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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Cait Kelly and Mostafa Rachwani (earlier)

Killer’s father says he did everything in his power to help ‘very sick boy’ – as it happened

Bondi Bondi Junction Australia Amy Scott Chris Minns Joel Cauchi Tanya Plibersek
Floral tributes in Bondi Junction after six people were killed in a stabbing attack.
Floral tributes in Bondi Junction after six people were killed in a stabbing attack. Photograph: Flavio Brancaleone/EPA

We are going to put the blog to bed now. Before we go, let’s re-cap the headlines:

Thank you so much for spending part of your day with us. We will be back tomorrow with all the national news.

Until then, Cait.

Updated

Chinese embassy releases statement on Bondi stabbings

Since a stabbing attack took place on the afternoon of April 13th at a shopping centre in Sydney, the Chinese embassy in Australia and the Chinese Consulate-General in Sydney have been closely following the situation, contacted the Australian side immediately to verify the casualties of Chinese citizens and expressed concerns.

We are deeply shocked and saddened by the unfortunate death of one Chinese student and the serious injury of another.

We extend our deep condolences to the victims and our heartfelt sympathies to their families, and wish early recovery to the injured.

We will continue to maintain close communication with the Australian side and do our utmost to provide necessary assistance to the families of the Chinese victims.

Updated

‘This is a parent’s absolute nightmare’: Joel Cauchi’s mother speaks outside her home

The mother of Joel Cauchi, Michele, spoke outside her Toowoomba home, west of Brisbane earlier. This is what she said:

This is a parent’s absolute nightmare, when they have a child with mental illness, that something like this would happen. My heart goes out to the people our son has hurt. If he was in his right mind, he would be devastated at what he had done.

He was absolutely not in his right mind. He had somehow been triggered into psychosis, and he had lost touch of reality.

He was brought up in love, he was a loved child, he was under the care of his doctors for something like 18 years, he took his medication, and then he asked the doctor if he could come down off it.

She did it over a period of a number of years, very carefully giving him the warnings of what might happen.

Anybody who’s got a relative with a mental illness will understand that medication does not make you feel very well. When he came off it, it was like it had all lifted for him and he wanted to have a life.

So after living at home until he was 35, he went to Brisbane so he wasn’t with his doctor any more. He had lots of friends until he got sick. And if you do any research into mental illness, you’ll notice people become socially isolated because they can’t cope with everything.

It’s not a joke. It’s difficult for all these poor people who have lost their loved ones.

Updated

Penny Wong pays tribute to her mother

The foreign minister, Penny Wong, has paid tribute to her mother, Jane Chapman, who died on Sunday.

Wong posted a statement to social media on Monday afternoon:

Mum was a woman of exceptional intellect and penetrating insight, of mischievous wit and endless curiosity. Most of all she was a woman of deep compassion and principle. She gave expression to her compassion through her courage and determination for justice, qualities that have steeled me through all my life’s challenges. Through her work, her choices, her courage and her deeds, she inspired and empowered me and so many others. Mum loved me completely. And she loved her granddaughters Alexandra and Hannah beyond measure. We will miss her terribly.

Wong’s frontbench colleague Katy Gallagher will become acting foreign minister while Wong takes leave.

Updated

Deportation bill affects up to 5,000 people, home affairs says

The home affairs department is now before the Senate inquiry.

Despite a briefing to the crossbench suggesting that fewer than 1,000 people are affected by the powers to require people to cooperate with deportation, officials have now admitted the figure is closer to 5,000.

People who can receive directions to cooperate in deportation include:

  • 4,463 on bridging visa E (BVE), although the department claims that only about 1,200 are people that don’t voluntarily engage.

  • 150 to 200 people in detention.

  • 152 people granted bridging visa R due to the high court’s NZYQ decision.

  • 99 people on BVRs from before the high court decision.

The Greens senator David Shoebridge summarises that the bill therefore applies to 5,000.

The home affairs department secretary, Stephanie Foster, replied that it is a “measure of last resort”.

Michael Thomas, the first assistant secretary of immigration compliance, argues that the true figure will be less than 5,000 because most people on BVE leave voluntarily.

Updated

Toowoomba mayor extends ‘deepest condolences to loved ones’ grappling after the Bondi Junction stabbings

Toowoomba’s mayor, Geoff McDonald, has extended his council’s “deepest condolences to the families and loved ones who are now grappling with unimaginable pain and grief” after the Bondi Junction stabbings.

Our hearts are heavy as we reflect on the tragic loss of innocent lives.

Cauchi, who was shot dead by police during his stabbing rampage, was diagnosed with mental illness as a teenager and had received treatment, according to police.

Shirley-Anne Gardiner, the chief executive of Toowoomba-based Momentum Mental Health, said there are a wide range of mental health services available in the city.

I think everyone is quite shocked in the community. It’s such a tragic thing that’s happened. If people need help, they can get it but people need to reach out, we need to reduce the stigma of mental illness.

Part of it does go to show that things like Covid may have impacted the ability for people to access services a few years ago.

A lot of organisations like ours can offer free support, all you have to do is reach out. Unfortunately it looks like that didn’t happen in Sydney.

The chief executive of Lifeline Darling Downs and South West Queensland, Rachelle Patterson, said the last 18 months have seen an “increase in the complexity of needs of people”, due in part to housing shortages and increased financial distress in the region.

It adds additional layers of hardship on issues people are feeling with their physical or mental health. People are shocked at what’s happened and are feeling for the victims of this crime, of which there are many.

Updated

Don’t be too pessimistic about Australia’s economy, Moody’s says

There’s been a lot of pretty bleak economic chatter around lately.

For instance, rising petrol prices in some cities - including more than $2.20/litre in Sydney – may revive some inflation fears. And that’s before the weekend flaring of tensions in the Middle East.

Local financial news outlets, such as the AFR, have also been keen to run articles lately suggesting the Reserve Bank won’t be cutting interest rates this year.

Markets can be fickle but they continue to price at least one RBA cut (lowering the cash rate from 4.35% to 4.1%) by about November, according to the ASX futures tracker.

