Activists block second coal ship from entering Newcastle port at Rising Tide blockade
Greenpeace activists have scaled and blocked a second coal ship during the Rising Tide People’s Blockade.
Three activists are secured to the anchor chain and sides of the ship, stopping its operations, and have unfurled the five-metre-long banner in a peaceful protest with a message to the Australian government: “Phase Out Coal and Gas”.
Australian musicians Oli and Louis Leimbach from Lime Cordiale joined the action with Greenpeace while activists painted a message to the Australian government on the ship’s side, using non-toxic soluble paint, reading: “TIMELINE NOW!”
Updated at 19.33 EST
Key events
Show key events only
Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature
A Guardian Australia multimedia journalist – who is wielding a large video camera and mic – has just been patted down and searched for weapons by police while filming at the Put Australia First rally in Melbourne.
Police conducting the search gave her a printed flyer that includes a map of the designated area explaining that until 29 May next year, police and protective services officers have the right to search “you, your vehicle or thing in your possession” for weapons.
Civil liberties groups and human rights advocates have said the extension of these law enforcement powers in the city for such a significant amount of time is a “vast overreach”.
There will be ‘ups and downs’ in public service staffing: Gallagher
Jumping back to Katy Gallagher’s interview this morning on Sky News, the finance and public service minister has been under pressure to explain a directive to all departments to find savings.
What was initially reported as a 5% cut to all departments, Gallagher has said is a directive to find the 5% of lowest priority spending.
The biggest question Labor (who went hard on the Coalition during the last election campaign for pledging thousands of public service job cuts) is facing is whether this will lead to redundancies. Gallagher says there will be “ups and downs” in staffing levels – but that the average staffing level is where it should be.
If you’re asking me, if that 5% exercise that we’re doing is going to result in job losses, I can say … that is not what this exercise is about.
As to whether there are ups and downs, and I’ve said this consistently over the last three years across departments, that will fluctuate a little, but it won’t – as programs come to an end as departments change their what they’re doing – all of that does matter on how many, you know, individual ASL [average staffing level] they have … but broadly across the APS, I would expect the APS to remain largely the same.
Katy Gallagher. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPShare
Updated at 20.14 EST
Stephanie Convery
Rightwing protesters gather in Melbourne for Put Australia First rally
Protesters are gathering at the intersection in front of Melbourne’s Flinders Street Station for the Put Australia First rally, a rightwing event that claims to be protesting for “immigration reform”, “freedom from an enforced digital ID” and “affordable energy”.
At 11.30am, there were more police than protesters in front of the station, and multiple lines of water-bollards cordoning the area off in two directions – although people are moving freely past them with no lines being enforced yet.
The demonstrators have been playing heavy metal songs with anti-Palestine lyrics through a loudspeaker, and are draped in and waving Australian flags.
As we reported earlier, a sister rally to this one was held in Sydney on Saturday, attracting a crowd of about 500 people.
The rallies are led by anti-lockdown protester Monica Smit and others associated with the “freedom” movement.
Protesters gather at Flinders Street Station in Melbourne for a ‘Put Australia First’ anti-immigration rally. Photograph: Erik Anderson/AAP
Smit has claimed this weekend’s rallies have no connection to August’s so-called March for Australia rallies, but the promotional videos on the Put Australia First website appear to link them.
Today’s speakers include a grab-bag of figures who emerged from the Covid anti-lockdown movement, and a virtual appearance from the British far-right activist Tommy Robinson, who was behind the Unite the Kingdom march in London.
In a late announcement yesterday, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson was added to the Melbourne speaker lineup. It makes the full list 13 speakers long.
Updated at 20.17 EST
One dead in southern NSW after car rolls over on Hume Highway
A person has died and another is in a critical condition after a car rolled in New South Wales’ southern tablelands.
About 6.45am today this morning, emergency services were called to the Hume Highway at Gunning after reports a vehicle had left the roadway and rolled. In a statement police said:
A passenger of the vehicle was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics; however, died at the scene.
The driver was treated at the scene before being airlifted to Canberra Hospital in a critical condition.
Officers attached The Hume Police District established a crime scene and commenced an investigation into the crash.
A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.
All southbound lanes of the Hume Highway at Gunning are closed and diversions are in place.
Updated at 20.13 EST
Scenes from Melbourne Metro Tunnel opening day
If you’re interested what Melbourne’s new Metro Tunnel looks like, here are some pictures of people arriving at Arden station on this auspicious day of the opening of the tunnel rail line:
Photograph: Erik Anderson/AAP Photograph: Erik Anderson/AAP Photograph: Erik Anderson/AAP
You can read more about what this will mean for the city’s commuters here:
Updated at 19.27 EST
‘If the government won’t act, the people will’, says protester who boarded coal ship
Dr Elen O’Donnell, a Greenpeace activist who boarded the vessel, said:
We are taking action today, alongside thousands of people who have joined Rising Tide’s blockade, to show Australia’s leaders that if the government won’t act, the people will.
Australia is the world’s third-largest fossil fuel exporter, and its outsized role in the climate crisis calls for serious action. Every shipment of coal that leaves this port contributes to more devastating bushfires, floods and cyclones.
As a doctor, I have seen first-hand the impacts of climate disasters on people in Australia and around the world – I’ve seen how our government’s obsession with fossil fuels is harming people and killing our planet.
