Sydney welcomes 2017 with it’s biggest-ever fireworks display

Sydney has welcomed in the New Year with a display of light, colour and music as a fireworks display thrilled capacity crowds, an estimated 1.5 million people, on the Harbour foreshore.

Courtesy City of Sydney Source: Courtesy City of Sydney

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has shared a serious New Year message.

He says terrorism will not succeed in dividing Australians.

"Those who have sought to divide us have failed just as those who try to divide us in the future will fail. And that's because we remain united in our determination to maintain our Australian values and our Australian way of life. Freedom, diversity and security - these are great Australian strengths. And they are built upon a foundation of mutual respect."

In his New year message, opposition leader Bill Shorten says Labor will work hard in 2017 to ensure many Australians aren't left behind.

"The Labor I lead will continue to stand up for the things that matter to ordinary Australians. And there is no more important issue to me than jobs. To those who simply want a good, secure job in 2017, my united Labor team and I will keep fighting for you. We'll keep standing up for Medicare and we'll fight for a decent education for our children - whether they're at school, university or TAFE. And we'll keep working hard to build a strong economy that delivers for all Australians."

Outgoing United States President, Barack Obama, has wished a Happy New Year to Americans for the last time in his capacity as the U-S leader.

"And to keep America moving forward is a task that falls to all of us. Sustaining and building on all we've achieved - from helping more young people afford a higher education, to ending discrimination based on preexisting conditions, to tightening rules on Wall Street, to protecting this planet for our kids - that's going to take all of us working together. Because that's always been our story - the story of ordinary people coming together in the hard, slow, sometimes frustrating, but always vital work of self-government."