/qresearch/ -  Q Research

>>24210107

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Pressure has intensified on Littleproud this week as his own MPs backed a motion to get the Coalition back together, weeks after Liberals blamed him for recklessly allowing his party to vote against Labor’s post-Bondi hate speech laws despite the shadow cabinet agreeing to back them.

But both Littleproud and Ley have boxed themselves in, with Littleproud taking a hard line on a demand to reinstate the three frontbenchers who resigned last month, which Ley and her party room oppose, and also seeking greater flexibility for Nationals to cross the floor.

While announcing the split 12 days ago, Littleproud said the Nationals “cannot be part of a shadow ministry under Sussan Ley”, so any reconciliation would be a major backdown for the Nationals leader.

Many MPs in both parties would like to see the two parties rejoin, even though some moderate Liberals are keen to remain apart so that they can focus on city voters. Queensland backbencher Terry Young argued the split should be long-lasting.

One Liberal MP said after Ley’s briefing that the Nationals were “parasitic” as the regional party “see the relationship with the Liberal Party as a way to enrich themselves” rather than achieve mutual success.

“Many Liberals believe that [the Nationals] are an unworthy coalition partner. Until they adopt a new mindset we are better off without them dragging us down to their level of mediocrity,” said the MP, who spoke off the record to be candid.

“David Littleproud is no longer credible as a leader and a parliamentarian. He should consider his future,” the MP said. “Preferably a vocation that does not require any form of relationship management.”

This masthead reported on Monday that Ley’s allies, battling to stave off a challenge from leadership rival Angus Taylor, were asking MPs to keep Ley in the job until at least the time of the federal budget in May.

Speaking outside a church service to mark the opening of parliament on Tuesday morning, Ley said: “Very confident of delivering a strong budget-in-reply speech in May.”

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/ley-reveals-fresh-offer-to-littleproud-including-benching-rebels-for-6-months-20260203-p5nz1i.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVYRglBDC28

>>24213080 me / pb / QRG

Hey Aussie Anons - I stumbled on this in the Epstein File dumps.

1) Thought you'd be interested

2) Didn't come across any "abuse allegations" of MP Rowan in wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowan_Ramsey) so, thought maybe notable for you…

The document is long….there might be other goodies.

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00262811.pdf

This Document is a Doozie

From page #2 of the pdf:

2014 - 2015 - Paul Gardner / Sexual targeting - Informed by Paul Gardner Government officials

holding Sex Parties in Napperby, SA with children - Napperby is located just outside of the region

of Port Pirie, SA

Rowan Ramsay, MP - Involvement in Organised Crime - Targeting of individuals / '''Rape of family

pets (animals)'''', Paedophilia (Sex parties with children in Napperby) - Entrapment of the targeted

victim in 2016 prior to d

pic #1

>Rowan Ramsay, MP

From Australia

pic #2

From page #3 of document:

Paul Keating, Prime Minister of Australia, Labor 1994

Targeted victim 22 years of age, 1993/ Residing in Willimulka, SA - First event of Intellectual

Property Theft connected to an American Government source - 1994 American Academy of

Paediatrics - Infant Sleep Positioner and SIDS, Australia - Prime Minister Paul Keating, Labor

Involved in Organised Crime - Government targeting of an Individual 27 years - Intellectual

Property Theft - Paedophilia connected to religion - Prostitution connected to American Sources /

Sexual Targeting

Sexual Targeting connected to America Source / Police - 2015 Reported to RSPCA, suspected

rape of an animal by a human - Genital mutilation / extreme hip pain on movement / informed by

Port Pirie Veterinarians Maxine cause Hip displacement as a result of human rape - Threats made

by Sexual Targeting perpetrator 2015 Zac, American Police Administration / "I will come to your

home and rape you, your children and your dog and take you all out in the back yard and shoot

you" - Family pet Ruby was raped, genital mutilation and hip displacement '/ Euthanized as a result

of hip collapse and extreme pain caused by hip collapse in 2021, Kadina Veterinary Clinic repor

>>24205896

o7

>>24201399

>>24202018

Palmer admits he spoke to Trump strategist Bannon about 2019 campaign

Rob Harris - February 4, 2026

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Billionaire mining magnate Clive Palmer has backed down on a previous denial that he spoke to former Trump strategist Steve Bannon during the 2019 federal election, but maintains he did not collude with the US alt-right figure on his disruptive $80 million advertising campaign.

Palmer, who told the ABC this week he had “never spoken to Bannon”, said on Wednesday he had, in fact, received a short phone call from the former White House adviser seven years ago, but the pair never spoke again.

The former MP, who made his millions in iron ore, thermal coal and hydrocarbon assets, said all planning and execution of the campaign, which was dominated by anti-China and anti-climate change messages, was carried out in close consultation with then-finance minister Mathias Cormann.

The admission comes after text messages released as part of the US Department of Justice’s revealed Bannon had boasted to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein on May 20, 2019 – two days after Labor’s shock election loss – that he “had Clive Palmer do the … ads”.

But Palmer told reporters at Parliament House that his only conversation with Bannon took place in the early hours of the morning, long after his United Australia Party’s ads were already on air.

“I got a call at three in the morning, half asleep, and woke up,” Palmer said. “He said ‘Hello, I’m Steve Bannon.’ I said … ‘OK, hello, Mr Bannon.’ He said, ‘You’re doing a great job in your campaign against the Chinese and Bill Shorten. I think it’s fantastic. If you need any help, give me a call.’ I said, ‘OK, thanks very much.’ ”

Palmer said the conversation, which lasted about 90 seconds, had no influence on what is still the nation’s most expensive political advertising campaign.

He said he told Bannon, “We can’t talk to people in the States. We can’t take donations from overseas,” to which Bannon has replied, “I don’t want to give a donation.”

“He said I’m just ringing to say you’re running a great campaign against the Chinese. Keep it up,” Palmer said.

The texts between Bannon and Epstein were part of a conversation about Bannon’s plan to disrupt global democracy, with the disgraced financier urging Bannon to pursue a broader populist project unconstrained by national borders.

(continued)

>>24214739

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The review into Labor’s election loss found Palmer’s prolific “Shifty Shorten” advertising campaign was widely credited with damaging Labor in Queensland and contributing to Morrison’s unexpected victory. It said his decision to directly back in the Coalition’s anti-Labor messages was “an unprecedented act of collusion between supposed political rivals”.

Asked why Bannon would have lied about their conversation, Palmer said: “I think politicians and people associated with politics lie regularly, and it’s a challenge for the media to work out the lies and the truth.”

He then said the only networking about the campaign was with the Liberals through his dealings with Cormann, who is now the secretary general of the Paris-based OECD.

When asked if he worked with Palmer to design his campaign advertising, Cormann said his only dealings with the mining magnate were to negotiate preferences with the UAP.

“[It] involved regular engagement with Clive – whom I had come to know in the course of Senate negotiations with the crossbench in the previous parliament,” he said. “As far as I am aware, his ads at the time were all his own work. I am not aware that he involved anyone else in that side of things.”

Palmer told journalists that the story was a beat-up and he could not understand why it had attracted so much media attention.

“You can’t stop people calling you in the middle of the night. You can’t stop answering your telephone. I mean, I answer my telephone for everyone.”

Former Labor leader Bill Shorten, now chancellor of Canberra University, said the whole matter confirmed the party’s suspicion there were darker forces at play during that election.

“The Bannon-Palmer-Cormann matter now raises more questions than it answers. Why would Steve Bannon lie to Jeffrey Epstein in an email about it? Someone is not telling the truth,” he said.

“It is clear Australians who thought they were voting for Palmer at the 2019 election were voting for something much murkier.”

Palmer’s United Australia Party failed to win a seat but secured 3.4 per cent of the national primary vote, with preferences flowing heavily to the Coalition. Palmer personally claimed credit for the Morrison government’s re-election, although political analysts say his party’s preferences only helped the Liberals directly retain one seat, Bass in Tasmania.

Greens communications spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young described Bannon’s claims as an attack on Australia’s elections.

“Seriously, when is either the Labor or Liberal parties going to stand up to the right-wing US rot and defend Australia’s democracy,” she said.

Brendan Walker-Munro, an associate professor at Southern Cross University who has written on foreign interference, said even if it was accurate, he did not believe the alleged communication between Bannon and Palmer would fall foul of Australia’s foreign interference laws.

