Tag Archives: oceania

Naomi opened a letter and discovered a $6400 energy bill debt

Exclusive: A NSW woman has revealed how her father unknowingly racked up a nearly $6400 debt from years of unpaid energy bills.

Naomi Thompson, 34, has spent nearly five years helping her ill father slowly bring down the debt – and the balance is a stark reminder of how vulnerable Australians are among the most impacted by the rising costs.

Thompson's father, who suffered a stroke, didn't realise he was being contacted by Energy Australia until the bills ballooned to an unmanageable amount.

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Naomi Thompson energy bill debt

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What the big four banks think will happen with interest rates next year

It's a thought which is likely to put dampener on Christmas and New Year: interest rates could rise again in 2026.

One bank predicts as many as two hikes in the new year in depressing news for Aussie mortgage holders.

CBA and NAB are both now predicting a cash rate hike, potentially as early as February.

READ MORE: Major bank hikes fixed rates despite saying more RBA cuts on the way

RBA governor Michelle Bullock at a press conference.

READ MORE: Police to carry semi-automatic guns for Melbourne's Boxing Day Test

NAB also reckons it will go up in May too.

However, others banks a happier prediction, forecasting they'll stay on hold.

Westpac has updated its cash rate forecast, predicting the RBA will keep the cash rate on hold at 3.60 per cent for the foreseeable future.

Previously Westpac's economic team was predicting two further cash rate cuts in May and August next year, Canstar says.

However, the bank is leaving the door open to this possibility in the first half of 2027.

The shift comes on the back of recent inflation surprises and the RBA's "more hawkish tone," Canstar says

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ANZ still expects the cash rate to remain unchanged in 2026.

When it comes to savings, there's slightly better news

Canstar says 33 banks have hiked at least one term deposit rate so far this month.

This list includes CBA, NAB, ANZ and Westpac, which changed its term deposit special from 3.90 per cent for 11 months to 4.10 per cent for 12 months.

This compares to just 10 banks that cut at least one term deposit rate so far this month.

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As a result, out of the big four banks, ANZ has the highest term deposit rate of 4.25 per cent, although it's only for a term of eight months.

Sally Tindall, Canstar.com.au data insights director, said: "Westpac's the last big bank to rule out the possibility of further cash rate cuts on the back of what has been a marked shift in tone from the RBA.

"The central bank has gone out of its way to put borrowers on notice that cash rate cuts are well and truly out the window, but also, hikes are now back on the table.

"While this news is a bitter pill to swallow for borrowers lugging around Santa sacks full of debt, anyone with money in the bank could start to feel a tailwind instead of a headwind in 2026 if the cash rate starts to rise."

Bondi gunmen allegedly threw bombs into crowd during attack, court documents reveal

The Bondi gunmen allegedly threw several shrapnel-filled bombs into a Jewish crowd celebrating Hanukkah in a failed attempt to claim more lives in their minutes-long, antisemitic massacre.

Police allegations about the Islamic State-inspired shooters' flawed bombs, training in a regional area, arsenal of weaponry left behind and reconnaissance to the massacre site in the days before the December 14 attack were released by a court today.

The allegations were contained in a police fact sheet released by the court.

READ MORE: New laws to target hate speech, 'brainwashing' of children

The Akrams are seen on CCTV at the Campsie property before the Bondi attack.

Surviving gunman Naveed Akram, 24, faces 59 charges including committing a terrorist act and 15 counts of murder.

He and his deceased father, Sajid Akram, 50, are accused of carrying out Australia's worst mass shooting since 1996 by targeting the Jewish festival of lights at Bondi Beach.

Images contained in the police fact sheet in Naveed's case allegedly show the Akrams at a short-term rental home they used as a staging post for their attack.

CCTV footage shows the men carrying long and bulky items wrapped in blankets and loading them into the younger man's 24-year-old silver Hyundai Elantra in the early hours of December 14.

