/qresearch/ -  Q Research

>>23448206 (pb)

How Dassi, Elly and Nicole survived Malka Leifer

A new documentary of the Leifer abuse scandal gives fresh voice to the three sisters’ individual and shared experiences.

MICHAEL VISONTAY - 29 September 2025

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So much has been written about the Malka Leifer case.

The Adass community’s obstruction of justice and Kafkaesque campaign to extradite Leifer became an international scandal. Blanket media coverage left no aspect of her heinous behaviour unexamined. Shortly after the trial, Dassi Erlich released her memoir, revealing new layers of harrowing detail about her family background and the lingering impact of Leifer’s crimes.

So when I sat down to watch Adam Kamien’s upcoming documentary, Surviving Malka Leifer, I wondered what more could be said to add to our understanding of the sexual abuse the Adass school principal perpetrated against Erlich and her sisters Elly Sapper and Nicole Meyer.

One and a half hours later, my concerns had dissipated, swept aside by a piece of forensic storytelling and great emotional power. Kamien’s doco has three great strengths. First, it tells the whole story, from start to finish, in one tight narrative. Second, it contains a series of revelations that were not previously in the public domain, or had not received much prominence.

Third and most importantly, it presents the Leifer saga through the eyes and voices of all three sisters, equally. This is a singular achievement. Because Dassi Erlich was the first to speak out about Leifer’s abuse, hers was the central face and voice of the campaign, even after her sisters decided to speak out and join forces with her.

Kamien deserves credit for reflecting their individual and shared experiences. He has captured the nuances of their relationships (one sister observes that for all their closeness, they don’t hug each other), the differences in their personalities and the ways they have each been affected.

Sisters' abusive parents

An underlying theme is the crucial role their abusive family background played in the saga. Their mother abused them physically for minor infractions and regularly deprived them of food; their father was also “not a safe person”, Elly says. The children grew up living in fear of their parents, which made them vulnerable to Leifer’s predatory behaviour in the first place. They saw the Adass school as a safe haven, which Leifer exploited ruthlessly.

Their isolation from the wider world, which was a feature of both their family upbringing and the school’s ultra-Orthodox values, exacerbated their vulnerability. They didn’t even know the words for female genitalia, former Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu, a close supporter of the sisters, reveals on camera.

Baillieu tells of how he accompanied Dassi to a meeting with Adass to ask Adass for an apology. The school used the advice of its insurer’s lawyer as an excuse not to give an apology at the time. It never gave her one.

By that stage, Leifer had fled to Israel, courtesy of the school’s support, where she lived as a free woman for more than a decade, during which she also abused other young girls in the ultra-Orthodox West Bank settlement where she lived with her family.

During this period, her supporters employed mafia-style tactics to intimidate the three sisters. Their older sister Dalia, who was a principal at an ultra-Orthodox school in Manchester, received a visit from two men from Israel. Dalia was told that if she didn’t convince her sisters to withdraw their police statements, her family would be ostracised. The two men met with her boss, and pressured him to fire her. Dalia refused to ask her sisters to back down. (Tragically, soon after this episode, Dalia started having chest pains and later died.)

The Adass network then flexed its political muscle: Israel’s Deputy Health Minister, Yaacov Litzman, a member of the Hasidic community, repeatedly intervened in the justice process to pressure a psychiatric panel to declare Leifer mentally unfit to stand trial and be extradited back to Australia.

When Leifer finally faced her reckoning before a Melbourne court, the sisters moved into an apartment together to give each other support. In this goldfish bowl, they speak candidly to Kamien about their raw feelings during the daily inquisition by Leifer’s defence lawyer.

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>>23694978

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Startling revelations

Here several startling revelations are made. Dassi admits, on Day 20, that it is the first time she has heard her sisters’ experiences in full. Up until then, only various parts of their stories were told, despite all their years of campaigning. But on this day, she finally heard what Leifer did to them.

It is at this point that Elly’s earlier cryptic comment about her father takes on a more sinister consequence. In a halting voice, she confides to her sisters a shocking suggestion that Leifer’s defence lawyer put to her when she was giving evidence.

When the jury finally returns its verdict on August 23, 2023, the case reaches its heartbreaking anticlimax. Leifer was found guilty on 18 charges of sexual abusing Dassi and Elly, but not guilty of abusing Nicole.

To the general public, justice was done. To the sisters, justice was incomplete.

Dassi tries to comfort Nicole: “She’s guilty. Full stop.”

Nicole: “But she did get a win. Her win was with me.”

Kamien shows us, in a way the media could not, how they try to grapple with their collective vindication and Nicole’s personal devastation. In victory, they must share new pain.

Surviving Malka Leifer shows us that justice is never neat, and closure lies in the realm of fiction, not real life. While the media and public move on, Leifer’s victims cannot do the same. Dassi, Nicole and Elly will always carry their invisible scars, but their courage will forever shine brightly.

Surviving Malka Leifer will be streamed on Stan on October 5.

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/how-dassi-elly-and-nicole-survived-malka-leifer

https://au.news.yahoo.com/documentary-malka-leifer-case-centres-022824765.html

>>23694984

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Surviving Malka Leifer: compelling

The bulk of this compelling documentary balances two themes: the experiences of those who suffered relentless abuse at Liefer’s hands, and the legal journey that eventually brought her to justice – a long, torturous journey often obstructed by powerful figures that at times seemed designed to increase the torment of her victims.

Over the course of a decade, the sisters gave statements to Victoria Police, who then applied to have Liefer extradited back to Australia. Claiming mental illness, she was instead placed under house arrest in Israel. She repeatedly appealed against medical experts who found her illness was faked, then was exposed walking freely about her ultra-Orthodox community.

There’s a lot to get angry about in this side of the story. Liefer’s almost endless attempts to drag things out are infuriating; the reveal of various powerful people and organisations role in protecting her both here and in Israel doesn’t exactly settle the blood either.

When she was eventually brought back to Victoria for trial – in large part because the sisters went public with a campaign to expose what was going on and the lack of progress legally – the pressure only increased on the trio. There’s strength between them (and with one of their brothers) and the bond they share clearly helped them get through things, but the cost of their fight was high.

The sisters had to give their evidence separately, without each other’s support. In the courtroom, Liefer’s lawyers suggested the sisters had tainted their evidence by colluding – and that it was possible the activities involved had been consensual. Some of Nicole’s evidence was ruled inadmissible, and Liefer was found not guilty on the charges relating to her – a result that Nicole found difficult to deal with.

Surviving Malka Leifer: bravery

The sisters’ bravery is undeniable throughout this documentary. At times, their strength is the only thing that makes this story bearable; the extent of Liefer’s abuse is often shocking, the damage done heartbreaking. The positive is that despite it all, the trio stood up to power, demanded justice, and achieved it.

Liefer was sentenced to 15 years, with a non-parole period of 11-and-a-half years. The story of how that result was achieved is a gripping look at three women’s courage in the wake of almost unimaginable horror.

Surviving Malka Leifer premieres on Stan on 5 October 2025.

https://www.screenhub.com.au/news/reviews/surviving-malka-leifer-review-a-compelling-tale-of-horror-and-bravery-2681953/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WV16EPHtaYA

https://www.stan.com.au/watch/revealed-surviving-malka-leifer-2025

https://qresear.ch/?q=Dassi+Erlich

https://qresear.ch/?q=Nicole+Meyer

https://qresear.ch/?q=Elly+Sapper

https://qresear.ch/?q=Malka+Leifer

>>23692244

>>23693846

Libs inch towards net zero deal as Hastie leak stirs discontent

Paul Sakkal - October 6, 2025

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The Coalition is inching towards a compromise deal to keep the party together on climate change following the exit of net zero opponent Andrew Hastie, as MPs call for unity following the leak of Peter Dutton’s scathing assessment of Hastie’s performance last term.

The opposition’s dirty linen was aired on Monday as this masthead revealed that Dutton, who led the historic loss in May, was highly critical of Hastie’s work ethic and policy development in his private submissions delivered to the party’s election review in July.

Senior Liberals called for leaks to stop so that the party could focus on getting its policies sorted out, including its new position on the net zero by 2050 target.

Frontbencher James Paterson said the Coalition had good prospects of settling on a climate policy, reflecting growing hopes within the party room that Ley could retain the net zero target, with stronger caveats about the economic impacts.

“I think we have a good chance of settling a consensus within the Liberal and National parties that puts our national interests first, that is economically sustainable and that is politically viable,” Paterson said on Sky News.

“We have to compete in not just the inner cities, but in the middle suburbs of our major cities.”

This masthead reported on September 10 that Ley and MPs close to her in the moderate and Right faction were putting together a package that would retain a net zero target. To make the deal palatable for Coalition MPs, the plans under consideration included stripping the net zero goal from law, exempting farmers and energy-intensive smelters from onerous rules, and turning the 2050 target to a looser goal that did not stipulate a date.

Such a compromise would likely be criticised by climate groups and cast as weak by Labor, but would provide Ley with a political pathway through the poisonous policy debate that contributed to Hastie’s move to the backbench.

National Party leader David Littleproud pleaded with his Coalition partners to stop internal warfare.

“We want the Liberal Party to do better,” Littleproud said. “The reality is if you’re focused on yourself, the Australian people won’t be focused on you.”

Election reviewer and former senator Nick Minchin – who interviewed Dutton for the review in July alongside former NSW minister Pru Goward – confirmed they talked to Dutton about the party’s defence policy and did not deny Dutton scrutinised Hastie’s role as defence spokesman. The defence policy, announced late and with little detail, was criticised when it was released 10 days before the election.

Minchin declined to divulge details of the conversation with Dutton but played down Dutton’s critique of Hastie.

“Peter avoided direct criticism of his shadow ministers in the course of his discussion with us,” Minchin told this masthead.

“We discussed inter alia the defence policy and the policy formulation process generally.”

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>>23699103

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Dutton has not disputed this masthead’s report despite being contacted by several journalists on Monday.

In his interview over the party’s historic loss under his leadership, Dutton was scathing about Hastie’s performance.

“It was inconceivable to Dutton and his senior colleagues that Hastie effectively went on strike during the last term,” said one source who is familiar with Dutton’s submissions, but not authorised to speak publicly.

“Someone who should have been a powerful voice in the media tearing strips off Labor was absent, scared to do media, or lazy.”

The former leader also criticised Hastie’s policy development, pushing Hastie to reject Dutton’s claims and argue that defence policy failures were the fault of the opposition leader’s office.

Senator Jane Hume also weighed in on Sky on Monday, calling on colleagues to keep their counsel.

“As a former election reviewer myself, I know it’s really important for those submissions that we retain their confidentiality to ensure people can feel candid.”

Hume said it was “preposterous” to blame any one figure for the historic loss, saying it was “never one person or one issue”.

Deputy Liberal leader Ted O’Brien has backed Ley’s version of events in her feud with Hastie, claiming on Nine’s Today show on Monday that Hastie never raised his gripes with Ley before quitting the frontbench.

O’Brien said that “my understanding is there was no discussion about the immigration portfolio … at all”.

“If he believes he can make a better contribution from the backbench, it’s absolutely his right to do so. And I’m not going to criticise that,” he said.

Former prime minister Scott Morrison has urged the party to rally behind Ley and her economic message, outlined in a recent speech in which she flagged support for fiscal restraint.

“Do we want to have an economy that’s actually driven by the hard work and enterprise of Australians and Australian businesses and enterprises, or do we want to have an Australian economy that is basically enabled by the rest of the government?” he said.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/dutton-hastie-went-on-strike-and-cost-us-at-election-20251005-p5n050.html

>>23699110

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Some PNG citizens able to join ADF from January

Both leaders also confirmed the document would open up pathways for PNG citizens to serve in the Australian Defence Force, while there was the "potential" for Australians to be recruited into the PNG Defence Forces in the future.

Mr Marape said last week that up to 10,000 PNG citizens could eventually serve in the ADF under the agreement, and Mr Albanese said on Monday morning that Australia could "certainly" hit that figure "over a period of time".

"It could be really substantial numbers," he said.

As a first step, the government confirmed on Monday that PNG permanent residents living in Australia would also be able to join the ADF from January 1 next year — extending a measure already available to Australia's Five Eyes intelligence partners.

Mr Marape has previously said that the treaty would create a pathway for Australian citizens to serve in the PNG defence force, although the joint statement released on Monday only mentions a "potential" pathway for recruitment in the other direction.

The Coalition sharply criticised Mr Albanese when he failed to land the agreement in Port Moresby last month, but welcomed the signing ceremony on Monday, with Shadow Foreign Minister Michaelia Cash telling Sky News Australia faced "challenges" in the region.

"In particular, from authoritarian powers and the Chinese communist party, who they themselves would like to influence our region, but in a way that is not consistent with our values," Senator Cash said.

"Certainly, to see the agreement inked today, the singing of the treaty, is welcomed by the Coalition."

Treaty may still face bumpy path through PNG parliament

The document will now be presented to both parliaments for ratification.

That treaty is likely to sail easily through Australia's parliament, but its passageway will likely be more contentious in PNG.

Some opposition MPs have already backed the pact, and political observers say Mr Marape should have enough political authority to seal ratification in PNG's parliament.

But PNG's opposition leader lashed the agreement last week, saying Australia should "cancel" the deal and strike a new treaty focused on helping PNG deal with its huge internal security problems.