Moody’s Analytics, meanwhile, today put out some bullish commentary about the Australian economy. “It’s hard to think of a better start to the year for the Aussie economy given the circumstances,” is what their economists Harry Murphy Cruise and Shannon Nicoll say.

They reckon the RBA will start cutting the cash rate in September and follow up with another cut by December.

As the X (tweet) notes, it’s not all sunny uplands just yet but perhaps some of the gloom will be starting to lift. We’ll get March jobs figures from the ABS on Thursday that will update us on which way the economy is headed.

Updated

Our NSW Corro Tamsin Rose has been at the Rusanow press conference. She has posted this:

Updated

Westfield to facilitate victims’ families to visit Bondi Junction centre

Rusanow said the families of the victims will be given the chance to go to the centre before it opens:

Being able to facilitate that … the families of the victims, to be able to come and pay their respects is an extremely important thing that we can do. We will facilitate that to happen, and as a consequence, that will determine the timing of when and how the centre reopens.

Updated

‘Our security team have done a marvellous job,’ owner-operator of Bondi Junction Westfield says

Rusanow was asked if there would be a review of the security of the centre:

I think the first point is that unfortunately, a member of our team, a security guard, lost his life in trying to protect members of the public during these circumstances, as another member of our security team was injured and remains in hospital recovering from those injuries.

We are undertaking a review. Of what occurred, why the occurred, how it occurred and what lessons can be learnt.

But I will say that our security team have done a marvellous job.

Updated

Bondi Junction Westfield expected to reopen later this week, owner says

Rusanow says they expect the shopping centre will be open later this week.

As you can imagine, the process of reopening is one which is a challenging one.

Westfield Bondi plays a very important role for many, many members of the community, but we have to recognise that this has been the scene of very tragic circumstances … we have to respect the loss of life of the victims, the victim’s families and the process of reopening will take into consideration how we do that in a way which respects what has occurred.

We expect that to take a number of days, and we will expect the centre to reopen later this week.

Updated

‘We are devastated,’ CEO of owner-operator of Bondi Junction Westfield says

Scentre Group CEO Elliott Rusanow has been speaking to the media from the Bondi Junction vigil site. Scentre Group is the owner-operator of Bondi Junction Westfield.

We are devastated, along with the entire community and nation, at the loss of life, the serious injuries sustained. And we are also devastated at the experience and witnessing that many members of our community had to, bear being here this past Saturday.

Earlier today, this site was handed back from the police. We have been working with police in full co-operation and continue to do so in their investigations.

Updated

Young people need to be at the centre of home schooling reforms, Di Farmer says

Following on from previous post, on Monday Queensland education minister Di Farmer said further consultation is necessary.

I want to make it clear that while there are many aspects of the proposed bill that I fully support, there are a number of aspects that clearly need more time to work through to avoid any unintended consequences.

I have listened to education stakeholders who have made it clear both through the committee process and through ongoing meetings I have been having with them, that more work needs to be done.

I am committed to bringing together all sides, in order to understand the differing perspectives around SDAs to help design a pathway forward, putting young people at the centre.

Queensland’s human rights commissioner Scott McDougall and Queensland family and child commissioner Natalie Lewis argued for the changes to the state’s suspension policy, which disproportionately affects autistic children.

The government intends to create a Home School Advisory Group to investigate the growing sector, and also announced a review of the education department’s home education unit.

A parliamentary inquiry into the proposed bill is scheduled to report back this week.

Updated

Queensland education minister delays controversial home schooling reforms

The Queensland education minister has put off a controversial set of reforms to school suspension policies and delayed a crackdown on home schooling, after a barrage of criticism by teachers, parents and the teacher’s union.

Home schooling has more than doubled in popularity in the sunshine state in recent years, and there were 10,048 students learning at home in 2023. Education minister Di Farmer plans to shelve proposed legislation that would require home-schooling parents to follow the national curriculum or an approved curriculum, among other changes.

The government also planned reform to allow suspended students a greater right to appeal a Student Disciplinary Absence (SDA). At the moment, parents can only challenge a school suspension if it would mean their child would be suspended for more than 11 days in a year.

It’s expected the reforms will now be delayed until the next term of parliament. The education department has spent more than two years consulting on the changes.

You can read more about home schooling in Australia from my colleague Caitlin Cassidy:

Updated

Man dies near Bombo headland

A man has died after being pulled from the water on the south coast of New South Wales.

About 3.30pm yesterday (Sunday 14 April 2024), emergency services were called to Darien Ave, Bombo headland, approximately 3km north of Kiama, after reports a man had fallen in the water.

Officers attached to Lake Illawarra police district responded, with assistance from Surf Life Saving and NSW Ambulance.

NSW Ambulance performed CPR; however the 41-year-old man died at the scene.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

Updated

And with that I will hand the blog over to Cait Kelly for the rest of the afternoon. Thanks for reading.

Bondi Junction killer’s father says he did everything in his power to help ‘very sick boy’

The father of Bondi Junction killer Joel Cauchi has told reporters outside his Toowoomba home that he loved his son and had done “everything in my power” to help him handle his mental illness.

In a video published by The Australian, Andrew Cauchi said his son had been taken off medication “because he was doing so well but then he just took off to Brisbane”.

Cauchi stabbed six people to death at a Sydney shopping centre on Saturday afternoon.

Andrew said:

He is my son and I am loving a monster. To you he is a monster. To me, he was a very sick boy.

The father appeared distressed as he explained that he would have done something else if he had seen “any signs”.

He said:

I took him to a restaurant a few months earlier in Toowoomba and he embarrassed me totally. I said, Lord, if this was not my son. There was no way I would take him to a restaurant to be this embarrassed.

Updated

Westfield Bondi Junction no longer a crime scene and has been handed back to owners, Minns says

The premier, Chris Minns, has outlined the expected next steps for reopening the Westfield at Bondi Junction.

Speaking this morning, he confirmed police had finished their operation and it was no longer a crime scene so it was up to the owners.

He said:

The property has been handed back to Westfield Bondi Junction but understandably, there is broken glass, there are security measures that they need to go through before it can be open to the public. They’d be best placed to give us an estimated time of opening but hopefully, it’s soon. Obviously, the shopkeepers did an amazing job over the weekend.

