Australia news live: Rising Tide protesters block second coal ship entering Newcastle port; Katy Gallagher says Lodge ‘appropriate’ for PM’s wedding

12.54am GMT There will be ‘ups and downs’ in public service staffing: Gallagher Jumping back to Katy Gallagher’s interview this morning on Sky News, the finance and public service minister has been under pressure to explain a directive to all departments to find savings. What was initially reported as a 5% cut to all departments, Gallagher has said it’s a directive to find the 5% of lowest priority spending. The biggest question Labor is facing (who went hard on the Coalition during the last election campaign for pledging thousands of public service job cuts) is whether this will lead to redundancies. Gallagher says there will be “ups and downs” in staffing levels – but that the average staffing level is where it should be. If you’re asking me, if that 5% exercise that we’re doing is going to result in job losses, I can say … that is not what this exercise is about. As to whether there are ups and downs, and I’ve said this consistently over the last three years across departments, that will fluctuate a little, but it won’t - as programs come to an end as departments change their what they’re doing - all of that does matter on how many, you know, individual ASL [average staffing level] they have … but broadly across the APS, I would expect the APS to remain largely the same. 12.36am GMT Rightwing protesters gather in Melbourne for Put Australia First rally Protesters are gathering at the intersection in front of Melbourne’s Flinders Street Station for the Put Australia First rally, a rightwing event that claims to be protesting for “immigration reform”, “freedom from an enforced digital ID” and “affordable energy”. At 11.30am, there were more police than protesters in front of the station, and multiple lines of water-bollards cordoning the area off in two directions – although people are moving freely past them with no lines being enforced yet. The demonstrators have been playing heavy metal songs with anti-Palestine lyrics through a loudspeaker, and are draped in and waving Australian flags. As we reported earlier, a sister rally to this one was held in Sydney on Saturday, attracting a crowd of about 500 people. The events have evolved out of the so-called March for Australia rallies earlier this year. While many of the issues they are championing are the same, today’s rallies are organised by a different group, led by anti-lockdown protester Monica Smit and others associated with the “freedom” movement. Smit has claimed this weekend’s rallies have no connection to August’s rallies, but the promotional videos on the Put Australia First website link the two sets of events. Today’s speakers include a grab-bag of figures who emerged from the Covid anti-lockdown movement, and a virtual appearance from the British far-right activist Tommy Robinson, who was behind the Unite the Kingdom march in London. In a late announcement yesterday, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson was added to the Melbourne speaker lineup. It makes the full list 13 speakers long. Updated at 12.55am GMT 12.34am GMT One dead in southern NSW after car rolls over A person has died and another is in a critical condition after a car rolled in New South Wales’ southern tablelands. About 6.45am today this morning, emergency services were called to the Hume Highway at Gunning after reports a vehicle had left the roadway and rolled. In a statement police said: A passenger of the vehicle was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics; however, died at the scene. The driver was treated at the scene before being airlifted to Canberra Hospital in a critical condition. Officers attached The Hume Police District established a crime scene and commenced an investigation into the crash. A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner. All southbound lanes of the Hume Highway at Gunning are closed and diversions are in place. Updated at 12.36am GMT 12.17am GMT Scenes from Melbourne Metro Tunnel opening day If you’re interested what Melbourne’s new Metro Tunnel looks like, here are some pictures of people arriving at Arden station on this auspicious day of the opening of the tunnel rail line: You can read more about what this will mean for the city’s commuters here: Related: The Metro Tunnel will finally open after years of chaos – so what is the payoff for the Melbourne commuter? Updated at 12.27am GMT 11.48pm GMT ‘If the government won’t act, the people will’, says protester who boarded coal ship Dr Elen O’Donnell, a Greenpeace activist who boarded the vessel, said: We are taking action today, alongside thousands of people who have joined Rising Tide’s blockade, to show Australia’s leaders that if the government won’t act, the people will. Australia is the world’s third-largest fossil fuel exporter, and its outsized role in the climate crisis calls for serious action. Every shipment of coal that leaves this port contributes to more devastating bushfires, floods and cyclones. As a doctor, I have seen first-hand the impacts of climate disasters on people in Australia and around the world – I’ve seen how our government’s obsession with fossil fuels is harming people and killing our