"Australia knows about all these issues, but they are more worried about protecting themselves … they do not care about our citizens here in PNG," he said.

"They want to see Papua New Guineans being belittled, they want to see Papua New Guineans being pushed to the corner. They want to see Papua New Guineans become nobody. That's what Australia wants."

Mr Marape responded on Monday by simply reiterating the parliamentary process and promising to provide "full disclosure" to parliament about the treaty and its ramifications.

"The ratification process will take its course. Parliament will have full disclosure," he said.

"The opposition leader is most welcome to comment on this matter."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-06/australia-png-sign-defence-treaty-of-mutual-alliance/105858244

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_DQ_aNlWLM

https://www.dfat.gov.au/countries/papua-new-guinea/papua-new-guinea-australia-mutual-defence-treaty

https://x.com/AlboMP/status/1975026391814144505

>>23636672

>>23642016

>>23691985

>>23691998

PM says October 7 ‘not a day for demonstrations’ ahead of anniversary rallies

Chip Le Grand and Paul Sakkal - October 7, 2025

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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called for “decent human behaviour” to mark October 7 as Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan condemned “deeply disrespectful” plans by pro-Palestinian groups to protest on the anniversary of the Hamas massacre that incited the war in Gaza.

With Israel and Hamas inching towards acceptance of a US-brokered peace plan to end a catastrophic conflict that has razed the Gaza Strip and killed an estimated 67,000 people, Albanese warned that any protests on Tuesday would undermine support for the Palestinian cause in Australia.

“[Tuesday] is not a day for demonstrations,” Albanese said, as the premiers of Victoria and NSW condemned the protests organised in both states to mark the second anniversary of the atrocities in which Hamas militants murdered 1200 people and took another 250 captive.

Israel’s ensuing invasion of Gaza was labelled a genocide in a landmark United Nations inquiry a fortnight ago.

In Melbourne, the Free Palestine Coalition Group has urged people to gather on Tuesday near the National Gallery of Victoria, an institution previously targeted by anti-Israel protesters because of its association with the prominent Jewish Gandel family, and march through the city to state parliament.

Organisers of the Melbourne event, titled Honouring Palestine, describe October 7 as a “large-scale assault” by Hamas fighters. It instructed those attending not to bring signs, posters or flags.

In Sydney’s Bankstown, the Stand4Palestine organisation linked to Islamic fundamentalist group Hizb ut-Tahrir has organised a “Glory to Martyrs” demonstration to coincide with October 7.

A prominent Stand4Palestine supporter, Sheikh Ibrahim Dadoun, said a day after the Hamas atrocities that he was “elated” by the attacks and later accused Israeli intelligence group Mossad of manufacturing antisemitic attacks in Australia.

Both groups are on the fringe of a broad-based Palestinian protest movement supported by trade unions, the Greens and academic, student, media, human rights and Aboriginal activists that peaked in August when an estimated 90,000 people walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Allan said anyone who protested on October 7 did not want peace in the Middle East or social harmony in Australian cities. “I condemn that behaviour,” she said. “It shouldn’t be occurring, and those who are choosing to mark this day with protest clearly are not acting in the interests of peace or supporting our great multicultural state.

“Behaving this way on the anniversary of the biggest single loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust on October 7, 2023, is deeply disrespectful, it is deeply inappropriate.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns said police would have no tolerance for hateful or intimidatory behaviour. “There is no place for anyone celebrating terrorism,” he said. “What happened on October 7 was a brutal terrorist attack, and no one should glorify or excuse that kind of violence.”

Albanese said it would be a sombre day for Jewish Australians. The date will be commemorated privately by observant Jews, who have postponed public events until after the Sukkot holidays.

Zionist Federation president Jeremy Leibler said any protests held on October 7 were a glorification of murder and abduction.

“This protest is nothing but a disgraceful celebration of Hamas’ October 7 massacre of 1200 people in Israel,” he said of the planned Melbourne event. “It is not about peace or ending the war; it’s about glorifying the murder and hostage-taking of Jews.”

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>>23703699

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Leading Palestinian activist Nasser Mashni said people had a right to mourn the slaughter in Gaza. “To suggest that vigils or protests are ‘inappropriate’ is itself a form of anti-Palestinian racism. What’s inappropriate is our government’s silence and complicity, condemning commemoration while ignoring the ongoing genocide in Palestine,” he said.

In a statement on their website, organisers of the Melbourne protest noted the prime minister and state leaders “offered no words of compassion to the Palestinian community” when they held a vigil last year.

Two weeks after Australia formally recognised Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly, Albanese and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley will mark the anniversary with speeches to parliament that outline the political divisions on the war in Gaza, although both leaders support US President Donald Trump’s peace plan.

On Monday, Albanese took aim at Greens leader Larissa Waters for linking anti-Jewish hatred of the kind that motivated last week’s fatal attack on worshippers at a Manchester synagogue in Britain to the Australian government’s refusal to sanction Israel for suspected war crimes in Gaza.

During an interview with the ABC Insiders program, Waters was repeatedly questioned about the Yom Kippur attack that left two Jewish people dead and three seriously injured in hospital and the rise of antisemitism in Australia. In response, she kept deflecting to Australia’s position on the war.

Albanese said he was stunned by Waters’ response, which he described as “undignified and not worthy of a senator”.

While the Coalition is also critical of Waters, Ley’s speech to be delivered on Tuesday will take aim at the Albanese government for failing to stand with Israeli people and its own Jewish citizens.

“We have allowed hateful harassment and division to take root, and we have imported conflict from overseas onto our streets and into our communities,” Ley will say. “To our great shame, we have allowed unending and divisive vilification of Australia’s Jewish community.”

In his address on Tuesday, Albanese will remember the Australian killed on October 7, Galit Carbone, whose brother is due to watch the speeches in parliament.

“Two years on, we remember all those who were lost on that day, the largest loss of Jewish life on any single day since the Holocaust,” Albanese will say, according to an advance copy of his speech, calling for a ceasefire and release of hostages.

The prime minister’s special envoy on antisemitism, Jillian Segal, this year reported that a “wave of hate” had crashed over Jewish people since October 7, 2023, particularly those working in academia, creative industries and media.

There are further national protests planned for next weekend, to mark “two years of genocide” since the war in Gaza began.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/pm-says-october-7-not-a-day-for-demonstrations-ahead-of-anniversary-rallies-20251006-p5n0f2.html

>>23691985

>>23691998

>>23703699

Protesters seek genocide declaration in Opera House fight

JAMES DOWLING - 7 October 2025

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Pro-Palestinian activists are demanding the NSW Supreme Court make a ruling on whether Israel is committing genocide 14,000km away in Gaza, while holding out the possibility of ­protesting at the Opera House ­regardless of a court decision of its legality.

As anti-Israel marches took place across the country on the two-year anniversary of the October 7 terror attacks, the Palestine Action Group left the door open to taking its demand to march at the Opera House all the way to the High Court.

Speaking ahead of the second hearing in their case against the police commissioner, representatives of the Palestine Action Group seized on comments by ­Supreme Court judge Desmond Fagan last Friday that the wider populace was “highly inflamed about … what is taking place in Gaza”. The activists are calling on the Supreme Court to make a formal finding that genocide is taking place in Gaza.

The group called on NSW Premier Chris Minns to light the sails of the Opera House in the colours of the Palestinian flag, which would represent an inversion of his decision after October 7, 2023 to project the Israeli flag upon it in solidarity with victims of the Hamas terror attacks.

While the loss of the court case would mean activists would lose a suite of legal protections and ­potentially face criminal charges upon congregating, protesters cannot technically be totally banned from demonstrating. PAG organiser Damian Ridgwell said he did not want to “presuppose the decision of the Supreme Court” by confirming whether the protest would go ahead at the Opera House regardless of the verdict, but said a march of some form on October 12 was inevitable.

Barrister James Emmett SC, appearing for the police commissioner, and the PAG’s representatives on Tuesday pushed the matter to be referred straight to the Court of Appeal to streamline proceedings after foreshadowing part of the case would be fought on constitutional grounds that needed the input of state and territory attorneys-general.

The case was adjourned until Wednesday morning and moved to the Court of Appeal. The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies also sought to join the proceedings as an intervener to speak on the distress a demonstration would cause, while the police commissioner argued the Opera House Trust should be joined as a party to the proceedings.

PAG solicitor Nick Hanna said: “If the police application is conceded to, the ramifications for the right to protest in Australia will not be confined to the Opera House, but for a wide variety of protest activities. The consequences of this case will be worn by a wide variety of groups, whatever you want to protest about.”

The legal conflict facing the court stems from how the right to freedom of assembly sits alongside legal provisions protecting the Opera House. Mr Hanna would not be drawn on whether PAG would take its case to the High Court if unsuccessful.

Supreme Court judge Ian Harrison pointed to the time pressure on the proceedings and the interest in their timely management.

“You’d have to live in a vacuum not to be aware of the significant public importance of these proceedings to all members of the community,” Justice Harrison said. “Significant among matters that inform the way in which this matter is dealt with is the urgency of it and I’m not critical of the fact that proceedings effectively commenced on Friday and we have an end date of next Sunday, requiring a decision one way or the other.”

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The coming protest has been criticised for mirroring the contentious October 9, 2023, Opera House protest, where an Israeli flag was set alight and the conduct of demonstrators prompted a NSW Police investigation.

“It is entirely appropriate as a venue for people to march to show solidarity with the victims of Israel’s genocide and to oppose war and occupation,” Mr Ridgwell said outside court.

“We’ll be asking the Supreme Court to take into account the fact that Israel is committing a genocide. Our lawyers believe it is ­pertinent to this case that Israel is committing a genocide, because it highlights why it’s so urgent and imperative that the community (has a) right to demonstrate.”

An argument broke out ­between a lone pro-Israeli activist and pro-Palestine demonstrators outside the Supreme Court after Tuesday’s proceedings when the man interjected to question whether the planned protest would be peaceful.

Justice Fagan said the march could lead to “disaster” if anywhere between 10,000 and 100,000 “strongly motivated people” attempted to converge on the Opera House forecourt.

Plans for protests at Sydney’s landmarks have accelerated since a Harbour Bridge march in August, despite Mr Minns warning activists it was not “open season” for such demonstrations. A second bridge march planned by a loose coalition of anti-vaxxers, sovereign citizens and Covid conspiracy theorists was diverted in September after police took it to court.

Academic Greg Craven has argued the March for Humanity makes large-scale protests more credible in court disputes with police, hailing it as “one of the craziest legal achievements that I’ve seen in my life”.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/protesters-seek-genocide-declaration-in-opera-house-fight/news-story/f27539e92753920cba866a13783b3c99

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When asked if the graffiti would be treated as an act of terrorism, Marles said he was unsure but added that he had no doubt it would be looked into.

“Hamas is a terrorist organisation,” he said. “Hamas was responsible for the terror attack which occurred two years ago on this day, in which 1200 innocent people lost their lives … a message of that kind scrawled on this day is deeply disgraceful.”

“I certainly think that there are people in our society today who do feel threatened, and I think that … is very much a matter of concern to the government. We are doing everything in our power to stand by the Jewish community as they face acts of antisemitism.

“We need to be a country which looks out for each other, and part of being a multicultural society, with all the diversity and richness that comes with that, must also be an accompanying care that we have for each other, and this [billboard] is a message of division.

“This is not a message which is designed to provide for the care of others within our community. And that is in part why this is absolutely a disgraceful message to have at any moment, but particularly on this day.”

Vandals accused of turning Australians against each other

Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said the graffiti attacks were revealing of a “vicious streak” running through Australia.

“It’s as despicable as it is predictable,” he said.

“I believe we’re overwhelmingly a decent people and a decent country, but there are those among us who revel in bloodshed and who support terrorism, and it’s something which I think should shock all Australians.”

“It should make us resolute and united in fighting because it’s just utterly contemptible that there’s an element in our society that thinks this way and also acts on it.”

Ryvchin said those responsible for the vandalism were intent on dividing society, adding that this sort of behaviour had become normalised.

“I tend to think that the people who do this know exactly what they’re doing,” he said. “They want to provoke reaction. They want to turn one group of Australians against another … this sort of behaviour has become routine, and it’s become normalised, and to a large extent, there’s a great impunity that goes with it. There’s very little legal consequences, there’s very little social consequences, and it won’t simply evaporate tomorrow.”

Allan said the words scrawled on the Fitzroy billboard were hateful and not a representation of the state’s “great multicultural society”.

“It has no place, and it’s even more hateful on a day where we stand in support of a Jewish community that is grieving the second anniversary of the single biggest loss of Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust,” Allan said. “I condemn it in the strongest possible terms.”

Opposition Leader Brad Battin said: “Graffiti glorifying a terrorist organisation has no place in our community. On this day especially, it’s disgraceful. I stand with Victoria’s Jewish community and remember those who lost their lives in the October 7 attacks.”

Caulfield MP David Southwick said the words plastered on the billboard were triggering for members of Australia’s Jewish community.

“To have people glorifying a terrorist organisation in Melbourne, it’s just beyond belief,” Southwick told ABC Melbourne.

“We’ve got laws – they need to be used. Nobody should be doing this … it’s shameful in terms of how the Jewish community has been targeted over the last two years. And something needs to be done. Words are not good enough from our leaders. They’ve actually got to get out and do something.”

