Live: PM condemns ‘anti-Semitic’ graffiti, says Coalition stoking ‘division’

Greens childcare spokesperson Steph Hodgins-May is also not a fan of Labor’s childcare announcement.

In a statement, the senator said the proposal will do “very little for families”.

“Three days of subsided childcare is still only three days — parents will still be stuck with high fees and long childcare waiting lists and kids will continue to miss out on an education, particularly those most disadvantaged.

“We know that the activity test unfairly locks children out of getting an early education. If Labor wanted to, they could fully abolish the activity test today.

“Our childcare system is in crisis and the sector is crying out for transformative change. We were hoping for genuine reform, but instead, Labor continues to tinker around the edges and kick the can of universal early childhood education and care to the next election cycle.”

Working parents should remain the priority of childcare subsidies, deputy opposition leader Sussan Ley says ahead of the official unveiling of Labor’s childcare fix.

Under the proposal, the activity test which dictates whether families can access subsidised childcare will be scrapped. It would be replaced with a guaranteed three days of subsidised childcare for all families earning less than $530,000 a year.

But speaking with ABC Mildura, Ley said while it’s important for Australians to have access to care, it must be “sustainable”.

She argued the activity test was crucial because with “very few places” available it ensured spots were filled by those who were working.

“If somebody is taking a place in the childcare centre who is not working, and there are very few places, and no criticism, by the way of someone who is in that position, no criticism at all, but we believe, and that’s why we changed the activity test to say that we have to have that priority for working families, because that’s got to be central to the actual provision of childcare,” she said.

Israel’s Ambassador to Australia says the “rising tide of anti-Semitism must end now.”

Amir Maimon‘s comments come after anti-Israel graffiti was sprayed on multiple properties, and a car was set alight, in the Sydney suburb of Woollahra overnight.

On social media, he’s labelled it a “despicable attack targeting Jews in Woollahra” and says he’s spoken with the New South Wales Premier Chris Minns about safeguarding the Jewish community. 

Anthony Albanese will pledge to scrap the activity test that dictates access to government childcare subsidies as part of a family-focused election pitch to be delivered on Wednesday.

Instead, every family earning less than $530,000 a year will be guaranteed access to at least three days of subsidised childcare a week if Labor is re-elected, according to a preview of the speech provided to the ABC.

Under the current scheme, parents are only eligible for subsidised childcare if they are working, volunteering, job hunting, on leave or studying for a certain number of hours per fortnight.

Abolishing the activity test was one of the recommendations set out by the Productivity Commission after the government asked them to investigate opportunities for improving childcare access and affordability.

You can read more below.

Circling back to Liberal frontbencher Paul Fletcher’s interview on RN Breakfast earlier. Yesterday, he announced he would not re-contest the next election. 

It came just weeks after fellow moderate, Simon Birmingham, also announced his retirement from politics.

Fletcher was asked if he’s concerned the departures means the moderate wing of the Liberal Party was losing its voice.

“I wouldn’t agree with that characterisation,” he says.

He says the Liberal Party is at its “strongest” when it has people from “all of the different strands and philosophical traditions” in its ranks.

“I think we can confidently say there are people who are going to win seats that are not presently Liberal seats,” he says.

“So I’m confident that the different strands, the varying strands of liberal philosophical tradition, will continue to be well represented in the party room.”

Does he agree with Birmingham that the party should avoid culture wars?

When pressed, he responds: 

“We need to look at issue by issue. I’m not entirely for sure what the term culture wars actually means,” he says.

Independent MP Allegra Spender says her community has been left devastated after anti-Israel graffiti was sprayed on multiple properties, and a car was set alight, in the Sydney suburb of Woollahra overnight.

Questioned about whether the incident was anti-Semitic, versus anti-Israel, she said it’s clearly anti-Semitic.

“These [attacks] are done in the eastern suburbs of Sydney –  this is the biggest Jewish community in the country and the most concentrated Jewish community in the country,” she said.

“So when people are doing this in this community, this is anti-Jewish, this is anti-Semitic.”

She also pointed out the community was still devastated from Friday’s arson attack at a Melbourne synagogue.

“The community is still reeling from the sense that someone’s place of worship can be firebombed in this country, is absolutely devastating for the community.”

Anthony Albanese has dismissed the opposition leader’s vow to not stand in front of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags if he was elected PM.

The prime minister has placed the flags behind him at press conferences since he was elected in 2022 as a sign of support for First Australians.

Speaking with ABC’s RN Breakfast the PM said it was up to Dutton to explain why he’s made this an issue.

“Always looking for division,” the PM said.

“It costs nothing to show respect, and the flags were designated, of course, back in 1995 and I think that, yeah, it’s up to Mr Dutton to explain why he has chosen to attempt to make this an issue.”

Education Minister Jason Clare was on News Breakfast a short time ago, where he responded to the anti-Israel graffiti in Sydney overnight.

He described anti-Semitism as a “poison” and acknowledged the conflict in the Middle East had acted as an “accelerant” for anti-Semitic behaviour.

