
Farmers need a reality check on Trump’s tariff war
Peter Dutton's comments after a recent fire ravaged a Melbourne synagogue imply Labor's stance on Gaza has left Australia 'less safe', writes Melissa Marsden . PRIME MINISTER Anthony Albanese has labelled a suspicious fire at Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne's Ripponlea “an act of antisemitism” . Following briefings from Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reese Kershaw and Victoria Police, the Prime Minister said investigations were ongoing but that two people were being hunted for the crime. The two masked suspects, who were seen actively pouring liquid on the floor of the synagogue by a member of the congregation, remain at large. Questions have been raised about the perpetrators' reasoning (or lack of). Executive Council of Australian Jewry ( ECAJ ) president Daniel Aghion said: “This is a tragic day for the Australian Jewish community... There is absolutely no way that any rational person can justify what has happened here today.” About the recent fire, Ten News First reporter Jack Pirie commented: “It is believed 'Torah' scrolls, which held significance to the community, were in the building.” The Torah comprises the texts comprising the Hebrew Bible , stories, laws and poetry that form the basis of Jewish culture. The Prime Minister said that many of the synagogue’s attendants were Hungarian Holocaust survivors who had looked to the place of worship as “a centre of community activity” . Melbourne Jewish Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann said the attack had shocked the community: “To wake up to this news is... frightful.” Said PM Albanese on ABC Melbourne Radio : “It's clearly aimed at creating fear in the community.” Radio host Rafael Epstein questioned the Prime Minister’s language used to describe the attack, saying: “And you don't worry that labelling it antisemitism is getting ahead of where the police investigation might be?” Tension within the Jewish community has been rife since the escalation of the conflict between Israeli military forces and Palestinian militant organisations Hamas and Hezbollah . The Prime Minister stated: “I think an attack on a synagogue is an act of antisemitism by definition.” An estimated 60 firefighters and 17 trucks were called to the synagogue at about 4.10 am. The PM said he had spoken with Federal Member for Macnamara Josh Burns , who said: “... this is a community that very much revolves around the synagogue.” Opposition leader Peter Dutton believed the attack was to be expected in the wake of “the rise of anti-Semitism in our communities since October 7 of last year” . Dutton went a step further than the Prime Minister, suggesting the attack was indicative of a wider problem: “There are armed guards who are protecting kids at Jewish schools this very day.” Dutton has been a firm supporter of the Israeli Government: “Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East and they are a key partner to us.” Going so far as to invoke former Labor Prime Ministers Bob Hawke and Paul Keating , Dutton said the Prime Minister’s refusal to take a firm stance on the conflict had left Australia “less safe”. Stated Peter Dutton: “It’s impossible to imagine that Bob Hawke or Paul Keating or even Kevin Rudd or Julia Gillard would have taken the path that Prime Minister Albanese has.” Peter Dutton previously criticised former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser for making “mistakes in bringing some people [here] in the 1970s.” Last week, Jewish, Palestinian and Muslim communities lodged a complaint to the Australian Human Rights Commission ( AHRC ) claiming Peter Dutton has engaged in racial vilification and discrimination. Representing the community groups, principal solicitor at Birchgrove Legal Moustafa Kheir reportedly said : 'Mr Dutton’s words had normalised anti-Palestinian hate and dehumanising rhetoric... Mr Dutton’s pattern of spreading disinformation to justify the demonisation and oppression of a people facing plausible genocide is not only in poor taste but a violation of human rights.' The complaint comes in the wake of racist remarks made by Senator Pauline Hanson and a call for an inquiry into parliamentary racism by Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi and outspoken Senator Lidia Thorpe . Upon announcing the appointment of former foreign policy advisor to former PM Kevin Rudd and son of Egyptian Coptic parents Peter Khalil as Special Envoy for Social Cohesion in July this year, Anthony Albanese said Australians needed to “cherish” the nation's diversity. Said the Prime Minister: “It's a strength of Australia and we can't take it for granted.” The appointment came in the aftermath of former Labor Party Senator Fatima Payman 's criticism of the Government for its response to the escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A