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/vandals-scrawl-antisemitic-graffiti-on-fitzroy-billboard-20251007-p5n0jz.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btuGsWwvQ00

>>23648197

>>23665705

>>23665727

>>23675053

>>23680217

Anthony Albanese reveals he received 'lovely' letter from White House ahead of Donald Trump meeting

Daniel Jeffrey - Oct 7, 2025

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he isn't feeling at all nervous about this month's visit to the White House to meet US President Donald Trump.

While some world leaders have been subjected to an Oval Office ambush this year – most infamously Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky – Albanese said he wasn't concerned about his October 20 meeting, pointing to a "quite lovely" letter he received from the Trump administration.

"Not at all," he said when asked if he was nervous about the meeting on Today this morning.

"I've had really warm discussions with President Trump and I received a quite lovely letter, I've got to say, of invitation to attend the White House."

While the US under Trump has pressured Australia to increase its level of defence spending, Albanese is expected to receive good defence news ahead of his visit, with a Pentagon review expected to lock in the future of the AUKUS deal, despite earlier concerns the pact might have been on the chopping block.

"Our defence and security relationship is so important through the AUKUS agreements," Albanese said.

"I've just been in the UK talking with Prime Minister (Sir Keir) Starmer and the Defence Minister (John) Healey and others there as well, about how important that is."

The prime minister will also be armed with a good-news story of his own making for his trip to Washington, following the signing of a defence agreement with Papua New Guinea that will limit China's ability to gain a military foothold in the largest Pacific Islands nation.

"It's a fantastic deal, as Prime Minister (James) Marape put it in this very corridor here just yesterday, the idea of one fence, two neighbours," Albanese said.

"And it really strengthens the national sovereignty of both of our countries.

"It is our first alliance in more than seven decades, so it's a very big deal.

"It says that should there be a common threat, we will combine our efforts to defend our respective nations and help each other out."

But ahead of the diplomatic visit, Albanese was also keen to push an economic message as well.

He pointed to the US's trade surplus with Australia – a clear and obvious reminder directed to the White House, where Trump has railed against nations with which Washington has a trade deficit.

"We have an important economic relationship as well," Albanese said.

"They're major investors here in Australia, America enjoys a trade surplus with Australia."

https://www.9news.com.au/national/anthony-albanese-latter-white-house-donald-trump-meeting/506dc901-6729-4e52-90c4-3e292b8adf51

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US supreme court declines to hear Ghislaine Maxwell’s appeal of sex-trafficking conviction

Jeffrey Epstein associate was sentenced in 2022 to 20 years in prison for sex trafficking and related crimes

Edward Helmore - 7 Oct 2025

The US supreme court has declined to hear an appeal from the Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell of her sex-trafficking conviction.

The decision brings an end to Maxwell’s legal effort to have her 2021 conviction on sex-trafficking charges overturned – and leaves presidential clemency as her only option for early release from a 20-year prison sentence handed to her in 2022.

“We’re, of course, deeply disappointed that the Supreme Court declined to hear Ghislaine Maxwell’s case,” Maxwell’s lawyer, David Oscar Markus, said in a statement to CNN. “But this fight isn’t over. Serious legal and factual issues remain, and we will continue to pursue every avenue available to ensure that justice is done.”

She was also transferred to a lower-security federal facility in Texas.

Monday’s US supreme court ruling follows a decision by the New York-based second US circuit court of appeals last year that found Epstein’s non-prosecution agreement in Florida did not bind prosecutors in New York – and it let Maxwell’s conviction and sentence stand.

The decision by the supreme court to deny her appeal was issued without comment. It also offers a reprieve to Donald Trump, who has been under pressure from disclosures by a congressional oversight committee looking into the case and has struggled to contain a scandal over the president’s past friendship with Epstein.

In September, the committee released content from Epstein’s 50th birthday album, complete with a sexually suggestive entry attributed to Trump that the White House has claimed is fraudulent.

Trump later filed a defamation claim against the Wall Street Journal – which first reported on the greeting.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said the White House would welcome expert handwriting analysis and called the Epstein case generally “a hoax” meant to distract from the administration’s achievements during Trump’s second presidency.

But critics say the Trump administration has failed to fulfil a promise to release all of the federal government’s documentation on Epstein. He has also stoked controversy by saying he is “allowed” to give Maxwell a pardon or commute her sentence under his presidential powers – although he has also maintained “it’s something I have not thought about”.

The Epstein-Maxwell conspiracy continues to swirl through corridors of power and society.

In September, Peter Mandelson, British ambassador to the US, was abruptly recalled after leaked emails showed his friendship with Epstein continued long after the financier’s Florida guilty plea. Mandelson called Epstein his “best pal” in one exchange.

Starmer said Mandelson had been properly vetted before his appointment.

Sources close to Mandelson say that his dismissal, coming days before a lavish state visit to the UK by Trump and US first lady Melania Trump, had earned Starmer “a bitter enemy”.

Lauren Hersh, national director of World Without Exploitation, a group representing the rights of sex-trafficking victims, said on Monday’s decision: “We are obviously happy to see the denial of Ghislaine Maxwell’s appeal.”

Hersh’s statement said jurors “spoke loud and clear about how, for decades, Maxwell caused such devastating harm to so many women and girls”.

“We’re heartened that she was rightfully not given leniency for her heinous crimes.”

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/06/ghislaine-maxwell-supreme-court-appeal

https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24-1073.html

https://www.realghislaine.com/media

>>23706825

Donald Trump says he would consider a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell

Nick Pearson - Oct 7, 2025

US President Donald Trump said he would "take a look" at a pardon for convicted sex trafficker and his long-time friend Ghislaine Maxwell.

The president was asked today whether he would consider a pardon after Maxwell's appeal to the Supreme Court was rejected today.

The rejection means Maxwell's only hope for freedom would be a pardon from the president.

Trump appeared to be unaware that Maxwell's appeal bid was knocked back when in the Oval Office.

"You know, I haven't heard the name in so long. I can say this, that I'd have to take a look at it. I would have to take a look," he said.

"I'll take a look at it. I will speak to the DOJ (Department of Justice).

"I wouldn't consider it or not consider, I don't know anything about it."

He then brought up Sean "Diddy" Combs, another acquaintance convicted of sex crimes.

"I have a lot of people have asked me for pardons. I call him Puff Daddy, (he) has asked me for a pardon," Trump said.

Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison term after being found guilty of sex trafficking a teenage girl.

Earlier this year, she was moved from a low-security federal prison in Florida to a minimum-security prison camp in Texas after she was interviewed in July by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.

Maxwell and Trump were long-time friends, along with her partner Jeffrey Epstein.

Presidents have the legal authority to pardon or grant clemency to anyone in a federal prison.

Meanwhile, Republicans in the House of Representatives have refused to swear in a newly elected Democratic congresswoman.

Typically, new representatives are sworn in the day after winning their election.

But a fortnight after winning a special election in Arizona's 7th congressional district in a landslide, Adelita Grijalva has not been sworn in.

Democrats in the House are tying the delay to a crucial vote on the release of the Epstein files.

If 218 signatures from representatives are filed on a discharge petition, the House will have to vote on requiring the Trump administration to release all files related to Epstein.

There are currently 217 signatures on the petition, and Grijalva would be the 218th.

Since Grijalva's election, the Republican Speaker Mike Johnson has cancelled all votes in the House.

"This is all about a continuation of the Epstein cover-up," top Democrat Jim McGovern said.

"They're not bringing us back primarily because they're afraid of the discharge petition, you know, and getting the clock started to move a vote on the Epstein files."

Grijalva said the delay was "suspicious".

"You know, I really am not a conspiracy theorist–type of person in general," she told MSNBC.

"I try to come up with, like, 'What is the most plausible reason why this would be happening?'

"And respectfully, I can come up with nothing else."

Johnson said he will swear in Grijalva when Congress returns to a regular session.

After making that promise, he declared this week a "district work period", sending members of Congress home.

https://www.9news.com.au/world/ghislaine-maxwell-pardon-donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-files-adelita-grijalva/faa265c4-a41d-4eaa-96e0-c06830ff201e

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Linda Reynolds launches bankruptcy bid against David Sharaz

PAUL GARVEY - October 06, 2025

Former senator Linda Reynolds has launched bankruptcy proceedings against David Sharaz in the Federal Court, as she pursues the husband of Brittany Higgins for hundreds of thousands of dollars of defamation damages and legal costs.

Federal Court records show Ms Reynolds filed an affidavit and an application for the substituted service of a bankruptcy notice in Western Australia on Monday afternoon. The matter is scheduled for a hearing this month.

Mr Sharaz was Ms Higgins’ partner at the time she went public with allegations that she had been raped by colleague Bruce Lehrmann inside Ms Reynolds’ Parliament House office.

Ms Reynolds sued both Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz for defamation over a subsequent series of social media posts by the pair. Mr Sharaz opted not to defend the action, saying at the time he could not afford to pay legal costs.

Ms Reynolds confirmed she had launched the bankruptcy action after being unable to personally serve the bankruptcy notice on Mr Sharaz.

“The Bankruptcy Act requires Bankruptcy Notices to be personally served on their recipients,” Ms Reynolds said in a statement.

“Predictably Mr Sharaz has refused to accept personal service of the Bankruptcy Notice I had issued to him last week. This has required me to apply to the court for dispensation from the requirements of personal service at a further significant cost to me. Mr Sharaz, Ms Higgins and their associates have long adopted a strategy of driving up my legal costs so this conduct comes as no surprise to me. Despite these tactics I remain resolute in seeing this through to the end.”

The WA Supreme Court last month handed down its decision in Ms Reynolds’ defamation action against Mr Sharaz, ordering him to pay the former senator $92,000 in damages plus legal costs estimated at as much as $500,000.

A bankruptcy declaration could open a path for Ms Reynolds to secure a portion of Mr Sharaz’s future earnings.

Mr Sharaz works alongside Ms Higgins as a director of Sydney public relations firm Third Hemisphere. The couple announced the birth of their first child in March.

The defamation ruling against Mr Sharaz came weeks after the WA Supreme Court also found in favour of Ms Reynolds in her claim against Ms Higgins.

Justice Paul Tottle ordered Ms Higgins to pay her former boss more than $340,000 in damages and interest plus costs.

He also found Ms Higgins had made “objectively untrue and misleading statements” when she first went public with her allegations that Ms Reynolds had engaged in a cover-up of her alleged rape.

Justice Tottle also ordered Ms Higgins to pay 80 per cent of Ms Reynolds’ legal costs, a figure likely to reach more than $1.5m.

Ms Higgins has lodged an ­appeal against the defamation ­decision.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/linda-reynolds-launches-bankruptcy-bid-against-david-sharaz/news-story/3c88aeb36031cb897aa787162df56439

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‘Hamas vandals’ caught on security cameras

DAMON JOHNSTON - 8 October 2025

A gang of anti-Semitic graffiti vandals wearing masks and high-viz vests have been caught by security cameras painting “Glory to Hamas” on a billboard and plastering offensive slogans on a nearby business.

The security footage shows two individuals with large rollers painting “Glory to Hamas” on the billboard at the intersection of Brunswick Street and Alexandra Parade in Fitzroy about 2am. The graffitied billboard was not removed until about ten hours later, around midday.

Detectives from the Yarra Crime Investigation Unit have also released CCTV footage of three offenders attacking a shop on High Street, Northcote, about 1.10am. Police believe the same offenders are responsible for the Fitzroy and Northcote attacks.

Police are also investigating a third anti-Semitic graffiti attack on the wall of a shop on Alexandra Parade in Fitzroy around 2am on Tuesday.

The Australian Federal Police has joined Victoria Police in the investigation into the three attacks which have been condemned by Australian political leaders and Jewish community leaders.

Victoria Police said the graffiti was related to “hate-based commentary associated with the current conflict in the Middle East, as well as showing support for a listed terrorist organisation in Australia”.

Detective Acting Sergeant Travis Jones said the “Glory to Hamas” graffiti attack had been

“devastating for the Jewish community and Victoria Police is fully committed to finding those responsible”.

“This behaviour has zero place in society, with Victoria Police and the AFP working hand-in-hand to locate and charge the culprits,” Det-Sgt Jones said.

“Victoria Police has conducted a series of proactive patrols in recent weeks around Jewish community locations to ensure the community feels safe and supported during the Jewish High Holy Period. This support will continue, with police to remain present at key locations on a weekly basis, in line with the Sabbath period.”

Victoria Police investigates and monitors offences, including graffiti attacks, associated with the Middle East conflict as part of Operation Park. Since the broad operation was launched, police have made 257 arrests and there have been 442 reports relating to antisemitism.

Police said penalties have included unpaid community work, fines, and jail.

Since October 2023, Victoria Police has conducted more than 10,500 patrols within Jewish community locations across the state.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at:

https://www.crimestoppersvic.com.au/

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/hamas-vandals-caught-on-security-cameras/news-story/abee979142762268c3ea43178fd3ca83

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Mr McKenna, under scrutiny from Ms Graham, said security measures would be needed to keep the crowd safe.

“(It would) make sure that that place is not overrun, to make sure that we’re not into a fight with people doing the wrong thing (and) that it’s not a repeat of (the October 9) 2023 (Opera House protest) where they’ve got significant publicity. Some would say good for causes, others would say quite concerning,” Mr McKenna said.

“We’re concerned that people might also bring weapons, flares, other items, prohibited symbols.