planet. From the side of this vessel we can see ships far out to the horizon, many of them on their way to collect coal. These industries, and the Australian people, are owed a clear plan and timeline for the phase-out of coal and gas. We are risking arrest because we don’t want a future reliant on coal and gas. Greenpeace Australia Pacific activists have scaled and blocked a coal ship at Rising Tide. Photograph: Greenpeace Updated at 12.33am GMT 11.47pm GMT Activists block second coal ship from entering Newcastle port at Rising Tide blockade Greenpeace activists have scaled and blocked a second coal ship during the Rising Tide People’s Blockade. Three activists are secured to the anchor chain and sides of the ship, stopping its operations, and have unfurled the five-metre-long banner in a peaceful protest with a message to the Australian government: “Phase Out Coal and Gas”. Australian musicians Oli and Louis Leimbach from Lime Cordiale joined the action with Greenpeace while activists painted a message to the Australian government on the ship’s side, using non-toxic soluble paint, reading: “TIMELINE NOW!” Related: Police charge 11 protesters after climate flotilla prevents coal ship from entering Newcastle harbour Updated at 12.33am GMT 11.37pm GMT Overseas couple arrested over alleged $1m Sydney casino fraud A couple have been charged for allegedly fraudulently winning more than $1m at a Sydney casino. Police say the day the pair arrived in Sydney from Kazakhstan in October, they applied for memberships to a casino in Barangaroo. Over the course of multiple visits to the casino, the couple won a total of $1,179,412.50, which raised the suspicion of the casino. On Thursday the 36-year-old woman was observed by casino staff wearing a small discreet camera attached to her shirt, leading police officers to arrest the woman and her 44-year-old husband. Police say they located on the pair “small, magnetised probes, batteries, and a mobile phone with a fitted attachment that allowed the camera function of the phone to discretely view, capture or record images.” They also seized a “small custom-made mirror attachment for the same mobile phone.” The couple were each charged with dishonestly obtain financial advantage etc by deception. In a statement police said: It will be alleged, with their mobile phones capturing images of the table, the pair were communicated with using deep seated earpieces through which they received instruction to wager on various card games and ultimately cheat the casino. A subsequent search warrant was carried out at their accommodation on Kent Street in Sydney, where police located other gambling props, high end jewellery, and $2000 euro dollars. Updated at 11.52pm GMT 11.29pm GMT Gallagher describes ‘lovely’ Albanese wedding, says Lodge location ‘appropriate’ We’re getting a little more reaction to Anthony Albanese and Jodie Haydon’s wedding yesterday – which was top secret, and held at the PM’s residence. Cabinet minister Katy Gallagher, who attended the wedding, described the event as “lovely” and “intimate” – though revealed she didn’t partake in the Jodie and Albo themed beers (not being much of a drinker herself). Speaking to Sky News this morning, Gallagher said it was “appropriate” for the couple to hold the ceremony at the Lodge in Canberra – particularly considering the safety concerns. It would be difficult if you’re prime minister to get married anywhere, to be honest. I think there was certainly some advice taken about security that needed to be taken into consideration. [They] very clearly looked at, you know, the appropriate use of the Lodge and paying for all of … the event. I think it meets all the necessary guidelines. But I think the Lodge also provided some safety and security for the event. Updated at 11.57pm GMT 11.15pm GMT Fireball erupts in Sydney waste facility We mentioned earlier firefighters are battling a massive factory blaze in western Sydney that could take days to extinguish. Here are some of the pictures Fire and Rescue NSW released of the huge fireball that erupted in the waste facility overnight: NORTH ST MARYS | ***VISION ALERT*** Huge fireball destroys waste facility as firefighters battle inferno. More than 200 firefighters have contained an inferno that has engulfed a waste facility factory overnight at North St Marys in Sydney’s wes... https://t.co/Z8EUgKVdD7— Fire and Rescue NSW (@FRNSW) November 29, 2025 North St Marys | Smoke advisory - Residents living within 500 metres of the fire in Kurrajong Road, North St Marys, are being asked to stay indoors and keep their doors and windows closed to avoid harmful smoke.Locals are also asked to limit their recreational activities in the… pic.twitter.com/bvQWnLTY3O— Fire and Rescue NSW (@FRNSW) November 29, 2025 Updated at 11.22pm GMT 11.05pm GMT ‘Good on him’: Littleproud congratulates Albanese on wedding Littleproud says he is “genuinely happy” for Albanese’s recent nuptials. It’s great to see the PM has someone who loves him and going to be with him. It is a tough and lonely job, being prime minister. I couldn’t be happier for the PM and Jodie. Jodie has already stepped up on the international stage and represented us in such a classy way for some time and now they’ve solidified their partnership with marriage and I think