“It’s incumbent on all of us, politicians, the media …  all Australians working together to make sure this doesn’t pull us apart and be everything we want ourselves to be,” he says.

Clare says we need to rebuild the community harmony that has been “strained and tested”.

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Yesterday, Jewish Labor MP Josh Burns alleged Peter Dutton personally intervened to stop a senior member of the Coalition reading out his statement following the terror attack on a Melbourne synagogue.

Burns had lost his voice and had asked Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson to read a statement out on his behalf.

Anthony Albanese says it was a “good thing” the pair held a joint stand up.

“I know that Mr Dutton has been critical of of Josh Burns and the representation he’s given to his community,” he says.

“I find that criticism quite extraordinary and unfair.”

The PM says he finds it “astonishing” the opposition leader would intervene in such a matter.

“I think it is unfortunate that occurred and I frankly do not comprehend what motivation of doing that is,” he says.

“But I also don’t understand the personal attacks that have occurred on Josh Burns,” he said.

Anthony Albanese reiterates that the anti-Israel graffiti in Sydney overnight was an “outrage” and describes it as “another anti-Semitic attack”.

The prime minister says he’s spoke with AFP commissioner Reece Kershaw and he will be briefed by Special Operation Avalite, the taskforce established on Monday to combat anti-Semitism, as well.

“I stand with the Jewish community and unequivocally condemn this attack. There’s no place for anti-Semitism in this country, or anywhere for that matter,” he says.

He is asked about the distinction between the vandalism being anti-Israel or anti-Semitic. The PM says it’s not an attack on the Israel government.

“This is an attack on people because they happen to be Jewish,” he says.

“This is a hate crime. It’s as simple as that.”

Anthony Albanese is speaking with RN Breakfast now, where he was asked about Jane Hume’s claim he’d emboldened and enabled anti-Semitic behaviour.

The prime minister dismisses it as a “divisive comment”.

“This is a time for unity, not a time to seek political advantage or to seek to divide,” he says.

Asked if he’s spoken with Peter Dutton on the recent attacks, the PM says he speaks with the opposition leader “all the time” but does not specify if he had.

Liberal frontbencher Jane Hume is speaking with RN Breakfast now.

She repeats her claim the people involved in the anti-Israel vandalism in Sydney overnight were “emboldened” by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his government.

“Because it has used weasel words, mushy, washy language it does seem that those that are committing these offences have been emboldened, if not enabled, by a government that has failed to take leadership that the Jewish community are looking for,” she says.

RN Breakfast host Patricia Karvelas pushes further: “Are you really saying torching a car has been enabled by the government?”

Hume claims previous anti-Semitic vandalism crimes have “gone unpunished” and “unrecongised”.

“They have. Could have done so much more and so much sooner,” she says.

She adds she knows of a couple living in Elsternwick in Melbourne who are considering moving to Israel because they think it will be safer.

Tune in at the link below or stick around on the blog for the latest updates.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged to provide financial support to rebuild the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne when he visited on Tuesday afternoon.

But several members of the community who lined the streets ahead of his visit, heckled the prime minister on arrival.

Housing Minister Clare O’Neil, who says she also visited the place of worship later on Tuesday afternoon, insisted people were grateful Albanese attended.

She told Seven that some who shouted at the PM weren’t from the local community.

“I’m sure there were angry and upset
people there but I just say I don’t think that was the universal experience of having the PM there,” she said.

“The PM, in my view, has shown real leadership, he’s come to the synagogue, done the things people want a prime minister to do.”

Police are investigating after a car was set alight and multiple houses were sprayed with anti-Israeli graffiti in Sydney’s east.

It comes just days after a synagogue in Melbourne
was firebombed in what’s now been declared a likely terror attack attack.

Housing Minister Clare O’Neil says the federal police will be coming after the perpetrators.

“The Australian people
absolutely reject it, the Australian government absolutely rejects it and I want people to know the Australian Federal Police are going to come after them,” she told Seven.

“We’re not going to tolerate this type of conduct in this country.”

Liberal senator Jane Hume, who was also on the panel, said it was a pattern that was “becoming all too common”.

She accused the PM of emboldening the bad actors by not showing the Jewish community leadership.

O’Neil said that wasn’t the case. “I don’t think it is time for political parties to be playing point scoring,” she said.

“I think the most important thing that politicians can do at a time like this is not stoke division and not try to play political parties off against each other but, actually, stay on the same page.”

The minister stood by the PM and Labor’s Josh Burns, who is Jewish and is the MP for the electorate where the Melbourne synagogue is located.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has responded after a car was set alight and homes were vandalised with anti-Israel graffiti in Sydney’s east.

In a statement, he described the incident as an “outrage” and anti-Semitic.

“I will be briefed by AFP Operation Avalite officials this morning,” he said.

“I stand with the Jewish community and unequivocally condemn this attack.

“There is no place for hatred or anti-Semitism in our community.”

Welcome to our politics live blog. Courtney Gould from the ABC’s Parliament House team here to guide you through the day.

Let’s dive right in.