“(Even) in this utopian scenario you put to me, I would still say that the Opera House, being such an iconic location … There are people in our society (who) would love an opportunity to do some things at that location because of the media interest.”

He said protest marshals enlisted by PAG provided little comfort to authorities.

“When you get to those larger numbers … I doubt that (they) would make any significant difference whatsoever,” he said.

“Marshals are nice people who are part of the march and can ask people to do certain things at certain times, but they are not crowd management experts. They are not an extra resource. They’re simply people that we can (tell) what we’re doing, and they can filter information.”

Protesters during the Harbour Bridge march on August 3 turned back upon themselves at the request of police, but Mr McKenna said it was not something he would want to replicate, citing “significant and dangerous” risks.

“It was quite a precarious situation,” he said. “Did we manage to do it on the day? Yes. Would we like to try and do that again? No.

“We have experts who have trained internationally on crowd movements, who were really concerned about that decision, and they made the decision based on no other real alternatives.”

James Emmett SC, appearing for the NSW Police Commissioner, questioned the logistics of the protest, after it was suggested protesters could be funnelled past the Opera House in groups of 5000 at a time.

“It’s not clear how but it appears the proposal is that 5000 will be allowed in, and then when all 5000 has been dispersed, the next 5000 will be allowed in,” he said.

“There are strong feelings, including distress, fear and anger on multiple sides of the debate. We don’t just (refer) to those feelings to try to respect them … they are also relevant to the issues before the court. The defendants call them in aid as a reason why this protest is … important, and the plaintiff points to them because they have the capacity to heighten tension or social controversy, which can, in turn increase the risk of unlawful behaviour.

“All of them need to be persuaded, despite that passion, despite that legitimate, understandable, strong feeling, they need to be dispersed. And there is every reason to think that at least some of them may resist that, precisely because that’s what they’ve come there to demonstrate, or to have their feelings heard and seen at the Opera House.”

Legal ramifications

Mr Emmett and Ms Graham on Tuesday called for the matter to be referred straight to the Court of Appeal after foreshadowing that part of the case would be fought on constitutional grounds that needed the input of state and territory attorneys-general.

The case hinges on rights to freedom of assembly and legal provisions protecting the Opera House from unauthorised assembly. Mr Hanna would not be drawn on whether PAG, if unsuccessful, would take its case to the High Court.

PAG solicitor Nick Hanna said a victory for the NSW Police would unconstitutionally restrict a “wide variety of protest activities”.

His activist clients laid out their demands in press conferences before and after Tuesday’s hearing, including that Premier Chris Minns order that the sails of the Opera House be lit in the colours of the Palestinian flag – an inversion of his decision after October 7, 2023, when the Israeli flag was projected on to the building.

(continued)

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The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies joined the proceedings as an intervener on Wednesday to speak on the distress a demonstration would cause, outlining “evidence of risk and escalating fear of violence and anti-Semitism in the Jewish community arising from the planned assembly”.

Ms Graham objected to the JBD’s barrister, Vanessa Whittaker SC, appearing, saying it allowed the court to “be appropriated” in order for “political perspectives (to be) put forward by the court”.

Ms Graham was questioned by Chief Justice Bell on the relevance of the court making a finding of genocide in Gaza as a part of his joint judgment alongside Common Law Chief Judge Ian Harrison and Justice Stephen Free.

“The defendants submit that the court should make the determination (of genocide) and, ultimately, we will be submitting that it is a factor of overwhelming relevance and significance to whether or not the court would exercise the discretion sought to be exercised,” Ms Graham said.

“It goes to the timing. It goes to urgency. The genocide is ongoing. Every day means more people are being killed.”

The protest has been criticised for mirroring the contentious October 9, 2023, Opera House rally at which an Israeli flag was set alight and the conduct of demonstrators prompted a police investigation.

Plans for protests at Sydney’s major landmarks have been stepped up since the march across the Harbour Bridge on August 3, despite Mr Minns warning activists in the aftermath that it was not “open season” for such demonstrations.

NSW Greens upper house MP Sue Higginson watched the proceedings on Wednesday and listened to the discussion of the defendant’s legal team during a brief recess.

'Community tensions

Ms Whittaker referred to an affidavit by Executive Council of Australian Jewry legal head Simone Abel.

“That fear and distress does not arise from the fact of the assembly itself, but primarily from its date and its location,” Ms Whittaker said. “The date being close to the anniversary of the Hamas attack in Israel and the unauthorised protest two days later that took place at the Opera House, (where) putting it neutrally … problematic behaviour took place.

“In the modern age and the modern democracy, it is impossible for either the Jewish community or perhaps any other thinking member of the Sydney community to be oblivious to the consequences, and the tensions, and the heat that can be generated by this kind of conflict or protest.”

Ms Abel’s affidavit argued the Opera House was a “provocative location” and warned if the march was authorised it was “likely to swell in attendees”.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/opera-house-protest-battle-reaches-court-of-appeal/news-story/3be025fd8e56daf3e97243d4911bd863

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmKFFVheC-4

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Gaza tensions, Nazis and nefarious foreign actors spark police overhaul

Paul Sakkal - October 7, 2025

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Australia’s new federal police chief has issued a warning to extremists stoking fears and violence at protests that they are prime targets as she overhauls the national police force to defend democracy from the chaos generated by both radical actors and rogue states such as Iran.

As debate erupted on the October 7 anniversary during her first week as the AFP’s top officer, Krissy Barrett said the Hamas attacks – and Israel’s response, labelled a genocide by the United Nations – triggered a steep rise in cases driven by ideological hatred.

“We are putting these groups on notice,” Barrett said in an interview at the force’s Canberra headquarters. “The way some of these groups are physically presenting at protests is causing fear.”

“You’re on our radar … and we will be using all of our capabilities, partnerships and technological capabilities to protect the social cohesion of this country.”

Barrett, who on Monday replaced Reece Kershaw as Australia’s top cop, said her agency was shifting gears from simple enforcement of federal laws to tackling threats fuelled by everything from far-right conspiracy theories to the online radicalisation of children as young as 13, and foreign states using encrypted apps and criminals to weaponise antisemitism and social unrest.

Her first order of business is to launch national security investigation squads to work with Five Eyes partners and state police to monitor Nazi groups and other radicals, including those activated by the war in Gaza. These groups are not yet engaging in terrorist acts but are potentially breaching new hate crime laws that hand the AFP a new set of nefarious actors to target.

Barrett said the AFP was spending far more time protecting Canberra’s national landmarks from defacement and dealing with more threats to politicians. A Queensland man was charged this week with threatening to kill Albanese on social media.

“These threats are real,” the prime minister said on Monday. “We have seen in other countries, in the United States, in the United Kingdom, we have seen public figures, whether they be politicians or other public figures, targeted.”

Barrett said local activists were increasingly destroying property and targeting businesses based on their owners’ religion.

“More and more since October 7, we are seeing what’s happening to social cohesion in Australia and the emerging prevalence of what we describe as hate crimes,” she said.

“It’s fear, it’s hatred, it’s humiliation.”

“Conflict, not just the Middle East, Ukraine, Russia, geopolitical instability, it’s all reverberating here in Australia, and we’re seeing some of that play out on our streets.”

(continued)

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Previously the deputy commissioner tasked with overseeing national security, Barrett unveiled a new mission statement in her address to staff on Monday, which tied the force even closer to the intelligence community.

Instructing her troops to “defend and protect Australia and Australia’s future from domestic and global security threats”, she spelled out the brief to shift the AFP’s emphasis from drugs and terrorism to emerging criminal threats to Australian sovereignty and democracy.

State governments in Australia have typically been reluctant to enforce laws around violent rhetoric and hate speech, but the AFP will now play a co-ordinating role to ensure such laws are prosecuted.

The force is already investigating the appearance of “Glory to Hamas” and “Glory to the martyrs” graffiti daubed on Melbourne billboards on Tuesday, as plans for anniversary protests triggered a legal challenge in Sydney.

Both Barrett, the first woman to lead the force, and her ASIO counterpart Mike Burgess have spoken of the challenges of policing the blurred lines between criminal activity and terrorism, displayed by the summer outbreak of antisemitic crimes that was revealed in August to have been funded by the anti-Israel state of Iran.

Highlighting the growing intersection between criminality and foreign attacks on Australia’s social fabric, this masthead reported in August that Melbourne tobacco wars kingpin Kazem Hamad was suspected of working with the Iranians.

Barrett, in her speech to staff on Monday, alluded to Hamad’s alleged role in the synagogue attack and said she would refocus the force’s illicit tobacco policing to thwart profits going on to fund social unrest.

“The change in the geopolitical and criminal environment requires the AFP to pivot to a different posture,” she said in remarks provided to this masthead.

“We are in a region facing intense strategic competition, and we are witnessing nation states that are much more willing to test the resolve of democracies.

“States are using criminal proxies to destabilise adversaries.”

Barrett added that the security environment was becoming more dangerous due to the threat of cyber warfare, where Australia’s main rival was China.

Last year, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and her Japanese, US and Indian counterparts fast-tracked cybersecurity measures across the Pacific to counter China, although Wong would not identify the superpower by name when unveiling new defences.

Opposition acting home affairs spokesman James Paterson said the Albanese government had been extremely slow to give the AFP the brief to counter the more dangerous environment.

“It should not have taken two years since the atrocities of 7 October and the horrific antisemitism it unleashed in Australia for the government to finally institutionalise their response to this crisis,” he said.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/gaza-tensions-nazis-and-nefarious-foreign-actors-spark-police-overhaul-20251007-p5n0k1.html

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US Senate committee questions Trump's Pentagon nominee John Noh over AUKUS review

Brad Ryan - 8 October 2025

The AUKUS submarine pact may need "commonsense" action from both Australia and the US to make it more "sustainable", Donald Trump's nominee to oversee US defence strategy in the Indo-Pacific has said.

But John Noh gave few specifics when questioned by the US Senate's Armed Services Committee, saying he did not want to pre-empt the Pentagon's ongoing review of the Australia-UK-US pact.

Mr Noh was asked for his assessment of AUKUS, including its first "pillar" to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines, at his confirmation hearing for the role of assistant secretary of defence for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs.

He said there were "commonsense things that we can do to strengthen AUKUS".

"I don't want to get ahead of both Under Secretary [Elbridge] Colby and Secretary [Pete] Hegseth because the review is ongoing," Mr Noh said.

"As the findings of the review come out, I believe Under Secretary Colby and Secretary Hegseth will have an opportunity to discuss specific recommendations.

"My personal view is that there are things that we, as in both the United States and Australia with the United Kingdom, can do to strengthen pillar one and make it more sustainable."

The review, which was revealed in June but which Mr Noh said did not begin until July, is examining whether the pact meets the president's "America First" agenda.

Both Democratic and Republican members of the committee — which strongly backs AUKUS — expressed frustration with the review and the US's recent treatment of Australia and other Indo-Pacific allies, which have been hit with tariffs and pressured to lift defence spending.

Committee chairman Roger Wicker, a Republican, said the review came as a "distressing surprise to our steadfast ally Australia".

"I'm disappointed with some of the decisions the department has made with respect to our allies in Japan, South Korea, Australia and Taiwan," Senator Wicker said.

"A few of these choices have left me scratching my head."

Democratic senator Jeanne Shaheen said: "What kind of message does it send to our ally Australia that after they have committed significant contributions to AUKUS that we are still fooling around … with a review that should have been done months ago?"

Recent reports in the US and Asia have suggested the pact is safe, and the Australian government has expressed confidence the submarine deal will continue.

But there are persistent concerns about America's capability to produce enough Virginia-class submarines to supply its own fleet — a necessary prerequisite to its pledge to provide between three and five to Australia.

Mr Noh pointed to America's need to increase its current production rate from 1.2 submarines a year to 2.33 a year to meet its shipbuilding targets and deliver on AUKUS.

"These are the issues … that we are looking into as part of the AUKUS review, as well as whether it's properly funded," he said.

He said the review, which he described as a "brass tacks, commonsense look at the realities facing AUKUS", would conclude "by this fall". The fall, or autumn, in the US started on September 22 and ends on December 21.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is scheduled to meet Mr Trump for talks in Washington on October 20, their first proper meeting since their respective election wins.

Under the current terms of the AUKUS pact, the first American submarine would arrive in Australia no earlier than 2032.

Eventually, the US would supply Australia with between three and five Virginia-class submarines, before Australia began building its own AUKUS-class submarines.

Australia has committed to pay $US2 billion ($3 billion) to the US by the end of the year to boost the American shipbuilding industry. More than half has already been paid.

The deal is projected to cost Australia up to $368 billion in total.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-08/trump-pentagon-nominee-john-noh-questioned-on-aukus/105864552

High Court backs use of encrypted app to monitor crime figures after challenge by bikies

Elizabeth Byrne - 8 October 2025

The High Court has backed new laws supporting the use of the AN0M app, used by police to monitor crime figures.

The ruling is set to clear the way for other prosecutions where material gathered by the app is critical to the case.

The laws were challenged by two South Australian men who were charged with being members of the Comanchero bikie gang.

The men have now pleaded guilty to participating in a criminal organisation, with one entering his plea shortly after today's High Court ruling, and the other admitting to the charge yesterday.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years, while other charges against the men have been dropped.

The pair initially took aim at prosecutors, by trying to have information thrown out that had been gathered against them via the app.

Without that information, there would likely have been no case.