He said they would never return to “normal” but should be able to get back to trading eventually.

A public, permanent memorial is expected to be erected somewhere in the area eventually.

Updated

‘Devastating scenes’ at Bondi Junction were ‘a case of men’s violence’, Labor MP Josh Burns says

An early focus of conversation from the federal government (and perhaps a clue as to what action Canberra may take in coming times) is on the potential gender aspect of the Bondi Junction attacks - with most of the victims being women.

Prime minister Anthony Albanese earlier said, “the gender breakdown here is concerning. And NSW Police have said that they’re looking at that as part of the investigation here”.

Labor MP Josh Burns has just tweeted that the attack was “a case of men’s violence”.

The ideology of the attacker was crystal clear - a hatred of women.

The Melbourne MP went on to write:

Men’s violence can happen in homes, workplaces, while on a run and this time it happened in a popular shopping centre.

We must call it out for what it is. All of us have a role to play in ending violence towards women.

Albanese has, understandably, not outlined exactly what the federal government might do in response to the stabbings - but in an ABC Sydney radio interview today, he did not rule out action.

We’ll work with the NSW Government on this. I spoke with premier Minns yesterday and NSW is, of course, the lead on this investigation. But we will provide whatever support we can and we will make decisions about what further reviews should be conducted at an appropriate time.

What you need is a considered response to any security lessons that need to be learned from an incident such as this.

Updated

Governor general says Bondi Junction stabbings ‘struck a chord’ reminding him of Lindt Cafe siege

Governor general David Hurley said the events at Bondi Junction on Saturday “struck a chord” with him, recalling the Lindt Cafe siege that took place during his tenure as state Governor.

“This struck a chord in one sense and you see a similar response here,” he said, referring to the sea of floral tributes that has swelled across the walkway in Oxford Street mall.

He said he used to visit the centre often when he lived in Paddington and remembered Westfield as a happy place.

This is a place you came along to, brought the kids, happy memories, where you bought your Christmas presents and so forth. So when something like this, just so abrupt, [it] changes the pattern of what you feel and, of course, we all feel it.

I’m enormously optimistic for Australia given the quality of its people. And Amy and her response was just what we’d expect from our professional police force.

These are people ... who didn’t run away ... We should reflect on that and take some heart from their response to this moment.

He said he has been in touch with [Buckingham] palace and has spoken with the families of those who died on Saturday.

I just spoke to the families, to of course pass on our support to them and to remind them that all Australians are behind them and with them at this present time, and also to give our best wishes to the community of Bondi and the surrounding area of Bondi Junction as they try to get through this and say we are here to support you.

He and his wife Linda signed the condolences pages set up in memory of the six people who lost their lives on Saturday at Bondi Junction, just steps from the entrance to Westfield shopping centre.

The couple spoke with members of the police force and the mental health counsellors on hand to support the community after laying a bunch of flowers at the ever-growing memorial on the corner of Oxford Street mall and Grosvenor Street and pausing for a moment’s silent reflection.

Updated

Sydney Uni’s vice-chancellor working with Chinese consulate and family of student who died in Bondi Junction stabbings

The Sydney University vice-chancellor, Prof Mark Scott, says the university is working with the Chinese consulate and the family of a student who died in the Bondi Junction stabbings.

Chinese national Yixuan Cheng was confirmed on Monday as one of six victims who died of their injuries after Joel Cauchi, 40, took a knife into the Westfield shopping centre and went on an unprovoked rampage.

In an email to staff and students on Monday, Scott said he was “shocked and saddened” by the “senseless violence and loss of life that occurred” on Saturday afternoon.

Scott said that police had confirmed that a University of Sydney student was one of the victims.

He said:

On behalf of the university, I extend my sincere condolences to the student’s family and friends.

We are working closely with the Chinese consulate and the student’s family to assist in any way we can.

Please take time today to check in on each other, this is a deeply distressing time for our community and I encourage you to look after each other and access the support available.

Scott encouraged staff and students who needed help to contact student wellbeing services, the university’s employee assistance program or Lifeline.

Updated

Government’s deportation bill could apply to ‘1,000s or 10,000s’ of people, Law Council’s migration law committee says

The chair of the Law Council’s migration law committee, Carina Ford, has told the Senate inquiry that the government’s deportation bill applies to a broad cohort of people.

Although the department has said it is primarily directed at those on bridging visa R, about 110, Ford noted the cohort on Bridging Visa E susceptible to its power to cooperate with steps towards deportation “could be in the 1,000s, or 10,000s”.

Ford recalled meeting two girls in year 11 at an International Women’s Day event, who had spent time in offshore detention on Nauru and Manus, who she said would “absolutely fall” within the bill’s provisions because they do not have a judicial review pending.

She said:

We could see people rounded up to be removed ... Even if the intention is only a small part [of those in scope would receive directions], but once passed can apply to a large number of people.

Updated

Disaster-trained counsellors at Bondi Junction to support community

Among the mourners paying their respects at Bondi Junction on Monday morning is a small army of disaster-trained counsellors from NSW Health. They are part of a swiftly-deployed support team set up for the community in the wake of Saturday’s mass stabbing at Westfield shopping centre.

The counsellors were joined by Salvation Army volunteers and, on Sunday, a rabbi from the local Jewish community.

The public is encouraged to leave tributes at the corner of Oxford Street Mall and Grosvenor Street, where a condolence messages table has been set up by the NSW premier’s department. Premier Chris Minns has flagged the establishment of a permanent memorial at the site.

Under the state’s Victims Support Scheme, those who witnessed the incident can access counselling, while victims closer to those who lost their lives are also eligible for financial assistance and a recognition payment.

Victims can call a dedicated phone line on 1800 019 123 from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Updated

China’s acting consul general expresses his sorrow about Bondi Junction stabbings

Wang Chunsheng, China’s acting consul general in Sydney, made some brief remarks about the death of Yixuan Cheng, the sixth victim of Saturday’s stabbings in Bondi.

Wang, who was earlier part of a small delegation at the Australia China Business Forum meeting in Sydney, said he was “very sorry to hear about” the incident.

