TRANSCRIPT
- The prime minister says a deliberately lit fire at a Melbourne synagogue is anti-semitic
- South Korea's ruling party calls on the president to be removed from office
- Retiring Matildas player Clare Polkinghorne will play against Taiwan in Geelong
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has condemned a fire at a Melbourne synagogue that Victoria Police say was deliberately lit.
Around 60 firefighters and 17 trucks were called to the Adass Israel synagogue at Ripponlea in Melbourne's south early on this morning after a large blaze engulfed the building.
Victoria Police detective inspector Chris Murray says a witness attending morning prayers at the synagogue saw two men wearing masks who appeared to be spreading an accelerant inside the building.
Mr Albanese says anti-semitism has no place in Australia.
"Antisemitism is something that has been around for a long period of time, of course, but antisemitism has been on the rise. We call it out, wherever we see it, we work. We're appointed, and I spoke with Jillian Segal, our antisemitism Envoy this morning as well. We've taken action of providing increased support and security."
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Lawyers for supermarket chain Woolworths say picket lines at distribution centres amount to a gun to the head for the company.
A Fair Work Commission hearing begun today on Woolworths' application to stop United Workers Union members picketing at four key distribution centres in Victoria and New South Wales.
The major supermarket says it has closed the centres due to lacking enough staff to operate safely.
National Secretary of the United Workers Union Tim Kennedy says the hearing is just a distraction.
"Fundamentally, the issues between the parties now are not economic. They're about safety. They're about people getting at least a cost of living wage increase. These are not economic issues for Woolworths. Woolworths is a highly profitable company, and the issues between us now are really about good faith about stepping forward and reaching agreement."
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A foundation advocating against gendered violence has launched its inaugural 'Red Flag Day' to raise awareness around signs indicating abusive relationships.
It comes as 72 Australian women have been killed due to domestic and family violence this year, which is equivalent to one woman every four to five days.
Rachel Natoli from the Lakhoi Foundation told Channel Nine organisations working to prevent gendered violence need more funding from government.
"What we also need to see is increased education from kindergarten onwards for boys and for girls through schools with specialist educators, so people who have experience in this field to educate the next generation so we can stop it in one generation."
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The leader of South Korea's ruling party says President Yoon Suk Yeol needs to be removed from office for his shock imposition of martial law this week.
Party leader Han Dong-hoon says there is credible evidence President Yoon ordered the arrest of prominent politicians on the grounds that they were "anti-state forces" during his declaration of martial law on Tuesday.
Mr Han says if President Yoon continues in the role then he could put South Koreans in "great danger".
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The Australia Institute says more than $1 billion dollars worth of Christmas gifts will end up in landfill this year.
A survey by the institute has found that more than one quarter of Australians will receive a Christmas gift they will never use or never wear.
Meanwhile, the Salvation Army says 7 out of 10 Australians will be watching their spending this festive season.
Major Warren Elliott says nearly half of Australians are buying fewer presents for their children, and nearly 12 million people will spend less on food.
"The people that are struggling that have really been squeezed by the financial situation at the moment are the ones that are tightening their belts and buying less presents for their children or putting less food on the table. And some are even having to make decisions about where they spend money. We know of people that are going short of medication so that they can buy gifts for their kids. It's really an exercise in budgeting for people at this time of year that some really struggle with."
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Five sets of ancestral remains have been returned to Australia from Germany after being held in museum collections since the 19th century.
The restitution is part of ongoing efforts by German museums and authorities to return human remains and cultural artefacts that were taken during colonial times.
Rocky Stephen, Ugar Island representative, says it's an emotional day.
"But this day means a lot to the Ugarem-le to be connected back to them because it's a spiritual healing journey for us and they will return back to us. To heal the part and restore what was taken away. So this is a process of healing that's going to happen when they return back to us."
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Retiring Matildas player Clare Polkinghorne will start against Taiwan in Geelong in her 169th and final international appearance.
Polkinghorne enjoyed her send-off game, with a full celebration of her decorated career, against Brazil in Brisbane.
But interim coach Tom Sermanni will call on the legendary centre-back one last time in Saturday's clash at GMHBA Stadium.
