Australia news live: ‘suspicious’ fire at Melbourne synagogue; government speeds up humanitarian visas for Palestinians
Suspicious fire at Melbourne synagogue
Victoria police are investigating a suspicious fire at a synagogue on Glen Eira Avenue in Ripponlea.
It is understood the blaze started about 4.10am this morning. No one was injured but the synagogue sustained significant damage, police said.
A crime scene has been established and an investigation is under way.
Key events
PM to announce $21m for WA critical minerals projects
Josh Butler
Anthony Albanese will use his latest trip to Western Australia to announce $21 million in funding for critical minerals projects, just days after WA’s government helped sink the federal nature positive laws over concern about its impact on mining and industry.
The prime minister will be in Perth for a three-day visit, with the first day being led with a new pledge under the government’s signature Future Made In Australia policy. The cash, for five critical minerals projects, will create up to 400 new jobs, government sources claimed.
The funded projects include $3.8 million for a vanadium project in Brisbane, $3 million for a graphite refinery in Townsville, $7.4 million for a feasibility study into a project in Perth, and $5 million for a plant in South Australia.
“A strong resources sector means a healthy economy and good, well paid local jobs,” Albanese said, ahead of the announcement.
My Government is committed to supporting the growing critical minerals and rare earths industry.
WA is seen as a crucial state for Labor’s bid to retain majority government at the coming federal election. Albanese often boasts of how often he has flown west to visit Perth and mining regions.
Guardian Australia understands Albanese intervened to veto a deal on the nature positive legislation, which would have set up a federal environmental protection agency, after lobbying from WA premier Roger Cook and miners.
Burke says government speeding up humanitarian visas for Palestinians
Mostafa Rachwani
Immigration minister Tony Burke has confirmed that “a bit less than half” the Palestinians who arrived in Australia on tourist visas have been transferred over to humanitarian visas.
Burke was on SBS Arabic last night, where he said the cohort were moved from the 12 month tourist visa they arrived on to the 786 Temporary (Humanitarian Concern) visa, which is valid for three years.
And can I say they have been some of the happiest meetings I’ve ever had.
The announcement represents a shift in the government’s approach to the cohort of Palestinian refugees who arrived in Australia following the October 7 Hamas attack, and Israels subsequent bombardment of Gaza.
Until October, the government had only reportedly granted humanitarian visas to just twelve families.
Burke said the government had begun to speed up its processing times for the arrivals, but subject to the “normal security checks.”
People are constantly worried about their 12 month visas, what happens when it runs out. Eventually I’m moving everyone from the protection pathway to the humanitarian pathway, subject to the normal security checks.
We have got through a bit less than half the caseload at the moment and we are now starting to speed that up.
Everyone is going through all the ASIO checks, and the checks you’d want people to go through.
We want to give you some security, we want to put you on the same visa the Ukrainians were on, with an understanding that during the life of that visa, we’ll make a decision about resolving your status.
Suspicious fire at Melbourne synagogue
Victoria police are investigating a suspicious fire at a synagogue on Glen Eira Avenue in Ripponlea.
It is understood the blaze started about 4.10am this morning. No one was injured but the synagogue sustained significant damage, police said.
A crime scene has been established and an investigation is under way.
Good morning
Rafqa Touma
And welcome to the live blog.
Last night immigration minister Tony Burke told SBS Arabic that Palestinians who arrived in Australia on the 12-month tourist visas have been transferred over to three-year humanitarian visas. Burke said the government had begun to speed up its processing times for the arrivals, subject to normal security checks.
Meanwhile, the consultancy firm McKinsey was paid $1.6m over 11 weeks to “inform” and “guide” Australian energy and climate policy, despite its work for the world’s biggest fossil fuel companies.
And prime minister Anthony Albanese is en route to Western Australia, where he will announce $21m in funding for critical minerals projects, just days after WA’s government helped sink the federal nature positive laws over concern about their impact on mining and industry.
I’ll be rolling your news updates through the day. If there is anything you don’t want us to miss, send it my way on X @At_Raf_
