What we learned, Sunday 31 August
That’s it from me, Graham Readfearn, and from our live news coverage for the day. But first a quick recap.
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Thousands attended anti-immigration around the country at about 20 locations, under the banner “March for Australia”.
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There were angry scenes in Melbourne where police used pepper spray as they tried to keep counter protests seperate. A neo-Nazi was among the speakers at there.
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Federal MP Bob Katter in Townsville and One Nation senators Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts in Canberra have been with the March for Australia protestors.
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The wife of suspected police killer Dezi Freeman has urged the sovereign citizen to surrender as police entered a sixth day searching for him in bush around Porepunkah in northern Victoria.
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Shadow immigration minister Julian Leeser argued the Albanese government’s support for Palestine had created the atmosphere that encouraged “lowlife criminals” to attack Jewish community buildings last year.
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A man and a woman were stabbed by two men who entered their southwest Sydney home wearing face coverings, in what officers think was a case of mistaken identity. The two were in a stable condition in hospital. Three children under 10 were also in the home but were not injured.
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Race records were broken in Sydney’s marathon this morning, where there were 35,000 runners registered for the run’s debut as a world major marathon.
Thanks for sticking with us and stay safe. Have a good evening.
Key events
Neo-nazis and politicians among protesters at anti-immigration rallies
Here’s our full story just published on the anti-immigration rallies that took place around Australia today, where thousands turned out draped with Australian flags.
My colleagues Stephanie Convery and Natasha May write that a neo-Nazi was among the speakers at a tense rally in Melbourne.
Politicians from One Nation and Katter’s Australia party were among those attending rallies in Canberra and Townsville.
What’s happened so far today?
Here’s a recap on what’s happened so far today.
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Anti-immigration rallies have been taking place around the country at about 20 locations, under the banner “March for Australia”. There have been angry scenes in Melbourne where police tried to keep counter protests seperate.
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Federal MP Bob Katter in Townsville and One Nation senators Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts in Canberra have been with the March for Australia protesters.
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The wife of suspected police killer Dezi Freeman has urged the ‘“sovereign citizen” to surrender as police entered a sixth day searching for him in bush around Porepunkah in northern Victoria.
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The shadow attorney general, Julian Leeser, argued the Albanese government’s position on Israel had created the atmosphere that encouraged “lowlife criminals” to attack Jewish community buildings last year.
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Race records were broken in Sydney’s marathon this morning, where there were 35,000 runners registered for the run’s debut as a world major marathon.
Stay with us for the rest of the day.
Sydney marathon photo gallery
There have been a few records broken today in Sydney for the city’s marathon, reportedly the biggest in Australia history where 35,000 registered to run.
Here’s how the city looked this morning for the race – the first time the Sydney event has been an official Abbott World Marathon Major, putting it alongside the likes of the famous marathons of Boston, London and New York.
Bob Katter at Townsville anti-immigration rally
The ABC has reported that about 400 people attended the anti-immigration march in Townsville, and that it was led by members of the party founded by federal MP Bob Katter.
Footage showed Katter’s Australia party members, including Queensland state MPs Nick Dametto and Robbie Katter, standing alongside the federal member for Kennedy, Bob Katter.
According to the ABC, the day has so far passed without incident in the north Queensland town.
Bob Katter made headlines earlier this week when he made threatening moves towards Nine journalist Josh Bavas, after Bavas had asked about Katter’s Lebanese heritage.
Melbourne: protesters pepper-sprayed as anti-immigration marchers reach state parliament
Stephanie Convery
The anti-immigration rally in Melbourne has reached the state parliament, taking a circuitous route via Bourke St mall.
I can’t see the speaker from where I’m standing, but the man with a microphone says: “Australians are sick and tired of the rising tide of mass immigration in this country.”
He then leads a chant of “Albo must go”, followed by “Aussie Aussie Aussie”, which the crowd bellows in unison.
The antifascist counter-protest was pushed back from the Collins/Elizabeth intersection by police in riot gear, and around a dozen protesters were pepper-sprayed in the process.
They haven’t made it up to parliament.
Krishani Dhanji
New powers for Services Australia to waive debts incurred through family violence
Victim-survivors of financial abuse will no longer be saddled with social security debt from an abusive partner, following a change to the rules that will allow some of those debts to be waived.
The changes, announced this morning, are part of a push to protect those affected by family violence and coercive control from financial abuse by a partner.
Services Australia will now have the power to waive social security debts incurred as a result of family violence, but will also be able to consider circumstances including mental capacity, the impact of natural disasters and homelessness.
The social services minister, Tanya Plibersek, said the social services system should “be a part of the solution, not part of the problem” for victim-survivors of family violence. She said:
Every victim survivor who relies on our social security system should feel like they can trust that the system will keep them safe. It should be part of the solution, not part of the problem …
This is an important first step toward our landmark election commitment to stop perpetrators using Commonwealth systems to abuse their partners.
Economic Justice Australia has “wholeheartedly welcomed” the change and says it will help victim survivors of family violence access justice, and leave abusive circumstances. Its chief executive, Kate Allingham, says:
People have had their measly social security payments further reduced to repay these debts, taking food off the table and adding significant financial pressure on families …
This change to the legislation is a no-brainer, and will result in a much fairer outcome for people in incredibly vulnerable and distressing situations.
Stephanie Convery
Melbourne: bottles thrown as opposing protests cross paths
The anti-immigration march and the counter demonstration have just met at the corner of Collins St and Elizabeth St. There’s a barrier of police between them, three rows deep, including police on horseback, but that hasn’t stopped verbal confrontation.
Someone has just thrown a bottle into the front line of the antifascist counter-rally – it smashed at their feet – and a can of beer has just gone flying over the police line towards the anti-immigration march.
Malcolm Roberts and Pauline Hanson address Canberra anti-immigration rally
AAP have pictures of the One Nation leader, Pauline Hanson, and senator Malcolm Roberts at the anti-mass immigration rally being held in Canberra:
Josh Butler
Canberra: anti-immigration protesters and counter-protest cause traffic delays
A crowd of what appears to be a few hundred has gathered and chanted at Canberra’s anti-immigration rally, on the edge of Lake Burley Griffin. With a view of Parliament House across the lake, several hundred people waved Australian flags or wore them as capes.
A smaller counter-rally across the road was kept separate by police, with officers forming a perimeter to keep the groups apart.
The counter-rally chanted phrases like “immigrants are welcome here”, as well as a chant ending in “walk into the fucking lake”.
The anti-immigration rally is making its way across the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge, potentially toward Parliament House. At least one lane on the bridge looks blocked by police for protesters to march – it’s causing major delays on Canberra’s main arterial road from north to south, including a fire truck with lights and blaring sirens which is trying to make its way down the road.
Others didn’t walk across the bridge. Two young women in a car drove past the counter-rally, playing Men At Work’s Land Down Under on their stereo, singing loudly and raising their middle fingers at the counter-protesters.