He said the consulate would be in contact with Cheng’s relatives in China to make arrangements.

In similar cases in the past, Chinese relatives have been flown to Australia.

Updated

Bondi Junction Westfield is a difficult place to navigate

As my colleague Tamsin Rose has reported, the Westfield shopping centre at Bondi Junction has been handed back from police to its owners after two days processing the crime scene. It remains closed to the public.

The six-storey complex is a difficult place to navigate at the best of times.

Created by linking two arcades across the Bondi Junction’s main shopping street and swallowing two blocks, its wide walkways slope almost imperceptibly, tricking the senses.

Level three takes you from street level on one side of the complex to below ground on the other. Escalators go up a floor or two then end abruptly. The two big supermarkets are in the basement but on different sides of the centre – which makes them two storeys apart.

It can take several visits to get your bearings, then years to work out which lifts will take you directly where you want to go, which below-ground or rooftop car park will get you in and out the quickest.

It’s so confusing that many locals call it the “Death Star” for its huge size and air of impenetrability.

Now investigators are working to trace Joel Cauchi’s movements through it on Saturday afternoon.

Police commissioner Karen Webb said:

NSW police seized many, many exhibits from that crime scene.

The job ahead of us now is to examine all those exhibits, as part of the evidence. Detectives will focus on interviewing family of the deceased, which will be a very slow, methodical process. Because they’re all in trauma, as you can well imagine.

Updated

Malcolm Turnbull pays respect to victims of Saturday’s mass murder

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has paid his respects to the victims of Saturday’s mass murder at Bondi Junction.

On Monday morning, the eastern suburbs resident wrote a condolence message and told the media that a place of love, fun and peace had been “shattered by this incomprehensible act of cruelty and violence”.

He said that the “most terrible things” bring out the best in Australians.

The courage of the young mother, the courage of the professionalism of the police inspector, the security guards, passers-by.

It’ll take us a while to process this as a community.

Messages left on the condolences desk, set up by the New South Wales premier’s department, include inscriptions from Sydney’s Ahmadiyya muslim community.

One read:

My heart aches for you and your families. Sending love and prayers.

An online condolences book has so far received more than 1000 entries. The messages will potentially be collated and distributed to the families of those who lost their lives.

Updated

Bondi community mourns: ‘This happened so close to home. We need to stand together’

Georgio Racheh, 28, quietly walked from his office on Bondi Road with three staff members on Monday morning, the small group carrying three bouquets.

“What drove me here is the fact that this happened so close to home. We need to stand together. As a business, we’re united,” the director of Gerain Group construction said, as he approached the site of Saturday’s mass killing.

“I believe, in unfortunate events like this, it brings out the unity of the community. We work here, we live here,” he said.

They placed their bouquets among the growing pile of tributes to those who were killed on a normal shopping trip, close to a table where messages of condolence are being collected by the New South Wales premier’s department.

“When you see the amount of effort people have put in to show they care, it brings out the empathy. It’s emotional,” Racheh said.

Updated

Bustling Bondi Junction pauses in wake of attack

Bondi Junction’s usual Monday business is on hold. The streets are quiet, filled not with the usual buses, bikes and prams, but with police vehicles.

At the intersection of Oxford Street and Grosvenor Street, metres from the entrance to Westfield shopping centre, is a tribute to the six people who lost their lives on Saturday. Members of the public watch on, some hugging, some crying, many looking bewildered, as a stream of people come to add flowers on to the growing memorial.

Among the hundreds of bouquets, a pair of boxing gloves, paintings and balloons. One message reads: “My heart breaks for all the families and our community ... our hears are with you all.”

As Bondi – and Sydney – reels, another message simply states: “Rest in Peace from Melbourne.”

Updated

Minns: ‘Those shopkeepers did an amazing job over the weekend’

Final question: When will the shopping centre reopen?

Minns:

Police are liaising closely with Westfield Bondi Junction. It is no longer a crime scene. Tony has indicated to me that personal effects have been collected by NSW police and Tony might want to speak more to that. Those that want to claim their personal effects, that are being held in custody by NSW police, the property is being handed back to Westfield Bondi Junction. But understandably there is broken glass, security measures they need to go through before it can be open to the public.

They would be best placed to give an estimated time of opening but hopefully it is soon. Obviously, those shopkeepers did an amazing job over the weekend and to the extent they want to get back to normal. It has been a traumatic, horrible event that some kind of normalcy after the weekend would be important.

Updated

Minns says social media companies have ‘massive responsibility’ to protect people from harmful material

Next up, a question on social media companies, and if they have a responsibility in times of crisis to mitigate misinformation.

Minns says yes, they do:

I think they have a massive responsibility. I would have to look at it.

But if you want my opinion about whether social media company should act more broadly about protecting young people in particular from graphic or harmful material, the answer is unambiguously yes.

Updated

Minns says security guard equipment to be reviewed but guns not on table

Minns is then questioned on what his intentions are in asking for a report on the restrictions security guards have in public spaces:

I’ve asked for an independent report on the current restrictions in relation to security guards at major crowded centres. In particular, shopping centres and hospitals.

The restrictions are in place so equipment used by security guards is tightly regulated. The government is not considering policy changes in relation to stun guns or firearms. We don’t believe that more firearms in the community is a good decision, but we’re looking at the current restrictions that are in place for equipment, for security guards, and the resulting training that would be required if there was to be a policy change.

Asked if the security guard carrying a firearm would have changed anything, Minns says he is not announcing anything:

I’m not claiming and I’m not in a position to claim that alternative equipment used by security guards could have given a different outcome. The truth of the matter is we may never know. And certainly that’s the subject of an investigation.

I need to report there’s been several inquiries into what equipment security guards use at New South Wales public hospitals in particular, and you would appreciate that in some instances there is violent interactions on wards, in emergency departments, ICUs, involving individuals with a mental health condition. We are ensuring they have the they need. I’m not announcing an immediate policy change but we’re reviewing the restrictions in place. Except in relation to firearms.

Updated

Assistant commissioner asked about move-along order issued to Bondi Junction attacker

The first question is to the assistant commissioner, about a move-along order issued to the offender on the day of the attack:

I’m not sure of the circumstances. But it was a rough sleeping type issue.