He said the laws are designed to address influence by foreign governments and political parties, meaning an unbroken chain would need to exist between any attempted influence by Bannon and the Trump administration.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/palmer-admits-he-spoke-to-trump-strategist-bannon-about-2019-campaign-20260204-p5nzju.html

>>24006135

>>24210143

Melbourne neo-Nazi Jacob Hersant jailed over Nazi salute outside court

Liam Beatty - February 4, 2026

Prominent Victorian neo-Nazi Jacob Hersant has become the first Australian to be jailed for performing a Nazi salute.

The 26-year-old performed the banned salute outside the Melbourne County Court on October 27, 2023, just days after laws banning the public display of Nazi symbols in Victoria came into effect.

In front of TV cameras, he threw his right arm in the air and stated; “heil Hitler” and “oh, nearly did it, it’s illegal now, isn’t it?”.

The salute came just minutes after he avoided jail for pleading guilty to a violent disorder charge relating to his involvement in a group attack on hikers in the Cathedral Range State Park in May 2021.

Hersant was the first person in Victoria to be convicted of performing the banned gesture and was sentenced to a month in jail in the Magistrates’ Court in November 2024.

But he was released and has remained on bail since then, after appealing both his conviction and sentence to the County Court.

In December last year, Judge Simon Moglia tossed out both of Hersant’s appeal grounds — that it wasn’t a Nazi salute and that laws banning the salute were unconstitutional — finding him guilty.

The judge found that while Hersant’s implied freedom of political communication had been “effectively burdened” by the laws because the salute was political in nature, the law was valid and imposed for a constitutionally legitimate purpose.

Hersant returned to the County Court on Wednesday afternoon for a plea hearing and sentencing.

His barrister, Tim Smartt, urged Judge Moglia to not sentence his client to jail, described in references to the court as a “wonderful father” to his three-year-old son.

Mr Smartt said Hersant retains the support of his parents, despite them both disagreeing with his political views.

“People are far better than their very worst deeds,” Mr Smartt said.

“(Hersant is a) far better person than the 10 minutes on that video.”

Mr Smartt argued Hersant had been “provoked” by the presence of the media outside court, but conceded the salute was done with a degree of hubris or arrogance after having received a lenient sentence.

The court was told there had been 18 cases across Australia for performing illegal Nazi salutes, with none resulting in a jail sentence.

Mr Smartt pointed to several of these; including outside a synagogue on the Gold Coast, outside a Jewish museum and in a Perth bar, that had resulted in sentences less than jail.

“It is by far the most severe sentence in Australia,” he said of Hersant’s sentence.

“You can’t jail your way into social cohesion, these people aren’t going to change their views on a sentence in this case.”

Daniel Gurvich KC, for the Crown, argued Hersant’s offending was done in a calculated fashion to achieve maximum impact and demonstrated “disdain for the law”.

Sentencing Hersant, Judge Moglia said the salute was performed with the full appreciation of it being unlawful and in the context of him having just been sentenced for a “most terrifying” and “violent” incident.

“I accept he relished that opportunity … with the full knowledge it was being done not simply in the presence of a few people but in the presence of the wider community in a realistic way,” the judge said.

Judge Moglia described the context as “contemptuous” and designed to send a “chilling message to the community”.

Hersant was sentenced to one month in jail and fined $1000 for breaching a community corrections order by performing the salute.

He has repeatedly described himself a Nazi and was a leading figure in the National Socialist Network until the neo-Nazi group claims to have disbanded last month to avoid the federal government’s new hate group legislation.

Hersant has flagged his intention to appeal the case to the High Court.

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/courts-law/melbourne-neonazi-jacob-hersant-jailed-over-nazi-salute-outside-court/news-story/3d3dc0cd06793995054f16ba8e65951d

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/neo-nazi-jacob-hersant-jailed-after-failed-salute-appeal-20260204-p5nzdq.html

>>24218887

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Blanch rejected accusations that the police did not treat the incident seriously, pointing to the immediate involvement of the AFP and ASIO, and his public commentary after the incident that suggested it was being investigated as a potential terror attack.

“To the people that say it took too long, I disagree with their premise,” he said.

Rally organiser Fabien Yarran, who will meet with Cook and police on Thursday afternoon, said he was still disappointed it had taken so long to declare the incident a terrorist act.

“Everybody, from the grassroots and people that were there, saw it was a terrorist act. It was a hate act,” he said.

“I don’t know why it took them so long.”

McCarthy, who walked through Forrest Place on Thursday morning with Noongar elders, called the incident “an attempted bombing of a peaceful, First Nations rally, led by First Nations, Australians and their allies”.

“What’s happened these past couple of months has certainly highlighted the fact that all of us, wherever we are in this country, need to be vigilant, and we need to deliberately work towards a social, cohesive community,” she said.

McCarthy said there was no doubt in her mind that Australian Federal Police, the WA Police and ASIO, worked immediately to assist to keep Australians safe.

In parliament on Thursday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia stood with First Nations people.

“We will do everything required to keep you and your loved ones safe,” he said.

Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said the nation “can never accept a situation where we turn to violence to settle our political differences”.

“These are fragile times for our society and it is incumbent upon all of us in this place to nurture peaceful, civil debate and guard our great democracy against hate and violence,” she said.

Blanch reiterated that the device allegedly thrown at the rally was a live explosive.

“It should have gone off and had a fuse that was lit,” he said.

“Whether it fell out or failed … whatever was looking over the people in that rally that day stopped it from going off, and we should all be thankful that we don’t have deceased or seriously injured people in Western Australia.”

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke emphasised the catastrophe Australia could have faced had the bomb exploded.

“This is a bomb fitted with screws and ball bearings into a crowd of people rallying in support of First Nations Australians,” he said.

“Think about the number of Australians who were there in a tight space, had it gone the way it was allegedly intended to, we would have been looking at something quite catastrophic.”

The 31-year-old man has already been charged with intent to cause harm and making an explosive device with suspicious intentions. He will formally be charged with the terrorism offence when he next appears in court later this month.

It is the second terror act investigated by WA Police in as many years, after a teenage boy was shot by police when he stabbed a stranger in a car park in Willetton in 2024.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/western-australia/motivated-by-hate-perth-invasion-day-rally-attempted-bombing-labelled-an-act-of-terror-20260204-p5nznz.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwzcsT5Cni8

>>24218894

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In a statement today Virginia Giuffre's family said: 'Today, our sister Virginia Roberts Giuffre is vindicated again. The DOJ released this email from Ghislaine Maxwell in which she admits that she introduced Virginia to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and that the infamous photo of them is real and was taken in her flat.

'We reiterate that Virginia was a truth teller. Despite the death threats and smear campaigns against her, Virginia never wavered. She remembered what she had experienced and by whom, documented it, and reported it to the authorities. Four of the abusers she named are now in prison, dead, or have become pariahs. We are hopeful that Andrew will face criminal charges.

'We would like to note that in the new Epstein files that the DOJ released last week, there is a sworn deposition from Virginia made in a lawsuit. DOJ did not redact the names of most of the abusers Virginia named, and we wish to make sure that this is known. We are hopeful that more of her abusers’ names will be released in future Epstein files from the DOJ and/or Epstein’s estate.

'We will not rest until the whole truth is out and Virginia’s abusers have been held accountable.'

In Andrew's disastrous 2019 Newsnight interview, he famously claimed he was not at Maxwell's home but at a Pizza Express in Woking.

'I was with the children, and I'd taken Beatrice to a Pizza Express in Woking for a party at, I suppose, sort of 4pm or 5pm in the afternoon,' he said.

When asked why he would remember a meal at Pizza Express 18 years later, he said: 'Because going to Pizza Express in Woking is an unusual thing for me to do, a very unusual thing for me to do…

'I've only been to Woking a couple of times and I remember it weirdly distinctly,' he claimed.

Andrew and his allies have long sought to cast doubt over the authenticity of the image, which shows him holding Ms Giuffre, then 17 and known as Virginia Roberts.

Despite claiming they never met, the former duke paid Ms Giuffre millions to settle a civil sexual assault claim in 2022.

Maxwell, too, dismissed the image as fake in an interview from prison, while those close to Andrew insisted his fingers were 'chubbier' and he was taller than depicted.

The convicted associate of paedophile Epstein also claimed in interviews with the US DoJ that she had no recollection of the pair meeting in her home.