Under the blankets were two single-barrel shotguns, a Beretta rifle, five homemade bombs and two Islamic State flags, police allege.

The men travelled from the suburb of Campsie in Sydney's south-west to Bondi Beach after 5pm.

READ MORE: Flowers cleared from Bondi, a week after attack

Two of the homemade bombs found at the scene in Bondi.A homemade IED found in the car.

After parking near a footbridge on Campbell Parade, the men allegedly tossed three pipe bombs filled with steel ball bearings and a "tennis ball bomb" into the Hannukah celebration at Archer Park before opening fire.

But none of the pipe bombs detonated, despite preliminary police analysis finding they were "viable". 

No further detail about the tennis ball bomb was provided.

Police also claimed a box-like bomb was found in the boot of the car while two hand-painted Islamic State flags were also found in the car.

Further weaponry and explosive devices were discovered by police in the Campsie rental, including a 3D-printed shotgun speed loader, a firearm scope, two more guns and another suspected bomb.

The homemade Islamic State flag found in the Akrams' car at the scene of the attack.Police allege the Akrams visited the attack site in the days prior.

Police allege the men left behind videos that indicated their adherence to religiously motivated violent extremism.

Footage recorded in late October – six to eight weeks before the attack – and shown in the fact sheet showed each Akram training with long-arm guns and "moving in a tactical manner" in a countryside location.

Police suspect the area was in NSW.

"The (younger Akram) is recorded appearing to recite, in Arabic, a passage from the Quran," the facts sheet states.

"Following the recitation, both the accused and S.AKRAM speak in English and make a number of statement sregarding their motivation for the 'Bondi attack' and condemning the acts of 'Zionists'.(sic)"

Further footage captured by security cameras at Bondi Beach appears to show the Akrams scoped out the area about 48 hours before their attack.

"There is evidence that the accused and his father … meticulously planned this terrorist attack for many months," the facts sheet says.

READ MORE: NSW gun laws to be 'toughest in country'

An image supplied by the court of Naveed Akram allegedly conducting weapons training before the Bondi attack.Police believe the Akrams trained somewhere in NSW.

As well as releasing the police allegations, Deputy Chief Magistrate Michael Antrum today suppressed the identities of 25 survivors, to protect their privacy and assist their recovery.

The court order allows victim-survivors to choose if and when they go public with their story, and join other survivors such as Arsen Ostrovsky and hero tobacconist Ahmed Al Ahmed.

Akram remains in custody and was today transferred from hospital to a NSW prison under police guard.

His case is next due in court in April.

‘Toughest firearm reforms’ in Australia to be introduced this week

The NSW government will introduce the "toughest firearm reforms" in the country this week in the wake of the Bondi Beach terrorist attack.

Premier Chris Minns today said the government will crack down on hate and strengthen public safety with the introduction of legislation that is set to drastically change how Australians in the state can get their hands on guns.

After kicking off an emergency session of state parliament, Minns confirmed there is a tranche of reforms he hopes will be passed before Christmas.

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NSW Premier Chris Minns

"It does restrict access to high-risk weapons, strengthening licences, storage and oversight regimes in the state," Minns said.

"I know that this legislative change will be met with opposition both on the floor of parliament and in the community.

"On many of the measures that we are proposing, I've heard members of the public say that we have gone too far, but I'd strongly believe that these changes to law and legislation in NSW are fundamentally important to keep the people of this state safe."

Minns acknowledged the new laws were "extraordinary measures" but said they were crucial in protecting NSW residents from more gun violence.

NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley said she has no doubt similar changes will be adopted by other Australian states and territories.

There are 1.1 million legally owned guns in NSW alone and Catley said the government aims to shrink this number.

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"Reducing the number of those, particularly for recreational shooters, I think is reasonable," Catley said.

"We know that many are good law-abiding gun licence holders.

"We know that. But, we also have to acknowledge the harm that can be caused by guns and for that reason, we have introduced these legislative reforms."