Those are all consideration for the ongoing investigation which, whilst very clearly everyone is very interested – there’s a lot of detail that is not appropriate that we discuss now.

Updated

NSW health minister says baby’s condition improving, family receiving ‘significant support’

NSW health minister Ryan Park is up next and he reiterated an update provided earlier, with some added details on the condition of the nine-month-old:

This morning I asked for an update around how that baby was tracking, in terms of her condition. I was delighted to be … informed she has been moved from critical to serious. That’s a big change and a significant improvement. What we hope to do is get the baby on the ward in the coming days. That would be a great outcome.

Her dad and her family are receiving significant support as you could imagine. But in the darkest of times comes sometimes the brightest of lights and it’s something our whole country was holding its breath and hoping she started to improve. And certainly over the last 24 hours we’ve seen that improvement.

Updated

‘She shot into action and did what she is trained to do. We’re very thankful’

Next up, police minister Yasmin Catley thanked police for their work and investigations, particularly Amy Scott, who shot the offender at the scene:

I too would like to say a huge thank you and our depth of gratitude to Amy Scott. She did what she was trained to do. New South Wales police are highly trained police officers, the best in this country. She shot into action and did what she is trained to do. We’re very thankful for her.

Updated

Hundreds of shoppers’ cars to be collected from Bondi Junction shopping centre

Cooke addresses the shopping centre itself and when people can expect to return, particularly the witnesses and shoppers who had to leave their cars and belongings behind:

We are supporting now Westfield to ensure that, while they go about their arrangements to reopen, that we can support them in terms of maintaining security of the premises.

The premises was left in a very open state. We need to support them to ensure that the range of personal property which was left in the premises is secure. We … have made arrangements to collect and gather and secure that personal property.

Arrangements are continuing for people to reclaim their cars. Some 900-odd of the 1,500 that were present have now been collected. We understand some people are inconvenienced by this, but we thank them very much for their patience as we go about the investigation.

A mourner places flowers at the memorial outside the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre today.
A mourner places flowers at the memorial outside the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre today. Photograph: Flavio Brancaleone/EPA

Updated

Families of two Bondi Junction victims travelling to Sydney from overseas, police say

Next up is assistant commissioner Anthony Cooke, who says police have now made contact with two of the victims’ families who were overseas and they are expected to arrive in Sydney soon.

We’ll support those families as we are with all through the liaison officer program to ensure they’re getting the support and information that they need.

He said inquiries into the offender continue, with many lines of inquiry still open:

We’ll get to finality as quickly as we can, but very clearly, there’s many inquiries that are required to be undertaken.

Updated

NSW government considering 'additional measures' for security guards to keep public safe

Minns says he expects the police to continue their investigation and has asked his cabinet and the police for details on the current restrictions on security guards in major crowded centres.

I have asked for the cabinet office and New South Wales police to provide me with the current restrictions that are in place for security guards in major crowded centres, including public hospitals and retail settings. I will wait for that report but I need to say the government is considering any additional measures to keep the public safe in relation to those restrictions.

He also addressed the support being provided to families of the victims:

The victims families have been offered support from the New South Wales government, including counselling, financial assistance, and for any economic loss. And the New South Wales police liaison office is also working with victims’ families to help them interact with the New South Wales government and ensure they’ve got up-to-date timely information about their personal circumstances. This has been a terrible, terrible few days in New South Wales.

Updated

Minns announces $18m in funding for coronial inquiry into stabbing attack

The NSW premier, Chris Minns, has stepped up to give a presser, beginning by announcing that the Sydney Opera House will be commemorating the victims of Saturday’s stabbing attack.

Minns also announced $18m in funding for the coroner’s office to “establish an independent coronial inquiry” on the attack:

The people who have been killed were innocent people who had their entire lives ahead of them. The community is devastated in the knowledge of their loss, whether we were personally known to those who were killed or not.

Today I can announce up to $18 million will be immediately forwarded to the coroner’s office in the New South Wales to establish an independent coronial inquiry with full staff and resources. Concurrently an assistant deputy state coroner will be appointed for all forensic investigations that take place during the period of that public inquiry.

I expect that inquiry will look at not just the New South Wales police response and the criminal investigation surrounding the events in Bondi Junction on Saturday afternoon, but also this offender’s interactions with the NSW government, in New South Wales Health and government agencies, as well as with help from the Queensland government any interactions that this man had in that state.

Updated

Fels backs push for supermarket divestiture powers

Allan Fels, the former head of the competition watchdog, says divestiture powers are needed to make supermarkets and other dominant retailers more compliant with competition laws, rejecting suggestions that using the threat of forced sales was too heavy handed.

Fels told the Senate inquiry into supermarkets this morning that divestiture powers, which could be used by a court when there are major competition law breaches, would put Australia in line with the US, which he described as the “home of free markets”.

“If they face the possibility of divestiture, you get a lot more compliance with a key part of the competition law,” Fels told the Senate committee.

“In the US, it’s just a normal, logical instrument, occasionally used.”

The Greens and other critics of the high market concentration of the supermarket sector have called for increased powers, such as forced sales, that could be used if a dominant retailer engages in egregious behaviour.

The Albanese government, however, has likened such a measure to the old Soviet Union’s command and control economy.

The architect of Australia’s revamped grocery code of conduct, former Labor trade minister Craig Emerson, has also described such a penalty as “too heavy handed” and not a credible threat.

Fels said that one of the problems in Russia was that it had “terrible, comprehensive monopolies” that needed to be broken up.

Updated

Condition summary of hospitalised victims of Bondi Junction attack

We have an update from NSW Health on the patients in hospital as a result of the deadly stabbing attack in Bondi Junction on Saturday.

Some patients have been treated and discharged, while eight remain in hospital:

  • Two patients are at St Vincent’s hospital, one male and one female. Both are in ICU in a stable condition;

  • Two patients are at Royal Prince Alfred hospital. One female is in ICU in a serious but stable condition and one male is in a stable condition;

  • One female patient is Prince of Wales hospital and is in a stable condition;

  • One female patient is at St George hospital in a stable condition;

  • The 9-month-old baby girl is at Sydney Children’s hospital in ICU and is in a serious but stable condition;

  • One female patient is at Royal North Shore hospital in ICU in stable condition.