The picture was unearthed by The Mail on Sunday as Ms Giuffre insisted, she slept with Andrew in London - a claim the disgraced ex-prince has vehemently denied.

Ms Giuffre said convicted paedophile Epstein took the photograph on a disposable camera before the group went to dinner and then Tramp nightclub.

She claimed was forced to have sex with Andrew that night at Maxwell's house as well as at Epstein's home in Manhattan and on his private Caribbean island of Little St James.

The latest revelations will heap fresh humiliation on Andrew's embarrassing ties to Epstein - links that have already seen him stripped of his titles.

In addition, he and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, have been forced out of the Royal Lodge on the Windsor estate, where they have lived for more than two decades.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15527893/That-photo-Andrew-arm-Virginia-Giuffres-waist-REAL-Ghislaine-Maxwell-admits-damning-emails.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIG8l_2wcsM

https://www.justice.gov/epstein

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00866954.pdf

>>23713223 (pb)

Revealed: Israel bulldozed part of Gaza war cemetery containing allied graves

Satellite images and witness testimony show destruction as IDF claims it was forced to take defensive measures

Seham Tantesh - 5 Feb 2026

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Israeli forces have bulldozed part of a Gaza cemetery containing the war graves of dozens of British, Australian and other allied soldiers killed in the first and second world wars, satellite imagery and witness testimony reveal.

Satellite imagery of the Gaza war cemetery in al-Tuffah, a district of Gaza City, shows extensive earthworks in the southernmost corner of the graveyard. Bomb craters can be seen around the cemetery, but in this area the destruction appears to have been more systematic.

Rows of gravestones have been removed, the topsoil has been churned up and a substantial earth berm can be seen running across the middle of the affected area. It is of a size that suggests the use of heavy equipment.

There was no sign of the earthworks in March last year, but they are clearly visible in a satellite picture from 8 August. The disturbed area is even more apparent in an image of the cemetery from 13 December. Vegetation has regrown among the ranks of gravestones covering the rest of the cemetery, but the southwestern corner remains bare, with the earth berm casting a substantial shadow over the sandy soil.

Essam Jaradah, the graveyard’s former caretaker, whose home is close by, said: “Two bulldozing operations took place at the cemetery. The first bulldozing occurred outside the cemetery walls, extending approximately 12 metres around all sides of the cemetery. These areas were entirely planted with olive trees.

“Later on, an area of slightly less than 1 dunum [1,000 sq metres] was bulldozed inside the cemetery walls, specifically in the corner of the cemetery, which contains graves of Australian soldiers. The bulldozing covered the area from the bench where foreign visitors used to sit up to the memorial monument. Bulldozers also created sand mounds that were used as earth barriers.

“I witnessed this bulldozing after the Israeli army withdrew from the area, around late April or early May.”

After being shown satellite images of the cemetery, the Israel Defense Forces said it had been forced to take defensive measures in the heat of battle.

“At the relevant time, the area in question was an active combat zone,” an army spokesperson said. “During IDF operations in the area, terrorists attempted to attack IDF troops and took cover in structures close to the cemetery. In response, to ensure the safety of IDF troops operating on the ground, operational measures were taken in the area to neutralise identified threats.”

The spokesperson added: “We emphasise that underground terrorist infrastructure was identified within the cemetery and in its surrounding area, which the IDF located and dismantled. IDF activity in sensitive areas is approved by senior ranks in the army and handled with the required sensitivity needed.”

A spokesperson for the Royal British Legion said: “We are saddened to hear that graves of British and allied personnel who bravely served in the first and second world wars have been damaged. War graves honour the memory of every member of the armed forces who has made the ultimate sacrifice and deserve to be treated with the utmost respect.”

(continued)

>>24226755

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Since a ceasefire agreement in October, Gaza has been split by a “yellow line” marking the boundary between Israeli and Hamas-controlled parts of the territory, which originally ran through the cemetery but has more recently been pushed westward by Israeli forces. Despite the official proclamation of a ceasefire, Israeli troops have continued to fire on the Palestinian population, particularly anyone approaching the yellow line. More than 500 Palestinians have been reported killed since the ceasefire declaration, a quarter of whom have been children.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), which is responsible for the upkeep of the Gaza cemetery and many like it around the world, last commented on the state of the graveyard on 11 December.

“As a result of the conflict the cemetery has suffered extensive damage to headstones, memorials, boundary walls, staff facilities and storage areas,” the CWGC said. It reported damage to a memorial to the 54th (East Anglian) Infantry Division of the British army, as well as to the Indian UN memorial and the Hindu, Muslim and Turkish sections.

The satellite photos show the extent of the destruction to be even greater. There is no visible trace left of a plot just outside the main cemetery set aside for Canadian UN peacekeepers. Inside the main graveyard two whole sections of graves have been razed, of more than 100 allied soldiers killed in the second world war, the majority of them Australians, with a few British and Polish service personnel. Most had been stationed in Palestine, as it was then, with some serving in field hospitals in Gaza.

Four sections of the dead from the first world war have also been flattened. CWGC records show the affected graves are almost all British, of soldiers drawn from regiments from across the UK, killed as British divisions wrested control of Palestine from Ottoman Turkish troops, suffering high casualties particularly in Gaza.

Prof Peter Stanley, a military historian at the University of NSW Canberra, told the Guardian Australians had “not forgotten” their soldiers’ service in the Middle East.

“The Gaza cemetery is as valued and as cared for as any cemetery in the world: an enormous amount of sentiment and emotion has been invested in maintaining these cemeteries as sacred places,” Stanley said.

“The first need is to stop people in Gaza dying and to provide succour to those who have been starving and suffering for years now: this needs to be kept in proportion. But for Australians, a serious consequence of this conflict is the desecration of the graves of Australian soldiers. That might not be major in the global scheme of things, but it is definitely something Australians should be concerned about.”

Jaradah tended to the graves for 45 years: 35 as an assistant to his father, Ibrahim, and then 10 years in charge. He passed on the responsibility to his son before the start of the current conflict.

“The cemetery was considered one of the most beautiful archaeological sites in Gaza. It contained diverse and beautiful trees and served as a living public space for the people of the Gaza Strip,” Jaradah said.

“I feel a sorrow like that of a child who has lost his mother. Pain and bitterness grip my heart over the cemetery, just as deeply as the pain of losing my home entirely.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/04/idf-bulldoze-gaza-war-cemetery-allied-graves-satellite-images

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/australia-pledges-to-restore-anzac-war-graves-bulldozed-during-war-in-gaza-20260205-p5nzy8.html

>>24114633

>>24156844

>>24189402

>>24193580

Jewish leader condemns graffiti attack on Andrew Hastie's office in Mandurah

Rhiannon Shine - 7 February 2026

Jewish community leaders have condemned a derogatory slur spray-painted on federal MP Andrew Hastie's electorate office in Western Australia.

Staff at Mr Hastie's office arrived to find the words 'traitor goy' spray-painted on the front of his electorate office in Mandurah, south of Perth, on Friday morning.

Perth Hebrew Congregation chief rabbi Daniel Lieberman said the term 'goy' had been used in recent years "as a derogatory term for a non-Jewish person who is too supportive of Jewish people".

In recent weeks, Mr Hastie has taken to social media to defend his support for new laws targeting hate groups, which passed with the support of the Liberals in mid-January.

After initially declaring he would not be supporting Labor's hate speech laws, which were drafted in response to the Bondi terror attack, he later voted for an amended version of the bill.

Mr Hastie's social media posts explaining his decision to vote for the bill were flooded with comments from followers denouncing his support, with some calling him a "sell out".

The Canning MP and former frontbencher has declined to comment on the graffiti attack.

'Highly un-Australian'

Federal Liberal MP and Jewish Australian Julian Leeser condemned the graffiti attack, describing it as "disgusting".

"Andrew Hastie did the right thing in voting for laws to kick out hate preachers and deal with radical Islamists and Neo-Nazis, I would have thought that was something that all Australians were opposed to," he said.

"It is very clearly, in my view, targeting Andrew for his support of Jewish Australians and all Australians in voting for laws that are designed to protect our community and deal with radical Islamists, Neo-Nazis and hate preachers."

Rabbi Lieberman said the graffiti incident was another example of vilification.

"The fact that it has been daubed on Andrew Hastie's office seems to be meaning that Andrew Hastie is controlled by the Jews or is too close to the Jewish community, and he's doing the bidding of the Jews in this hate speech legislation," he said.

