Australian news and politics live: Jacinta Allan launches Anti-Hate Taskforce after synagogue firebombing

An anti-hate taskforce will assemble in Melbourne this week in the wake of the latest violent anti-Semitic incidents.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has pulled together the taskforce after a synagogue was firebombed, a Jewish-owned restaurant was stormed while people ate inside, and another business was vandalised; all across this past weekend.

Ms Allan made a private visit to the targeted synagogue on Monday morning before the taskforce meets later in the week.

“I’ll continue to stand with a strong, proud Jewish community here in Victoria every single day,” she said.

“They are a big, important part of our community. They demand our support at this most difficult time.

“They demand our action, which is why, alongside strengthening laws and the response of Victoria Police, we will continue to work to build a stronger place where everyone can be who they are and practise their faith safe and free from hate.”

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The last moments of a man later found brutally murdered have been captured on CCTV, released by police investigating a ‘contract crew’ believed to be behind six-days of violent carnage.

Rich ‘Dylan’ Choup, whose body was found with a gunshot wound and his ear severed by trail bikers in August 2024, can be seen being slapped in the face in a chilling confrontation with an unknown man.

Police believe the father is one of at least three victims of a violent gang of offenders with links to a Victorian drug trafficking syndicate whose reign of terror spanned two states.

Strike Force Hallet, set up to investigate Mr Choup’s death, is also investigating the kidnapping and torture of a man in Canley Vale, and the attempted murder of another man in Queensland.

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As Prime Minister Anthony Albanese prepares to visit Beijing for talks with President Xi Jinping, Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce has sounded the alarm over Australia’s deepening ties with China, cautioning that the nation’s defence relationship with the United States must remain the top priority.

“The Prime Minister must have a great hand of cards because he has really got the chips on the table on this one. This is very dangerous,” Mr Joyce said on Sunrise.

“You need to understand the United States is the cornerstone of our defence relationship. It is not going well, this is the fourth meeting he has had with the leader of China but that is a totalitarian regime. Mr Trump has not had a meeting with the Prime Minister yet. I’m truly concerned about that.”

Mr Joyce argued that strengthening economic ties with China should not come at the expense of Australia’s security alliance with the US. “We should (make friends with China) but not at the expense of the US.

“You need to understand the realm of the Western Pacific, if things go pear-shaped, we are in trouble, real trouble. If we don’t have a defence policy that includes the United States, we need to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on defence. We are way, way behind where we need to be.

“If we can’t extract the meeting between the Prime Minister and the President of the United States, we are on background. We look like the odd ones out, we are pushed off to the side, you don’t get any room.”

Australia’s political leaders are under renewed pressure to tackle the scourge of anti-Semitism as police continue to probe a spate of fresh attacks.

There were at least four anti-Semitic attacks in Melbourne at the weekend, including the alleged firebombing of a synagogue on Friday night.

Angelo Loras, a 34-year-old man from Sydney’s west, faced court on Sunday, accused of setting the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation’s front doors alight while 20 people were inside.

Israeli restaurant Miznon was targeted by masked pro-Palestinian protesters not long after the alleged arson, with a window smashed, tables flipped and chairs thrown as the group chanted “death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)“.

Three cars were set alight and a wall spray-painted with anti-Semitic “inferences” at a Greensborough business in the city’s northeast in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Police said overnight they were releasing CCTV of five people they want to speak to.

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Australia looks set to avoid a fresh US tariff hike next week, after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed that only countries failing to reach new deals with Washington will “boomerang” back to their April 2 tariff rates by August 1.

“We’re going to be very busy over the next 72 hours,” Mr Bessent told CNN, as the Trump administration’s 90-day pause on new reciprocal tariffs nears its July 9 conclusion.

Australia was not subject to the higher reciprocal tariffs and instead faces a flat 10 per cent tariff on its exports to the US—the lowest rate imposed by the Trump administration on any nation.

“President Trump is going to be sending letters to some of our trading partners saying that, if you don’t move things along, then on August 1st, you will boomerang back to your April 2nd tariff level,” Bessent said. “So, I think we’re going to see a lot of deals very quickly.”

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Amid speculation about Australia’s relationship with the United States, Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek has pushed back against claims of any rift, emphasising the strength of the alliance.

Her comments come as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese prepares for a high-profile visit to China, sparking debate over whether Australia is drifting from its traditional US partnership.

“Your question started with the assumption that there is a fraying with the United States, and nothing could be further than the truth,” Plibersek said on Sunrise.

“The Prime Minister has spoken to the President on the phone, the Defence Minister met his counterpart recently, the Foreign Affairs Minister has just been in the United States recently. Trade ministers are constantly talking to his counterpart in the US. All sorts of high-level dialogue constantly going on with the United States and that is as it should be.”

She stressed, “The United States is absolutely our foundational defence and security partner. The relationship is terrific.”

Plibersek also highlighted the government’s achievements in restoring trade with China, saying, “We have restored $20 billion of trade with China. It is good for our farmers and good for Barnaby and his constituents. I would have thought he would be welcoming the restoration of trade with the stabilisation of the relationship.”

When asked if the failure is in the Coalition’s hands, Ms Ley said they started the work: “Following that Royal Commission recommendations, there were working with children checks across the country that were not unified.”

“They’re still not quite unified. We started the work. Labor continued the work last time, so that predators couldn’t cross state borders. Now, we certainly need that work to be accelerated,” Ms Ley told Sunrise on Monday morning.

“What I’m saying right here, right now, is I’m ready to work with the Prime Minister to get legislation in place in the upcoming Parliament and do whatever we need to.

“It won’t necessarily cover every single Working With Children Check. That is still owned by the State Government. It will (cover) other measures, that can take place in childcare centres that the Commonwealth may be able to hold some levers of control.”

In the wake of horrifying allegations that a Melbourne childcare worker sexually abused multiple children across several centres, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has called for a united political response to overhaul childcare safety laws​​​​​​​​.

Joshua Brown, 26, has been charged with more than 70 offences, prompting authorities to contact thousands of families and urge precautionary health checks.

When asked in she thinks Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will be on board with her request, Ms Ley said: “I really hope so. Like so many parents, grandparents across the country and my grandchildren who are in childcare. I know that when my children drop them off to places where they trust they will be safe this is an incredible betrayal. I felt physically sick when I heard this,” on Sunrise.

She explained reaching out the Mr Albanese: “I have written to the Prime Minister in good faith to offer our constructive engagement in the lead-up to Parliament returning so we can have legislation ready to go to actually act once and for all to do what I think every parent would expect and every community member would expect to make sure our children are safe in childcare settings.”

Ms Ley emphasised that the issue must transcend party politics: “This is not about the blame game. The Education Minister, Jason Clare, is a good person. My shadow education spokesperson is a good person and they will work together.”