From the side of this vessel we can see ships far out to the horizon, many of them on their way to collect coal. These industries, and the Australian people, are owed a clear plan and timeline for the phase-out of coal and gas. We are risking arrest because we don’t want a future reliant on coal and gas.
Greenpeace Australia Pacific activists have scaled and blocked a coal ship at Rising Tide. Photograph: GreenpeaceShare
Updated at 19.33 EST
Activists block second coal ship from entering Newcastle port at Rising Tide blockade
Greenpeace activists have scaled and blocked a second coal ship during the Rising Tide People’s Blockade.
Three activists are secured to the anchor chain and sides of the ship, stopping its operations, and have unfurled the five-metre-long banner in a peaceful protest with a message to the Australian government: “Phase Out Coal and Gas”.
Australian musicians Oli and Louis Leimbach from Lime Cordiale joined the action with Greenpeace while activists painted a message to the Australian government on the ship’s side, using non-toxic soluble paint, reading: “TIMELINE NOW!”
Updated at 19.33 EST
Overseas couple arrested over alleged $1m Sydney casino fraud
A couple have been charged for allegedly fraudulently winning more than $1m at a Sydney casino.
Police say the day the pair arrived in Sydney from Kazakhstan in October, they applied for memberships to a casino in Barangaroo.
Over the course of multiple visits to the casino, the couple won a total of $1,179,412.50, which raised the suspicion of the casino.
On Thursday the 36-year-old woman was observed by casino staff wearing a small discreet camera attached to her shirt, leading police officers to arrest the woman and her 44-year-old husband.
Police say they located on the pair “small, magnetised probes, batteries, and a mobile phone with a fitted attachment that allowed the camera function of the phone to discretely view, capture or record images.”
The 36-year-old woman was observed by casino staff wearing a small discreet camera attached to her shirt. Photograph: NSW police force
They also seized a “small custom-made mirror attachment for the same mobile phone.”
The couple were each charged with dishonestly obtain financial advantage etc by deception. In a statement police said:
It will be alleged, with their mobile phones capturing images of the table, the pair were communicated with using deep seated earpieces through which they received instruction to wager on various card games and ultimately cheat the casino.
A subsequent search warrant was carried out at their accommodation on Kent Street in Sydney, where police located other gambling props, high end jewellery, and $2000 euro dollars.
Updated at 18.52 EST
Gallagher describes ‘lovely’ Albanese wedding, says Lodge location ‘appropriate’
Krishani Dhanji
We’re getting a little more reaction to Anthony Albanese and Jodie Haydon’s wedding yesterday – which was top secret, and held at the PM’s residence.
Cabinet minister Katy Gallagher, who attended the wedding, described the event as “lovely” and “intimate” – though revealed she didn’t partake in the Jodie and Albo themed beers (not being much of a drinker herself).
Katy Gallagher and husband, Dave Skinner (front), Jim Chalmers and Laura Chalmers arrive for the wedding of Anthony Albanese and Jodie Haydon at the Lodge in Canberra. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP
Speaking to Sky News this morning, Gallagher said it was “appropriate” for the couple to hold the ceremony at the Lodge in Canberra – particularly considering the safety concerns.
It would be difficult if you’re prime minister to get married anywhere, to be honest. I think there was certainly some advice taken about security that needed to be taken into consideration. [They] very clearly looked at, you know, the appropriate use of the Lodge and paying for all of … the event.
I think it meets all the necessary guidelines. But I think the Lodge also provided some safety and security for the event.
Updated at 18.57 EST
Fireball erupts in Sydney waste facility
We mentioned earlier firefighters are battling a massive factory blaze in western Sydney that could take days to extinguish. Here are some of the pictures Fire and Rescue NSW released of the huge fireball that erupted in the waste facility overnight:
NORTH ST MARYS | ***VISION ALERT*** Huge fireball destroys waste facility as firefighters battle inferno. More than 200 firefighters have contained an inferno that has engulfed a waste facility factory overnight at North St Marys in Sydney’s wes… https://t.co/Z8EUgKVdD7
— Fire and Rescue NSW (@FRNSW) November 29, 2025
North St Marys | Smoke advisory – Residents living within 500 metres of the fire in Kurrajong Road, North St Marys, are being asked to stay indoors and keep their doors and windows closed to avoid harmful smoke.
Locals are also asked to limit their recreational activities in the… pic.twitter.com/bvQWnLTY3O
— Fire and Rescue NSW (@FRNSW) November 29, 2025Share
Updated at 18.22 EST
‘Good on him’: Littleproud congratulates Albanese on wedding
Littleproud says he is “genuinely happy” for Albanese’s recent nuptials.
It’s great to see the PM has someone who loves him and going to be with him. It is a tough and lonely job, being prime minister. I couldn’t be happier for the PM and Jodie. Jodie has already stepped up on the international stage and represented us in such a classy way for some time and now they’ve solidified their partnership with marriage and I think good on him. I hope he has a bit of a break now. I think we all need a break, but good on him and I wish him every happiness. I couldn’t be happier for the pair of them.
Updated at 18.09 EST
Land clearing not a major threat to endangered species, Littleproud says
Littleproud said he does not accept land clearing is a major threat to endangered species, despite the State of Environment report finding so.
I think what you find particularly where I live – I’ve got the lived experience – out here there’s no one tearing up vegetation recklessly. They are managing regrowth so that they can produce your food and fibre so you don’t have a cost-of-living crisis.
Updated at 18.21 EST