Their appeals to local courts fell flat, but before the High Court could hear the case, the government changed laws to back in legal support for the use of AN0M.

By the time the High Court heard the case, it had morphed into two cases: one challenging the gathering of the material from AN0M and a special case challenging the new laws.

The men argued the new regime breached the constitution through an impermissible exercise of power by the Commonwealth, which also impaired the institutional integrity of the courts.

But, in a unanimous decision, the High Court ruled that was not the case.

"Those provisions do no more than reflect the law," the judgment said.

On the original case lodged with the court — about the gathering of the material using AN0M — the full bench found it was a moot point and decided not to hear the case.

App unwittingly recommended

AN0M was developed by the Australian Federal Police, and used in Operation Ironside, which also involved the FBI and others.

The app began to circulate among criminal elements, encouraged by people the police identified as "criminal influencers", who unwittingly recommended the devices.

To many, it looked like the perfect solution for sending encrypted messages.

Instead, police were monitoring communications for more than three years between 2018 and 2021, when the first arrests occurred.

It was a complicated system, where messages were copied as they were sent, and collected by a separate server.

That server sent it to another server, dubbed iBot, and that re-transmitted the copied message to a server in Sydney, which gave police access.

The app had collected about 28 million messages, including 19 million relating to Australia.

It had been a nervous wait for law enforcement bodies, with hundreds of prosecutions at stake.

Today's ruling has clarified that the material from AN0M can be used.

SA prosecutions to proceed

South Australia's Attorney-General Kyam Maher said the prosecution could now go ahead for about 115 South Australians accused of a range of crimes, including drug-related and firearm-related offences.

"We'll see over the next 18 months these people prosecuted," he said.

"What this does, this sends a pretty clear message that if you're involved in these sorts of activities, there is a good chance you're going to get caught, a good chance you're going to get prosecuted, and held to account.

"Authorities are doing everything that is possible to keep South Australians safe."

The two men at the centre of the High Court challenge will be back in court in December to be sentenced.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-08/high-court-endorses-afp-anom-app-in-bikie-legal-challenge/105865330

https://qresear.ch/?q=an0m

https://qresear.ch/?q=anom

https://qresear.ch/?q=operation+ironside

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We’ve seen previous ceasefire agreements fall apart – most recently in March when Netanyahu resumed bombing Gaza rather than negotiate an end to the war. Trump let him get away with it then. This time, the president appears more determined to apply pressure and broker peace.

Trump’s tough-guy persona, which often wilts in the face of strongmen like Vladimir Putin, appears to be holding with Netanyahu – for now. “He’s got to be fine with it. He has no choice. With me, you got to be fine,” Trump told the Axios website, explaining how he had encouraged Netanyahu to agree to the deal. And he has form in following through. In June, Trump forced Netanyahu to call off planned Israeli strikes on Iran that threatened to destroy a ceasefire deal he had proudly brokered.

In another important difference from the previous ceasefires, crucial Arab countries like Qatar, Egypt and Jordan have rallied together to pressure Hamas to stop fighting and give up power in Gaza. The militant group is weary and depleted after two years of war.

This, of course, is only phase one of a planned potential peace deal. The agreement announced on Thursday makes no mention of the process for Hamas to lay down its arms or for Israel to hand over power to an international peacekeeping force. These issues will be even more difficult to resolve than the components of the first phase of the deal.

The Jenga tower of Trump’s 20-point peace plan will certainly wobble and could fall apart, propelling the war into its third year. But we could maybe, just maybe, be on the precipice of a historic breakthrough: the beginning of the end of the war. It is hard to imagine an achievement more worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize, even if Trump is not the winner when this year’s award is announced on Friday.

Blind faith would be irrational, but so would despair. Hope can be a dangerous thing, especially in the Middle East, but an essential one too.

https://www.theage.com.au/world/middle-east/a-moment-of-hope-breaks-the-despair-of-the-gaza-war-thanks-to-donald-trump-20251009-p5n1b0.html

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115340993884364431

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5OKlTeAReY

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‘Terrible cost for the world’: Taiwan must not fall, warns Scott Morrison

BEN PACKHAM and JOE KELLY - 9 October 2025

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Scott Morrison has warned abandoning Taiwan to the Chinese Communist Party would amount to “appeasement”, urging the West and its partners to rapidly boost military spending and prepare their societies for conflict while Donald Trump’s presence in the White House deters Chinese President Xi Jinping from invading the self-governed territory.

The former prime minister and architect of the AUKUS submarine pact said if China was able to seize Taiwan, it would come at a “terrible cost” for the world, banishing US forces from East Asia and providing Beijing with a “springboard” to project military power into the Pacific.

His comments, in a speech to a Taiwanese defence think tank on Wednesday, followed warnings from Australia’s top national security official, Andrew Shearer, that the security environment was rapidly deteriorating as China and other authoritarian regimes sought to “distract and divide us … and chip away at our resolve”.

The US congress also sounded a bipartisan call on Wednesday (AEST) for America and its allies to stand firm against Chinese coercion, amid questions by a senior Republican senator on whether the US could rely on Australian support in the event of a Taiwan contingency.

Anthony Albanese has been determined to stabilise Australia’s ties with Beijing after the tensions of the Morrison years, and has pointedly resisted US calls for the nation to pre-commit to defending Taiwan from Chinese aggression. But Mr Morrison said he was concerned that many in the West ­believed it was “better not to poke the dragon”.

“This should be understood as appeasement,” he said, arguing it was important to “be clear about what is at stake”.

This would include the pushing back of US forces to the “second island chain” beyond the Philippine Sea, Mr Morrison said, “diminishing their ability to provide an effective security counterbalance”.

He said Beijing could then project power into the region, “pushing missile arcs deep into the western Pacific” and exposing more states to routine coercion.

Mr Morrison said he believed Mr Xi’s 2027 deadline for his military forces to be ready to take Taiwan was likely to pass without incident, arguing “the presence of President Trump of itself is likely to deter any hasty action by President Xi in the short term”.

“However, that only takes us to the end of 2028,” he said.

“The task now therefore is to take advantage of potential extra time and get on with the work of resilience and deterrence.”

He said if Taiwan – which lies at the heart of the West’s dominance of the global semiconductor industry – were to fall to China, “there would not be a corner of the globe that would be unaffected”.

“Failure by the US and its allies to prevent or reverse the seizure of Taiwan leads regional states to accept PRC (People’s Republic of China) primacy and even hegemony in the region,” Mr Morrison said.

“This in turn creates a more conducive environment for the spread of autocratic and authoritarian regimes in the region, under the PRC’s shelter.

“Further afield we also cannot ignore the encouragement this would give to autocratic regimes such as Russia, Iran and many more to chance their arm.”

He added that the economic consequences of a full Chinese invasion of Taiwan “would make the global Covid-19 shutdown look like a sneeze”.

(continued)

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Mr Morrison, whose government was slapped with $20bn worth of trade bans by Beijing, said he made his comments as a former head of government “who experienced the PRC’s coercion and intimidation first hand”.

Mr Albanese, in contrast, talked up his personal relationship with Mr Xi during his July trip to China, saying he had no reason not to trust the autocratic leader.

A US congressional committee heard on Wednesday (AEST) that the Chinese navy’s surprise live-fire drill off Australia’s coast earlier this year and its circumnavigation of the continent was an attempt to “intimidate Australia”.

Democratic senator for Delaware Chris Coons, the ranking member of the Senate foreign relations subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and international cybersecurity policy, warned that China was trying to “change the facts on the ground in the Indo-Pacific, just as (Vladimir) Putin did with Crimea in 2014”.

“They’re hoping they can salami slice their way into asserting control of the region and forcing the United States out,” he said.

“If we don’t change course, if we continue to dole out concessions to China and look the other way as they change facts on the ground, we may well lose the fight for the century.”

Senator Coons and the Republican chair of the subcommittee, Pete Ricketts, said Australia had been one of the nations in the Indo-Pacific subjected to Beijing’s more aggressive “ICAD (illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive) activities”.

Senator Coons said the circumnavigation of Australia by a large Chinese naval task group was “an enormous show of force intended to intimidate Australia”.

But in a discussion on Taiwan, former US defence attache to Australia Raymond Powell told the committee that Australia was “not the 51st state and does not necessarily sign up to everything that we decide to do even though they have been extraordinarily consistent in supporting US operations throughout the decades”.

Republican senator for Texas John Cornyn said that after speaking to Australian parliamentarians he had come to “question who might join us” in any “collective defence of Taiwan that the United States was involved in”.

“Who can we rely on, besides ourselves?” he asked.

Addressing a Senate estimates hearing in Canberra this week, Mr Shearer, the Office of National Intelligence director-general, said grey zone conflict was now “central to strategic rivalry in the global struggle between a new axis of authoritarian powers and democracies”.

“Cyber attacks, political interference, disinformation, economic coercion and the use of paramilitary and proxy forces to pressure and intimidate are now routine,” he said.

“These methods exploit our openness and restraint. They are hard to counter, and the objectives are clear: to weaken ­cohesion within democracies such as Australia, and between allies, and to make the world safer for authoritarianism.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/terrible-cost-for-the-world-taiwan-must-not-fall-warns-scott-morrison/news-story/374c5f0e4e6f9090fcfdf91bcae503e5

https://www.scottmorrison.com.au/speeches/taipeisecuritydialogue2025

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US Marines bid farewell to ‘unprecedented’ time in Darwin but taking NT toughness with them

Marine Rotation Force - Commander Colonel Jason Armas said the last six months shows the strength of the bond between Australia and the US.

Lottie Hood - October 8, 2025

As thousands of US Marines leave the Top End, their Colonel said they were taking a Northern Territory training souvenir home with them.

At the RAAF Base Darwin on Wednesday, many of the 2,500 Marine Rotation Force Darwin (MRF-D) bid farewell to the Territory after a “fantastic” busy six-month rotation.

Speaking with media before their flight, Marine Rotation Force - Commander Colonel Jason Armas said it has been an “unprecedented” rotation due to the scale and number of exercises the Marines were able to carry out in the Northern Territory alongside the Australian Defence Force.

He said the strong relationships built between Australia and US forces during that time help bring “stability” to the region and strengthens their joint skills.

Colonel Armas also said he had learnt tough takes on a whole new meaning in the NT and he was determined to take that “grit, resilience and toughness” back with them to Southern California.

“It has been just an incredible experience for all the Marines and sailors of the rotational force throughout this summer,” Colonel Armas said.

“Any opportunity we have to exercise with other partners and allies gives a different perspective, different ways of doing things and we can learn from each other and that is an absolute benefit.

“It enhances our interoperability to the point where we’re interchangeable.

“It shows growth and what I truly believe is it brings that stability to the Indo Pacific.”

Throughout their time in the Northern Territory, the MRF-D and ADF forces participated together in a wide range of activities in the Northern Territory and Queensland over the last six months.

These included Exercise Talisman Sabre which saw 30,000 military personnel from 19 nations participate in one of Australia’s largest ever war games exercise.

They also teamed up with allies and carried out complex exercises in the Philippines, Japan Indonesia, New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea.

But it was not just the exercises that Colonel Armas said Marines enjoyed in the Territory.

Lifelong memories were also made through attending special events like Barunga Festival and taking part in various football and rugby events.

Colonel Jason C. Armas said Marines also carried out around 3,000 hours of community service alongside ADF and that as a result, Marines and sailors know “Saint Vinnies quite well” now.

“For me and for the Marine Corps it is a priority for us to continue our training here in Australia and then start to move and evolve that training forward,” he said.

“This has been an incredible experience and we look forward to continuing the rotation as we move forward with it.

“It epitomises strength of the relationship between Australia and the US and it continues to grow and expand.”

ADF Northern Command, Group Captain, Melissa Neilson, said it seemed like only yesterday they were welcoming their 14th rotation of US visitors.

“The MT Program continues to get stronger every year and epitomises the strong relationship that Australia and the US do have and our deep engagement in that Indo Pacific,” she said.

“What is perhaps less tangible is relationships.

“The friendships that we have formed and we will continue to knowing we have a number of Marines that are returning on multiple deployments.

“It is the strong friendship that is based on neutral trust, respect, and loyalty that really sets us up for success into the future.”

https://www.ntnews.com.au/news/us-marines-bid-farewell-to-unprecedented-time-in-darwin-but-taking-nt-toughness-with-them/news-story/b7d3865a1d544e302811d714584e10a3

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Venezuela’s Maria Corina Machado wins Nobel Peace Prize, sparking White House anger

David Crowe - October 10, 2025

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London: Venezuelan campaigner Maria Corina Machado has won the Nobel Peace Prize for her work defying dictatorship in her home country, triggering angry criticism from allies of US President Donald Trump who believe he should have won because of his efforts to end the war in Gaza.

Trump has openly sought the prize this year and one of his top aides rebuked the Nobel Committee for its decision, but Machado responded by partly dedicating the award to the president for his support for democracy in her country.

Machado is in hiding in Venezuela after campaigning for free and fair elections for more than two decades, and she has refused to leave the country even as 8 million of her fellow citizens have fled autocratic rule.

Born in 1967, she trained in engineering and finance before entering politics in 2002, and she gained support as an opposition candidate for the presidency last year. The government barred her from running, and in August last year she went into hiding.

Nobel Committee chair Jorgen Watne Frydnes praised her as a woman who kept the “flame of democracy burning amidst a growing darkness” in her country and around the world.