"I think that in general we have a problem with vilification in our society.

"People feel like if someone has a different opinion from them, that they have the right to abuse that person and to disrupt their life.

"I find that highly un-Australian."

Mandurah Police were called to Mr Hastie's electorate office on Friday morning.

In a statement, WA Police said inquiries were ongoing and anyone with information about the incident should contact Crime Stoppers.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-07/police-investigate-graffiti-attack-on-andrew-hasties-office/106317500

>>23680280 (pb)

>>23759609 (pb)

>>23887868

>>23947379

US prosecutors seek 46-month sentence for conspiracy theorist linked to Wieambilla killers

Stephen Clarke - 7 February 2026

United States prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of almost four years for a conspiracy theorist connected to the Wieambilla killers.

Queensland police officers Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold, and neighbour Alan Dare, were shot dead in an ambush at a property west of Brisbane in December 2022.

Their killers - Nathaniel, Stacey and Gareth Train - were shot dead by police in a siege at the property.

Arizona-based conspiracy theorist Donald Day, 58, was arrested by US authorities in December 2023 after it emerged he had been in contact with the Trains and had sent them messages of support on YouTube.

Day was initially facing five federal charges, including three relating to alleged threats against US police and two counts of violating firearms laws.

Those charges were dropped as part of a plea deal when Day agreed to plead guilty to possessing guns while a felon.

Court documents show prosecutors are seeking a "low-end" sentence of 46 months with three years of supervised release when Day faces court for sentencing on February 12.

Prosecutors argued the court should take into account Day's adult criminal history, which includes multiple assaults on law enforcement in and out of custody, and physical and sexual assault of other inmates.

Court documents show an applicable guideline for the offence, given Day's criminal history, is 46-57 months.

'Language of violence'

In a sentencing memorandum, prosecutors outlined Day's links to "like-minded friends who lived on a rural property in Australia," who went by the online monikers Daniel and Jane.

"Day offered support and solidarity to the Trains, stated he wished he was with them, implied law enforcement would regret the day they messed with them, and told the Trains to do what they must with determination and fury."

"…Defendant told 'Daniel' that he looked 'forward to taking the scalps of our enemies alongside' him."

When he learned of the deaths of the Trains, prosecutors said Day made an online post where he threatened to kill law enforcement officers.

At his arrest on December 1, 2023, authorities recovered nine firearms and "three buckets of ammunition with approximately 10,000 rounds".

Prosecutors also highlighted online statements made by Day.

"These days, I just watch the stupid through the keyhole, 'til it's time to centre my rifle barrel through it."

A woman who lived with Day told police he would not allow her off the property, and that he had taught her a plan for if the "devils" came to the property.

The plan involved hiding in a "gun room" where guns, ammunition and ballistic vests were stored while Day went and defended their property.

Final message

A coronial inquest into the shooting found the Trains had a "shared delusional disorder" and had been "intent" on killing at the time of the ambush.

A video message posted by Gareth and Stacey Train during the siege on December 12 allegedly addressed Day directly.

In the video, Stacey Train told "Don" they would "be home soon" and that they loved him.

Day responded that he wished "that I could be with you to do what I do best".

In another post, Day wrote that the Trains had "done exactly what they were supposed to do, and that is to kill these f*cking devils".

In his police interview, Day said he spoke with the Trains two to four times a week in the comment section of their videos.

He said they shared a belief that the evils of the world were perpetuated by police.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-07/wieambilla-shooting-daniel-day-sentencing/106317202

>>24227931

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The major events declaration was made by Tourism Minister Stephen Kamper on Friday. The powers extend from Monday to Thursday and cover a “major event area” across Sydney’s CBD and eastern suburbs.

“This is an important visit for our country, and it matters deeply to the Jewish community of NSW as they continue to mourn and recover from the horrific terrorist attack on 14 December,” Minns said.

“[We] cannot allow a situation where mourners and protesters come into close contact on city streets without strong police presence.”

Police Minister Yasmin Catley said Herzog was coming “to mourn with our Australian Jewish community” after the state “lost 15 people at the end of last year in the worst terrorist event that this country has ever seen”.

The area covered by the major event declaration was placed under additional 14-day protest restrictions by Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon last week.

Under those arrangements, police may blanket-refuse all applications for protest marches within the area, leaving participants exposed to potential criminal sanction for obstructing traffic and pedestrians.

On Saturday, Lanyon said he was aware the Palestine Action Group was proposing a rally from Town Hall through the Sydney CBD, in an area unauthorised for a march. He said police had offered to facilitate a march from Hyde Park north through to the south of Sydney.

“We are very keen to ensure a safe and responsible protest,” he said.

Lanyon said the declaration gave police greater powers to “give directions to people to move out of an area” and to conduct searches, but they did not intend to use them “unless we need to”.

In a statement, Palestine Action Group Sydney said it would “be exercising [its] democratic and lawful right to protest against the touring of a war criminal”, criticising Minns’ decision to invoke the rare powers ahead of the visit.

“We call on the NSW Police to facilitate a peaceful march to NSW parliament, which is within their power,” the group said.

More than a dozen state and federal politicians, including NSW Labor upper house MPs Stephen Lawrence and Cameron Murphy and several Greens MPs, have written to Lanyon to express support for the planned march from Town Hall to Parliament House.

The state government said the major event powers would allow police to “maintain separation between different groups, and reduce the risk of confrontation in busy parts of the city”.

“These arrangements are not a ban on protests or marches. People retain the right to express their views lawfully,” its statement read.

Under the legislation, police may “limit the number of persons who may enter a major event area” or any part of it, and prohibit “categories of persons” from entering the area.

Penalties for failure to comply include fines of up to $5500.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/nsw/minns-invokes-special-powers-ahead-of-israeli-president-visit-20260207-p5o0b4.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdV_L5lx3hs

>>24231295

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Littleproud conceded that negotiations with Ley over the reunion were at times “terse”, but he believed that was a sign of maturity between the leaders.

He did not deny reports he had yelled at Ley to resign during a phone call.

When the Coalition split in January, Littleproud said the Nationals could not serve in a shadow ministry led by Ley, a statement he has repeatedly walked back in recent media appearances.

After breaking away from the Coalition twice since the May election, Littleproud said he would not seek to split the opposition again and January’s split was because of “an extreme circumstance” not seen in more than a century.

Under the renewed Coalition agreement, Nationals will remain barred from shadow ministerial portfolios for a cumulative six-week period. All shadow ministers will return to their previously held roles on March 1.

During the interim period, Littleproud and his deputy, Kevin Hogan, will attend meetings of the leadership group, shadow cabinet and the economic review committee.

All shadow ministers will sign an agreement to abide by shadow cabinet solidarity, with neither party able to overturn decisions of the shadow cabinet, enshrining the primacy of the joint Coalition party room over individual party positions. A shadow cabinet “decisions register” will also be introduced.

Ley has been under pressure within the Liberal Party. Speculation was rife on Friday and Saturday that Taylor would resign from the frontbench to create a leadership spill should Ley cement the split and announce a Liberal-only frontbench on Sunday, which she had been tipped to do.

Asked whether the reunion would hurt Ley’s support from moderate supporters within the party room, the Liberal leader said: “The overwhelming majority of my party room knows that the Coalition is stronger together, and I know that that feeling is shared in the Nationals party room.”

“I am very confident of the overwhelming support of my party room. They elected me nine months ago to lead. I said then I was up for the job. I’m up for the job now,” Ley said.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/liberals-and-nationals-have-reunited-as-the-coalition-after-a-17-day-split-20260208-p5o0fk.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO6y7ZoWXoM

>>24231304

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NSW Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Paul Dunstan urged the group to consider an alternative march from Hyde Park to Belmore Park that would not breach the restrictions.

“We would love the group to relocate … to safely facilitate a peaceful protest on the streets of Sydney,” he said.

“I have concerns about the size of Town Hall, the possibility of overflow into public areas, which could lead to conflict between police and protesters.”

However, Lees said Hyde Park was “out of sight, out of mind” on a weeknight, whereas a march through the city would have the message “seen and heard” by the “maximum number of people”.

Dunstan said he had been in ongoing conversations with Lees, who reiterated to police that the group also wanted a peaceful and safe protest.

