Australian news and politics recap: Peter Dutton says Donald Trump got it wrong on Ukraine and Zelensky

The Australian Defence Force is keeping “close watch” on three Chinese navy ships sailing east of Sydney, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said on Thursday.

The Jiangkai-class frigate Hengyang, the Renhai-class Cruiser named Zunyi and the Fuchi-class replenishment vessel Weishanhu were reportedly spotted on Wednesday about 150 nautical miles from Sydney after sailing down the coast from the northeast of Australia.

“We will be making sure that we watch every move. And whenever this mission is over on the part of the Chinese task group, we will assess everything we have seen to make a proper assessment of exactly what they were trying to achieve through this mission,” Mr Marles told Sky News.

He said that while “not unprecedented”, that it was an “unusual event,” but also stressed that the ships were not acting illegally.

“They’re not a threat in the sense that they are engaging in accordance with international law,” he said.

“But it is important that we understand exactly what is happening here and we will make sure that we look at every move they make to have a very clear assessment of what this on the part of the Chinese is seeking to achieve.”

The Chinese naval mission coincides with a visit from the commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Samuel Paparo, to Canberra to meet with Australia’s Chief of Joint Operations.

A 37-year-old has been arrested and charged in connection to an anti-Semitic attack on the former home of a Jewish leader.

Police alleged the man was involved with graffiti at the property before “damaging property by means of fire or explosion”.

The attack allegedly occurred on the early hours of January 17 on Military Road, Dover Heights.

The 37-year-old man, and a 33-year-old man, have also been charged for another alleged incident in Queens Park on January 11 which resulted in a car being sprayed with “F*ck the Jews”.