“Maria Corina Machado is one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America,” he said.

“Ms Machado has been a key unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided, an opposition that found common ground in the demand for free elections and representative government.”

Machado was briefly detained by authorities in January, when she attended a rally calling for fair elections, but she managed to return to hiding and remains in touch with Edmundo Gonzalez, recognised by the US and other nations as the rightful winner of last year’s presidential election.

In a video released by the Nobel Committee that showed Machado being told of the award by phone, she struggled for some moments to find the words to respond to the news.

“Thank you so much. I hope you understand this is a movement, this is an achievement of a whole society. I am just one person,” she said.

“I certainly do not deserve this. Oh my god.”

Nobel Committee secretary Olav Njolstad replied: “I think both the movement and you deserve it.”

Asked on Thursday about his chances of winning the prize, Trump said he had ended eight wars including the conflict in Gaza but that he had not done so to win the award.

“They’ll have to do what they do. Whatever they do is fine,” he said of the Nobel Committee. “I know this: I didn’t do it for that, I did it because I saved a lot of lives.”

The White House rebuked the Nobel Committee after the award was revealed, saying Trump had made peace deals, ended wars and saved lives.

“He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will,” said White House spokesman Steven Cheung, a long-time aide to the president.

“The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.”

Machado, however, thanked Trump for his support for democracy in Venezuela.

“We are on the threshold of victory and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve Freedom and democracy,” she wrote on X.

“I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!”

(continued)

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In choosing Machado, the Nobel Committee pushed back at Trump’s campaign for the prize but awarded the honour to a campaigner who shares Trump’s interest in replacing the autocrat who rules her country.

Machado became one of Venezuela’s most vocal opponents of Hugo Chavez during his presidency from 1999 until his death in 2013, and she kept this up when he was replaced by his vice president, Nicolas Maduro, who has ruled since 2013.

Democratic leaders including then-US president Joe Biden condemned Maduro as a dictator when he used violence and electoral fraud to shut down the national assembly and deny the outcome of last year’s election.

Trump has intensified pressure on Maduro in recent days after sending warships, a submarine and F-35 stealth fighters to stop drug shipments from Venezuela to the US.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has described Maduro as a “fugitive from American justice” because US authorities want to bring him to trial. The US has placed a $US50 million reward on his head so he can face charges over narcotics trafficking.

The Nobel Committee made no comment about Trump but emphasised Machado’s work in defending the principles of popular rule and the acceptance of democratic outcomes even when citizens disagreed.

“At a time when democracy is under threat, it is more important than ever to defend this common ground,” it said.

In August, Trump made a surprise phone call to Norwegian Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg, a former NATO secretary-general, and said he wanted the prize.

Critics have disputed his claims about ending eight wars, noting, for instance, that war continues between Congo and Rwanda despite his claims about peace. India does not accept that Trump ended its recent conflict with Pakistan. However, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev jointly endorsed Trump for the prize in August for his role in ending their conflict.

While the award is decided by an independent committee of five at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo, the members are elected by the Norwegian parliament and are connected by that process to the nation’s political leaders.

Frydnes, the current chair of the Nobel Committee, is a human rights advocate who has worked with Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders) and other non-government groups.

Last year’s award went to Nihon Hidankyo, a group of survivors of the nuclear bombs that fell on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

Previous recipients include Narges Mohammadi, an Iranian champion of equality and women’s rights and Ales Bialiatski, a human rights advocate from Belarus. In 2021, it went to journalists Maria Ressa of the Philippines and Dmitry Muratov of Russia.

Wealthy Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, who funded the prize, stipulated in his will that it should go to the person “who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses”.

When a journalist asked Frydnes on Friday in Oslo about the lobbying for this year’s prize, the Nobel Committee chair said there had been many campaigns for the prize over its long history.

“We receive thousands and thousands of letters every year of people wanting to say what, for them, leads to peace,” he said.

“This committee sits in a room filled with the portraits of Nobel laureates, and that room is filled with both courage and integrity.

“So we base our decision on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel.”

https://www.theage.com.au/world/europe/venezuela-s-maria-corina-machado-wins-nobel-peace-prize-despite-intense-donald-trump-campaign-20251010-p5n1oh.html

https://x.com/NobelPrize/status/1976573830337327267

https://x.com/MariaCorinaYA/status/1976662555398726139

https://x.com/StevenCheung47/status/1976601157041856756

https://x.com/MariaCorinaYA/status/1976637297618571653

https://x.com/MariaCorinaYA/status/1976642376119549990

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115350523795713137

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China further limits the export of rare earth materials and products

AFP/ABC - 10 October 2025

China has announced new controls on the export of rare-earth technologies and associated items, adding to regulations on a critical industry that has been a key source of tension between Beijing and Washington.

China is the world's leading producer of the minerals used to make magnets crucial to the auto, electronics and defence industries.

It has required licences for certain exports of the materials since April, hitting global manufacturing sectors.

Rare earths have been a sticking point in recent trade negotiations between Beijing and Washington, with the US accusing China of slow-walking export licence approvals.

The new controls, which kick in immediately, mean exporters must obtain permission for technologies used for rare-earth mining and smelting, among other processing steps, a Chinese commerce ministry statement said.

They will also apply to technologies used in the "assembly, adjusting, maintenance, repair and upgrading of production lines", it said.

The ministry said separately that restrictions would be placed on foreign entities that export related items outside China.

The controls will require such exporters to obtain a permit before making certain shipments, the statement said, adding that applications to overseas military users would not be approved.

"For some time, some overseas organisations and individuals have directly or after processing transferred or provided controlled rare-earth items originating in China … for direct or indirect use in sensitive areas such as military operations," a ministry spokesperson said in a statement.

The practice had caused "significant damage or potential threats to China's national security and interests (and) adversely impacted international peace and stability".

The European Commission said on Thursday it was "concerned" by China's announcement of the new controls.

"The commission expects China to act as a reliable partner and to ensure stable, predictable access to critical raw materials," EU trade spokesman Olof Gill told reporters.

Businesses affected worldwide

The restrictions imposed by Beijing this year have caused significant disruption in worldwide industries, with some companies facing halts to production as supply of the key minerals dwindles.

European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen said after a tense summit in Beijing in July that leaders had agreed to an improved mechanism for Chinese exports of rare earths to the bloc.

However, a business lobby warned last month that European firms still faced challenges in securing access to the materials.

The European Union and the United States are both trying to boost their own production of rare earths and better recycle what they use to reduce dependence on Beijing.

The United States Geological Survey estimated In a 2024 assessment that there were 110 million tonnes of deposits worldwide, including 44 million in China.

A further 22 million tonnes are estimated in Brazil and 21 million in Vietnam, while Russia has 10 million and India seven million tonnes.

Beijing has for decades made the most of its reserves by investing massively in refining operations, often without the strict environmental oversight required in Western countries.

China has also filed a huge number of patents on rare earth production, an obstacle to companies elsewhere hoping to launch large-scale processing.

As a result, many firms find it cheaper to ship their ore to China for refining, further reinforcing the world's reliance.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-10/china-rare-earth-exports-limited-further/105874886

https://www.mofcom.gov.cn/xwfb/xwfyrth/art/2025/art_16a0593dcadd4030959c3691cf39bb26.html

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Trump threatens to impose additional 100% tariff on China

Natalie Sherman - 11 October 2025

US President Donald Trump has said he would impose an additional 100% tariff on imports from China from next month.

In a post on social media, Trump said the US would also put export controls on critical software.

In an earlier post on Friday, he hit back at Beijing's move this week to tighten its rules for exports of rare earths, accusing China of "becoming very hostile" and trying to hold the world "captive".

He threatened to pull out of a meeting with China's President Xi Jinping. He later said he had not cancelled it, but that he did not know "that we're going to have it".

"I'm going to be there regardless," he told reporters at the White House.

Financial markets dropped in the wake of Trump's remarks, with the S&P 500 closing down 2.7%, its steepest fall since April.

China dominates production of rare earths and certain other key materials, which are key components in cars, smartphones and many other items.

The last time Beijing tightened export controls - after Trump raised tariffs on Chinese goods early this year - there was an outcry from many US firms reliant on the materials. Carmaker Ford even had to temporarily pause production.

In addition to tightening rules for rare earth exports, China has opened a monopoly investigation into the US tech firm Qualcomm that could stall its acquisition of another chipmaker.

Although Qualcomm is based in the US, a significant portion of its business is concentrated in China.

Beijing has also said it will charge new port fees to ships with ties to the US, including those owned or operated by US firms.

"Some very strange things are happening in China!" Trump wrote in a post on social media on Friday. "They are becoming very hostile."

The US and China have been in a fragile trade détente since May, when the two sides agreed to drop triple-digit tariffs on each others' goods that had nearly stopped trade between the two countries.

The move left US tariffs on Chinese goods facing an added 30% levy compared with the start of the year, while US goods entering China face a new 10% tariff.

Officials have held a series of talks since then on matters including TikTok, agricultural purchases, and the trade of rare earths and advanced technology like semiconductors.

The two sides were expected to meet again this month at a summit in South Korea.

China expert Jonathan Czin, a fellow at the Brookings Institution, said Xi's recent actions were a bid to shape the upcoming talks, noting that the recent rare earths directive does not go into effect immediately.

"He's looking for ways to seize the initiative," he said. "The Trump administration is having to play a game of whack-a-mole and deal with these issues as they come up."

He added that he did not think China was worried about US retaliation in response.

"What China took away from the Liberation Day tariffs and the cycle of escalation followed by de-escalation is that the Chinese side had a higher pain threshold," he said. "From their perspective, the Trump administration blinked."

In prior rounds of trade talks, China has pushed for looser US restrictions on semiconductors. It is also interested in securing more stable tariff policies that would make it easier for its businesses to sell into the US.

Xi had previously used as leverage his country's dominance of rare earths production.

But the export rules unveiled this week target overseas defence manufacturers, making them particularly serious, said Gracelin Baskaran, director of the critical minerals security program at Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"Nothing makes America move like targeting our defence industry," she said. "The US is going to have to negotiate because we have limited options, and in an era of rising geopolitical tension and potential conflict, we need to build our industrial defence base."

While a Trump-Xi meeting now looks unlikely, she said it was not necessarily completely off the table. Ms Baskaran said there's still time and room for talks. China's new rules don't take effect until December.

"Negotiations are likely imminent," she said. "Who does them and where they happen will be determined with time."

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn4wkd7729po

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115350455734003647

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115351840469973590

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Anthony Albanese will offer priority access to Australia’s critical minerals and rare earths to Donald Trump

Katina Curtis - 6 October 2025

Anthony Albanese will offer Donald Trump priority access to Australia’s critical minerals and rare earths when they meet this month so the US Defence industry isn’t reliant on China for the vital supplies.

The US and the UK will be given the chance to become preferred buyers for Australia’s rare earths after weeks of talks between the Prime Minister and strategic partners, The West understands.

But an industry source close to discussions says the future of the planned critical minerals strategic reserve will hinge on Mr Albanese’s visit to the White House in just over a fortnight.

Australia needs to sign up friendly nations as buyers for its critical minerals to give the sector the financial stability it needs to get off the ground.

“If Trump says ‘yes’, the US is on board, this will work,” the industry source said.

Mr Albanese has had talks with other strategic partners about access to Australia’s resources, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Canada’s Mark Carney.

The PM last week raised the possibility of the sector being brought in under the AUKUS defence agreement umbrella.

Critical minerals and rare earths are crucial to defence uses and the energy transition.

Over the past 15-20 years, China has all but cornered the market in their production, giving it enormous control.

Its willingness to slap export restrictions on key resources has spurred the Trump administration into action to find new supplies.

Resources company executives who joined an Austrade delegation to Washington and New York in September told The West this week that it was clear the Trump administration had made “a real aggressive timetable shift” in terms of how quickly it wanted to access critical minerals outside of China.

The White House has previously aired its concerns about being heavily dependent on supplies from “adversarial nations”.

One potential glitch ahead of the October 20 meeting is if the government shutdown in Washington isn’t resolved and American bureaucrats can’t finalise any agreement from their end.

However, it’s expected that even if final details aren’t nutted out, Mr Albanese has enough to offer the President, given the resources Australia can offer.

“Whether you’re looking at lithium with the reserves that we have, or cobalt or copper or vanadium, we have great resources,” he said last week.

Design work on the $1.2 billion strategic reserve announced during the election campaign is now underway.

It’s likely to include either the government guaranteeing a floor price or taking a position as a buyer of last resort.

It’s expected to cover rare earths initially and start running in the second half of 2026.

Peak industry body, the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies, has brought on board Resources Minister Madeleine King’s former critical minerals adviser Sash Pavic as it helps the Government design how the strategic reserve could work.

It’s also added former WA government chief of staff Tarnya Widdicombe to its team.

The hirings give AMEC — which was also behind the production tax credits policy — closer ties to Labor governments at State and Federal levels.

“We’re looking forward to both Sash and Tarnya applying their skills and networks to strengthen AMEC’s advocacy on behalf of our members,” AMEC chief executive Warren Pearce said.

Privately, federal ministers make little secret of tensions in the government’s relationship with rival industry group the Minerals Council of Australia.

Australia’s critical minerals are also drawing interest from Canada, Europe, Japan and Korea, with the Quad and G7 forums looking at ways for members to shift away from relying on China.

