Hundreds of Melburnians have swarmed Flinders Street in a mass protest against Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who made appearances across the city today to conclude his Australian visit.

Flinders Street was blocked to trams and traffic as demonstrators prepared to march down Swanston Street to parliament, accusing Herzog of being a war criminal.

"We are here today because our government has invited someone who is on trial for incitement of genocide against a population of 2 million besieged Palestinians in Gaza," organiser Noura Mansour said.

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"We reject this visit, we reject genocide and we reject the very values that this unwelcomed guest represent."

Herzog is on his way back to Jerusalem following four days of engagements with dignitaries, Bondi terror attack survivors and members of the Jewish community.

The president touched down in Melbourne under heavy police guard for the last day of his Australian tour.

The president flew into Tullamarine on an RAAF jet this morning ahead of a number of official engagements.

Escorted by a police convoy, Herzog arrived at Government House just before midday, where he met with Governor Margaret Gardner and Premier Jacinta Allan.

Police quickly shut down a demonstration by a small group of protesters outside the grounds of Government House.

This afternoon Herzog addressed a crowd of supporters in Southbank, directly referencing widespread protests that have shadowed his visit.

Dozens of police barricaded City Road in front of a large fence, close to a Zionist Federation of Australia-hosted event where the president spoke to community members.

The final engagement in Herzog's visit, the event was sold as "an afternoon of reflection, unity and shared purpose".

Allan, Opposition Leader Jess Wilson and victims of the Bondi terror attack attended the event, alongside scores of Victorian Jews.

A small group of pro-Palestine protesters demonstrated near the blockade, including several people dressed as police officers, demanding the arrest of Herzog.

"We have an international war criminal that is being currently protected by our local boys. It's a problem," one protester said.

The pro-Palestine group briefly interacted with a small number of counter-protesters waving Israeli flags, but the demonstration appeared largely peaceful.

READ MORE: Liberal leadership spill confirmed ahead of partyroom meeting where Angus Taylor will challenge Sussan Ley

Inside the event, Herzog urged protesters outside to "go protest in front of the Iranian embassy", citing internal conflict that has seen tens of thousands of Iran's own citizens killed.

"To me it's obscure and odd that we need to have so many incredible police officers protecting us for the inherent right for us to gather here as proud Jews… to host the president of the only Jewish state on earth, without any harassment," Herzog said.

The Israeli dignitary offered a wider message of hope to the crowd, noting that he hoped his visit would "console" the community and "salute the many heroes of Bondi".

"The resolve and solidarity of this community are key to the future that we all share in Melbourne and in Jerusalem," he said.

"We came to remind you that you are not alone here in the diaspora, and we leave understanding more than ever before that we have each other."

Premier condemns anti-Herzog graffiti 

The words "Death To Herzog + Israel + Oz" were scrawled across the University of Melbourne's Parkville Campus in black spray paint alongside an inverted triangle – a symbol commonly used by pro-Palestine protesters and Hamas militia.

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"It's absolutely contemptible because we all want peace to come and causing hurt and grief and violence like we've seen in Sydney, that does not bring peace," Allan said of the graffiti.

Victoria Police were out in force across the course of the day, with specialist forces brought in to help maintain safety and avoid a repeat of violent scenes in Sydney on Monday.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court granted police special powers to search individuals and vehicles in the vicinity of the president and his convoy.

"Victoria Police has been granted those powers that afford us, in specified areas, to seek the identities of individuals passing through that location, to search individuals, to search vehicles, and to cordon off a particular area," Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Regional Operations Bob Hill said yesterday.

"It's specific to areas he will visit and it will not directly relate to or impact upon the lawful protest activity that may occur here in Melbourne tomorrow evening."

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A Liberal Party leadership spill has been called for ahead of a looming partyroom meeting, as a growing number of frontbench heavyweights quit the shadow ministry, pulling their backing for Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and throwing their support behind Angus Taylor.

Federal Liberal MPs Phil Thompson and Jess Collins formally requested a leadership spill today by delivering a letter to Ley.

A partyroom meeting for that spill will be held at 9am (AEDT) tomorrow, where former opposition defence spokesperson Taylor will formally nominate for the party's leadership.

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Since Taylor quit the Liberal frontbench last night to challenge Ley, a string of other shadow ministers have followed his lead.

The most recent are Victorian MP Dan Tehan, opposition Senate leader Michaelia Cash, and shadow special minister of state James McGrath, who each tendered their resignations to support Taylor.

"This is not a decision I have taken lightly," Tehan – who has also put himself forward to run for deputy leader – said. 

While Cash, a conservative, was always expected to back Taylor, McGrath and Tehan's resignations are particularly significant because they supported Ley when she claimed the leadership following last year's federal election.

