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TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to SBS News in Easy English. I'm Catriona Stirrat.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton had condemned what he describes as an increase in anti-Semitic attacks in Australia since the start of the latest Israeli-Hamas conflict.
Speaking to the Rabbinical Council of New South Wales at a Synagogue in Sydney, Mr Dutton said Australia was experiencing anti-Semitism on a scale different to what it has seen before.
He criticised those he described as creating social discord in our democracy, and called on governments to demand the release of all Israeli hostages held by Hamas using all diplomatic tools available.
"Since the 7th of October, I've emphasised time and again the Coalition's, and of course, Australia's support for Israel. We stand with Israel always, because Israel is our long standing ally, a fellow believer in democracy and the rule of law and so much more. We stand with Israel in the wake of Hamas' acts of depravity. And we stand with Australians of Jewish faith and utterly condemn any anti-Semitic behaviour."
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Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt has issued a stern warning to supermarkets to not profit off hardworking Australians in the lead-up to Christmas.
This comes as Coles and Woolworths look set to face a parliamentary committee inquiring into whether they are price gouging amid cost of living pressures.
The Greens-led inquiry set to be established this week, will investigate grocery prices, market power, and large profit margins, with the heads of both major supermarkets set to be called into hearings.
Greens senator Nick McKim told Seven's Sunrise the inquiry will set out to find out how much the supermarkets pay for things.
"We're really looking forward to this. It's it's impossible to arrive at the supermarket checkout these days and not be just aghast at how many dollars worth of food and groceries you've got in your shopping shopping trolley. And at the same time, Coles and Woollies are raking in billions of dollars in profits. So we want to have a look at a whole range of things, but in particular, we want to have a look at how much Coles and Woollies are paying for the things they sell in their supermarkets and actually how much they are marking them up because a very, very strong argument that they are engaged in price gouging in the middle of a cost of living crisis."
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The nation's leaders are preparing to discuss reforms to the National Disability Insurance Scheme at national cabinet this week, with the government keen to reduce spending growth.
NDIS Minister Bill Shorten is understood to be looking at limiting growth in the scheme to 8 percent, down from the current rate of 14.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has told the Sydney Morning Herald there is some resistance from the states to Shorten's NDIS proposals which will ask them to do more.
There is also concern from neurodiverse Australians that people with autism - the most common disability in the NDIS - will be increasingly excluded or cut from the scheme.
Equal Access For Autism chairman Peter Marshall has told SBS he hopes a solution can be found.
"Without pre-empting the discussions, we say there should be automatic inclusion. The NDIS is there to support families with disabilities. And indeed there are so many families affected with children on the spectrum. We would love to have that discussion about what could be achieved. We would love to be able to translate that into seeing how we can match our aspirations with that of the NDIS."
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A peaceful protest calling for a ceasefire in Gaza has been held at the U-N climate summit in Dubai.
It was a rare sight for United Arab Emirates residents, as it was the first protest in support of Palestinians since the Israel-Hamas war broke out.
The UAE has strict rules against demonstrations, but at COP28 participants were allowed to protest, as long as they followed strict guidelines.
A chant of “free free Palestine” was quickly stopped by the organisers of the protest, in accordance with U-N rules.
The word 'Palestine' was visibly absent from all signs, banners, posters, and t-shirts.
Activists and indigenous people spoke to the applause and cheers of participants.
Among them is Rikki Dank, an Indigenous Australian activist from the Gudanji Wakaya Nation.
"I mean, I think the message is clear. Like, for example, Indigenous peoples in Australia, we have to remember our history. Apartheid actually came from Australia, from the white Australian policy. And so when we are seeing peoples being killed, dispossessed of land, it hurts to see that same thing happening to other people."
That was SBS News in Easy English. I'm Catriona Stirrat.