Industry Minister Tim Ayres and Energy Minister Chris Bowen will host a summit in November for investors looking to bring their money to Australian projects.

https://thewest.com.au/politics/federal-politics/albanese-will-offer-priority-access-to-australias-critical-minerals-and-rare-earths-to-trump-usa-c-20221900

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Anthony Scaramucci’s advice to our PM is to seek his Canadian counterpart’s counsel

ERIC JOHNSTON - October 10, 2025

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As Anthony Albanese prepares to head off to finally have a sit down meeting with Donald Trump in the Oval Office, the US President’s former (and famously brief) communications boss has some advice.

“Be very careful,” says Anthony Scaramucci. “He (Albanese) should certainly pick up the phone and call (Canadian) Prime Minister Carney, because Carney deals with him better than any other Western leader.”

Carney has cracked the code with the US President by basically ignoring Trump, or if he has to see him to make sure he has a hand in the agenda.

Scaramucci is precise with his words. “Remember, the President is an unserious reality television star, and he’s also a reality television producer. If you’re not careful, you’re going to get set up in there.”

Here he’s talking about meetings in the White House that have quickly gone off the rails, all in front of the cameras. There’s the memorable clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and plenty of excruciating moments with South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa. Many other leaders have come off second best.

“I would just say Prime Minister, make sure that you’re co-producing your appearance. You need to know what the script is. You need to know what the ambush is going to be. And if you go to (White House chief of staff) Suzie Wiles and you get guarantees from her, like Mark Carney has gotten, then it’ll go way better.

“Get in. Produce it well. Be respectful. Get out. That’s my recommendation.”

The New York hedge fund boss Scaramucci exploded on the word stage back in 2017 when Donald Trump named the tough-talking asset manager a communications director during Trump’s first term. ‘The Mooch’ gave as good as he got and the two quickly clashed. Scaramucci was spectacularly sacked after just 10 days in the post.

That moment also brutally ended a friendship between the two that stretched back decades. In the 1990s, Scaramucci was the working-class kid from Long Island trying to make it as a banker with Goldman Sachs. He was one of the few on Wall Street who took Trump seriously.

Following the White House implosion, Scaramucci retreated back to SkyBridge, the hedge fund he founded in 2005.

The acrimony is still real – he has become a high-profile critic of Trump. The lifelong Republican even endorsed former vice president Kamala Harris in her bid for the White House.

Beyond Wall Street, The Mooch is better known for his cutting takes on US politics in the popular podcast The Rest is Politics: US, which he hosts with BBC’s long-term North American correspondent Katty Kay.

The Mooch is set to come to Australia next month, where he will be one of the keynote speakers at the Sohn Hearts & Minds investment conference at the Sydney Opera House, where the proceeds will be directed towards medical research, A decade of Sohn conferences has so far raised more than $80m.

The Mooch is speaking to The Australian via a video link from the back of a limousine, making a 20-mile trip from his home in Long Island to Midtown. He’s dressed up, wearing a sharp black dinner suit with trademark designer sunglasses. He’s headed to a charity food bank gala at Guastavino’s for the evening that mixes arts with giving (Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli is set to give a performance).

Back seat interviews are becoming a habit. When The Australian caught up with The Mooch earlier this year, he was in an Uber. At the time, he was making an anxious dash from his office downtown to the notoriously impossible to get into Italian restaurant Rao’s in East Harlem (a seat had suddenly become available, and Scaramucci had to drop everything to get there).

“There’s probably seven or eight tables in Rao’s,” he says. “They’re controlled by families that have had the tables forever. Even if you’re Warren Buffett, you’ve got to sit at somebody’s table. They won’t take a reservation!”

(continued)

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The small target approach Australia has played until now has been a big advantage on the world stage, Scaramucci says. Although Australian steel shipments have been hit, Australia has the lowest tariffs of among any of the US’s key trading partners and even beef tariffs were relatively modest.

Still, the very real risk of a meeting is once you are on Trump’s radar, “he will figure out a way to hurt you”. Here he’s talking about hefty tariffs being slapped on the pharmaceutical industry, which is threatening to cripple the Irish economy. That followed an Oval Office blast given to the Irish Prime Minister, Micheal Martin. Then came Trump’s stinging criticism of London and the UK at the United Nations. This was days after the President was hosted by the Royal Family for a state dinner.

“I would stay out of the guy’s airspace,” Scaramucci quips.

It’s been a profound week for the US President on the global stage for securing what was long thought to be impossible: a peace deal between Israel and Hamas over Gaza. That has come with a commitment from Israel to release Palestinian prisoners and Hamas to release the remaining Israeli hostages after two years. This will set the stage for the Albanese meeting, scheduled for October 20.

Scaramucci says back home though, the US economy is feeling the pinch from tariffs, and government shutdowns now underway are adding to the grind. The arm wrestle between state governors over deploying the US National Guard is adding to tensions. However, sky-high tariffs are now threatening to tip the economy into recession. Massive spending on building out artificial intelligence by tech companies is widely seen as the thing keeping the economy growing.

“Prices are up, demand is down,” Scaramucci says. “The average American corporation has what I call tariff fatigue. They were willing to absorb one or two quarters of tariffs. They can’t absorb any more of that anymore.

“They’re not hiring the incremental employees. They’re not putting capital into their plants and equipment – it’s causing a slowdown.”

All this puts the Federal Reserve in a tough position. Inflation hasn’t fully been tamed, and tariffs are adding to rising prices. This risks setting off an inflation spiral or a dollar crisis if rates are cut too quickly.

“There’s no wonder why things like gold up is up 50 per cent this year. Bitcoin up 35-40 per cent this year. People are looking for hedges and store of value decisions as the US looks to massively monetise its debt and weaken its own economic position.”

Scaramucci acknowledges there’s a disconnect with Wall Street, with shares pushing fresh all-time highs. As well as tech frenzy, there is a wide expectation that the Fed is going to keep cutting the cash rate.

Minutes released this week by the US central bank of its September meeting showed there was support for more rate cuts. This was over concerns that the outlook for unemployment had worsened. The next Fed meeting is later this month.

Scaramucci isn’t calling for a crash, but reckons the chance of 15 per cent to 20 per cent market correction is “believable” based on what the economic data is saying.

“If the Fed says, ‘Hey, I can’t really cut rates right now, I’m sorry, we’ve made one rate cut, but now inflation is really blowing out because of the tariffs’, you’ll see a correction in that market.

“I’ve been around long enough to know that when the party is over and as they’re taking the punch bowl away, that’s the height of your fury.”

(continued)

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He believes the hundreds of billions being spent on AI is firing up bubble conditions on Wall Street, making the market even more vulnerable to shocks.

“Unfortunately, one of these things about the allocation of capital is that it collaborates with greed. And there are necessary and unnecessary evils that are associated with it.”

By this, he means any stockmarket shocks will be the trade-off for the very real long-term productivity benefits flowing to the US economy from today’s massive technology spend. This is what makes him long-term positive.

“Could there be an AI bubble that bursts? Sure. Will there be winners and losers in that? Yes, but remember the 2000 crash? We didn’t have companies like Facebook or Google even public by then, but all that capital flowed into the internet.

“To me, I think to be an investor, you have to be long term. And don’t let the cyclical activity spook you out of the market.”

In business, where Trump had an equally spectacular falling out with multi-billionaire Elon Musk this year, Scaramucci says the US President is keeping several people close.

This includes Blackstone chairman Steven Schwartzman and billionaire New York real estate developer Richard LeFrak. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is increasingly moving into Trump’s orbit. Inside Trump’s cabinet, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wields the power. Scaramucci believes trade secretary Howard Lutnick is increasingly on the outer.

The political test for Trump will be in next year’s midterm elections. However, Scaramucci says his main opposition, the Democrats, are completely at sea.

“They don’t know how to respond to Trump. They don’t know how to keep their narrative or their coalition together.”

And while Trump has tight control of the Republican Party, this is where the President’s biggest threat comes – from those closest to him. Names like Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, or even Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.

“The call to end Trump’s political career will come from inside the White House. Those are highly ambitious people.”

Anthony Scaramucci will be headlining 2025 Sohn Hearts & Minds conference at the Sydney Opera House on November 14

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/companies/anthony-scaramuccis-advice-to-our-pm-is-to-seek-his-canadian-counterparts-counsel/news-story/f0ea577810995a3ae448576b82aff0b9

https://www.sohnheartsandminds.com.au/

https://x.com/scaramucci/status/889718604513628160

https://qanon.pub/?q=scaramucci

>>23314548 (pb)

Defence bans cookbook reprints, focuses on $20bn domestic missile industry

BEN PACKHAM - October 09, 2025

Defence has banned further print runs of the Taste of Harmony cookbook produced by the department’s Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance group, as the commander behind the initiative said it was in line with the force’s “cultural blueprint”.

The Australian revealed in July that the GWEO group, headed by Air Marshal Leon Phillips, produced the cookbook with taxpayer funds amid concerns over the progress of the government’s plan to domestically produce guided weapons.

Air Marshal Phillips defended the cookbook in a Senate estimates hearing on Thursday, rejecting suggestions his group was moving “at snail’s pace” on its primary mission to establish a $20bn domestic missile industry.

Opposition senator Sarah Henderson said the recipe book suggested “strange priorities at a time of significant challenge to our nation”.

Air Marshal Phillips said it was “not a distraction”.

While US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has vowed to stamp out “woke” initiatives across America’s military, Air Marshal Phillips said such activities “pay us back in spades if people feel they can bring their authentic self to work”.

“In accordance with Defence’s cultural blueprint, observing Harmony Day is one way that Defence demonstrates its commitment to fostering a culturally diverse workforce.

“It’s just one of a range of initi­atives we do to … make sure our staff feel they’re valued, professionally and personally, with the effort they need to do,” he said.

Air Marshal Phillips confirmed the cookbook cost taxpayers about $1800, as reported by The Australian, and said his recipe for spaghetti ai gamberi was contributed in his own time.

He denied he had been ordered to bury the cookbook because of concerns over the GWEO group’s progress, but said there would be no repeat of the initiative.

“I think the secretary (Greg Moriarty) is suggesting we won’t have a further edition of the cookbook,” Air Marshal Phillips said.

He batted away suggestions the GWEO group was making ­little progress, pointing to an $850m contract with Norway’s Kongsberg Defence to manufacture naval strike missiles.

Air Marshal Phillips said Defence had a contract with Lockheed Martin to “manufacture GMLRS missiles by the end of the year”. That contract is expected to authorise the assembly of a small number of the US-produced rockets with imported parts.

Air Marshal Phillips said Australia was also producing a “whole range of GWEO devices”, including artillery shells.

“And obviously we have more ambitious plans that we’ve outlined to get into far more complicated, more complex weapons as well,” he said.

He said cancellation of a tender that had been awarded to French-owned Thales to produce US-standard 155mm artillery rounds in Benalla was because of “a change in the global manufacturing environment”.

Air Marshal Phillips said the Thales factory would continue to produce 5-inch naval shells.

Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy had previously claimed the artillery shell contract would produce 15,000 rounds a year by 2028, with the capacity to scale up to 100,000 rounds and support 550 jobs.

The contract is now likely to go to Queensland-based defence company Nioa, which already had a facility producing European 155mm rounds that could be retooled to deliver the US-standard shells required by Australia.

The Taste of Diversity cookbook included recipes for a “Mystery meat stir fry”, and a “Loaded potato soup”.

Air Marshal Phillips, a keen amateur gourmet, urged his subordinates to pair his pasta dish “with great company and a lovely dry riesling”.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/defence-bans-cookbook-reprints-focuses-on-20bn-domestic-missile-industry/news-story/6da179fe52201c7b6621a884503b0dd0

>>23608121

>>23651634

>>23651662

4chan unlikely to be included in Australia’s under-16s social media ban, eSafety commissioner says

Julie Inman Grant says message board will need to comply with other codes which will also include age assurance for sites hosting violent and adult content

Josh Taylor - 9 Oct 2025

The eSafety commissioner is not expected to block children from accessing 4chan as part of the under-16s social media ban, despite it being labelled one of the “darker” places on the internet.

The eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, was asked by independent senator Fatima Payman in Senate estimates on Wednesday night whether 4chan, the message board often referred to as the engine room of the internet, would be considered one of the sites required to prevent under-16s when the social media ban comes into effect from 10 December.

It came after 4chan’s lawyer reportedly stated the website would not be paying a proposed fine for failing to comply with the UK’s online safety laws.

Inman Grant did not rule out that 4chan may be considered in the future.

Inman Grant indicated 4chan would be required to comply with other codes due to come into effect at the end of this year and early next year, which will also include age assurance for sites hosting violent and adult content.

“They would be considered as part of our designated internet services. So they will have obligations under those codes, and those would be the powers that we would use if it were necessary, and they cover, they carry the same ultimate fine of $49.5m.”

Inman Grant said the focus of the under-16s ban was “mainstream” social media sites “that a lot of children were using and spending a lot of time and being exposed to addictive design features like opaque algorithms and endless scroll”.

“I would consider 4chan one of the darker sites on the web. These are things that we do deal with through both our phase-one and now soon our phase-two codes, but also through our illegal and restricted content scheme, because that’s where a lot of terrible content sits.”

Last month Inman Grant sent letters to 16 services to ask them to conduct a self-assessment on whether they believe the under-16s ban should apply to them, after which Inman Grant will state if she agrees ahead of the 10 December implementation date.