good on him. I hope he has a bit of a break now. I think we all need a break, but good on him and I wish him every happiness. I couldn’t be happier for the pair of them. Updated at 11.09pm GMT 11.02pm GMT Land clearing not a major threat to endangered species, Littleproud says Littleproud said he does not accept land clearing is a major threat to endangered species, despite the State of Environment report finding so. I think what you find particularly where I live – I’ve got the lived experience – out here there’s no one tearing up vegetation recklessly. They are managing regrowth so that they can produce your food and fibre so you don’t have a cost-of-living crisis. Updated at 11.21pm GMT 10.58pm GMT Littleproud suggests values test for temporary migrants would stop ‘importing hate’ Littleproud says a values test for new migrants – which the Coalition has flagged – wouldn’t hurt. Speers: What do you think about this idea of some sort of values test for people who are coming on temporary visas? There is already the citizenship test for those who want to become citizens, but if you are coming temporary visa, on any of these visas you are talking about, do think there should be some sort of values test? Is that a problem the moment? Littleproud: I don’t think it hurts … When you’ve seen the discord on streets, particularly of Sydney and Melbourne over the last two years since October 2023, I think there is a risk that we as Australians can’t import the hate that permeates in some other parts of the world. I think it’s important we make sure that when we do bring people from those challenged parts of the world, that they understand they are coming here with a responsibility to live up to the values and principles that our great country has been built on, with is migration, but how we have come together to be able to achieve a harmonious society for most of it and not allow that hate that permeates in some parts of the world to be imported in. Updated at 11.03pm GMT 10.52pm GMT Where did the $9tn figure come from? If you’re interested, you can read the statement issued by Net Zero Australia here back on 5 November: Different individuals and groups have been misrepresenting key cost estimates from the [Net Zero] Australia Project as ‘the cost of Australia reaching net zero’. These misrepresented costs have typically ranged from $1.5 trillion to $9 trillion.” Updated at 10.56pm GMT 10.47pm GMT Littleproud defends use of ‘misrepresented’ $9tn net zero figure Littleproud was asked whether he needed to stop using the $9tn figure, which comes from the Net Zero Australia Project, who have said it is a misrepresentation. Related: The $9tn cost to Australians: how a ‘misrepresented’ figure on net zero took on a life of its own Littleproud is continuing to defend his use of it, despite acknowledging the figure references foreign investment. Updated at 10.55pm GMT 10.32pm GMT Littleproud says Joyce’s future in parliament a matter for him Asked whether Barnaby Joyce should quit the parliament so that there can be a byelection, David Littleproud says it’s a decision for Joyce to make. In the same line of questioning, asked whether Joyce is a rat from his perspective, Littleproud says “I don’t think commentary from the sideline helps anybody.” Is he worried about the threat Joyce may pose should he go to One Nation? You never take anything for granted in politics. I think – and our polling shows this – the Nationals are holding up very strong in terms of our votes since the election because we have taken the time to get policy right. We could have taken the populist path and just said no to net zero, but we had to say why we were saying we were going to, and I think we’ve landed an eminently better policy, a cheaper, better way to reduce emissions, than Labor’s $9tn net zero plan. Updated at 10.47pm GMT 10.25pm GMT David Littleproud says Barnaby Joyce broke contract with National party Nationals leader David Littleproud is appearing on ABC Insiders after Barnaby Joyce’s defection from the party this week. Asked whether he will try to win him back or it’s good riddance, Littleproud says: He hasn’t joined One Nation. It is disappointing that he has broken a contract with the National party and while he didn’t sit in the National party party room for the last four or five weeks, that is not something that is unusual. We’ve had other members that have done that, but the fact that he has taken a significant step to walk away from the membership, from the people who put him there, that invested their time for no financial gain, but belief in our movement. Our movement is bigger than any individual. It is about the collective and about those members that have put us there. So, look, Barnaby hasn’t joined One Nation, but he has made a significant step. My door is always open and phone always on. I have no animosity towards Barnaby Joyce, I never have. The reality is he has made a decision after the fact that I challenged him after the 2022 election, as did Darren Chester, I won, I kept him on the frontbench. I made it clear after the 2025 election that there were others that needed to step up and to give an opportunity, like Ross Cadell, who has done a fantastic job in helping Matt Canavan land our emissions policy and make sure we have a future for