Updated

Cash calls for religious discrimination reforms to be made public and says faith leaders ‘do not support’ them

The opposition is resuming its criticism of the government over proposed changes to religious discrimination laws, saying Labor should release the long-awaited (but currently unseen) reforms for public scrutiny.

Michaelia Cash, the shadow attorney general, claims the Coalition has been speaking to some religious leaders who’ve seen the bill and don’t like the proposals.

“I have consulted widely with faith leaders across the country in the past few weeks and what is apparent from the feedback of those leaders who have been consulted by the Government is that they do not support the bills as proposed,” she said in a statement on Sunday night.

“For example, faith leaders have consistently told me that the federal laws would be irrelevant if they do not afford protections from state and territory laws that seek to erode religious freedoms.”

Anthony Albanese has seemingly put the changes on the back burner, saying the government wouldn’t proceed without bipartisan support, and declining to reveal what Labor’s proposal would entail. Cash has called for the government’s plans to be shared.

“It is time for Mr Albanese to release his religious discrimination legislation for public scrutiny and stop trying to govern behind closed doors. Australians deserve better,” she said.

Cash said religious schools should be able to “ensure that their staff members’ conduct and behaviour adheres to the school’s religious ethos”.

“Hundreds of thousands of Australian families choose to educate their children in faith-based schools, and that choice ought to be respected,” she said.

“It is worrying that the government seems inclined to adopt changes that would leave religious schools with a potentially huge and ongoing exposure to litigation risk.”

Updated

Nine-month-old Bondi Junction victim's condition upgraded to stable

The NSW health minister, Ryan Park, has just told 2GB’s Ray Hadley that the status of the nine-month-old victim of Saturday’s Bondi Junction attack has been upgraded from “critical” to “serious but stable.”

Park said eight people remained in hospital from the attack, in “varying conditions from critical to more stable” and that the young girl could be moved from intensive care to a ward soon.

We will no doubt those in stable conditions will start to make their way out of hospital over today and in the next few days

Very pleasingly, I think I’ll speak on behalf of the entire nation who’s held its breath over the weekend: that young nine-month-old girl who went to the Sydney Children’s hospital is now in a serious but stable condition in intensive care.

So she’s come down from critical and there is a chance over the course of the next day that she’ll be moved on to a ward. Now that is incredibly relieving.

Updated

Australia ‘a nation in morning’, Albanese says in cabinet address

Albanese is addressing the federal cabinet, meeting in Canberra, on the Bondi Junction attack. In remarks that are being televised (a rare occurrence for a cabinet meeting) Albanese tells his senior colleagues that Australia is “a nation in mourning”.

Albanese said six people had died, four people had been released from hospital, but that five remain in hospital. “Our hearts go out to the family and friends of those who have lost their lives,” he said.

“I have spoken to family members yesterday. And they’re doing it tough. Because this act of senseless violence has shocked the nation and we all grieve with them today.

“At the same time, there are extraordinary acts of heroism that we applaud.”

Albanese went on to praise the bravery of police inspector Amy Scott, saying she was “rushing towards danger, not knowing what she was running into” before stopping the attacker.

“No doubt her swift action in taking out the perpetrator saved lives and we pay tribute to her. And we pay tribute to the ordinary Australians who did extraordinary things,” Albanese said.

“The man with the bollard, at the top of the escalator, stopping the perpetrator from getting on to another level. The people who took swift action in the shops as well, to get people to safety. Was extraordinary. So, we pay tribute to all who showed such courage and once again, we’re reminded at the toughest of times Australians showed the best of their Australian character.”

Updated

We are also expecting a decision in the Bruce Lehrmann defamation case soon. You can keep up with all the updates at our live blog:

Updated

Queen Mary sends letter expressing solidarity and concern, PM says

Anthony Albanese says Queen Mary of Denmark has sent a letter expressing condolences over the Bondi Junction attack.

“This is a national tragedy that is affecting everyone in our great nation. I had a lovely letter I woke up to this morning from Queen Mary in Denmark. A letter just expressing her solidarity and concern at this,” he told KIIS FM this morning.

“We’ve had world leaders reaching out, expressing their condolences and solidarity and support with Australia at this difficult time. And today of course, flags around the nation will fly at half-mast in order to just show our sympathy for these victims, these young lives lost in this just senseless act of violence.”

Updated

Albanese confirms sixth Bondi Junction victim was Yixuan Cheng

Anthony Albanese has confirmed the sixth victim of the Bondi Junction attack was a Chinese student studying in Australia.

“You have now a sixth victim who’s just been identified, Yixuan Cheng, was a Chinese national who was studying here in Australia. So there was, you know, there’s no sense of anything other than randomness,” the PM told KIIS FM radio a little earlier.

“People going about their shopping, and in the case of Faraz Tahir, a gentleman who hadn’t been here that long, a refugee from Pakistan who was working as a security guard.”

Albanese said one surviving victim “unfortunately, is still in a critical condition, so we remain concerned for them”. Asked about the baby who was also attacked, Albanese went on to say “we don’t have news there”. “Obviously a baby being targeted here is just, it just does your head in.”

Updated

Student says she ‘might be jailed if this bill is passed’ at Senate inquiry into deportation bill

The Senate inquiry into the government’s deportation bill will hold its first and only hearing today.

The bill creates an offence with a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in prison for an unlawful non-citizen refusing to cooperate with their deportation and gives the immigration minister powers to blacklist new visa applications from countries that refuse involuntary deportations.

The shadow home affairs minister, James Paterson, told reporters in Canberra that multi-cultural groups are being “silenced” and legal experts will not appear, which he attributed to the fact the committee is “government-dominated”.

Piumetharshika Kaneshan, student and member of Refugee WAVE, told the inquiry she is one of the people who “might be jailed if this bill is passed into law”.

Kaneshan said that her family had been “failed by the fast-track” visa assessment process, with claims of needing protection from Sri Lanka rejected because authorities “said we were safe because of my father” who has now passed away.