Inman Grant revealed on Wednesday she had advised the federal government that it is her view the ban should apply to YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X and Snapchat. She said some of the platforms had replied agreeing with her view, while some are likely to take an “alternative view”.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/oct/09/4chan-not-blocked-australia-under-16s-social-media-ban

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>>23591631

>>23617395

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>>23706846

David Sharaz served bankruptcy papers by former WA Senator Linda Reynolds after defamation win

Andrea Mayes - 10 October 2025

Brittany Higgins's husband David Sharaz has been served bankruptcy papers by former Senator Linda Reynolds, as she tries to recover damages awarded to her by a Perth court for defamation.

In August Ms Higgins was ordered to pay Ms Reynolds $315,000 plus costs after she and Mr Sharaz were found to have defamed the former senator in a series of social media posts.

Ms Higgins was also ordered to pay Ms Reynolds's costs.

The former WA MP was represented in court by a team of barristers led by Martin Bennett, who confirmed her legal bill had exceeded one million dollars.

Bankruptcy papers served

Mr Sharaz, who opted not to defend the legal action, was ordered to pay $85,000, with Justice Tottle ruling both he and Ms Higgins were jointly liable for the bill.

Today Ms Reynolds confirmed Mr Sharaz had been served the bankruptcy papers.

"Mr Sharaz today agreed to accept service of the Bankruptcy Notice I had issued to him several weeks ago, but not before forcing me to incur further legal expenses in applying for substituted service orders," she said in a statement.

"Again, this is predictable conduct that I have unfortunately become accustomed to in the pursuit of justice.

"Mr Sharaz now has 21 days to pay the debt or I will proceed to apply to formally bankrupt him."

Long-running saga

The legal action was launched by Ms Reynolds following social media posts made by Ms Higgins beginning in 2022.

The former senator argued the posts trashed her reputation and caused her immense distress, following a period of ill health.

Ms Higgins wrote the posts four years after she was raped in the then-senator's office by her colleague Bruce Lehrmann.

The finding of rape was made last year by Justice Michael Lee during a separate defamation action Mr Lehrmann had launched in the Federal Court against Channel 10 and journalist Lisa Wilkinson.

That finding was made on the balance of probabilities, the standard of proof in a civil court matter.

Separate criminal proceedings against Mr Lehrmann, which require a charge to be proved beyond reasonable doubt, were discontinued after juror misconduct and concerns for Ms Higgins's welfare.

Mr Lehrmann has always denied raping Ms Higgins.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-10/linda-reynolds-brittany-higgins-david-sharaz-bankruptcy-served/105878088

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>>23694981

>>23694984

‘Every single person plays a part’: The sisters who survived Malka Leifer

The three women at the heart of the decades-long sex abuse case tell their story - and they hope it’s for the last time.

Karl Quinn - OCTOBER 4, 2025

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There’s one word that comes to mind when meeting the three sisters at the centre of the Malka Leifer case. Endurance.

They endured a miserable home life. They endured sexual abuse at the hands of the principal of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish school they attended. They endured years of trickery, lies and evasion from Leifer and her legal team after she fled to Israel and fought extradition. They endured 74 legal hearings in Israel and so many more in Australia that they stopped counting.

And when Leifer was eventually brought to trial in Australia 13 years after fleeing, they endured day after day of withering cross-examination before their abuser was finally found guilty and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Now, in the documentary Surviving Malka Leifer, they’re enduring another round of questioning from audiences and journalists and well-meaning friends and acquaintances about the whole interminable mess.

Aren’t you tired of re-opening these old (and not-so-old) wounds, I ask them as we sit around the table of a large house in St Kilda that belongs, they say, to a member of their extended family?

“It hasn’t been re-traumatising,” says Nicole Meyer, 40. “It’s been confronting, and we’ve been transported back to where we were when we were filming. It’s a difficult thing to have our vulnerabilities and rawness up there for everyone to see. But at the same time, there’s a sense of pride that we’ve gone through that, we have something to show through it, and here we are today.”

The film, which screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival and at the Jewish International Film Festival, drops on Stan on Sunday. And for middle sister Dassi Erlich, 38, getting it in front of a larger audience is vital.

“A big part of the reason for making it, at least for me, was for people to understand that every single person plays a part in the so-called system,” she says. “The way we see sexual abuse, the way we talk about sexual abuse, the way we understand it, the way we treat survivors, respond to it: it’s not this external thing – it’s something we all are a part of, and we all can make change happen.”

And for youngest sister Elly Sapper, 36, the film serves as a record of what they have been through – and, as the title suggests, to the fact they have survived.

“It feels like we’re looking back onto a space that we once were in, as opposed to being in that space,” she says. “We lived and breathed this for so many years, and now it just feels like we can take that breath, take that moment, and look back and be in that new space. Instead of a fighting space, a healing space.”

The documentary from director Adam Kamien and producer Ivan O’Mahoney tells the story of the sisters’ experiences, individually and collectively, from childhood abuse at home, through the betrayal of the seemingly safe haven of school, the long pursuit of justice, and finally to the trial itself.

Most notably, it spends long slabs of time with the sisters in the hotel where they stayed for the trial, able to support each other but not permitted to share details of their testimony. It captures the moment immediately after Erlich – who had written a book about her experiences – hears the full details of what happened to her sisters when they testify. And it captures the moment when Meyer hears that Leifer has been found not guilty on the charges relating to her abuse (while being found guilty of those relating to her sisters’ abuse).

It’s all incredibly intimate, up-close and raw. And it makes this most public case personal again.

For Meyer, the day of the verdict was complex.

“It was heartbreak. It was devastation,” she says. “Justice drove me for many years, and justice was denied.”

For months, she couldn’t speak about it, and for a while she thought she might never do so again. “And then I realised that ultimately, if I do that, I’m letting her win,” she says. “I felt she had won already by getting a not guilty verdict with my charges, and I thought I don’t want her to win, so I’m going to go out there and just start talking. And that’s what I did, and that really helped me to work on my healing.”

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Remarkably, Meyer remains a member of the Adass community, where she advocates on behalf of abuse survivors. Erlich and Sapper left the community, but each in their own way have slowly found a way to connect with their Jewish heritage on a different basis.

In the wake of her experience, says Sapper, “I needed to throw away everything that I knew, and that included religion and Judaism. I didn’t engage with it for many years. But over the past five or six years, I’ve married and had kids, and my husband’s family is a traditional [non-Orthodox] Jewish family, and I’ve learned Judaism and religion are separate things. I enjoy the culture and traditions in their family, it’s a beautiful connection time, so I’ve started to engage with that and see it’s not mutually exclusive.”

Erlich similarly had a period in which she totally rejected all things Jewish. But now she’s working with Pathways, an organisation that offers support to members of insular Jewish communities who are having issues and don’t know where to turn.

“It’s not at all about dragging people away from religion,” she explains. “It’s very much ‘here’s a safe space for you to have those questions, to decide what’s right for you’. I’m enjoying using the skills we learned through all those campaign years to do something really positive and create change.”

The sisters’ experience was at once commonplace – someone in power recognised their vulnerability and mercilessly exploited it – and unusual – as members of a closed community that did nothing to educate its young women about sexual matters, they were uncommonly naive and isolated.

When they did recognise and report what had been done to them, it cost them enormously; they were suddenly cut off from the only community they had known, and thrust into a battle that would occupy years of their lives.

What got them through was the support of a few close allies (former premier Ted Baillieu in particular), and the fact they were doing it together.

“I think if any of us had been doing it alone, we would have not finished,” says Erlich.

“We’ve all given each other strength,” says Sapper. “If one of us is down, the others pull her up. We’ve just given each other that support all the years to get through it.”

“We would have burned out and crashed a lot earlier [if we’d done it solo],” says Meyer.

And if they had it all to do again?

“I’d do it, even if the result was the same, because of the accountability that perpetrators have when they’re put to the test,” says Meyer.

“Their name is there, they’re in court, they don’t know if they’re going to get guilty or not guilty. There’s a level of accountability in their community, in their family, regardless of whether you win it or not. It’s in their face.

“Any survivor who has the strength and support system to do so, go to the police, give your statement, and let’s get those perpetrators off the streets,” she implores. “I don’t regret it at all.”

https://www.theage.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/every-single-person-plays-a-part-documentary-explores-how-sisters-survived-decades-of-trauma-20250929-p5myqc.html

https://www.stan.com.au/watch/revealed-surviving-malka-leifer-2025

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>>23722558

>>23722664

>>23722676

Albanese scrambles to lock in minerals deal before Trump meeting

Paul Sakkal - October 12, 2025

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Australia would mandate price floors for critical minerals and pump money into new rare earth projects, according to leaked plans about a resources deal with the US that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is trying to lock in before meeting President Donald Trump.

Officials from the prime minister’s department have started contacting Australian miners about how they could contribute to the new $1.2 billion critical minerals strategic reserve, according to the confidential departmental brief obtained by this masthead.

On Saturday, Trump threatened to impose a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese goods and cancel a meeting with President Xi Jinping after China moved to dramatically expand export restrictions on critical minerals.

In another sign of the importance of rare earths to the Washington trip, Ukraine has urged Australia to provide the war-torn nation with mining expertise to make Trump’s minerals deal with Volodymyr Zelensky workable.

The departmental brief was sent to miners over the past two weeks, shortly after Albanese’s October 20 meeting with Trump was locked in, and there have been a series of closed-door talks between companies and officials in the past week.

“By anticipating and responding to the critical minerals requirements of key international partners, and by addressing supply chain barriers, the reserve can be of strategic benefit to Australia,” the brief states.

Critical minerals are crucial to green energy, defence products such as nuclear-powered submarines, car making and powering artificial intelligence data centres. Securing a supply of key elements such as lithium, nickel and vanadium has become a priority of the Trump administration and underpinned its contentious claim to deposit-rich Greenland, as well as its deal-making with Ukraine.

The push to secure critical minerals stems from fears of China’s dominance in the sector – the country produces more than 90 per cent of the world’s processed rare earths – and that it will be used to thwart manufacturing and sovereign capacity in Western nations. Earlier this year, China started blocking exports to the US, causing carmakers to warn that they would need to wind down production.

Concern over the key elements has burst into public view in recent days after Trump reacted furiously to China’s move on Thursday to dramatically expand rare earths export controls, adding five elements to the restrictions.

On Saturday, AEST, Trump posted on Truth Social to say the US would impose a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese goods from November and place export controls on “any and all” critical software sold to China, wiping $4.4 trillion off the US sharemarket.

Trump added that Xi’s move meant “there seems to be no reason” to meet the Chinese leader at scheduled talks at the APEC summit in South Korea at the end of the month, and he called out China’s “extraordinarily aggressive position on trade”.

Details about the Australian critical minerals reserve have been vague amid concerns that Australia lacked the funds to invest in hugely expensive extraction and processing.

Labor has invested billions in companies such as Iluka and Arafura to increase Australia’s rare earths processing capabilities. There is growing anticipation among government officials about projects in Gippsland, Victoria, including the Fingerboards project, which contains terbium required for US defence products.

The departmental brief confirms Australia is exploring “offtake agreements”, in which a government would commit to buying a certain amount of a resource.

The document reveals Labor is considering setting price floors, government loans and guarantees, together with other countries investing directly in Australian projects, in a sign of the government’s focus on defending local companies from heavily subsidised competition from China.

“Australia’s critical minerals processing and refining capabilities are relatively underdeveloped,” the document states. “We do not currently have the depth and breadth of mid- and downstream expertise and technologies as some other countries.

“Are there design features that would enable the reserve to crowd in private investment and financing, and lower risk to the government?”

US ambassador Kevin Rudd has sought to bring Australian miners and US officials together for the best part of two years, attempting to tie Australia into a global supply chain of the elements needed for car making, smartphones and a range of new defence systems.

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After Trump and Zelensky’s White House meeting in April, the countries signed a deal to give the US a stake in Ukraine’s minerals supply. This masthead reported last month that Labor was working to lock in a similar deal with the US before Albanese’s White House visit.

Ukrainian ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko said Ukraine wanted Australia to help it search for rare earths, build mining infrastructure and encourage Australian miners to invest in the war-torn nation’s resources sector.

Ukraine has large deposits of critical minerals, and Myroshnychenko said Australia’s status as a mining powerhouse meant its help was needed to get the minerals out of the ground.

“Your know-how and new technology and the standards of mining in Western Australia – they’re probably the best in the world,” he said. “They’re much better than those in the EU and anywhere else.

“Trump knows about your expertise in mining. You could definitely help Americans and Ukrainians to work on that minerals deal.”

Myroshnychenko said Ukraine still required Australia’s help for its war with Russia, arguing that aiding Ukraine was in Australia’s strategic interests because China had backed Russia and was taking lessons from the illegal invasion for its own thinking on retaking Taiwan.

Rudd, speaking to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in August, said Australia had built unique expertise in universities and mining companies over 150 years, making it first in line “to help meet the president’s objective of making the US secure in its supply”.

“We have the best mining companies in the world and the biggest mining companies in the world, some of whom have just been meeting with president Trump,” he said.

China’s industrial policy was clear, Rudd said: “To ensure that the world is dependent on China while China is not dependent on the world.”

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/albanese-scrambles-to-lock-in-minerals-deal-before-trump-meeting-20251006-p5n0b1.html