Tough new laws will also ban public displays of terrorist symbols, outlaw incitement to violence – including the phrase "globalise the infitada" – and give police stronger powers during public assemblies.

"We cannot pretend that the world is the same as it was before that terrorist incident on Sunday," Minns added.

"This is a huge burden that we feel on our shoulders and it will require legislative and further reforms early next year."

Chief executive of the Alannah & Madeline Foundation Sarah Davies spoke on behalf of Walter Mikac, who lost his family in the 1996 Port Arthur mass shooting.

Davies said that Mikac welcomed the NSW government's swift response to changing firearm laws.

"The people of NSW expect their gun laws to be as strong as possible and today, the Minns government has taken important steps to meet that responsibility," she said.

"Like all Australians, my heart is with the families of the victims, the survivors and Australia's Jewish community.

"I stand in love and in solidarity with all those affected by this unspeakable violence. I know the life-long cost of violence and loss."

Australia's largest gun buyback scheme since the aftermath of the Port Arthur massacre will also launched following the Bondi Beach attack.

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Flowers cleared from scene of Bondi shooting more than a week after attack

The flowers cards, balloons, candles and other tributes left by Bondi Beach after the shooting which killed 15 people have been cleared away.

After a week which saw family and friends, dignitaries, Jews and Sydneysiders leave tributes to those killed, the process to return the area to normal has begun.

However, like after other attacks such as Bondi Junction stabbing and the Lindt Cafe siege, some will be kept to form part of a more permanent tribute.

READ MORE: Anthony Albanese's approval rating plummets in wake of Bondi terror attack

More than 200 flowers in mirrored cubes were inset into Martin Place after that attack, which killed two people.

The NSW Government said it consulted with Waverley Council and the Jewish community about taking the tributes away.

Most are outside the Pavilion, next to the park where Australia's deadliest terror attack unfolded.

Others were left on the bridge where the shooters stood, and on the beachfront.

"The outpouring of support at the temporary Bondi Beach floral tribute site (behind the Bondi Pavilion) has been overwhelming and is a heartfelt representation of the empathy the community has for the victims, their families and survivors," the NSW Government said.

"We will ensure photographs are captured and will collect a representation of materials from the floral tribute site to preserve and use in future memorial materials for the families as appropriate.

"The Jewish Museum will collect cards and other non-perishable items."

Workers were seen sorting items including into recycling bins.

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READ MORE: What the 'big four' banks think will happen with interest rates next year

However while the area in front of Bondi Pavilion was cleared by Monday lunchtime, some new flowers were being left by visitors.

Last night thousands gathered for an official vigil following what was declared a day of reflection for the nation.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was met with boos from parts of a crowd gathered at Bondi Beach as they marked exactly one week after Australia's worst terror attack.

For NSW Premier Chris Minns there was a standing ovation.

New research reveals sad fact about Christmas in Australia

New research reveals many Australians will avoid festive gatherings this year due to financial hardship.

One-in-four people surveyed by the Salvation said they would avoid social events because of a shortage of money, while almost one-in-five said won't be seeing family and friends for the same reason.

Almost 15 per cent of respondents believe they will feel lonely or isolated this Christmas.

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New Salvation Army research suggests many Australians will feel loneliness and isolation this Christmas.

More than 20 per cent of people said they would find their mental health challenging this festive season.

"This Christmas is a time to come together as a nation and look out for one another," Campbell said.

"While Christmas is a time of joy for so many, some find it to be extremely lonely and isolating. 

"For some, the financial pressure of seeing family and friends is too much, while others don't have family or friends to turn to, and that is what we are seeing in our research."

The Salvation Army's Christmas Appeal is currently aiming to raise $29 million to support Australians, including through community meals and events that combat loneliness.

Last year, Australians donated more than 350,000 gifts and toys, more than 177,000 meals and provided more than 89,000 bed nights for families in need of accommodation.

"If you are struggling, experiencing loneliness or isolation, or need a hand, please reach out to your local Salvation Army," Campbell said.

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