the party. That hasn’t sat well with Barnaby, I accept that, but unfortunately when you’re leader, as he did, you have to make tough decisions about who is the in the team. But we can all still make a contribution when you’re in the team. Updated at 11.21pm GMT 10.17pm GMT Speakers at anti-immigration rally attack emissions policy and claim protesters being ‘replaced’ Following on from the earlier post about yesterday’s Put Australia First rally in Sydney, a bit more information on speakers: Speakers including Family First party’s Lyle Shelton canvassed topics including “mass immigration”, climate policy and freedom of speech to a crowd trying to find shade and a place to sit down on a 30-degree day.The day’s MC, One Nation candidate Stuart Bonds, told the crowd they were deliberately “being replaced in our own nations” and that “net zero is modern slavery”.“What will Australia become if we don’t stand up?” social media content creator Lauchlan Meyer asked the crowd. “A third-world shithole,” someone yelled back.The event wrapped up with a rendition of Advance Australia Fair. Updated at 10.27pm GMT 10.09pm GMT LNP claims north Queensland byelection win after big swing LNP candidate Wayde Chiesa has triumphed at a state byelection in the north Queensland electorate of Hinchinbrook. With 74% of the vote counted Chiesa has more than 41% of the primary vote, a swing of about 13%. An early unofficial count by the Electoral Commission of Queensland has him winning about 53% of the two-party preferred vote as counting continues. The byelection was triggered by the resignation of long-term Katter’s Australian Party MP Nick Dametto, who is the new mayor of Townsville. Former councillor Mark Molachino stood as the Katter party’s candidate. The LNP claimed that he would jump ship to Labor if he won, and compared him with controversial former Townsville mayor Troy Thompson. Chiesa campaigned on a call for new laws requiring children to face mandatory jail time if they breach bail. Adults do not face any such provision. Updated at 10.24pm GMT 10.08pm GMT Crowds chant ‘we are Charlie Kirk’ at Sydney anti-immigration rally On Saturday, a crowd of about 500 gathered in Sydney’s Belmore Park for the “Put Australia First” rally.A chant of “we are Charlie Kirk” broke out as the march snaked through Chinatown. A largely older crowd waved Australia flags, still creased from their plastic wrapping. “If you’re Australian, march with us,” one woman told onlookers.At town hall, organisers played a four minute clip by British far-right activist Tommy Robinson, who was behind the “Unite the Kingdom” march in London. Anyone giving Hitler salutes, he said, was “funded by the government” to discredit the message. The event followed the March for Australia anti-immigration marches in August, which turned violent and attracted controversy after being promoted and attended by neo-Nazis. Organiser Monica Smit previously told Guardian Australia her march was distinct from those events. She said Robinson, who co-founded the now defunct Islamophobic group the English Defence League and has convictions for violence, public order offences, and financial and immigration frauds, would “share his energy and patriotism”. “You’re not a fringe group,” Robinson said in Saturday’s clip. “It’s not fringe to oppose sexual exploitation of children, to be against mass immigration, to be against Islam takeover, to defend your own culture.” Updated at 11.16pm GMT 9.50pm GMT Flames leap 15 metres into the air in huge factory fire Firefighters are battling a massive factory blaze in western Sydney that could take days to extinguish, AAP reports. The inferno at a facility containing chemical supplies in North St Marys started at about 11pm, sending flames 15 metres into the air and causing at least one explosion. NORTH ST MARYS | Firefighters battle huge factory fire and Hazmat emergency. More than 185 Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) firefighters are battling a huge factory fire and hazardous materials emergency this morning at North St Marys in Sydney’s wes... https://t.co/LeXdNriFoS pic.twitter.com/fvlggGR6t9— Fire and Rescue NSW (@FRNSW) November 29, 2025 About 50 fire trucks and 200 firefighters were involved in battling the blaze from three sides this morning, with hazmat units, monitoring drones and bulk water carriers also taking part in the operation. Firefighters said they were working to stop the fire spreading to neighbouring buildings and handle any environmental risk posed by chemicals at the site. The cause of the fire is not known. Updated at 10.12pm GMT 9.39pm GMT Good morning Welcome to Guardian Australia’s Sunday live blog. The Jetstar Airbus A320 planes that were recalled yesterday (leading to more than 90 domestic flights being cancelled) have all received the necessary software update and services have resumed to normal this morning. Meanwhile, a couple have been charged for allegedly fraudulently winning more than $1m at a Sydney casino. The pair arrived from overseas in October and over the course of multiple visits to the casino won a total of $1,179,412.50, which raised the suspicion of the casino. The Melbourne Metro Tunnel also starts running this morning. More on that as it happens. Let’s jump straight in! Updated at 10.12pm GMT