statement released by Anthony Albanese on social media about the synagogue fire said he had 'zero tolerance for antisemitism' . pic.twitter.com/AfmZMZgtMu — Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) December 5, 2024 Melissa Marsden is a freelance journalist and PhD candidate at Curtin University. You can follow Melissa on Twitter @MelMarsden96 , on Bluesky @melissamarsdenphd or via Melissa's website, Framing the Narrative . This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Australia License Support independent journalism Subscribe to IA. POLITICS CRIME VICTORIA COMMUNITY ADASS ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE fire antisemitism #auspol Anthony Albanese Labor Party Peter Dutton Jewish community Palestine Gaza Share Article
What's On Who left I’m a Celeb on Monday? Tulisa is third celebrity to leave ITV jungle - latest results By Matthew Mohan-Hickson Technology and TV writer Comment Published 2nd Dec 2024, 22:11 GMT Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Visit Shots! now The latest I’m a Celebrity departure has been confirmed 📺 Sign up to our daily The Scarborough News Today newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to The Scarborough News, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Notice and Terms of Service apply. A third celebrity has been eliminated from the jungle. Ant and Dec have confirmed another departure after a public vote. The celeb joined Dean and Jane in leaving the camp. The third celebrity has been sent home from the jungle after a public vote. Ant and Dec announced the latest elimination on Monday (December 2) night. Radio presenter Dean McCullough and Loose Women’s Jane Moore were the first two to be sent packing. The public had a chance once again to decide which celebs stayed and which went. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad After the latest vote, here’s who was sent packing and had to walk across the famous rope bridge. All you need to know: Stay up-to-date with the latest UK news and culture with our free UK Today newsletter. Who was in the bottom two? Ant and Dec have confirmed the latest I’m a Celeb departure. | ITV The first celebrity to be told they were at risk was Tulisa, who was told it might be her. Oti was the second celeb to be in the bottom two. Which celeb was eliminated on Monday? Tulisa was the third celeb to leave the jungle. The former N-Dubz singer was at one point among the favourites to win the whole thing. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What happened in I’m a Celebrity tonight? The elimination obviously takes all of the headlines, but it was not the only action in Monday’s episode. It started with the camp getting a few new visitors - mice! It wasn’t a pleasant surprise for Maura Higgins who spotted the vermin exploring the I’m a Celebrity campsite in the early hours. GK Barry explained that it was due to a bottle of pop being left out. Read More What time is I’m a Celeb on this week? ITV schedule for the final week of I’m a Celebrity I’m a Celebrity 2024: who is the favourite to be eliminated next - latest odds I’m a Celebrity 2024: when is the next elimination - how many celebs have left? I’m a Celebrity 2024: who was eliminated last night from the hit ITV show? The show then followed the reaction of the celebs to Sunday’s elimination of Dean McCullough. With multiple campmates commenting on the fact the ‘biggest personality’ had left. Barry had the duty to share the details of the latest bush tucker trial - Farm Yard of Fear. Coleen and Alan volunteered to take on the challenge. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The pair were handed a lovely and not at all sticky and messy challenge. But they managed to secure all 10 stars. They pulled quite the prank when back at camp, convincing the other celebrities that they had only got two stars - it was pretty impressive acting from Coleen and Alan. So when the food finally arrived, it was a wonderful surprise for the celebs. It was followed by a near miss with the sweet challenge, in which the celebs back at camp were unable to correctly answer the question - related to one of the Communards songs (the band of Reverend Richard Coles). Before the bad news was delivered, the celebs had the nice surprise of the reveal that Alan and Coleen had actually won 10 stars - instead of the two they’d claimed earlier. It meant that they had a very hearty meal of hare and mangoes. What do you think of the latest depature on I’m a Celebrity - did the right person leave? Share your thoughts by emailing me: [email protected] . Continue Reading Related topics: Boost I'm A Celebrity I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! ITV Comment Comment Guidelines National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.UK leader Starmer heads to Gulf to talk trade, Mideast