She said:

We’re in federal circuit court. If our case fails, our lawyers say our visas will expire in 35 days ... This bill would put us in jail if we don’t go back to Sri Lanka. We consider ourselves Australian. We thought the Australian community accepted us.

The Australian Human Rights Commission has recommended that the bill not be passed.

In his questioning, Paterson has been exploring ways to ameliorate the impact of the bill such as: sunsetting the power to blacklist countries; a power for parliament to disallow such a designation; and requirements for the immigration minister to get approval from the foreign minister or others.

Rosalind Croucher, the president of the AHRC, has recommended:

  • A set of factors that must be considered prior to the minister exercising their discretion to designate a removal concern country

  • A requirement that, prior to giving a removal pathway direction in relation to any child, the minister must conduct an assessment of whether the direction is in the best interests of the child.

Updated

Sixth Bondi stabbing victim was a Chinese student, trade delegation told

A gathering of the Australia China Business Forum in Sydney this morning opened with Australian officials telling their Chinese counterparts that the sixth victim of the Bondi stabbing was a Chinese student.

NSW Governor Margaret Beazley later told the main forum event the victim was a Sydney University student, Cheng Yixuan.

The Chinese counterparts included a senior consular official in Sydney, who presumably was aware of the student’s nationality.

More tributes are expected as the main forum event gets underway in a Shanghai-La Hotel ballroom.

Updated

Minns: ‘We’re looking at a more permanent memorial at Bondi’

NSW premier Chris Minns has flagged a potential permanent memorial for the victims of Saturday’s stabbing attack at Bondi Junction.

Speaking to ABC radio, he said the event was a “horrible and traumatic event” for Sydney:

We’re looking at a more permanent memorial at Bondi.

It’s such a horrible and traumatic event for the city, maybe the families can draw some strength from the fact that there’s millions of people that are standing with them and caring about them.

Updated

Disruptions loom across Australia as pro-Palestine protesters vow to block ‘arteries of capitalism’

Train stations, ports and parts of Australia’s biggest cities could be blockaded by widespread planned protests against the war in Gaza, AAP reports.

The pro-Palestine group A15 Action has called on supporters to block “the arteries of capitalism” as part of Monday’s planned extensive action.

“In each city, we will identify and blockade major choke points in the economy, focusing on points of production and circulation with the aim of causing the most economic impact,” a statement read.

A Victoria police spokeswoman said officers will be pulled from regional stations and redeployed to protest sites to bolster resources.

“To be clear - we respect people’s right to protest when it is lawful and peaceful,” she said.

“However, there is no place for anyone wanting to deliberately disrupt and cause harm in our community.

Mounted Branch, Public Order Response Team, Search and Rescue , Highway Patrol and Transit police will be involved in the response.

Free Palestine Melbourne have named Thales, which has links to Israeli Aerospace Industries, and oil giant BP as potential targets.

One gathering has been planned for outside Victorian parliament but many other protest sites remain a mystery.

In NSW, premier Chris Minns said many resources were deployed to the aftermath of the Bondi Junction tragedy.

“People need to understand that you may lose more supporters than you for your cause than you gain as we direct police resources to the inquiry,” he told ABC News Breakfast.

“And the community itself is (trying) to come together after a terrible 48 hours”.

A15 Action have listed Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart, Darwin, Canberra along with several regional hubs as potential protest sites.

Updated

Albanese: ‘It’s not my call to second guess the president of the United States’

So I just want to return to the PM’s appearance on RN Breakfast, where he was asked about Iran’s attack on Israel over the weekend.

Iran fired dozens of missiles at Israel on Saturday, the first such direct attack. Anthony Albanese was asked whether US president Joe Biden made the right call in indicating that Washington would not participate in any retaliatory attacks:

It’s not my call to second guess the president of the United States.

My call is … to clearly unequivocally put Australia’s position, and our position is very clear – to condemn Iran’s attacks on Israel.

The PM did, though, emphasise the risk of escalation in the region:

It risks greater instability and devastation across the Middle East, we continue to support regional security including that of Israel.

Updated

Sarah Snook wins Olivier award for role in The Picture of Dorian Grey

The Australian actor Sarah Snook has won best actress at the 2024 Olivier awards in London for her role in The Picture of Dorian Grey.

Snook plays 26 characters in the Sydney Theatre Company’s adaptation of the Oscar Wilde novel.

Snook, who has won two Golden Globe awards for her role in HBO’s Succession, said it was an “incredible honour” to be perform The Picture of Dorian Grey.

It’s an incredible honour to be on the stage in the West End and this is not something that I thought would come along with that. It’s billed as a one woman show but it’s not. It’s the crew who are on stage with me all the time every night and they are a vital and constant support and inspirational. So thank you to the crew for being there in this show with me.

Updated

Earthquake strikes Papua New Guinea's New Britain region

In other news, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake has struck the south side of the New Britain region in Papua New Guinea.

The quake struck around two hours ago, with no indications of a tsunami warning for Australia yet.

Updated

Albanese on mental health services: ‘You could always do more’

After details emerged over the weekend of the mental health issues suffered by the attacker, Anthony Albanese was asked if there was enough funding for mental health services across the country:

Well, you could always do more, but we have had substantial investment in mental health, including in our last budget into mental health and suicide prevention systems in New South Wales.

It was evident there at Bondi Junction yesterday that the NSW government department of health had, early on, people really identified as being able to provide support for people, and I thought that was a real indication of how on top of things the New South Wales administration was, which, under the circumstances, is quite remarkable.

Updated

Albanese on Bondi attacker’s motive: ‘The gender breakdown is of course concerning’

I just wanted to go back to the PM’s appearance on ABC radio earlier, where he was asked what he thought of the motive behind the attack.

Footage circulating on social media show the attacker seemingly targeting women and children, with Anthony Albanese saying the gender breakdown among the victims was “concerning”.

NSW police have said they’re looking at that as part of the investigation.

The gender breakdown is of course concerning.

All of that investigation will take place, it will be comprehensive, and nothing will not be looked at in this matter.