An enormous police presence is expected during Herzog’s four-day visit. Officers will be working an additional 3000 shifts. More than 500 officers have been rostered to police Monday’s protest.

Dunstan said: “It’s going to be extremely significant. There will be a strong police presence right across the CBD and the eastern suburbs.”

The major event powers extend from Monday to Thursday and cover a “major event area” in the CBD and eastern suburbs.

Traffic restrictions have been put in place in the CBD. Clearways will be implemented until 2pm on Thursday and buses will not terminate at Circular Quay.

Restrictions will also be implemented at Bondi Beach from Tuesday afternoon.

Police have urged the public to avoid the CBD on Monday due to the police operation.

Transport for NSW secretary Josh Murray urged commuters to stay away from the city on Monday afternoon where possible.

“We hope there is no trouble, but police will be on hand in large numbers, and as a result, if you can move away from the city at an earlier time from work tomorrow, we’d advise you to do this,” he said.

Streets currently affected include:

• Clarence Street, Sydney CBD, western and eastern sides between Barrack and Margaret streets.

• Bligh Street between Bent and Hunter streets

• Gresham Street between Bent and Bridge streets

• O’Connell Street between Bent and Hunter streets

https://www.theage.com.au/national/nsw/protesters-to-mount-legal-fight-against-restrictions-during-herzog-visit-20260208-p5o0g8.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTRS_AKDu-g

>>23978158

>>24210131

>>24218882

>>24223346

>>24227931

Police ‘well-prepared’ for Herzog protests as Allan expects disruptions

Roy Ward and Chip Le Grand - February 8, 2026

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Premier Jacinta Allan has urged protesters to be respectful as police prepare for a week of protests against a visit to Australia by Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

Allan said it marked a chance to stand united against antisemitism and backed the city to handle the pressures of Herzog’s expected visit on Thursday.

Herzog is due to arrive in Australia on Monday for a four-day visit where he will attend events in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne.

Major protests have been planned across the country, sparking a court battle in NSW that will be heard on Monday.

In Victoria, there are plans for a rally at Flinders Street Station at 5.30pm on Monday and another at Southern Cross Station at 3pm on Thursday.

Allan said Herzog’s visit was an important one for the state’s Jewish community following the mass shooting at a Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach in December in which 15 people died.

“I welcome President Herzog’s visit to Victoria,” Allan said. “It’s a significant moment for Australia’s largest Jewish community and an opportunity for us all to stand united against antisemitism.

“I expect there will be some disruption this week, but we can handle it, and I urge everyone to share their views respectfully.

“We have introduced tough anti-vilification laws and more powers for police.”

Victoria Police said they would maintain a highly visible presence in the city.

“Police are well-prepared for protest activity planned for Monday in Melbourne,” a spokeswoman said.

“There will be a highly visible police presence throughout the CBD to maintain public order and the safety of the community.

“Victoria Police respects the right for people to protest lawfully, however, we expect that they do so peacefully without impacting the broader community.”

Victoria Police have been tight-lipped about any additional security and community protections in place for when Herzog flies into Melbourne.

An enormous police presence is expected in NSW on Monday, with 500 officers working an additional 3000 shifts.

There, Premier Chris Minns has invoked rare police powers declaring a “major event area” across Sydney’s CBD and eastern suburbs.

Those powers are typically used to manage crowds at sporting events and give police additional powers to “close off” designated areas and order people to leave. Some city streets are already subject to traffic restrictions.

It is the first time the powers have been used for the visit of a foreign dignitary.

(continued)

>>24231308

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However, the declaration has angered the Palestine Action Group, which filed a legal challenge in the NSW Supreme Court on Sunday, arguing the legislation used to enact the major event powers was not suitable for protest activity. The matter will be heard by the court on Monday.

The group has planned a demonstration at Sydney’s Town Hall; about 5000 people are expected to attend.

Group spokesman Josh Lees said the legislation granted “extraordinary police powers” including stop and search, exclusion zones and restrictions on public conduct.

“[NSW Premier Chris Minns] is using powers meant for sporting events or cultural events to instead give himself and the NSW Police extraordinary and draconian powers to basically shut down our entire city in the interest of parading out a war criminal,” he said.

A United Nations commission of inquiry found Herzog and other Israeli officials were “liable to prosecution for incitement to genocide” for comments made after the October 7 attack by Hamas in 2023.

Victorian Opposition police spokesman Brad Battin said Herzog’s visit would highlight the contrast between the powers available to police in NSW and Victoria to move on protesters.

“We are going to see a comparison here in Victoria versus NSW when it comes to what laws are in place to protect Victorians during protests,” Battin said on Sunday.

“We had a terrorist attack here in our country and the Victorian Jewish community and the Australian Jewish community are hurting. They need support. What they don’t need on the streets is hate speech.”

Victorian Minister for Equality Vicki Ward said it would be up to police to make use of anti-vilification laws introduced after the December 2024 arson attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue, including criminal offences and potential jail terms for hate speech.

“We have got the strongest vilification laws in the nation,” she said.

Battin said these laws, which the opposition didn’t support in parliament, were not sufficient, and the Allan government should have introduced move-on laws like NSW.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Saturday defended his decision to invite Herzog to Australia, acknowledging there were mixed views about his visit among the community.

“President Herzog is coming in the context of the devastating antisemitic terrorist attack that occurred at Bondi,” Albanese said. “The visit of President Herzog is to support the Jewish community at what has been a very difficult time.”

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/police-well-prepared-for-herzog-protests-as-allan-expects-disruptions-20260208-p5o0ic.html

>>23925350

>>23925388

>>24202126

>>24214753

‘Depraved’ Sydney satanic child abuse ring ‘the most extreme’ police have seen

Perry Duffin - February 8, 2026

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The tentacles of a satanic paedophile ring, allegedly operated by a group of Sydney men including a self-styled journalist, a swimming coach and an ex-cop, have spread across the world, with almost 150 suspects being hunted by global law enforcement.

Police say the allegations are “the most extreme we’ve seen”, and the content so “depraved” and “horrific” that magistrates and prosecutors are in shock.

Detectives from the NSW Police’s child exploitation internet unit alleged late last year that they had uncovered a paedophile network involved in the “online distribution of child sexual abuse material involving ritualistic or satanic themes”.

Strike Force Constantine, named after the first Christian emperor of Rome, has rounded up six men across Sydney who allegedly made the horrific child abuse content that has shocked seasoned investigators and judicial officers.

“This operation exposed a network fixated on material that combined extreme child abuse with ritualistic or satanic themes,” Detective Superintendent Jayne Doherty told this masthead.

“The material is among the most extreme we have seen, and the group’s use of satanic iconography demonstrates the level of depravity driving their offending.”

Doherty said the demonic description of the ring could sound sensational, but the alleged paedophiles were actually sharing “satanic” imagery, symbols and language alongside the images and videos.

NSW Police mapped the network’s international footprint, Doherty said, and it was “leading directly” to further arrests overseas.

“The evidence we have gathered has already identified 145 alleged offenders overseas, and we are now working closely with international law enforcement agencies to ensure they face justice,” she said.

The headlines began in late November when detectives from Constantine executed search warrants in Waterloo, Ultimo and Malabar.

The ring’s alleged leader, Landon Ashton Versace Germanotta-Mills, was led from a Waterloo apartment block wearing a hypnotic black and white outfit.

The 26-year-old described himself in online screeds as an “investigative and forensic journalist” who railed against child abusers and other criminals.

“I founded Underground Media Network to do what mainstream journalism won’t: expose police corruption, institutional abuse, systemic racism and state-sanctioned silence,” he wrote on LinkedIn.

“I follow stories no one wants to print – stories about Aboriginal deaths in custody, survivors failed by foster care, officers who abuse with impunity, and whistleblowers punished for telling the truth.”

Germanotta-Mills was hit with multiple child abuse and bestiality material charges and has remained in custody since his first court hearing on November 28.

Three more men were arrested, Benjamin Raymond Drysdale, Mark Andrew Sendecky and Stuart Woods Riches, at a unit block in Malabar.

Sendecky, 42, worked as a swim coach in Victoria until 2021.

The three were all charged with similar child abuse material charges, among other offences, and refused bail along with Germanotta-Mills.

(continued)

>>24231315

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Constantine’s detectives sifted through the horrors of the content allegedly shared by the men throughout December and January, discovering victims in their infancy up to age 12.

