Humanity, it aimed to highlight what the United Nations has described as the "worst-case scenario of famine" and the 22-month-long Israeli offensive on the blockaded enclave. But the organising Palestine Action Group said it had bigger plans in store with a national march slated for August 24. Groups in Melbourne, Perth, Canberra and Adelaide will join the mass demonstration, and spokesperson Josh Lees forecast many more protests in regional towns. "We want to build on this massive momentum that we have now coming out of the massive March for Humanity," he said. "There are pro-Palestine movements going on, protests against genocide taking place in every town and city in Australia." NSW Premier Chris Minns was adamant he did not misread community sentiment in trying to stop the mass demonstration from going ahead. Organisers estimate about 300,000 people attended Sunday's march, while police put the figure around 90,000. "We can't just knock out the bridge every weekend. There can be a demonstration every weekend ... no one should assume it's open season on the bridge," the premier said. There were no plans to march over the Harbour Bridge again any time soon, Mr Lees said. Mr Minns said the government would closely study the Supreme Court ruling that allowed the mass rally to go ahead the following day, to see if it set a precedent. He thought police "were on firm ground" rejecting the protesters' application but did not rule out any measures to set limits for how the bridge could be used in future. Mr Lees said it was "astonishing" the government could view Sunday's "inspiring display of humanity" and think it should be prevented from happening again. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was not surprised by the monumental turnout in Sydney. "(Australians) want to show their concern at people being deprived of food and water and essential services," he said. Gaza's population of 2.1 million people is projected to face high levels of acute food insecurity, including one million people who face emergency levels, according to the United Nations. Several Minns government MPs and Sydney's lord mayor took part in the march and Mr Minns struck a conciliatory tone, praising demonstrators for the peaceful nature of the rally. Federal Labor MP Ed Husic said voters had sent a strong message to politicians "There was a lot of middle Australia there and that's something that can't be ignored," he told ABC Radio. NSW Police praised the behaviour of the protesters but forced them to turn around mid-march, citing the large number of people taking part. Police did not make any arrests, and organisers and participants have questioned their characterisation of the protest as unsafe or chaotic. Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley questioned "the shutting down of a major city" for an overseas conflict but conceded the huge community concern around events in Gaza. "Ultimately Australians do want to see Gazans fed, they want to see the Israeli hostages released (and) they want to see the war end," she said. Israel's military campaign began after militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking about 250 hostages. The ensuing retaliatory bombardment and blockade of Gaza have killed more than 60,000 people, according to local health authorities. The federal government on Monday announced an additional $20 million to support aid organisations in delivering food, medical supplies and other lifesaving support in Gaza.
Sky News AU
8 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Premier Chris Minns flags NSW residents will be charged 'millions' for Sydney protest which shut down Harbour Bridge
NSW Premier Chris Minns has told media the Sydney Harbour Bridge protest cost taxpayers millions of dollars. Police estimated 90,000 demonstrators took part in the 'March for Humanity' through the heart of Sydney, which shut down the Harbour Bridge from 11.30am to about 5pm, although it was originally scheduled to end at 4pm. Speaking on Monday morning, Mr Minns was asked if there was an indication of how much the protest cost. NSW Premier Chris Minns. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short 'It costs taxpayers millions, certainly in overtime, and more on top of that, but I don't have a final figure,' he said. On Saturday, Premier Minns was handed a significant blow after Supreme Court Justice Belinda Rigg rejected an application to deem the Palestine Action Group's Sydney Harbour Bridge demonstration unlawful. Despite police stating the march would put 'public safety' in jeopardy and force the city to a grinding halt, Justice Rigg said the right to freedom of assembly and freedom of speech outweighed any other argument. 'The application by the commissioner should be refused,' she said in her judgment with protestors also afforded immunity from a litany of offences including blocking or obstructing traffic or pedestrians.' Mr Minns, who vehemently opposed the demonstration, said people should not think the Harbour Bridge was open to constant protests and said the government was examining the Supreme Court's consequential ruling. 'No one should believe it is open season the bridge police still have to make a judgement about public safety and logistics,' Mr Minns said at a press conference on Monday. 'I'll just repeat – many people who were at the march would accept that we can't knock out the bridge every weekend. No one should assume it's open season on the bridge, the anti-vaxer group has it one Saturday and the weekend after that we have an environmental cause and the weekend after that because of an industrial dispute.' Former NSW Police minister David Elliott told Sky News on Sunday veterans had to pay for the right to march on ANZAC Day each year while the Palestine Action Group, who organised the Sydney Harbour Bridge march, were 'getting away with wasting literally millions of dollars'. 'This would have cost millions of dollar and the opportunity cost of that, of course, is not only schools and hospitals, but … police should have been working hand in glove with the SES to make sure that roads were closed and traffic was diverted and that people were getting messages about why they needed to be careful about the inclement weather,' he said. 'I think that's probably why Chris Minns didn't want it to go ahead, other than the fact that he probably didn't want to see his state divided on something that, quite frankly, should be best to be left with the United Nations.' While serving as minister in 2020, during the Black Lives Matter protests which were given the green light by then premier Glady Berejiklian, Mr Elliott said political freedom was 'virtually impossible to stop'.