"While I realise this news won't please everyone, it is important that Australia has a strong and effective opposition," McGrath said.

"I have made this decision as I believe it is in the best interest of Queensland, Australia and the Liberal National Party."

Senior shadow cabinet members James Paterson and Jonno Duniam have also both quit the frontbench to support Taylor.

Paterson fronted the media earlier today after informing Ley of his resignation and said he no longer had confidence in her ability to lead the party.

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"Sussan Ley is a decent person, a good Liberal, she has been dealt many tough hands in the last nine months," he said.

"But I no longer have confidence in her ability to turn this ship around to get our back on track before the next election."

Paterson then praised Taylor for having the "smartest policy brain in the shadow cabinet" as he backed him as the next Liberal leader.

He did not, however, outline what policy changes Taylor would propose if the spill is successful.

"Angus understands this is a change-or-die moment for the Liberal Party," he added.

"We must change or we will not continue to exist."

Meanwhile, WA frontbencher Matt O'Sullivan also tendered his resignation amid the partyroom chaos.

"This decision has not been taken lightly," he said.

"However, I have reached the view that the Coalition currently lacks the policy clarity, leadership and strategic direction required to rebuild trust with voters and present a compelling alternative government."

Claire Chandler and Phil Thompson are also among the growing number of Liberal resignations.

Ley remains quiet as narrow race begins 

Ley is yet to formally comment on tomorrow's challenge, although she has been posting promotional content to social media promising to deliver a "better future".

Nine's political editor Charles Croucher said Taylor has the party support to seriously challenge Ley for the top job.

"What I'm being told here is that he has the numbers, although it's close," Croucher said.

https://x.com/sussanley/status/2021718741067911540

Taylor said in a campaign message shared to X that the Liberal Party has "lost it's way".

"I am running to be the leader of the Liberal Party, because I believe Australia is worth fighting for," Taylor said.

"I believe we need strong and decisive leadership that gives Australians clarity, courage, and confidence in providing a vision for the future."

Liberal moderate Jane Hume, who was dumped from shadow cabinet when Ley became Liberal leader, is widely expected to run for deputy if Taylor is successful in his challenge.

https://twitter.com/AngusTaylorMP/status/2021712288949092425?s=20

The countdown to the leadership spill

Taylor's long-foreshadowed resignation from the Liberal Party frontbench yesterday kicked off the countdown to a challenge to Ley's leadership.

While the former opposition defence spokesperson didn't explicitly declare his plans last night, his decision to quit and outright withdrawal of support for Ley's leadership made his intentions clear.

"But we can't mince words. The Liberal Party is at the worst position it has been since 1944, when the party was formed. That is a confronting reality and we cannot ignore it," Taylor said.

READ MORE: Taylor quits frontbench for leadership showdown

"I don't believe Sussan Ley is in a position to be able to lead the party, as it needs to be led from here."

This morning, Liberal frontbencher Claire Chandler resigned from Ley's frontbench, with a number of Taylor's supporters set to follow.

What happens now?

At tomorrow's partyroom meeting, a motion to spill the leadership can be called.

If it's seconded – which it is certain to be – and supported by a majority, nominations for leader will be opened and another vote will be called to decide who takes over, or if Ley stays.

The party tightened rules in 2018 in response to a revolving door of leaders to require a two-thirds majority to expel a sitting elected prime minister. But that doesn't apply in this case, meaning a simple majority is enough.

Who's said what?

Declarations of support for either Liberal from their colleagues were thin on the ground last night but reporting suggested more resignations could be coming this week.

Right-wing Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price was unsurprisingly quick to come out in support of Taylor, telling Sky News the party would be "wiped out" without a change.

"I don't think it's any secret that I'll be backing Angus Taylor and I will be backing a move for a change of leadership," she said.

Moderate Liberal MP Tim Wilson said he would "support the leader" but declined to pledge his explicit backing to Ley in a future leadership vote.

"Well, as I've said, if you want loyalty, you have to show loyalty, and I believe in loyalty very much as a foundation for trust," he told ABC's 7.30.

"And off the back of that, I will then be going on, of course, as processes go on, to make sure that I'm making the decision in the best interests of the Liberal Party.

"But I've said that, you know, I support the leader."

South Australian MP Tony Pasin expressed his support for Taylor.

"Look the reality is something had to change," he said.

"And I just went and saw Angus then and said, I'm proud of him. It takes real courage. 

"We can't keep doing what we've always done if we want different results, right?"

Queensland LNP MP Garth Hamilton said he was glad the issue had been "brought to a head".

"We clearly need to address these issues. They've been playing out for far too long publicly," he said.

"I think it's an important part of democratic process."

Who has the numbers?

Nine national affairs editor Andrew Probyn said many Liberals were angry Ley hadn't had a fair crack at the leadership while others were prepared to back Taylor but suspected he didn't have what it took to take on Labor.