In late January, detectives swooped on another alleged member in Sydney Olympic Park, David Turner – a former police officer – slapping him with child abuse and bestiality material charges.

Turner, 42, was filmed being walked from his home and loaded into a police wagon in shorts and sandals. He was fired from his government job at NSW Telco Authority.

More electronics were seized, along with methamphetamine and ketamine.

Then on Wednesday, Constantine’s officers made their sixth arrest – eastern suburbs’ property manager Colin Milne.

The 62-year-old asked for release to bail, meaning the allegations against him and the satanic network were partially aired in court through documents.

Crown prosecutors told the court Milne’s devices showed he had used encrypted networks and apps to conceal his tracks online, and they feared he would warn the other members of the syndicate that police were circling.

Magistrate Alison Viney said the material was “disturbing”, as prosecutors called it a “depraved” depictions of very young children with adults.

“The facts would imply at least 50 individual child abuse images, at least 10 individual child abuse videos, and at least 100 images disseminated via the alleged syndicate,” the prosecutor said.

“Investigators have also found a large volume of material in relation to physical and sexual abuse of animals.”

Milne, a joint UK-Australian citizen with no criminal history, had recently arrived back in Sydney after being overseas.

He offered to hand over his passports to secure bail and wanted to live at a Darlinghurst transient accommodation which he manages.

Viney was not convinced, saying the case was “incredibly serious”.

“Having read the statement of facts, which detail unfortunately in some significant way the content of the videos, I can say that they are concerning and horrific,” Viney said.

“In somewhat 20 years of sitting as a judicial officer, [I] haven’t read many worse than this, frankly.”

Viney said it was likely that Milne would be imprisoned if found guilty.

“The depravity of the material – I have real concerns in terms of the most vulnerable in our community, for their safety. I’m not satisfied that any condition would address those concerns.”

Milne warned the court he had been told he would be bashed in prison. He was refused bail until April.

Milne is believed to be the final NSW-based offender identified with links to the international paedophile network, police said in a statement.

The hunt is ongoing across Australia, USA, Canada, Mexico, Europe, New Zealand, South America and South-East Asia to capture the remaining suspects.

If you or anyone you know needs support, you can contact the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732), Lifeline (13 11 14), the Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467), Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636) and Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800).

https://www.1800respect.org.au/

https://www.lifeline.org.au/

https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/

https://www.kidshelpline.com.au/

https://www.theage.com.au/national/nsw/depraved-sydney-satanic-child-abuse-ring-the-most-extreme-police-have-seen-20260204-p5nzgp.html

https://qanon.pub/#3155

https://qanon.pub/#1735

https://qanon.pub/#109

>>24235848

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The reunification might add momentum to the case for change because it means Taylor will not be seen to be giving in to Littleproud. Also working in Taylor’s favour is that Ley is now unable to offer half-a-dozen new frontbench positions and pay rises to Liberal backbenchers as was planned if she were appointing a Liberal-only shadow cabinet.

But Taylor’s camp is wary of appearing opportunistic if it moves to topple Ley so soon after she repaired a schism that could have consolidated Labor gains for years. And several MPs are unconvinced by claims that Taylor has secured majority support to force a spill.

Former prime minister John Howard, one of many party elders who pushed the leaders to sort it out, said Ley must turn her focus to immigration.

“I congratulate Sussan Ley and David Littleproud for having restored the Coalition,” he said. “Decades have told us that a strong coalition between our two parties delivers good outcomes for the Australian people. The next challenge for the parties is the enunciation of clear policies. One of these must be that of immigration.”

The Coalition is reformed immediately, with Littleproud and deputy Kevin Hogan sitting in the shadow cabinet from this week. In his offer to Ley on Friday, Littleproud wanted the Coalition to formally reunite in March, just as the rebel senators finished their suspensions. The delay would have allowed the Nationals to spend the next week in parliament pushing their own policies and undermining Ley, heightening the risk of a leadership ballot in the Liberal Party.

If Taylor’s camp does not force a spill in Tuesday’s party room meeting, his backers could call for a ballot later in the week.

Taylor is aware that the party’s poor reception from women voters might be damaged further if he moves on Ley, the party’s first female leader.

His supporters are mulling several options – including Victorian senator Jane Hume, communications spokeswoman Melissa McIntosh and shadow cabinet secretary Zoe McKenzie – to run as his deputy if he were to create a joint ticket. Tim Wilson and Andrew Hastie are also in the running, with Wilson viewed as a possible shadow treasurer and Hastie believed to be open to less-high-profile portfolios such as finance or industry.

Leader-deputy joint tickets are common in Liberal Party history and Taylor’s call to run with Jacinta Nampijinpa Price backfired in May when he lost to Ley.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/liberals-and-nationals-have-reunited-as-the-coalition-after-a-17-day-split-20260208-p5o0fk.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtHjKttQj28

>>24235918

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Justice Wright said during the hearing that the government’s comments when the major events declaration was announced appeared to suggest its aim was “not suppression of protest, but keeping two groups separate”.

The government said in a media release on Saturday that “we cannot allow a situation where mourners, visitors and protesters are brought into close proximity in a way that risks conflict, violence or public disorder”.

Wright said the declaration was also made in “the context of what occurred on the 14th of December where, it appears, there are elements in Australian society who think that it is appropriate to take weapons and shoot various people who are participating in a religious celebration”.

He said the fact Hyde Park was excluded from the area covered by the additional police powers appeared to indicate “an attempt to balance both the interests of protesters and their legitimate rights to express their views … and also, then, the legitimate rights and interests of those who are participants in the visit”.

Brendan Lim, SC, acting for the government, said Herzog was “the Israeli head of state, not head of government”, and the context of his visit was relevant.

Lim said the carve-out in the restrictions to allow a protest in Hyde Park and a march to Belmore Park in the city’s south “defeats the alleged improper purpose”.

There was evidence the protest would “intercept with the president’s visit”, Lim said. Town Hall was close to an event on Herzog’s itinerary this evening at the International Convention and Exhibition Centre at Darling Harbour, he said.

Had it been successful, the challenge to the major events powers would only have removed one source of potential criminal liability for protesters.

The challenge covered one of two layers of restrictions currently in place in NSW.

The Palestine Action Group has also launched a legal challenge to separate public assembly restrictions, introduced following the Bondi tragedy.

Those restrictions were extended last week, and they remove protections against criminal charges for protesters who block traffic or pedestrians on unauthorised protest routes. The protesters’ preferred route is not authorised.

The challenge to those restrictions will not be heard until after the presidential visit.

Police have urged the group to consider an alternative march route from Hyde Park to the city’s south, but protesters said an important aspect of the protest was being visible outside Town Hall and proceeding to NSW Parliament.

Police have not authorised that route. Outside of the court process, PAG has asked police to exercise their discretion to allow the march to proceed on that route.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/nsw/court-rejects-challenge-to-sweeping-police-powers-for-israeli-president-visit-20260209-p5o0md.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsTu03xtXJA

>>23978158

>>23981415

ASIO cautions ABC over Bondi Four Corners program

JOANNA PANAGOPOULOS - 8 February 2026

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Australia’s intelligence agency has issued a rare public rebuttal ahead of ABC’s Four Corners program, claiming apparent suggestions of intelligence failings related to the Bondi Beach terrorists were based on the “uncorroborated claims” of a “disgruntled source”.

The Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation cautioned the ABC, saying “we will reserve our right to take further action” if it “chooses to publish claims it cannot substantiate – particularly ones it has been told are untrue”.

The second episode of the ABC’s two-part investigation into the Bondi massacre is set to “examine whether there were failures in intelligence and counter-terrorism” ahead of the mass shooting, according to a promo from February 3. It also investigates “the secret lives of the terrorists”.

Naveed Akram and his father Sajid, who allegedly murdered 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on December 14, had an Islamic State flag displayed on the front windscreen of their car and filmed an ISIS-inspired video ahead of the attack, police claim.

On Sunday, ASIO published to its website a statement it provided to Four Corners in response to questions it received. The program is set to air on Monday evening.

In that statement, ASIO refuted apparent questioning about the investigation into Naveed Akram in 2019 and his embrace of violent extremism, saying the ABC’s claims appeared “to be based on the uncorroborated claims of a ­single, unreliable and disgruntled source”. The Australian understands this informant’s role with ASIO came to an abrupt end some time ago.