The Advertiser
10 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Premier holds firm on safety after Gaza bridge protest
A state premier who opposed the tens of thousands of people who wanted to march across a major city bridge to protest the suffering in Gaza has defended his stance on the grounds of public safety. More than 100,000 people braved the rain for a pro-Palestine protest at the Sydney Harbour Bridge and similar rallies in Melbourne and Adelaide. Dubbed the March for Humanity by organisers, it aimed to highlight what the United Nations has described as the "worst-case scenario of famine" and the 22-month-long Israeli offensive on the blockaded enclave. High-profile participants at the Sydney protest included Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, former Socceroos captain Craig Foster and former foreign affairs minister and NSW premier Bob Carr. But NSW Premier Chris Minns is adamant he did not misread community sentiment in trying to stop the mass demonstration from going ahead. "Ultimately, my job is to be on the side of public safety and ensuring people live, work and protest and enjoy a city as big as Sydney," he told reporters on Monday. "We can't just knock out the bridge every weekend. There can be a demonstration every weekend ... no one should assume it's open season on the bridge." Several Minns government MPs and the Sydney lord mayor took part in the march and Mr Minns struck a more conciliatory tone, praising demonstrators for the peaceful nature of the rally. He also highlighted that the plight of Palestinian civilians was a massive concern to him. Federal Labor MP Ed Husic, who has become more outspoken on Israel's military campaign in Gaza since his dumping from cabinet after the federal election, said voters had sent a strong message to politicians "Just as some underestimated the amount of people that would turn up on the bridge, I think Australian politics has underestimated how strongly Australians feel about this issue," he told ABC radio on Monday. "This is a moment - a wake-up call - for Australian politics. "There was a lot of middle Australia there and that's something that can't be ignored." NSW Police praised the behaviour of the protesters but had to force them to turn around about an hour into the march on the bridge because of the "risk of injury, due to the huge number of people taking part". Police said no arrests were made but described the fluid mobilisation of tens of thousands of people as "perilous." Thousands of demonstrators were directed via text messages to turn back to the CBD and later wait in place - the first recorded use of the city's emergency warning system, a police spokeswoman said. Federal Liberal Senator David Sharma, who once served as Australia's ambassador to Israel, said the protests had made him "uncomfortable". "I don't like the idea of a major piece of infrastructure being disrupted for people to campaign about something going on overseas where Australians have very little influence," he told Sky News. Israel's military campaign began after militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking more than 251 hostages. The ensuing retaliatory bombardment and blockade of Gaza have killed more than 60,000 people, according to the health authorities. Gaza's population of 2.1 million people is projected to face high levels of acute food insecurity, including one million people who face emergency levels, according to the United Nations. The federal government on Monday announced an additional $20 million to support aid organisations in delivering food, medical supplies and other lifesaving support in Gaza. A state premier who opposed the tens of thousands of people who wanted to march across a major city bridge to protest the suffering in Gaza has defended his stance on the grounds of public safety. More than 100,000 people braved the rain for a pro-Palestine protest at the Sydney Harbour Bridge and similar rallies in Melbourne and Adelaide. Dubbed the March for Humanity by organisers, it aimed to highlight what the United Nations has described as the "worst-case scenario of famine" and the 22-month-long Israeli offensive on the blockaded enclave. High-profile participants at the Sydney protest included Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, former Socceroos captain Craig Foster and former foreign affairs minister and NSW premier Bob Carr. But NSW Premier Chris Minns is adamant he did not misread community sentiment in trying to stop the mass demonstration from going ahead. "Ultimately, my job is to be on the side of public safety and ensuring people live, work and protest and enjoy a city as big as Sydney," he told reporters on Monday. "We can't just knock out the