Updated

Webb says she is unsure when the shopping centre will reopen:

We’re working with Westfield. As I said, we handed back the crime scene last night. But it spread over seven floors at Westfield. It will take some time to prepare the stores for reopening. No doubt there’s some work to be done with stakeholders inside the Westfield, in terms of their own reaction and trauma to what has happened. So, that will be done very carefully, no doubt.

Updated

Webb says Bondi attacker 'focused on women and avoided the men'

Webb is then asked about motive, with videos circulating online showing Cauchi avoiding men and deliberately targeting women and children.

Webb said the videos “speak for themselves” and that police are investigating that line of inquiry:

The videos speak for themselves, don’t they?

That’s certainly a line of inquiry for us. It’s obvious to me, it’s obvious to detectives that seems to be an area of interest that the offender had focused on women and avoided the men.

As you know, and has been reported, five of the deceased are women. And the majority of victims in hospital are also women. We don’t know what was operating in the mind of the offender and that’s why it’s important now that detectives spend so much time interviewing those who know him, were around him and close to him. So we can get some insight into what he might have been thinking. We won’t know necessarily. But we have to take a judgement from those who know him.

Updated

Webb on officer Amy Scott: ‘We’re trained to do this, but we’re not often faced with it’

Webb on officer Amy Scott: ‘We’re trained to do this, but we’re not often faced with it’

Webb was asked how inspector Amy Scott, the officer who shot and killed Joel Cauchi, has been handling the fallout:

She’s doing OK. I have spoken to her. She’s just spending some time with her family at present. A bit of privacy to work through what has been, you know, very traumatic matter for her.

She’s an experienced officer. I have known Amy for many years. She’s operational her whole career.

We’re trained to do this, but we’re not often faced with it. So she’ll be processing all of that and she will be formally interviewed by the detectives tomorrow.

Updated

Webb says baby in stable condition after Bondi attack

NSW police commissioner Karen Webb told ABC News Breakfast that the baby in hospital after the Bondi attack is currently in a stable condition.

Webb said police were working through the mountain of evidence collected from the scene and from witnesses.

Overnight NSW police handed back the crime scene to Westfield shopping centre. But we’re working on … when they may return to business.

NSW police seized many, many exhibits from that crime scene. The job ahead of us now is to examine all those exhibits, as part of the evidence. Detectives will focus on interviewing family of the deceased, which will be a very slow methodical process. Because they’re all in trauma, as you can well imagine.

They’ll interview the witnesses from other places that have come forward. Overnight, 50 additional witnesses have come forward with information.

Updated

Anthony Albanese: ‘People ran towards danger in order to help their fellow Australians’

Anthony Albanese was also on ABC radio earlier, where he said it was “remarkable” that people were brave enough to rush attacker Joel Cauchi on Saturday.

The prime minister said he spoke to many people yesterday when he visited Bondi Junction to pay respects and lay flowers at the scene, and what struck him was the bravery of some of the witnesses.

It is remarkable that people ran towards danger in order to help their fellow Australians, not the least of which of course was police inspector Amy Scott.

The PM was also asked if the media had jumped to conclusions on the motive behind the attack, but he backed police process:

The police did an extraordinary job of giving out information to the public as soon as it was appropriate to do so. The fact that yesterday morning, it was released that Mr Cauchi had known mental health issues. The fact that very early on, they … [revealed that] they thought that it was not a terrorism related incident was very important, I think, for the public.

Updated

Police found nothing ‘startling’ in storage facility Joel Cauchi rented, Karen Webb says

NSW police commissioner Karen Webb was on ABC radio earlier, saying police had finished taking physical evidence from the scene and had handed the shopping centre back to its owners.

Webb said there were many pieces of evidence taken from the centre and that investigations continue:

There have been many, many exhibits that have been taken from that scene for forensic analysis.

Certainly police will go through that and take everything in it for forensic examination.

She said police had not found anything “startling” in a small storage facility that the attacker Joel Cauchi had rented. She also said police were investigating whether Cauchi was affected by drugs at the time of the attack.

It will be investigated as part of the coroner’s investigation in terms of any toxicology. Usually, those results are some days and weeks away.

We may never get answers because we can’t ask him and it will be based on what we can determine from interviewing witnesses and family members.

Updated

Chris Minns: ‘There’s good people out there too’

The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, is on ABC News Breakfast, saying it is a “devastating day” across the state and a “reflectful time” in Sydney.

Minns was asked how he intends to bring the state together and he said he would encourage people to focus on the “heroic acts of bravery” on Saturday:

I would just encourage people in the face of such extreme violence and really confronting images to look at some of the heroic acts of bravery from completely strangers that we did see … in Bondi.

Whether it was some young men who confronted him with bollards and chairs, keeping him away from people he could have killed.

The actions of inspector Amy Scott who ran towards the attacker, without any question, saved many lives. There’s no hiding the truth, it’s been a horrible event, but some wonderful people in our community. If you’re talking to young people in particular, I would put it in context, let them know there’s good people out there too.

Updated

Plibersek: ‘We’re all just reeling, in shock and grieving’

The environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, says Australians are “still reeling” from the Bondi Junction stabbing attack.

Plibersek told Sunrise that the government’s focus was on the victims and their families and friends:

We’re all just reeling, in shock and grieving and I think there will be plenty of time to methodically go through what happened on the weekend and see if there are things that we can learn about how to make sure that people feel safe and are safe in places where they should be safe.

I’m sure [they] will be impacted, probably for the rest of their lives, by what’s happened.

The focus on what we can learn from this, absolutely, we should do that in the future. There’ll be plenty of time for that.

Updated

Good Morning

Good morning. Mostafa Rachwani with you today and we begin with the continuing fallout from Saturday’s tragic stabbing attack at Bondi Junction in Sydney.

Flags at government buildings are due to fly at half mast today in a national sign of mourning for the victims, after Joel Cauchi, 40, stabbed six people to death and seriously wounded 12 others on Saturday afternoon at Bondi Junction Westfield.

Inspector Amy Scott, who shot and killed Cauchi, was praised by the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, who also insisted Australia’s strong gun laws saved many lives.

Eight people were in hospital last night after the attack, including a man and a woman in intensive care at St Vincent’s hospital. We will bring you updates on their conditions as it comes in.

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