The intelligence agency said it had investigated Akram in 2019 and assessed “he did not adhere to or intend to engage in violent extremism at that time”. It added: “We stand by our assessment at that point in time.”

The antisemitism royal commission will examine intelligence failures and the government’s wider counter-terrorism settings.

“The claims Four Corners is making were investigated at the time and found to be unsubstantiated,” the statement from ASIO reads. “The ABC’s source mis-identified Naveed Akram. That is, the source claimed Naveed Akram said and did things that were actually said and done by an entirely different person.

“To be clear, Four Corners’ source mis-identified Naveed Akram, and therefore the associated claims are untrue.”

ASIO claimed “this source also has a track record of making statements that are untrue”.

“As another example, it is false to claim ASIO received intelligence about Sajid Akram being part of a group that discussed a plan to establish a pro-ISIS community in (Turkey). This claim is untrue.”

(continued)

>>24235950

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An ABC spokesperson said: “Four Corners spoke to numerous people and provides a number of sources of information for a detailed picture of the Akrams’ actions and associations in the years leading up to the Bondi attack.”

The intelligence agency also said Four Corners’ claim that Akram “was ‘a close associate’ of known terrorists is false”.

It was reported by numerous publications in December that Akram was associated with the Street Dawah Movement after he was seen in videos in 2019 proselytising and handing out pamphlets with the street-preaching group, and that other members of an Islamic State cell had attended its events. He was also understood to be a frequent worshipper at the Al Madina Dawah Centre – the prayer hall linked to radical jihadist preacher Wissam Haddad.

ASIO said in its statement: “There is a significant difference between attending a prayer centre with a large gathering of people and being a ‘close associate’ of known terrorists. This claim is untrue.” ASIO also refuted apparent claims that “any resourcing decision” at the organisation “increased the likelihood of the Bondi attack”, saying this was “false, irresponsible and demonstrates profound ignorance of ASIO’s prioritisation frameworks and enduring investment in counter terrorism”.

“Tragically, ASIO did not know what the perpetrators of the Bondi attack were planning – or indeed that they were planning anything,” the statement reads. “This is a matter of grave regret. It weighs on us heavily. But that does not mean additional resourcing would have prevented the attack or there was intelligence that was not acted on or that our officers made mistakes.”

The ABC spokesman said: “The Four Corners program is a comprehensive investigation examining the events that led to the worst terrorist attack on Australian soil. Detailed questions were put to ASIO and its response is reflected in the story.”

ASIO repeated that “ultimately, the royal commission will make its own assessment based on all the evidence and intelligence, rather than selective claims”.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/asio-cautions-abc-over-bondi-four-corners-program/news-story/bf2fe95bf226084ff019261a9510a236

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-03/bondi-part-two-four-corners/106298452

https://www.asio.gov.au/asio-statement-four-corners

>>24240047

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Earlier, protesters held signs labelling the visiting president a “war criminal” and accusing him of genocide. “Isaac you are pure evil,” one read.

Some held bloody dolls representing dead Gazan children. Other signs depicted wanted posters for Herzog, as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Others brandished signs of Premier Chris Minns and Herzog painted with moustaches evoking Hitler.

The rally came shortly after the NSW Supreme Court rejected an urgent legal challenge to sweeping powers granted to police for Herzog’s visit to Australia. Justice Robertson Wright made orders less than an hour before the planned protest.

The NSW government quietly declared Herzog’s visit a major event on Friday under legislation typically used to manage crowds at large sporting events.

It triggered wide-ranging powers for NSW Police, including the ability to shut down parts of a “major events area” in the Sydney CBD and eastern suburbs, to limit the number of people who can remain in the area, and to conduct searches. The march to parliament was not an authorised route.

The major event declaration was not announced publicly until Saturday.

Minutes after the court challenge was rejected, Lees said the protest at Town Hall and planned march to Parliament House would go ahead regardless.

Australian of the Year Grace Tame condemned Herzog’s visit, earlier telling the crowd Australia was “a so-called democracy that punishes peaceful protesters like us, but welcomes a war criminal with open arms”.

“A man … who said, and I quote, ‘there are no innocent civilians in Gaza’,” Tame said, before leading a chant of “From Gadigal to Gaza, globalise the intifada”.

Labor MPs Dr Sarah Kaine, Cameron Murphy and Stephen Lawrence were at the rally despite Minns invoking the special police powers.

Jewish independent journalist Antony Loewenstein told the crowd Israel’s actions “endanger all of us, including Jews.”

“[Herzog] in Israel may be seen as a Labor-left man, believe me, he is an extremist, which is very mainstream in Israel,” Loewenstein said.

It is the first time the sweeping police powers have been used solely for the visit of a foreign dignitary.

“The Prime Minister of Australia invited another head of state into NSW, so we’ve got an obligation to protect that person and that was part of the operation tonight,” McKenna said.

The government said in a media release on Saturday that “we cannot allow a situation where mourners, visitors and protesters are brought into close proximity in a way that risks conflict, violence or public disorder”.

Had it been successful, the challenge to the major events powers would only have removed one source of potential criminal liability for protesters.

The PAG has also launched a pending challenge to separate public assembly restrictions, introduced following the Bondi tragedy, which remove legal protections for protesters who block traffic or pedestrians on unauthorised protest routes.

While crowds gathered at Town Hall, chanting “from the river to the sea, Herzog to the ICC [International Criminal Court],” not far away, snipers and a hovering police helicopter prepared for Herzog to arrive at a different ICC, the International Convention Centre, where he addressed an event organised by the Zionist Federation of Australia.

At the request of police the crowd at the Sydney ICC were held in place for 30 minutes at the end of the event, in an attempt to keep supporters of the Israeli president separate from protesters in the CBD outside.

Herzog arrived in Sydney on Monday morning and is also expected to visit Canberra and Melbourne as part of the visit.

His invitation came after the Bondi Beach massacre on December 14. The attack, which targeted the Jewish community, killed 15 people and injured dozens more on the first night of Hanukkah.

The visit prompted pro-Palestine activists to prepare for a nationwide day of protests to coincide with Herzog’s arrival. A United Nations commission of inquiry found Herzog and other Israeli officials were “liable to prosecution for incitement to genocide” for comments made after the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/nsw/court-rejects-challenge-to-sweeping-police-powers-for-israeli-president-visit-20260209-p5o0md.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ8eNap3PPI

>>24240141

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Former deputy Prime Minister, Mr Joyce, said Ms Tame’s chants to “globalise the intifada” were “unacceptable”, calling for her to be stripped of her Australian of the year award.

“You have a responsibility, when given an honour by the Australian people, to basically conduct yourself in a way that inspires the harmonious nature of Australia,” he told Sky News.

“I know she had a tumultuous childhood. We don’t deny that, but that is not a licence, therefore, to go on … and stir up the Australian people.”

“When we look at the actual narrative, she’s talking about the removal of the Jewish people. Now that’s just completely unacceptable.”

Opposition communications spokesman Melissa McIntosh called for the former Australian of the Year to “reflect” on whether she is being a “good Australian citizen”. “What was Grace Tame doing to reflect those values of being an Australian of the Year?” Ms McIntosh asked.

Ms McIntosh said she would not go “as far” as calling for Ms Tame to be stripped of her award but said her conduct should be investigated.

Later in Question Time, Ms McIntosh asked Mr Albanese why Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek had “refused to specifically condemn” Ms Tame for her use of antisemitic chants at the Town Hall protest on Monday night.

Mr Albanese responded that: “We need to not continually look for political opportunities from what is a devastating situation, we need to turn the temperature down.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/new-south-wales/former-australian-of-the-years-globalise-the-intifada-chant-distressing-nsw-premier/news-story/2ff1dbe01e97d72e48945afae2e26b36

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwYG78OPpXA

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUjt_agkkgQ/

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At Chabad Bondi, Mr Herzog told members of the Jewish community, including family members of those killed by alleged terrorists Sajid and Naveed Akram, that he was overcome by sorrow at their loss.

“Their absence has torn a gaping hole in the heart of the Jewish people. We have come to remember. For Jews, remembering is part of our DNA. It is at the core of our belief system, it is a divine directive.”

Bereaved family members in the audience included vocal advocates Jenny Roytur, Sabina Kleitman and Sheina Gutnick, along with the youngest Bondi victim Matilda’s father Michael Britvan, mother Valentyna Poltachevchenko and little sister Summer.