bridge every weekend. There can be a demonstration every weekend ... no one should assume it's open season on the bridge." Several Minns government MPs and the Sydney lord mayor took part in the march and Mr Minns struck a more conciliatory tone, praising demonstrators for the peaceful nature of the rally. He also highlighted that the plight of Palestinian civilians was a massive concern to him. Federal Labor MP Ed Husic, who has become more outspoken on Israel's military campaign in Gaza since his dumping from cabinet after the federal election, said voters had sent a strong message to politicians "Just as some underestimated the amount of people that would turn up on the bridge, I think Australian politics has underestimated how strongly Australians feel about this issue," he told ABC radio on Monday. "This is a moment - a wake-up call - for Australian politics. "There was a lot of middle Australia there and that's something that can't be ignored." NSW Police praised the behaviour of the protesters but had to force them to turn around about an hour into the march on the bridge because of the "risk of injury, due to the huge number of people taking part". Police said no arrests were made but described the fluid mobilisation of tens of thousands of people as "perilous." Thousands of demonstrators were directed via text messages to turn back to the CBD and later wait in place - the first recorded use of the city's emergency warning system, a police spokeswoman said. Federal Liberal Senator David Sharma, who once served as Australia's ambassador to Israel, said the protests had made him "uncomfortable". "I don't like the idea of a major piece of infrastructure being disrupted for people to campaign about something going on overseas where Australians have very little influence," he told Sky News. Israel's military campaign began after militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking more than 251 hostages. The ensuing retaliatory bombardment and blockade of Gaza have killed more than 60,000 people, according to the health authorities. Gaza's population of 2.1 million people is projected to face high levels of acute food insecurity, including one million people who face emergency levels, according to the United Nations. The federal government on Monday announced an additional $20 million to support aid organisations in delivering food, medical supplies and other lifesaving support in Gaza. A state premier who opposed the tens of thousands of people who wanted to march across a major city bridge to protest the suffering in Gaza has defended his stance on the grounds of public safety. More than 100,000 people braved the rain for a pro-Palestine protest at the Sydney Harbour Bridge and similar rallies in Melbourne and Adelaide. Dubbed the March for Humanity by organisers, it aimed to highlight what the United Nations has described as the "worst-case scenario of famine" and the 22-month-long Israeli offensive on the blockaded enclave. High-profile participants at the Sydney protest included Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, former Socceroos captain Craig Foster and former foreign affairs minister and NSW premier Bob Carr. But NSW Premier Chris Minns is adamant he did not misread community sentiment in trying to stop the mass demonstration from going ahead. "Ultimately, my job is to be on the side of public safety and ensuring people live, work and protest and enjoy a city as big as Sydney," he told reporters on Monday. "We can't just knock out the bridge every weekend. There can be a demonstration every weekend ... no one should assume it's open season on the bridge." Several Minns government MPs and the Sydney lord mayor took part in the march and Mr Minns struck a more conciliatory tone, praising demonstrators for the peaceful nature of the rally. He also highlighted that the plight of Palestinian civilians was a massive concern to him. Federal Labor MP Ed Husic, who has become more outspoken on Israel's military campaign in Gaza since his dumping from cabinet after the federal election, said voters had sent a strong message to politicians "Just as some underestimated the amount of people that would turn up on the bridge, I think Australian politics has underestimated how strongly Australians feel about this issue," he told ABC radio on Monday. "This is a moment - a wake-up call - for Australian politics. "There was a lot of middle Australia there and that's something that can't be ignored." NSW Police praised the behaviour of the protesters but had to force them to turn around about an hour into the march on the bridge because of the "risk of injury, due to the huge number of people taking part". Police said no arrests were made but described