10.51pm BST
Government announces $20m additional aid funding for Gaza
The federal government will provide $20m in aid for organisations to deliver food and medical supplies into Gaza.
The aid announcement followed mass protests in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide on Sunday, with thousands of demonstrators, including state and federal Labor MPs marching across the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, said the latest funding brings the total aid provided by Australia to Gaza to $130m since war broke out after the October 7 attack.
In a statement, Wong said Australia has been consistently calling on Israel to allow the “full and immediate resumption of aid”, in line with the binding orders of the international court of justice.
The suffering and starvation of civilians in Gaza must end. Australia will continue to work with the international community to call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the release of hostages and a two-state solution.
The funding will be distributed through organisations including Unicef, the UN World Food Programme, and International Committee of the Red Cross.
Updated at 10.59pm BST
10.48pm BST
Ed Husic says Sydney march ‘a wake-up call for Australian politics’
Labor MP Ed Husic has described yesterday’s pro-Palestine march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge as a “wake-up call for Australian politics” and said he was stunned by the sheer number of people who showed up to protest. Husic told RN Breakfast:
It was a tremendous example of peaceful assembly, of people coming out in force to let governments know how deeply they feel and how much they want governments to act on the concerns that they have, triggered by horrific images that we’ve seen out of Gaza …
I thought it was way larger than the 90,000. It did certainly feel like that.
Updated at 10.57pm BST
10.43pm BST
Flood warnings issued across Newcastle region, evacuations in Gunnedah overnight
The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) has issued flood watch warnings for large parts of Newcastle and the lower Hunter region this morning. The alerts come amid evacuations overnight in Gunnedah in the New England region.
NSW SES said they had received more than 3,600 calls and responded to nearly 2,100 incidents during a weekend of wild weather, including 25 flood rescues. Emergency crews are still searching for a 26-year-old woman who was swept away by flood waters in the Hunter region on Saturday night.
Further evacuation warnings are possible throughout the day, officials said. There are now 57 warnings across the state, according to Hazard Watch.
Updated at 10.47pm BST
10.33pm BST
Good morning
Good morning and happy Monday. Nick Visser here to take you through the first of this week’s news. Here’s what’s on deck:
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The NSW State Emergency Service has issued multiple Watch and Act warnings for flooding in the lower Hunter, with large parts of Newcastle urged to heed guidance. There was major flooding in Gunnedah near Tamworth last night.
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NSW police said the organisers of the pro-Palestine march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge were “very cordial” during the lead-up to yesterday’s event. But they said they were deeply concerned about a crowd crush and the sheer number of people who showed up, prompting the march’s cancellation midway through. No injuries or arrests have been reported.
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The Logies have been awarded, with Magda Szubanski inducted into the Hall of Fame and soap star Lynne McGranger winning gold for her long run on Home and Away.
Stick with us.
Updated at 10.34pm BST