After Mr Herzog’s address, he lit 15 candles – one for each of those allegedly murdered by the Bondi gunmen.

Empty seats were reserved for Chabad members killed in the attack: Tibor Weitzen, Alex Kleytman, Boris Tetleroyd, Reuven Morrison, Edith Brutman and Rabbi Eli Schlanger.

Beside the candles, Mr Herzog and Mr Albanese — donning a black kippah — sat with Rabbi Yehoram Ulman, the spiritual leader of Chabad Bondi and father-in-law to slain Rabbi Schlanger.

The Prime Minister’s reception was markedly warmer than any of his other recent engagements with the Jewish community, and particularly with those most affected, while Mr Herzog’s praise for Mr Albanese’s leadership was met with applause.

It was in stark contrast to past criticism by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who accused Mr Albanese in the wake of the Bondi attack of pouring “fuel on the antisemitism fire” by recognising a Palestinian state.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin told the Chabad that those who questioned Mr Herzog’s presence in Australia “do not understand what it means to be Jewish”.

“They do not grasp that Israel is an inseverable part of being Jewish, that the state of Israel is not a distant country, it is an idea: the idea of the restoration of Jewish self-determination to the lands in which we first dwelled and which we defended thousands of years ago,” Mr Ryvchin said.

“It means Jewish freedom, Jewish self-reliance and the innate love and connection and responsibility that Jewish people feel for one another regardless of the languages we speak or the countries where we live.”

He said Mr Albanese’s presence at the synagogue with Mr Herzog was “an act of leadership and solidarity” with the nation’s Jews.

“Prime Minister, we are ready and have always been ready to toil with you to create a country where Jewish Australians can work, study, and create without exclusion, without fear and without having to discard our connection to Israel as the price of entry, a price we will never pay,” he said. “This is all we seek and it is what we deserve.

“Together, we need to end the lunacy where our children require the protection of the police, where for us to meet here today with our friends and family we require a security operation the likes of which this country has never seen.”

Their comments came as Mr Albanese’s hand-picked antisemitism envoy Jillian Segal said she had hoped the government would have implemented her plan to combat anti-Jewish hatred “faster” in the months before the Bondi terror attack, which she called a “turning point for the nation”.

But Ms Segal said she believed the Prime Minister had encouraged his key ministers to make her plan a top priority.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/israeli-president-says-he-is-here-to-get-relations-with-australia-back-on-track/news-story/cc86d335edf407329de5acff8110f5ac

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9uhrUAxYHg

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>>24235918

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>>24240047

>>24240177

Allan rejects protest ban as Victoria Police prepare for Herzog visit

ANTHONY GALLOWAY and LILY MCCAFFREY - 10 February 2026

A schism has opened between the Labor premiers of Australia’s two largest states over how to manage protests surrounding the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, with Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan doubling down on her rejection of protest bans in the wake of “distressing and disturbing” clashes in Sydney.

Ms Allan also issued a warning to demonstrators intent on causing hurt and division to Jewish mourners during Mr Herzog’s visit to Melbourne on Thursday to stay away, as Victoria Police prepares a “major presence” to respond to the planned protests.

As NSW Premier Chris Minns defended the actions of police in managing protests in Sydney on Monday, Ms Allan seized on the fact that only one arrest was made at the corresponding protest in Melbourne as evidence that Victoria’s approach had led to a largely peaceful outcome.

“The advice I have from Victoria Police is that despite the number, there was only one arrest. I think that does speak to an understanding that there is a right to protest, but it must be respected and it must be done peacefully,” she said.

Ms Allan’s government is currently seeking legal advice on drafting new laws that would give special powers to the Chief Commissioner of Police to stop or move on public protests within a defined period following a designated terrorist event.

However, Ms Allan has so far rejected calls to impose outright protest bans.

Declining to criticise decisions taken in NSW, Ms Allan said Victoria would continue to follow the advice of Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush, who had not recommended protest bans.

“The scenes out of Sydney were, indeed, quite distressing and disturbing,” she said.

“It’s very difficult for me, as Premier of Victoria, to comment on decisions that are made to manage a crowd of that size interstate. But what we are doing here in Victoria is taking the advice of the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, and his advice is that protest bans are not required here in Victoria.

“And we have seen that banning protests does not stop protests.”

Ms Allan said she had been briefed by Victoria Police on plans to manage protests in the coming days, warning that disruption was expected on Thursday.

She said Melbourne’s Jewish community was experiencing “deep grief and pain” following the “antisemitic terrorist attack on Bondi Beach in December”, urging restraint amid heightened tensions.

“If you are planning to bring hurt, or pain or grief to the streets of Melbourne this week – then don’t come.

“President Herzog is, as head of state of Israel, coming to provide care and comfort for a community that is grieving the worst terrorist attack on this nation’s soil.

“So the President’s visit is coming with the intent to provide that care and support, and it’s also an opportunity for all of us to stand united against antisemitism.

“We cannot let conflict overseas bring conflict to our streets – because what we are seeing is communities that are grieving because of the conflict overseas.”

Victoria Police said it was “well prepared” for protests on Thursday, saying there will be “a highly visible police presence throughout the CBD to maintain public order and the safety of the community”.

“Victoria Police respects the right for people to protest lawfully, however we expect that they do so peacefully without impacting the broader community,” police said.

“Police will be prepared to respond to any issues if needed.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/allan-rejects-protest-ban-as-victoria-police-prepare-for-herzog-visit/news-story/d6c507bd1022f1e17a8a1d84fc2e4530

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>>24205958

>>24218894

Ghislaine Maxwell will only talk if Donald Trump grants clemency, lawyer says

Brad Ryan - 10 February 2026

Ghislaine Maxwell, the jailed accomplice of sex predator Jeffrey Epstein, has refused to answer questions before members of the US Congress.

But Maxwell's lawyer says she will talk if US President Donald Trump offers her clemency.

Lawyer David Oscar Markus told the congressional committee she "would very much like to answer your questions", but she "must remain silent" because she is asking a court to rule her trial was unfair.

"Ms Maxwell is prepared to speak fully and honestly if granted clemency by President Trump," Mr Markus told the House of Representatives Oversight Committee.

His written statement also said Mr Trump and former president Bill Clinton were both "innocent of any wrongdoing" but only Ms Maxwell could explain why.

Maxwell was asked to provide evidence as part of the committee's bipartisan investigation into the government's handling of Epstein's case. The probe began before Congress voted late last year to force the Department of Justice to release the Epstein files.

Appearing via video link from a Texas prison, Maxwell invoked a constitutional right to silence to avoid self-incrimination, known as pleading the Fifth Amendment.

Democrats slammed the ploy for clemency from Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for grooming and trafficking girls for Epstein, some of whom were as young as 14.

Maxwell has exhausted her options to appeal against her conviction and sentence, but her lawyers recently lodged a habeas petition — a long-shot bid for freedom based on a claim of illegal imprisonment. She could also be released under a presidential pardon.

"She is telling Donald Trump through her deposition and that she is trying to buy her clemency," Democratic committee member Melanie Stansbury said.

"She is not being released from jail unless, of course, Donald Trump buys what she is selling."

Fellow committee Democrat James Walkinshaw described Maxwell's demeanour during the deposition as "robotic".

Republican committee chair James Comer said Maxwell's refusal to answer questions was "very disappointing".

"We had many questions to ask about the crimes she and Epstein committed, as well as questions about potential co-conspirators."

Maxwell was last year moved from a Florida prison to a lower-security Texas facility after she met with Deputy Attorney-General Todd Blanche. At the time, Mr Trump denied he had been asked to grant clemency to Maxwell.

"I'm allowed to do it, but nobody's asked me to do it," he said.

Democrats have called on the president to rule out pardoning Maxwell.

"She is campaigning over and over again to get that pardon from President Trump, and this president has not ruled it out," Mr Walkinshaw said.

"And so that is why she's continuing to not cooperate with our investigation. The reality is she is a monster, she should be behind bars, she should stay there."

Interest in Maxwell's testimony was intensified by the recent publication of millions of documents from the Epstein files.

The documents' release has resulted in a flood of revelations about the powerful men in Epstein's circles, but survivors and others have criticised a decision to withhold millions more documents that were initially flagged for possible release.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-10/ghislaine-maxwell-will-only-talk-if-trump-grants-clemency/106324720

https://x.com/domarkus/status/2020882509525893536