"What was striking about Angus Taylor tonight was that he didn't announce any new policy direction at this stage, the main policy is simply that he wants to be leader now," he said.

"That may change tomorrow. Perhaps he'll give his colleagues a better pitch, but for liberals voting in a leadership ballot, the biggest question is whether they stick with Sussan Ley.

"I'm told that the numbers remain tight, neither side entirely confident, but even Lee's supporters want this damaging squabble sorted out one way or the other."

What do the polls say?

If a Sky News Pulse poll by YouGov is to be believed, voters don't really want Taylor or Ley in charge of the Liberal Party.

Andrew Hastie, who pulled out of a brewing three-way showdown to clear the air for Taylor late last month, led with 15 per cent, followed by Ley with 10 per cent and Taylor with 8 per cent.

But the damning result for the party didn't even have a name to it, with 60 per cent of voters saying they didn't know who should lead it.

Among Liberal voters, Hastie's lead was starker (25 per cent compared to 12 and 11 per cent for Ley and Taylor).

The latest Newspoll released on Monday saw the Coalition's primary vote slide to 18 per cent, now behind Labor at 33 per cent and One Nation on 27 per cent.

The Liberal primary vote was just 15 per cent.

How did we get here?

A leadership spill has been looming after a tumultuous period for the Liberals.

The Coalition split last month when three Nationals senators voted against the government's hate groups bill and were sacked from the frontbench.

Although the parties have since come back together, there have been growing concerns that One Nation has overtaken the Liberals in opinion polls and Ley's personal preferred prime minister polls have tanked.

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Colonel Paul Hayward admitted at the inquest he had not read a key 2021 WorkSafe report.

A man has been found alive after surviving almost four days without any food, water or supplies in rugged bushland in Tasmania.

Corey Chugg was with a friend at Mt Barrow, north-east of Launceston, on Sunday night when the pair became separated.

The 32-year-old became lost and has been missing since with police holding concerns for his safety.

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A massive search and rescue team, including emergency services, ATVs, drones and a helicopter, has been scouring the area since Sunday.

Earlier today, crews found him at the bottom of a steep incline near a creek on the edge of the known search area.

"They walked along the usual path, called out to Mr Chugg, who has replied and said hello and who he was and was incredibly grateful to be found," Inspector Aleena Crack said.

"I've spoken to the rescuers themselves, and they were incredibly pleased and very happy.

"It's always a great relief when you find somebody alive and well, much better than any alternative outcome and everyone is really happy with how it's gone today."

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Conditions have been favourable over the past few days, with temperatures around the mid-teens to mid-20s and no rainfall recorded.

But temperatures dropped last night with a low of 7.7 degrees recorded about 6.30am.

"Thankfully, there was water around, and he's been able to keep himself busy and occupied and as well as possible," Crack said. 

Chugg was winched to safety and able to speak with emergency services.

He received a medical assessment before being taken to the hospital.

He is suffering from some exposure-related illness and has a foot injury, but the extent of his physical condition is unknown at this stage.

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Police have contacted his family to let them know he has been found alive. 

They will be speaking to him after he recovers to understand how he became lost.

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ANZ has posted a better-than-expected quarterly profit, just days after it charged staff $10 for a sausage sizzle to welcome them back to the office.

The big-four bank's cash profit for the quarter ending December 31 jumped by 6 per cent to $1.94 billion, partly driven by the thousands of redundancies announced last year.

The bank flagged its profits had been buoyed by slashing operating expenses after 3500 people – about 10 per cent of the business – were laid off.

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More than 60 per cent of the job cuts were finalised at the end of last year, with the majority impacting staff at its headquarters in Docklands, Melbourne.

There are still about 1200 jobs under threat.

ANZ's profits were announced the same week staff were reportedly offered the opportunity to attend a "welcome back to the office" sausage sizzle – for the price of $10.

A flyer posted to Instagram account @theaussiecorporate noted that employees would be given one sausage in bread with onion and condiments, one soft drink and one soft-serve ice cream for the fee.

It is not clear which ANZ office the sausage sizzle was held at.

Nine.com.au has contacted ANZ for comment.

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Chief executive Nuno Matos said the bank's quarterly results showed "early progress" in its five-year strategy.

"Our productivity program aimed at removing duplication and simplifying the bank is well under way, delivering a significant reduction in expenses while growing revenue," Matos said.

"There was an improvement across our key financial metrics, including the return on tangible equity which rose to 11.7 per cent and cost to income ratio to below 50 per cent."

Overall revenue increased by 1 per cent, while operating expenses fell by the same compared to the first quarter of 2025.

This marks the first time ANZ has reported on its quarterly results, having only posted half-yearly results in the past.

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