TRANSCRIPT
- Police find no evidence of antisemitic chants at a controversial pro-Palestinian rally in Sydney.
- The federal Opposition indicates they will support Labor’s tax cut changes.
- And in sport, Real Madrid regains Spanish league lead with a 2-0 win.
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Police have found no evidence an offensive antisemitic phrase was ever used at a widely condemned pro-Palestinian rally on the steps of the Sydney Opera House.
The snap rally on 9 October was sparked by a decision to light the Opera House's sails in the colours of the Israeli flag after the Hamas attack that sparked the latest Israel-Gaza conflict.
Edited footage of protesters appearing to chant "gas the Jews" was later shared by the Australian Jewish Association with a news organisation, leading to widespread condemnation from politicians and changes to hate-crimes laws.
But New South Wales Police say an extensive investigation and forensic analysis of the files found no evidence the chants were used at the rally.
New South Wales Police Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon explains that the phrase heard on the day was instead "Where's the Jews?".
"Investigators engaged an eminent expert in biometric science. That expert has conducted an audio visual and acoustic phonetic analysis of the audio-visual files. As a result of that examination, the expert has concluded with overwhelming certainty that the phrase chanted during that protest as recorded on the audio and visual files, was "Where's the Jews", not another phrase, as otherwise widely reported."
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Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has given a strong indication the Liberal Party will support Labor’s changes to stage three tax cuts.
The Albanese Government has broken an election pledge by making changes to the policy in order to redistribute planned cuts through all tax brackets.
The government will need support from the coalition or the cross bench to pass the legislation.
Peter Dutton says the party hasn’t settled its final position, but he won't stand in the way of lower taxes.
"Most Australians have been shocked by the brazen lie that the Prime Minister has perpetrated here. We wanted to wait for the details, we still don't see the legislation, but once we've got the legislation, once we have a look at all of the detail which we're working through at the moment. We do believe that there's a black hole in the government's costings, and we're analysing that at the moment, and we'll make our announcement in due course. But I give you this guarantee - taxes will always be lower under a Liberal-National government than they will be under a Labor government."
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Two people have died after being struck by a freight train in Sydney's north.
Emergency services responded to Berowra train station around midnight after receiving reports a man and woman had been hit.
News South Wales Police say a man in his twenties was assisting a woman in her thirties to get off the tracks when they were both struck.
Paramedics attended to the pair but they were pronounced dead at the scene.
They have not been formally identified.
The circumstances of the incident are being investigated.
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European Union leaders have unanimously agreed to extend $A83 billion in new aid to Ukraine after overcoming weeks of resistance from Hungary.
Before the summit started, EU leaders piled pressure on Hungary to lift its block, telling far-right Prime Minister Viktor Orban he had to pick sides in the existential challenge posed by Russia's war.
European Union President Ursula von der Leyen says the latest aid package should send a message to Moscow.
"Today is indeed a very special day. The European Council reconfirmed Europe's unwavering commitment to stand with Ukraine. We all know that Ukraine is fighting for us, so we will support them with the necessary funding and provide them with the much needed predictability they deserve. And I think this €50 billion for four years also send a very strong message to Putin, just ahead of the second anniversary of his brutal invasion."
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the agreement, saying the aid would strengthen long-term economic and financial stability of his country as the war with Russia approaches its third year.
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Real Madrid have regained the Spanish league lead with a comfortable 2-0 win in a match rescheduled because of the Spanish Super Cup.
Joselu Mato scored a goal in each half to move Madrid two points clear of Girona at the top of the standings.
It was the sixth straight league victory for Madrid, who are unbeaten in 25 matches in all competitions, since a 3-1 league loss at Atletico Madrid in September.
Madrid are 10 points ahead of both Atletico and defending champions Barcelona.
Atletico defeated Rayo Vallecano 2-1 on Wednesday, while Barcelona defeated Osasuna 1-0. Both matches were postponed because of the Spanish Super Cup that was won by Madrid last month in Saudi Arabia.