the fluid mobilisation of tens of thousands of people as "perilous." Thousands of demonstrators were directed via text messages to turn back to the CBD and later wait in place - the first recorded use of the city's emergency warning system, a police spokeswoman said. Federal Liberal Senator David Sharma, who once served as Australia's ambassador to Israel, said the protests had made him "uncomfortable". "I don't like the idea of a major piece of infrastructure being disrupted for people to campaign about something going on overseas where Australians have very little influence," he told Sky News. Israel's military campaign began after militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking more than 251 hostages. The ensuing retaliatory bombardment and blockade of Gaza have killed more than 60,000 people, according to the health authorities. Gaza's population of 2.1 million people is projected to face high levels of acute food insecurity, including one million people who face emergency levels, according to the United Nations. The federal government on Monday announced an additional $20 million to support aid organisations in delivering food, medical supplies and other lifesaving support in Gaza. A state premier who opposed the tens of thousands of people who wanted to march across a major city bridge to protest the suffering in Gaza has defended his stance on the grounds of public safety. More than 100,000 people braved the rain for a pro-Palestine protest at the Sydney Harbour Bridge and similar rallies in Melbourne and Adelaide. Dubbed the March for Humanity by organisers, it aimed to highlight what the United Nations has described as the "worst-case scenario of famine" and the 22-month-long Israeli offensive on the blockaded enclave. High-profile participants at the Sydney protest included Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, former Socceroos captain Craig Foster and former foreign affairs minister and NSW premier Bob Carr. But NSW Premier Chris Minns is adamant he did not misread community sentiment in trying to stop the mass demonstration from going ahead. "Ultimately, my job is to be on the side of public safety and ensuring people live, work and protest and enjoy a city as big as Sydney," he told reporters on Monday. "We can't just knock out the bridge every weekend. There can be a demonstration every weekend ... no one should assume it's open season on the bridge." Several Minns government MPs and the Sydney lord mayor took part in the march and Mr Minns struck a more conciliatory tone, praising demonstrators for the peaceful nature of the rally. He also highlighted that the plight of Palestinian civilians was a massive concern to him. Federal Labor MP Ed Husic, who has become more outspoken on Israel's military campaign in Gaza since his dumping from cabinet after the federal election, said voters had sent a strong message to politicians "Just as some underestimated the amount of people that would turn up on the bridge, I think Australian politics has underestimated how strongly Australians feel about this issue," he told ABC radio on Monday. "This is a moment - a wake-up call - for Australian politics. "There was a lot of middle Australia there and that's something that can't be ignored." NSW Police praised the behaviour of the protesters but had to force them to turn around about an hour into the march on the bridge because of the "risk of injury, due to the huge number of people taking part". Police said no arrests were made but described the fluid mobilisation of tens of thousands of people as "perilous." Thousands of demonstrators were directed via text messages to turn back to the CBD and later wait in place - the first recorded use of the city's emergency warning system, a police spokeswoman said. Federal Liberal Senator David Sharma, who once served as Australia's ambassador to Israel, said the protests had made him "uncomfortable". "I don't like the idea of a major piece of infrastructure being disrupted for people to campaign about something going on overseas where Australians have very little influence," he told Sky News. Israel's military campaign began after militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking more than 251 hostages. The ensuing retaliatory bombardment and blockade of Gaza have killed more than 60,000 people, according to the health authorities. Gaza's population of 2.1 million people is projected to face high levels of acute food insecurity, including one million people who face emergency levels, according to the United Nations. The federal government on Monday announced an additional $20 million to support aid organisations in delivering food, medical supplies and other lifesaving support in Gaza.
